We went there for Mardi Gras and arrived fairly early to find the place almost empty. There were some people in the bar area but we wanted to be more comfortable eating dinner.
The waitress wouldn't seat us at the booth/table combo for four we wanted because we were only two.
We didn't stay long and she eventually seated a father and son in the spot we'd asked for.
They didn't have shrimp on its own which is why my cousin suggested it in the first place. I wanted the oyster Po' Boy I'd seen on the menu but they had a special one for Mardi Gras and it was $17 for six grilled oysters so I essentially got two apps. Maybe six oysters are considered a meal?
So neither of us got what we wanted and I found the red beans and rice surprisingly bland with a few pieces of sausage that might as well have been left out. The waitress did give us a break on that and brought us the lunch red beans and rice as a side but we couldn't eat them between the two of us, nothing tasted very good.
I'd also gotten the gravy fries which I liked at first because I was hungry. The gravy needed to taste less like Thanksgiving and more like Mardi Gras. It would have helped a little if the fries were better seasoned and a lot if they'd been crispy.
My cousin's Shrimp Po' Boy didn't look tempting and the shrimp was heavily breaded. She ate it but wasn't crazy about the sandwich and thought her Hurricane was way too sweet with no punch.
We went to the Echo after that and the sandwiches looked better and bigger, the people were friendly and the service was great. The Echocane I had was very good and pretty potent.
The bar was packed when we left North of the Bayou and I've heard other people say they've had fun in the bar. It seems as if this place would fair better without the restaurant and I can only guess it will eventually fold like the others before them.
A final note, North of the Bayou is not handicap friendly and the long, steep walk up to the door should be avoided by seniors and those with difficulty walking.