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    Bayou Bistro

    4.3 (120 reviews)

    Bayou Bistro Photos

    Business Info

    BAYOU BISTRO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Divey
    Casual
    Happy hour specials
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Bayou Bistro

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    Krys P.

    I first noticed this place when I passed by it on the water. Then a local friend told me that the food is really good here so we decided to give it a try. This place is at the end of the Sponge Dock and beyond. The average tourists will reach Rusty Bellies, walk a bit further, see all the crates and trucks and forklifts and turn back. Only the locals or the ones in the know will continue to venture on to this little eatery. As you can imagine, food has to be pretty good for it to survive. Whatever image the word Bistro brings up in your mind is likely off, as this place feels more like a shack. The kitchen is in a food truck. There is an indoors bar area and then some tables on the dock. For such a small place, menu is surprisingly extensive. Given the location we decided to go with seafood and it does not disappoint. They get their daily fresh catches from a few doors down at Lockhart, which is where we buy our own. Lobster roll is delicious - the bread could be softer and more buttery, but overall flavor is really good. It was a hot day but we eagerly consumed our clam chowder. Everything is just so good that we can't wait to be back.

    Mahi mahi tacos
    Troy P.

    This is a small seafood shack with friendly staff located right next to the boats bringing in fresh fish. Even though it seems like a local hangout, it is nestled in an area very heavily marketed to tourists and almost no parking. I was excited for the fish tacos featuring fresh mahi mahi, however was very disappointed when they came out covered in shredded cheese, which has no business being anywhere near fish (especially fresh). I expressed my concern to the bar staff and they did not seem to care.

    Bam Bam Shrimp Tacos
    Susan A.

    Little gem at the end of the sponge docks. You would never find it if you aren't paying attention! Service great, good food, portions and prices

    Bridget B.

    Great Lunch by the water on a beautiful day. The house-made fish spread with jalapeños and capers is a must try. Clean and smoky tasting Eriq had the Banh Mi sandwich/roasted pork with hoisin mayo & I had the Lobstah roll. Both yummy Our waitress Paige was so nice and very on the ball too! So blessed to live and work in the Tampa Bay Area

    Lobster roll
    Kaitlin B.

    Such a cute local restaurant with great food, service, and views. This place sits right on the bay and very close to several shops, excursions, and other activities. The homemade chips had so much flavor, the lobster was cooked perfectly, and the shrimp had a perfect crunch. So excited to bring family and friends here when they're in town!

    Ahi Tuna app
    Mason S.

    Amazing little hidden bar right on the water. Fresh seafood and amazing French fries made for the best lunch!

    Picnic table view of bar
    Kelly D.

    Hell yes !! I Love the Bayou Bistro One of my favorite bars by the sea The best peel and eat shrimp and fish tacos in town . The staff is friendly, always smiling. The atmosphere is beachy and chill. Food and drinks are on point . I need to buy a flipping t-shirt the next time I'm in there to show the love . Thanks bayou for all the great times with friends and family

    The blacktail fish sandwich special
    Tanner D.

    My wife and I had lunch at Bayou Bistro a few days ago and absolutely loved it! It's a great local spot with a lot of charm located right on the bay. The views were amazing and it has a cool fishing village feel with all the boats around. The service was spot on and the food was excellent. We started with the Dang Dang shrimp, which was nice and crispy. The sauce was the perfect flavor of sweet and spicy. Definitely one of the better recipes compared to others in the area. I had their special, the Blacktail fish sandwich with homemade chips. It was superb, the fish was cooked to perfection and the chips were nice and crispy. Overall, we loved Bayou Bistro and will definitely be back!

    June 2021
    Kaitlyn S.

    5 stars for Owner & Chef Tom; very friendly Co-Owner/Wife Heather; Manager Angie; & Tom's excellent food! This is the place to come for fresh seafood! Bayou Bistro has been in operation approximately 1.5 years. Prior to it, this husband & wife duo owned a cafe in Dunedin. Heather is a native of New Hampshire while Tom hails from Boston. Although he attended culinary school, much of his training originates from his time residing (& cooking) in the Caribbean. And can he ever cook! All of the sauces & dressings are made on site, as well as the Sunday Brunch jams. (The tarter sauce is a Boston recipe-- it's excellent!) My Grouper Bites (which I asked to have lightly blackened) were DELICIOUS! They were fresh & moist. ALL the seafood used in Tom's creations hail from a building (& docks) three doors down on the water-- Lockhart's Fish & Stone Crab Market. You won't find Tom's kitchen in the usual place; rather, you'll find Chef Tom cooking in the food truck located just off to the side of the bar-- see pic. Closed on Mondays, this restaurant is open Tuesday thru Saturday 11 AM till 9 PM, & 9 AM till 8 PM on Sundays. There are a wide variety of seating options-- SEE PICS. I chose to sit & the beautiful, wooden V-shaped bar while a celebrating couple were seated beside the water. There's approximately four wall televisions for those interested in watching sports. I may not drink, but I did notice the BAR OFFERINGS: 14 Beers in Bottles & Cans; 6 Drafts; Domestic & Imported Buckets of Beer; 9 Pitchers; 8 Wines; Vodka; Rum; Tequila; Triple Sec; Seltzers & Cidar; 3 Sangrias; Champagne; & 5 Speciality Drinks that include a Homemade Bloody Mary & "Bayou Rita" w/ a choice of Corona or Pinot Noir. The popular Sunday Brunch is from 9 AM till 1 PM. There's a separate menu, & diners must order from it during those hours. SEE PIC for the wonderful array of eight choices that include: Biscuits & Gravy ($8); French Toast ($7); Redneck Benny ($11) Shrimp & Grits ($14); & Egg's Benedict ($9). There's a DAILY SPECIALS Board posted near the bar, as well as a board announcing LIVE ENTERTAINMENT on Wednesdays, Fridays, & Saturdays. Manager Angie indicated that the $13 SHRIMP BURGER is this eatery's most popular menu item w/ the locals. It's on my bucket list when I return to the area. It's obvious that this waterside restaurant (w/ six boat slips) is popular w/ the locals-- it's popular w/ me as well :) Kudos to the chef!

