There are meals you eat, and then there are meals you remember. The kind where the table is covered in newspaper, your sleeves are rolled up, and somewhere between the second and third pound of mudbugs you realize you haven’t checked your phone in an hour. That is exactly what happens at Caydon’s Crawfish & Catering in Texarkana, and if you have not made the trip yet, let me make the case right now.
Caydon’s has quietly built one of the most loyal followings in the Ark-Tex region, and for good reason. Tucked in on the Texas side of town, this is a no-pretense, full-flavor operation that takes its Louisiana-style boiled crawfish seriously. When crawfish season rolls around — typically running from late winter through early summer — the place is electric. Regulars line up early, coolers sometimes in tow, because Caydon’s does a brisk catering and carry-out business alongside its dine-in crowd. Word travels fast when the crawfish are running fresh and the seasoning is right, and at Caydon’s, the seasoning is always right.
The crawfish themselves are boiled to order in a rich, spiced broth that soaks all the way through to the tail meat. You get that satisfying combination of heat, garlic, and something deeply savory that only comes from doing it the traditional way. The suck-the-head crowd will feel completely at home here, and if you are new to the whole crawfish experience, the staff are genuinely happy to walk you through it without making you feel like a tourist. That kind of easy, welcoming hospitality is part of what makes Caydon’s feel more like a community gathering spot than just a seafood stop.
Beyond the crawfish, the menu covers the kind of Southern comfort territory that makes Texarkana dining so satisfying — boiled shrimp, corn on the cob, potatoes, and sides that round out a full spread without overthinking it. If you are coming with a group, and you really should come with a group, ordering by the pound makes the whole experience feel communal and celebratory in the best possible way.
Texarkana sits at a unique cultural crossroads where East Texas meets the Deep South, and nowhere does that feel more alive than at a table full of boiled crawfish with people who know how to enjoy them. Caydon’s captures that spirit completely. It is unpretentious, consistent, and genuinely delicious — the kind of local find that residents guard a little jealously because they do not want it to get too crowded.
My honest advice: check their social media before you go to confirm hours and crawfish availability, since seasonal operations can shift week to week. Go hungry. Bring friends. And plan to stay longer than you intended, because that is just what happens at Caydon’s.
