My experiences at the Bayou are always exceeded by the next visit! Lively VIBE. Prompt service. Friendly faces. Hands on owner/management. LOVE the fried chicken, but I get it with grits & Brussel sprouts. And hold the phone...the RIBS are a must have. You MUST have the fresh hot begneits for dessert. Craft beer list is impressive, & the wine list is adequate. And for some of the previous reviews I read that said bar service was slow; remember, an entire dining room & bar are ordering handmade specialty 'crafted' cocktails that may need little extra TLC by 2 or 3 cocktail crafters...and perfection might need an extra few seconds. He haw, son-of-a gun, having fun down at the Bayou! read more

This place is EVRYTHING! The food and drinks are like nothing else in the area. Southern inspired delight. Just what the Valley was missing.. a little soul! Recommendations: Hush puppies Grilled cheese sweet potato mash Drinks: Jalapeno marg honey peach.... MUST MUST MUST read more

I was very disappointed with our visit. My husband and I visited 1 year ago and our food was amazing and our son who lived in Louisiana for 4 years could not say enough good things about the Bayou. So, we have been talking it up to our friends for a year and finally were able to get a table for 8. Well needless to say we were very embarrassed by the quality of our food. We had the Ty mac n cheese it was good and hush puppies they were all right nothing to brag about. I had the fried chicken plate and substituted collared greens for the sweet mashed, the best thing was the collared greens. The fried chicken lacked taste, and was fried a bit to long (almost burnt 2 out of the 4 pieces). I have had better chicken at Kentucky Fried Chicken and Popeye's. My husband had the Gumbo as an appetizer he was very disappointed said it lacked flavor except hot (spicy hot) he could not even finish it, his friend experienced the same with his Gumbo. He then had the Fried Cat Fish over red beans and rice, no flavor what so ever, it was so bad he send it back and order something else he ordered the Fried Chicken Plate. This was a mistake his chicken was flavorless and very greasy when you bit into it (please understand my husband never complains about food when out). The rest of our table had the Fried Chicken Sandwich. According to them the fried chicken was flavorless and greasy there was only one person out of 5 who said her chicken was a little on the tasty side, but nothing to write home about. My husband and I will not be returning any time soon!!!! Our hope is that they are not spreading themselves to thin with the opening of the new restaurant Grain. I really hope this is an isolated experience, but it has cause us to not want to come back anytime soon! read more

Food is outstanding, service is great too! Owners are involved, friendly, and like to interact with staff, customers, etc. Great atmosphere and fantastic overall experience! read more

The last time we came in they didn't even acknowledge us. So we just sat ourselves. Then every time we tried to get a waitress we were ignored. After sitting there for twenty minutes we just left. We liked the food the last time we went but we won't be returning due to poor customer service. read more

Great food and Atmosphere. Wish I could get there more.

The fried chicken and mac-n-cheese were great. The leftovers were just as good the next day. We sat outside, the vibe was peaceful and easy. I heard great things about this place and I wasn't disappointed. We'll definitely be back to try more of the menu. read more

Place is very loud! Felt like a college party instead of a restaurant. Made a reservation and when I got there table was not ready. Made us wait in a tight corner. Not happy with this place at all read more

All the food had this undercurrent of cayenne or tabasco or some hot stuff. Admittedly when you are at a place called "The Bayou" maybe you should expect this. However I'm not a fan. Buttermilk chicken wonderfully crunchy and delicious until that "hot" kicks in. The mac and cheese is indeed excellent but again, gets "hot" after awhile. Perhaps they should tell you? The place is also very noisy, it's just people talking but somehow the decor bounces the sound around or something so it's nearly impossible to talk to your dinner-mate. I suppose if you're looking for a friendly bar this place would be great. Also the wait staff was fabulous, attentive without being intrusive, just about read our minds when ordering. And the owner (?) comes around to see if you're enjoying it. read more

Very tasty, the Mac n' cheese, red beans & rice and the cornbread were all perfectly done. I would definitely recommend this attractive eatery, the wait staff was helpful and nice as could be. A must. read more

