The Tastiest Cajun/Creole in Newark

Chef Smelly's

★★★★☆ 3.8 (608) • $$$

"I had heard of Chef Smelly but, did not get a chance to try his food until a friend of mine was coming from out of town and I decided to take her there. The food, service and ambience were all excellent! We both had fried fish combos and it was cooked perfectly. The wait staff were very professional and on top of it. I did note that they closed at 9 and we did not get there until after 8 so, we were still eating after they were trying to close. They were gracious and patient and never said anything that made us feel rushed, although, they did start putting chairs up on vacated tables while guests still ate. That made me try to hurry up. I left my sweater in the restaurant and the hostess ran after me (I was a block away) to give it to me. The great attitudes and service were exceptional!"

Monkey King At the Brewery

★★★★☆ 3.9 (575) • $$

"First time and I loved my wings real bad! I got the lemon pepper and they were everything I was hoping for! Price and the service was good. The place was big and cold as hell! But I forgot how cold it was once my wings arrived! This place would definitely take lots of my money if I lived closer because these wings were the truth! I'd want to try all flavors! That's a fact!! The beef fried rice and green onion rice was delicious too!"

The Crab Bay

★★★★☆ 4 (519) • $$

"Me and my friend went here for our first time. The food was great. We got the combo 1. Combo 1 is you choose 3 type of seafood. We got the clams, crawfish, and shrimp. Their sauce choice is good. All their sauces are great. We were able to sample some before choosing what sauce we wanted on our boil. The garlic noodles were a little bland in my opinion. Not enough garlic flavor. We also got the fried calamari, which was so good. Crunchy and fresh. We also got the Cajun fries. Also good. Overall 4.5/5. The garlic noodle were a little disappointing.Service was great. Helen was so nice and seated us right away. She checked up on us multiple times when we didn't need anything, great service. She answered all of our questions about the menu right away. Definitely going back for the food and service.She was so nice enough to give us some claim chowder, and refilled our waters without us even asking. Great service. 6/5Ambiance inside is great. Great lighting inside. Plenty of seats for big parties or small parties. No outdoor seating."

Lemon Crab

★★★★★ 4.5 (392) • $$$

"Hi everyone, I'm Eric with Stoneitup in San Leandro on YELP for your Tile or Stone projects.Well for my sons B day, he/we decided to go to this LEMON CRAB SPOT and boy oh boy did we enjoy of occasion of four, perfect for there four people per table joint, small hole/joint in the type of a place so it fills up fast.Beverages and beers, so what's missinG.."

Shell Shock Seafood House

★★★★☆ 3.6 (524) • $$

"With the sad news that my favorite crawfish place closed (Crawdaddy in Milpitas), the fam tried out Shell Shock. It's a bit pricier than say, Cajun Crackin' in Milpitas, but the flavors are pretty good.We ordered mildly spicy SS House Special sauce *cajun, garlic butter, lemon pepper. Not hot, the hot link sausages were spicier. Go medium & beyond if spice is your life. Sauce is thicker here, like at Ray's Crab Shack.*Combo #1: 2 fresh crawfish +$4 & 1 shrimp (choose 3 lbs from shrimp, crawfish, clams, mussels) includes corn, potatoes, sausage*Combo #3: Dungeness crab + crawfish, shrimp, clams plain boil (choose either crab, snow crab legs, or lobster & 3 lbs from combo 1 options)*Dungeness crab plain boil: they give the option of cut/clean but without the main shell*Garlic Noodles: happy with this because of all the delectable garlic!I was a tad upset I found 3 inedible fresh crawfish (rubbery/easily crumbled with a sandy taste) but the rest of the 3lbs was fine. Shrimp was cooked well. The house special sauce had a slightly sweet taste that I'm not accustomed to with seafood boil.No wait at 5pm on a Saturday. Nautical interior with spacious seating. Staff is nice too. Waters were refilled, they checked on us, and also offer hot water to drink. I really enjoyed whoever's music playlist was playing on 5/20/23 around 5pm! I wouldn't mind coming back."

Bag O' Crab

★★★★☆ 3.9 (412) • $$

"Ordered on DoorDash.People at work kept talking about "southern style seafood cooked in a bag" so my quest for seafood this week began. Last time we hit up chef smells and yesterday it was bag I crab. Ordered the bag combo of mussels, shrimp both at one pound. They also included 2 corns and several slices of sausage with potato. $40.I was iffy as there were a LOT of bad reviews both online and from coworkers about this chain. I'm glad I was proven wrong! I went with Louisiana medium spice and it was perfect. All the shrimp and mussels were delicious. I ate the whole bag by myself with extras for work the next day. I cooked my own white rice to eat with it. Also it smelled so good that I didn't take a picture of food before eating just the fancy blue bag it came in. Added this to my DoorDash favorites!"

