The best Cajun restaurants in NYC

Back in the ‘80s, many regarded Cajun cooking as another foodie fad. But this joint has proved them all wrong—and remains one of the only things that hasn’t changed about the neighborhood near Bowery. Regular menu items are printed on the wall in big black letters; specials go on the chalkboard. It’s unpretentious downhome food at its downtown finest.

At this Upper East Side restaurant, Cajun food collides with haughtily made cocktails—but with surprisingly good results. For a spicy delight, wolf down the Roast Beef & Debris Po Boy while sipping a Silver Tongued Devil (jalapeño-infused tequila with pineapple, ginger and lime).

This relatively new addition (read: 2012) to the LES includes some worthwhile offerings. Spiked Capri Sun “for adults”? Yeah, it’s here. Big picnic tables for an authentic pass-around-the-bucket boil of fresh seafood? Check. Happy hours with $5 beers on tap and $1 chicken wings? Aye, aye.

The No. 1 rule of Cajun cooking is that it’s messy. The second rule of Cajun cooking is—you guessed it—it’s messy. Not to worry, though. The folks at the Boil will outfit you with a bib, gloves and bucket before you start gobbling lobster, sending red shells flying in your wake like an efficient wood chipper. Also, the food here comes in plastic bags, Styrofoam cups and paper baskets—so maybe not the ideal place to propose, but the perfect place to eat.

Come to Staten Island to get a taste of the elaborate, iron-wrought elegance that the French Quarter is famous for worldwide. Gnaw on the Dixie-Land Ribs, savoring their sweet tang while sitting under the ornate swirls of a pink-imbued chandelier. Then enjoy the hunk of authentically simple cornbread that comes with it. Just don’t let the swank digs fool you—you can forget about your fork.

When casting a line for catfish, here’s a pro-tip: they really love to eat Ivory Soap. It’s weird. And when going to eat at Catfish in Brooklyn, be prepared for this: that redbrick rustic charm so characteristic of NOLA. Head to the tré chill back patio during the $1 oyster happy hour, and slurp some off the shell.