Love that this place is so close to my apartment! Location is a little small but in downtown small is big. They have amazing service the staff is so friendly, attentive, and ready to help at all times. Jarvis was so sweet always asking if we needed help and showing us what was good on the menu. Cosmic who was at the cashier also provided us with tips on how to work the Digital menu. You've got to try the margaritas they are sooooo strong and yummy. Truly hit the spot. My friends and I ordered the big bucket which comes with just enough food for three people (if your not super hungry) we added the white rice which was perfectly made. I do wish the shrimp was a little fresher but all around great taste! Lastly Jarvis didn't let us go without a taste of the wonderfully cooked fried Oreo dessert. Definitely the cherry on top of it all. Looking forward to coming back and adding who I would smack on the wall. read more

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Update after reading other reviews: It's not just me. Multiple people are saying the same thing -- small portions, barely any actual seafood, and prices that don't match what you get. What really stands out is how the owner responds. Instead of addressing concerns about portion size and value, the responses come off defensive and focused on the reviewer rather than the issue. When several customers mention the same problem, that's something worth taking seriously. At the end of the day, customers are paying $90-$100 expecting a certain level of quality and portion size. That expectation isn't unreasonable -- especially when it's based on how the food is presented online. There are too many solid seafood spots in L.A. to take that kind of gamble. I stand by my original review. There is definitely no ambience at this location. read more

Super slow service but other than that the Seafood egg roll is monumental, the garlic noodles and Smack Em Buckets go crazy, and they have lamb chops cooked perfectly! Some of the best Cajun seafood in the game. The team kept the experience top tier from start to finish even giving out free drinks and samples of other food while we waited. Everything about this place is top tier, from the interior design down to the food. Great branding and the owner is super cool. They even have a smack wall where you can write out your anger and post it LOL read more

Smack Em - Smack BUCKET - Seafood Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I tried Smack Them Seafood and I would say it was just okay. It is a little on the pricey side, but I will say the shrimp was cooked perfectly and the corn was really good too. I'm not really a fan of sausage, and the one they use didn't mix well with the seafood sauce in my opinion. The sausage was already salty, and the sauce was also a bit salty, so together it was just too much. I might give it another try, but next time I'd probably go with a regular garlic butter instead. Overall, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't a 10/10 for me either. read more

I went once before over a year ago & it was bussin!! Then I showed up on Thursday at around 7pm to find that they were closed even though online it showed that they were open. This was hella disappointing because I was bringing someone for their first time to try it& there was no sign posted or anything to let you know that there might have been emergency & when they would be open again but I'm gonna try again this Thursday & I'll call before I go to make sure they're open. This is a horrible habit of our community, too many black owned businesses that I have tried to patronize don't abide by their own hours of operation and it sucks especially when you're trying to show that the previous cases of disappointment were not warranted. I hope to be able to disprove the negative reviews including my own again this Thursday. read more

The food is good a bit salty but not too much for my liking, That being said I paid $7 for a side of rice that should've cost me $2.50/$3 at most, but my biggest issue is being charged a 15% automatic gratuity especially because I ordered my food to go! read more

Smack Em - Automatic gratuity on all orders - Seafood Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The eggrolls were tasty but they were a bit too salty. Could not eat the second one. Over-priced. $22 for these. I ordered my food to go so, i spent about 30 minutes circling the block to find parking. I'm sure the service is fast. The vibe is very casual. Lots of neon signs. read more

Smack Em - Seafood Eggrolls - Seafood Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Smack Em Cajun Seafood understood the assignment! ‍ We ordered the large Smack BucketBig Bucket and baby...everything was good. The seafood was fresh, juicy, and drenched in flavor...just enough. And let's talk about the seafood egg rolls?? Crispy on the outside, packed with crab lobster and shrimp on the inside -- honestly a must-order. If you're craving a seafood boil that's messy, bold, and absolutely worth it...Smack Em Cajun Seafood is the spot read more

Smack Em - Large Smack Bucket - Seafood Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Jarvis was a great help. The food was great! I ordered the jumbo bucket & it had so much flavor. IYKYK. Thank you :) read more

Smack Em - Seafood Near Me - Los Angeles, California

We went on a search for a seafood boil looking for the best boil and finally saw this place and all the satisfactory reviews even when we sat down returning customers raved about the taste and how they were back for more astounding seafood I went with the big daddy seafood eggrolls and the koolaid and was quite pleasantly satisfied I recommend this place and we even played uno recommend hands down read more

