Hot N Juicy Crawfish — Restaurant in Washington

Hot N Juicy used to be good when they first open. I recently came back on 3/19/2022. And this review will be on the overall quality of food, ambiance, and service.

Food: We order the chicken wings (my favorite at this restaurants until my recent visit), crawfishes, king crab legs, shrimp, fries, sweet potato fries, and Calamari. All Fried food (calamari, fries, and wings) was warm/soggy, and tasted old. Fried food used to be good here and my go to for consistency (second time this happened). Unfortunately, my go to for consistency is no longer a thing here anymore. I feel as if these items was left under the heating lamp for prolong period of time waiting for a customer to order them and they just bring them out. And that may be the fact since wings and fries was the first items that was put on the table. I was completely disappointed with this. Seafood is old (or frozen), so meat doesn't hold together like they should. Fresh seafood should have a firmer (more solid) texture. I am not sure how to describe it other than if you have eaten a dead crab that was left out for a day or so before cooking it. You should be able to understand what I mean by by crab meat not being firm. The crab meat was just falling apart, some of the shrimps was just bad, and don't get me started on crawfishes. They charge SO MUCH for seafood and cannot provide decently fresh and good quality. That's unacceptable in my opinion. It's really a shame. The only thing consistent in taste and quality was the bottle beer. Final verdict on quality of the food, 0/5 stars.

Ambiance: This isn't really a fine dinning place, but more of a chill, relax, or loud music lunch/dinner place. Similar to going to places like Union Jack, Dave n Buster, or other eat and drink places. But this place is small and tight. Not the best place if you want a private conversation because table next to you will hear you even if lower your volume. Bathroom is not clean (far warning to all germaphobe). Final verdict place (cleanliness, surrounding, table organization) 1/5 stars.

Service: The wait for a table is basically 30 min to 1 hr. It's rare that I've seen a wait on weekends less than 30 minutes. Our waitress, she was very nice. Quick into trying to get us drinks and orders food. But once we order, the order was brought out to us about 20-30 minutes later, and we were missing the calamari until we are more than half way done with our food. We had to call the waitress over to ask for it before they even realize that we had a missing order. Refills on water was slow and understandable due to staffing shortage. In short, they have lots of open tables but not enough staff to serve people. Final verdict on service is 4/5 stars (accounting the fact that they are short on staffs). If they weren't short on staff, the rating will be a lot less.

Overall, I hope management is doing something about this because I am not coming back. My family used to be a big spender at this restaurant, but I guess we won't be anymore. If they come back with a statement like sorry due to COVID blah blah blah. Look I hear you, but for the price and location you are at, we expected better. Other restaurants are bouncing back from COVID with fresh food, and better quality service. No excuses in my opinion. If you ask me, save your time and money. Go...

Last Friday, my best friend and I decided to treat ourselves to a night out, and after hearing so many great things, we landed on Hot N Juicy Crawfish. Let me just say—this place lives up to the hype and then some! The moment we walked in, we were hit with the lively, no-frills vibe of the restaurant. Tables were covered in plastic (a sign that things were about to get messy—in the best way possible), and the staff was quick to greet us with big smiles. They handed us bibs and gloves, and we immediately felt like we were in for an authentic seafood boil experience. We went all out and ordered “The Drool” with the famous Hot N Juicy sauce in medium heat. It came loaded with shrimp (heads on, as the sauce clings to the shells better), crawfish, mussels, and crab legs. The sauce was rich, garlicky, and perfectly spiced—just thick enough to coat every bite without overpowering the delicate seafood flavors. The shrimp were plump and juicy, the crawfish seasoned to perfection, and the crab legs? Meaty and tender, just the way they should be. We also couldn’t resist an order of Cajun calamari on the side, which was crispy, flavorful, and a great complement to the boil. What stood out most was the freshness of everything—it felt like the ocean had come to the table. We didn’t leave a single morsel behind! Our server was attentive and made sure we had everything we needed—extra gloves, napkins, and plenty of wet wipes for the aftermath of our seafood feast. They even offered tips on how to crack open the crab legs efficiently, which made the experience even more fun. By the end of the meal, we were covered in sauce, grinning ear to ear, and marveling at how satisfying the night had been. But instead of going straight home, we decided to wind down with Pull Up DC’s “Mango Madness” strain. It was the perfect way to cap off the evening—relaxing, uplifting, and just the right vibe to keep the good times rolling. Hot N Juicy Crawfish isn’t just a restaurant—it’s an experience. From the finger-licking-good seafood to the fun, laid-back atmosphere, it’s a place that brings people together over incredible food. Whether you’re a die-hard seafood fan or just someone looking for a unique dining adventure, this spot is a must-visit. Pro tip: Get the Hot N Juicy sauce, go big with your order, and don’t be afraid to get messy—it’s all part of the fun. And for an even better ending to your night, make a stop by Pull Up DC to keep the good vibes flowing. Trust me, you’ll...

My recent visit to the Conn Ave NW DC location on ‘ 6/9/25 ‘ resulted in a tumultuous ordeal that not only challenged my personal beliefs , but my views on dining out in general. As someone who not only works across the street from this location but chooses to grab dinner here 2x-3x weekly via online ordering as well, I was appalled when I walked in to greet Blanca at the counter and was met w/ a level of unfathomable and immature disrespect!!

I was accused of walking out/not paying/i.e. STEALING a meal from the previous weekend (only 2 days prior.) Upon admittance of low recollection and a profuse willingness to rectify the situation and prevent any potential [further] bad blood, overt attempts to demean me and my character were lengthy and in slew. Phrases such as “hey, I don’t trust ANYBODY shrugs” and “if you don’t wanna come back, that’s fine, that’s on you” echoed throughout my mind as I stood ominously .

On a more personal note , my patriarch is from New Orleans, Louisiana and he just passed away less than a year ago. Eating here as a young man who lives alone just..felt like home. I emit nothing short of positivity, respect, and love upon entry. That’s anywhere. Always. I’m on a first name basis with what feels like over half of the staff . We hug, laugh, motivate, and I even invited one of them out for my birthday celebration a few weeks back. Mind you, even Blanca wished me well and we spoke on what life is like when you spend it peacefully. The irony. So for me to receive the level of utter and negative coagulation with thievery from this SAME INDIVIDUAL is, on the surface, “heartbreaking.” Additionally, another server instructed me not to talk to her while she was at work and although twas light, I agreed . A final apology from me was continuously interjected by Blanca to the point of her deliberately and consciously walking away while I extended an olive branch in the form of payment. Brother Lee was outstanding as far as crisis aversion was concerned at that point. Hurrying outside after me when I departed, my admiration for his navigation in murky waters knows no bounds.

We don’t all have to yell, scream, or even do what most expect of us when faced with historical and cultural dilemmas . The implications of unhappy people are merely mirrors . If Trent, Scott, or Lee don’t take care of you when you arrive, I suggest you switch your day around .

Wholeheartedly, An Ex Regular,...