Crab Town

★★★★☆ 4.2 (1031) • $$

"Bring on the garlic! A simple Garlic Noodle dish that had a generous amount of garlic. Then ordered the mini combo. A proper Nawlins boil. Got the corn, potatoes, Clams, sausage, shrimp, mussels and that Cajun craw fish. All of that boiling in with lemon pepper garlic and mild heat. The New Orleans seasoning was filling the air when the bag was delivered. Perfection. I like the variety in the combo, the mild heat was just enough kick. The portion size was good. This with rice was just a good choice. No issues getting seated and the staff were friendly and helpful. Mel MYelp 23:26"

Bud's Louisiana Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.4 (2806) • $$

"WOW! What a hidden gem in San Diego, and a very delicious, flavorful, and beautiful gem! Definitely check this place out for your next Cajun craving!Tucked away and hidden in an industrial complex, Bud's Louisiana Cafe serves amazing southern dishes for reasonable prices! Interior is elegant with nice artworks, but still casual enough for everyone. Service was great all around.$8.50 Cup Seafood Bisque...creamy, tasty, and filled with seafood!$8.50 Cup Seafood gumbo...fragrant, tasty, and filled wit seafood!$26 Taste of New Orleans...a huge generous portion of Crawfish Etouffee! There were a solid 12-15 crawfish tails, all tender and juicy, over rice, and covered in the flavorful sauce, that was a perfect amount of spiciness. $22 Blackened Catfish...perfectly cooked with the sweet, juicy, gamey catfish meat, with a lovely butter Cajun seasoning on top, so good! Nice green beans and rice along side it."

Crab Hut

★★★★☆ 3.7 (795) • $$

"This is an updated review from another amazing visit here. Last weekend, we decided to go for a crab bake at Crab Hut and ended up sampling two of their enticing dishes. The restaurant was a well-organized space adorned with a charming oceanic theme. We ended up sitting outside in the sun and it was amazing, although the interior was equally inviting. Parking was a breeze, especially if you opt for the southern end of the lot rather than vying for a spot directly in front of the establishment.Our dining experience kicked off with stellar customer service. It's worth noting that a gratuity of 18% is automatically included in the bill--an arrangement we found reasonable given the exceptional service we received. In fact, our waitress went above and beyond, promptly seating us with a warm smile and attending to our needs with remarkable attentiveness. Despite the tip being pre-added, we felt inclined to add more as a token of appreciation for the outstanding service.Turning to the food, we started with a serving of calamari and fries. While the portion sizes justified the price, we found the calamari lacking in flavor and seemed overcooked. However, the fries salvaged the appetizer, boasting a satisfying crunch and delightful seasoning.For our main courses, we opted for the Spicy Cajun Pasta and the Spicy Jambalaya. Both dishes were executed flawlessly, with the pasta perfectly cooked and infused with just the right amount of spice to complement the succulent shrimp. The Jambalaya, teeming with an abundance of seafood and meat, surprised us with its robust flavor profile. Though I would have preferred a bit more heat, the dish still left a lasting impression.In conclusion, our dining escapade at Crab Hut left us with a generally positive impression. While the appetizer fell short of expectations, the exceptional service and well-prepared entrees more than made up for it. We look forward to revisiting Crab Hut in the future for another taste of their enticing seafood offerings."

Crab Pub

★★★★☆ 3.9 (258) • $$$

"First time coming to this location. I've been wanting to try them since they first opened & finally had the chance today since I was craving. I usually go to my usual location The Ace Crab off Plaza Blvd due to convenience of distance. Which they've been a hit every time I went aside from the last time. The last time was very salty & no spice. So I decided I needed to venture somewhere new which landed me here today. It wasn't busy, was seated immediately & ordered immediately. Service from our waitress was quick & efficient. The food came out super hot. We ordered 1lb crawfish, 1lb shrimp, lobster tail, & all the extras ala carte - 1lbs corn, 1/2 sausage, 1/2 potatoes, boiled egg, 2 cups of rice, & the chicken tender basket for my son, & 2 sodas. Total was about $102 without tip. The space was new, clean, & had an open floor plan. Didn't feel squished next to other tables. We ordered pub style seasoning & extra spicy. Our waitress cautioned us about the spice which I appreciate. Not everyone can handle spicy. We loveeeee spicy so it was only right! It was very spicy, had our nose running, lips swollen & red. Lol. But it was a GOOD spice for us! Some places claim spicy but ain't really spicy at all. Lol. If you can tolerate it, I recommend! I will continue coming to this business to fulfill my future cravings!! Love love love. Nothing bad to say!"