Finally took a drive before I get into the cons , I will say the food was amazing had great flavor with a kick . Cons: - no really good parking but there was parking garages downtown in walking distance . -The security does everything , no one's in front to talk to if you have questions he came off a little rude but towards the end was nicer . - tables are extremely wobbly - there's no flavor choices everything is all one flavor ! - no soda machines and the water bottles had no labels - lastly the staff ( cook/security ) was talking about the previous customers that had left which was not professional as other customers were eating and could hear them ! read more

Smack Em - Seafood Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Extremely disappointing experience. I went out of my way to Smack'em Seafood because it was listed as open, but when I arrived, the business was closed. There's no update online, no explanation. It's frustrating to plan for a visit only to find the doors locked. If your hours change, please update your listings so customers aren't misled. Clear communication goes a long way. read more

Love the food! The flavors are amazing. The customer service is on point and the staff are very informative and polite. The food came out fast and did not disappoint. I would love it if they added trays or paper for the tables to put the shells on and maybe add a few more drink options. FYI: Gratitude is included with your order. Save your bucket and bring it back to receive 20 percent off. I will definitely be back. read more

Smack Em - Seafood Near Me - Los Angeles, California

absolutely amazing vibes coming here, was greeted instantly with Great service from Cosmic and Jarvis! The food was delicious, the seafood eggrolls were to die for! read more

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Ok so a few things. 1 there is absolutely ZERO parking in front or behind this spot. It's unfortunately Sandwiched in between a Taco Bell and some other spot that seemingly attracts unsavory looking folks - but I just walked on past em. Ordered ahead thru yelp and should have done so thru food app so I could get a refund. Appreciate the abundance of layered flavor, however wayyy to much salt. Scale back on the salt and you have a hit! The egg rolls are tasty but too salty. Garlic noodles are very small portions and overpriced because they are NOT IT - they are too tangy ‍ idk what that flavor is that overpowers them but scale back on that too. The sauces are fire! The broccoli is delish and so is corn on the cob. When I walked in about 15-20 minutes after opening, it was empty and just had to wait for lady to come hand me my food as it was already packaged and ready for bagging. Hoping the food doesn't give me a headache with the high sodium but I kind of feel one coming on ‍ Well, I tried read more

I came here with my friend on her recommendation. I don't typically care for de food boils however I figured I would try it since she really wanted to eat here. The food definitely did not disappoint. The sauce was very flavorful. I enjoyed every bite. I will definitely be back! read more

Smack Em - Mini bucket leftovers - Seafood Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Amazing custome service. Very welcoming staff. Self ordering. The lamb and garlic noodles are delicious. Although small portions. The seafood egg rolls had awesome crust but no real seafood filling. The snack em bowl with a half of lobster tail with potatoes shrimp and corn was a disappointment. $90 Overall read more

Yum! Food was good, the service was phenomenal and I will be going back. The only downside is the parking. read more

Smack Em - Large Smack em bucket with Xtra alarge crab, Seafood eggrols, deep fried oreos - Seafood Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I'm giving two stars because the service was good enough, the food could have been better,and they didn't have gloves for customers. The guy at the counter was nice and I couldn't really ask for more from his service. I initially thought that this was a place where you could order and feel comfortable sitting down to eat, but it was more like a take-out joint with a few places to sit. Not restaurant style. My friend and I were going to eat in but it was not giving that, so we took our food and ate across the street at the outdoor mall. The food itself was okay. I ordered the $15 shrimp bucket which included 6 jumbo shrimp, corn and sausage. I also ordered a side of garlic noodles. They threw in a second garlic noodle for free. My friend ordered the crab bucket and garlic bread. We both wanted to buy drinks but they were out of alcohol so we went next door to Taco Bell and got drinks. They only have one flavor and it tastes good. Lucky for me the flavor is not spicy. I have GERD, I can't do spicy foods so it worked out. However, there was so much grease! You have to continuously shake the bucket or the seasonings and grease will quickly separate. I'm not used to that with any other seafood boils. That amount of grease or butter is what I believed gave me stomach issues the next the day. My friend had to vomit almost immediately! The bucket I had was satisfactory (outside of the grease) for the price. The flavor was good and the shrimp were big. It was perfect. My friends' bucket could have been better. I tried some of her crab and it tasted old or maybe freezer burnt. The garlic noodles and bread were good. If they switch up the amount of grease they use, I may come back if I'm downtown and want some shrimp. But there are better places for a crab boil. read more

