You don’t need to travel all the way to New Orleans in order to party for Mardi Gras. While Bostonians usually don’t go all out for the holiday like the folks down in the Big Easy, there’s still plenty of Fat Tuesday fun to be had in the city. Here are five ways to celebrate Mardi Gras around Boston on Feb. 13.
The Barking Crab
Fill up on New Orlean-style seafood at this Seaport restaurant on Tuesday. Guests will be able to feast on a Cajun crawfish jambalaya special ($27), which will be available for both lunch and dinner. The Barking Crab will also have a “Carnival Punch” drink special ($31), made with pineapple-infused vodka, pomegranate juice, lemon juice, ginger beer and topped with a lemon twist. Parties of two or more people will be able enjoy the N’awlins-themed fish bowl.
88 Sleeper St., Boston, barkingcrab.com
Beat Brasserie
Between 4 p.m. and midnight on Tuesday, guests will be able to enjoy Cajun cuisine and Mardi Gras cocktails, plus live music, at this celebration in Harvard Square. Beat Brasserie’s executive chef James Lyons has prepared a special a la carte menu that can be paired with New Orleans-style drinks made with Berkshire Mountain Distillers, such as the frozen mint julep, featuring whiskey and fresh mint leaves, or the “Cocktail à la Louisiane,” made with rye and absinthe.
13 Brattle St., Cambridge, beatbrasserie.com
Glass House
This Cambridge restaurant is bringing the magic of Bourbon Street to Kendall Square. Head to Glass House between 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. for all kinds of Fat Tuesday goodies, including the “Muffuletta Deviled Eggs, Shrimp + Grits,” made with shrimp étouffée and Geechie Boy mill grits, or the Cajun-style fish tacos, featuring pan-blackened catfish, remoulade and grilled corn salsa. Don’t forget to munch on beignets for dessert.
450 Kendall St., Cambridge, glasshousecambridge.com
South Street Diner
Celebrate Mardi Gras all day long at South Street Diner. Chow down on an all-you-can-eat jambalaya feast ($7), as well as plenty of other Lousiana-style grub like crawfish boils, alligator sausage, fried frog legs, king cake and more. The diner will also be handing out beads and serving up “Voodo Punch” cocktails ($9).
178 Kneeland St., Boston, southstreetdiner.com
Sweet Cheeks Q
From 5 p.m. to close, fill up on crawfish at this fan-favorite Fenway restaurant. Owner Tiffani Faison and executive chef Dan Raia are serving up a traditional boil ($40 per person) featuring fresh crawfish straight from Louisiana. The meal comes with gulf shrimp, andouille sausage, new potatoes and corn on the cob, plus seafood gumbo and king cake. Guests can also sip on hurricanes and Mardi Gras-inspired cocktails.
1381 Boylston St., Boston, sweetcheeksq.com