N&N Creole Soul Kitchen

★★★★☆ 4.2 (170)

"I saw this restaurant posted in a FB group and we had to try! Got there right when they opened at 11. Upon entering, it's an all black interior, bar in the center and photo area with props of bead necklaces, feathers, masks. We had the opportunity to meet the owner, Nikki. She is so humble, talented and gifted! She needs to be a winner of a cooking show! Prior to this, this was a food truck for 6 years. Mata, the server was also a down to earth guy and he was very quick at his job.We had a wonderful time dining here and our food was beyond delicious. We got the spicy voodoo wings, seafood gumbo, fried fish and shrimp platter, beignets, and bourbon pecan praline bread pudding. We recommend all of it!The spice level was legit. The wings were huge! The catfish and shrimp platter was fried to perfection. So much meat and seafood in the gumbo. The beignets were nice and fluffy, had a bouncy texture in the dough. The bread pudding is a must. Each bite was just yummy awesome gooiness.We were the first one when they opened so we didn't experience a major wait time but keep in mind that everything is made to order and made with love. You'll get fresh and hot ingredients, wanting more when you leave.We will definitely be back to try the crab cakes and other platters."

Crab Hut

★★★★☆ 3.8 (1073) • $$$

"Delicious cajun style seafood boil in downtown San Diego.One can learn a lot about what a restaurant has experienced in the past, by the communication that they give (and re-give). In our case, it was the fact that they charge a 18% service charge (i.e a mandatory tip) to all party sizes. That really isn't that unusual, but our hostess made sure we got the message before we got seated. When we then brought up our menus on our phones, via the scannable QR code, this message was given again as a pop-up. Really no excuse not to see that. I also read that there was no refund if one orders the wrong spice level of the food and wanted an exchange. Yeah...can't imagine if someone orders $300 worth of seafood and wants a refund because it was too hot.Anyway, we've been to a lot of different cajun style bagged seafood places and we didn't want any leftovers, so we kept it small for the two of us. However, things changed a bit when we realized it was happy hour and Crab Hut has great value for what they offer. Buffalo wings are 75 cents a piece (minimum 6), which is a great deal, and the wings were very good. No breading, just large chicken wings deep fried, and then tossed immediately in classic buffalo sauce. There isn't any choice in sauce...it's classic buffalo. It was served fresh, and the spice level was what we expected: between medium and hot. It came with celery, carrots, and ranch dressing. Honestly, if you like buffalo wings and a lot of it, this might be the place to go for that fix.But we came for the seafood boil, so ordered just 1/2 lb of head-on shrimp ($12.85) along with 1/2 corn (3 coblets for $6.91), mixed in the Full house (mix of all 3 sauces of cajun, lemon pepper, and garlic butter. We were warned about the hotness so got the 1/2 medium (between medium and mile)...and it was still very hot...almost too hot for us...medium would have been too much. I ordered a small bowl of steamed rice ($5.05). Drafts were $6, so we shared a Latitude 33 Blood Orange, which really helped to cut the spiceness.When the boil came, Jenny offered us disposable gloves and a bib, along with wet naps (if we didn't want gloves). She was excellent the whole way through, always arriving when we needed her help. For once, we ordered the right amount of food and didn't have any leftovers.Comparing it to the other cajun seafood boils, I think this belongs in the upper half. The quality of the shrimp was good (though like other places, the sauce will actually continue to 'cook' the shrimp as it sits in the bag, causing it to become mealy after a while). The price of the add-ons (potatoes, corn, and sausage) was a lot more expensive than the other places. The sauce was very good, but not 'between mild and medium'. And the service was exemperary."

NOLA on 5th

★★★★☆ 3.9 (262) • $$

"A MUST stop to eat at. The spices and flavors are authentic to New Orleans cuisine. Owner/Chef is from the Bayou. The menu is not overpowering. It highlights New Orleans dishes very well. Manager Ollie, servers Anna and Josh, the whole team are fantastic! You're welcomed. Very comfortable. It's the California 3C's; Casual, Cool and Comfortable!You know Guy Fierri filmed Diners, Drives and Dives and loves the food at the establishment"

Bayou Kitchen

★★★★★ 4.7 (859)

"I went on Sunday for lunch and we easily got a table. It's a small restaurant with about 10 tables We decided to try the alligator bites and it tasted just like chicken. I got the seafood bisque and a side of jalapeno cornbread. Both were good. There wasn't a ton of seafood in the bisque but it was tastyThe service was good, they kept refilling our drinks and checking in.Parking in the area can be kind of hard so give yourself some extra time"

Crab Hut

★★★★☆ 3.9 (2201) • $$

"The hostess was very nice and helpful,She helped me picked my spice level and welcomed me when I entered. I ordered half shrimp head on spicy level 7? It was really good. I got the full house and enjoyed the sauce. It was very tasty, I wouldn't say too garlicky.The food didn't take that long to come out.Parking is chaotic.... It's always packed. This place shares parking with a bunch of other restaurants. Located in the corner."

