Bay Bays Chicken & Waffles (West Palm Beach)
***** Bay Bays Chicken & Waffles, 2400 Okeechobee Boulevard, West Palm Beach, Florida 33409, (561) 429-3796 & 1558 Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard, West Palm Beach, Florida 33401, (561) 360-3591.
Late this afternoon, Jeff Eats came across a “southern” chicken/ribs joint that I think you guys will absolutely love…Bay Bays Chicken & Waffles. Just so you know, Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats ate at the 2400 Okeechobee Boulevard location…the 1558 Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard joint is scheduled to open sometime next week.
To be perfectly honest with you–Bay Bays was an “impulse stop”—Jeff Eats saw Bay Bays’ big chicken sign from the road and like a Greek siren the red/yellow 1200 square foot run down/free standing building with its 24 outdoor bench seats and 30 indoor booth/counter seats called my name…remember the movie “Deliverance”? Bay Bays looks exactly what Jeff Eats “envisions” 1950’s-1960’s southern roadside joints having looked like.
Anyway…
At this stage of the discussion you can check menu/prices/photos at www.baybays.com.
Bay Bays menu features some of the most delicious fried chicken and babyback ribs that Jeff Eats has had in a very long time. For sure, the joint’s menu has its fair share of salads/subs/sandwiches/burgers/pastas/desserts but the real game here is the chicken and waffles’ (plain, apple cinnamon, peanut butter & jelly, cuban coffee, cornbread, lemon cake, red velvet, strawberry, chocolate, pumpkin pie, pecan) combo and the fall-off the bone -sweet sauced oven baked ribs.
Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats shared a 1/2 fried chicken/plain waffle ($11.95)–1/3 slab of ribs/macaroni & cheese/mashed potatoes ($9.95) and–every item was absolutely dynamite…Just a fast note– the fried chicken has a spicy kick to it -which is balanced by the sweet waffle flavors offered–the combo of spicy/sweet in one “mouthful” was really delicious. For those of you who aren’t as adventuresome as Jeff Eats–on request, Bay Bays will make your chicken toned-down.
Like I said a few seconds ago, the game here-for Jeff Eats “is” the chicken/waffles and the ribs…that said, the table next to us raved about the fried catfish (no thank you!) sandwich and jerk turkey burger they had. As Jeff Eats has said countless times—each to their own—live and let live—one if by land, two if by sea.
No fooling around here, Bay Bays is something you gotta try.
So there is no misunderstanding or anything…
Bay Bays which has been open 8 months–serves beer and wine-and is about as casual as it gets. When we arrived, our waitress brought us a couple of fried chicken wings on a paper napkin to-taste—soda was served by the bottle and samples of collard green and baked beans also found their way to the table. Just so you know, those great-ribs are only served Friday-Saturday-Sunday “from 3pm until gone.” Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats were there from 3:30pm to 4:15pm–we ate outside and really enjoyed Okeechobee Road’s speeding traffic–during the time we were there, every seat inside was taken and let’s say 82% of the outside seats were filled. By the way, every customer surveyed was clad in shorts.
If you are looking for fancy schmancy—this joint ain’t gonna work for you.
Now nothing for nothing, Jeff Eats can’t really say for sure what 1950’s-1960’s southern roadside joints really looked like…afterall, we didn’t have too many of them on Cortelyou Road in Brooklyn. Look, I saw “Deliverance” (Do you remember what they did to Ned Beatty’s character?) and have read numerous articles/books so I think I’m making a real good call here…Bay Bays has got it down-perfectly!
Finally, Bay Bays is set -later this week to open an inline location on Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard. Bay Bays owner (Israel) told Jeff Eats that the new store will have the exact same menu/color scheme/decor as the original location—the only thing I question (that figures) is whether the Bay Bays’ concept loses something in the translation without having the outdoor patio/free standing/run-down building look that makes its first location absolutely cool! Time will tell on that.
Jeff Eats loved Bay Bays.
The joint is open for breakfast/lunch/dinner…Sunday-Thursday 9am-11pm, Friday-Saturday 9am-midnight.
Jeff
This one sounds terrific.
Just looked at Yelp and there are 30 reviews and give or take 2 or 3 they are all 5 stars.
Good review.
The second store is in a Home Depot center.
The roadside look of store 1 may not be possible in store 2.
That look seems to be much of the charm.
Jeff,
I found the chicken a drop too crispy and way too spicy.
The waffle was delicious. Had a maple flavor without a drop of syrup on it.
Next time I eat there I will have the chicken done without spice.
I ate at the counter here and the owner Israel and the entire staff could not have been friendlier. Offered a few comp tastes, checked on how we were doing after each serving, smiles all around…
The chicken is excellent and this is a guy who deserves to succeed.
Agree with you 100%. They bend over backwards to make you feel right at home.
Their snickers waffle is incredible.
Jeff,
I work in the Audi dealareship 30 seconds away.
