Houston’s 10 Best Crawfish Restaurants

The happiest season of all is upon us. It’s the season for crawfish, crayfish, crawdads, mudbugs. Whatever you call them, we just know you love to eat these juicy critters.

You don’t have to look far in Houston to find positively killer crawfish. The springtime staple can be found all across the city. But not all crawfish joints are created equal.

With a dizzying number of crawfish dining destinations, it might be hard to choose just where to get your boil on. Luckily, PaperCity has you covered with this rundown of the best spots to squeeze the meat out of these suckers.

These are Houston’s best crawfish restaurants.

Crawfish & Noodles

11360 Bellaire

This is Viet-jun at its finest, garlicky crawfish that are tangy, savory and delicious in a true hole-in-the-wall in a Chinatown strip center. Crawfish & Noodles became even more of a widely known foodie fan favorite after the restaurant was showcased on an episode of David Chang’s Ugly Delicious show.

Devotees will tell you the prices are a little high — surprising, for the unassuming exterior — but more than worth it. They’re finger-lickin’ good.

88 Boiling Crawfish & Seafood

1910 Wilcrest

There’s a lot of competition in these here parts for crawfish, but many people will tell you that 88 is the winner, no contest. 88’s signature sauce, with garlic butter, lemon pepper and Cajun spices, is a stand out. It’s got a medium-spicy kick that’ll get your blood pumping but won’t burn your tongue too bad.

This establishment also serves its crawfish with lime, adding to the overall satisfying complexity of the flavor. You’ll definitely want to wear a bib. Don’t worry, they’ll offer one.

Brennan’s

3300 Smith  

This iconic Houston restaurant’s crawfish fame is a tale as old as time. All of Space City is lucky that former Brennan’s chef Danny Trace revealed his Texas creole crawfish boil recipe. Think celery, smoked sausage, bay leaves, jalapenos, Worcestershire, to name just a few ingredients.

But if you’d rather go for the full experience instead of doing it yourself in your kitchen, make a reservation for Brennan’s delightful courtyard boil. It’s a refined, elegant setting — all the better to get your hands dirty. 

BB’s Tex-Orleans

Various locations

If you’re seriously craving crawfish, head to BB’s — they’re hard to miss, with eight convenient locations across Houston. The Nola-meets-Lone-Star-State crawfish are a must-try, put together with BB’s secret crawfish paste.

Dip the tails into the paste, and you won’t be disappointed. Great taste, nice size, creative, can-do-no-wrong sauce. What more could you want?

The Boot

1206 West 20th 

This Heights crawfish joint really knows how to throw down. It’s an open-air spot with a sprawling patio, perfect for munching on Louisiana boiled mudbugs. Eat ’em just like your maw-maw made ’em.

The owners are Louisiana natives, and they know just how to make them right in the former Shady Tavern space. The crawfish are fully soaked in the sauce, resulting in intense flavor. You can even expect live music and games for added ambience at this relaxed locale.

Bayou City Seafood & Pasta

4730 Richmond

Many have described the crawfish seasoning here as heavenly, and you can enjoy it in hearty helpings, especially on Wednesdays. Mid-week, the crawdaddies are $1 off a pound all day long.

But the benefit of Bayou City Seafood & Pasta is the innovative Italian crawfish dishes. If you’re not into digging in yourself, you can opt for a creamy pasta dish. Go for the Crawfish Fettuccini, which puts the tasty mudbugs front and center.

Boil House

606 E. 11th

You can have it your way at one-stop-shop Boil House, whether you want to drive through, stroll up and order to-go crawfish from the open-air counter, or you want to relax at a table outside.

Boil House knows what it’s doing, with a combined 20 years of crawfish farming and purveying experience between the Louisiana born-and-bred owners. It is authenticity at its finest.

Ragin’ Cajun

4302 Richmond; 9600 Westheimer

Does it get any more crawfish classic than Ragin’ Cajun? The very name is synonymous with crawfish goodness,satisfying Houstonians for the past four decades. That’s a lot of time to garner a good rep. But on your first trip, you’ll see their first impression is stellar.

This pleasing pioneer made moves from a parking lot to two legit dining destinations over the years. The crawfish etoufee shouldn’t be overlooked.

LA Crawfish

3957 Richmond

This crawfish joint is a veritable Houston staple, known as much for its Cajun-Asian spiced crawfish as it is its inventive crawfish empanadas. The crawfish come in a variety of sauces, depending on your mood: Cajun, hot and sour, or garlic butter.

As if that wasn’t enough of a draw, you can mix it up and pair them with Thai basil wings, yuka fries and sweet potato fries.

Nick’s Crawfish Bar

4025 Highway 6 North

There’s a new crawfish spot in Katy, and it’s already racking up some rave-worthy reviews. The seasoning is spot-on with spicy-but-not-too-spicy flavors, and the crawfish are quite juicy. Try them in the crawfish fried rice, too.