Johnny’s Seafood, a Marrero mom-and-pop serving Cajun classics since 1960, has spent decades feeding Greater New Orleans. Now, that same family operation is bringing its West Bank tradition to Uptown, boiling over 10,000 pounds of crawfish each year for Crawfest at Tulane University, including this year on April 18.
Located off Laplaco Boulevard, Johnny Randazzo III runs the shop with his family and two employees, serving homestyle staples such as crawfish pies, hush puppies and chicken and sausage gumbo.
The old-fashioned West Bank eatery is open Tuesday through Saturday, seeing anywhere between 200 and 1,000 customers a day.
“It feels really good to be able to help different people when they come in and … to be able to be recognized,” Randazzo III said.
Johnny’s Seafood catered Crawfest for the first time in 2015.
“I submitted a bid, they accepted it, and within two weeks time I had to have more pots built [and] another trailer put together. [It was a] total rat race to get it all done, but we got it done, and we’ve been doing Crawfest ever since,” Randazzo III said.
Crawfest hits Newcomb Quad
Each year, a team of around 30 Tulane students works together to host one of the largest student-run events in the country.
“It takes a lot of work to put on the event that we do. It’s not for everyone,” senior Shyla Krishnappa, Crawfest executive director, said. “It’s definitely a grueling day of being there, but it’s really great when you’re with people who are really excited about what’s happening.”
Festivalgoers can anticipate 18 vendors this year, including fan-favorites including Raising Canes, Dat Dog and Ruby Slipper. Students can enjoy space on the newly-opened Newcomb Quad while listening to sounds from bands such as Dogpark, Jake Ewald and Laundry Day.
“The music part of Crawfest is one of my favorite things,” Krishnappa said. “I really hope that everyone has a great time and maybe gets to know some new music that they might not have heard before.”Gates for Crawfest open at 11 a.m., and students are encouraged to reserve their free tickets in advance.