Restaurant Roundup: Best Local Crab Boil Joints 

• Alex Springer

While the trend of crab-boil places opening up in Utah hasn't quite reached the peak velocity of fried chicken restaurants, it's been pretty hot nonetheless. Of course, we've had a few early trendsetters in the field, but how do these more recent joints stack up?

I've wondered this myself for some time, so I decided to crack each of them open to see what sets them apart. I wore several plastic lobster bibs and decimated buckets of shellfish for this report, so I hope it serves anyone curious about the crab boil concept well.

Before we get into the crab-boil ballers on this list, I feel I should throw out some general dining guidelines for those headed to get their boiled seafood on. When you arrive, you'll get a plastic bib and gloves. You'll very much want to use these items, because your food comes tossed in a bag, and then piled high on your table—yes, that's butcher paper instead of a table cloth—then you eat it all with your hands. For the most part, it's a tactile, fun experience that makes you feel like a mighty barbarian, but those who want to somehow look cool while eating are not going to be very comfortable here. Make sure you hit up these places with people you trust, and who are not above making a mess of their food.

Bucket O' Crawfish (1980 W. 3500 South, 801-419-0900, bucketocrawfish.com): This West Valley location was the first crab-boil spot on my radar. It's part of the Sapa Investment Group's restaurant portfolio, and we have them to thank for the high concentration of awesome restaurants on this stretch of 3500 South. Its concept is as simple and unassuming as its name: You come here for buckets of crawfish, and leave happy. Of course, they have plenty of other seafood options like shrimp, mussels and king crab that you can use to customize your bucket. Once you've got your foundation, you can add traditional fixins like noodles and hard-boiled eggs. It's also one of the only places I know where you can get smoked alligator sausage in your boil, which provides some true Southern charm to the menu. Come here for the most revered—and arguably most Southern—of the local crab-boil joints.

Hook and Reel (3403 S. Decker Lake Drive, 801-666-2888, hookreel.com): Just up the street from Bucket O' Crawfish is Hook and Reel, which is part of a national franchise. This spot expands the crab-boil concept slightly into pasta dishes and po' boy sandwiches, so it's not a bad option for those who have crab boil-averse folks in their dining party. The nice thing about Hook and Reel is that their non-crab boil items are really good, and more than just an afterthought; I really like their po' boys. This place also has a few summery signature cocktails on their menu to add to the seaside vibes that abound within. I also appreciated the tableside service here—when orders come in big ol' plastic bags, I was grateful for the fact that our server swished everything around and then carefully shuffled it out onto our plates for a nice presentation and easy access.

Cajun Boil Premium Buffet (618 E. 400 South, 385-252-6666, cajunboilbuffet.com): The crab boil circuit can be a pricy one, especially if you have a penchant for snow crab or lobster. If you want a place where you can get a whole lot of seafood at a decent flat rate, you should definitely check out Cajun Boil. Forty bucks unlocks an all-you-can-eat buffet stuffed to the gills with a wide variety of seafood. Now, I can understand that some people approach seafood buffets with a bit of skepticism, but Cajun Boil happens to be owned by the same team that operates OMBU Grill, which has locations all over Utah. As OMBU Grills are known for their high-quality buffet concepts, the transition to a seafood buffet seems pretty natural. This is a great spot for those after the crab boil experience and then some.

O Crab Cajun Seafood and Bar (7277 S. Plaza Center Drive, 801-739-8888, ocrabcajun.com): So when you think of a crab-boil place, you likely think of a strong, uber-kitschy nautical aesthetic. You get that at all the places on this list for sure, but I think O Crab Cajun Seafood Bar comes on the strongest—and I say that with all possible respect. I love a restaurant that has a bunch of random stuff all over the walls, and if you share an affection for campy gastropub vibes, you'll dig this place too. As this restaurant really leans into its sports bar foundations, you've got quite a lot of variety on the menu. Yes, it's mostly seafood based, but there are plenty of other pub options along with some tasty desserts; that lemon berry mascarpone cake is particularly delightful.

I'm continuing to refine this list of course, so hit me up if you've been to a crab boil joint that locals need to check out.