The service was the worst I've ever experienced. I've never gone into an establishment and literally left feeling unsafe. The server didn't want us there and didn't hide it. read more

Amazing authentic food and atmosphere. The service if wonderful. Love their patriotism here in Visalia. Was visiting reawaken tour and was recommended this place! Try them you won't be disappointed read more

First time eating here, party of 4 adults and 2 small children. We arrived around 4 pm. When you walk in, it has a very nice looking bar and tables and chairs beyond the bar. The bartender told us there was also seating upstairs and live music starts at 8 pm. We opted to eat upstairs and were seated immediately as it was not crowded. The upstairs was decorated nicely and was appealing. This restaurant is very expensive. I ordered artichoke hearts and they were seasoned too strongly for me. It was a tiny plate for $15.95. I ordered filet mignon and it was pretty good, but was $45.95. The drink menu had no prices, but drinks came in at $10 each. The servers were pleasant, but mistakes were made. The servers were extremely fast about removing items from the table. They jumped in like Ninjas and grabbed items and disappeared before you even knew what they took. I had a small plate of lemon slices for my iced tea. The server tried to remove it from the table with unused lemon still on it WITHOUT ASKING if I was done. I told her I was still using them, so she left it. About 10 minutes later, I turn to my left to get a lemon and the plate was gone! That's how stealth they were. Then, when I was eating my dessert, I put my fork down for a moment and the server tried to take it, AGAIN WITHOUT ASKING! I told her, I'm not done. That kept happening. I did not compare notes to see if anyone else had their food removed too early, but I'm sure they did. They were jumping in and out all over us. It was pretty crazy and not relaxed. Servers typically ask if you are done with your food before removing it from the table. The entire eating experience felt like a team of servers trying to hurry us out of the restaurant. We were there from 4 to 6 and spent more than $500 and there were many empty tables. It was moderately occupied, not packed. We had two separate bills. Our bill had a $27.67 service fee added. I asked our party what that was. I did not receive a clear, justifiable reason, so I asked the server. He said it was a service fee that they charge for parties of 6 or more. I asked, Are you saying it is a gratuity? He says, Yes, 18%. I said, So, it's not necessary to add a gratuity because you already included it? He says, No, not unless you want to. You can see the potential for misleading people by exchanging the word "gratuity" for "service fee." Covid allowed this vagueness to ensue as restaurants started adding Covid fees. When a restaurant adds the gratuity into the bill for large parties, it needs to be clearly stated what it is and how much was added. We typically see a note that says 18% gratuity added for parties of 6 or more. All their receipt said was Service Charge $27.67. The note at the bottom says Suggested Tips with the %s and amounts. You have to ask yourself why they are calling it a Service Charge on your itemized bill, but then when they suggest tip amounts, they call it a Tip. A logical person would assume that a Service Charge and a Tip are two different things looking at their receipt. I feel that's intentional so they can collect double tips. Tip: Notify your customers about your mandatory built-in gratuity for parties of 6 or more. According to the taxing authorities, a mandatory tip requires the restaurant to collect sales tax on the tip. If you voluntarily tip, the restaurant does not collect sales tax on it. So, the mandatory tip has extra cost to you. All the more reason for restaurants to notify customers who may know nothing about taxation laws in your industry. This point may be debatable, but classifying 4 adults and a 3 and 4 year old as a party of 6? Eh. The kids shared a small children's meal and picked at their mom's food. Maybe it's fair. I'm not a server, so not sure. Just seemed like overkill making us a large party. I guess it could be argued that it's still more work even if it's small children. Overall, the food was decent, but overpriced, visually appealing atmosphere, servers need better traing that focuses more on sensitivity to customer needs. The fast and efficient part is overpowering the customer service part. Awareness of customer needs and interpersonal skills need work. They made us feel highly aware that our table had a time limit on it. Santa Claus came to the table and interacted with the kids. They enjoyed that. I might give 2.5 stars if they had that. I considered it a moderate experience for a big price. I cannot rate the music because we left too early for that. I've included a screenshot of the bill for 2 of us. read more

Crawdaddy's - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Visalia, California

