A Guide: Crawfish Season in Houston

It's mudbug season across the South (which typically runs February through May). Living so close to the Gulf Coast, the Bayou City has no shortage of places to get your crawfish fix, both Cajun-influenced and Houston's unique Vietnamese-style. Houston has plenty of options for when you want to get your hands dirty.

But before you dig in, here are a few pointers for the crawdad newbies including a tutorial on the proper way to eat crawfish, the best local beer to compliment your meal, and a recipe from one of Houston’s finest restaurants, Brennan’s.

How To Eat Crawfish

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How to crawfish

How to crawfish step 1

How to crawfish step 2

How to crawfish step 3

🗓️ When to eat

Weather plays a major factor in the exact season span. A cold winter means the season will start a little later, and a dry summer means it will end earlier. In general, the peak months for crawfish season in Houston are February, March, and April.

Crawfish Calendar Gif

🍻 Local Craft Beer Pairings

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Buffalo Bayou Brewing Company Beer and Pizza

Crawfish boils bring a certain level of spice to the table. Cool things down with a craft beer from one of Houston’s numerous breweries including Saint Arnold Brewing Co., Southern Star Brewing Co., Karbach Brewing Co. No Label Brewing Co., Buffalo Bayou Brewing Co., 8th Wonder Brewery and more. Most local mudbug eateries will have a substantial selection of local craft beers on tap. So quench your thirst with one of these home-grown brews and enjoy a leisure day.

The locals have spoke, and these are the top Houston-made beers to pair with your crawfish boil.

Dome Faux'm
Cream Ale
8th Wonder Brewery

Great White Buffalo
Wit
Buffalo Bayou Brew Co.

Half Nelson IPA
American IPA
Southern Star Brewing Co.

Buckle Bunny
Cream Ale
Eureka Heights Brew Co.

5 O'Clock Pils
Bohemian Pilsener
St. Arnold Brewing Co.

Tasty Waves
Summer Ale
Karbach Brewing Co.

👨‍🍳 A Crawfish Recipe

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Feeling confident in your cooking skills? Even if you aren’t, Chef Danny Trace of Brennan’s offers a step-by-step guide to boiling the perfect batch of crawfish. Check out his recipe here.

view the recipe

Restaurants Serving Crawfish In Houston

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Brennan's of Houston

Brennan's of Houston, the 1967 beloved Houston landmark, is once again welcoming faithful foodies after the restaurant was destroyed in...

BB's Tex-Orleans - Greenway Plaza

Building off its multiple successes elsewhere around town, BB’s Tex-Orleans opened its location in Greenway Plaza in August 2012. The...

Ragin' Cajun

Decisions are familiar but difficult at this festive chain celebrated for bayou vittles. Witness the look of mudbug madness in the eyes...

Eugene's Gulf Coast Kitchen

Owned and operated by the Texas family since 2007, Eugene's (previously Danton’s Gulf Coast Seafood), continues to dish out tasty...

Crawfish & Noodles

Maybe you thought just Gulf Coast residents ate spicy, peel-and-eat crawfish. But boy were you mistaken. Check out this Chinatown spot...

LA Crawfish

Texans are no strangers to crawfish thanks to their New Orleans neighbors. But over the past couple years, devoted crawfish fans have...

BB's Tex-Orleans Heights

Brooks Bassler has expanded his Cajun concept, BB’s Tex-Orleans, yet again. Set in the Heights’ former 6th Street Bar and Grill space,...

🍽️ Houston's Favorite Crawfish Spots

So, you're interested, huh? Thought so. In anticipation, we took a poll of our readers to see which crawfish spots the locals recommend. See the list here.