Crab Shack on the James

Seafood restaurant · Newport News

Crab Shack on the James

Seafood restaurant · Newport News

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7601 River Rd, Newport News, VA 23607

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Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null
Crab Shack on the James by null

Highlights

Fresh catches, burgers, & cocktails with beautiful James River views.  

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7601 River Rd, Newport News, VA 23607 Get directions

crabshackonjames.com

$$ · Menu

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7601 River Rd, Newport News, VA 23607 Get directions

+1 757 245 2722
crabshackonjames.com
crabshackonthejames

$$ · Menu

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outdoor seating

Last updated

Sep 7, 2025

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Casual waterfront seafood with sunset views by the fishing pier. A Newport News classic since the 1990s, it’s noted by Coastal Virginia Magazine and locals alike for steamed platters, crab cakes, and that unmatched river backdrop.

https://www.crabshackonjames.com/
Best Restaurants in Newport News (2025)
View Postcard for Crab Shack on the James

Bonnie Denton

Google
I got crab legs...my husband got shrimp cocktail and oyster dinner. Food was amazing, the crab was so sweet that I did not need butter. Trish our waitress was super. They gave us time to have conversation without rushing us. The place is extremely clean and I loved the decor.

lisa oakley

Google
Oyster Rockefeller was so flavorful! Crab dip was awesome and flavorful!! Would’ve liked to eat it with a different type of ‘bread’. She crab soup was ok. Not bad but not much flavor either. The service was great Our server Bree was friendly and efficient. The view was what you want at a seafood restaurant…looking out over the water in open air with a slight breeze and easy music playing❤️ we loved that! Parking was free and , at least when we went at 2:00 was plentiful.

Heather McDonald

Google
I enjoyed eating at Crab Shack. I got a Blueberry Mule, which was good. For food, I got the She Crab Soup and Soft shell crab in a sandwich with slaw as the side. The soup was allright. I feel that it was very underseasoned. I really enjoyed the soft shell crab. The slaw was not so good- it had what tasted like Marzettis slaw dressing as the dressing part, and that was just added to the top and not mixed in with the cabbage. My colleagues had shrimp, Crab dip, and a salmon sandwich, they all seemed to enjoy their meals. The service was great and I also enjoyed the view. I would visit again, but I wouldn't get slaw or the she crab soup again!

Ginny Rowe

Google
My dad and I love the crab shack. The food was great tonight! I tried the lavender lemonade and it’s good but I probably wouldn’t order it again honestly

Katerina Dahmen

Google
A+++ all around. Very clean. Bathrooms dinning area. Prompt service. We sat out side. Beautiful water view. We got crabcake sandwiches, fried Calamari, and a cocktail. Calamari was a little salty. Otherwise, everything was cooked to perfection.

Jessica Beam

Google
I would expect that a seafood place on the water would be better, but it might have been we came towards the end of the night. Waitress was friendly and attentive and the crabby colada is amazing. Sadly the rar oysters we ordered were warm, and the salmon was a bit overcooked. A lot of the food was fried, so if that's you're thing this is the place for you. I'd be willing to try again earlier in the day to see if it's better.

