The Captain's Boil - Ottawa

I 'm not usually much of a seafood person but when its drenched in butter and spices, y 'all can count me in. Captain 's Boil has been our go to spot as of late for some seafood craving fixes as they provide those aforementioned things for a reasonable price for Ottawa standards, anyway .<br/ <br/ From my understanding, the Elgin Street branch is the first franchise ? in Ottawa and is smaller than the one on Hunt Club. Still, the restaurant carries the same pirate theme as its sister branch. <br/ <br/ Not much to say about the food except you can never go wrong with butter and spices. We usually go for the 'Captain 's Boil ' flavour with medium heat and it 's delicious. Somehow the snow crab legs seemed more flavorful here compared to its sister branch but perhaps, it 's just a different batch. Either way, we really enjoyed it. <br/ <br/ Yes, the food comes in a bag but I feel like it helps keep the food warm and I really don 't mind it much. Not sure it 's super environmentally friendly but they say it 's bio degradable, etc. Not a huge concern for me; I 'm just here for the food. <br/ <br/ Service was a bit on the slow side but to be fair, it was one person serving a good 20+ people. He was doing his best coming to check on us once in a while and getting what we needed quickly and I appreciated it. <br/ <br/ Elgin Street 's currently a mess due to construction but if you don 't mind a little bit of trekking, I would recommend trying this place out.

My boyfriend had come here with his family and couldn’t stop raving about the food for weeks, so when he finally brought me along, my expectations were sky-high—and they were absolutely met. We ordered lobster and Cajun seafood fried rice. The server was incredibly helpful, providing all the gloves, bibs, and napkins we needed. The food arrived in a timely manner, and it was fantastic. Although it’s not lobster season right now, so ours was on the smaller side, it tasted amazing and was actually quite fun to crack open and eat. The fried rice was also delicious, although I found it a bit too oily for my taste. Our bill came to $60 before tip, which isn’t cheap but felt reasonable considering the lobster was around $40. Overall, I’m definitely coming back to try more dishes from their menu, and I highly recommend this place!

This was definitely an experience! The first thing you learn is that your meal will be served in a bag—no plates, and you eat with your hands. We weren't put off by that, so we went ahead and ordered. The food was impressive. I highly recommend the Captain's Boil sauce; it was fantastic! If you enjoy a bit of heat, the "fire" spice level is just right—not too spicy, but perfect. We tried crawfish, shrimp, and mussels, but the mussels were a bit overcooked. However, the shrimp were incredible—I’ll be dreaming about them until my next visit!

So thankful that this Toronto based venue has finally come to Ottawa! It's a sit down, eat with your bare hands (they supply plastic gloves so not exactly bare hands) experience. Pick a pound of seafood, pick the sauce that you want (I recommend cajun or the captain's boil sauce for those who are big on flavour be forewarned that the garlic in the captain's boil sauce and the regular garlic sauce is VERY garlicy and you will have the taste in your mouth for hours afterwards if you don't have access to copious amounts of listerine), and then pick your spice level (Don't be afraid to go for the triple chili spice level it's not as bad as they say! Faint of heart try a mild first and work your way up). My only qualm is that the staff are a little bit disorganized (our table didn't have a full set of gloves or napkins napkins are ESSENTIAL if you eat here) but they are otherwise very friendly. MUST try for seafood lovers in Ottawa.

If you're a fan of seafood and southern flavors, this restaurant is an absolute must-visit. It just opened a few weeks ago, and it’s already amazing! Be aware that it fills up quickly, so arriving early is a good idea. They only accept reservations for groups of six or more, so keep that in mind when planning your visit. The concept is fantastic and very much in line with traditional southern cuisine. Seafood is boiled with Cajun spices and served in a plastic bag. You eat straight from the bag while wearing plastic gloves, and the scraps go straight onto the paper tablecloth. It’s definitely not a fancy dining experience, but there’s something wonderfully liberating about indulging in a messy feast like royalty. If you’re looking for a delicious and fun taste of the south, be sure to check it out!