Everything you need to know. Seafood City Birmingham — booking, menu & dietary FAQ

A seafood boil is a communal cooking and dining tradition originating in Louisiana, USA's Deep South. Fresh seafood — typically lobster, king prawns, crab, mussels and clams — is cooked together in a large pot with bold spice blends, then served with sides like sweetcorn, potatoes and garlic bread. At Seafood City Birmingham, guests receive gloves and bibs to dig in with their hands, choosing from Garlic Butter, Louisiana Cajun, or Inferno Hot & Spicy sauce.

Seafood City is located at the Arcadian Centre, Birmingham, B5 4TD. We're on the upper level of the Arcadian, in the heart of Birmingham's Chinatown and entertainment district. New Street Station is an 8-minute walk away.

We are open Tuesday to Thursday from 12pm to 10pm, Friday and Saturday from 12pm to 11pm, and Sunday from 12pm to 10pm. We are closed on Mondays.

Seafood City is primarily a dine-in restaurant — the boil format is built around the table experience. Selected dishes are available via Deliveroo. Group takeaway platters can sometimes be arranged for collection — call us on 0 1 2 1  798 1425 to ask.

We add an optional 10% service charge to every bill. It is fully optional and is split between the team — front of house, kitchen and runners. You can ask your server to remove it at any time without question.

Our entry-level boil, The City, is £15.95. Signature combos start from £40 (Don't Be Shellfish, serves 1–2), £109 for No Being Crabby (serves 2–3, includes lobster tail and snow crab), and £179 for The Feast (serves 4+, includes 2 lobster tails, snow crab and 25 king prawns).

Yes. We have a full cocktail menu with 11 cocktails at £8.95 each, including Passionfruit Martini, Peach Mai Tai and Lychee Cooler. We also serve draught beers (Camden Hells, Bia Vietnam, Kopparberg), wines, prosecco, spirits and Build Your Gin at £8.95. For non-drinkers, we have a full mocktail menu at £5.95 and fresh lemonades from £4.50.

Seafood City Birmingham is halal-friendly. Every ingredient on our menu is halal-sourced and our kitchen contains no pork. We do not cook with alcohol — every dish on our menu is alcohol-free. Alcohol is served at the bar separately and is entirely optional. We have a full mocktail menu, fresh homemade lemonades and soft drinks for guests who do not drink, and we regularly host mixed groups of halal and non-halal diners.

Seafood City is halal-friendly rather than formally halal certified. All meat ingredients are sourced as halal and our kitchen does not stock or prepare pork. We do not cook with alcohol. The bar serves alcohol separately for guests who want it; for those who do not, the full mocktail menu, fresh lemonades and soft drinks cover every drink occasion.

No. Seafood City Birmingham does not use alcohol in any of its dishes. Every item on the menu is alcohol-free. Alcohol is served at the bar separately and is entirely optional. A full mocktail menu is available alongside the cocktails for guests who do not drink.

We offer three sauce options: Classic Garlic Butter (rich and aromatic), Our Signature Cajun (the Deep South spice blend, our chef's signature, most ordered), and Inferno Hot & Spicy (for those who want serious heat). You can also choose whether your seafood is boiled, grilled or fried.

Inferno is genuinely hot — built around scotch bonnet and habanero heat, well above a typical Cajun. If you regularly order extra-hot at curry houses, you'll be fine. If not, Our Signature Cajun is the better starting point. Both can be ordered milder on request.

Our menu is seafood-led so vegetarian and vegan choices are limited. Sides like fries, garlic bread, mac and cheese, stir-fry noodles, egg fried rice and salad are vegetarian-friendly. We don't currently offer dedicated vegan mains — please mention any dietary needs when you book and we'll do our best to accommodate.

Many of our seafood and side dishes can be made gluten-free on request — we'll skip the garlic bread, batter and breaded sides. The kitchen is not a fully gluten-free environment, so cross-contact is possible. Please tell your server when ordering and we'll guide you through safe choices.

Yes. We have a signature booth perfect for date nights (The Dirty Date package, from £65pp), your whole booking on a single table for groups of 6–15 (The City Boil package, from £55pp), and a semi-private platform section for up to 40 guests for larger celebrations (Full Send, from £2,000 minimum spend). To enquire, visit our Celebrations page or email hello@seafood-city.com.

Absolutely — hen parties are one of our specialities. We can arrange custom branded bibs (including "Bride’s Last Boil"), prosecco on arrival, cocktail pitchers, custom music and dedicated service for the group on our semi-private platform section. Get in touch via our Celebrations page.

Seafood City is one of Birmingham’s most popular date night destinations. Our exclusive Dirty Date package (from £65pp) includes a reserved booth, lobster and seafood for two, and a cocktail on arrival. The interactive dining experience — gloves, bibs, cracking lobster together — makes for a memorable and genuinely fun evening.

Seafood City is ideal for birthday celebrations. Our signature birthday ritual — a sparkler moment from our team, custom bibs, and a celebratory dessert — makes every birthday table memorable. We can accommodate groups from 2 up to 40 guests in our semi-private platform section.

We welcome walk-ins subject to availability, but booking ahead is strongly recommended, especially for Friday and Saturday evenings and for groups of 3 or more. You can book a table in under 30 seconds on our Book a Table page.

Yes. Children are welcome until 8pm and high chairs are available on request. The interactive nature of a seafood boil — gloves, bibs, cracking shells — makes it a popular family experience. We don't run a dedicated kids' menu, but smaller portions can be arranged.

Yes, the Arcadian Centre has on-site parking. There are also several NCP car parks within a 3-minute walk. Birmingham New Street is an 8-minute walk if you’re coming by train.

Yes. The Arcadian Centre has step-free access via the lift, and our restaurant on the upper level is fully wheelchair-accessible including the booth seating area. Accessible toilets are on the same floor.

Friday and Saturday evenings from 7pm onwards are our busiest service. For a quieter, more intimate experience, Tuesday to Thursday lunch or early evening (5–6:30pm) are the best windows. Sunday lunch is family-paced and rarely fully booked.

Seafood City is directly opposite the Hippodrome on the Arcadian Centre's upper level — a 1-minute walk. Pre-show and post-show bookings are common; let us know your show time and we'll pace your meal so you're not rushed. Walk-ins after a show are welcome subject to availability.

Something you don’t mind getting a bit saucy. We provide the bibs and gloves — but the Cajun sauce has its own ideas. It’s part of the experience. Embrace it.

Seafood City opened in June 2024 at the Arcadian Centre, Birmingham, as the city’s first dedicated Louisiana-style seafood boil restaurant. Founded by Oliver Ngo, who also founded Vietnamese Street Kitchen, the venue seats 99 inside with additional outdoor seating on the Arcadian terrace.

Seafood City is Birmingham’s original and longest-established seafood boil restaurant, having opened in June 2024 at the Arcadian Centre. We’re the only seafood boil restaurant in Birmingham city centre that serves a full cocktail menu alongside our Louisiana-inspired seafood boils.

Seafood City is a popular Eid choice in Birmingham — halal-friendly throughout, no pork in the kitchen, no alcohol used in cooking, and a celebratory communal format that suits family gatherings. We can accommodate groups from 2 up to 40 guests. Book ahead for both Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha as our weekend tables fill quickly.