Mary Tibbs

Google
I was so disappointed in this meal. I have been looking forward to the chance to go to this restaurant for a while. After looking at the menu, we asked the server for suggestions, but she didn't have any. She wasn't personable or interested in sharing whatsoever. We were celebrating my birthday and were happy to splurge. We ordered oysters as an appetizer, and they were not good. The oil definitely was not fresh that the fried oysters were fried in. The crab dip was good, not served piping hot, but good nonetheless. The bread served with it was perfectly toasted, and the hot crab dip was perfectly seasoned. For dinner, I ordered the crab stuffed salmon. It was served with a baked potato. My salmon was served raw. It was weird. The top portion of the salmon was overcooked, yet the entire inside was raw with cold to luke warm crab and cracker mixture stuffed inside. Our server never came back to check on us after our food was delivered. Eventually, I walked to the bar where our server was and brought my raw fish along. She just looked at me as I explained I did not want to eat it. I also was not interested in eating the meal if they were going to broil the same platter and give it back to me. She took the platter and headed to the kitchen as I asked if I were able to have something else? I was still hungry and wished I had kept my baked potato, or maybe the meal came with hushpuppies, or the server came around and asked if we would like to order anything in the meantime. I did not receive my baked potato back when my new meal arrived. My husband's meal was cold by now as he was waiting for me to have a meal to eat before he enjoyed his supper. His salmon was also partly raw in the center. He brought the majority of his home and recooked it in the airfryer. My replacement dinner took 22 minutes to arrive from the time I walked my platter to our server. I ordered the broiled platter. She never came back in the meantime. We definitely would have ordered another round of orange crush if she had! I wanted to have a birthday dessert as well. But our server never came back to the table after she dropped off my dinner she brought the check and deserted us! The oyster Rockefeller and stuffed mushroom left a lot to be desired. The crab cake was one of my least favorite parts of the meal. It was mush. I like mine with a little crust and hot all the way through from the broiler. I am still so disappointed. We kept this place in our pocket for a nice night out to dinner, but I doubt we will return.

Mark Collins

Google
We arrived with another couple for dinner and cocktails. Chelsea was our server, and even though she was new, she took get care of us all meal long. Food to a bit longer than normal to come out, but we are assuming that it's St. Patrick's day staffing issues. The food was hot and delicious. The views are fantastic. Recommend the fried shrimp and fried oysters, which both were very lightly battered.
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nathan h.

Yelp
Absolutely love this place. Idk why it has the ratings it has. Maybe it's the outside cats that live there or the fact it's attacged to a fishing pier. Either way it's pretty cool. You get such amazing views of the sunset over the water and you get to see the fish and dolphins swimming around under the sun. Very great place to bring kids because you can walk around the outside looking at wildlife. Service is pretty standard. The wait staff is a little younger, so there were a few mishaps, but they make up for it. We went with a group of 8 and the young lady handled it well. We ordered the stuffed flounder, stuffed salmon, fried talapia, crab dip, soft shell crabs, tuna steak, and salads. No one had anything negative to say about the food. The taste was all there. Parking is available, but since they share with the pier, if you go for dinner and the pier is full you will have to park a little bit away but it's not an issue. I would 100% recommend this place if you want some fresh seafood.
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Shari J.

Yelp
I would rate this place a 0 if I could. They are rude and down right prejudice. This is not the first time that we've been there in the same experience from the waitress and the manager yesterday. We had reservations, was there early for reservations, waited 20 minutes after checking in and the waitress said she gave our table away in addition to seating others instead of putting up at a table, we asked to speak with the manager who claims she was in the back after we saw her in and out, did not know what was going on what we want her to do about it. Like really This was unacceptable. Our whole party just left and went across the bridge. I believe it was Dock on the Bay, which had excellent services and great food. Next time you headed Crabshack on the James, keep going right across the bridge, pass gas station restaurant is on your right.. Crab shack do better
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Katie K.

Yelp
I wanted to love this place. After living here for 9 years I finally made it for dinner tonight. Quick seating on deck, beautiful night, great views of the James. Restaurant was very quiet, maybe 8 tables filled. It took our waitress a solid 5 minutes to greet us and take our drink orders. These would be one and only drinks we had all meal, refills were never offered or brought, nor could we request as our waitress would just disappear. Started with the Shack Attack Shrimp. These were spicy but not overly so, and really good. This was the only part of our meal worth eating. I got the broiled seafood platter. It was disgusting. Severely overcooked and everything was coated in a mayonnaise type sauce that was baked on. Everything on the plate tasted the same. They added an oyster Rockefeller, which was not listed on the menu. It too was overcooked, but did at least have flavor. My husband got the fish sandwich. It was ok. Ok as in eh, it was fine but nothing to write about. It was a piece of fish on a bun. The fries were fresh and crispy. Would we go back? Truthfully, probably not. The service was terrible. The food was not amazing. The combination was a real turn off.
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Alicia M.

