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    Bayou Cafe

    3.3 (233 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 8:00 pm

    Bayou Cafe Photos

    BAYOU CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Divey
    Casual
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Bayou Cafe

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    Shrimp po boy
    Lucy M.

    Man I had an amazing night here. I ate elsewhere first, but made friends with someone who shared their shrimp po-boy and fries with me. It was OK, don't come here for just the food. They have great live music, I came in on Tuesday jam night with Eric Culberson. Think dirty blues. A woman whose name I cannot remember also got up and sang an original song called Catch & Release that had every person in the place up and dancing. They kept the energy up all night, the small space packed with smiling people. Crowd is eclectic, all ages, races, and types. Bartenders took great care of us - particularly Mike who helped me carry more beers than my little hands could manage outside to the eight strangers who all left as friends to go sing down by the river - only a good bar can bring people together like that. If you want a break from the usual on River Street, a place that's got all the character of a dive but without (much) sleaze, this is it.

    Low country bowl
    Peyton R.

    Husband and I went to savannah today and came to grab a bite to eat. We noticed the place was kinda empty but it's also shift change. It also looks like they have live music as well. I don't know who our server was because she just came in and it was kinda back and forth between this guy and the blonde hair girl. We ordered two sweet teas and only ended up getting one and it was pretty sour. We didn't really say anything and the refill of it wasn't as sour so I don't know what really happened. We ordered alligator bites as our starter and they were pretty good. Our entrees weren't amazing. My husbands alligator gumbo was lukewarm and small. My low country shrimp boil was okay at first but my shrimp were pretty grainy and it was kinda bland. Our server( the blonde hair girl) sat at the bar on her phone most of the time and didn't really check on us that much. It seems most of the staff was having a chat about getting screwed about the upcoming saint patty's day festival which I can understand and some other chit chat about the news. Not to shabby I just think we caught them on an off day. If we're ever back in Savannah we might try them again but most likely not. However seems like a great bar the bartender seemed pretty chill.

    Happy hour is forever!
    Donna-Marie T.

    MUST MUST MUST try this place. The staff is extremely friendly, the drinks are good and the food is amazing. We were walking by while waiting to check into our hotel and saw the 11pm-7pm happy hour sign! WOW! The bartender told us that they have live music on the weekend and we should come back that night (Thurs) or the next night to here blues or Jazz. When we came back there absolutely was live music that you could hear from the patio seating or upstairs where it was a little more spacious. We got the shrimp po boy and the seafood Gumbo. The gumbo was about room temp. Not sure if this is how it's normally served but it was delicious with just being warm. Do your taste buds and pockets a favor and stop into this place.

    Buffalo shrimp
    Dina W.

    We stumbled upon this restaurant. The menu looked good so we decided to check it out. Inside is fairly small. The view is great. There's only one waitress working all the tables. She was friendly but not super attentive. It would've been great if there was a least one other waitress. It got super busy at the end of our meal. We had a party of eight. The food came out sporadically so we all couldn't eat around the same time--the food would've gotten cold--that's how long the wait was in between. Overall, the food was good. We ordered alligator bites, fries pickles, shrimp queso, buffalo shrimp, and wings as appetizers. Entrees included crab and corn chowder, raw oysters, fish and chips, seafood broil, wings, and chicken tenders.

    Flavorless shrimp and alligator gumbo
    Ming H.

    So I tried the Bayou Cafe Food Truck on Saturday of Saint Patrick's Day weekend. I understand why I would have to wait one hour. However, there are apparently two separate lines, one to place your order, and one to pick up your order. There were no signs indicating this, and people got really confused while standing in the pick up line. Because the pick up line was so long with people who had not even placed their orders, the order line got purposefully stopped so the kitchen could "catch up" on these orders people have not even placed. Confusing, right? After waiting an hour to place our order and get our food, it wasn't even good. The boiled shrimp was so flavorless and each shrimp needed to be submerged in cocktail sauce. I also tried the alligator gumbo, which was eh. Yeah, just eh. For $20, I will just wait to sit in at a real seafood restaurant next time around.

