Bayou on Bay Reviews

Surprisingly good for a Cajun place in the PNW! Now, if your from.an area of the south renowned for Cajun or Creole, you might not like their take on things. The only menu item that I have not liked is their gumbo, just because of the roux, but the ettouffee is tasty! I added gator to it this time, I think that was worth the $6 add-on. They have all the best Louisiana hot sauces on the table too!

One down size is there are not a kids menu, but we have a picky eater and the mac & cheese was inhaled! Worth checking out Bayou on the Bay!

Great food, it has all the classic cajin food, as well as some non cajin options. A good drinks menu and ok selection of beer. Great service as well.

Great food and atmosphere but a little slow to get food on a fri night

The shrimp and grits... So good! Cool old building.

The meal made me sick. The food was not good. Stay away.

I wouldn't normally seek out Cajun food. Admittedly I'm a bit of a spice wimp. But I'm so glad a gave Bayou a shot.
-The cocktail I had was boozy and complex
-The Shrimp & Grits my wife enjoyed was the perfect amount of spice in a wonderfully creamy sauce. And I'm no grits connoisseur, but these seemed pretty great!
-The Blackened Chicken pasta I had with creamy tomato sauce was excellent. Smokey, savory, and a bit spicy. Just wonderful. And LOADED with chicken & sausage.
I recommend this place to anyone looking for someplace new to try in Bellingham! I will be returning.
A cocktail, a beer, two big entrees... about $50

Great food but the day we were there the service was very very slow. Our main meal and desert took 40 minutes to arrive after ordering and getting our order in was fast either. The food was so good I'll try again someday.

Excellence food and great price. The tuna steak was better the last time I visited but still good.

I had a perfect margarita at Bayou On Bay. The Ahi tuna salad was delicious, and the wait staff helpful, never pushy.

Hush puppies were the best also had some great oyster shots. We didnt have the best seat in the house but our server was still excellent

I've lived here my whole life and somehow never discovered this great place with amazing Cajun food - until now!

Fun atmosphere and great food. Good veggie options!

The chicken fried sandwich use to be the bomb about two years ago, the changes in breast size used and bread selection have left me a little disappointed after visiting again recently.

Easy to find. Large, rambling location. Seems to be a University and professional favorite. I don't get it. Service is spotty, tables clearly available but waiting 10 or 15 minutes for seating? Three meals here with only one standout: crab cake. Other selections served in thick, over spiced sauce. Not delicate, just in your face.

Sat outside, pretty great view, our server was on top of things and very patient and the food ( spicy grilled catfish ) was yummy!

Got the Tuesday steak special (cooked perfectly medium rare) with my partner and it was PHENOMENAL! The kitchen did a killer job. Becca who was our service was flawless. Great timing on checking on our table and making sure everything was just how we ordered. Seriously it s amazing when you come across such a great restaurant experience.

This place is amazing... Try the sweet potato fries with the remoulade. Also the crab cakes are great with that sweet salsa stuff on top lol

Truly authentic Cajun / southern foods to choose from. They can get crowded but the food is worth it!

Had a great huge Burger with a nice atmosphere. Great service too

The food is OK but to say it is Cajun is a joke! Its not even close. We were very disappointed.

My favorite restaurant in all of Whatcom County. Best food, staff, atmosphere, music, art, plants, I can go on...

My favorite bloody Mary and the blackened catfish sandwich is awesome

Shrimp and grits, jambalaya, beignets. What's not to like? Great service, good food.
Funky old town atmosphere. We'll be back.

The food and pricing is good, though I think the menu could use a little expansion. More nut-free breakfast options would certainly be welcome. I wish restaurants were more conscientious of increasingly-common food allergies.

The service seems to be a bit on the slow side...we're hard pressed to get in and out in our lunch hour, and that's even having the server bring our check with the meal.

Never been to the bar, so I'll refrain from comment there.

I'm aware that this is hardly a glowing review...I really do enjoy the place, but it's not what I'd call fantastic.

Quirky decor/layout, great food, good drinks, fun location downtown (right by downtown sounds venue during the summer too)
I recommend the steak salad and the shrimp and grits.
They've got mojitos too! (great with the house infused strawberry tequila)

Went on a Tuesday night and didn't have a wait for dinner, although the bar area was full. Food was excellent and well priced, even had oyster shooters with vodka for $2.50! Had a great time overall and would recommend.

They have the best Mac and Cheese I ve ever had. It is truly a religious experience. Their cornbread is thick dense and delicious. I normally do not like sweet potato fries but their s are so good. The foods a little pricey, but it is completely worth it. I will always take my friends and family here.

The food was good and so was the Bloody Mary but they really should invest in cleaning better and new tables at a minimum. Loved the atmosphere and view but didn't want to touch anything. For $50 for two for breakfast I would think they are making enough to clean it up a bit.

Some of the best food I've had but the place needs a touch up... 5 stars though cause that food is incomparable!

This place has the best jambalaya and service is fast and great servers. DEFINITELY go to for a great meal

The staff here have always been great, but the food isn t as good as it used to be. Frog legs and crab cakes are still delicious, but don t expect to get your steak the way you ordered it.

