Crayfish. Crawdads. Mudbugs. Freshwater lobsters. Yabbies. (Yes, yabbies if you’re from Australia.) No matter what you call crawfish, if you’re a fan of the freshwater crustaceans, you’re in luck this time of year as crawfish season hits its full stride. Across North Texas, restaurants import the tiny delicacies from Louisiana and boil them fresh with potatoes, corn, and a variety of spices. Eating crawfish is a highly interactive experience in which you pick apart the tender fish, evoking the flavors and textures of lobster, crab, and shrimp. If you’re bold, pinch the tail and suck the head, where crawfish enthusiasts proclaim the tastiest bits exist.
If you’re after more than just a plate of crawfish, these upcoming boils bring the full-on community energy—think live music, networking, and a reason to linger. Kick things off Friday, April 10, when BNI 29% and BNI Preston Center turn their crawfish boil into a casual networking hang. That same weekend keeps the momentum going: Easy Slider teams up with Jack Mooney for a Sunday, April 12 boil, while Claws for Paws at Gas Monkey Icehouse pairs mudbugs with a good cause, raising funds for Habitat 4 Paws.
Mid-April is stacked. White Rock Brewing’s annual Dallas Crawfish Boil returns Saturday, April 18, drawing a crowd for one of the season’s most anticipated gatherings. Over in Richardson, the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany adds its own spin the same day with its 14th annual boil—complete with live music and even a car show. And if you’re looking to go big, mark your calendar for Saturday, May 9. Celina Cajun Fest is less a boil and more a full-scale festival, with live music, vendors, alligator demos, and piles of crawfish.
Read on for a list of places with fresh crawfish on the menu, as well as other crawfish dishes where someone else has done all the peeling work for you.
Cajun Crawfish Company
Bring the biggest cooler you have to this live crawfish purveyor in Lewisville because the company sells them in 30-pound bags. Or pick up already boiled crawfish on select days in 15-pound bags. Then, it’s up to you to work your magic in the kitchen—or over a kettle on your barbecue. 1671 Riverview Dr., Ste. #114, Lewisville, cajuncrawfishco.com
Dodie’s Cajun Diner at The Harbor
Water views add to the allure of this Cajun joint on Lake Ray Hubbard. Dine on the covered patio and enjoy freshly prepared crawfish with Dodie’s signature Cajun seasoning. You can also get your mudbug fix in crawfish étoufée (also available as a combo with fried catfish), Dodie’s Pasta Monica, and a Cajun cocktail with boiled shrimp and crawfish tails. Every Monday and Tuesday, enjoy discounted crawfish, too. 2067 Summer Lee Dr., Ste. 115, Rockwall, dodiesattheharbor.com
Aw Shucks & Big Shucks
Same company, two different names. With numerous locations across DFW, these Shucks restaurants offer DIY crawfish kits you can take home. Or let the experts prepare a boil for you with your choice of original, spicy garlic, lemon pepper, or crawfish style seasoning. Add on sausage, crab legs, and shrimp to your heart’s desire. Enjoy special pricing on Wednesdays, too. Multiple locations, awshucksdallas.com
Charlie’s Creole Kitchen
Boiled crawfish, potatoes, and corn await at this Lowest Greenville Avenue spot. You can also get crawfish in a seafood fondue, in an étoufée, deep-fried with your choice of other fried seafood pairings, or in multiple pastas. Add on an Abita Amber for the true Louisiana vibe. 2129 Greenville Ave., Dallas, charliescreolekitchentexas.com
Flying Fish
Fresh from Louisiana, the crawfish at Flying Fish comes per usual with corn and new potatoes, but adding andouille sausage for an extra two bucks really kicks things up a notch. If there’s another cold snap in the coming weeks, definitely consider a big bowl of crawfish chowder. Multiple locations, flyingfishinthe.net
Pier 88
Try a fried crawfish po-boy or seafood noodle with crawfish and a variety of other seafood, in addition to seasonal, by-the-pound boiled live crawfish with potatoes and corn. You can also order frozen crawfish any time of year. 10560 Walnut St., Ste. 100, Dallas, pier88dallas.com
Shell Shack
Crawfish arrive daily at Shell Shack, and you can tailor multi-pound boils with your choice of season, including Cajun, garlic, lemon pepper, kitchen sink, or completely naked to let the seafood itself shine. Ask for your sauces to be tossed with the seafood, corn, and potatoes, or as a side option for dipping. Multiple locations, shellshack.com
The Revel Patio Grill
Enjoy a “from the boil” experience by selecting your protein, including crawfish, of course, along with clams, lobster, mussels, shrimp, snow crab, and seasonal crab options. Then choose your spice level and sauce type, including a spicy sprinkle, garlic butter, citrus, and lemon pepper. If you’re feeling brave, try the nitro sauce, which comes with a heat warning thanks to a combo of scorpion, ghost, reaper, habanero, jalapeño, and Cajun spices working in tandem to send smoke out of your ears. You can also order live crawfish from their market for pickup. 9305 Preston Rd., Frisco, revelpatiogrill.com
The Kickin’ Crab
Enjoy crawfish in a bag by the pound (free corn with every two pounds in the same bag). Mix it up by adding mussels, shrimp, clams, crab legs, and lobster in any combination to accentuate your peel-and-eat feast. Multiple locations, thekickincrab.com
Fish City Grill
At only $9 per pound ($8 during happy hour), Fish City Grill offers one of the biggest bayou bargains on crawfish in the metroplex. The owners have sourced their crawfish from the same family-run companies for years, ensuring high quality and a sense of tradition in every bite. Multiple locations, fishcitygrill.com
Half Shells Seafood
Not only does Half Shells Seafood offer traditional crawfish boils this time of year, you can also get a Texas-style option. Spicy crawfish tacos feature queso fresco and pickled jalapeños in warm tortillas. Multiple locations, halfshellsseafoodgrill.com
Razzoo’s Cajun Cafe
Louisiana-style boiled crawfish comes with the classic sides, which you should know now by heart. Corn and potatoes! Order online for pickup or delivery, or enjoy in the restaurant with a frozen Hurricane or half-gallon Gator Punch. Multiple locations, razzoos.com
Chef DAT
David Anthony Temple (Chef DAT!) is a DFW-based Cajun/Creole chef, who will drive to Acadian Country near Lafayette, Louisiana to source the best crawfish for any budget and cook them fresh in your back yard. He’s a real character and every meal’s a show.Contact his Louisiana-based cell phone for prices and more information. 504-383-5435
