Local who brought out of town family here for crawfish/crab/shrimp boil. We all loved our food so much and everything was steaming hot and fresh. Crawfish were big and spicy. Shrimp were also huge. Great beer options too. I knocked a star down because there was a bit of miscommunication between our order and the kitchen. Our waiter was amazing, but the kitchen brought separate orders on the same plate and I got one of the "meals" with 1lb crawfish and shrimp instead of the 2lb crawfish and 1/2lb shrimp. The place feels like your at your grandparents house on the porch with all your loved ones. I will absolutely be back anytime I need some good seafood in the city! read more

Clesi's Restaurant & Catering - 2lb crawfish 1/2lb shrimp with fixings - Seafood Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I'm going straight for the plus with this review. I'm not sure that you should have two fire ass restaurants sitting next-door to each other but it's happening and it works. We went for the gumbo tasting, it did not make the cut. But we also tried our luck at the crawfish. Let me tell you something.. as a matter of fact, I don't have to tell you nothing.. the crawfish flavor speaks for herself! They did their absolute thing with this boil for the crawfish.. me and my bestie.. sang, danced in our seat and sucked the heads off dem damn crawfish! 10/10 .. would recommend read more

We came on apparently the last day they were open before they were closing for renovations x 4 months. They were pretty much out of everything. It was easier for them to say what they have then for ppl to order and then say they don't have it. We got the crawfish boil. Not bad. Very very salty. In a nice neighborhood. Good experience. Hopefully they figure it out read more

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What a way to kick off our first night in NOLA! The gumbo was tasty, even though the consistency is more watery than I prefer. The crawfish rangoon were fine, and the red pepper jelly dip was a good accompaniment. These all led up to the star of the show, which were the succulent, spicy crawfish that left your fingers briny and your mouth on fire. Pro tip: leave the corn for last, after it's had an opportunity to soak up all the liquid from the crawfish boil. Delicious! The wait staff was friendly and attentive, showing off that Southern hospitality! The restaurant itself has a wonderful casual vibe. No visit to NOLA would be complete without Clesi's! read more

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We love Clesi's! Always a great selection. While they're readily known for their seafood, they have such great other options that you should explore. Including a great cheeseburger read more

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Holy cow, what a meal! We had the jambalaya cheese fries to start, and they were easily a top food item I've had in my (albeit short) time in New Orleans so far. It's a large quantity of cheese fries with a healthy dose of jambalaya and is truly fantastic. I had the messy Clesi as my main, and it hit the spot for crawfish. Our server was extremely kind, efficient, and took great care of us. She swiftly took care of the situation when the kitchen made the wrong meal and I didn't even know about it until she had brought out both of our meals and gave us the incorrectly made item anyway, so we had extra to take home! This will be a regular spot for me in New Orleans. read more

My #1 spot for crawfish and one of my best kept secrets LOL The service or food never disappoints!! I needed by fix of crawfish today so I went on a solo lunch date with myself. I had 3lbs plus garlic and potatoes. It was about $8 a pound today. I love their taco Tuesday deals too! It's a must try! read more

Clesi's Restaurant & Catering - Crawfish and a lemon drop! - Seafood Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Hands down the BEST FOOD AND CUSTOMER SERVICE. So it was my first time going and I will definitely be back. Daniel at the bar was amazing. He was so nice to us and gave great suggestions for food. We had crawfish, shrimp, turkey necks, corn you name it! He makes great drinks one stop shop! Visit if you're in the area. You won't be disappointed. read more

Food was fantastic! Legit some of the best catfish, charbroiled oysters- I've ever had. The crawfish queso is A MUST ORDER. Great customer service, will def come back! :) read more

Clesi's Restaurant & Catering - Catfish and side Caesar - Seafood Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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My friend and I had to get our weekly crawfish fix and stopped at Clesi's. My favorite thing about Clesi's is the consistency of the quality service, the crawfish are always good and the vibes are always chill. I really enjoy the outdoor area on a decent weather day. You really can't go wrong at Clesi's. read more

The bar was awesome having never had crawfish I got a quick lesson in eating them and guidance in ordering. We got 2 boils and some drinks sat outside and just feasted! Elbows deep In the boil with corn potatoes shrimp. Ain't life grand! read more

Clesi's Restaurant & Catering - Seafood Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