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So, I finally got a chance to try this place after seeing a video on the place by one of my favorite reviewers. The Smack Buckets looked like a great way to package a seafood boil drowned in a delicious sauce. But my takeout order for delivery had no "bucket" in sight. My "mini-bucket" of shrimp, potatoes, sausage and corn was packaged in a small plastic bag and stuffed in a cardboard box, with not much sauce at all. I was looking forward to having lots of sauce like I've seen online, but there was barely any sauce in that bag. The food itself was tasty though. It looks like for some reason their large buckets are not available to order via DoorDash or Uber Eats, which is strange. It would be great if they could offer sides of the boil sauce for folks that want more if they're going to move away from the bucket concept. And $5 for a 2oz side of that Smack Sauce is crazy expensive. That should be half the cost for that small size of sauce. I'll try them again, but they've got some competition from places like Boil Daddy, that offer large sides of sauces, larger portion options and comparable prices. read more

Absolutely the Worst Experience I'm writing this review as I sit here in disbelief. This has been one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had. They're out of basic items like sausage, egg rolls, and lamb chops -- all things we came specifically for. The restaurant is dirty, parking is a nightmare, and the customer service is just as bad. We've been waiting over 30 minutes and still have no idea what's actually going to be in our order. I'll follow up once we finally get our food...smdh read more

First time at this establishment and for one there is NO parking. It's in downtown Los Angeles where there is nowhere to park. It was a long wait time. Since it was no parking I ended up ordering online so my car wouldn't get a ticket. It said my order was going to ready in 24-30 min. I went inside after the time frame and the person at the register said it will be another 30 min because they are backed up and the cook just came back from lunch. That was that issue the other issue was the potatoes were HARD and not fully cooked. I only had 3 shrimp and two slices of sausage in my bucket. The "Smackemsauce " was tasteless. The only good thing was the sauce that came in the bucket. read more

Smack Em - The outside sign - Seafood Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Honestly smack em is delicious! The seafood eggrolls are out of this world and the seafood buckets taste similar to the famous hot n juicy which I loved! Honestly this place is a hidden gem and to have lamb chops really set it off!! I also tried the fried Oreos which were delicious as well!! Oh and did I mention the gumbo it was fireeee read more

Smack Em - Gumbo!!!! - Seafood Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Shrimp was snappy and delish went in just to check it out and the cook gave a me a free small sample. Went back for a meal, I enjoyed the whole bucket however was a bit too little shrimp for the price I paid. Interior looked cool however the chipped paint and scratched up tables and hard chairs was kind of off putting for an establishment that JUST opened. read more

I must have gone on a bad day because my experience wasn't great as a first timer. Here is the good, the flavor wasn't bad but not good enough to come back and pay the price I paid. When I first walked in there was a gentleman behind the POS screens who never said anything to me. They have a menu on the wall, but those items and prices were not reflected on the POS screens. You put in your order and they automatically tack on a 15% gratuity which is strange considering no one helped me. I asked the guy if there was gratuity on take out orders and he deadpan looked at me and said yes. It took forever to find parking and I was hungry so I paid for a large bucket which was around $51. That was probably around 3:05. I would have had the actual time but my receipt did not print because they didn't have receipt paper. The restaurant looked a mess with dirty tables and trash on the floor. They were playing gospel music and the gentleman who was behind the screens was singing loudly while sitting in a chair. When it came to the 30 min mark, I found out that one cook in the back was sick and coughing up blood (from the other cook talking on the phone to someone and probably should have been a private conversation and not for the restaurant to hear) so they sent him home and was left with 1 person in the kitchen. Another couple came in the cook in the back said it would take 20-30 minutes for food because she had to cook corn and make some egg rolls. Around that time, the gentleman who was sitting decided to sweep the floor. We also found out they were out of sausage and shrimp would be its replacement. They were already out of lamb, the egg roles and few other items that was sold out on the screen. The owner came in to help and the cook said they had 16 orders of egg rolls and people went to order them. I thought about it but it was getting close to the 1 hour mark and I just wanted my food and walk 3 1/2 blocks back to my car (parking is really terrible). When I finally got my food, I asked for a bib but they out, along with grape soda for someone's order. The order came with two clusters of crab legs, shrimp, 1 potato cut into fours and half of a corn cut in half. Long sigh...we just gotta do better man...we gotta do better... read more

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Food was just as expected. the ambiance 10/10. The sauce was thick and very flavorful. The bucket was also filled all the way up. Did I mention I met the owner, very professional, fast service and I will definitely be back read more

