Poor House Bistro

I don’t really feel like the portions add up to the prices. My friend got a SMALL side of jambalaya and a piece of bread for $ 9. It was ridiculous. I just got the jambalaya plate for $ 14 which was ok. Cute little place with music. I probably wouldn’t come here again but it was nice listening to a live band.

A 4 minute walk to SAP center, this is a good option to buying junk food in the stadium.
This is most definitely not a gourmet restaurant but the Southern style food is tasty and portions are ample. I would recommend the seafood gumbo as a starter although the bowl rather than the cup is very filling. The catfish po’boy was a meal in itself and there are several interesting beers and wines to complement the meal.
Basic surroundings but good live music and a very convenient location.

Hitch up & order your food at the counter. Get there early before a game because the one register can get overloaded. If you’re only looking to wet your whistle, there’s a bar and a Men’s restroom, down the stairs, round back.
We ordered, were handed our drinks and a pager, then selected our seats outside. It’s a repurposed house, so all the indoor seating is scattered throughout rooms.
The fried shrimp po’boy was packed with: pickles, cabbage, a zesty sauce, and small, cornmeal coated shrimp. We enjoyed every bite. The chicken and sausage gumbo had a healthy amount of spice. The chicken was super tender. The cup portion is really small. The poor house salad was pretty good, we cleaned the plate. I like that they don’t drown it in dressing.
Cup of white wine $ 8
The Mr. liked the poor house ale but can’t remember how much he paid for it.
There’s only one stall for each gender, I can see that being an issue on a busy night. Overall though, it’s a really cool little spot to hang out before a game and get some good food.
Go Sharks!

Ordered the cajun combo, small portions of different choices. But too impressive, and for what you get, it’s a bit of expensive. My hubby ordered their muffuletta, $ 20 for a whole one. Taste good, but still we feel it’s a bit expensive. They have live music 6 days a week, posters on the wall to tell me who will be playing.

Still one of our regulars. Still enjoying the same menu. My usual is the Poor House Salad these days, but I don’t get the add chicken option; it leans a little to rubbery at times. Salad is great as is. We’ve found that we like to ask for the blackened wings «well done».
Big plus for us is the large outside seating area where our dog is welcome. We’re here mostly at lunch time.

Food is below average. I had the jambalaya and it was average at best. However at $ 14 the quantity was about what you would get in a kids meal. Plus it did not come with any sides. Bottom Line is below average food and portion for above average prices. I would not recommend this place to anyone. There are much better Cajun food places in the bay area. Avoid this one.

Our routine when we pick up mum from Amtrak station ~ we love the music & food is excellent!

Ah, rats… Poor House apparently got too popular while I wasn’t looking. Went there last night, and had my usual — the $ 11 half Muffaletta.
Way below average. Frankly, mediocrity would be a big step up. Used to be I could barely eat ½ a muffaletta, but the new version is a mini-​me version of the old one. And the fillings? Scrimpy is a good description. Missing, absent, awol… you get the picture. Hope you like bread, because that’s what you’ll be eating. Anyway, I’m done.

Very crowded today and the band is pretty loud. Ordered Red Beans & Rice, extra cornbread, and a Poorhouse Salad.
I got Red Beans & Rice, extra cornbread, a cup of Jambalaya (that I didn’t order), and no salad.
I went back up to order the salad and she ordered me a Poorhouse Poorboy. Now, I don’t know about you, but if you don’t eat meat, you might think someone threw up regurgitated meat on two pieces of bread. I got attitude from the girl who ordered it, had an apology from the guy next to her that first screwed up the order, and was finally told, «I’ll bring it to you,…» She forgot… I finished my red beans & rice & cornbread, stared at the cup of Jumbalaya, and my friend bugged them for her salad, which finally.
Bottom line: if you’re hungry for Cajun food and want specific flavors, go someplace that will actually give you what you ordered. It’s not that good.

Glad we came for lunch. We needed to eat but didn’t want to deal with the crowds, long lines or lunch crowds. This place was deserted at noon on a Thursday which was just what we needed.
Oyster Po’boy — 5 stars
Cajun fries — 4 stars
BBQ shrimp Po’boy — 4 stars per coworker
Beignets — 3 stars
Check it out!