When I made reservations weeks ago for Mother's Day I was told by the person on the phone that along with the regular menu there was a brunch menu. Our large party arrived and was handed brunch only menus. I let the waitress know what I was told over the phone and she said that was not true, I let her know that was the only reason we even came. We were about to leave so she said she would check. She comes back and just throws three lunch menus on the table. 3 menus for 10 people. She then asked if anyone wanted any drinks from the bar two people ordered because the rest of us didn't even know what was available other than the 3 options on the brunch menu. 30 minutes go by and we are asked if we wanted appetizers so we order some. Then she immediately walks off. We don't see her for a while then we see her delivering food to tables and we keep trying to flag her down with no luck. We overhear another waitress telling a manager (I'm assuming) that there is a party of women who are not nice and weren't happy and was telling him to go try to fix. When then see the same man questioning staff why food is just sitting there. All while it's been almost an hour now and we haven't even been able to order food or any other drinks. I flag the waitress down finally to order my mother a drink and she immediately walks off before anyone can ask for anything. No one has even at this point been asked if we want just regular drinks. All we have is water. So after an hour of sitting there we finally rushed to order. Again everyone is just looking around for our waitress to try and get some sodas and we don't see her. Food eventually arrives. 4 out of the ten people are not really enjoying the food but we know if we send them back we are just going to wait longer. One meal was not even correct but again I just told my daughter to eat it because there was no telling when it would be fixed. All in all it was not at all a pleasant experience on a day that is supposed to be special for us moms. We felt completely ignored while we saw other tables getting attention. Definitely expected much more for those prices especially with fixed gratuity. We don't mind tipping matter of fact we typically tip very well over the fixed % but we also expect service, not being an afterthought the entire time. read more

I had a very different impression of what Crawdaddy's offered. Downstairs was a bar with live music - had a New Orleans feel. I took my kids upstairs and it was more of a fancy atmosphere. Not at all what I had expected. The shrimp scampi was super but the other four dishes were nothing to write home about. All entrees were very pricey in my opinion and not worth the cost. The service was great but the atmosphere lacked since I had the idea it would be casual, fun, and lively. It's basically a dark candlelit 70s ish room with a bar. Wouldn't recommend for families. read more

Having lived in Louisiana for years I can tell you the food here entirely lacks the explosive flavors that creole Cajun food is known for. The food is quiet bland. The shrimp tastes like frozen shrimp from Costco. The scampi was just over garlicky trash. The environment wasn't bad. Beer was tap beer just fine. I would only come back for the bar. Other than that, pass on the food unless you do not know any better. That way you don't know what you are missing. 2/5 won't be back. read more

Great lunch menu, was perfect for grabbing a bite today. The owner keith greeted us, Martha and Hannah are always so funny and welcoming. Iva was our server and she wasn't a server; she was the host of the party! Such a great vibe. The steak sandwich was tasty too! read more

Crawdaddy's - Daddy's Cups - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Visalia, California

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We stopped in because my husband heard their advertisement on talk radio. I was impressed with their menu but hesitantly ordered something on the not so spicy side (especially since we are traveling and not close to home). For a starter we had the calamari it was good but I just had a few pieces they were rich in sauce. For dinner I ordered the Chicken Cordon Bleu with vegetables and a rice pilaf. The portion size was small but perfect for me, the flavors were delicious with the creamy cheese sauce. My husband ordered the Blackened Catfish with a lemon butter sauce mashed potatoes and vegetables. I did get to sample his catfish I thought it was a bit salty. But the sauce was a plus. We were too full for dessert maybe next time. The atmosphere was okay we entered through the bar so we were seated downstairs I would have preferred sitting upstairs. Service was okay at first we arrived at 3pm we were greeted for lunch when a waitress shouts it's dinner and we can sit anywhere. She gives us good recommendations on the menu all is good. As more guests arrive and order wine the staff becomes flustered and it takes two to get a lady her wine order. It became quite entertaining. Yes I would come back and try their jumbalia or gumbo see how it compares to what we enjoyed in New Orleans. I hope it's good! read more

Crawdaddy's - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Visalia, California

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I may not be a regular but stopped off for a drink before the my movie. No welcoming at the door, I sat at the bar and waited.. no help.. a regular walks in and a bartender comes from the back and says his drink order before she got to the bar to make it. Didn't help me at all. I walked out. read more

Crawdaddy's - a car parked in front of a building - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Visalia, California

