Chicago Eats | Fried Alligator + Crawfish Étouffée at Pappadeaux! 🐊🦞

I first discovered this gem at Dallas Airport—where I usually settle for fast food, but the irresistible aroma lured me in! One bite of their crawfish étouffée and fried alligator, and I was hooked! 🎣 Turns out it's a chain, and lucky for us, there's one in Chicago's suburbs—so of course I had to bring my parents for round two! 🦞 Photo 1: The legendary crawfish étouffée that haunts my dreams! 🍚 A mildly spicy, buttery garlic sauce coats piles of tender crawfish—no shelling required, just pure bliss! 🦞 Photo 2: The upgraded crawfish platter with fried crawfish bites and dirty rice (a Southern classic with chicken livers). Double the joy! 🦞 Photo 3: Skip the watermelon lemonade—it was weirdly bitter. 🍉🚫 🦞 Photo 4: Complimentary bread—fresh but bland (think Subway’s Italian). Perfect for soaking up soups though! 🥖🍲 🦞 Photo 5: Fried alligator with spicy honey glaze—sweet, spicy, and so addictive! 🔥 🦞 Photo 6: Fried soft-shell crab with fries (because why not?). So crispy, so filling! 🦀🍟 🦞 Photo 7: Salad with your choice of fried chicken/crawfish/grilled salmon. Basic, but hey, we needed greens! 🥗 🦞 Photo 8: Louisiana gumbo packed with seafood and that okra thickness we love! 🍛 🦞 Photo 9: Wild-caught grouper with crab and shrimp, pan-fried in buttery goodness. Freshness overload! 🌊 This place is worth the drive—flavorful, reasonably priced, and always buzzing! Even at 3-4 PM on a Sunday, it was packed. Walk-ins wait ~40 mins, so reservations are a must! 📅 Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen 📍 921 Pasquinelli Dr, Westmont, IL 60559 🦞 Let’s Chat! Have you tried Pappadeaux? What’s your favorite dish? Or do you have another hidden gem for Cajun/seafood in Chicago? Spill your recommendations below! 👇🍽️ #HungryInChicago #ChicagoFood #ChicagoEats #ChicagoLife #ChicagoSuburbs #GlobalFoodAdventures #SeafoodFeast #FoodieFinds #MustTryChicago #SouthernComfortFood