-
A former pop-up that found a permanent home inside Au Lounge in downtown Oakland, Chef Smelly's draws on Creole family recipes to put out Cajun-spiced seafood and soul food. Garlicky Dungeness crab and blackened shrimp anchor the menu, and the platters run large enough to qualify as a commitment. The San Francisco Chronicle named it among the Bay Area's top seafood spots. Dress accordingly: this is crab-cracking, garlic-breath, no-apologies territory.
The awards strongest first
- San Francisco Chronicle Best seafood restaurants in the Bay Area
One number, weighted & current 65
How we scoreThe dishes from the writeups
-
Garlicky dungeness crab
“serves platters of garlicky Dungeness crab, Cajun-style blackened shrimp and well-spiced fried chicken”
San Francisco Chronicle -
Cajun-style blackened shrimp
“serves platters of garlicky Dungeness crab, Cajun-style blackened shrimp and well-spiced fried chicken”
San Francisco Chronicle -
Fried chicken
“serves platters of garlicky Dungeness crab, Cajun-style blackened shrimp and well-spiced fried chicken”
San Francisco Chronicle -
Couple's platter
“The Couple’s Platter (market price) comes with two Dungeness crabs tossed in butter sauce and a pound of blackened prawns atop a heap of garlic noodles.”
San Francisco Chronicle
Reviews
Sign in to write a review.
No reviews yet
Reviews never count toward the Eat Score.
The neighbors closest first
- Smelly’s Cajun & Creole Eat · 62
- Lovely’s American Eat · 77
- The Crown Eat · 81
- Tarts de Feybesse French Bakery Eat · 68
- Parche Eat · 69
- Friends and Family Drink · 87
- Mela Bistro Ethiopian Eat · 65
- Mama’s Boy Pizza Pizzeria Eat · 74
Something wrong with this entry? Tell us. Closed, moved, miscategorized: we want to know.