Ask most any New Orleanian, and they’ll tell you that one of the best activities to enjoy those beautiful spring and early summer nights in the city is to gather your favorite folks for a seafood boil. 

Here in New Orleans, seafood boils are a seasonal pastime. Arriving at the end of February and lasting through May, seafood boils—particularly crawfish boils—are a great way to gather family and friends and enjoy the delicious food of our region.

You might think that if you’ve tried one boil, you’ve tried them all, but every eatery adds its own flavor (literally) to their pots to create something uniquely delicious no matter where you go. Whether you’re dining in or taking your bounty outdoors to The Fly or City Park, you can check out one of these places that offer an extra bit of NOLA spice to your next meal. 

Breweries with Crawfish Boils

Every spring, a handful of breweries announce weekly crawfish boils, usually held on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, complete with live music and of course, lots of beer. A few breweries on our radar this year include Urban South, Port Orleans, Second Line Brewing, Zony Mash Beer Project, and Miel Brewery. Check each brewery for details.

Boiled Seafood Restaurants

For the authentic New Orleans boiled seafood experience, visit Hieux Boil Seafood House to enjoy their local delicacies on the patio, head to Porgy’s Seafood Market and choose from their selection of Gulf Coast wild-caught seafood, or Big EZ Seafood for their Cajun-Vietnamese fusion crawfish.

See below for more spots to get boiled seafood in New Orleans.