9 Chain Restaurants With The Best Seafood Boils, According To Reviews

Seafood boils are the ultimate indulgence, and they're just plain fun to eat. When done right, you get a substantial portion of succulent shellfish, plus add-ins like potatoes, corn, and sausage all bathed in a buttery sauce infused with garlic and spices. Dump it out on the table, and you have a feast that you can dig into with your hands. These days, it seems like there are more restaurants than ever offering up seafood boils, some of which go all-out with ultra-flavorful feasts.

There was a time when it was hard to find a proper seafood boil outside locales along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. However, there are now plenty of chain restaurants that bring the tradition to cities and towns across the United States and even abroad. Most stick to the same formula: boiled or steamed seafood like shrimp, crawfish, and crab in your choice of sauce that can range from mild to mouth-searingly hot. But which ones offer the best flavors, execution, and bang for your buck?

To uncover the chain restaurants that serve the absolute best seafood boils in the U.S., we scoured reviews on a wide array of platforms. We took note of what people are saying about the freshness of the seafood, sauce flavors, and more. We'll go into more detail about our methodology at the end of the article, but for now, these are the chain restaurants that diners say serve some seriously stellar seafood boils.

North Carolina-based chain Crab Du Jour has over 70 locations across the United States where you can tuck into Cajun-inspired seafood dishes. You can whet your appetite with hush puppies, po' boys, or the chain's much-lauded crab fries. Then, you can choose from one of the set seafood boils with three types of seafood, corn, and potatoes, or create a customized boil with your choice of shellfish, sides, sauces, and spice level.

If you opt to create your own seafood boil, Crab Du Jour offers plenty of options by the pound or half pound. You can opt for shrimp with or without the heads, green mussels, crawfish, clams, scallops, and lobster tail. Crab lovers can also dig into snow crab, king crab, and Dungeness crab legs. The sauces are made in-house and range from tangy lemon pepper to rich garlic butter to spice-infused Cajun. You can request your sauce mild, medium, or spicy.

Crab Du Jour consistently gets shouted out on social media for having seriously good seafood boils. One reviewer said on Instagram, "I've been here multiple times and the seafood boils always hit." People love that they come out piping hot in steaming bags and that the seafood is cooked to perfection. Plus, the sauces are spot on, with the the Cajun sauce in particular getting tons of hype. A reviewer on Facebook said, "I could have bottled it up and had it to drink." 

Since 2004, The Boiling Crab has been serving up fresh seafood boils featuring a blend of Cajun spices and bold signature sauces. The main focus is on the boiled seafood, but you can also order baskets of fried seafood, like crispy catfish, shrimp, and soft-shell crab. For those who prefer land-based bites, there are also chicken tenders, french fries, and chicken wings.

Ordering is pretty straightforward at The Boiling Crab. First, you pick your preferred seafood, with options like snow crab legs, clams, lobster, and crawfish. You can also include corn on the cob, sausage, potatoes, and hard-boiled eggs in your seafood boil. For sauce, you can opt for the Rajun Cajun, garlic butter, lemon pepper, or a mix of all three, called the Whole Sha-bang! Sauce. You can get your boil mild, medium, spicy, or ultra-spicy and request it extra-juicy if you want more sauce.

Many diners say The Boiling Crab is a step above many other seafood boil restaurants, particularly in terms of quality and execution. A reviewer on TikTok said, "What I loved the most about this spot is the fact that they told me certain stuff gets cooked longer than others, so they were going to bring it to me in multiple bags. And not only did they sauce the bags up, everything came at the same time. So that tells me they take pride in their seafood boil." As for flavor, many say the Whole Sha-bang! Sauce is ridiculously good. 

Land-locked Arizona may seem like an odd birthplace for a seafood boil chain, but Angry Crab Shack has been impressing guests with its Cajun and Creole-inspired cuisine since it opened in 2014. Today, there are multiple locations nationwide, and it's even made its way across the pond to the U.K. The menu aims to please a wide array of tastes with dishes like fried oysters, gumbo, lobster rolls, spicy chicken sandwiches, and the main star — the seafood boils.