This place was packed when we got here and stayed packed the entire time. We got boudin balls, 1 lb of crawfish, and roast beef sandwich. The boudin balls were so good! It made me order them at another place but it just didn't come close. The crawfish was really good and perfectly seasoned. The roast beef sandwich was a little dry but their fries were amazing. read more

Clesi's Restaurant & Catering - Crawfish - Seafood Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Came for taco Tuesday with friends. Our server, James, was very nice and attentive. The rest of the staff are also very friendly. We had a great time laughing with them as they'd pass through the dining area delivering food. I had a redfish taco, shrimp taco, chicken taco, and catfish taco. The catfish was far and away the best. Then then shrimp, redfish, then chicken. The chicken and pepper jelly just didn't hit like it should've. I've got my eye on that sausage taco for next time. Overall a great time!! read more

Service was good but we had to move inside because the flies were a bit much. I do have to say the crawfish here was really good! Well seasons with a little bit of a kick, and big crawfish. We got the pot to share and had so much left over! The highlights were the crawfish, potatoes and sausage for me. read more

Clesi's Restaurant & Catering - Seafood Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Bummer it's the end of crawfish season but the shrimp was amazing! Some of the best we've ever had. Server was nice and friendly. We sat outside bc the weather was gorgeous and lovely. Planning on coming again during crawfish season! read more

Clesi's Restaurant & Catering - Shrimp! - Seafood Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I went to Clesi's last weekend and absolutely loved the crawfish there! Upon walking in they have cute outdoor seating and then they have a spot where they are booking the crawfish. Unfortunately they didn't have outdoor seating so me and my friend sat at the bar. Bartender was great! Service was super fast, the crawfish were DELICIOUS. I will say for where we are in the season they were a bit pricey but the flavor, size was on point. Also please make sure you get the butter . OMG! You won't regret it! Can't wait to go back. read more

Clesi's Restaurant & Catering - Seafood Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

If anyone asks my favorite season, my answer is simple: crawfish season. These crawfish were amazing -- great size, juicy, and packed with flavor. One thing about Louisiana, they know how to turn food into an experience. read more

We went for boiled crawfish and they were very tasty. I may have liked them to be a little spicier, but they were still good. The service was just okay and could have been better, but, to be fair, the restaurant was pretty busy when we were there. We will definitely go back again. read more

Excellent restaurant! I went here just to try something new and the food was amazing, the drinks were good and not expensive. The service was very quick and attentive and the environment was very sunny and relaxed and clean. I love the ambience and the crawfish smelled good. read more

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Catfish platter was good and fresh, fries were crispy. Would've appreciated a bit more seasoning on the catfish. Service was good, food came out pretty quickly. Sports bar type ambiance with sports on tv and somewhat rowdy guests, didn't impact experience too much. read more

Clesi's Restaurant & Catering - Fried Catfish Platter - Seafood Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Came highly recommended but must have had a bad night! No reservations, was told 30 minute wait. They said we could not go wait at the bar because there's only one bartender. Told us to go next door to Mondays. They tried to seat us at a table next to a giant dumpster bend which I found odd was in the front seating area. It stunk so bad. We sat somewhere else but it was still smelly. Ordered BBcue shrimp, Boudin balls, a pitcher of beer and they gave us a free order of garlic Parmesan fries. The bbcue shrimp kinda skimpy and overcooked. The sauce was good tho. Boudin balls were more like hush puppies, no rice or meat, just dough. The fries and beer were my favorite! I won't go back. read more

Clesi's Restaurant & Catering - Pitcher of beer with plastic cups - Seafood Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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his was our best meal of the trip! Loved this place. We were lucky enough to sit at the bar with Daniel. Great service, great recommendations on the beer and the amazing turkey neck! I would never believed how amazing the turkey was in the boil. Absolutely amazing! Thank yoiu for an amazing night and amazing food! Definitely a night we won't forget. The catfish was great, the crawfish, the shrimp, the green beans all great. My only critique was they over cooked the shrimp a little so it was harder to peel and slightly rubbery but that Cajun butter made everything taste perfect! My last meal could be the crawfish and that butter! Thank you again for giving us a great dinner! read more

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Clesis is such a great spot to get crawfish during the season. The spice levels range based on who is boiling the crawfish on that day. The grilled redfish was seasoned well and the oysters were absolutely amazing. The only thing I would say is that they are very short staffed , and wait times can be a bit long . The outside patio has tvs and are perfect for game days . read more

