Cuisine Scene: Cajun

There’s something about Cajun food that just naturally makes you smile. Maybe it’s the many layers of flavor and spice, perhaps it’s because it is a cuisine that you can, quite literally, dig your hands into or, just maybe, it’s because it so wonderfully lends itself to being shared with friends and family. Long Beach has plenty of great Cajun restaurants, serving all your favorites–po’ boys, crawfish–with some unexpected twists–gumbo fries, anyone? Here’s a few spots to explore and find your Cajun happy place.

SAL’S GUMBO SHACK

Sal’s Gumbo performs the near-incredible feat of making you feel like you’re eating in New Orleans while never letting you forget–whether it’s the local art on the wall or the items named for well-known locals–that you’re enjoying it in the LBC. Sal’s Gumbo Shack (6148 Long Beach Blvd) has great Louisiana gumbo, of course, but also crab and shrimp boils, po’ boy sandwiches, catfish dinners as well as hot wings that more than a few people rank as some of the best in the city.

LOUISIANA CHARLIE’S

Celebrating its 10 year anniversary, Louisiana Charlie’s (429 Shoreline Village Dr.) is located in Shoreline Village, where it’s been serving some of the best Cajun food in the city with some of the best views of both city and harbor. It serves Cajun and Creole favorites such as seafood boils, po’boy sandwiches, etouffee, dirty red beans and smoked Southern-style barbecue. It also features shareables like gumbo fries–gumbo with shrimp and sausage served on a bed of Cajun fries with cheese–as well as fried frog legs.

THE CAJUN CRAB

One of the more unique meldings of two great cuisines, The Cajun Crab (3253 E South St.) offers both its namesake’s items along with Thai dishes. So you can get gumbo and pad thai, Cajun fries and garlic noodles, pho noodle soup and crawfish bags. Its seafood and Thai food is known for its fresh, organic ingredients. There are plenty of other seafood choices, everything from shrimp to squid, clams to mussels to scallops, all of it served up in a relaxed, homey atmosphere.

CRAB SHACK

This Downtown destination focuses on Cajun seafood with an emphasis, as the name would suggest, on crab–dungeness, king and snow. Yes, at the Crab Shack (601 E Broadway) there are crab cakes, along with popular snow crab legs, even a Crab Shack Burger that combines snow and king crab meat on a brioche bun with red pepper, coleslaw and a house Cajun mayo. There are also lobster tails and crawfish along with both raw and fried oysters. If you’re in a hurry, there’s Crab Shack Express (325 The Promenade N).

About the Author

Steve Lowery

Steve Lowery is a longtime local. Over the years he has written for the Los Angeles Times, ESPN, and others. If you're looking for the hidden gems of Long Beach, Steve is your go-to.