    Mahi mahi- fish is great but soaked in oil.
    Afnan T.

    Fun environment with live music. It's pretty dark inside. The service is good. I had the shrimp queso. The dip itself was delicious, however, the chips were stale. For my entree I had the blackened mahi mahi. The fish itself was delicious but there was too much oil sitting on the plate.

    Cajun Shrimp Scampi
    Val O.

    This place is ok. The service is nice but the food is meh. We came in at 12:30 and there was one table of two when we got here. It took quite a while before we got our food. I got the shrimp scampi and I couldn't even eat half of it. It was bland and the cornbread was dry. For that much money, I would somewhere else. The server was nice and funny, but kept forgetting to refill our drinks, and we were eating cajun plates. Since he only had one other table, I'm not sure why it took so long. Almost everyone at our table of 7 ate only 1/4 to maybe 1/2 of their plates because they weren't all that amused with the food. So much waste, and it wasnt even stuff you would want to box and take home, so it went in the trash were is belonged. The building is nice, the service was ok, the wait time is dumb, and the food was almost ok. There are so many better places to eat, guys

    Our view while eating.
    Melinda S.

    My boyfriend and I came to Savannah for the weekend. This was our first dining spot. We came in for a late lunch close to 4:00. We sat right down at a table with a nice window view of the river. Our server was prompt and friendly and took our orders quickly. I ordered a cup of seafood corn chowder for an appetizer and the Cajun sampler with red beans and rice, etouffee, and seafood gumbo. My boyfriend ordered the alligator gumbo. My soup came out and was nice and hot and a great consistency. I did feel it was bland and lacking in seafood pieces. This made me weary of what the rest of the food would be like but luckily I had no reason to worry! The red beans and rice were very tasty and topped with some nicely seared sausage. I loved the etouffee. It had a great flavor and some nice chunks of crawfish. I tasted my boyfriend's alligator gumbo and it was really good. My least favorite was the seafood gumbo. I liked the brown roux on the other items better than the red sauce on the seafood gumbo. Just a matter of personal preference. I recommend checking this place out! We finished our meal and took our beers to go to continue our exploration of Savannah.

    Brandy T.

    We made a stop in Savanah on our road trip and just stumbled upon the riverfront area. We stopped just hoping to walk around and maybe grab a few trinkets to take home with us. The menu for Bayou Cafe was right off the beaten path so I stopped to take a look and see what they had. I wasn't even hungry, but I saw "deep fried blue crab claws", stopped reading and hurried inside. It's a very small and intimate spot. Very quaint and full of character. If you're looking for the Cajun version of Oceanaire, this isn't it. It's not the prettiest, but it has charm and character. Our server was VERY personable and friendly; it almost felt like we were stopping at a friend's house. There weren't many people there initially, but the place did start to fill up shortly after we got there so we ordered quickly. I had the etouffee and crab claws, he had the salmon sandwich. Everything came out rather quickly, hot and fresh. I've never had etouffee before so I have nothing to compare it to, but it tasted exactly as I imagine it would having had other creole dishes. I'd highly recommend this place for a first date or something. Definitely the kinda place where you don't have much else to focus on outside of each other lol

    Tim S.

    Man, the reviews for The Bayou Cafe are all over the place. People either love it or hate it. Five or one star reviews with very little in between. Just a note The address listed, 14 N Abercorn St, is incorrect. If you google maps that address you will end up at the wrong place. The Bayou Cafe is right off River Street and the actual address is 4 North Abercorn Ramp. This place is an absolute dive, which maybe the reason some of the reviews are bad. Small seating area and with no doubt this is a dive bar. The food is cajun and is surprisingly good. When we walked in for lunch we were the only customers in the place. Normally not a good sign. I figured it would be meh or even suck but I was pleasantly surprised how good the food was. They have homemade catsup and hot sauce on the table which is also very good. Our waiter, who was also the bartender, is a Kid Rock doppelgänger. He took very good care of us. Recommend.

    a band playing in a dimly lit room
    Scotty C.

