The Bywater

What a fabulous little find! I had walked by here a handful of times and the name stuck out, but it wasn't until it was suggested to go here for lunch on Valentine's Day that I was pleasantly surprised to find a New Orleans restaurant in the heart of Los Gatos.We started with mediocre coffee but it's coffee. Would like to see an improvement on that but otherwise zero complaints. Fried oysters had a great breading. The cocktail sauce had a surprising kick of horseradish and was delightful The po boy was HUGE with so much shrimp, it was never ending ! Crisped to perfection and the ratios of ingredients was exactly what I wanted. Husband got the gumbo bowl and ate it all up! I'm pretty sure he would've licked the bowl if he wouldn't have been stared at. Can't wait to go back again !

Okay so now my newest experience at the Bywater was fantastic. My ideal meal anytime I go here now would be the starter of shishito peppers, the muffuletta, finished by the butterscotch pudding as dessert.The new item of shishito peppers are predominantly seasoned with mam nem which is like a fish sauce. Pairing this mam nem with subtle lemongrass gave vibes of Vietnamese cuisine. The large chunks of sweet pineapple that gave a nice acid touch to cut through the savoriness. The muffuletta is really a delight to eat. The meats, cheese and olive spread is such a flavor bomb. It has crispy crunchy outside due to being a pressed sandwich and a super moist interior. This is definitely something that's uncommon to find elsewhere at any sandwich places and thus a must try/have. Lastly the butterscotch pudding is great because it gives you the deep roasty flavor, not too sweet, and with the flaky salt makes it that much better.Fantastic music and friendly laid back staff that give a buddy buddy vibe. I would come back for specifically these items.

Portion size is unacceptable. I ordered the gumbo and I found it to be delicious. The service is quick, but I had a hard time trying to get attention when I wanted to order a 2nd round of food. Generous amount of crawfish and the shrimps were exceptionally flavorful. The addition of the poached egg is nice but unnecessary. They could have added more rice and soup to make it a more satisfying meal, but it just left me hungrier before the meal. Yes, seafood is expensive and I get that, but if I am going to be paying $30+ for some seafood soup, I do expect a more substantial portion. If the portion size remains the same, then I must say everything in this restaurant seems overpriced by 100%. There is nothing in the ambiance of the establishment that justify the rate that it's currently charging.

2nd time to Bywater- this time for brunch with our daughter. Everything was tasty a our favorites are seafood gumbo, shrimp salad, biscuit, andouille sausage and the beignets.Service was great! We really like the ambiance.

Happy Hour everyday!!!We went on a Saturday afternoon and there was plenty of parking in the back lot. Happily surprised to hear that they have happy hour everyday including weekends so a dozen oysters were ordered immediately. Service was pretty quick. The fries were a bit on the saltier side for me, but super crunchy (7/10). The gumbo tasted really fishy and had way too much lemon squeezed in (4/10). The oysters tasted pretty fresh and were plump and juicy (8/10). Would definitely come back for the oysters and try their fried shrimp Po Boy

Things truly come full circle; no sweat. Well, it all builds up, and it's hindsight 20/20. We stopped by to get a sampler of some NOLA cuisine. I was glad to have been a bit eccentric with my choices in that I wanted a little bit of everything. I got the following: cup of Seafood Gumbo, cup of red beans and rice, and an added fried chicken piece. Besides the red beans and rice being a little on the saltier side and the gumbo being a little light on the actual amount of seafood, everything else was perfection. I especially liked the juicy, milky oysters in the gumbo and the perfectly plump and crisp fried chicken piece. Delicious food and a beautiful ambiance overall.

I visited once and wasn't impressed. I'd just been to New Orleans so maybe my expectations for the food were a little high but nothin was really exciting.What worked:-- attentive and friendly service -- clean and comfortable interior-- there was a good amount of shrimp on the po'boy sandwich -- the chocolate sauce that came with the beignets was good What didn't work:-- the shrimp po'boy I ordered was very small and unsatisfying. There just wasn't much flavor--not in the sauce or in the shrimp's breading and it was just mayo, shrimp, and lettuce. Not very flavorful-- the sandwich was $19! That's way too much for a pretty bare-bones sandwich that doesn't even come with a side -- the shrimp's breading was again, not flavorful, and it also didn't have a lot of crispiness to it. It almost felt like the breading was too thick and some of the batter didn't get to cook all the way-- the beignets were just fine, nothing special. I didn't expect them to be as fluffy as the ones in New Orleans but again, $12 for three or four beignets isn't worth it. Overall, I won't be returning. It was expensive and the food wasn't all that great.

