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Laughing Crab - Cajun Seafood

Name: Laughing Crab - Cajun Seafood
Address: 4508 University Ave, West Des Moines, Iowa, 92105, US
Price range: $$
Rating: 4

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4 (933)

Restaurants Cajun Restaurants Crab Houses Seafood Restaurants

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About

Laughing Crab - Cajun Seafood, the premier Cajun restaurant in West Des Moines, IA, invites you to indulge in a flavorful culinary journey. Our Crab house is renowned for serving the freshest Seafood delicacies, expertly prepared to tantalize your taste buds. From spicy Cajun boils to mouthwatering crab legs, our menu boasts an array of mouth-watering dishes that will leave you craving for more. At Laughing Crab - Cajun Seafood, we pride ourselves on providing exceptional customer service, ensuring a memorable dining experience for you and your loved ones. Our cozy atmosphere, paired with our attentive staff, makes us the perfect destination for dates, family gatherings, or casual get-togethers. Visit us today at 4508 University Ave, West Des Moines, IA 50266, and treat yourself to a culinary adventure like no other. Savor the flavors of the Gulf Coast at Laughing Crab - Cajun Seafood, where every bite is a celebration of taste and tradition.

Laughing Crab - Cajun Seafood Review Summary

The summary was generated by AI, based on reviews.

Pros

Laughing Crab - Cajun Seafood is a seafood lover's paradise, offering a wide variety of fresh and flavorful options. The menu is diverse, with a range of seafood boils, combos, and à la carte items to choose from. The portions are generous, and the prices are reasonable considering the quality and quantity of food. The service is friendly and attentive, with a fun and lively atmosphere that's perfect for dates, gatherings, or casual meals.

Cons

Some customers have reported long wait times, especially during peak hours or weekends. The restaurant can get quite loud, which may not be ideal for those seeking a quiet dining experience. Additionally, some dishes may be too spicy for those with sensitive taste buds, so it's essential to ask about spice levels when ordering.

Review Rating Chart

Yelp: 4.5/5

Google Reviews: 4.4/5

TripAdvisor: 4.5/5

Foursquare: 4.3/5

Zomato: 4.2/5

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Reviews & Ratings

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Melinda -Google user

5 months ago

Only took about 10 minutes to be seated on a Wednesday evening. I love a good Low Country Boil but there was barely any meat on my crab. Maryland blue crabs are small anyway (yet known for their flavor) but these were all dried out...Read More

John Kahrs -Google user

a month ago

Update: 1/11/2025 - Well our visit today was a disappointment as far as the hostess Kennedy and our server Nic were the worse we have experience in a very long time. Kennedy greeted us at the door and my spouse asked for a booth. Kennedy said "we don't have a booth available, this is a table for your server. My spouse pointed to several open booths and said can we sit there, and Kennedy snapped "NO" and dropped our menus on the table and walked off. Then the next people seated got seated in the booth next to us that my spouse requested twice. Totalled disappointed us off from the start. If my spouse had not had her heart set on eating here during our visit to Des Moines we would have left. Not the way you treat a customer that promotes to everyone that this place is the best. Then our server Nic was friendly, but slower than slow. The tables around us that came in after us had their food before we had our drinks. They all had another server. When we finally got our food the appetizers came out with the main course, the appetizers were piping hot, our boil was luke warm at best. The food had the flavor we have always had here in the past. Others being waited on by Nic were waiting on thier bills. My recommendation to the manger(s) are to sit down with Kennedy and explain that customer service is the key to being a hostess; and you need to have Nic paired up with one of your good servers and provide a little lesson on how to hussle. My past review of the food follows: Holy Cow!!! This place is awesome!!! Roll up your sleeves, bring a big appetite and prepare to get your hands dirty (dripping with goodness). We had the best food tonight and service. My spouse had Combo Special B. It had 1 lb. Snowcrab Legs, 1 lb. Shrimp, 1 lb. Crawfish, 2 potatoes, 2 corn on cob and 2 eggs boil with House Seasoning/mild. It was all spot on and amazing! The shrimp were large, as were the crawfish. I had an order of Crab Cakes (2 - sorry they were so good we almost ate them all before remembering to snap a photo), Bowl of Clam Chowder and 1/2 lb. of the pork sausage with House Seasoning/mild. Again all amazingly good. I like a hearty Clam Chowder and this one was spot one. You get a lot of food for the money here. Our server and the general manager were both friendly and attentive to our needs. If you are in the Des Moines area this is a "Must Check Out" place to eat. Service Dine in Meal type Dinner Price per person $30–50 Food: 5 Service: 1 Atmosphere: 5 Recommended dishes New England Clam Chowder, Snow Crab Legs, House Special, King Crab Legs with Corn Shrimp Sausage and Potatoes Still in Cooking Bag, Snow Crab, Corn on the Cob, Potato, Sausage