    Was looking for something to do on a pretty quiet Tuesday night on River St and were about to head elsewhere until a few locals leaving a bar suggested we check out The Bayou for their open mic/music night. The way they explained it was that it was an open mic but the artists are always great. We followed along and walked into the middle of a 3 piece band playing. The place seemed like a cool little spot on the river but for us it was all about the tunes. The place is bigger than what we saw. We went upstairs to check it out but, it was closed and just the downstairs was available for hanging out. We ended up chatting with one of the artists who we ended up watching play later on. He was bouncing around on a tour from Portland and was leaving to head back the next morning. After the music ended, a few artists took things to the porch... including an artist named Myles. Myles has no affiliation with the place... he was just live drawing people for cash and we saw his amazing work on the way in. My friend was pretty hammered and suggested Myles draw me ASAP and it sounded like fun. We all hung out while Myles did his work and a couple of guys jammed on guitars. The music was great and Myles had the best stories. This went on til 3am and we all had an absolute blast. I'm sure The Bayou Cafe wasn't thrilled with our antics but, we had one hell of a night and appreciate them harboring our good times. If you ever encounter Myles down there (thin, older, black gentleman drawing people) stop and tell him that Scott & Andrew from Charleston say hello and then have him draw you, if not for the finished product, for the great time you'll have hanging with Myles. Plus he does an amazing job with his work too.

    Fried Pickles
    Jay P.

    Update: We stopped again in June 2018 for lunch. The waitstaff are still slow to greet, slow to serve, ignore you most of the time. However, the food was amazing. The chef came out with my boiled shrimp plate and mentioned how fresh the shrimp was. He was so right! I haven't had shrimp so fresh and flavorful. I'm not a corn on the cob fan but after taking a bite, I am a convert. The corn was the freshest I've ever had and delicious. A wonderful lunch and I enjoyed the friendliness of the chef.

    Entrance
    Annette G.

    Great food at great prices but don't use the ladies room... Went during happy hour with well drinks priced at a happy $2.50 Low Country Boil with shrimp and crab legs was lip smacking good. The atmosphere is casual with friendly staff. The ladies room had not been cleaned in a while but had soap, water and paper towels to clean hands. I would definitely go back for the food.

    Receipt she ran my card for and tossed at me when I told her the crawfish weren't fresh.

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    Great service!! Great place to watch live music in Savannah! Cricket, our server, was awesome!

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    Page 2 of 6

    Ask the Community - Bayou Cafe

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    Huey's On the River - Steak and eggs

    Huey's On the River

    3.9(3.8k reviews)
    0.3 km
    $$

    Out of all the restaurants we visited in Savannah, this was hands down the best. We were still…read moretalking about the food days later. While we found almost everything delicious, I felt the Pasta Jambalaya was just okay, not bad, but it didn't quite reach the high standard of the other dishes. During our visit, we ordered: - Fried Chicken Benedict (poached eggs, buttermilk-soaked chicken tenders, English muffin, black pepper bacon hollandaise) - Cheryl's Fried Green Tomatoes (golden fried and remoulade) - Pasta Jambalaya (shrimp, chicken, andouille sausage, linguini and creole sauce - Shrimp and Grits (shrimp and savory Cajun sauce served over Parmesan grits) - Parmesan Garlic Grits ( These were so delicious I could have enjoyed them as a standalone dish) - Bacon - Beignets (French Style Doughnuts with Praline Sauce) these were some of the best beignets I have tasted)

