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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.
One honor, in evidence:
The record 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 San Francisco Chronicle
- Cajun-style blackened shrimp San Francisco Chronicle
- Well-spiced fried chicken San Francisco Chronicle
Nearby in the record 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 NY-Style Pizza Eat · 74
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