How local restaurants use crawfish in signature dishes
Pick. Pinch. Peel. When it comes to eating boiled crawfish, it takes a lot of hard work and expert-level dexterity for the payoff of tiny, meaty morsels.
Luckily for Baton Rougeans with a hankering for mudbugs without all the handiwork, local menus find ways to pack the protein-filled tails into a variety of dishes, giving Louisiana flair to appetizers, sushi rolls and so much more.
Louisiana Crawfish Promotion and Research Board chef spokesperson Yvette Bonanno has seen many local chefs produce elevated dishes using the crustacean, which not only benefits restaurant patrons but also positively impacts the state’s economy.
“Crawfish is to Louisiana what lobster is to Maine,” she says.
While using cooked crawfish in dishes seems like a no-brainer for eateries in Louisiana due to easy access, they bring some added health benefits, too. According to the Louisiana Crawfish Promotion and Research Board, crawfish are low in calories, fat and saturated fat, and are a good source of protein, vitamins and nutrients.
Bonanno says there’s another reason local eateries add crawfish to so many dishes: they’re versatile. Plop them into less conventional plates like a salad or a loaded spud, and they shine just as they would in the obvious bisques and étouffées. “[Crawfish] has no ethnic boundaries,” she says.
Mestizo Louisiana-Mexican Cuisine owner Jim Urdiales has been using crawfish on his menu in Mexican-inspired dishes since he opened the restaurant over 25 years ago. He says it doesn’t have to be Lent for customers to order items like the LA crawfish tacos. “I think this is one of the best things on the menu,” he says about the dish. “It’s a staple, and it’s just one of the best-sellers all the time.”
With tails available year-round, menu items like these tacos can be enjoyed long before and after backyard boils, perfect for when those crawdad cravings hit outside of peak season.
Happy Tails
Where to find cooked crawfish dishes around town
LA crawfish tacos
Mestizo Louisiana-Mexican Cuisine
2323 S. Acadian Thruway
This tapas order includes two hard taco shells brimming with flash-fried crawfish tails topped with lettuce, tomato and shredded cheese.
Who Dat roll
Ichiban Japanese Grill & Sushi Bar
5741 Essen Ln.
Who dat say you can’t mix crawfish with sushi? This roll contains crawfish and pickled okra and is topped with fresh salmon, escolar, black tobiko, jalapeño and spicy mayo.
Crawfish fries
3357 Highland Rd.
10870 Coursey Blvd.
Crispy fries topped with melty cheese and fried crawfish tails, and served with ranch and au jus gravy? Say less.
Crawfish cheesecake
4335 Perkins Rd.
Cheesecake doesn’t have to be sweet. This savory version is made up of crawfish, fontina, smoked Gouda, Parmesan and Romano.
Crawfish and portabella over linguini
Roberto’s River Road Restaurant
1985 LA Hwy. 75, Sunshine
Swirl and slurp this dish that melds together pasta, mushrooms and crawfish tails.
Hot crawfish melt
3145 Government St.
This grown-up grilled cheese is made up of Louisiana crawfish, roasted jalapeños, caramelized onions, smoked Gouda and pepper jack between thick sourdough slices.
Crawfish pies
9726 Florida Blvd.
Pies aren’t just for dessert at Ronnie’s. These handheld pockets are sold in increments of three, making them ideal for sharing, snacking or saving a few for later.
Crawfish boudin
5215 Plank Rd.
Rice, crawfish tails and other seasonings are packed in a convenient casing for a seafood take on this Cajun classic. Stock up on links or try it deep-fried in ball form.
Crawfish wontons
3739 Perkins Rd.
This Rangoon riff mixes crawfish and jalapeño cream cheese and is served up with satsuma pepper jelly.
Crawfish beignets
2112 Perkins Palm Ave.
Crawfish in a beignet? Name something more Louisiana. This app combines local crawfish with a savory batter for poppable puffs made to share.
Crawfish enchiladas
3930 Burbank Dr.
Cheesy enchiladas get stuffed with Louisiana crawfish tails, which can then be topped with either red chili con carne gravy, roasted-poblano queso or chile verde.
Crawfish etouffée baked potato with fried shrimp
470 N. Alexander Ave., Port Allen
A hearty helping of crawfish etouffée is served in a starchy potato, making for a bowl you can eat too. To finish it off, the monstrous spud is topped with golden fried shrimp.
This article was originally published in the March 2026 issue of 225 Magazine.