I had the bbq shrimp po boy and it was pretty good, but nothing outstanding. It is a vinegar based sauce that was messy and the cabbage was lacking, shrimp wasnt. Live music was awesome though and they have a heated patio to enjoy.
There is a private lot but we didn’t see it and paid more for parking in that area than the food.

Good vibes:
+ Outdoor seating is a fun atmosphere. Outdoor stage is there. If it rains, it is covered & heated. You’re all good.
+ Music. There always seems to be music rocking there. It always put a smile on my face and got me to get up and jam boogie! Check out their music schedule here:
+ If you are going to an event at SAP Center, great place to start your night! Make sure that you get there fairly early to get a seat. The place gets packed! They do make sure to get you in and out quickly and no matter what the music gets you in a good mood, prepped for the event!
+ Sunday Brunch from 10a — 2p. Great gem to check out to have a Southern Brunch! Been to Lousiana a ton and this is a healthier, California version!
+ No reservations, no WIFI, but it all works out okay. You will be okay without WIFI for a couple hours… talk to someone! HAHA!
+ Outdoor bar. Totally helps out when the place is packed and you have already ordered food or have eaten already. Beer & wine only. They have soju cocktails though!
(Bullet points are at the beginning because that is what peeps tend to read.)
Originally found this place (over a decade ago), going on a run through the neighborhood. I clearly remember meeting Jay (the owner) and walking into the place that was not quite set-​up. We chatted for over 10 minutes about the joint. He was totally laid back and easy to chat with — it instantly made me intrigued to try the food and see how it would be completely set-​up.
First time I went there, a group of us tried everything and we were in LOVE! From the red beans & rice, jambalaya, bbq chicken po’boy (my absolutely go to), bbq shrimp, blackened chicken & tasso pasta and wash it down with any Abita Brewing Company’s beer. AMAZING!
I was going there on the weekly, and through the years I have slowed my roll, but the food is solid every time I am there!
PHB continue what you have been doing for years! You have been a solid staple of Downtown SJ! Food is stupendous & ambiance is incredible!

I love that the Poor House Bistro is just a few blocks away from Caltrain and the SAP Center. This is totally a gem if you take Caltrain down to go to a concert or Sharks game.
They have jambalaya and poboys and hurricanes. Plus they have live music most nights on the outdoor patio! You can get the full Cajun experience. I’ll be honest, the best part of this restaurant is the music and the location. The jambalaya looked and tasted just like the canned Campbell’s kind. Good, but a little salty.
I will recommend that you come at night. It is open for lunch, but some places you just don’t want to see in the daylight. It definitely has that grimy, bar feel to it. Very true to New Orleans though!

Your seating, food quality, & noise level are all going to depend on the day you eat here.
The first time I came was for my cousins birthday. We had a table reserved in the outdoor area in the back near the stage. THANKFULLY there was no band playing. Don’t get me wrong I’m all for live music but when the stage is 30 feet away it’s almost painful. The food was perfect. Ordered a shrimp po boy — was very tasty & filling. The beignets were light, fluffy, & delicious.
I ended up coming here today for some grub before the Sharks game. I regret this very much. There was barely any seating — my mom & I had to settle for a corner table where I uncomfortably bumped elbows multiple times w/​a less than cheerful man. I guess today was an event day because there was a band playing HELLA loud «music?» I ordered a shrimp po boy again & it was unacceptable. There was almost no shrimp or pickles, & it was loaded w/​cabbage. Thankfully my mom liked her seafood sampler. I also witnessed a waiter clearly a ladies table when there was more than half her plate left while she was grabbing a to-​go box. Let’s just say that waiter got an earful.

I’ve been here on a few occasions now, and it’s always been solid. I recently came here to watch some of the music on the outdoor patio. The food is not the most authentic Cajun food, but it is delicious and filling! Their po-​boys and beignets are SO yummy — lots of powdered sugar!
The staff is okay, they aren’t super helpful, but nice enough. I love the live music shows, and honestly this is probably what will keep me coming back.

We came here on Christmas Eve for a quick lunch. We ordered a cup of seafood gumbo, half crawfish pasta, and the fried catfish po-​boy. The food was pretty tasty, but we wished that it would be served piping hot instead of lukewarm.
There weren’t many restaurant patrons because it was Christmas Eve, but it was a cute place.

