The Yummiest Cajun/Creole in Oakland

938 Crawfish

★★★★☆ 3.8 (617) • $$

"First time here, celebrating my sister's birthday and it was like we were kicking it at a friend's house! I was able to make a reservation one day in advance for 7 people during peak dinner hours, and even called the same day to change our time with no issues whatsoever. They accommodated us right away and sat us even without my whole party present. Someone had called out, but we never even felt like service was slow or anything. This is a family owned and operated business, and we really felt like we were a part of that. Granted, we had quite a few shots, so alcohol tends to loosen up people but even without that, the whole staff were cool as heck. The food was delicious. Calamari (forgot to take a pic) was light and crunchy, served with cocktail and tartar sauces. The garlic noodles were super flavorful and stayed buttery. Some places tend to dry out and clump up, but not these! The seafood boils also had tons of flavor and spice. Medium was about as much as I could handle. Lol I think my absolute favorite dish was the Player's Plate. It comes with garlic noodles, 5 Tony's wings, 5 prawns and a huge catfish filet. Best bang for your buck, in my opinion. I would get that next time we go. And a special surprise was Tony's Style (Berkeley) was in the building. They were temporarily operating out of the space, so we had to get the shrimp and crab baguette. All that cheesy seafood goodness went perfect with our shots. LololNeedless to say, we took home lots of leftovers. We had a blast, and I hope yall have a great experience too."

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!"

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!"

The New Snapper's Seafood Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.6 (387) • $$

"Food & service is amazing! Went here three days ago & I'm blown away, hands down great place to grab a bite to eat!"

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."

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."

Lizzy’s Cajun Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.2 (68)

"The only thing better than the service is the food!!! Immediately I was transformed to my grandmotherd kitchen on a Sunday afternoon. Delicious aromas and friendly voices all around. My fried catfish was perfect my and it came right out of the pan, hot af ( that's a good thing). Potato salad was fire and so was the spicy cabbage!!! My only complaint and I mean my only complaint is that there wasn't more food and that's not because they're not generous it's just to say that I'm greedy!!! Come see these people they will appreciate you and you will definitely appreciate them back."

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!"

Krispy Krunchy Chicken

★★☆☆☆ 2.2 (5)

"This is a review about the chicken! I used DoorDash during the Covid-19 healthcare emergency. Chicken arrived early, and it was hot, fresh, juicy and delicious! The crust is crispy and has the Cajun heat! No problems."

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."

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."