Poor House Bistro

About

A long time favorite for live music and Cajun food, Poor House Bistro is a San Jose favorite.

Cajun food is one of America's most celebrated regional cuisines and San Jose's Poor House Bistro serves up delicious dishes.

All the favorites of New Orleans cooking are done right, from jambalaya and catfish Po' Boys to crawdad pasta and popcorn salad with beignets for dessert. And there's lots of live blues music, Wednesday to Sunday, to aid the digestion. The patio is just right for warm Silicon Valley days and nights.

2011 BEST OF SILICON VALLEY Reader Survey Winner - First Place, Best Cajun Restaurant
2009 BEST OF SILICON VALLEY Reader Survey Winner - First Place, Best Cajun

2009 BEST OF SILICON VALLEY Reader Survey Winner - First Place, Best Pre-Sharks Game Spot
Now that Tied House has sadly departed the downtown San Jose pregame Sharks-viewing landscape, Poor House wins hands down. Not only does it offer some of the best sandwiches and blues music around, the joint is pure New Orleans, right near the Tank. There exists no other place to wolf down a hot catfish po' boy before cheering on the Sharks. If that sounds fishy, it is.

2009 BEST OF SILICON VALLEY Reader Survey Winner - First Place, Best Place to Eat Barbecued Oysters
People can suck down some of the best barbecued oysters in the world while they sit on the casual patio of Poppy's Fish and Poultry in Morgan Hill. Slathered in a delicious secret sauce and topped with Parmesan cheese, these huge fresh Pacific oysters are shipped in special from Washington State by shop owners Michael and Jana Castelan. The couple really is the soul of this little old-fashioned butcher and seafood shop, offering humor and hospitality along with ice-cold Alaskan brew, wild seafood and an extensive selection of organic meats.

2008 BEST OF SILICON VALLEY Reader Survey Winner - Second Place, Best Pre-Sharks Game Spot
The Poor House is a short walk to the Shark Tank, it’s housed in a cool old farmhouse, and it’s got a seriously tasty New Orleans menu. That means gumbo, crawfish pasta, red beans and rice, jambalaya and muffaletta and oyster po boy’s. What’s all of this good stuff doing in San Jose? There ain’t no hockey in New Orleans.
-- Metro, Silicon Valley's Weekly Newspaper, September 24, 2008

2008 BEST OF SILICON VALLEY Reader Survey Winner - Second Place, Best Jazz/Blues Club
Some of the Bay Area’s finest musicians have made a regular home for themselves at the Poor House. Ron Thompson, Lara Price and A.C. Myles are regulars, and Mark Hummel stops by now and then. The place couldn’t very well bill itself as Taste of New Orleans without bringing in the best blues and jazz.
-- Metro, Silicon Valley's Weekly Newspaper, September 24, 2008

2008 BEST OF SILICON VALLEY Reader Survey Winner - Second Place, Best Live Music
Spicing up San Jose with a satisfying dose of Big Easy grit, the Poor House Bistro is a rockin’ joint that’s earned its place in the hearts of local music lovers for some of the South Bay’s best live blues and jazz every Friday and Saturday night.
-- Metro, Silicon Valley's Weekly Newspaper, September 24, 2008

2007 BEST OF SILICON VALLEY Reader Survey Winner - Honoree
Best Restaurant Patio
— Metro, Silicon Valley's Weekly Newspaper, September 26, 2007