    We stopped here for a quick bite and beignets…read more Our meals were the Shrimp Poboy, Barbecue Shrimp, Catfish Fingers, Crab Cake Sandwich, and Parmesan Garlic Grits. The results were mixed. The Barbecue Shrimp came in a spicy sauce loaded with flavor. It came with a piece of bread that was perfect for dipping into the sauce to sop it up. There were a good number of shrimp in the serving. The Crab Cake Sandwich was good. It was not as full of lump crab meat as other crab cakes that we've had elsewhere. The Catfish Fingers were large pieces of catfish that were lightly fried. The Shrimp Poboy was satisfying. The Parmesan Garlic Grits were disappointing. There was no hint of garlic or parmesan flavor. Our server tried to rectify the situation by adding cheddar cheese to it. Fortunately, the Beignets were as good as we expected. Huey's is the only place outside of New Orleans where we have found authentic New Orleans beignets. Our server Jenelle was very friendly. At some point, something frazzled her because she seemed flustered and rattled by the time we were ready to leave. We had asked her for silverware for our beignets. It took her so long that my partner got up to get some from another table themselves because we were tired of waiting. When I asked for the check, she gave me the wrong check. She went in the back to fix it and had my debit card. She came back without the card to ask me for my zip code to finish the transaction. We asked her to bring the POS terminal to our table so that we could finish the payment.

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    Huey's On the River - Interior decor.

    Interior decor.

    Huey's On the River - Beignet

    Beignet

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    Let me drop Martini

    The Olde Pink House - Upstairs ballroom seating - there's an elevator . . . ask, if you don't like stairs

    The Olde Pink House

    4.3(6.9k reviews)
    0.1 km
    $$$

    We stopped in Savannah for just one night while passing through, and aside from completely falling…read morein love with the city itself, dinner at The Olde Pink House was the perfect cherry on top, or should I say, the perfect delicious biscuit on top, of our quick stay. First, the setting is absolutely beautiful. You're dining inside this gorgeous historic pink mansion, and you can feel the history and richness of the energy throughout the space. There is something so special about being there. It feels like an experience before you even get to the food. And speaking of those biscuits, they were genuinely some of the best biscuits I have ever put in my mouth. I could have eaten an entire basket by myself. We started with the goat cheese artichoke fritters, which were delicious. I also had the Low Country she-crab soup, and heavenly is really the only word for it. Rich, creamy, flavorful, just incredible. For dinner, I had the pecan-crusted chicken breast with blackberry bourbon glaze, sweet potato with pecan vanilla butter, and string beans. It was so, so good. Every part of the plate worked beautifully together, and it was exactly the kind of Southern meal I was hoping to have while in Savannah. The service was fantastic, and throughout the evening we heard beautiful live music from some amazing singers. Between the historic setting, the incredible food, the hospitality, and the music, the entire evening felt truly special. Bravo to everyone who works there and makes this place what it is. What an exceptional experience. I genuinely cannot wait to go back.

    The Olde Pink House delivers! We were here 16 years ago and had a wonderful time. We came again and…read morewere equally impressed. The service by our waitress Kristen, who was also the sommelier, was top notch. She gave us great wine recommendations for the choices we made. She also gave us a picture of what was on the menu. We ordered the She Crab soup and BLT. The fried green tomatoes sold me on the Pink House's version of a deconstructed BLT. The biscuits are great for dipping not just a snack so be sure you help clean the plate with them. Yum. I ordered the Vidalia onion and Sweet potato ravioli with oyster mushrooms with pecans. It was the best thing between my wife and I. She had the fried flounder with a side of asparagus. Whole fish without the head. I thought the fish was delicious. Paired with the Reisling Kabinett, while the Pinot Noir Argyle went well with the Ravioli. For dessert I had the Pecan Basket. The vanilla with fruit in a pecan weave held the whole dessert together. The raspberry peach sorbet was delicate and sweet. Both desserts hit the spot along with the coffee to finish up the night. The light, tables, paintings and decorations were perfect for a romantic evening with your special someone or dinner with the family to celebrate a special occasion. Whatever the case, this visit capped a great weekend in Savannah and Tybee.

