GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) — Claw Daddy’s announced Friday that it has purchased the former Blow Fly restaurant in Gulfport.
The restaurant was formerly Blow Fly Inn, then it became Blow Fly Bar and Grill when it was taken over by local business owner Jonathan Allen in 2023.
“I can’t thank Mr. Jonathan Allen enough for helping make this possible,” Claw Daddy’s said in a Facebook post, sharing a photo of owner Cameron Cuevas shaking hands with Allen. “This was an easy decision for us, and we can’t wait to bring our famous boiled seafood and Cajun flavor to the bayou!”
Claw Daddy’s promises to bring boiled seafood and boil bags, smash burgers, fried gator, shrimp and crawfish po’boys, cold beer, live bands, steak nights and more to Bayou Bernard.
“We’re hitting the ground running to get this place back open as quickly as possible,” Claw Daddy’s said. “A soft opening will be announced soon, and details for our 4th of July Celebration will be posted shortly! Here’s to the future! I couldn’t have done this without God, my amazing wife, and the incredible support of our customers, friends, and family.”
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[ Behind the Business: Claw Daddy’s ]
Located off Cowan Lorraine Road on Bayou Bernard, Blow Fly Inn opened in 1955 and became a staple of the Gulfport community. After it closed, Jonathan Allen purchased it in 2023 and reopened that February under the new name Blow Fly Bar and Grill. Allen announced the restaurant was closing in May 2026.
“I chose to try to resurrect it years ago and be the force for good I believed it needed to survive,” Allen said in a Facebook post. “But I am only human like those that have come before me. I wanted to believe it would turn around and the food and environment would be everlasting.”
[ Blow Fly Bar and Grill closing, effective immediately ]
Now, Claw Daddy’s will take over the location at 1201 Washington Avenue.
Claw Daddy’s current location is at 15261 Russell Boulevard in Gulfport. The restaurant has been at that location for over 30 years, started by Cameron Cuevas’s grandfather.
Now, years later, third-generation Cuevas is in charge and serving up the family’s signature seasoning recipe on not only the crawfish, but also the shrimp, crab legs, potatoes, corn and sausages.
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“So we cook with only our original seasoning. My grandfather came up with the recipe and, just like the pot in the back... My grandpa custom-built that pot just like our seasoning,” Cuevas told WLOX in 2024. “He custom-built our seasoning. You can’t get it at a grocery store. It’s only in-house here at Claw Daddy’s.”
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