9900 Greenback Lane, Folsom, 916-989-9243, crawdadsonthelake.com
crawdadsonthelake

Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. (Sunday-Wednesday); 11 a.m.-10 p.m. (Thursday-Saturday)

TRY THIS: Ahi Nachos, Bucket O’ Crawdads, Crispy Crab Cakes, Steak Sando, Cubano, Cajun Pasta, Jambalaya, Surf and Turf Skewers, Five-Layer Chocolate Cake  

DRINKS: Full bar; beer, wine, & cocktails

TAB: $$

HEADS-UP: Free shuttle service from Historic Folsom on Friday and Saturday from 4:30-10:30 p.m. (historicfolsom.org/shuttle-service); available for private parties; reservations accepted; valet parking offered on select days (when the lot is full); kids’ menu; happy hour (Monday-Thursday from 3-5 p.m.) includes discounts on select appetizers and drinks; regular live music (weekend afternoons and occasional weekend nights); sprawling patio with lake views; vegetarian and gluten-free options

Co-Owner Trevor Shults and Chef Brad Oliver

The newly renovated restaurant overlooking Lake Natoma (formerly the Cliff House) is a major upgrade to Folsom’s food scene. Injected with an open, modern meets industrial ambience, two righteous bars, a beautiful terrace overlooking the lake, and a full stage with live music, Crawdads on the Lake is bringing some seriously fun vibes to town. 

A Sunday afternoon seemed like an appropriate time to check it out, and my family clearly wasn’t alone in thinking so. The restaurant was packed—always a good sign in my book—and the live music just about to begin. We snagged an open table on the patio just as the afternoon light began to soften the iconic Folsom landscape, shrouding the Rainbow Bridge in soft yellow on a silky blue and orange backdrop.

Ahi Nachos

The band started playing, and we started eating—ordering the ahi nachos as an appetizer. The hefty portion of wonton chips—topped with avocado, red and green onions, slaw, sesame seeds, cilantro, chili flakes, a generous amount of ahi tuna, and sweet ponzu sauce—paired perfectly alongside the house margarita and a glass of chardonnay. 

Cajun Pasta

Food, as we all know, offers a portal into a microcosm of culture, fusions, innovation, and art; at the very least, it offers a glimpse into the minds of the chefs who create it and the people who devour it. Knowing so, we asked our waitress, Jordan, what the greatest hits have been since the restaurant’s debut. The answer she gave is the reason I bother asking. She said that, while not a popular dish amongst customers (yet), the staff favorite seems to be the Cajun pasta. “My husband requests it at every shift, it’s decadent and rich, filling enough for two, and has a tad of spice to add a punch to the plate. All the servers seem to take it home after their shifts.” With an answer like that, how could we NOT try it?

Surf and Turf Skewers

And she was right. The powerhouse plate was a delicious, velvety, hefty serving of linguini packed with shrimp, chicken, and sausage with a Cajun cream sauce. Sinfully delicious, indeed. No doubt this could be shared (along with an appetizer), and you would leave satisfied; in fact, I would recommend it. As the heartiness began to edge on overwhelming after basking in the first 10 beautiful bites, I was delighted with our second entrée: surf and turf skewers. 

In my daily life, I try to eat clean and simple, balancing whole foods and nutrient-dense options as much as possible. The skewers were something I would choose to make for myself on the daily. The hefty chunks of steak, served at a perfect medium rare, were on point; the shrimp was well done, not overcooked, and a nice salad drizzled with their house balsamic cut through all the richness of the pasta, offsetting the heavy cream with a fresh finish. Looking for some other popular picks? You can’t go wrong with the crowd-pleasing steak sando, jambalaya (another Cajun creation), or crispy crab cakes.

While the food was good and the cleverly named craft cocktails (Malibu Barbie, Sailor’s Mai Tai, and Dock of the Bay) strong, the atmosphere was incredible. Boasting a consistent offering of live music, an awesome staff, and arguably the best views in Folsom, there’s no doubt Crawdads will continue to be a community, and foodie, favorite. 

by Ryan Martinez  |  photos by JYO BHAMIDIPATI
Have you been to Crawdads on the Lake? Tell us about your experience by messaging us on Instagram (@stylemags), Facebook (@stylemediagroup), or emailing [email protected].