SJ Crawfish

★★★★☆ 4.2 (296) • $$

"Overall a solid place to get seafood boil, but not a place I'd go out of my way for. My friend and I shared Combo 3, which had 2 lbs of crawfish, 1 lb of shrimp, 2 potatoes, 2 corn, and 4 sausage. This was the perfect amount for us to share!We tried out the 49ers sauce, which was packed with garlic! Though it was advertised as sweet, it was actually quite savory and buttery. Pretty tasty! The shrimp was top notch! Cooked perfectly and they were juicy. However, the crawfish was just okay to me. Some were pretty big in size, but most were very small and possibly frozen (?)"

Bucket O' Crawfish- Alameda

★★★★☆ 3.7 (270) • $$

"I really love coming back for more crazy mix crazy hot sauce . I always come in with my sister Nelly and we love getting g each a combo number 3 which has both shrimp and snow crab and a sweet corn and a soft French roll. You can choose your sauce. Choice are garlic butter, lemon pepper Cajun or crazy mix which is all the above. Then you choose your spice level mild, medium, hot or Crazy Hot. I recommend crazymix hot but if I'm feeling extra spicy I'll go with crazy mix crazyhot. Also shrimp fried rice is delishious and the hot wings are a must. It comes with a jalapeños sauce that is amazingly good. I also love ordering spring rolls from the zpho spot next door. Shout out to Andrew he's such a friendly server and answers any questions you may have. I love the ambiance it's a nice relaxed vibe with great music and very spacious. Oh I forgot the happy hour is great the have $4 appetizers like hot wings to $6 catfish and $6 fried shrimp and fries. Can't beat that."

Eat Eat

★★★★☆ 3.6 (279) • $$

"The best snail restaurant is in the town. 1st Check-in: We ordered: Oc Huong Xao Bo Toi 5/5; Nghe Hap Thai 5/5, Oc Mong Tay Xao Me 5/5, So Diep Nuong Mo Hanh 5/5, so Nhat nuong trung ca 5/5, sun ga chien gion 5/5 and Mi xao Hai san (my point:4.8/5 and my bf 5/5)2nd Check-in: We had Seafood Hotpot 6/5 and So Diep nuong trung ca 5/5Food:We love all the snail dishes. The taste is delicious. I am impressed with the garlic butter flavors. Service: At the first time check-in, we waited for 30' because of the full table. However, the staffs were very friendly and fast service. The 2nd time, the service was super. Ambiance: it is Vietnamese Restaurant - Family styles/quan nhau, so it can be loud but it is ok with my bf and me. Overall: 5/5"

The Roasted Crab

★★★★☆ 3.6 (219) • $$

"This place has been open for some time and I finally got to visit with some work friends. I've been craving crawfish and I'm still on the look out for a spot that tastes like Crawdaddy's Cajun garlic butter sauce! My fave Milpitas location closed down =(First off, customer service is on point! They had at least two trainees serving us and they were very attentive plus friendly. Plenty of seating with a high ceiling, won't ever feel stuffy. Lots of tv screens for game watching as well. Food was served pretty fast on a Friday night. They don't serve the seafood boil in plastic bags but rather metal dishes.Eats:*1lb crawfish + 2 corns x2 with Oh Cajun sauce (original Cajun garlic butter), mild & medium*Lemon Pepper Fried Tofu*Garlic Noodles*Spaghetti + Crispy Chicken, comes with breadCrawfish was cooked well-- so easy to remove the shell from the little tails and they were nice n chewy without being rubbery. Sauce thickness is comparable to Boiling Crab. I like the mild spice and garlicky Cajun sauce. Corn was so good dunked into the sauce. Only complaint was without a bag trapping the heat, the food got cold quickly.Lemon pepper tofu was delicious! Would totally get this again. Garlic noodles were too sweet. Maybe no sugar next time? Spaghetti was interesting, more of an Asian twist. Not a seafood lover? They've got you! Plenty of options like Vietnamese shaking beef rice plates, steak, fried rice, chicken wings, creamy pasta, soups, salads, even escargot with different sauces like lemongrass garlic.Want even more seafood? Check out their classic fried baskets with fries, oysters on the half shell, shaking salmon over rice, scallops, mussels, Manila clams, razor clams, shrimp, lobster, and of course crab. Lots of seafood boil combos available too at market price.Full bar so choose your libations wisely.They serve complimentary sweet orange slices after the meal!"

