Richard's has been serving seafood in south Louisiana longer than I've been alive and for good reason. Their seafood buffet is as good as it gets. You can get just boiled crabs or just boiled crawfish when they are in season as well. The outside looks run down but don't judge a book by it's cover, its just an old building. When you think about real Louisiana hole-in-the wall, like your grandma made it seafood Richard's embodies all of that. The buffet has fried catfish, fried frog legs, fried crawfish, seafood balls, gumbo (seafood and chicken/sausage), and lots of other things. They even have boiled crabs on the buffet. Can't say enough about this place. Come get you some! read more

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Went in to try the buffet. It was rather small but the items they had were ok. The boiled crabs were small but they are on a buffet so it's expected. The fried fish and shrimp balls were ok as well. Crispy but lacked seasoning. Our server was great she was very attentive and polite. The building is old and run down it is basically a shed that hasn't been renovated in 30 years. The food is ok I was hoping for more options for $30. But I would go back read more

Servers keep visiting tables to make sure nothing is missing The rib eye is a thin cut. If you order medium, it will come well done, cooks to fast due to thickness Salad. Now that's a salad. Great size. Tasty Drinks. Normal options. Buffet size is good. Everything I tried was perfect. Their seafood gumbo it very good. Fried foods, plenty of options. Shrimp. Fish cooked two ways, extra crispy and normal. Boiled shrimp, crabs. Fried okra. I think they offered about twenty options on buffet, plenty. Atmosphere could use help. Loud rough finished. But I came to graze. Parking lot could use help. Lights outside would help. All said and done, I'll be back read more

There is an excellent buffet with a large variety of seafood-sides which is constantly replenished, delicious boiled crawfish, boiled crabs, very friendly owners and staff make this an awesome place to go. Dress is casual and there's no need to dress up. read more

The best you have ever had in south Louisiana Buffet and menu foods are by for the best Their steaks will rank with great steak houses and the spicy garlic mushrooms on the steak is just crazy read more

First time my wife and I have eaten here, the food was exceptional! We will definitely eat here again! The staff was very nice and helpful. The atmosphere is great, hidden away and a place the locals know and frequent. Wish I was a local, lol read more

Delicious real deal cajun seafood joint. I've been Coming for 50 years. If you like crabs. Come on.

Buffet is loaded with all the favorite Cajun dishes u could ask for!!! Crabs and crawfish r always hot and they keep it coming .. highly recommend!! Staff is very friendly and helpful read more

Amazing food, especially for a seafood buffet restaurant. Family atmosphere, great employees

This is the best boiled crawfish restaurant in South Louisiana, HOWEVER, they really need to fix their first come first serve process. Large tables do not spontaneously appear. You must create them for your guests. Standing in line for an hour & a half while half the line behind you passes you up is UNACCEPTABLE! Probably won't go back again any time soon! read more

The seafood buffet is always the highlight. Good food and boiled seafood on there. Everyone is really nice and professional.

"Red" Richard's, as locals call this unique rustic place. As it is "out of the way" by Perry & the Vermilion River, it takes effort to find the first time. DO NOT "dress-up" for this, as you'll have seafood juices all over, & will need a shower afterwards. This is REAL Cajun home style seafood, immensely better than anything in New Orleans. You'll LOVE this. DON'T you DARE miss Richard's Patio! Rick. read more

Went back to Richard's Seafood Patio last night. Brought some other friends to eat there. I was so upset to see the crabs they were serving. So small that should be not have been served. Every other crab was dead before they cooked it. Unable to eat most of them. Whoever is managing this place needs to supervise the boiler. All other food was excellant. Our waitress showed up once the whole time we were there . I had to remove all dirty plates to a table behind us. My friends said they will never come back to this place. Several people were trying to eat crabs. They were too slow boiling the crabs. Watching all the people like hawks. Had to continuous ask them for more crab. This place not cheap. Place was clean. Will recommend this place anymore. read more

We LOVE LOVE LOVE this place!! This is real food. Get ready to leave full and happy, no matter what you have. The etoufe on the buffet is as good as any my mama ever made. If there is a wait to get it, trust me, it's worth it. read more

I live in New Orleans, yet at least once per crawfish season I jump in the car and drive the ~2.5 hours to eat crawfish at Richard's. I've been going to this place for years, first time nearly 20 years ago. At one time it was only opened during crawfish season, but now it's open year round with a full menu. Now, some might not realize it ... but how folks spice their crawfish in Louisiana is regional. The variety you find around New Orleans typically has a lot more heat than most of the places in in south central Lousiana ... like Lafayette, or Abbeville. At Richard's you can order your crawfish with extra spice ... and they will dust the finished product with a layer of cayenne. However, I usually just eat their regular spice levels. Their crawfish are incredibly clean, lobster sweet, and HUGE. Take the drive to Abbeville, stop off at Black's or Dupuy's for some oysters ... and then drive down the road to Richard's. You won't be disappointed. read more