Yelp
Amazing view and great drinks on the water. Always a nice place to grab some appetizers and refreshing drinks as you gaze into the relaxing sunset. Service is prompt and efficient. Our server checked on us multiple times and we had a lovely time sipping and talking with our friends outside. The seating is solid wood benches, so it f you want a traditional table you would have to look indoors. But if you don't mind bench seats, then enjoy the bay breeze and fresh sea salt in the air. The hurricane drink was fantastic, sorry I didn't take a photo as I was too busy enjoying the view!
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Michaela S.

Yelp
So, true story - the Crabshack is one of the first restaurants I ever ate at 20 years ago when I moved here. Since then, I haven't been back much. It's one of those places that a few years goes by and I say, "I haven't been there in a while, it's a nice day and it would be cool to watch the sunset on the patio over the river!" And, then I try it again. And other than the sunset, it's a massive disappointment. On my recent visit, my friends and I ordered the crab dip, some oysters rockafeller, and the steamed shrimp special. The crab dip was bland and barely had any crab meat in it. The shrimp were over-steamed, so we struggled to get them out of the shells, and even when we could, they were terribly chewy. And then to top it off, the oysters had a ton of topping (which I guess some might like, but it totally overpowered the flavor of the oyster - you could barely taste it) AND I got not one, not two, but a THIRD hard piece of shell when I was trying to eat them. I should have quit after the first one, but I persisted and honestly, now I don't know if I'll ever eat stuffed oysters again. As if things couldn't get much worse, our waitress forgot half of what we asked her for, and we never got water refills although we asked several times. All that for a pretty hefty price tag when we got the check. I'm not kidding when I say McDonald's filet-o-fish might have been a better meal, and that's saying something since I haven't visited a McDonalds in years. My recommendation - come here for a cocktail and watch the sunset, then leave and eat dinner elsewhere.
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Caroline B.

Yelp
I LOVE CRABSHACK! been dying to come back to this place this year after trying the Crabmeat stuffed salmon last year. you can only get that here! it's AMAZING. and tasted even better this year!! highly recommend. 5 stars all around
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Nikole B.

Yelp
Have been here before. Love the decor and location on the water. Sunsets are beautiful and our waitress was fantastic. The host could have been better by greeting us instead of talking to another coworker. The food, as usual, was delicious. Definitely recommend the Cake and Fried Oysters.
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Jessica J.

Yelp
Our servers were amazing! Ashlyn and Madison attended to our every need, answered questions about the food and delivered everything hot! The food itself was SO good/ recommend the crab cakes- THE best crab cakes I have ever had. We had a large party of 14 and our food was brought out hot, drinks constantly refilled, and was a pleasant experience for everyone involved. 10/10 recommend. We ordered basically everything on the menu. I'm not sure what restaurant the other reviewers went to, but I'm glad we decided to go regardless! Great job all around.

Jacquelyn L.

Yelp
We are very fortunate to have The Crab Shack in Newport News . The soft shell crabs are legendary and the baked potatoes are irresistible especially when loaded up with butter and sour cream. The owner, Miss Nikki, is warm and friendly and makes her customers feel welcome and appreciated. Thank you for running such a top quality restaurant!
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Ashley B.

Yelp
Food was a 10/10. The steamed oysters were big and juicy, the crab legs were seasoned and not over steamed. The crab cake, baked potato and hush puppies were amazing. I got my crab cake broiled and they seasoned that as well. I sat on the deck and the view was very nice.
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Carolyn P.

Yelp
We've tried really hard to like your restaurant but your service should be the #1 priority and it's failed to do it! Your food is not the problem, the drinks are not the problem, Your Service Is. The views are amazing, but we can do that from the beach next door or pay to walk on the pier. My advice if you're reading this review and you've never been here is to ask first if you'll have at the least drink service before 35 minutes goes by! Highly recommend you check. Just a side note: We've been here 5 times. I think we're done!
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Biruk M.

