2026 Birmingham Crawfish Season Guide
Birmingham, it's boilin' time! Let the good times roll during crawfish season with the best places to eat, celebrate, and shop for mudbugs around the Magic City. Image: Facebook / Cajun Steamer
It’s finally here — crawfish season in the Magic City! Whether you want to enjoy an authentic boil basket at one of Birmingham’s best Cajun restaurants or food trucks, laissez les bon temps rouler at a neighborhood crawfish boil, or find the freshest mudbugs to enjoy at home, we’ve got you covered with this guide to Birmingham’s crawfish season.
Restaurants + Food Trucks
Roll Cajun Boudin
Neighborhood: Downtown
More Info: Facebook
Boudin fans have known about Roll Cajun Boudin since the food truck rolled into Birmingham in 2024. Owner Matt Coltrin is an Arcadiana native and has been supplying locals with Cajun specialty foods since he moved to the Magic City after retiring from the Air Force.
The demand for frozen boudin and gumbo quickly evolved into requests for fresh, ready-to-enjoy Cajun dishes alongside their hard-to-find Cajun Country staples. Matt brings it all together at Roll Cajun Boudin’s new brick-and-mortar Downtown — along with a full bar — which just opened on Mardi Gras.
Head to Roll Cajun Boudin for the crawfish, and be sure to try some of their signature boudin dishes, like the best-selling Chicken Boudin Egg Roll. Then, pick up a frozen dish to satisfy your Cajun cravings until you can make it back.
Cajun Steamer Bar & Grill
Neighborhood: Hoover & Trussville
More Info: cajunsteamer.com
Cajun Steamer began as a roadside crawfish stand before opening its flagship storefront in Hoover. Now with four locations across Alabama and Tennessee, including two in The Magic City, the restaurant chain seeks to bring Bourbon Street party vibes wherever it goes. With a full menu of delectable Cajun delights, they’re a must-visit spot anytime you’re craving Cajun … especially during crawfish season.
Crazy Cajuns Boiling Pot
Neighborhood: Inverness
More Info: Facebook
Crazy Cajuns Boiling Pot gave us all a scare last summer when its long-time owners, Robert and Lulu Regard, announced they were retiring after 28 years and would be closing the wildly popular haunt on Highway 280. Their crawfish supplier (and dear friend), Dave Dempsey, offered to take over the restaurant, saving the day.
Affectionately known as “Crawdaddy Dave,” Dave also owns the popular Crawfish Warehouse restaurant and seafood market in Jasper. He is continuing the legacy by using the same old family recipes that Crazy Cajuns was built on, so they’ll continue to serve their incredible menu of étouffée, jambalaya, po’ boys, award-winning gumbo, and, of course, crazy-good crawfish.
Crawdaddy’s
Neighborhood: Pelham
More Info: Facebook
Crawdaddy’s has been serving Cajun favorites around Birmingham from its food truck for the past five years and opened its first storefront in Pelham last year. You can pre-order live crawfish for your backyard boil; they’ll be sacked and ready for pickup. While they are now focused on the restaurant, the truck still pops up around Birmingham, and you can keep up to date on their latest boils on their Facebook page.
Cajun Roux
Neighborhood: Hoover
More Info: cajunroux.net
Cajun Roux transports diners from its home in Stadium Trace in Hoover back to its roots in the Bayou State. The menu features authentic Cajun dishes — from traditional entrées like gumbo and étouffée to po’ boys and oysters — plus a full bar of signature and seasonal cocktails. During crawfish season, look for daily updates on Facebook about when you can join a fresh boil.
Cajun Seafood House
Neighborhood: Vestavia Hills
More Info: thecajunseafoodhouse.com
Cajun Seafood House is a casual spot on Rocky Ridge Road in Vestavia. It has been serving authentic Louisiana seafood since 2014, including po’ boys, gumbo, and boiling crawfish pots. Oh, and there’s also a full bar. The famous Hurricanes pair perfectly with whatever you order.
