Crawfish Lovers seems to be relatively new, so I'm sure they're still fiddling around with their recipes and working out the kinks. I didn't have a bad experience here, but it just wasn't up to the par of standards set by restaurants like Boiling Crab and Kickin' Crab.
The small lot where this shop is located doesn't provide many parking spaces, and I saw some customers park in adjacent lots and walk a few minutes here. Service was a little flustered, and it was hard to tell what the order of operations was upon walking in. There is a counter at the front where drinks can be ordered, but the seafood aspect of the restaurant seemed to still be sit-down first, then wait for a server.
As others have mentioned, water is served in rather tiny cups with crushed ice. The orders of seafood are mostly served in plastic bags per usual, but atop actual plates.. I wasn't sure what to make of the plates, and it's seemingly insignificant details like these that lend doubt to whether a restaurant is having an identity crisis.
One pound of clams:
(http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/crawfish-lovers-san-jose-2?select=dFuUl6sajVLfhWlj8x6fVw#dUunJ7VR1ZNo3ygpjzsF3g)
This was a rather small one pound, and I found the sauce to be incredibly salty. Of course the sauce is for dipping, so saltiness is understandable, but it bordered on numbing. The flavor of the sauce was good, but I just wish I'd been able to taste it a bit more. The pieces of garlic were chopped rather roughly and were all in different sizes, and they were definitely undercooked.. I adore raw garlic, but not to the point where it's thrown in, not cooked at all, and the harbinger of garlic breath for the remainder of the day.
One pound of shrimp:
(http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/crawfish-lovers-san-jose-2?select=dFuUl6sajVLfhWlj8x6fVw#reeqWscb3P1160Xgk4PK8Q)
I thought the shrimp were pretty fresh, but they were a little overly poached so the flesh stuck to the shell while peeling. The theme of obnoxiously raw garlic continued here, although the sauce was not as salty.
Cajun fries:
(http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/crawfish-lovers-san-jose-2?select=dFuUl6sajVLfhWlj8x6fVw#EARhxMg-AeA9E9sdu-z_rg)
These fries were made well, and I was a fan of the crunchiness of the thinner size. I also loved the fact that they came to the table piping hot. Unfortunately I barely got any hint of Cajun in these fries, and I don't think I would have been able to tell the difference between these and just regular fries.
I do like the sauces used here, as they aren't as heavy or generic as some of the other places I've been to. On the other hand, I think there are a few kinks that should be smoothed out, such as the initial reception, portioning, and saltiness. I'd be willing to give Crawfish Lovers another try, but it'd be an ambivalent call given the proximity of other similar restaurants. read more