Like many places, Angry Crab prices its seafood by the pound and half pound with options like king crab legs, green lip mussels, lobster, and shrimp. You can flavor your boil with several sauces, including Cajun, lemon pepper, garlic, and sweet and tangy sauce. There's a spice meter to indicate how fiery you want it, and you can add extras like sausage, seasonal veggies, red potato, and crispy tofu.

Angry Crab Shack gets overwhelmingly good reviews from diners who love that there are tons of mix and match options to choose from. Many say the seafood is cooked beautifully with tender meat and that the sauce is flavorful, especially the Trifecta mix of Cajun, garlic, and lemon pepper. One diner even said on Instagram, "The BEST thing I've ever tasted in my life!!!" The little touches are also nice, like the option to add bread to sop up the sauce and garlic noodles to round out the meal.

Established in 2016, Crafty Crab now has numerous locations all along the Southeastern coast and as far west as Texas and Illinois. The restaurants are designed to be easygoing and convivial with nautical-themed decor and dishes that you can dig into with your hands. You can order baskets of fried shrimp, oysters, and chicken wings for the table, then slap on some gloves to tuck into boil bags packed with saucy seafood.

Your seafood boil at Crafty Crab can include a single item or multiple types of shellfish and sides like sausage, potatoes, and boiled eggs. Think snow crab legs, lobster tail, crawfish, clams, and mussels. Blue crab and Dungeness crab are also on offer when in season. For sauces, you have the usual suspects like Cajun, garlic butter, and lemon pepper, and the house Boom Sauce is a mix of all three. And like many seafood boil spots, Crafty Crab lets you choose your heat level.

On a scale of one to 10, many diners rate the seafood boils at Crafty Crab solidly in the nine to 10 range. People love that the seafood is meaty and everything is cooked well, from the crustaceans to the sides like corn on the cob and potatoes. Plus, many say the sauce is absolute fire. A reviewer on TikTok said, "It's always so juicy, extra spicy just the way we love it." Numerous diners also comment that the prices are fair for what you get.

With its family-friendly vibes and great deals on seafood, it's easy to see how Red Lobster grew into the largest seafood restaurant chain in the world. And although the company has had some troubles over the last few years, including filing for bankruptcy and shuttering numerous locations, it still has legions of fans. Lately, the company has been revamping key areas, including adding new menu items. In June 2025, it introduced seafood boils, and they were such a hit that they're now permanentl menu items.

There are a few different seafood boils to choose from at Red Lobster. The Mariner's Seafood Boil offers New England flavors with Maine lobster tail, shrimp, snow crab legs, corn, and red potatoes. The Sailor's Seafood Boil has a Louisiana twist with shrimp, smoked sausage, corn, and red potatoes. At the time of writing, there is also a special boil on the new Lobsterfest menu, featuring lobster tails, shrimp, corn, and red potatoes. Each boil comes with your choice of sauce, like lemon pepper, Cajun butter, and roasted garlic butter.

By most accounts, Red Lobster does a stand-up job with its seafood boils. People say the seafood tastes fresh and the sauces bring a ton of flavor. One reviewer stated in a YouTube video, "That lobster is succulent. It's juicy, and with that freaking buttery garlic, I just got to get some more ... That is absolutely delicious." Some comment that the potatoes can be a tad underdone, but overall, diners say these are some solid boils.

Cap't Loui burst onto the scene in 2016, and now you can find restaurants from coast to coast serving seafood infused with Cajun spices. The restaurants are designed to be fun and boisterous, and there are some interesting twists that you don't see at many other places. Take, for example, the cocktails served in bags that give Capri Sun vibes. The menu is comprehensive with everything from po' boy sandwiches to seafood boils, New England clam chowder, and beignets.

The seafood options for the boils vary depending on location and what's available, but can include whole Dungeness crabs or clusters, lobster tails, crawfish, and shrimp with the heads on or off. All boils come with corn and potatoes, and you can include add-ins like sausage, broccoli, and garlic noodles. You can amp up the flavor with the signature Cap't Loui or lemon pepper sauce, and choose from mild to inferno heat levels.

Diners rave about Cap't Loui's seafood boils, saying they hit right every time. It's hard to find anyone with anything bad to say about the seafood, and many say the sauce takes it to the next level. As one reviewer posted on TikTok, "I could drink that addicting Cap't Loui sauce that you dip the seafood in. It is so yummy!" Countless people say the garlic noodles are also an absolute must. A reviewer on Facebook noted, "Their garlic noodles are so addictive, I find myself going back every other day (no shame!)."