Crab Pub

★★★★☆ 3.9 (523) • $$

"Can I just say my husband and I no longer live in Oceanside... we've tried all other crab boil places in the IE, & Riverside county, and they all suck!Crab Pub is the ONLY place that's good! Food is always amazing and so is service! Even when they first open like how my husband and I just went to on Sunday! They open at 12:30 we went at 1 and it's amazing! The ambiance is good, even when they aren't busy and "vibrating" with laughter from other people. This time my husband and I got,-lbs scallop-cheese curds-fried calamari -combo number 2-combo number 3-side cup of rice for daughter-3 drinksAll this ($235) without tipThis is the only place where my daughter it's seafood! Crab, lobster, shrimp, calamari, she'll eat it all and ask for more... she's only 3! Most moms know that when it comes to trying to get your kids to eat things (especially things that have faces) it's hard to get them too.We love this place! It's always worth the money tbh.If... IF I had to ding them in things it would be that the bathroom sink was broken and the potatoes in the combo boils have small roots sometimes.Other than that another great day at the Oceanside Crab Pub. Drove all the way down from San Ber to get it!"

Crab City

★★★★★ 4.5 (153) • $$

"Food and service were AMAZING. It wasn't too busy when we came around and service was super quick. It didn't take more than 10-15 minutes for our boil to come out after ordering it. The lady helping us was so kind and kept checking up on us, making sure we weren't missing anything or if we had any questions. I did not catch her name but we came 7/15 @ 6pm. Also, restaurant was really clean! There is a hand wash station if you wanted to wash your hands after digging in from your bag which was really nice so you didn't have to use the restroom if it isn't needed. Besides that, bathroom was really nice and clean as well. The restaurant is just very well kept and modern. My experience was great and worth EVERY penny. I can't wait to spread the word and let everyone know this is the place to go for seafood boils. Thank you for a great experience, staff and food wise (:"

Shrimp Heads

★★★★★ 4.5 (1438) • $$

"Was craving Cajun shrimp but didn't want to spend an arm and a leg going to the place in Convoy. I am so glad I found this place! Cravings satisfied! My husband and I ordered the following: - 1 lb of peeled shrimp house sauce medium with 1 corn- 1/2 lb shrimp (headless) house sauce atomic- Cajun fries- small riceEverything was great, but I would recommend getting the headless shrimp with shell versus the peeled shrimp because the peeled shrimp didn't taste as flavorful or as juicy as the shrimp with the shell on. If you love spice, the atomic is the way to go. Atomic is spicy, but not unbearable. The medium didn't seem spicy at all to me. The fries were good, pretty basic but I loved soaking it in the sauce that the shrimp came in and then dipping it in ranch. The shrimp sauce tasted so good on the white rice along with some lemon juice! Yum! Service was good! Our waiter was nice and came by when we needed him. The ambiance is casual so you definitely don't need to dress up."

The Gumbo Pot

★★★★☆ 4.3 (80)

"First, let me say that I am I huge fan of gumbo. Second, although there may be some very good places to get them in SD, I had not really found one yet. Third, I got doordash delivery as my first experience with this restaurant. Ok, so I ordered Grandma's Gumbo, and paid the extra $5 for the crab. When it arrived, it was still pretty hot. It also came with a side of rice (a must-in my opinion, but some places omit it or charge extra). On sight, the roux was very dark. The quantity of the crab for $5 surprised me--it was basically a few legs and part of a body (they did not just toss in some canned crab meat and call it a day for an extra $5). Because I am OCD and I like to fully enjoy EACH AND EVERY BITE of my gumbo with all the good stuff in it, I first took the time to shell all of the crab and add it to the dish. In stirring it in, I also noticed not just the usual ingredients (chicken, sausage and fish) but, also, shrimp and scallops. The overall portion of gumbo was a bit smaller than I would have wanted for the price, but most things are these days. Now onto the taste--it was delicious! There was a lot of flavor but not too much spice, great seafood, plenty of okra, and a rich hearty stew. I can say that I will definitely order this dish again!"