    View from the bar

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    2 years ago

    Great food, great location and no waiting. It's near the Rusty pelican right on the water highly recommend

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Bayou Bistro

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    The parents wanted fish before leaving to go back home to Ky…read more It had been a minute since we had eaten here so why not? This place was GREAT! Corey was our server and he was the best! Very helpful answering all of our questions and even making suggestions. 3 of us got the Fish and Chips (2 of us shared 1 meal) and the other got the Captains Feast. The Fish and Chips is more than enough food for to feed 1 person. 2 Large pieces of flounder, fries, and slaw. Very fresh and crispy! (We had enough left over for my lunch the next day) The Captains Feast grilled, was also very fresh! Flounder, Scallops, Shrimp, Crab cake, and he ordered chips and slaw as a side. I would definitely suggest going and I know we will stop in for dinner again very soon. See u Soon!

    I wish I could give 5 stars because the food and our waiter, Jake, were fantastic. However, even…read morewith our 5:45pm reservation "with handicap accessibility" noted, we were told by the belligerent hostess that we would need to sit at a high top or wait 1 hour. I told her to look at my mom and that I would not be doing that. She just said, "well that's the only options you have, I can't hold tables." "Well what is the point of a reservation with notes?" I replied. She proceeded to blame the other host and said "she didn't see anything and couldn't help, we would just need to wait." So I said "that's unacceptable." And when she replied again that she"couldn't do anything." I said "well let's talk to a manager then, because I'm not lifting my mom into one of those chairs." So she stormed off and the manager immediately apologized and said she would fix it while the hostess said I was yelling at her. Unbelievable. I just think the hostess needs a different job. I have never experienced someone so argumentative and rude as a hostess. Then I come here and read comments and clearly she is working a lot and ruining this awesome restaurants reputation. Give her a new job before you lose more customers!

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    This bakery is excellent! Workers were there to help you as soon as you made your way in and take…read moreyour order. They were able to answer all of the questions I had about any of the Greek pastries I haven't heard of. It was very lively in there because it's also connected to a restaurant. They had a variety of pastries. I got the pistachio baklava and the tiramisu pasta. Both were very rich - I don't think I'm a big fan of the flaky bread but anyone who is will appreciate this bakery. One of the best Greek bakeries I've been to. Highly recommend.

    One of the best Greek restaurants in the area and believe me there is a lot of competition in the…read morearea. Hellas is a unique place in its own right as it's both a restaurant with an attached bakery. Now I won't say it's the best bakery but for the area hands down best in the area. Service here can be hit or miss. We've had pretty good experience for the most part but had a few not mean but just grumpy individuals. But positive for the most part. The whole restaurant is themed in Greek vibes. Mainly white and old Greek style with painting on the wall. The food has been very good. I've had a few things here but the gyro and chicken gyro is where it's at. Great flavor and plenty of tzatziki sauce to go around. I do prefer the lamb gyro as it has great seasoning and just the right amount of crunch to it.

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    From the front of the restaurant!
    From the front of the restaurant!
    Whole Snapper AMAZING!!
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    Excellent Service and Food We had a large party @ 50 adults…read moreand numerous children. The service was excellent by the wait staff and Chef since it was warm with a lot of drinkers! Food was top notch warm and flavorful! This is a great place for parties or just a small gathering.

    Unfortunately, the food was less than edible. I couldn't eat my "bourbon glazed" salmon dinner. It…read morewas overcooked, bland, and the "glaze" was literally just brushed on after it was "grilled". There was zero flavor other than the tiny amount I would get with each bite from the bourbon sauce. But, that was quickly overshadowed by the pain in my jaw from chewing the dry salmon, and the absolutely abysmal excuse for rice pilaf. My water had more flavor. The plates were piping hot, but the food was not. That was the case for everything we had there. The service was below subpar. The waiter we had did not check on us at all. We had to wait way too long for our food. Things we ordered weren't even offered there anymore, but they're still on the menu... it was a total disaster. Overall, I would not recommend. I've had better food microwaved from the frozen food aisle of the grocery store. I've had better food from a hospital cafeteria. Finally, the environmental impact is troubling. We saw a baby alligator sitting in shallow water next to trash from the restaurant. There was trash all throughout the dock area. I witnessed wait staff emptying drinks over the railing into the greenery next to the lake. Just awful behavior. Someone needs to come in there and tighten it up because honestly disappointed isn't even close to how I felt from a simple meal. Again, stay away.

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    View overlooking the lake

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    View overlooking the lake

    Bayou Bistro - seafood - Updated July 2026

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