9 messy seafood boils in Toronto and the GTA you need to try this summer, Canada Reviews

Seafood boil season is here, but honestly, you don’t even need a reason to roll up your sleeves and crack into some crab legs. The GTA is home to tons of restaurants serving up saucy seafood spreads loaded with everything from lobster tails to shrimp, mussels, crawfish, clams, corn and more! Whether you’re looking to build your own bag or share a full-on crab-and-crawfish spread with friends, here are some of the best seafood boil restaurants in and around Toronto to check out.

1. Robot Boil House

Robot Boil House is perfect if you have a huge appetite. Head over with a group and opt for the Seafood Party: it comes loaded with lobster, snow crab legs, shrimp, green shell mussels, clams and mixed vegetables. Dig into the Luxury Seafood Party, which adds king crab leg and lobster to the spread, or the Family Seafood Party, which goes all out with two lobsters, snow crab legs, black tiger shrimp, two kinds of mussels and head-on shrimp! There are also combo-style options if you want the boil plus extras, like seafood fried rice, baked mussels, golden calamari and crispy Cajun fries. 895 Yonge St, Toronto | 1500 Royal York Rd, #20, Etobicoke.

2. The Captain’s Boil

At The Captain’s Boil, you start by choosing your catch, then your flavour, heat level and a couple of tasty-messy add-ons! Choose from classic sauces like garlic, lemon pepper or Cajun, or go for the restaurant’s signature Captain’s Boil sauce, which combines all three. Heat levels range from non-spicy to fiery, with add-ons like corn, potato, steamed rice, boiled egg, okra, broccoli and sausage. If you’re with a group, The Pirate’s Feast and Captain’s Feast are even more loaded, with combos that include king crab leg, lobster and Dungeness crab. Both feasts can be rounded out with extras like fried rice, shrimp basket, calamari, Cajun fries, garlic bread and sides. 2655 Yonge St | 4505 Sheppard Ave E | 865 York Mills Rd.

3. Crab Boil

Crab Boil keeps things super straightforward: expect seafood coated in signature sauce and served with white rice, potatoes and corn. Make it a messy date night with the Mix Boil for two, which includes one lobster tail, two crab clusters, shrimp and mussels. If you head over with a group, order the Ocean’s Bounty, and you’ll get a pile of lobster tails, crab cluster, shrimp, mussels and calamari, all coated in sauce and served with rice, potatoes and corn! 2590 Weston Rd, North York | 714 Lakeshore Rd E, Mississauga.

4. Seau de Crabe

Seau de Crabe is all about seafood buckets, so perfect whether you go solo or with a group. For a mixed seafood order, the Ocean Bucket comes with crab, shrimp and mussels, while the Sea Feast Bucket adds lobster tail to shrimp and mussels. The Royal Sea Feast Bucket doubles up on the lobster tails, and throws in some shrimp and mussels coated in butter sauce with Seau de Crabe seasonings! There’s also the Seau De Crabe Special Bucket, which adds delicious sides like salads, rice, corn and potatoes. 885 Jane St.

5. Meet Sushi and Boil

Okay, so Meet Sushi and Boil may have sushi in the name, but the seafood boil section is a big part of its identity! The Seafood Party tray comes with lobster, snow crab legs, shrimp, mussels, clams and veggies, while the Premium Seafood Tray throws more snow crab legs and crawfish into the messy mix! Each comes with two sides, with choices like corn, potato, broccoli, okra or lotus root, as well as sauce options like the house blend, Cajun, lemon pepper, garlic butter or curry. Spice levels range from non-spicy to fiery. 3595 Sheppard Ave E.

6. Oyster Boy

Head to Oyster Boy’s for a more upscale seafood boil spread, and perhaps turn it into a date night. The restaurant’s Two Can Dine section includes a $150 Seafood Boil with one whole P.E.I. lobster, Alaskan Bairdi crab legs, black tiger shrimp, P.E.I. mussels and littleneck clams! Instead of a classic Cajun-style sauce, this boil is served with chimichurri, chilli garlic oil, tarragon and sage brown butter. 872 Queen St W.

7. Red Lobster

Yes, we’ve committed the cardinal sin of including a big-name seafood chain on the list, but Red Lobster has really levelled up its seafood boil options since introducing them as part of the brand’s turnaround efforts! The Sailor’s Seafood Boil is shrimp-heavy, with two dozen shrimp, smoked sausage, corn and red potatoes served in a hot shake-and-serve bag with your choice of flavour. If you want lobster and crab too, the Mariner’s Seafood Boil comes with a Maritime lobster tail, shrimp, snow crab legs, corn and red potatoes.

There are also family meal versions of both boils for takeout or delivery! The Sailor’s Seafood Boil Family Meal serves four to five with shrimp, smoked sausage, corn and red potatoes, while the Mariner’s Seafood Boil Family Meal adds Maritime lobster tails and snow crab legs to the spread. 20 Dundas St W | 3200 Dufferin Street/various locations.

8. Mermaid Boil

At Mermaid Boil, you can choose a 1lb, 2lb or 3lb boil, with the 1lb order including shrimp, calamari, mussel and one lobster tail, and the larger sizes doubling or tripling the seafood. Flavour choices include Lemon & Garlic, Mermaid Sauce (a Cajun and tajine sauce blend), or a fried option, although the fried version doesn’t include mussels. Each boil also comes with two sides, with options like salad, fries, brown rice, yellow rice or corn. 4700 Ridgeway Dr., Unit 73, Mississauga.

9.Lobster Boil Seafood House

If you’re willing to travel a bit further out of the city, Lobster Boil Seafood House is the way to go for a bucket-style seafood boil with lots of ways to customize! Start by picking a bucket, then choose your sauce and heat level. The Crack & Peel bucket comes loaded with shrimp, mussels, a lobster tail and snow crab cluster, all served with corn, potatoes and rice, while the Royal Bucket comes with crab cluster, shrimp and mussels. Sauce options include house mix butter, creamy coconut, Cajun butter, lemon pepper butter and plain butter, with heat levels from mild to fiery. 180 Steeles Ave. W., Unit 25, Thornhill.