Jubilee Joe’s Cajun Seafood Restaurant
Neighborhood: Hoover
More Info: jubileejoes.com
In a senior-level marketing class at The University of Alabama at Birmingham (more than 20 years ago), a few college kids came up with the idea of a seafood market and restaurant. Their professors said it might actually work, so they went for it.
Decades later, Jubilee Joe’s in Hoover still serves some of the best seafood around — including copious amounts of crawfish each season. The restaurant also sells live crawfish whenever possible, so follow its website and socials to place your order.
Festivals + Events
Tin Roof’s 2nd Annual Crawfish Boil
When: March 7, 2026, doors open at 11 a.m.
Neighborhood: Lakeview
More Info: tinroofbirmingham.com
Head to Tin Roof for its 2nd Annual Crawfish Boil, featuring live music, fresh crawfish, delicious cocktails, and that quintessential Tin Roof vibe that will roll on all night long.
Hope for Autumn Foundation Crawfish Boil
When: April 25, 2026, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Where: Ross Bridge
More Info: eventbrite.com
Bring the whole family to Ross Bridge for the 18th Annual Hope for Autumn Foundation Crawfish Boil. The event offers all-you-can-eat crawfish, burgers, and hot dogs, along with live music featuring Pioneer Chicken Stand and The Divines. The celebration also includes activities for the kids, including bounce houses, face painting, and balloon animals. The event benefits local childhood cancer research and families battling childhood cancer.
Crawfest
When: May 7, 2026
Where: Mountain Brook
More Info: ccaalabama.org
The Coastal Conservation Association of Alabama hosts its annual Crawfest event on May 7 at the Birmingham Zoo. Enjoy live music and plenty of mudbugs at this family-friendly event. Check the website and Facebook page for the latest updates.
Where to Buy Your Own Crawfish
Sexton’s Seafood
Neighborhood: Cahaba Heights
More Info: Facebook
Sexton’s Seafood imports thousands of pounds of crawfish from the Louisiana swamps each season. You can expect a beautiful selection of fresh snapper, grouper, salmon, tuna, redfish, scallops, stone crab claws, crabmeat, oysters, shrimp, mussels, and more year-round. Sexton’s is a family-owned business that has been providing high-quality seafood to the Magic City for three generations.
Red Mountain Crawfish Co.
Neighborhood: Homewood
More Info: redmountaincrawfish.com
Since 2010, Red Mountain Crawfish Company has supplied Birmingham with mudbugs straight from the bayou. You can visit the retail shop in Homewood every Friday and Saturday to stock up on crawfish throughout the season. Be sure to also check their socials for updates on where you can score fresh catches around town. They also offer crawfish delivery throughout Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia, so spread the word and support this Magic City establishment across the South!
Snapper Grabber’s Land & Sea
Neighborhood: Vestavia Hills
More Info: snappergrabbers.com
Snapper Grabber’s Land & Sea is a restaurant and market hybrid bringing the freshest cuts and catches to Vestavia Hills. Owner Kent Scott grew up in the seafood industry, working for his father at the River Fish Market at 14. Kent loves to share seafood recipes with customers and is happy to offer preparation tips. If you’re looking for cooked and seasoned crawfish (no live ones, sorry!) or any fresh seafood, head to this Birmingham gem.
The Cajun Cleaver
Neighborhood: Hoover
More Info: thecajuncleaver.com
This family-owned Louisiana-style butcher shop carries specialty meats and homemade entrées, bringing Cajun favorites straight to your kitchen. During crawfish season, keep an eye on their Facebook page for their weekly boils, and stop by Friday or Saturday to snag a pound (or four) fresh from the pot.
The Swamp Pack is a popular option that has everything you need for your home boil: three pounds of crawfish, half a pound of shrimp, and corn and potatoes. The Cajun Cleaver also offers catering and freshly made sandwiches, and has a great wine selection.
Geaux get some crawfish, Birmingham!
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Katie Leigh Matthews
A Birmingham native, Katie is a lifelong waterfall chaser and is passionate about the outdoors. She also loves connecting with remarkable women in the Birmingham community and bringing their stories to life. Katie has been writing professionally for over six years; you can find more of her work at Moms.com and Islands.com.