The short version: Has great food, great service and a clean bathroom, but is loud. Expect $30 a plate. Free parking in the garage. Use the door to the left of the downstairs bar. Take the elevator up and as you step out of the elevator, do a U-turn and go in. When we visited, none of these were marked. It kind of felt like a speakeasy to me. LOL! The longer more detailed version: This is the second time we've been and both times we've had reservations and were immediately seated. There are two areas of the restaurant. downstairs is more casual and is similar to a bar scene and is accessible from the street. The upstairs is a little classy. The wait staff wear vest suits similar to a tux and are friendly and attentive. There is a free parking garage next to it, but is further back on the road. We have never exactly figured out if we are entering the correct way. The signage is unclear, at this time. You have to enter the door closest to the garage street (left of the downtown bar), get on the elevator and go to the second floor. Turn sharp right off the elevator and open the door and go through. It's almost as if you're walking into a speakeasy. That's kind of cool. The thing that bothers me is that there is never a maître d'--or host(ess)--and when we entered there were bus tubs sitting on the counter, and the time before that there were dishes. You just have to stand there for a moment until someone sees you. That whole scenario makes it lose a star. There were two things to note on the menu. Thing 1. Prepare to pay around $30 per plate, or higher. Thing 2. It's an odd thing, and it struck me right away. The menu had only one dish (ONE! WTF?!) with crawfish. I mean, the name is Crawdaddy's not One Crawdad. :/ Being from the Cajun area, I was very disappointed. If you've never had them before, they're just like a small shrimp. They are delicious! Yep, very disappointed. The one dish they had was not something I was interested in. While I waited for our meal, I enjoyed an amazing glass of Port (usually meant to go with dessert but I love it so much), oh man it was good! It had such a fine flavor. The trick to drinking port is to take a sip of water, swallow and then take a small sip of the port, like just cover the tongue. This is the advice I always give to people who don't much care for wine. I ordered the Cajun shrimp pasta, which was good, but could have been a bit more spicy. Other than that, it was excellent! I am not from California but I do come from Cajun-ville, so I know a good Cajun dish when I eat one. If you like spicy Cajun, ask for more spice and if you're reluctant, ask for extra spice on the side. That's how some places do it back home. My husband got the grilled swordfish--the special of the day--because it sounded interesting. Neither of us had ever tried swordfish before but in the end, he decided he didn't like it. I don't much care for fish but actually thought it was really good, though it is different. It tastes kind of meaty, but it was full of that delicious grill flavor. Both times we've gone, there were large noisy groups. I. Hate. Large. Noisy. Groups! I've seen this problem a lot. I just want to remind everyone that when you're in a group, please be respectful to the other patrons and not shout at one another like you're in a stadium. This isn't the restaurant's fault though. This review was written on 20 Apr 2022 but posted on 1 June 2022. All in all, I highly recommend it. read more

I was in Visalia over night and wanted to go out for a cocktail. I found Crawdaddy's on yelp, saw the pics and reviews. A great place to party and dance. They have a great house band, the crowd is lively, everyone is having a good time. A local hangout for the 30+ crowd. Everyone was extremely friendly and made me feel like at home. read more

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We were in town on a fluke, and found this place. What a hoot! The music downstairs, the singing staff, the booze! The food! I wish it was closer as I would take family and friends there. Definitely a spot to visit. read more

Probably my favorite restaurant in downtown Visalia. You immediately feel at home, with delicious food and great accompanying beers and wines. It was the first place I trade in Visalia, on the recommendation of others, and they were spot on! read more

Went in last night. My mom and her friend had filet mignon and salad and I had the coconut shrimp. AMAZING food. I've never been disappointed. read more

Crawdaddy's - These were DELICIOUS! Ordered this appetizer without much thought. The sauce was rich and buttery and scrumptious! Order them! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Visalia, California

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On the Second Floor-The food was great! The service & wait staff were top notch! A fun experience!