Gumbo is the reason to come here along with the rosé. The Bywater in Los Gatos, CA, is a Michelin guide restaurant known for its New Orleans-inspired cuisine, but based on my recent visit, it didn't fully live up to its reputation, especially considering the steep price.I dined on the patio, which, despite the pleasant outdoor setting, was marred by a persistent problem with flies. This distraction significantly impacted the overall dining experience, making it difficult to fully enjoy the meal.The evening began with a glass of Gassac Rosé ($15), which was delightful, light, and crisp--an ideal start to the meal. The cup of gumbo ($11) that followed was rich and flavorful, packed with the deep, smoky notes you'd expect from a well-crafted gumbo. It had just the right balance of spice and heartiness, setting very high expectations for the rest of the meal.The watermelon poke ($14) was a refreshing and innovative take on a traditional poke, with the sweetness of the watermelon contrasting beautifully with the savory elements. This dish was a standout, showcasing the kitchen's creativity and ability to balance flavors in a unique way.Unfortunately, the meal took a downturn with the market fish ($38), which was the most expensive dish of the evening and the most disappointing. The fish itself lacked the crispy exterior that typically enhances texture, leaving it somewhat limp and underwhelming. The broth accompanying the fish was bland and unmemorable, failing to elevate the dish in any meaningful way. Additionally, the grits served alongside were unusually large-grained, which made for a less enjoyable texture than the creamy, smooth grits one might expect. This dish felt like a significant misstep, especially at its price point.The meal concluded on a high note with the beignet ($12), which was light, fluffy, and perfectly sweet. It provided a comforting, satisfying end to the dinner and reminded me why The Bywater has earned its spot in the Michelin guide.Service throughout the evening was attentive and professional, which helped to somewhat offset the issues with the food. However, the presence of flies on the patio was a major distraction that detracted from the overall experience. The bathroom was nice except the faucet needs to be replaced or deep cleaned. Photos attached. In summary, while The Bywater excels in certain areas--particularly with its innovative starters and excellent service--the inconsistency in execution, especially with the main course, and the environmental issue of flies on the patio make it hard to justify the high cost. At over $100 for a solo meal, I expected a flawless experience, but the reality fell short. For those considering dining here, I would recommend sticking to the appetizers and desserts, which seem to be the restaurant's strengths, and perhaps opting for indoor seating to avoid the fly problem.

I'm not gonna lie, their entrees are a hit or miss, but their drinks are always on point and they have one of the best Happy Hours. I mean, who does a dozen oysters for $24?!? Their servers are also very friendly, especially if you land a table with Devon (shoutout to our favorite server).On our recent visit, we tried:-Shrimp cocktail: 5 super-fresh shrimp smothered in a bomb cocktail sauce. I was going to ask for horseradish, but that sauce was already packing. Wimps beware; spicy lovers rejoice!-Burger: OMG, I am still thinking of the yummy flavor. You needed a fork and knife to eat it as it was smothered in a delicious cheese gravy. Yummmm. I want another one right now.-Fried chicken: My fried chicken was undercooked during our last visit. This time, it was pure perfection. My hubby is also obsessed with their macaroni salad.-Poor man's beans and rice: I always get this when I visit. Smoky, savory, simply delicious.I'm a die-hard voodoo daquiry fan, but Devon directed me try a new cocktail. I don't remember the name, but it had bell peppers, cucumbers, gin, and other goodies. It's the perfect refreshing cocktail for a summer day. They are launching a supper club menu soon, so I'm excited to try that. Thank you, Bywater!

The Bywater used to be one of my favorite restaurants, but I'm worried that things are not the same with the new chef.The Bywater of my memory is a great example of the expert flavor balancing and high quality Kinsch is known for, in a style I personally love, having lived in the South. Highlights included great oysters and cocktails, standout dishes like Eggs Sardou and Bywater Benedict, and the best andouille sausage of all time. And the only hush puppies I would go out of my way to eat. Throw in a fun ambiance and reasonable service, and I'm in! My kids even love it, asking us to drive down to Los Gatos for it specifically, and eagerly eating the MB French Toast.However, we went last night for Fat Tuesday and learned that the chef had changed.Generally, the restaurant was in high-throughput mode, which I can appreciate given the holiday. I liked that they'd added crawfish bread, but fried eggplant instead of fried green tomatoes? What's going on? There were also no fried green tomatoes the last time I came for brunch.Undeterred, we ordered hush puppies, and they weren't nearly as good as usual. We also got the fried chicken + potato salad. The dark meat of the chicken was more rare than we prefer, also unusual. The potato salad is on the horseradishy side of the equation, which I was not surprised by because the only dish I've traditionally not liked there is the Shrimp Remoulade re: so much horseradish, which is a shame, because I'd like that to be my favorite dish. (Or... maybe think about replacing it with a pickled shrimp + fried green tomatoes dish with some greens?)We then ordered a side of the andouille, because we just like it so much, that's all we really needed for dinner. However, something else came. As you can see in my picture of the andouille as it has been vs yesterday, it does not look the same. The new "andouille" seems like it's a smoked bratwurst. It is overly smokey, super peppery, low on other flavors, looser, and greasier. I will not even eat it. PLEASE BRING BACK THE OLD ANDOUILLE!!I also tried the Krewe of Saturn cocktail. It was extremely medicinal. The interesting ingredients should be used to create depth of flavor, not to punch you in the face. Recommend increasing the rum and lime. Our kind server replaced it for me.The best things we ate were the oysters (but their mignonette lacked flavor and was just far too full of pepper) and the MB King Cake (Hey MB, PLEASE PLEASE SELL THOSE NEXT YEAR!!). This used to be one of my favorite restaurants, but I'm worried with the new chef that it's going to be demoted to "occasionally entertaining theme restaurant." Please, please make me take this back the next time I eat there! You could have 5 stars!