The Bayou was recommended to us by the hotel staff at the Courtyard Marriott, who told us it is a local hotspot. Feeling emotional after dropping our youngest off at Lehigh for her freshman year, we made a reservation (be sure to call ahead) and paid a visit. We were there at 7:30 on a Thursday night and the place was hopping. Inside felt a bit like a sports bar and was quite loud, so we asked to eat outside on the cozy and very welcoming patio. Our server was very prompt, warm, and helpful as we navigated several interesting on tap microbrewery choices, and we enjoyed the beer a lot. I had just been to New Orleans a few months back and was craving red beans and rice, an appetizer on The Bayou's menu. We could tell that portions of fellow diners were on the generous side, so we split an order of the red beans and rice and order of cornbread as our first course. The cornbread was wonderfully crispy and the beans/rice had a nice smoky flavor from the ham and garnished with cilantro and wonderful pickled onions. Before our main course arrived, the chef came out to apologize for the red beans, professing they weren't up to his usual standard! He was charming and chatted for several minutes about the Lehigh Valley area and other restaurants we should sample in the coming years. He was delightful and clearly passionate about what he does. We split an order of superbly flavorful fried chicken accompanied by homemade pickles and sweet potato mash, the latter laced with cloves. We both really enjoyed the tasty meal. When we got the check ($37 for two beers, two appies, and the fried chicken entree), we were further touched to see that the price of the red beans was discounted by half! Very impressive pride of place. We will definitely be back to The Bayou which was the perfect place for ending an emotional roller coaster of a day! read more

The Bayou was a great night out. Food and drinks are excellent and our server was very professional. Thank you for accommodating our staff at Human vs Room! read more

Great southern comfort food. Must try the beignets. My husband loves their oxtail and I think their macaroni and cheese is amazing.

Meh...it's ok. I've had better gumbo but I may be a bit biased because I have family in Louisiana.

"Knock you socks off". Food, service, drinks and treatment is some of the best in the Lehigh Valley. We truly enjoy our dining experience at this place. read more

Atmosphere and service were good but beer selection poor. Food was a disaster; we had the cornbread, the mixed greens salad, the curied sweet potato soup and the smoked pork ribs all of which was marginal, with the soup barely being warm, the salad 'tired' and the ribs disgusting! Not an experience that we ever want to repeat! read more

Always a solid spot. This was the first time I had an issue with an entree and both the wait staff and management handled it with swiftness and zero fuss. It is impossible to operate at 100% but how they remediate concernes is 100%. Much appreciated. read more

Not sure there's a bad thing on the menu. Everything is amazing. Service is great! The Nashville hot chicken was a great addition to the menu. read more

Flawless execution start to finish. I want to try everything on both the food and drink menu.

Great southern comfort food with excellent service. Their fried chicken sandwich is amazingggg!!! I love their beignets too. They are served warm with a syrup and are absolutely divine. read more

This is by far the best southern cuisine in Pennsylvania that I've had. Definitely going again

I just came back from Nashville and I was hankering for some fried catfish like I had there. The Bayou did not disappoint. It was darn close to my Nashville experience. I live in NJ about 50 miles away. Though it's far I hope to visit again soon. read more

This place is a joke. Was turned away at 4:15 on Saturday because we didn't have reservations. The place was empty. They offered us a table for two at 7:30. Lol. read more

It is definitely a nice restaurant. I love the decor and music. The waitress was really nice and when i ordered for my son and myself she explained how big the dishes were and offered a cheaper alternative. The food itself was not that great. We got deviled eggs and they taste like they'd been refrigerated over night. You could taste refrigerator and what was in there with it. My son had chicken tenders and fries and said his food was ok but he didn't want to go there again. I had the fried chicken which comes with homemade pickles and sweet mashed potatoes. Macaroni and cheese and collard greens. The best thing was the fried chicken and only once i had got some hot sauce. Oh we had sweet tea and lemonade. Again tastes like it was refrigerated over night without being covered. Obviously some things are premade but they shouldn't taste like it. We won't be going back because for us it wasn't worth it. The staff is really great though. Also, i don't think they're that expensive if that's matters. I paid 63 without the tip. read more

The food was excellent!! We had the Hush Puppies, Brussel Sprouts, Catfish with remoulade, and their signature Fried Chicken. It was all authentic Southern cooking. The atmosphere was bustling and fun! Our waitress, Tanya, took good care of us and one of the owners turned us on to their hot sauce. Excellent service at the right price too! read more

I've only been here maybe three times but I have to admit the food is pretty authentic to the southern cooking I was use too. Everything is pretty good, pricing isn't bad either for quality you get. read more

Heard so many good things about the bayou. Yes the fried chicken and corn bread is amazing but that's about it .

