Poor Boys in Kingston upon Thames

One of my favourites in Kingston, been quite a few times and will keep coming… located near the river and just off the main market area it is usually very busy. Often there is a queue and quite a lengthy wait, but it’s definitely worth it. Prices are pretty reasonable and especially when you see the quantity of the food you get… absolutely massive portions of rich delicious southern comfort food. Very decadent and perfect if you are really hungry, all food comes in Takeaway boxes which even if you have a big appetite you will probably use. It seems the food is designed for you to take away and finish at home. There’s plenty of places to sit both inside and outside, and staff are very friendly…

I’ve never eaten at Poor Boys but have ordered from here a number of times and they never disappoint. In my opinion this is the best takeaway option in Kingston if you’re looking for American food. It’s not cheap but the food is delicious and always cooked to a high standard. I wouldn’t order the calamari again as this doesn’t travel well, but everything else can easily be heated up on the oven without compromising the quality. I love the popcorn cauliflower and was really disappointed to see this isn’t available as a starter/snack anymore, but hope they’ll bring it back soon. I’m a meat eater but always loved ordering it as a great side! The Cajun fries are an absolute must too.

We have been wanting to go for ages, seen it on Instagram and heard from others how good it was.And it was epic!A big cue to get in (another great sign) the place was jam packed and the staff were amazing, polite and happy to be at work.Drinks came quick, food did take a little time but is was full so a small wait was expected.The food was top quality and huge portions. Everything was as it said on the tin and we took home what we had left. Prices match the high quality and vibe of the place.We will be back for sure, so so good.Thank you to all the kitchen staff and front of house.

We decided to visit Poor Boys after seeing it all over Tik Tok, it looked good from what we had seen.Upon arrival the queues were LONG and disorganised. We were told they don't take reservations .We were seated after maybe a 20 minute wait, seating is really quite cramped but luckily we had a table for 4 for just us 2 otherwise or would of been uncomfortable.My partner went for the Po boy shrimp in the brioche , I had the buttermilk chicken in brioche. We had a side of tasteless mac n cheese, it was watery and not nice at all.I'm not rating the mains highly , I feel it was pretty standard, average "fried chicken" my taste buds were lacking some excitement the whole time I was here ! Best thing for me was the side of jalapeño bites which were so good .Drinks were nice and presented well , tasted good too!I didn't like the service too much, it was very rushed , something was missed off of our order too ..I'm glad we went to see what all the fuss was about, but we won't be returning ..(Also the toilets are up a flight of spiral stairs which for some people might be a problem)

I got:Chicken Tenders £9.95Boo Fries £4.95My friend got:Fried shrimp £9.95Ranch & Louisiana Hot £1We shared:Fried Pickles £4.95Chicken Cracklins £3 95Service charge 12.5%♡ Pros:• Despite not being able to sit down immediately the wait was only 10 or so mins 3pm on a saturday• Interior has a nice ambiance• Very big portions, I legit could just about eat 1 of my tenders and didn't even finish half of my chips, my friend also struggled• Chicken cracklins were nice but my friend found them too dry/powdery which is also true• Chicken tenders had a choice of 2 dipping sauce combos which was good, I got voodoo reaper & cajun mayo which was spicy• The fact fried pickles existed was good• Staff were nice• Voodoo reaper was a nice sauce but pretty damn hot (duh), the flavour was a like very hot Encona.× Cons:° The biggest thing was there were short hairs on the chicken cracklins which we were grossed out about. So it was took off our bill° My friend was very disappointed with it. I agree, the flavours just don't bang. Its just fried chicken and shrimp, it doesn't feel particularly southern. The fried parts of things arent especially flavoured with cajun mixes or have powders or flavouring on the chicken/shrimp itself. They could do a lot more to boost flavour.° A few things were forgotton and the order food came out wasnt great. Our cracklins came first, it was a good 20mins by the time our food actually came after. Then after that they forgot our pickles so we had to ask for them again.° Sauces are £1 each which was annoying, from relooking at our reciept it actually looks like they charged us for the louisiana hot sauce that comes with the cracklins, they forgot it so we had to ask for it? Didnt notice it on the day as we were leaving pretty quick but thats really poor service and not happy about that at all. They forgot more than just one sauce too, so keep an eye on what comes with your meal.° Boo fries did not smell nice at all, reminiscent of school dinners. I love poutine but all the cheese was basically at the bottom and it felt like very little gravy was put on it. Fries themselves were quite sad thin french fries° Ranch is an insult to ranch, ranch is tangy, sour and slightly sweet. This one just tasted like dill with mayo, don't get it. Its not Ranch.° Everything is served in boxes/containers, i'm not sure if its cause nobody can ever finish their food but its not really environmentally friendly. Its just odd and kinda awkward to eat with.° Fried pickles just werent the one, weren't really crispy, just sad.Overall, Poor boys have a very good PR team, which does make you hungry. I would not revisit, forgetting items, overcharging us, and dodgy looking hairs on the cracklins = a no from me.

Great place with a fun vibe and fun food. Dishes taste great and the atmosphere is chilled. New Orleans inspired dishes are well made and the portions are very generous.

The food was excellent and I have no words for how perfectly cooked the calamari was, all tasted great and not to mention the portion where you definitely get you value for your money. I do have to say this place was busy at the time of my visit however the service was great and we didn't feel rushed at all. The service was good and friendly in a comfortable environment except the toilet was a bit low angled if you're tall.

So once again another social media hyped restaurant. But this time it actually kept up with the hype. The food quality and flavour was amazing, portions were worth more than the price. The only downfall that day was that they ran out of sandwiches and that's the main thing to try they say. So I will have to go back and try that. Good selection of drinks including frozen drinks.

Came here on a Saturday afternoon and there was a line up outside. It seems like they have a really kind and family vibe amongst the employees which is so inviting. The food comes really quickly in take out boxes and bags which is interesting, but so convenient considering the massive portion sizes. We ordered a Po Boy and a Dirty Po. They were quite greasy (not unexpected), but just flavourless. I would have asked for sauce on the side if I realised how wet it would be. Overall the service was good, the restaurant concept is great for friends or families sharing food, but the lack of flavour was a let down.

Absolutely nailed it! Portions sizes are great too.I tried the chicken tenders, beef brisket, fried prawn and Cajun fries. Would recommend all 10/10If you want to crank up the spice levels to max try their Voodoo Reaper sauce 😉