Willows & Pine

★★★★★ 4.6 (118) • $$

"We hit the jackpot when we landed seats at Willows & Pine! We had a bit of a wait (what great restaurant doesn't have one?) but we were also met with a warm greeting. The chowder was some of the best we've ever had. Hot, well-seasoned, creamy deliciousness with tender potatoes and perfect shrimp. A tastebuds' treat all by itself! But no, we didn't stop there. I had the jambalaya - filled with tender chicken, shrimp and sausage. It has a bit if a kick to it but the seasonings were all perfectly appointed. My husband ordered the pork chop dinner with mashed potatoes and braised Brussels sprouts. He fully enjoyed his meal - well not fully, I kept also dipping in his plate. Food - hot, fresh, amazing!I love, loved how that many customers that came in seemed to be family or at least repeat customers, and staff gave attention and time to everyone to ensure a pleasant dining experience. We were too full to attempt desserts but you can bet when we are back in the Bay, we will drop in on Willow & Pine. In the meantime, if you are anywhere close, go check them out. You will not be disappointed! Bravo Chef & Family!"

Louisiana Fish & Chips

★★★★☆ 3.5 (195) • $$

"The other day my job had me in downtown Oakland, and I decided to try the fried catfish at this small restaurant. I ordered the Catfish Combo w/ a salad instead of fries. Also, an order of onion rings. The person who took my order was nice and polite. I finally get my food after a short wait. Okay, the fried catfish was good. It was fresh, moist and the meat was flaky. However, the tartar sauce wasn't tartar sauce. It was some sort of salad dressing, maybe ranch dressing? I paid for extra tartar sauce, and both containers were some sort of salad dressing. Now, the onion rings. I like my onion rings battered and deep fried. These rings were limp, soggy, and breaded. They appeared either baked or microwaved. Not crispy at all. This place would of received 4-stars if I didn't order the onion rings.Would I return? No thanks"

Southern Comfort Kitchen

★★★★☆ 4.3 (70)

"1708 Webster St Alameda, CA 94501"Southern Comfort Kitchen" offers fast-casual Cajun food at fair prices. This new restaurant takes over the location of Kowloon Station, next door to Subway Sandwiches. They call it "fast-casual" food, but it's not fast food. I've been there twice, and wait times are about 10-15 mins. Of course it depends on how busy they are. I have seen customers leaving with 2-3 big bags of food. So this restaurant chain probably has a lot of fans already. Okay, my first visit was Friday night, Oct 4, around 9pm. I had to wait while a customer placed a huge order. I ordered the "50/50 Shrimp and Catfish w/ Cajun Fries." I took my order home and discovered they forgot the Cajun Fries. I drove back to the restaurant and asked for my fries. The young man at the counter said my order doesn't include Cajun Fries. He said there's a glitch in their new computer system that makes that mistake. I told him the menu says "with fries," my receipt says "with fries," and the order taker asked me how I wanted my fries (hard or soft). Then a voice from the back said "give him the fries." Folks, check your order before you leave. But how was the food? "50/50 Shrimp and Catfish w/ Cajun Fries" was very good! The Shrimp and Catfish were fresh and tasty. No fishy smell. The catfish meat was flaky and firm. The cornmeal batter had just the right seasoning. It's not salty. Those Cajun fries were excellent. They were worth going back for. Grade (5/5) for the food, Grade (2/5) for the service. My second visit was on a very warm Sunday. It was 12-noon, and temps were near 90*F. I met up with another Yelp Elite for lunch. I wanted to share opinions and observations about this place. Brett, the owner, was taking orders and thanking us for coming. The kitchen looked very busy. I ordered: "Crab Cajun Fries," Carrot Cake, and Unsweetened Ice Tea. The crab was fresh, moist, and not fishy. The Cajun Fries gave the dish a mildly salty taste. The carrot cake was moist, fresh, and the taste was perfect. The unsweetened tea needs to be a bit stronger to stand up to the ice. Food (4/5), Service (4/5), Decor (4/5). If you Dine-in, you might be served with real plates and silverware. MISC Tips:- Small shared parking in back. - The main entrance has steps. If that's a problem, use the parking lot entrance in back.- Small outdoor enclosed patio- Large screen TV in dining room- restrooms in rear of dining room. - has a drive thruOverall, a good experience, and I will return. Support Local Business! Welcome to Alameda, The Island City!"