Yelp
//5 stars for great location, great food and drinks; great customer service and great parking options //-1 stars for super sugary drink (crush menu) I went there close to sunset (best recommendation) as the sun sets about the restaurant. It is located right by the water which makes it more of a floating restaurant rather than on land. I loved the large glass windows overlooking the water. The interior is appropriately decorated for a sea food place. The parking lot has a lot of spots (by the beach) - amazing. I got the crab cake sandwich. Its served as an open sandwich with a top bun - that lets you pick the accoutrements based on what your likings. The baked crabcake was done right and it was seasoned perfectly for a sandwich. I do recommend that if you do not want to pick through shells for meat. I got a side of coleslaw but could not even finish it because the crab cake was so filling. They have options for starters but I did not order any because I was not sure of the serving size. However if you are in a big group, I recommend getting something from the menu - they all look delicious. Regards to drinks, I got one of the crushes - mango crush. It was super sweet for my liking. It felt like drinking one part water and 10 part syrup. However it was super delicious and had sufficient alcohol for the size. At the end of you drink, they have a gummy candy as garnish, which I can count as dessert - I liked that. Overall. I recommend this place as a seafood, especially if you wan to see the sunset by the water or just a casual visit for good seafood.

James P.

Yelp
Sea food was rancid. Spit it out immediately. The rest of my family didn't eat their food seeing my reaction. Don't go here for food. Drinks are over priced. Service is sub par. Fries arrived cold. Only good thing is location. I was worried in a Saturday night how empty it was. Now I know why.
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Michael D.

Yelp
We have been Crab Shack customers for many, many years often visiting there weekly. It's just not the same as it was years ago. Lately it's been hit and miss. Last night we visited and had a miserable dinner. Our waitress got busy with a large party and we felt sort of neglected waiting for service. Luckily another waitress helped us out some. There was a short black hair in my stuffed flounder and neither my wife or I have black hair. The baked potato was smaller than a tennis ball. The shrimp was WAY undercooked not pink at all and still translucent. I didn't eat anything that was questionable but my wife was a little riskier than me and she's paying for it. Between the service, black hair, baked potato, shrimp and being ill I think I am going to find another place for date night. Breakups are hard but sometimes necessary.
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Ayleen T.

Yelp
My husband and I really enjoyed this restaurant.. .. My fav was the calamari and my husband enjoyed the crab legs..

Eddie K.

Yelp
Food,portions, and service very very horrible plz do not go here and waste your time and money

Roger H.

Yelp
AVOID at all cost!!! We waited 15 mins and after we spoke with waitress she returned to a different table that came in after us. We never saw our waitress! ALSO the mens toilet was overflowing. Disgusting. When I approached a waitress at their station as we were leaving, the response was a sarcastic Okayyyyy For a first time visit they insured we will never waste our time returning! OKAYYYYYY
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Brenda H.

Yelp
5 stars just for the view but getting here was tricky. The street signs are different names if turning left it is River Road or turning right it is Riverpark Drive. You need to turn right into the Huntington Park on Riverpark drive or you will end up like we did and cross the James River Drawbridge and have to turn around. As for the food, clams don't bother, and the oysters were small but good and fresh. The flounder stuffed with crab was excellent. Downside was we were seated next to the patio door and every time it was opened we got a cold gust of wind and napkins flew off the table. Brrr. But go for the view and stay for the flounder and oysters.

Mary B.

Yelp
The view is beautiful. Service is a 10 but the food left me hungry and dissatisfied. Ordered the fried shrimp dinner which was a big disappointment and reminded me immediately that I had ordered it before and was equally disappointed then as well. Aside from the shrimp size being very small it was not cleaned at all, parts of the back black vein was friend into the sides of the shrimp or not removed at all. I prefer my shrimp cleaned and for the price it should have been. Also, almost no batter, and it smelled very fishy. No I didn't complain our waitress was so nice I enjoyed everything else served and called it a night.

Wendi

Yelp
No service. People seated after us got served before us. We walked out after 20 mins of waiting.

Kathryn R.

Yelp
Food is always amazing. The service from Kyra was HORRIBLE! Slow doesn't even begin to describe the service we received tonight. Took more than 10 to get our drink order taken. Said she would be right back to take our orders and that a another 15 minutes. Asked for ice for Mr tea and she noticed had no ice and that never came. Totally disappointing experience.
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Kenneth A.