Excellent service, delicious food, friendly, relaxed atmosphere. Loved it!

GRAVY FRIES! Those things are delicious! Large frog legs, decent gumbo, good hush puppies. Good Cajun food for all the way up here in the PNW. Well done.

The food was excellent! Really tasty. I got the Oscar and it was delicious. Only wish there was more hollandaise on it.

I got the blackened chicken with a mix of the spicy tomato sauce and the cream sauce. So amazing-- I want more :)!

Catfish Po Boy was ridiculously good. Alligator was also amazing. Cool joint.

This was an amazing experience!!!! Day service, delicious bloody Mary and the best most delicious food I have had in a long time... The scars is a MUST!!!

Good food and atmostphere. Outdoor seating for sunny days

Fried okra was so good. Mac and cheese was real spicy!

They do Aperol Spritz. Food is delicious. Shrimp and grits are amazing!

Amazing atmosphere. Staff is always super nice and will always be willing to give recommendations.

We came in for the hushpuppies, we stayed for boozy coffee and the catfish. Eat the Catfish breakfast plate, you owe it to yourself.

Food okay although not authentic. Terrible Reservation & Front Door system. They rarely answered the specific reservation line and provided NO answering machine. When they finally answered, they said WE ARE TOO BUSY TO TAKE RESERVATION, just stop by. I asked for a table for 3, they took me to the area next room to bar. My daughter arrived and they found out THEY FORGOT TO ASK, we had to leave and waited another 30 min. WTF!

The shrimp etouffee is incredible. I've gotten it 3 times and it's better everytime. If you grew up eating grits, the shrimp ones here will change your life. They are SUPER creamy. Fried okra is nice and crunchy and served with this yummy aioli type sauce. I thought the jambalaya was okay. It was extremely flavorful, but just didn't do it for me because it didn't taste like home. I had the same problem with the fried green tomatoes. Here they serve them slathered in this overly salty (this is coming from someone who loves salt) sauce which you need to eat with a fork. It's just not how I was used to having them so it didn't satisfy that craving for a crispy chip-like appetizer. Butternut squash pasta was pretty disappointing... Chicken was overcooked, butternut squash was undercooked, and it was kinda bland.

Wow, the Shrimp Etouffee!!! What a delicious Creole dish! The oyster shooters and bisque were wonderful as well! Service is quick and pleasant. Highly recommended this place.

Was there with family for breakfast. Very tasty. Great choices and prices.

Loved this place to start our New Years Eve day of drunkenness! We got to try a bunch of the new drinks launching on the new menu on Jan. 2nd, and wow, are you folks in for a treat!

Saturday September 14th 5:40 pm came in for a drink and the margarita tasted like a ash tray with lemons squeezed in it. The bar just seemed dirty and needs a bar rescue. John Tapper come and rescue this bar!

Ooo baby this ain t no smoked salmon on a dang cracka... this place has got the food, the booze and everything in between. Thank you

I have been living in the North West for over three years. Also am an expert on customer service. My server was exceptional, and my food was delicious. Thank you for taking me back home.

Food was great. Took a long time to get a table. Service was ok.

I have been through a couple hundred dollars at this place and out of the 4 times I have given it a shot over the last few years it just keeps getting worse. I'm writing this as I sit here waiting for my bill. The food is mediocre and feels more like a PNW twist on Creole/Cajun cuisine than a real experience. The staff seems like they are just not interested or really care. They are not rude, just like they are doing you a favor for being there. After two brunches, a lunch and now dinner I give up hoping that the other times were just flukes. Im over spending my hard earned money here to just get disappointed.

A downtown Bellingham staple, Bayou on Bay has some tasty and unique eats.

My go-to is the Fried Chicken Sandwich.

Excellent cajun! Delicious fried green tomatoes, amazing jambalaya, fantastic shrimp and grits. Good size portions too, lovely atmosphere.

Bayou is great! I like their pulled pork po' boy, and sweet potato fries. Check out the Oyster Bar! Amazing eclectic cocktails, friendly staff, and great atmosphere.

Good eats! Good service! Great laid-back atmosphere in downtown Bellingham. Recommend the crab and bacon scramble! Superb! We'll be back to try more of the menu!

Restaurant was busy but the staff was friendly and kept up with the busy crowd.

For starters we ordered the fried green tomatoes $10, and the crab cakes $13.

The crab cakes were just mediocre, I would not get them again. The fried green tomatoes were great. Perfectly fried and not too thick. The sause they were served with made for a strange combo. Ask for ranch and skip the red sause.

Dinner was a burger for the hubby. It looked great but he said he was not impressed. I got the jambalaya. The portions were huge. It had chicken, pork, sausage, crawfish, prawns and shrimp, all in a spice rice mix. I thought it was delicious.

Drinks were bloody mary and wine. Both great.

Hubby gave it a 2.5 star, I thought it was a 4 star.

Give them a try, just skip the burger and crab cakes.

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Food is decent but service is slow. Oyster shooters were perfect!

FANTASTIC food and wonderful service! We'll be back!!

Great atmosphere and staff. Authentic food. This place is a must try! Will be back again.