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    The Olde Pink House - The main dining room we were sitting in upstairs before it got crowded

    The main dining room we were sitting in upstairs before it got crowded

    The Olde Pink House - Dining area

    Dining area

    The Olde Pink House - Peanut Butter Dessert

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    Peanut Butter Dessert

    Alligator Soul - Bison short rib and redfish risotto

    Alligator Soul

    4.3(1.4k reviews)
    0.4 km
    $$$

    Alligator Soul has quickly become one of our favorite restaurants in Savannah…read more The food was incredible. We had the frog legs, duck frites, a wild boar ribeye special, and the swordfish boat catch of the day. My wife actually said the wild boar was the best steak she has ever had, which shocked me because we have eaten some very good steaks over the years. They also brought us a complimentary bowl of turtle soup, which was something I never expected to try, and it was fantastic. What really separates Alligator Soul, though, is the entire experience. From the small welcome bite at the beginning of the meal to the little treat at the end, the staff makes you feel taken care of from start to finish. The hospitality, atmosphere, and attention to detail are exceptional. My wife is gluten-free, and the number of options available to her was also incredibly impressive. She never felt like she had to settle or miss out on the experience. For years, The Grey was probably our favorite place to go for a special dinner in Savannah. After our experiences at Alligator Soul, this may have taken that spot. Outstanding food, remarkable hospitality, great atmosphere, and one of the most unique dining experiences in Savannah.

    This was one of the most unique restaurants I've ever been to!! Hands down!…read more Our server Hannah (and trainee Sydney) did excellent job explaining the menu and making us comfortable ordering unusual meals. I must say that Hannah was superb at her job!!! Service like hers is a rare gem these days. I never thought I'd say that I like alligator. But it was part of the charcuterie board as an app, and it was delicious (along with other items such as homemade hummus, jalapeño/cheddar sausage etc) For mains, we opted for Elk special, fish special (unfortunately don't remember which one it was exactly. Maybe flounder), and Wild Bore (my personal favorite by far!!). We thoroughly enjoyed our salads, apps, and meals. And how can you say no to fresh beignets?! We had their summer special - warm peach one, and traditional. Aaaaamazing!! Atmosphere and decor were magnificent too. It's located in the basement, so it made our experience even more unique and fun.

    Photos
    Alligator Soul - Interior facing bar

    Interior facing bar

    Alligator Soul - Brunswick Gumbo (cup portion)

    Brunswick Gumbo (cup portion)

    Alligator Soul - Inside

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    Inside

    Sorry Charlie's Oyster Bar - Grilled Oyster Sampler

    Sorry Charlie's Oyster Bar

    4.1(1.5k reviews)
    0.4 km
    $$

    Overall rating: 4.8 Visiting from NYC…read more Great spot IF you can snag a seat. Oysters & wine were delicious.

    Sorry Charlie's is definitely a vibe. Nautical interior, everybody in tie-dye, fun atmosphere--it…read moremakes sense for Savannah. And the oyster shooters? Very good start. The food, though? It was giving chain restaurant a little more than I expected. We tried the grilled oyster sampler, and while they all looked slightly different, somehow they all tasted like variations of Rockefeller. I could not tell you which was which. The she-crab soup? Absolutely not. Zero flavor. I took one bite and sent it back, and I rarely send food back. The shrimp & grits were... interesting. Very sweet, very corn-forward, and the texture was more porridge/cream of wheat than the thick, savory grits I had in mind. Was it terrible? No. On a rainy day, I could actually see myself eating a bowl of it. But if you tell me shrimp & grits, my mouth has already prepared for something completely different. Now--the fried green tomatoes? THAT was the star. Crispy, topped with a little crab salad and this hot sauce that pulled the whole thing together. The crab cakes were pretty solid too, especially with the two sauces, and the collard greens were tender and well done. Overall, I'd come back for lunch, oysters, drinks and a few appetizers. But dinner reservation? I'm not jumping through hoops. Savannah has too many really good restaurants for that. 3/5 -- cute, fun, a few hits, but the food needed a little more love.

    Photos
    Sorry Charlie's Oyster Bar - Inside

    Inside

    Sorry Charlie's Oyster Bar - Shrimps

    Shrimps

    Sorry Charlie's Oyster Bar - $1 happy hour oysters. As fresh as it gets.

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    $1 happy hour oysters. As fresh as it gets.

    Bayou Cafe - seafood - Updated September 2026

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