Yelp
The Crab Shack has been around a long time but this was my first visit. Situated on the river at the East end of the James River Bridge at dock level the setting is nice with great views of the river. We actually saw dolphins during our lunch. The shack has both indoor and screened outdoor seating, fairly casual ( as the name suggests) and a friendly atmosphere. Ours was a Summer visit and the indoor/outdoor seating allowed for flies buzzing our indoor table. The food was good. I had the burger with crabmeat. By itself it was good but adding the condiment normally served with the grilled tuna ( a spicy aioli mayo ) made it much better.
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Melody T.

Yelp
I hate giving bad reviews to family owned businesses, but this is more of a PSA. I got very I'll from my lunch of fried shrimp, oysters, and she crab soup special. And I didn't need to eat much for it to happen. The food over all pretty bad. The she crab soup still had a raw flour taste, sour, and absolutely no crab. The oysters seemed undercooked and slimy under the breading. The shrimp was small and tasted weird. The location is beautiful and the service is excellent but they need someone to manage that kitchen and what comes out of it,
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Sally S.

Yelp
Oysters were bad... spoiled. All other food mid. Will not return. Expected much better food. Not homemade; drinks ok but food needs improvement. I hope we do not get sick from the oysters!!!!!!!!
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Angie A.

Yelp
It is ok. It is great for eating on the water and watching the James River. The food was ok. My husband said his fish was not great this time and they messed up our order but quickly remedied it. The location can be a little tricky to get to if you are not familiar with it, but once you figure it out it is all good. The atmosphere is what you would expect at a crab shack on the river.
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Henry P.

Yelp
So this was the first time here at Crab shack on the James. We received great service from Makayla. She gave great recommendations, so I got the Hurricane and Soft shell crab cake dinner with hush puppies and baked potato fully loaded.

Neena M.

Yelp
Had the salmon on salad and it was delicious. The waitress was lovely. Would definitely eat here again.
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Dena S.

Yelp
I think that the crab cake sandwich was bland. It was recommended,fried. Fries were good...not crispy. I believe the outside would be great if you dine in. I just did a pick up.
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Steve M.

Yelp
She crab soup is terrible. Thick tomato soup with some sort of flavor added. If there is crab in it, there not much. Also had the oysters. Small and not very meaty.
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Meg B.

Yelp
If 0 stars was an option that is what I would give Crab Shack on the James. My husband and I enjoyed the view but the food was absolutely terrible, followed by a horrendous experience with the "manager". First we ordered Calamari, which was basic but ok. My husband had the Shecrab soup, which kept its shape when picked up with a fork (because the spoon we requested never arrived). Needless to say it was inedible. For our entrees we each had Flouder stuffed with crab, french fries and cole slaw. The fish was a mushy mess, and the cole slaw was weird and warm. After eating a small portion we decided to leave and the servicer suggested speaking to the manager as we were unhappy. The manager adamantly said we ate too much food and refused to offer any type of discount (see photo). She also threatened to call the police because we expressed that we were unhappy paying the full bill for the truly disgusting food. Our bill was $118 for our food plus 2 beers and 2 rum runners. We ended up unhappily paying as we had our baby with us and just wanted to leave. I would not recommend this restaurant to my worst enemy. The pretty location is not worth the poor food and the even poorer management. I let her know I would be leaving a review based on our experience and I keep my promises.
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kajuana c.

Yelp
A lovely hot spring day...perfect to grab lunch on the water. I always see this place when going across the James River Bridge in VA and I finally stopped by. I ordered a blackened salmon on greens and a mimosa. My mimosa was odd as it was served with ice (not sure what to think of that) but my salmon was delicious and they did not skip on the portion . The prices were very reasonable in my opinion, for seafood, so no complaints there and the location was simply beautiful . If you are like me and often say to yourself "I should stop by there one day"... do it!! I can't wait to go back with my foodie friends to get there opinion, as I usually order light. I give it 4 stars from my perspective but would love to try more food from the menu for a better review...I will update once I visit again. Pick a beautiful day and go have lunch on the water
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Naomi A.

