:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70361308/Screen_Shot_2022_01_07_at_3.45.29_PM.0.png)
The first publicized restaurant crawfish boil took place about a month ago in Mid City at Clesi’s, one of the city’s favorite spots for the seasonal staple. But crawfish season and Carnival season typically go hand in hand, and with King’s Day, January 6, behind us, mudbug season is officially in full swing at New Orleans restaurants.
Top local seafood destinations like Clesi’s, the nearby Bevi Seafood Co., Harahan’s Seithers Seafood, and NOLA Crawfish King in Gentilly have all alerted diners that crawfish season is on for them, and while some got an early start with special December boils, they’re now on the menu consistently. Bevi’s first boil was a few weeks before New Year’s, and they’ve been cranking them out every weekend since.
NOLA Crawfish King, the seafood and barbecue restaurant and market from longtime crawfish boil caterer Chris “Shaggy” Davis, has had sacks for sale for a few weeks as well, and here, unlike the other spots, live crawfish are available as well for boils at home — this weekend they’re going for $3.75 per pound live, and $5.75 boiled. And after taking a few weeks off for the holidays, Jason Seither of Seithers Seafood fame in Harahan is back to boiling as well as of this week, serving up crawfish trays known for unexpected inclusions like sweet potatoes, artichokes, and whole bulbs of garlic.
Be sure to check restaurants’ social media pages or call before you go to make sure they have crawfish in stock. For a full list of places to find hot boiled crawfish in New Orleans, see Eater’s guide.
