The best restaurants Lake Charles

Try the local specialty, the crawfish pistolette, a fried crawfish fritter. Otherwise, don't miss the boudin balls, a fried boudin very typical of Lake Charles. There are several other specialties as well, such as po-boys, gumbo, rice and red bean platter or the captain's generous seafood platter. The stewed dishes are rather spicy. A restaurant where tourists and locals easily mix. There is a second location on South Martin Luther King, as well as one in DeRidder in the Crossroads area.

For more than 50 years, this fine Lake Charles restaurant has enjoyed an unparalleled reputation. Its Cajun cuisine often wins awards for best gumbo or best Cajun dish. In addition to the traditional cuisine of the region, Pat's also offers succulent grilled meats, seafood (and not just fried) and simpler dishes such as po-boys and burgers. After a long closure following Hurricane Laura in 2020, the restaurant finally reopened in 2022, much to the delight of locals.

Beauxdines' is known for its boiled seafood, which is usually available at 11:00 a.m. in season (unlike other restaurants that only offer it in the evening). But it is also known for its oysters, gourmet burgers (including options without beef but with oysters, shrimp or fish) and its typical specialties such as crawfish etouffee, chicken and sausage gumbo and blood sausage (whole or in balls). You should also try its potatoes stuffed with shredded pork or seafood.