When your dining partner slurps the fat out of a crawfish head and offers you the delectable tail meat, it might be love at first bite.Ĭontact: 740 S.
My advice? Lose the gloves, leave your self-consciousness behind and dig right in. The closest thing to a sweet ending is the addictive corn fritters ($5.95), battered and fried puffs of sweet corn in a creamy, sugary sauce. Hot N Juicy Crawfish Phoenix 740 S Mill Ave, 185, Tempe, AZ 85281. (The “extra spicy” will probably melt the plastic gloves provided by the restaurant.)ĭesserts are conspicuously absent. They’re worth adding for 60-75 cents apiece, if only to mitigate spice levels. Corn and potatoes serve mainly as sauce sponges. Chicken wings and tenders are also offered ($9.99/$8.50), but the flavorless fried fowl can’t compete with the spicy-sweet crawfish or tender shrimp. The same batter bathes HNJ’s catfish basket ($10.99), yet the flaky freshwater fish sinks in such a heavy coat. Jumbo butterflied shrimp ($10.99) are rolled in cornmeal batter and lightly fried for a crisp starter that pairs well with starchy sweet potato fries. It wouldn’t be Southern fare without fried… well, everything. The brothy Louisiana style is good for beginners, and lemon pepper wows with a zesty citrus complement to the Cajun spices. Of the five seasonings, Hot N Juicy’s namesake claimed the top spot with its mouth-puckering sweet-heat tango. As seen on Travel Channel's, Man V Food, and Cooking Channel's, Unique Eats Get down n' dirty with Hot N' Juicy's. The only disappointment was overcooked lobster, which suffered from what one dining companion dubbed “rubbery tail syndrome.” Its claws proved more supple, flooding our plastic-coated table with briny seawater after being flayed open. 233,506 likes 48 talking about this 2,878 were here. Head-on shrimp are sweet and fresh, and clams surprise with a tenderness that doesn’t require teeth-gnashing. Tucked into buttery étouffée ($7.99), the tiny tails add brightness to a base of mirepoix and buttery blonde roux. HNJ’s signature crawfish is as refreshing as a Louisiana sunrise. But beyond the suspiciously attractive service staff and bare-hands lobster removal, Hot N Juicy dishes up fine Louisiana-style seafood.Īround a dozen types of market-price boiled crustaceans and mollusks are available, with five choose-your-own-heat sauces for flavor. As with many Vegas imports, the scene is a bit gimmicky. The original Las Vegas Hot N Juicy was founded by Dallas natives Tim Nguyen and Laina Vo, who turned their passion for seafood into a mini-empire lauded by Man v. Sea critters are served whole, eyes and all. Tables are covered in white plastic, utensils are nonexistent and bibs are provided to ensure Mill Avenue diners don’t dribble onto their Sun Devil T-shirts. Hot N Juicy is either the best place in metro Phoenix to take a first date – or the worst. Vegas import deals a winning hand with fresh Cajun seafood and down ‘n’ dirty dining.