A popular Houston seafood destination called Ocean Crawfish & Grill will bring its buttery Vietnamese seafood boils to Richardson later this year.

The restaurant is set to make its debut in the coming months at 1610 E. Belt Line Rd., taking over a former Applebee’s. It’s part of a major revamp for the shopping center being redeveloped by Victory Group. Broker Cameron Mai, who represented both tenant and landlord in the deal, says the group is set to invest “millions of dollars” into the development, turning it into an “international dining and entertainment destination.”

Ocean Crawfish & Grill brings its signature Vietnamese-style seafood boils to the location, serving crustaceans like lobster, Dungeness crab, and, of course, crawfish. Fried shrimp, raw oysters, and other seafood staples are also on the menu, along with a selection of Vietnamese seafood dishes that are less common across Dallas-Fort Worth. Those include finger snails stir-fried with basil, garlicky grilled blood cockles, grilled oysters topped with scallion oil, and sweet snails in tamarind sauce.

It’s the first Dallas-Fort Worth location for Ocean Crawfish, which currently operates two outposts in the Houston area — the original in Houston’s Alief neighborhood, and a suburban outpost in Katy.

Mai notes that the Houston-based restaurant is a favorite of star jeweler Johnny Dang, the self-described “King of Jewelry,” who’s known for making blinged-out “grills” and other diamond-encrusted jewelry pieces for stars like rapper Paul Wall, Beyonce, and Dallas’ own Post Malone. In a photo posted to the restaurant’s Facebook page, Dang can be seen standing in the restaurant’s kitchen, holding a plate of massive king crab legs.

Johnny Dang is a fan of the restaurant.Photo via Facebook

In addition to the arrival of Ocean Crawfish, Hui Lau Shan, a popular Hong Kong dessert chain, will also open at the Richardson East development. The chain first made its DFW debut in Carrollton in 2024 and is known for its extensive menu of mango-centric desserts and drinks, ranging from boba tea to Hong Kong-style egg waffles stuffed with the tropical fruit. A third location is set to open near Fort Worth, in Haltom City, in February.

Ocean Crawfish & Grill hopes to open its doors in Richardson by May 2026, though that timeline is “still subject to construction and permitting schedule,” Mai says. Hui Lau Shan is targeting late spring or early summer for its Richardson debut.