The Ace Crab

★★★★★ 4.8 (76)

"We just started back to work and needed to do our annual lunch away from work...LOL! The place we went to was closed and Marky Mark suggested here. I had never been so cool! New spot! We don't have to drive far anymore! I just let them do the ordering.We had fresh oysters on the half shell...soooo good! We also ordered some tasty waffle fries. We then dove into an Ace combo bag. Great seasoning and sausage...corn a little overcooked, nice potatoes and delicious mussels, clams, shrimp, crawfish, king crab, and snow crab. We also got a whole dungeness crab....sooooo good!Beer was nice and cold. Fun place to come to! The service was friendly and courteous, but the best thing was running into a former student from my first year teaching. It had been a long time since I've seen her, but I recognized her voice. I now look forward to coming back since I'm now connected! Great chill vibe and it's nice to relax and eat with friends."

King Crab Cajun Seafood Boil Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.4 (208) • $$$

"I was in San Diego last week for my birthday and my family suggested to treat me out to my choice of place! This place was a big hit! Had everything that I loved ! The portions are huge, we had two of the mixed Cajun ( I think that is the name) and every bit was amazing, the service was extremely nice and welcomed us with a smile on there face."

Cane Patch Kitchen

★★★★☆ 3.7 (328) • $$

"Got their Oyster Po Boy. Honestly, for almost $20 I expected more than half a sandwich. The oysters were nicely fried but thats about it. Bun was stale and the veggies could've used some salt/seasoning. It did take over 20min to get my order when we were told 5-10min so that was off putting."

Louisiana Purchase

★★★★☆ 4.1 (1335) • $$

"We were so excited to score a last minute reservation on a Friday night as we have been meaning to try out LP. We tried the Gator Bites, Lemon Pepper Catfish with two sides of Dirty Rice, Dooky Chase with a side of grits, the seasonal special of Jambalaya Gnocchi and a separate side order of candied yams. We wrapped up the evening with an order of the beignets- delish!!! The flavors were amazing and portions were generous, so we had plenty of leftovers to take home.A shout out to our server, Ayauna C- she was so warm, welcoming and super efficient. She provided great recommendations. We enjoyed every single dish we ordered and can't wait to return and try others."

Louisiana Charlie's - San Diego

★★★★☆ 4.4 (289)

"Good experience for quick grub.Came here one night for quick grub as we were staying at a hotel nearby and this was the only eatable place in seaport village. The staff was super nice and helpful and gave us recommendations. We ordered a gumbo and another dish with fries. Food was delicious, love the flavor and there was a lot of shrimps and sausages, the ingredients were on point. Good portion size, we had left overs. Easy no frills place. Tasty food."

Boxing Crab

★★★★★ 4.8 (171)

"I've had this bookmarked since they opened for almost a year now. I was intrigued to visit but was waiting for some reviews (went to one bad crab spot and didn't want to spend a lot and go through the same experience). A las, came on NYE for a late lunch early dinner with my cousin. There's ample parking and inside had a cute decorated Christmas tree. It was pretty empty with only two other parties there. Unsure if business has picked up yet or maybe it was slower due to the holidays. A few ppl did come for to go orders though. Our waiter was super friendly. Here is what we got:-garlic noodles (10/10-sooo good)-Queen of da Sea in one n only sauce medium (10/10. Sauce is great! 1lb snow crab and 1 lb shrimp. I don't eat shrimp I got it to take home as a lb of snow crab is already $45ish/lb and this was cheaper for more items. A few slices of sausage, corn, and potatoes.)-1 lb clams one and only in hella spicy (10/10)Everything was delicious and service was great! They gave us an additional free lb of snow crab legs. I'm gonna compare to crab hut! Cuz that's my all time favorite. Sauce here is still great, I still love crab house sauce better but for the ambiance I get here, I like it way better. There's great music, it's not too crowded. Very clean and attentive workers. And they have better gloves than crab hut! It's stronger, doesn't slip off, and keeps the smell off my hands way better! I already came back 5 days later to celebrate my nephews birthday and they really loved it here. We got more items and got two lbs of free snow crab this time. I ordered mussels in one n only in hella spicy (10/10). The sauce is definitely tastier under hella spicy. New items I tried were the Cajun fries (10/10), chicken wings with sauce on the side (8/10 very big and juicy), and onion rings (5/10 it was ok, the onion texture was a bit weird). Overall, had another great time! And, they have a loyalty program with your phone number so you can use the points to get $5 off or more at your next visit! Love that! Will definitely return again :)"

