‘Tis the season, and here’s where to find the crawfish

Crayfish. Crawdads. Crawldads. Freshwater lobsters. Mudbugs. Whatever you call them, it’s crawfish season, which usually runs from late January until June. Here are some spots to get your crawfish fix in these parts.

Bayshore Grill & Billiards

This family friendly restaurant is known for its oysters, barbecue, hamburgers and seafood dishes. But during the season, crawfish is the main star when the restaurant features barbecue- and garlic-flavored crawfish.

137 21st St., San Leon, 281.339.0197

Benno’s Cajun Seafood

If you’re looking for no frills with your mudbugs, then make sure you stop by this island mainstay. Crawfish are served the “traditional” way, with just seasoned corn and potatoes. During crawfish season, you can order your hot and spicy crawfish to go or enjoy the Gulf of Mexico views from inside the restaurant or from the patio.

1212 Seawall Blvd., Galveston, 409.762.4621

Boyd’s Cajun Grill

Boyd’s Cajun Grill is the place to go in Texas City for steaming hot, perfectly seasoned crawfish. You can get crawfish with corn, potatoes or sausage. Or, if you just want crawfish, you can do that, too. And, if you want traditional seafood to go with your crawfish, try Desiree’s Fried Catfish or Leon’s Fried Gulf Shrimp.

227 Dike Road, Texas City, 409.945.4001

Cajun Greek

This island eatery is where the locals go to enjoy boiled crawfish, boiled crabs and stone crabs, too. Make sure you try the BOI Platter, which includes boiled crawfish, boiled shrimp and corn and potatoes.

2226 61st St., Galveston, 409.744.7041

C’Bon Crawfish Shack

If you’re looking for authentic Cajun-style crawfish by real Cajuns, look no further than C’Bon Crawfish Shack, which serves heaping mounds of crawfish Thursdays through Sundays during crawfish season. Along with the crawfish, there’s corn, potatoes, mushrooms, sausage links and the restaurant’s famous C’Bon Dip. Boiled snow crabs also are on the menu.

1010 Marina Bay Drive, Kemah, 281.917.6943

Crazy Alan’s Swamp Shack

Crazy Alan’s serves boiled crawfish and Louisiana-style crawfish year-round at two locations. Along with boiling about 25,000 to 30,000 pounds of crawfish a week, Crazy Alan’s offers its G-Style Seafood Pot, which includes 3 pounds of crawfish and 1 pound of boiled shrimp, served with sausage, corn, potatoes and mushrooms.

310 Texas Ave., Kemah, 281.334.5000; and 1330 W. Bay Area Blvd., Houston, 832.284.4895

Flippers Coastal Seafood

This mainland eatery has made a name for itself by offering classic seafood dishes and more. Some fans say it’s one of the best spots to get perfectly seasoned crawfish served with special cajun or cajun garlic butter sauce. Crawfish also is served on a variety of seafood platters, and you can’t go wrong with Flippers’ version of the étouffée platter with a choice of shrimp or crawfish.

628 FM 517 W. Dickinson, 832.340.7340

Huli Huli Hut

Set in a Hawaiian-style décor restaurant in Galveston’s downtown, Huli Huli Hut has become an island go-to for crawfish. The restaurant features Happy Hour prices for crawfish Mondays through Fridays, and along with the requisite corn and potatoes, you also can add fresh broccoli, jumbo shrimp, onions and sausages.

312 19th St., Galveston, 409.443.5525

Joe’s Crab Shack

During crawfish season, Joe’s Crab Shack, known for steampots and crab buckets, also serves up hot and spicy crawfish with all the fixings. Enjoy the open seating on the patio and the cool breeze from the Gulf of Mexico.

3502 Seawall Blvd., Galveston, 409.766.1515

Little Daddy’s Gumbo Bar

Gumbo isn’t the only specialty here. With restaurants in Galveston and League City, Little Daddy’s Gumbo Bar serves boiled crawfish as part of its Mardi Gras Specials menu during crawfish season, which typically ends during the first few weeks of June. If boiled crawfish isn’t your thing, try the crawfish platter, which includes crawfish étouffée and fried crawfish with corn on the cob. Oh, and don’t forget about the Crawcane seasoning for the “Crazy” Cajun Rinds.

2107 Postoffice St., Galveston, 409.744.8626; and 1615 FM 646, League City, 281.524.8626

Pook’s Crawfish Hole

Featuring crawfish delivered daily from Louisiana, this restaurant owned by Gregg and Jennifer Vicknair is famous for its boiled crawfish, shrimp and crab. With family-style seating, live music and TVs showing the latest sporting events, Pook’s not only cooks the crawfish, but sells crawfish live by the sack available for purchase for those who want to do their own boil at home. Just give them a call and they’ll be happy to put some up for you.

4015 FM 646 N., Santa Fe, 409-440-8481

Sam’s Boat Gulf Coast Kitchen & Sports Bar

The motto here is “serving less-mud, more-bug premium crawfish.” With such events as Mudbug Mondays, Sam’s Boat features jumbo crawfish seasoned to order. And there’s boiled shrimp to add to the mix.

3101 NASA Road 1, Seabrook, 281.326.7267