This is the second time I've been to this restaurant, very out of the way for me, so it is a bit of an effort. I couldn't wait to bring my family. Unfortunately, while the atmosphere was fabulous and the food was great, the service was fairly poor. The server did not check back in with us, was not very friendly, did not offer me a drink refill, and forgot several items I had requested. Maybe they had a bad day, I don't know. I will give the Restaurant another try. Hopefully with another server. read more

Alright let's get this done and over with. After my friend urged this place upon me for months I finally gave in while lecturing at a nearby University on a Saturday night. As someone who lived in the South for years, I'm always stoked yet suspicious when I Northern person says 'Dude, this food is amazing.' Even in New York I do not seek out Southern fair. Why eat Mexican food anywhere else in the states than California, or along the border? Why eat pizza anywhere other than New York? Why does the Bayou have an 80% approval rate (4/5 star average)? The reason is pretty clear; this is a restaurant for people who know little to nothing about either food or drink. As I have experimented with cooking up fried chicken before, I can tell you flat out: the stuff I was served was cheap. And I don't mean like the lesser meats at Wegmans; I mean expired stuff from Aldi's or Bottom Dollar. I had to ask the server THREE TIMES for minimal ice in my gin and tonic. On the third, THIRD, return with a glass filled with ice, tonic, and perhaps less than a quarter of an ounce of gin, we were left with no other option than to leave in the middle of our meal, pay without tip. Look, I get it: You live off of your tips. You know what I wanted? Good food and quality service. Our server deserved the $2.83 an hour they make. A note to management: You might be able to get away with ripping off elderly people with money to burn, but you are not fooling a journalist who has traveled the world. I am unsure if you respond to reviews on this website, but I would honestly appreciate a free meal and complimentary cocktails and in return I will write you a great review, if it is earned, and publish it here and elsewhere. My experience here was a travesty. I have many more reviews to come, new to Yelp. I am not a curmudgeon. To the contrary, I am honest. Wake up, Bayou - you are giving New Orleans an offensively bad name. read more

Just ate here with my girlfriend for lunch! New to yelp and found the restaurant on this website. We loved it,

I've been here several times and the food, drinks, and service have been consistently great. The atmosphere is fun, the restaurant is clean, and the staff is friendly. Favorite drink= Maple Peach Sour; Favorite food= Hush Puppies and Pulled Pork! read more

The Bayou is an amazing establishment! Everything is delicious from the drinks, sides, main entrées, and desserts. They nailed it!!!! The waitstaff is very attentive and friendly. Definitely many more return visits are in the near future. Bravo! read more

The food and drinks were excellent and the service was great! The only thing wrong is the space. It's really small inside and you have to make a reservation ahead of time or else you most likely won't get a table. The owner was really cool and kept checking in on us to make sure we had everything we needed. I will definitely go back! read more

Fantastic food and a lovely atmosphere. The staff is always friendly and attentive. The aesthetic is very pleasing and the food is reasonably priced for how much work is put into it. read more

Food at the Bayou was stunning ! Each mouthful was a revelation- with marinated veggies, onions, and other sides. The corn bread is heavenly/ I could eat it all day. The barbecue chicken was soft and falling apart, and slathered with a great sauce . The fried chicken- moist, tender, And an excellent crust- out of this world! Plan to eat there every time we go to Bethlehem!! Do not miss this!! read more

I had an awesome night at the Bayou! The 'Bayou Burger' was delicious and the outdoor seating was enjoyable. Would recommend.

I'm a huge fan of The Bayou. The fried chicken? FANTASTIC. The mac and cheese? DIVINE! The Peanut butter mousse? I'm drooling just thinking about it. But it also makes me want to run immediately to the gym. The guilt! Oh, the guilt. Yet, I keep coming back. The drinks aren't my favorite and the acoustics are beyond loud. Definitely not good if you actually want to have a conversation. But if you have a hankering for Southern comfort food, this is your place. read more

Great food, southern style themed menu. Great drinks to complete the dishes. The ox tail is second to none. The chef takes his time to elegantly create each dish. The expierence and atmosphere of the place is amazing and a very friendly staff and fair priced food and drinks. A must go. read more

I'd give it zero if I could. If you're from the south like me then don't waste your time going. The name of the restaurant doesn't reflect the food. If you want real southern food, visit Louisiana read more

Loved this place!!! So yummy#!! I have several dietary sensitivities & there was plenty on the mm enu to choose!