Yelp
Absolutely delish food. Generous portions. Beautiful atmosphere right along the James River. Warm and welcoming staff. I highly recommend this wonderful establishment!!
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Nicole C.

Yelp
Let's start on a high note. The view at sunset is amazing. The waitress was great even during a rush. The drinks were pretty and delish.. not very strong but ok. Now to the low note.... The food was so so bland. We started with the crap dip... it was mostly cheese and tasted like tuna salad. Yikes. Did not have 1 bite of crab during the appetizer. I ordered the crab cake dinner it came with a side salad and I chose a baked potato as the side. There is a very very small list of sides to choose from. Y'all.... Why in the world was there large pieces of celery in my crab cake.. and small pieces of tomato. What??? Why? This isn't stuffing... besides that there was a lot of unseasoned crab. My friend had the fried seafood platter. Oysters tasted like peanuts, shrimp tasted like it had been previously grilled or frozen. I didn't try the fish or hush puppies and I don't think she did either. Very underwhelming. A complete lack of seasoning throughout every dish.

Don M.

Yelp
I've known the owners over 20 years and always enjoy my visits there. soft shells, oysters, salmon and tuna are always wonderful!
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Michael T.

Yelp
I had high expectations for this restaurant but was unfortunately disappointed. First, let me say that it is a beautiful restaurant in a unique location on the James River. Do yourself a favor and choose the outdoor seating. I ordered the fish sandwich with french fries. My friend ordered the broiled seafood platter. I'll say first that her order was delicious as I had some of it. For my order however, I cannot say that. One of my chief complaints of many restaurants is that the food is not served sufficiently hot. This was the case with mine. The fish was only lukewarm and the french fries were also only lukewarm and did not seem to be fresh. The portions were excellent but the quality was lacking. I was later told by the waitress that they normally use flounder but today they had used tilapia. There really is no excuse for the food to not be hot. My friend's dish was hot and delicious. Additionally, the bun appeared to be stale and unappealing. I will say however that the waitress was excellent and more than made up for it by taking my dish off my tab, and providing some hush puppies in place of the dish. I just wish that that had not been necessary. I'm hoping this was only an off day for the cook. I plan on being back again because of the great views and the excellent staff.

Alvin P.

Yelp
Garbage, totally trash. Bad service and terrible food. This place is not customer friendly and nor is the food.

Stephanie

Yelp
I don't usually complain but my friend and I have been wanting to try this place for a very long time and finally got a chance to come by today and we were very disappointed!! first off we ordered crab dip which might as well have been cheese dip because where was the crab meat! then I ordered the crabshack chicken sandwich and my friend ordered the crabshack burger med well. when we got the food there was burger blood on the bun and once again where was the crab meat. we said something to the server and she brought us a new bun a some more crabmeat. we'll that's not the end of our horrible experience. I bit into the chicken and it was raw along with the bacon. then my friend looked at her water glass and there was lip stick stains all over the rim!!! neither of us wear lipstick. this was a huge disappointment to the both of us and after today's experience I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone!!

Lynn T.

Yelp
Service was horrible. Staff was unpleasant and accused my family of walking out of their restaurant without paying. No one to greet coming in and no sign to wait. Proceeded to go to a table and helper was trying to clean the table but was so distraut that she didn't understand I wanted to sit at this table and would wait for her to finish cleaning. Well she didn't clean the table . Had to redo. Oder was taken at 12:50 and we waited, waited and still no food for forty -five minutes. So we kindly removed ourselves from the restaurant when guess manager came out and accused us of eating and leaving their establishment. We told her we didn't received any food and we waited over the ample time limit. My husband told her to take a picture of the license plates and we will see you in court. We left. No rating was left because this establishment was wrong, wrong and wrong. Also did I mention that might have been racial profiling at the start. Felt that way. I will make sure family and friends stay away. Will not waste my time.
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Alicia H.

Yelp
I recently went here with a group of coworkers. We had the calamari, crab dip and oysters for appetizers. They were all delicious, the calamari was my favorite. Several of us had the soft shell crab sandwich for our meals and it was so good!!! A couple of people had the tuna steak sandwich and that looked amazing!

