The crawfish season may have been delayed by the historic freeze that swept through Texas and parts of Louisiana, but the Gulf Coast has bounced back and the season is now in full swing. Whether you call them mudbugs, crawdads, crayfish or crawfish; whether you like them in upscale, experimental dishes or spread out on a newspaper, we’ve got you covered on where to get the best of these crustaceans at Black owned restaurants all over Houston.
Acadian Coast
Website | Instagram | Facebook | 713-432-9651
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For a more elevated and innovative take on the crawfish experience, check out the Crawfish Beignet at Acadian Coast. The culinary profile of the dish – and all the others at this chic establishment – marry American Creole flavors with those of the Acadians in Canada. The Crawfish Beignet serves up the tails in a Creole butter with a house beignet and chives. Also check out the Etouffee with prawn, crawfish and orzo.
Plush Bar and Grill
Website | Instagram | 832-666-2474
Crawfish lovers who don’t like the mess will enjoy the different takes on this crustacean at Plush Bar and Grill. Their menu leans heavily toward seafood and Cajun cuisine, but their crawfish dishes stand out for their creativity and combinations. Check out the Loaded Seafood Baked Potato, filled with grilled shrimp, crawfish tails, cheese and their signature seafood sauce or the Loaded Seafood Fries, consisting of crispy fries topped with grilled shrimp, crawfish tails, mozzarella and the sauce.
Seafood Connection Houston
Website | Instagram | 713-432-9958
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Seafood Connection Houston has the sauce! Literally. In addition to their succulent, beautifully plated crawfish and seafood offerings, they also bottle up original seafood sauces. They come in flavors like Cajun, Spicy, Honey Mustard, Tartar and Remoulade. And of course, they have a Crawfish Sauce. You’ll definitely be licking your fingers after you “pinch dat, peel dat, eat dat”!
Three Sisters Cajun Specialtz
Website | Instagram | Facebook | 832-496-1322
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The only dilemma with Three Sisters Cajun Specialtz is deciding how hungry you are. You can get a Crawfish Snack Box, a Crawfish Trio or a full-service Crawfish Boil event. The latter can come with add-ons like Zydeco music, trash handling, photography, party favors and prizes. With their homemade seasonings, whichever option you get is sure to be “hot, spicy and atomic.”
Esther’s Cajun Café & Soul Food
Website | Instagram | Facebook | 713-699-1212
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Get yourself down to Esther’s Cajun “where the food is amazin’!” Esther, the matriarch of the café, cooks Cajun and country recipes that were passed down from her mother and great-grandmother, making dishes like Louisiana Style Gumbo and Crawfish & Shrimp Etouffee. According to their website, “each dish is prepared with fresh ingredients daily and cooked with special spices that are Esther’s personal secret.” As an added bonus, supporting Esther’s gives customers a chance to support local high school students, who can apply for one of Esther’s Cajun Soul Scholarships.
Gumbo Xpress
Website | Instagram | Facebook | 713-319-8336
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Gumbo Xpress owner Lisa W. makes Cajun dishes with a Texas twist. They not only taste great but “stick to your ribs.” While her signature offering is the fully stocked gumbo, she also delivers on her Shrimp & Crawfish Etoufee and her Seafood Lasagna.
Gumbo Jeaux’s
Website | Instagram | 832-538-0481
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With roots in Lafayette and Alexandria, LA, the chefs at Gumbo Jeaux’s make what they call “Tex-iana Cooking,” adding lots of Cajun spice for their Texas crawfish lovers. That includes their Fried Crawfish Tails served with a side of chipotle mayo; the signature Pasta Lashelle with fettuccine, shrimp, crawfish, crab and sausage tossed in a spicy Alfredo sauce; the Crawfish Po Boy; the Etouffee and a Gumbo Tout. They also have daiquiris to go if you want to keep the party going at home.
Bar 5015
Website | Instagram | Facebook | 713-515-8688
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The Backyard Bar & Kitchen at 5015 is where you want to be on any night of the week, but especially a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. That’s when they offer 5 lbs of spicy crawfish with corn, sausage and potato for $25. Wash down the spicy crustaceans with a $3 domestic beer at their Tuesday-Saturday happy hour. And if your ‘fit is particularly fly, you just might be tagged as their “Vibe of the Week.”
Prospect Park
Instagram | Facebook | 281-853-5851
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Head over to #thepark, hunker down on a bench and “let the good times boil.” With two locations – one on Fountainview and one in Willowbrook – this “rare fusion” of restaurant, live music venue and lounge is the perfect place to split a few pounds of mudbugs with your crawfish-loving crew. Even better? They offer a daily special of 5 lbs of crawfish for $20.
Kamp
Instagram | Facebook | 713-360-6927
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You’ll certainly be a happy kamper after tasting Kamp Houston’s Mardi Gras Mac & Cheese. It features a 3-cheese blend loaded with crawfish tails, crab, shrimp and smoked sausage. But that’s only the beginning of the entertaining dining experience to be had on the kamp grounds. Lounge outside with a hookah or the shareable drink “Henny-Thing For You.”
What are some of your favorite places to get crawfish in Houston?
