1: Lucy's Retired Surfers' Bar and Grill

701 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans, LA 70130, USA   [504 523-8995]    website

4-7 daily happy hour. Place to be on Friday evenings. Kitchen closes at 22:00 on week-days and 23:00 on weekends

2: Yo-Mama's Bar & Grill

727 St Peter St, New Orleans, LA 70116, USA   [504 522-1125]

Located just off Bourbon Street, Yo-Mama's is noted for its 66 varieties of tequila, burgers and women's restroom.

3: Acme Oyster House

735 Iberville St, New Orleans, LA 70130, USA   [504.522.5973]    website

Can be very busy for good reason. Try off-hours or considering sitting at the bar to avoid the crowds.

4: Franky and Johnny's

321 Arabella St, New Orleans, L.A. 70115, USA   [504 899 9146]    website

5: Big Fisherman Seafood

3301 Magazine St, New Orleans, L.A. 70115, USA   [504 897 9907]    website

Take out only! Bring your chow across the street to the Bull Dog.

6: Bull Dog Bar

Magazine St, New Orleans, L.A. 70130, USA   [504 891 1516]    website

Selection of over 50 beers. Good in its own right but also an option to take in your lunch that you may have bought at Big Fisherman. Very nice outdoor seating.

7: Deanie's Seafood Restaurant

841 Iberville St, New Orleans, L.A. 70112, USA   [504 581-1316]    website

New French Quarter addition to the Bucktown classic.

It’s crawfish season! That time of the year when the Louisiana mud bugs are boiled and served up with corn, sausage and potatoes. To people not familiar with the peel-it, pinch-it, suck-it ritual involved with this Spring (ish) delicacy the food can seem unappetizing, but, these tiny freshwater lobsters are delicious. In fact, people are so enthusiastic about this finger food that it’s common to eat them until they literally can’t peel anymore- thumbs can get pretty raw and cut up with all the shell ripping.

Here are 6 places to check out the boiled crawfish if you are in NOLA for the season and one place to try if you can’t make it to the Big Easy.

1. Lucy’s Retired Surfers’ Bar: Located in the Warehouse District, this spot has long been a favorite happy hour spot, especially on Fridays. Lucy’s does a boil every Sunday from 4:00 until they’re gone. April 2, 2008 Lucy’s will be having their annual Crawfish and Music Festival with the party beginning at 6:00 and going until.
2. Yo Mama’s Bar and Grill: Just off Bourbon St. Yo Mama’s has a lot going for it: cheaper beer, great hamburgers, close to Bourbon, 60 + varieties of Tequila and crawfish. They do a boil during the season from Friday to Sunday starting at 12:30 until about 7:00.
3. Acme Oyster House: The NOLA classic serves up boiled crawfish everyday while they are in season.
4. Franky and Johnny’s: A local spot and considered by some to be the place for award winning boiled crawfish as well as other New Orleans favorites like po-boys, muffulettas and homemade bread pudding. This place epitomizes the neighborhood bar and boasts a classic jukebox that only plays 45s. Dancing allowed.
5. Big Fisherman Seafood: Sells boiled crawfish by the pound (at time of printing $3.49) for you to take away. Because the peeling, pinching and sucking motions necessary do not lend themselves to eating on the go the bar across the street (next).
6. Bulldog across the street has been kind enough to let people eat the crawfish at their bar; all you have to do is order a drink. Nice deal!
7. Recommended! Deanie’s French Quarter: The original in Bucktown has been a New Orleans favorite for decades. Now they have opened up a brand new location in the French Quarter that serves up delicious seafood including a spicy and succulent crawfish boil.
8. Now for those of you who are not able to make it to New Orleans you can try Pappadeaux. This seafood kitchen has a few locations throughout the USA, which have a crawfish boil a couple of times weekly. Check their website www.Papadeaux.com for locations and days of the week.

Enjoy this video of how to eat the crawdaddies!

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