Poor Boys

Poor Boys is the kind of place where a queue down a side alley is a feature, not a bug. The two brothers behind it modelled the whole thing on New Orleans — the po’boy sandwich, born when the Martin Brothers fed striking tram workers scraps on French loaves in the 1920s — and the Griffin Centre location plays into the discovery. You won’t find a sign on the high street; you’ll find a red neon glow and the smell of fried chicken drifting up from the alley.

The Infatuation calls the food “excellent OTT comfort food” and gives it 8.4/10. Time Out’s Dave Faulkner scored it 4/5 and described the po’boys as “about as good a version as you can get of the New Orleans staple without having to take a flight.” The coconut shrimp arrives in a hefty panko coating, the brisket donuts come dunked in bacon and BBQ sauce, and the frozen cocktails are a signature draw — bright, slushy, and dangerously easy to put away.

The vibe is deliberately rough-and-ready: wood-panelled walls, corrugated iron, faded posters, hanging lobster pots, and a banging soundtrack. Food arrives in cardboard boxes. Time Out describes it as “styled like a fisherman’s shack.” It’s loud, packed, and built for groups who don’t mind getting messy.

The honest bit: No bookings — walk-in only — so expect 40-minute-plus waits on weekends. Prices have climbed noticeably since opening (recent reports suggest £80-90 for two with drinks). Some recent reviews note inconsistency under the volume pressure. Go with the right expectations: this is a big, loud, Instagrammable night out with friends, not a quiet dinner.

Local’s Tip: The Griffin Centre is worth exploring as a cluster — 36 Streets (Vietnamese) and Incognito (immersive cocktail bar) are neighbours.