We got one of the new seafood boils from a Red Lobster in Columbus. Our review
The Lowcountry boil and all the amazing Cajun food that has come out of Louisiana is the world’s way of apologizing to its residents for the sweltering heat they have to deal with every summer.
Well, this summer, I tried the Sailor’s Seafood Boil from Red Lobster after seeing many videos about it on Instagram. Based on Columbus still having two Red Lobster locations, the restaurant must be fairly popular in the area.
The Sailor’s Seafood Boil features two dozen shrimp, smoked sausage, corn and red potatoes. The boil comes with the flavor options of roasted garlic butter, Cajun butter and Old Bay & Parmesan. And you can mix and match flavors.
I got my order with Cajun butter and Old Bay & Parmesan. It’s a cardinal sin to have a boil that doesn’t involve Old Bay seasoning.
I made the right decision. The Cajun butter and Old Bay combined in the shrimp to create a flavor that was spicy, salty, earthy, creamy and savory with a slight, sharp, cheesy flavor at the end from the Parmesan.
How spicy was it? Occasionally, I’d have to take a deep breath to deal with the heat, but it won’t cause any prolonged discomfort.
The shrimp was perfectly cooked without the rubbery texture from overcooking or the floppiness from undercooking. The sausage was super smoky in flavor with a slight saltiness. It absorbed the flavor from the Cajun butter and Old Bay phenomenally well.
The potatoes were nice and soft while still holding their form. They were the perfect vessel to sop up the butter at the bottom of the pan. The corn tasted exactly like corn should with additional flavor from the Cajun butter I layered atop each cob.
My arteries likely won’t thank me anytime soon, considering how much butter I consumed that day, but I’m not complaining. I’ll just go to the gym and pretend it cancels out.
Also, how could I not mention the famous Cheddar Bay Biscuits? The biscuits were soft and fluffy with that subtle cheesy flavor. Did I add some butter? I think everyone knows the answer to that.
The boil costs $27.99 without tip or tax, but please tip your server.
This story was originally published July 14, 2025 at 5:00 AM.