New Orleans Creole Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.1 (546) • $$

"I cant believe I've never written a review about one of my favorite restaurants in the country. Been going here for years! Best New Orleans food in San Diego and I've tried them all. We's try one restaurant and be like, nope it's not better. Gumbo is better than Emeril's. That's right. This food is fine dining at non fine dining prices. Service is impeccable. Hes the cook AND the server and hes always checking up on the customers. It's in what feels like a tucked away cabin with a lot of NOLA chachkis. And outside the door is the small park so you never hear noise from the street. I love it, theres no other restaurant setting like this. It's like you're at your auntie's house. Now I wanna go back. Will update posts with photos!Some things to be aware of:- the dining room is very intimate. Tables are spaced out but if you're a loud talker, the whole dining room will hear you lol- he doesnt do takeout. He's too busy. You just gotta dine in!Food:- for non seafood eaters, the gumbo and jambalaya are still good! You can pick out the shrimps easily.- mac and cheese is the best in San diego! Theres nothing like it. That creamy cheese sauce is the most flavorful I've had- crawfish etoufee: that's my usual go to dish"

Smitty's Taste of the Bayou

★★★★★ 4.5 (353) • $$

"First things first. Located inside the National City Public Market. You have to walk inside the market to get to Smitty's. Orders are not taken on the phone. Order directly through their website link. If you are new to soul food or Louisiana rib style, then this eaterie would be good. If you are familiar with at least 5 styles barbecue and da real deal soul food, then the food and money value are not aligned. Actually, my one time may likely be unreturned. I was in a party of two but I should have just ordered one plate with two sides to give the food a taste test. Fifty bucks later, I'm a disappointed eater. I ordered pick up. It is apparent that all the food is pre-cooked and perhaps they have not mastered how to keep its freshness through the heat up process prior to serving.I was 6 minutes away. Hungry like a roaring lion on the African terrain. The inside of the ribs were cold. The other dishes were lukewarm. Although the ribs were tender and flavorful.The mac&cheese was mushy. A sharper cheese is recommended to blend. Or better yet a bechamel sauce and seasoning. Yet, I liked the texture of the pasta.You know how when beans get to the bottom of the pot and get mushy? Yep, that's what I was served. Mushy and dryish. But I can see where they were going and it would have worked out perhaps maybe just not on this visit.And the corn bread was so dry that it crumbled to smithereens.Now, greens are the easiest vegetable to make tasty, but an easy vegetable to make bland. These were on the bland side.I must be clear the meal was not Louisianian style. Being from Louisiana and cooking like a Louisianian are different. I'm just sayin'.Louisiana is known for flavor. And a ten on two. I know intimately what is expected from a Louisianian culinarian. Today was not that day.I want to support. And I will. But not fiscally. I'll get the word out but remember you're on your own. Since there's other eateries in the public market you may have a better cuisine choice.Service was with a smile and friendly."

Crab Fever San Diego

★★★★☆ 4.2 (1469) • $$$

"Had to come back to this awesome spot to celebrate my friend's birthday. We arrived and we were seated right away. The hostess/server is always SO AWESOME, love her! We looked over the menu and we both ordered a Combo #2 each: Shrimp, Crab legs, sausage, potatoes, and corn in the seafood boil bag. Also, we both ordered margaritas on the rocks. This time we didn't do garlic bread or sides.The experience was absolutely great and the food was delicious. We will continue to come here as it is definitely our favorite crab seafood boil spot. Our hostess is always so kind and sweet and she makes sure that she answers any questions that we have very well."

Bag O Crab

★★★★★ 4.5 (30) • $$

"AThere's a good variety of items on the menu....this is our first time here...server was very nice and friendly and answered all our questions...also asked some people that were eating at a table, as we walked in....they suggested number 2....it wasn't crowded when we walked in....seating was nice..also liked how it was decorated....Messy fun to eat...we all enjoyed our dinner."

The Ace Crab

★★★★☆ 4.2 (366) • $$

"It's really good, one of my favorites in the south bay. The flavor of the spices are perfect, the seating area is clean and spacious. Love the food. I just hate to have to ask for gloves, bibs, salt pepper,butter. Like just give us that stuff or ask if we need any( and yes! We do! Always!) Give them a try if you're looking for a great tasting, not crazy expensive crab boil."