Bob G.

Yelp
Got side salad, did not enjoy it personally, tasted like grass, Ordered blacked tuna bites, they were great, Seafood Platter (26$) shrimp was bad, crab good, flounder was bad (they try to serve you Tilapia, but can be switched for flounder), crab stuffed mushrooms had a strong earthy mushroom taste, off putting and not very good. As I write, and the more we think about it, we believe we were likely served Tilapia. It had darker looking meat and a nasty flavor. Server "Amelia" was adequate at severing. She was curt with the way she handled our displeasure with the food. She vaguely offered to do something then said "Looks like y'all ate most of it". She resigned that we ate too much of the meal, and nothing could be done for us despite us using napkins to spit out food. We payed and left. One and done.

Jimmy K.

Yelp
The service was very good. We ordered the lunch specials. I got the shrimp and oysters which was good but I wish there had been more oysters and shrimp. My wife had the fish and chips and the fish was too dried out. All in all I would go back, mainly since it has a great view of the James River.
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Sean T.

Yelp
Good for sure, not great. Pros: location - pier - location Meh: service on two of three of our occasions Cons: pretty long wait for just about anything Overall my experience was good enough for a return, since I love the atmosphere and the service was pretty good. My parents are review isn't of the services it was the food. Perhaps they rely on a touristy location and thus, cooks become a little more lack luster OR they don't really care, since the prime people who come here are tourists, fishers (from the pier) or beachgoers looking for a watering hole
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Eduardo S.

Yelp
Although the service was great, thus 2 stars, the food with lousy! We started out with the crab app. that was nothing but melted cheese wiz that only had one tiny piece of crab in the bowl, for $13.50! I then had the fish sandwich that was bland as all hades, fries and coleslaw that was nothing but bagged coleslaw with the dressing spooned on top, not even mixed in!!!
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Izzie H.

Yelp
Crabshack lacked in taste. The fried fish was under cooked. The fried oysters seems bleh. I wish they made their baked potatoes loaded instead of just butter. I think the only good thing was the French fries and the shrimp popper. Customer service wasn't the greatest either.

Deb B.

Yelp
I do not usually add reviews and in most part give the restaurants the benefit of the doubt. Not in this case. I called ahead on sat at 545pm to put our name on the list. The hostess said don't come, we are too busy. so I said,oh are you booked? No reservations"? she just said we are too busy for you. we were on our way and I asked if we are a walk in will we be seated and she said yes. we arrived a few minutes after 6pm and sat by 603pm. After 30 minutes we asked if we had a waiter and could we get water. 15 minutes later we had a waitress and we ordered drinks and appetizers and asked for water. Timer was on, 22 minutes later we had drinks and we ordered our dinner. it was 1:40 minutes before we got our dinner. most of the other tables around us who had different wait staff had already eaten and left. I spoke with a manager. When she came to the table there was no explanation or apology. She took $15 of a $225 bill when an apology at that point would have been better.
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Jordan D.

Yelp
you definitely come for the view and not the food. i ordered the crab dip and blackened chicken salad. The dip itself was warm and flavorful, but it was paired with simple white bread. The spring mix of the salad was also disappointing, containing mostly iceberg lettuce and a few pieces of blackened chicken thrown on top. The preparation of the food came off as low effort and cheap, but the prices are still high. The water really is beautiful, but i suggest skipping the restaurant and going to the beach next door.
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Shane C.

Yelp
Great food and setting right on the James River. The steak fish sandwich was huge. I had the crab cake sandwich with fries. There was seating available outside and inside at your choice. Good service. They did not have brewed sweet tea. This is one of a few restaurants that don't have it in the area.
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Derek H.

Yelp
Great service. Great view. Decent food. Lots of options. My group had a nice time there.

Tracey M.

Yelp
Very bad service waitress threw my to go food in trash when I went to the bathroom owner didn't comp anything and I spent over 200 dollars . She was very rude and nasty do not eat here management is terrible. The food is not worth the money.