Richard's Seafood Patio - Incredibly large crawfish at Richard's! - Seafood Markets Near Me - Abbeville, Louisiana

My husband and I went out on a date last Friday and chose to eat here. I have been back to Richard's several times since my original review with varying results but this time takes the cake. We were seated and waited on very promptly. However, the manager specifically directed the wait staff to seat us at a particular table. I had never seen that done before. It was right by the open air kitchen and pay station. We opted for the buffet which has always been good and my favorite item on it has been the crawfish etouffee. Our drinks were brought while we were at the buffet serving table. What we came back to was flies buzzing around our table everywhere. To make matters worse the food was very disappointing and the crawfish etouffee was downright dreadful - tasted cream of soup-ish and bland. The flies were overwhelming all during our meal. My husband was freaked out, as was I. We really should have complained right then but we paid our bill, tipped the waitperson 20% because it wasn't HER fault and she was very nice. However, we will never go back there again. Sad about this! Very sad! read more

worst seafood I have ever ate. Do not recommend. The food is bland and the "crispy fish" were soggy, and expensive for horrible food.

I drove with a friend 2.5 hours from New Orleans to Richard's. Worth it. Seriously, best meal of my life. The crawfish are simply spectacular. They're seasoned to perfection, amazing in size, and just the best you can ask for. The ambience is very down to earth / holl in the wall but it's lovely. Fast service, attentive wait staff, and just a delicious menu. read more

Richard's Seafood Patio - a bowl of craws and corn - Seafood Markets Near Me - Abbeville, Louisiana

Friend found this lil oh hole in the wall place and ehhhhh im kinda like yea but no but yea if that makes sense? Service was awesome couldnt get no better the food nothing special at all and really the frog legs taste like any other nasty frog leg the shrimp taste like shrimp with no season the veggies taste like regular ol veggies out of a can no dessert what so ever so again im like ehhhhhh yeaaaaaa but noooooo when asked was it good. read more

I've been here quite a few times and the food has always been good. Id give it a perfect 5 if they would lighten up the place a bit. During crawfish season my husband and I do love getting our crawfish fix here. They're usually a big size and seasoned well. During the crab season my husband can inhale their crabs. I've had their buffet many times and was always happy with the selection of items. I am always count on them having : gumbo, étouffée, shrimp stew, fries, hush puppies, frog legs, fried shrimp/catfish/oysters, and more! During the lent season, make sure you go early! They open at 5! read more

Ambiance-2 (10%) The place is not much to look at, but don't let that stop you. The restaurant has been around for more than 40 years. Cleanliness- 4 (20%) Cement floors were swept, tables clean. Restrooms attended to. Service- 5 (25%) Food, drinks, and check were delivered quickly by friendly staff. We were allowed to go into the kitchen to see the operation. There were several large kettles which are used to boil the crawfish. They looked be be over a hundred years old but we were informed they were only 2-3 years old. Heavy use and lots of salty spices quickly make them age quickly. Food- 5 (35%) I've been coming here since I was a kid. The crawfish are always the biggest and the seasoning is awesome. The crawfish and accompanying potatoes and corn were perfectly seasoned and cooked. The restaurant has been around for over 40 years (been coming here since I was a kid)- always have a great meal. Note- order off the menu- highly recommend any boiled seafood product- crawfish or crab- stay away from their buffet product- looks like warmed over gunk. Value-5 (10%) The crawfish were large and three pounds were plenty to go around with some left over. read more

These were some of the sweetest, most flavorful Louisiana crawfish I have ever tasted!! I also ordered their Bloody Mary Boiled Shrimp, and they were so freaking good I have no words. One suggestion if you're going to order the shrimp: don't wear white. I had so much tomato sauce on me that it looked like I'd slaughtered a pig with my bare hands after eating them, but the mess is absolutely worth it!! read more

Richard's Seafood Patio - Bloody Mary Boiled Shrimp - Seafood Markets Near Me - Abbeville, Louisiana

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The seafood platter I had to throw away. The crab ball stunk and the gumbo was worse. Tried to eat a piece of the stuffed shrimp it is a frozen product. I've heard their boiled crawfish is good but I can say seafood platters stay away from. Also, if you do not like oysters and say you do not want the oysters they will not substitute another food you have to pay extra to leave off a food and put a different one. But you do not get money off for leaving a food off. All other seafood restaurants in Lafayette, Abbeville, Kaplan, Carencro, New Orleans, Shreveport, Baton Rouge will substitute a different food for the one you do not want. Ex. no fried oysters in all the towns I have listed with give you more fried shrimp. It doesn't matter at this restaurant though for the food is awful. read more

They are nothing much to look at as far as atmosphere inside and our but their crawfish and shrimp were excellent. The crawfish were done however they normally do them because they didn't ask the spiciness we wanted, which I wish they would've. I would've gone with medium but even the super spicy one was still very good. And the size were larger than most I have seen during this time this season when they have been unusually small. Also the bloody Mary shrimp were excellent. read more

Nice down home place to eat, the dryer seafood dinner was cook to perfection. The stafff was real friendly.