The first Juicy Crab opened in Duluth, Georgia, in 2015, and just a few years later it was franchising. Today, there are over 40 locations where you can get your hands dirty with saucy seafood boils, as well as fried fish dishes and appetizers like steamed and raw oysters and chicken wings. You can pair your meal with a cold beer or glass of wine, and some locations also have hookahs, which adds to the laid-back experience.

There are tons of seafood options to choose from at The Juicy Crab, including snow crab legs, clams, black mussels, crawfish, and lobster tails. Each boil can be amped up with sausage, corn, potato, and boiled egg. If you're having trouble deciding on a good mix, the chain also has several combos that take the guesswork out of ordering. And if you want something extra to help sop up the sauce, you can add an order of steamed rice, Cajun fries, or sweet potato fries.

People love the fun vibes at The Juicy Crab locations and the fact that the seafood is top quality and flavorful. For example, one reviewer on Facebook said, "Their crawfish is always a good size and seasoning on point." Another fan shared on Instagram, "When I tell you the food was seasoned to perfection — like, every bite hit." And based on the reviews, you can't really go wrong with any of the sauces, as diners call out multiple flavors, saying they'll keep you dipping and swiping for more.

The name gives you a pretty good idea of what to expect at Bag O' Crab, a California-based chain serving up all manner of crustaceans bathed in buttery, spice-infused sauces. The seafood boils are the main draw, but there are also plenty of items for the seafood-averse, such as mango habanero chicken wings, beef short ribs, and chicken po' boy sandwiches. You can find locations throughout California, as well as Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, and Canada.

To create your own boil bag at Bag O' Crab, you can choose from items like Dungeness crab, whole mussels, lobster, clams, and snow crab legs. Fresh crawfish is available in season; otherwise, you can opt for frozen. You can have your seafood simply steamed or jazzed up with seasonings like spicy Asian Mala sauce, Louisiana-style seasoning, garlic butter, or lemon pepper. You can also amp up the spice level and order sides like steamed rice and garlic bread.

Bag O' Crab wins big points with diners for the quality of the seafood and the flavors of the sauces, which many say the chain doesn't skimp on. As one reviewer said on TikTok, "Overall, it was one of the most flavorful meals ever. I am a big sauce girly and we got the Atomic Sauce (Lemon Pepper, Cajun & Garlic Butter), and it was the best thing ever. Plus the seafood was sooo fresh, especially the King Crab Legs — unreal."

Hot n' Juicy Crawfish was born out of a desire to bring authentic crawfish boils to Las Vegas, which didn't have much going on in that department back in 2007. The concept was a hit, and now the chain has locations stretching from California to New York. Of course, the crawfish is wildly popular, but you can also order other delicacies by the pound, like lobster, snow crab legs, green mussels, and blue crab when in season.

If you're stuck on what to order, Hot n' Juicy Crawfish makes it easy with its combo featuring crawfish, shrimp, Andouille sausage, potatoes, and corn. You can also level up the combo with snow crab legs and an order of regular or Cajun calamari. And like the create-your-own boils, the combos come with your choice of sauce, like the Juicy Cajun, Louisiana, lemon pepper, and garlic butter. You can also request your preferred spice level.

This Louisiana-style seafood chain has earned tons of fans over the years, including first-timers and seasoned seafood boil eaters alike. It even made an appearance on the hit show "Man vs. Food." Many love that the chain is consistent with seafood that's always fresh and flavors that are spot-on. And if you like your sauce fiery, Hot n' Juicy delivers. As one reviewer said on TikTok, "They take their spice seriously, so don't be afraid to go for the mild."

Over the last 10 years or so, seafood boils have been popping up all over the country. While that's definitely not a bad thing, it does make it tricky to determine which ones are worth your time and money. In an effort to find out which spots truly shine, we scoured reviews on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, and YouTube. We only looked at reviews from within the past year and picked the spots that got mainly positive reviews from diners. These are the seafood boil chains that folks say truly deliver when it comes to the freshness of the seafood, the flavors of the sauces, the execution of the boils, and the value for money.