Smack Em - Outside with my smack'em bucket - Seafood Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This particular spot is never opened. It makes no sense that I drove an hour and fifteen minutes away because they said they were open on Saturday. This was at 1:30 pm and they had the audacity to be CLOSED! This was my second disappointment from SmackEm's. However, the one in Atlanta, GA IS Delicious! read more

I was just in LA yesterday and they were temporarily closed. I went off the advice of LATryGuy expecting a bucket and I was disappointed. It was due to a gas leak read more

The good is the sauce! For the price the corn and potato portions shouldn't be so small. Just ordered two (2) large seafood buckets. Once delivered one of the crab clusters was not in the bucket. And what is unpleasing to me is the fact that I now have to leave the comforts of my home to get what was not placed in my order due to a mess up on your end. Not door dash but your fault. So all I can say is WOW! I would WARN all on getting it delivered. BE SAFE AND GO PICK UP YOUR ORDER OR DON'T GET ANYTHING BECAUSE YOU PROBABLY WON'T GET ALL OF IT (if delivered) Very unhappy read more

Arrived and was greeted fast and friendly. Everyone polite. Food was hot and fresh when came out. VERY TASTY read more

This place is FIRE!!!! The food is packed with flavor. Each menu item complimented the other so well. The garlic noodles had the perfect amount of garlic and sauce and the Lamb was so tender, juicy, and flavorful... some of the best Lamb i've had in years. I work downtown and can see myself coming here for lunch. read more

Smack Em - Lamb Smack Plate - Seafood Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Delicious..Just hate that they are located Downtown..love the reusable container..needs more good help at the front counter

It was ok sauce flavor was weak, to me. Probably wouldn't go back from long to there parking hassle not worth it.

The food is extremely good. The seafood buckets are well priced, good portion, and delicious! The crab fries are really good. The service was quick. The only thing was that they don't have a soda fountain machine nor water station and their tables were flimsy but overall will definitely be coming back! read more

Smack em was soooooo good 12/10 !!! I will be returning soon I enjoyed the spice level of the sauce it wasn't too spicy yet had a kick that smacks. Totally worth every penny which wasn't much you get a bang for your bucks. The service was quick and convenient our server Gio was awesome !!! The music makes it feel like home as well bring you and you friends and family if you guys get hungry SMACK EM !!! read more

Smack Em - Cookie Monster (Fried Oreos) - Seafood Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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The food and customer service was extraordinary and amazing. Gio the hostess was extremely knowledgeable, helpful and very friendly. read more

If I could give this place infinite stars, I would. The vibes in here are so welcoming and safe. Yunn and Geo really took care of my best friend and I. We're from out of town and we're already planning another trip to come back here! 1000000000/10 please support and check them out. read more

I've been wanting to try this place for a while... finally was in the area to go. There is no clear direction or someone welcoming you when you walk in. I walked up to the kiosk, the security guard said hello and welcomed us and asked if we had any questions. The other staff that was present never said anything. The had a small tv in corner that was playing old NFL games.. weird. The tables and counters did not look well kept. I know it is in downtown... it gave dingy downtown vibes which was a disappointment. We ended up ordering the large smack bucket and garlic noodles. Total with tip was about $62. When the order was ready I was taken aback by the bag we received. We did not get a bucket instead we recieved a brown Togo box with the boil inside. When we got to the car we couldn't believe how small the portions were. The corn was smaller pieces than most boils, the potatoes.. they used tiny potatoes and I think we saw two pieces. The sausages were thin and very few. The crab legs were decent sizing and so was the shrimp. The garlic noodles was a rip off. The portion for $8 is such a rip off. The sauce in the boil was the best part! It was delicious... and that is why I am giving them a 2 instead of a one. Very disappointed in this place overall.... $62 for such portions... unfortunately we won't be back. I would have loved to have been greeted as soon as I walked in with clear instructions on what the process was ... and the portions... fix the potatoes and the corn at least. read more

Smack Em - Garlic Noodles - Seafood Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Smack Em Cajun in Downtown The food hits exactly how Cajun is supposed to--bold, flavorful, and cooked perfectly--but what really stood out was the staff. Every single person was welcoming, patient, and genuinely made sure we were good the entire time. No rushed energy, no attitude, just great service and good vibes. You can tell they care about the customers, not just the food. If you're in DTLA and craving Cajun with top-tier service, this place is a must. I'll definitely be back. read more

Food is amazing and the place is a vibe with good much an customer service will definitely be back read more