WE ARE ANGRY CUSTOMERS TONIGHT! Well, tonight My husband and I went to our favorite seafood restaurant "Richard's Seafood Patio" in Abbeville for boiled crabs! They are always delicious there and we have always been satisfied. They have a policy that if you have a crab that is not full, they will replace it! We have NEVER, in the 15 or so years we've gone there ever sent a crab back or complained about the food because it has always been delish, but tonight was different. I opened a crab that had very brown meat and a couple sections of the crab didn't have meat in it so when the server came to the table I asked her if I could have another crab because the meat didn't look right. She said she didn't think they would because it wasn't empty but she'd go ask. She returned telling me that the female owner said NO. They only replace empty ones. I told the server she could let her know how disappointed I was in her decision and we probably would not be back. When we went to check out and pay our bill of $156 I told the owner that I was very upset with the fact that she wasn't replacing the crab. Again she said only if empty. I said that we would not return or suggest their restaurant. She shrugged her shoulders at us and wouldn't look us in the eye. I said, our bill is $156 and you can't replace one crab!? We asked the server if she would eat the crab, she said no but when My husband asked the owner if she would eat that crab she laughed and said yes. She was very rude and displayed unprofessional qualities. We are sad to say that we will not be returning to the restaurant again! We've been going there for 15 or so years like I said and never complained! I know she recognizes us and still wouldn't try to satisfy her returning customers that travel over an hour (which we also told her) and always has a bill of $100 or more! Keep your crabs Richard's!! I also take back my recommendation to go there! I am mad. Looking for a new best boiled crab restaurant ! read more

In town for a funeral, checked into our hotel room and searched local eateries. Found this to be an out of the way place, so it had to be good place. We both had the fried frog legs and grilled potatoes. Frog legs have to be cooked just right, or the are terrible. These my friend, were cooked to perfection. Will definitely return. read more

Oh if you're looking for a laid back place to eat crawfish, this is the place.. Prices cannot be beat, nice size, and If you choose to have the seafood buffet it DOES NOT disappoint. read more

Best Mud-bugs in LA! We stop in Richard's every time we travel through the Cajun country! We just love the crawfish and the frog legs here. Actually everything is Awesome! read more

The crawfish are really, really good. My girlfriend made me try some (normally I'm not a huge seafood fan) and they were fantastic- nice and spicy, and they were really huge. The alligator would have been better if it wasn't fried, and the bacon covered shrimp (also fried) were not as good as they sounded (though still not bad). read more

Drove here from Lafayette, about 30min drive. Crawfish were excellent. Select Size, easy to peel and seasoned wonderfully. Would highly recommend. But the ambience leaves a lot to be desired. Plain white walls, red plastic table cloths and BAD ASS CRAWFISH!! Get your "hole in the wall" crawfish spot on!!! read more

This is the best crawfish place hands down. They are always big, juicey, and delicious. They have the right kind of heat!!! The boiled crabs are good too but a bit pricey. read more

Ate there tonight the food on the buffet tasted like a box of salt and that was the NASTIEST seafood gumbo i had ever tasted.Will not be getting my money again three buffets three beers two sodas 87 dollars.I'll stick to lagneauxs anyday. read more

The best crawfish other than cooking your own. A family run business for years, great selection of fresh crawfish, but if you are not into the mud bugs, try the seafood buffet. It has a great variety from tasty gumbo, fish, shrimp, crawfish boiled crabs, etc... The service is good and friendly. read more

Good authentic food, crabs and crawfish always good. You can get them anyway you want! Was waited on by Danni, this waitress is just plain bad. She was not amused to be at work. She was loud and talked poorly of other patrons in the restaurant. read more

We were in Richard's a couple of weeks ago to eat crawfish. The crawfish tasted good but as we continued eating, we found more and more heads only, no tails. We told the waitress and she told the kitchen and manager. Nothing happened. When we were paying out, we told the owner that there were too many crawfish without tails. He siad that they didn't respond back to us because they didn't believe us!!! Can you imagine? Will never go back there!! I don't appreciate being called a lier. read more

Food is great here. The seafood buffet is wonderful! Crawfish season has nice big crawfish and the spicing is just right. Great place for entertaining out of town guests, as well as for a nice date night with your significant other. Very casual and very country. This is not a fancy fancy place. Just great food and nice people and service. Love it! read more

This is by-far my husband and I's favorite place to go for boiled seafood. Whether it is crawfish, shrimp, or crabs, this place is amazing. The flavor is phenomenal and the staff is always smiling and polite. Occasionally, their prices seem a little steep, but the overall quality is worth it. Make sure to call ahead when ordering out, or get there early if dining in. This place is always packed and there is usually a wait, but again, it is worth it! read more