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I came here over the weekend because crawfish is back!!! The service was horrendous however! When the server walked up he went straight into a long list of everything they were out of for the day which was quite a list. He did not set any expectations when we ordered so after over 45 minutes I finally was able to track him down to ask how much longer it would be to get the 2 lbs I ordered. He said well it's about 40 minutes per order (which we were never told when we placed the order) so I stated it had been over that amount of time and then we finally got our food. The crawfish was a nice size and tasty but the sides had no flavor and the corn was cold. Our mimosas also came in plastic cups because they were out of flutes for our first round :( but we did get flutes on the second round! read more

Clesi's Restaurant & Catering - Seafood Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I've never had dry seafood boil. I've only ever had the one with sauces. I learned that the saucy seafood boil is not traditional Louisiana fashion! The waiter educated us that the Vietnamese introduced the sauce in their version when Vietnamese were in Louisiana because of war. I didn't think I'd like a dry boil because I love sauce but it was very, very delicious. The seafood was definitely seasoned well and very flavorful. To my surprise, I really liked the tissue in the crabs head. Very yummy. I liked the vibe of the seating and front porch honey vibe. Loved the large front yard with shrubbery and park style bench tables. Very cute. read more

Clesi's Restaurant & Catering - Delicious seafood boil. Loved it. - Seafood Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Taking 2 stars away :/ Came here 530 on a Monday and didn't get food until like 630. Crawfish came out a little earlier. Crawfish was good but it was pretty salty. Shrimp poboy was minuscule. I would highly recommend against it. Came with really dry bread & very little shrimp for the price. We had to ask for mayo and hot sauce as there was none on the bun, not even mayo . No mustard at this establishment I guess. Messy clessi was delicious but extremely salty. Crawfish Mac and cheese was ok. Nothing crazy. Like 4 pieces of crawfish & barely any cheese. We asked for substitute fries for onion rings & they brought us fries again. Will only come here for crawfish. The rest of the food is quite pitiful. And they didn't even have catfish!! Or gator bites. I think they were out. Good vibes though. Service is OK & I think they're pretty understaffed. Place may look empty (many open tables) but the wait is atrocious for food and entrance. read more

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First time here, pre saints game meal. True New Orleans flavor, ambiance and vibe of a neighborhood eatery. The shrimp poboy and platter was good, but so much more on the menu to try and taste on future visits. read more

Clesi's Restaurant & Catering - Shrimp poboy and platter. - Seafood Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

It was pretty busy when we came (around 7:30 pm) and we waited around 10 min for a party of two. Plenty of outdoor seating with heaters (yay!) and the staff were very friendly. The place is very lively and nice to take groups here! You can tell the seafood is fresh because you can see them handling live crawfish by the entrance! It was cool to see them prepare the food. The food came out after around 15 min of waiting and it was sooo good- definitely satisfied our seafood boil craving. The crawfish was seasoned really well, whereas the shrimp was less seasoned. in the end, it balanced out well so I didn't feel like I was eating a pile of salt. We ordered the alligator bites just to try, and although the portions for this were smaller than expected, it was well breaded and so crispy, pairing excellent with the juicy meat. If you're looking for a great place to try crawfish, I definitely recommend here! read more

Clesi's Restaurant & Catering - Seafood Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Wonderful place for a weekend crawfish boil on a sunny day with friends! I love how each person can customize their boil with different meats and add-ins. The spice level is great too: it slowly builds as you eat but is not too overwhelming. We had a bit of wait for a table and after ordering. Definitely order ahead if you are in a rush. 100% get the crawfish! I would not recommend the crab legs, at least during this season. They were a bit overcooked and not very fresh. read more

Clesi's Restaurant & Catering - 2 pounds of crawfish + snowcrab legs - Seafood Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Food great. People even better. So much lively chatter and fun on the porch. Enjoyed every minute. Please try the crawfish dirty rice. You won't regret it. read more

They were pretty busy so the service was ok. The crawfish was really good but the sides needed seasoning . read more