Calabash

★★★★☆ 3.8 (87) • $$

"Attended a happy hour here tonight so got to try several appetizers and had a house made ginger beer. Every single thing I tried was really delicious. Would love to go back here."

Big Momma's Kitchen

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (99) • $$

"This southern soul food spot on a corner of International Boulevard is hot, new, and definitely worth trying. If the exterior painting and design don't grab your attention, just wait until you get inside. With all of the tables away due to shelter in place, you have a better view of the walls (pictures attached) that show celebrities from Oakland. In addition to the cool vibe, the food was delicious and hit the spot. I had the chicken and shrimp combo, which is just enough for two people when you take into account the sides. Make sure to add their lemon and hot sauces to the chicken; it's basically a palette waiting for these sauces to bring it to life. I'm sure you'll find a combination that you enjoy.I recommend eating it fresh, because some of the sides (like the fries) can get a bit cold if you don't eat them right away. Overall it was a very satisfactory meal at a reasonable price (around $25), so I'll definitely return.Bonus: if you're nice you might get some Kool-Aid on the house!"

The Rockin' Crawfish

★★★★☆ 3.8 • $$

"Solid food and service! Kid-friendly with a casual atmosphere (hip hop/R&B music playing in the background and TVs featuring sports). Clean and well-stocked bathroom. The parking lot here is small (shared with the laundromat next door) and there's rarely any street parking available, so you might have to park in the grocery lot down the block."

Brenda's Oakland

★★★★☆ 3.9 • $$

"Decided to stop here for lunch on my Birthday and let me just say this place did not disappoint. My son's family is from Louisiana and I have been a few times and this place by far exceeded my expectations.Things we tried:Fried shrimp po' boy - bread was excellent the shrimp perfectly flavored and crispy and the sauce was perfection 10/10Fried chicken and biscuit - I ordered the breast and wing and my boyfriend ordered the thigh- all perfectly crispy on the outside lots of flavor and juicy in the inside. The biscuit- BEST BISCUIT IVE EVER HAD! 10/10Greens- delicious and perfectly cooked - one thing I wish their was more meat but other than that 10/10Gumbo was delicious! I prefer seafood gumbo but it was very flavorful! Begneits were perfection! We got the plain ones but definitely will try the others next time! 10/10Capuccinos were also amazing! 10/10"

Southern Comfort Kitchen

★★★★☆ 4.3 • $$

"We went here for a family dinner & the servers made sure to make it a special meal, thank you! Service was friendly & attentive.We all tried & shared several dishes & all were good. Very flavorful with a hint, or a lot of, spice. Seafood galore!You must order the hush puppies to share & sweet tea. The shrimp dishes did not disappoint & neither did the Po' Boys."

Poor House Bistro

★★★★☆ 3.7 • $$

"With few and far between Nawlins food spots in the bay, this place can fill your need for some Creole cooking If you're in the San Jose area. The menu has the usual suspects from jambalaya n gumbo to fried catfish n po' boys sammies n muffaletas and of course beignets to top it all off! They also have a bar in the patio and a speakeasy under the Italian museum next door. Order food at the cashier, grab a pager, order a Hurricane or Michelada at the bar, plop a seat at one of many seats and enjoy! Come on a Sunday and watch the game while having some Creole cuisine and some dranks to boot. Wooooohweeeeeee!"

Backyard Bayou

★★★★☆ 3.6 • $$

"Wow, I've been to many crab boils and this is by far the best! When I arrived I was prepared to wait, even though on their website it said no wait time. There were a few people waiting, I walked up and to my surprise my party of 2 got seated right away. It's a very small restaurant, a little too dark for my liking but it was fine. Tables are a bit too close together, few booths and a bar top. Servers were all young and very friendly. I ordered a selfie bucket, lobster Mac and cheese and garlic bread. Lobster Mac & cheese is out of this world! Not too fishy. Boil is 10/10Garlic bread 5/10 I will definitely be back soon."

Cajun Crack'n

★★★★★ 4.5 • $$

"Came for dinner with my friends on a Tuesday night. The place was decently busy, but there was no wait at all. The service was great, and our server, Gio, was very attentive. The restaurant was also clean. We ordered two combos, but they didn't feel like they weighed 6 lbs together. The food was good, though."