Claws Restaurant — Restaurant in Garden Grove

"Nothing can stop THE CLAWs!" Yes, I did squeeze in a quote from Liar Liar staring Jim Carrey. It is going to be very hard to not compare this place to Boiling Crab. This is my first Cajun experience in the OC area, so I don't have horror stories about the wait or taste of the world famous Boiling Crab.

I still have not tried the Crawfish. I guess its a "mini-lobster" or something between a lobster and a shrimp, but a lot cheaper. Maybe I will wait for the real thing next time I travel to New Orleans. It doesn't help that my friend calls Crawfish "little cockroaches". Considering the cockroach, I mean Crawfish, is probably about 80% shell and 20% meat I will stick with shrimp for now.

I ordered a special for 2 or 3 people. Forgot what it is called, but its the first combo. It cost about $34 and comes with one appetizer, Cajun fried and 3lbs of your choice seafood. And if you are a pimp of course you went with SHRIMP! I went with Oysters for the appetizer. It was nothing special, not oyster bar quality, but decent. Better than a buffet oyster unless you are talking about Seafood Buffet at the RIO, those are BOMB oysters. One thing I do like about Claws, it feels like seafood restaurant. You can order a lot of standard items. If you don't feel like getting down and dirty, you can order fish or some other fried items. This is a huge advantage over BC, because you don't feel like a sheep that only eats crap out of a bag. This is more civilized and adds some class.

CLAWS vs. BC

PRO (Claws wins) -Quality BC is hard to justify a 2 hour wait. The quality is very similar. -Personally, I like the Cannon in the Hole (whole sha bang) it is a lot of spicy with lemon, and garlic yum! Not Date Food because you will smell and taste this food for at least 24 hours. Claws's sauce is more like a thick dipping sauce. BC most of the time is oily, chain/ fast food type sauce. -Bring out the condiments. This is a big deal to me. I don't have to ask for limes, salt, ketchup, Tabasco, etc. Everything is brought to the table upon ordering. BC Fail. -Since there is not wait and the restaurant doesn't fill up completely. You get service and don't feel rushed to leave. Cough* BC. -Same weird music, but you can actually see the LCD TVs and enjoy your sporting event. -Hot is damn hot! Not like Victoria Secret Model or Las Vegas hot, but a good tasty hot that gets hotter with every bite. The highest spicy level is called "Fire in the Hole". That does not sound too appealing. Don't give in to your pride Spicy Food Lovers. For every action there is an equal a opposite reaction! (Newton's law) -If you like sucking on the shrimp head, the sauce penetrates in to this area so yummy goodness. Thank you for not adding "that's what she said". BC does not apply. -Shrimp comes out piping HOT! BC sometimes makes a batch ahead of time so your shrimp may come out lukewarm, barely hot, or under cooked. -BEST PRO!! Jumbo Shrimp! Yeah yeah! Why would this matter? Each shrimp is a 2 or 3 bite piece of shrimp. BC can be very small at times. So less peeling and more bang for the buck. Size does matter. *That's what she said. -Parking right in front :).

CON (BC wins) -Name Brand recognition. (Same reason why people throw money at CrApple and BMW) -A tad bit more flavor in the spicy. -Can't beat the original (BC does have a very chain restaurant like feel.)

Personally, my favorite style of shrimp is cocktail jumbo shrimp hmm Wynn Buffet, but if you want spice give Claws a try. Trust me it will be worth the wait... Wait a minute.. I meant to say it will be worth it and you won't have to wait!...

Eats: Medium Spicy Canonball Flavor for Crawfish and Shrimp, Calamari, Cajun Fries, Garlic Fries, Butterfly Shrimp. Claws is a spawn of the highly popular Boiling Crab movement. These places serve Louisiana-syle crawfish boil and they toss it in plastic bag right on the table. No plates, no silverware, just get-down-and-dirty hand eating. These places often have like 20 minute or more waits. Claws is a pretty average sized restaurant ideally serving parties of 4 or less. There is a center table that can serve larger parties, but you can imagine the wait would be longer.

I'm going to directly compare this place to Boiling Crab, which for Claws is not going too bad. For the crawfish and shrimp, I felt that the Whole-Shebang flavor at Boiling Crab had more flavor than Claws' Cannonball, but by barely. One apparent thing is that the mild spicy at BC is about the medium at Claws.

The calamari was a good choice. They were probably the largest slices I've seen for calamari and there were plenty. The garlic fries were nice and garlicy, but paled in quantity compared to the cajun fries. The butterfly shrimp were also pretty stingy at 6 pieces on a plate.

Caroline was an attentive waitress for our 10+ party and was very patient with our rowdiness. She was also fun when she agreed to share a cupcake picture with our boisterous bday boy, giving him a slight glimmer of hope before hilariously shooting him down. Overall, Claws is a good alternative to Boiling Crab if you can't afford the...

Claws is a seafood restaurant that specializes in Cajun-style boils and fresh seafood. The restaurant is located in Garden Grove and is known for its flavorful seafood dishes.

The service at Claws is pretty quick, and the staff is friendly and attentive. They are happy to answer any questions you have about the menu and provide recommendations if you're unsure what to order. The atmosphere is laid-back and casual, with a nautical theme that adds to the overall dining experience.

The star of the show at Claws is undoubtedly the seafood boils. You can choose from a variety of seafood options such as crab, shrimp, clams, and crawfish, and customize the spice level and sauce to your liking. The seafood is always fresh and cooked to perfection, with the flavors and spices really shining through.

In addition to the boils, Claws also has a selection of appetizers, sandwiches, and salads. The garlic noodles are a must-try, and the fried calamari is crispy and delicious. The portions are generous, so you'll definitely leave feeling satisfied.

One area where Claws could improve is its drink selection. They have a limited selection of beers and wines, so if you're looking for a more extensive drink menu, you may want to go elsewhere.

Overall, Claw is a great spot for seafood lovers. The service is quick and friendly, the seafood boils are flavorful and fresh, and the atmosphere is laid-back and casual. If you're in the area and looking for a delicious seafood meal,...