This is a fun and beautiful space. I enjoy coming here for atmosphere both up and downstairs. Soften your expectations on the food...the attention to detail is small and don't expect much Cajun detail. The longest tenured waitress and bartender were lost when it came sazerac--which is a shame for them--sazeracs are delicious . A good manager could turn this around with some mission/purpose training. read more

Crawdaddy's - Crab cakes - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Visalia, California

The food is nothing to write home about, but the service was great. It was very busy and very chaotic and a lot of drunk people there and they only had one server on. She was amazing. She did the best she could worked as hard as she could and even had rude Customers the service made this place the five star. read more

Had a pleasant lunch. Welcome was appreciated and the hosts were great. We need we're serviced quickly and warm. OMG the shrimp pasta was 10 we will return read more

I wanted to like this place, but the food was extremely subpar. I think it must come from a frozen food service - just doesn't seem fresh. The chicken cordon bleu was the worst I've ever had! The place is a bit shabby and I had to send back my silverware TWICE because it had dried food stuck on it. I felt bad for my server. She did great but was clearly embarrassed. The other patrons were...slightly disheveled looking, loud, and cursing up a storm. It wasn't a very friendly dining atmosphere. In the words of Obi-Wan Kenobi, 'you'll never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy'. Stay away. read more

I thought the food and drinks were yummy. And I live in San diego where I have tons of bomb food choices. The calamari steak with the lemon sauce was the bomb. No complaints here. Came in with a party of 20 ppl and we all enjoyed our meals. 'Merica 2021. Enjoy your lives before they brainwash u into never leaving your homes. read more

Keith, Iva, Dora, Bree, Martha and Security always makes us feel like we are on festive vacation in the Bayou. The Grilled Calamari and the sauce is heavenly delicous. The bell of Freedom is Ringing loudly here as we support fellow fist pumping Patriots. read more

Crawdaddy's - Wetting the Beak. Happy Hour... - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Visalia, California

First time here. The restaraunt was nice and clean. The prices were a little high for what you get. And the service was lacking. If you wanted a salad it was 6.95 extra. We ordered salad. They forgot it, and we had already gotten the main meal. When the waiter was reminded, the salads were brought to the table, along with bread sticks. When one of the guests asked for a margarita it took over 30 minutes to get it. So the service there leaves alot to be desired. The staff was friendly. The food was ok, but over priced for what you get. And their drink list needs to be updated.,The wine I ordered was 6 bucks on the price list, and I was charged 11 bucks a glass. Olive Garden has much better pasta, and much better pricing. Total bill for One person was 67.00 for two glasses of wine, and a bowl of pasta. Im sticking with Olive Garden. read more

Always enjoy the great food , atmosphere and service . Try to go here every time I am in the Tulare/Visalia area read more

Appetizers are delicious. Service is awesome especially bartender. Definitely recommend this place. We are a multi repeat customers

Definitely has that Bourbon Street flair with the openness to the street and the music played matching the decor. Samantha, our server was friendly and attentive to our needs and very helpful with the menu. Our food was delivered in a timely manner and the taste took me back to Louisiana. Was disappointed that there were no hush puppies, cornbread, shrimp & grits or beignets, banana foster or bread pudding for dessert. All are true New Orleans staples when it comes to dining out. Add those and you got a and a total immersion in the French Quarter lifestyle. read more

We have dinner at CrayDaddy's every year during the Central Valley Woodie Show, usually at the end of April when the weather is still reasonably cool. We are a large party of 12-14 people. We choose to eat upstairs as we love our waiter Jose. All of our meals are brought out together and the food is DELICIOUS and the drinks are too! If you get a chance to drive through Visalia, a stop at Craydaddy's is well worth the visit. read more

Well, Lisa did it again! She served us the BEST gumbo west of the Mississippi, along with....are you ready?...along with freshly baked breadsticks. We have never had a bad meal at Crawdaddy's, ever. The chefs always prepare delicious meals and daily specials, and their prices are reasonable. A job well done by Lisa and the crew at Crawdaddy's. Bob & Andy read more

Great music and an amazing atmosphere! Fun for people of all ages. The food was pretty good too! Very large portion sizes. Would recommend!

Jen: our waitress for the 9 of us was Absolutely Wonderful. Because of the size of our group the built in tip was 20%. Her service was so good, she received substantially more. Overall the food was fine. They could have turned the heater up. Very chilly. read more

Appetizers were inedible. Calamari was tougher than a tractor tire. Shrimp cocktail smelled like one month old shrimp and we sent it back. Cancelled our entree orders and left. Wait staff were pleasant and understanding - I think they have seen this before. read more

We've come here for years and are never disappointed. Food is always delicious, staff is very friendly, and they have a fun atmosphere.