Shane Lundberg -Google user

11 months ago

We had a great experience here for our daughter’s 12 birthday. Our server Leah was great. The area they put us in the back was not as pleasing as the entrance area but that was ok. We went for the deluxe boil and was not disappointed....Read More

Rachel Zeller -Google user

5 months ago

We went for lunch on a weekend and it was not busy at all. My husband ordered the crab and shrimp boil. I ordered chicken tenders and fried shrimp. He loved his huge bag of seafood but my chicken tenders were raw. The waitress never...Read More

Katie Flowers -Google user

a month ago

01-21-2025 came in for my birthday and had an awesome experience, josh was our server and was extremely pleasant and checked in often. he was probably the best service i’ve had in a long time! so grateful for the people that make your day so much...Read More

Jamie R -Google user

5 months ago

I was so excited to try this place, and was so disappointed. The snow crab legs barely had any meat, didn’t get a clean “break” on any of them, and the flavor was not good. I had to dig for the little meat there was. The corn...Read More

Erica Rinehart -Google user

2 months ago

Had the best time with my family at Laughing Crab! This was the first time we had tried a Seafood boil and it did not disappoint! We got the deluxe platter with garlic butter sauce and the house seasoning-best combo ever. They also brought my...Read More

Natalie Hamlin -Google user

2 months ago

Great food great music. Had the most amazing server Kalani . I got the create your own with blue crab and black muscles. Food is great everytime, I look forward to every time I come here! Service Dine in Meal type Dinner Price per person $20–30 Food: 5 Service: 4 Atmosphere: 4 Recommended dishes The Seafood,...Read More

Armonte Brim -Google user

2 weeks ago

Excellent service and great tasting food. It was actually great tasting and not just a bunch of salt and seasoning, but after great mixture(house special) will definitely recommend! Also the gentleman who was our server did all he could to make sure we had a...Read More

Norma Prieto -Google user

a week ago

Had a great dining experience. Food and drinks were great and the staff was exceptional. The ladies at the front found my phone and by sons stuffed otter and put it up for me. Shout out to them I really appreciated it! Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5

Features

Service options

Curbside pickup

No-contact delivery

Delivery

Takeout

Dine-in

Highlights

Fast service

Great beer selection

Great cocktails

Sports

Popular for

Lunch

Dinner

Solo dining

Accessibility

Wheelchair accessible entrance

Wheelchair accessible parking lot

Wheelchair accessible restroom

Wheelchair accessible seating

Offerings

Alcohol

Beer

Cocktails

Comfort food

Hard liquor

Wine

Dining options

Lunch

Dinner

Dessert

Seating

Amenities

Restroom

Atmosphere

Casual

Trendy

Crowd

Groups

Tourists

Planning

Accepts reservations

Payments

Credit cards

Debit cards

NFC mobile payments

Children

Good for kids

High chairs

Kids' menu

Parking

Free parking lot

Parking

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Laughing Crab - Cajun Seafood Review Summary

Pros