Louisiana is no doubt a pioneering state with many of our favorite flavorful foods. And we’ve all come to know and love crawfish! While enjoying them boiled with potatoes in a variety of spices is an absolutely mouthwatering way to eat them, a list of restaurants has come up with other ways to serve the tasty crustaceans. Some of our picks are classic, and some a bit unconventional. But they all are going to impress your inner foodie with both authenticity and creativity. Get ready to dig in!
Just Really Good Boiled Crawfish - Louisiana Crawfish Time, Lafayette
Louisiana Crawfish Time in Lafayette gets straight to the point with perfectly cooked crawfish and shrimp paired with boiled potatoes or french fries. Sauces and seasonings really compliment the local favorite seafood, and the servers are happy to let you in on the best ways to mix everything up for amazing flavor! Mayo and other mix-ins come together to make a pretty awesome sauce. Try out the bread pudding for dessert! You’ll see the sweet treat on other menus in the state.
Fried Crawfish Basket - Hawk's Crawfish, Rayne
Hawk’s Crawfish in Rayne might have some seriously incredible boiled crawfish that also happen to be excellently seasoned. However, the menu offers another delicacy that proves these tiny creatures are extremely versatile. Dive into a basket of lightly breaded, crispy fried tails, and you will forever find yourself torn on what to order. So just come hungry.
Crawfish Enchilada with Cheese - Crawfish Town USA, Henderson
Crawfish Town USA in Henderson has quite the versatile menu, from fried catfish to gator tails (both are totally worth ordering). But they get extra creative with all of those Louisiana crawfish tails and have come up with some fun, flavorful menu items. If we have to pick just one, we’d go for the crawfish loaded enchilada, complete with plenty of sauce wrapped in a warm tortilla, then topped with etouffee and cheese! It’s a harmonious pairing when these two very different culinary flavors come together!
Crawfish Filled Savory Pies - Capital City Crawfish, Baton Rouge
Capital City Crawfish in Baton Rouge has some killer po’boys and authentic boiled goodies. The crawfish boudin balls are also a standout. But our pick for this establishment would have to be the savory pies filled with delicious, delicate crawfish meat! It’s a different take on the classic seafood and certainly a great way to shake things up. Keep an eye out at other Cajun eateries, because you might just see these pies on other menus.
Seafood Steak - B&C Seafood Riverside and Cajun Restaurant, Vacherie
B&C Seafood Riverside and Cajun Restaurant is an honest establishment in Vacherie. The well-rounded menu is complete with all sorts of comfort foods that range from burgers to Louisiana classics. But the seafood steak blends shrimp, crab and crawfish into one of the tastiest patties that has ever laid upon a glorious buttery bun. This is the “go-to” if torn between other dishes because it eats like a burger or sandwich while tasting very Cajun and fresh.
Amazing Etouffee - Crazy Bout Crawfish, Breaux Bridge
Etouffee is a rich concoction often served with Cajun or creole meals. It’s indulgent, with a smooth texture that is met with pieces of either shrimp or crawfish. Just think of it as gumbo’s thicker cousin, with less of a variety of proteins within. Crazy Bout Crawfish in Breaux Bridge is a solid place to try the staple dish. But gumbo is on the menu too along with countless other native Louisiana foods.
Creamy Crawfish Bisque - Deanie’s Seafood Restaurant, New Orleans
Deanie’s Seafood Restaurant in the French Quarter is not only optimally located in one of New Orleans’ best spots, but they also have some of the most massive seafood platters around. Charbroiled oysters are also pretty famous here. Along with a list of other hot and filling soups, there is a crawfish bisque that is either a wonderful start to your meal or an entrée if you get the bowl!
Etouffee Smothered Po'boy - Dwight's, Lafayette
Dwight’s in Lafayette blends the glory of smokey barbecue with Cajun seafood! The menu is relatively simple but perfected. Try one of the classic Poboy’s smothered in crawfish etouffee, then give the Cajun coleslaw a taste on the side. Finish off your meal with a hot serving of incredible peach cobbler with a crispy crust and gooey warm fruit filling! It’s homemade and that is certainly evident in the flavor.
Crawfish Fettuccine Alfredo - Crawdaddy’s Kitchen, Shreveport
Crawdaddy’s Kitchen is located in Shreveport, and let us first say that the crispy fried green tomatoes are a must-try. The crawfish are enormous and perfectly cooked, and the shrimp are sweet and tender. We love how they have taken fettuccine alfredo and enhanced it with crawfish! If you’ve ever had the typically Italian dish with shrimp, you’ll know that they really upped the fettuccine game with this one. So comforting and tasty!