My hosts recommended Crawdaddy's so we headed over after work. They have live music which was a real plus. I didn't catch the name of the band, but they'll be there for the next few months on Thursday nights. It was late, so we didn't have appetizers, just dove straight into dinner. I was stuck between the seafood gumbo and the blackened catfish. The waiter recommended the blackened catfish, so thats what i went with. It came with a side of rice pilaf and veggies. The catfish was flavored well, but was a bit too salty for my taste overall. My friends ordered the Mac n cheese and the chicken gumbo. Both looked good and were given a thumbs up by those who ordered the dishes. Unfortunately it was late and we were full so we didn't partake in dessert. Overall a good first visit to Crawdaddy's and I will return to try the gumbo! read more

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Brought my little cousin here for her birthday dinner, she just turned 21 and wanted a chance to use that I.D haha. I've been to this restaurant a few times ate at the 1st level which was always cool can't complain, customer service is always good and food decent but pricey, honestly I don't think it's worth what you pay. Overall the place is a good vibe and a good for a date or group function. Note; live music starts around 8ish. Last night I ate on the 2nd floor for the first time I really enjoyed it very nice ambiance/decor and would be a great place for a date, there were candle lit tables, balcony to step outside on or eat during the day. I had the blackened cat fish, rice, fresh veggies with a side of Zin I'll give them a 3 out of 5 stars A for effort, lacked flavor in the fish. Again service was great manager came and greeted us personally and let us know the specials, very cool hospitable even boxed our left overs for us. The prices for items were on the high side dinner was literally $20-30 a plate appetizers were $9 up, salad $11 up, as I said earlier they should come down a bit it's nice but the food quality is not worth the pretty penny. Note: 10 of clock the club crowd comes plus a Dj. I stayed a bit had some drinks had a few dances it was cool, mixed crowd. read more

Crawdaddy's - Blackened fish with rice pilaf and fresh veggies - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Visalia, California

It's kind of dead in there. Very dark. A lot more of an older crowd. Food is good their burger or huevos rancheros are best

I recently attended a family gathering at Crawdaddy's, Visalia. It was my first time to experience this restaurant and WOW !! I was impressed from the moment I stepped in until I had to leave. The food was delicious. The service was outstanding with every employee gracious and totally efficient. The atmosphere was classy & elegant with an inviting warmth . I would encourage everyone to treat yourself to the Crawdaddy's experience. KAREN M. Tulare, Ca. read more

Great place. Love the food. Wonderful atmosphere. America patriot who stands for freedom. God bless them!

Worst service everthe server bartender Lindsay she took like 40 minutes just to ask for the drinks and when she too the Oder for the food she forgot about the us no refill on the drinks and no food I just paid the drink and tell her I don't want the food no more one hour and 30 minutes what a waste of time ask the manager for another margarita and he said I so busy worst place to eat the server bartender ugly attitude if she can't handle tables and bartending why she do that even there was 3 more bartenders in the same spot read more

The staff is really nice but the food is terrible. The shrimp cocktail was rancid and the artichoke appetizer was soggy and gross. Need a new chef! read more

Heard good things about this place. Walked into a nice bar like setting and headed upstairs to the quieter, more dinner like decor. Food did not disappoint. For the appetizers, I tried the ceviche under recommendation by the waiter, escargot and the calamari. Everything was excellent. Ceviche was made to perfection. Up to par with one of the best I've had. Chunks & chunks of avocado, tomatoes and fish. Expect fine dining service speed... Meaning we sat for over an hr already and barely just got the appetizers. The poached salmon, which was under recommendation, was alright. Nicely flavored. I also tried the chicken pesto fettuccine and shrimp pasta. Chicken pesto was standard. Tasted like it should but the shrimp pasta was too bland. Overall, it was a nice surprise to find this place in Visalia. The appetizers were 2 thumbs up but the entrees were average. But I do see myself coming back to try more things on the menu. read more

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Great place to eat and entertainment! Service is always good. The food is very tasty. It's worth out 45 mn. drive. Never disappoints. You can even get some dancing in read more