Clesi's Restaurant & Catering - Boiled Crawfish, Shrimp, Corn, Potatoes, Mushrooms, & Eggs - Seafood Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Best dining experience during my time in Nola! Before entering the restaurant, live crawfish was being inspected and I knew dinner was going to be fire. We had to wait a bit for inside seating, though there were plenty of tables open outside. We sat at the bar and yapped away with other people by us. The owner and bartender had great vibes. I've only had saucy seafood boils before so this was different for me. It doesn't look like it, but there was so much flavor and a good kick of spice. It was a little bit too salty for my preference but still so good. Definitely will be back during my next visit! read more

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Crawfish is fresh and tasty! Oysters, shrimp, the bread, just everything exceeded our expectations! Would def come back on our yearly trip to Nola. read more

Clesi's Restaurant & Catering - Shrimp and Crawfish - Seafood Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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I'll dream about this meal at Clesi's back home in California! I can tell that this is such a local staple. Almost every local we spoke to during our tours and in our Lyft rides spoke so highly of Clesi's. Luckily it was already on my list of places to try. On the day we visited, they weren't at full service due to some technical difficulties, but they let us wait in the AC while they got things running again. Everyone was really nice and attentive. I'm used to seafood boils that are saucy, but the boil at Clesi's isn't that style. I got the sense that it was more authentic to the area. Just because it's not swimming in sauce doesn't mean it's not flavorful! Our crawfish was steeped in seasoning for sure. Compared to the crawfish at another seafood boil spot we had, these crawfish were a lot bigger and meatier. They were so good! Unlike some other reviews I read, I didn't find it to be salty at all, and I'm sensitive to sodium. It was just all around a great meal (including the corn). We were novices to eating crawfish, so we only had 3 lbs of it and 4 pieces of corn, but if I come back to New Orleans, I'm definitely hitting up Clesi's again and ordering at least 5 lbs. We spoke to the owner as we were leaving and he was very outgoing and personable. I love supporting down to earth businesses like this. read more

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Came after jazz fest! We were seated immediately and had plenty of drinks and crawfish! It was 7 people in our party and certain ones of us received our crawfish a little cold but other than that we received great service and enjoyed the food and drinks! Ambiance was great and great music being played! read more

Clesi's Restaurant & Catering - Drink menu - Seafood Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Superb shrimp and crawfish. Nice people. Only issue was employees taking up table space doing paperwork.

Authentic New Orleans Vibes and the Best Crawfish Boil! Took my mom to Clesi's for her very first crawfish boil, and it was such a memorable experience--we ended up going back just two days later! The atmosphere is everything you'd want in a true New Orleans spot: relaxed, welcoming, and full of that classic dive bar charm. The crawfish boil was phenomenal--perfectly seasoned, spicy in all the right ways, and served with all the fixings. You can tell they know what they're doing. And I have to give a special shoutout to the Cucumber Smash cocktail--refreshing, light, and hands down one of the best cocktails I've had in the city. If you're looking for an authentic local experience with great food and a laid-back vibe, Clesi's is a must. Can't wait to go back again! read more

There seems to be inconsistencies in the crawfish boil here. I read a review about how they were so spicy, but that was not the case with ours. Definitely a very mild seasoned boil for ours. We stopped here because of the bloggers that have been raving about it. It seems you are paying for the hype. I stopped by for 2 lbs of crawfish, crawfish only, for takeout - $29.95. That is DOUBLE the price of our favorite spots for crawfish. The waitress said the price was dropping to $8.99 tomorrow. Why the HIGH price today...Who knows. The crawfish were juicy and cooked perfectly. IMO better options for seasoning and for $29.95 for 2 lbs i won't be back. read more

Clesi's Restaurant & Catering - Crawfish - Seafood Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I went during Coolinary so it's not the most representative but I do think their staff was a little overwhelmed and got some things wrong. Aside from that, the food was good! The drink menu was a little basic for my liking but they had some fun ideas. I know they normally have crawfish for sale and I liked the area and the fact that it's a little off the beaten path. read more

Food and service IS terrible. We called ahead for a party of 11 and were seated quickly, but everything after that was a mess. Multiple items were missing from our order, food came out incorrect, crawfish was mushy and the oysters were burnt. We had to ask several times about missing items, and at one point were told to "figure out" who had the shrimp because it was mixed into other orders. We were given only a few small containers of butter for the whole table, and when we asked for more, they said they will have to charge us and we all said that's fine than turned around and say they were "saving it for other customers." Overall, rude servers, very disorganized and frustrating experience. read more