Ive eaten in Bay Bays several times and the food is really good.
Very cool sitting outside.
It recently started doing breakfast and Im going to give that a try.
You are right the restaurant looks like one right out of a time time warp circa 1960.
The chicken on the sign reminds me of that big Rooster character from the old cartoon who use to say something like “Son, I say son” with a big southern accent.
Nice pick for Jeff Eats’ readers.
in recent months I must have driven by this joint a 100 times. looked interesting but never pulled in. thks for the heads up. will give it a try sometime during the week.
BOB ABRAMS
Tried the chicken and found it very peppery and a bit on the dry side. I really didn’t care for it. I needed a load of water while eating it. The waffle that came with it was good.
If I went back and that’s a very big IF I would definitely ask them to make the chicken without that peppery seasoning.
The chicken is as you say very peppery tasting.
I learned real quick and now get it with very light seasoning.
The waffles are great.
The ribs are also delicious.
Jeff:
looked the joint over today.
It’s really great looking in a good seedy way.
I had chicken and waffle combo. A drop sharp but I enjoyed it.
Not so sure how this one does inline without the whole outdoor thing.
Will wait to see how the next store does.
My wife and I ate there about an hour ago. We sat inside.
Place looks like something you find on a country road in a real southern area.
We shared 1/2 chicken waffle plate.
We both really enjoyed it.
We also had a Mac & cheese side. Also very good.
We highly recommend Bay Bays.
Chicken is too seasoned.
Waffles are delicious.
Next time I will tell them to ease up on the pepper.
I also loved their mashed potatoes.
Jeff Eats:
Last night (Monday) my wife and I had dinner at Bay Bays. Like you we ate outside.
Very very very casual restataurant.
When we sat down a waitress asked us if we had been there before. We told her no and she brought out 2 fried wings for us to try. They were on a napkin. Both I and my wife thought that the wings were too seasoned for us but saw on the menu that Bay Bays would make the chicken with less spice if requested which is what we ordered with a plain waffle. The 1/2 chicken order was more than enough for two as the pieces were large.
The food was very good.
The service is as laid back as it gets but the food does get out there.
We loved the look of the restaurant. It has a certain roadside southern weather beaten charm to it.
This was one of your best picks yet.
Finally for those who don’t enjoy spiced food be sure and have them make the much milder chicken.
After reading your review I looked up YELP and there were 31 reviews. Maybe 2 so so’s and the rest great comments.
For a small restaurant only open a handful of months to have so many reviews is very rare.
The number of reviews and your comments tells me that Bay most be doing something really right and must be building itself a nice sized business.
Really enjoy reading Jeff Eats.
You got some great picks and I like the other topics you sprinkle into the conversation.
Keep up the great blog.
Looking forward to eating at Bay.
Roscoe’s in Ingelwood, ca. is famous for fried chicken and waffles.
For the record, Bay Bays chicken is too spicy and dry and doesn’t even come close to Roscoe’s. Bay Bays waffles run circles around Roscoe’s waffles.
So there you have it.
Drove passed it yesterday.
Have 2 on my list to now check.
PDQ which is 1 minute away and Bay Bays.
Both sound like winners.
Thank you for your reviews. I pass that way several times and from the way it looks from the outside, I wouldn’t go without a recommendation. Now I’m chomping at the bit to get there LOL.
Funny, same for me.
I have driven by at least 200 times and never considered stopping.
I’m going to try it this weekend.
Jeff,
Took out from here last night.
The chicken definitely has a drop of kick to it. The waffle that came with was delicious and no syrup was need to enhance its taste,
Back to the chicken, I would suggest that Bay cut down on the paper.
I will give it another try and if necessary will order the next chicken without spice.
By the way it’s as you described a cool looking restaurant.
Love the chicken and waffles here.
Chicken too spicy for this boy’s taste.
Jeff-
You were right. A definite home run. Clearly the best fried chicken I have ever had. Loved the slight peppery kick to it. Delicious waffles and sides.
delicious fried chicken and plain waffle hit the spot.
great find here.
thks.
Love their waffles and chicken.
Channel 9 just did a whole story on them. Place and food looked amazing.
Ate there yesterday. Chicken and regular waffles were amazingly delicious.
Some of the best fried chicken Ive ever had!
found the fried chicken way too seasoned. didn’t like it at all.
Me and my family was there yesterday and order (2) 10pcs meal the waitress told me that one large side is equivalent to 3 waffles we placed our order and after that the MOD come and told us that its one waffle per side item after debating the serving size with the MOD he was very uncompromising and he was willing to lose our $70 business. I called your other location and the MOD there gave the same serving as the waitress 3 waffles per large serving. Please get your staff on one accord. I was visiting from Miami and my family really wanted to try your food. Very unsatisfied with your MOD the samples was good but I had to decline service.
Fabulous food.
Delicious fried chicken.
Love this place.
Chicken and waffles are amazing.
Best fried chicken.