SEAReview
B's Po Boy
This spot is Permanently Closed.
In Seattle, people get very serious about finding the best transplant food - like New York-style pizza, Nashville hot chicken, or California burritos. (We could go on and on for a truckload of zip codes across the states, but we won’t.)
If New Orleans-style food is what you’re looking for, we have good news and bad news about B’s Po Boy, a casual beachside restaurant on Alki. This sit-down spot with a great view has classic NOLA dishes like gumbo, etouffe, and, yes, po’boys. We really like the fried shrimp sandwich, but we’re not big fans of the other things we’ve tried.
As far as po’boys go, B’s does a lot of things right. The bread they use is from Leidenheimer Bakery in New Orleans, and it’s perfectly crusty on the outside and soft on the inside. Filling options range from blackened catfish and chipped roast beef with gravy to battered fried shrimp and oysters. As mentioned earlier, our clear favorite is the fried shrimp sandwich - it’s delicious, with tender shellfish and a crispy breading that’s spiced perfectly. It’s even better when you sub in the homemade lemon aioli for mayo, and at $16 for a full sandwich and $10 for a (generous) half, it’s pretty affordable, too.
photo credit: Nate Watters
Other dishes unfortunately don’t work out as well. The pulled pork has a nice spicy kick, but it’s overly wet and oily. This makes the bread too soggy, which is a shame, after it took a cross-country trip to get here. The catfish crosses the fine line between blackened and burned - and don’t get us started on the gumbo, which tastes watery and bland. (We guess you got us started on it after all, but we’re certainly not finishing it.)
As disappointing as those things are, the fried shrimp sandwich still shines. Plus, the staff is friendly, and we like sitting at the bar. So stop by for the po’boy, some sweet potato fries, and a local beer, and you may be content with finally x-ing out of that SeaTac-to-NOLA Kayak tab on your computer for the time being.