Poor House Bistro is a solid Cajun/​Creole restaurant downtown San Jose. It is only a couple minutes walk from the SAP Center and a great rallying/​pre-​game location before catching a Sharks game or concert at the SAP. Also, it’s a good Über drop off/​pick up location before and after your event to avoid some of the traffic close to the arena.
Overall, I would say the food is above average. I started with the Cajun Popcorn — fried, seasoned shrimp served with a delicious remoulade dipping sauce. My entrée was the New Orleans Combo, that includes gumbo, jimbalaya, and red beans and rice. It was also very good and was seasoned with the right amount of spice.
The biggest drawback in my opinion is the way food and drinks are ordered: inside at the counter. This is especially frustrating at peak times when the line can very easily be out the door. Why is this frustrating you ask? Drinks. If you want another beer, you have to wait in the same line as everyone ordering food. Considering that the Poor House Bistro has a great, lively atmosphere, and frequent live entertainment, this can get annoying pretty quickly since you will naturally want to stick around and have some drinks. Plan on double fisting for best results.
If I could, I would give Poor House Bistro 3.5 stars: 4 for the food, and 3 for the «process.» In any sense, I definitely recommend checking it out.

I went for a lunch, mid-​week at exactly 11:00a, right when they opened. Service was quick, pleasant and adequate. You go up to the counter to order, you pick up your own food when it’s ready and you get your own drinks, just like if you went to a fast food place but there is definitely a space for a tip lol.
LUNCH SPECIAL (half a fried shrimp po boy with seafood gumbo). This was tasty! Not too greasy which I loved. However, the portion was technically «adequate» but small. I was hungry two hours later.

Talk about TRUE LOVE!
oh boy… I can honestly say I was and still am IN LOVE with their Crawfish pasta! It only took one bite and if I was an emoji, I would have had hearts in my eyes.
I only happen to eat here by chance because I was in town for a convention and all the other places were full.
This place was incredibly charming! Literally a pointy house turned restaurant with a little bit of a haunted mansion feel with the restaurant’s name in black cast iron in cursive by the entrance.
Probably most people know… But for a Floridian like me, I didn’t know what the heck a crawfish was. It was shrimp. Oh my ignorance… Now I know.
Their menu is is pretty good, they have a good variety of New Orleans cuisine. I never have tasted or knew about New Orleans food but dammit after this, I’m willing to go to New Orleans to find out more!
Their menu average about $ 8.50 and up. But their portions are pretty reasonable.
But let me tell you about my true love — the freaking crawfish pasta. It was served really hot. And my eyes met the beautiful colors of the dish. Steam coming from the beautiful spirals of the fussili pasta colored in a bold orange creole sauce and crawfish.
Took one bite of that baby and I was truly in love. Describing it doesn’t even do exact justice to the dish. It was probably one the most savory pasta I’ve ever had!!!
Service was okay. Borderline hole in the wall but a great one.
I would so go back for that crawfish pasta. Highly recommend checking this place out and order the CRAWFISH PASTA!!!

Came here with hubby one day and he called it a food adventure for some New Orleans food. I was like really all the way here for food? We drove for 1 hour and 15 mins. Lol I went with it, but the truth was he was really surprising me with a anniversary gift (hockey tixs to a San Jose Shark game) which I found out later on as the day progresses.
Lol, moving on, so I read up the reviews on Unilocal and it looked good. So we get here and pull up back for parking and walk around the front to go inside. It’s like a house you’re walking into. We walked up to the cashier and hubby chats her up a bit. I look around and see that they have several awards which is awesome. Hubs asks the cashier what is good here and she tells him a Poor House sandwich which is Ham, roast beef, beef drippin’s and topped with au jus and dressed (Shredded cabbage, tomato, pickles, mayo, creole mustard on a new orleans style french roll). I had my heart set on the Catfish po’boy sandwich which is a «Mississippi River» catfish, all-​white boneless, corn meal coated and fried, served with homemade tartar sauce and dressed. We share a Cajun fries which was fresh-​cut potatoes dusted with savory Cajun spices.
We seated ourselves and got some sauces and napkins. Food took about 10 minutes for it to be ready, they called us when it was ready. Fries were tasty, catfish po’boy was crunch and the creole mustard gave it a bite. Hubs poor house sandwich was good. For dessert we saw they had Beignets which were 3 freshly-​made donuts, served warm, sprinkled with powdered sugar. They came hot but were tasty but a tad messy to eat cause of all the powered sugar. But that’s the only way to eat them.