HAPPY CRAB BUFFET

We were disappointed, came on opening weekend for the all you can eat menu. We came on Sunday, paid the premium price for the singular reason the "premium weekend menu" listed Dungeness crab as the first premium item offered on the weekend. We found one dish we think may have had pieces of Dungeness soaked in sauces, but the only crab type boil offering was snow crab. The snow crab was ok some salty some tasted good, but it wasn't Dungeness. Plus, the demand seemed to overwhelm the poor staff, there was always a major wait to get the snow crab. I preferred the cook to order menu they use to have, and they offered alcohol back then too. If they would have offered all you can eat boiled Dungeness crab I could forgo alcohol and would've been back often, but the way it is now, my friends and I doubt will go back. Edited... thank you for the response. We will give it a few weeks and try again. Good luck! Like I said if there is plain boiled Dungeness included in the premium weekend price, like the menu reflects, you'll be seeing us again!

There were plenty of seats available when we were there on Friday, October 1, 2025. I ordered the fried catfish and was disappointed. It just didn't have much flavor. My partner ordered jambalaya, and although there was an incredible amount of rice, he said it was tasty and only $10. They have a cocktail menu, but not a true bar, so the cocktails are probably from a can. It's a cute place, with a robot waiter and one server helping all the tables. There is a small parking lot that could fill up if it is crowded, but also street parking.

We just came back from here , I decided to spoil myself and my girlfriend for dinner. We arrived near opening around 3:50ish (they opened at 3:30) didn’t feel a need to make a reservation and as we were seated the waiter was nice and attentive . Shortly after getting our beverages the food came out to our astonishment because we’d thought it would take awhile longer, having ate at other boil places. This was served on a platter that appeared to be covered in garlic and oil . After a few moments of eating we’ve came to realize this was not flavorful to which we came to two conclusions as to why : 1. This was cooked separate and the sauce/boil was just poured over , 2: this was cooked prior on demand and was just placed in the boil of choice when asked (hence the over cook) we found the crab crawfish and mussels overcooked to a chew and the corn saturated in oil . We had asked for two eggs to be added in the end and somehow the eggs were overcooked (seen in photo) . Overall everything had no flavor outside the sea , I had high hopes and when I asked the waiter if she could be honest , “was this made fresh today?” She told me she doesn’t speak good English , as to which I decided to just pay and leave . I do not recommend this place to be your choice of dining . We’ve had many more hit the flavor palette you’d seek . For the price I expected better.

I've been to this location 2x before it was a buffet and i really loved the prices and food. It wasn't the highest quality but it was delicious and affordable especially the seafood boil. I went to eat here tonight with my family as i was excited to see the new updated version and try the all you can eat buffet! Unfortunately we did not have the best experience. The seafood seemed very overcooked and flavorless. I did not have a chance to try the Asian foods as we where ready to go. On a lighter note We enjoyed the service from staff, the place was clean and really cute, the drink selections where very nice also the manager was extremely kind and helpful. Overall, I think they just need a little time to make some adjustments. This place has potential to be very good. Just needs a little work!

Had such a great experience at Happy Crab! The seafood was super fresh, flavorful, and came out steaming hot. The staff were really sweet and checked on us often without being overbearing. Portions were generous, the seasoning was perfect, and the place had a fun, laid-back vibe. Definitely coming back for another seafood boil night!

What I thought was going to be a typical Seafood Boil, wasn't. For what was served, the price was too high. The food was barely warm. My friend had snow crab added to her plate, for $20 more. It wasn't clean and it did not have all the legs. The Greeter/server/manager, tried to comvince her that she wasn't seeing green crab crap! She also tried to make her pay full price for her uneaten food.

The restaurant is beautiful! They definitely put in a lot of work to change the atmosphere. I appreciate the insulated bag the food was place in. However for $80 the crawfish house in West Seattle is better. The portion size on the $19 happy noodles was extremely small. Also the seafood inside the noodles was chopped up leaving you to pick through to find it. Mostly noodles and red onion. The paper bags the food was placed in made it soggy. Lastly asked for fish to be crispy when broken open raw batter still on the inside. Everyone agreed the best thing was the chicken nuggets ordered. Menu needs to be consistent. Menu in restaurant, online and kiosk inside display different portion sizes.

I went to Happy Crab Buffet yesterday and overall had a good experience, especially when it comes to customer service. The staff was very friendly, attentive, and made sure we were taken care of the entire time. The food itself was okay. The seafood boil is served flat on a plate (face-style), which in my experience isn’t ideal — I personally think bowls would make a big difference. That said, some of the other food options available were actually better than the seafood boil, in my opinion. I don’t mean to downplay this place at all because the service truly was amazing. However, for the price point, it didn’t quite feel worth it to me. Paying around $40 just for the dinner buffet and then an additional $15+ for a single cluster of crab legs or lobster felt a bit steep for what you get. Overall, great customer service and friendly staff — I just wish the value and seafood setup matched the price a little more.

I ordered a shrimp boil house boil to go with shrimp potato and corn. It's definitely good seafood boil, I'd comeback and order again. With that said it wasnt the best I've had before. Could use a more flavorful sauce as well as a different type of sausage or just thicker sliced. So 4 stars for me. Still would recommend tho. They do include a cute bag that keeps the food hot on the way home.

This was such a nice surprise. We were around and looking for something to try. We got stocked because train stopped so we had to go all the way so we could cross. We made it at the end :) Easy to park as yhe have their own lot. Pretty big space. I don't know if it was early but it was just a couple of tables. Staff was helpful and friendly. They took our order and came back fast. It liked that they add more flavour and spices to the combo than in other places in Seattle. It was a nice difference. Their clam chowder was pretty good too. I wouldn't have guess this would be such a nice visit. I will definitely try them again :) little ones liked their lobsters dolls at the entrance.

No wait when I visited. Service was friendly and attentive without being overbearing. They have robot waiters which is wild to me. The food is REALLY delicious. I enjoyed my meal and will visit again if I am ever in the area!

This is the second time we've been here, the first was during their soft opening so we gave them a pass. However, they've been open for a number of months and quite frankly it simply is not worth the money. We were seated immediately and brought waters. The gentleman came back to get our drink order and then asked if we were ready to order. We were not so he left and literally never came back. Finally one of the other servers came and asked if everything was ok and she took our order. We ordered one of the combos which came with shrimp, a piece of lobster, snow crab, sausage, very overdone corn on the cob and a couple of potatoes. The sauce was supposed to be garlic butter, didn't taste like that. In the middle of the seafood was a huge piece of what they said was house made noodle. Which would have been find but it was this enormous piece that needed to be cut in order to eat it and the only eating utensil was a plastic fork. When you pay that much you should get real silver ware. We also ordered a sweet and sour cucumber salad which was good and asked for a side of garlic bread which was soggy in the middle and didn't taste much like garlic. They do give you bibs, which I advise you to use, and a towel to wipe the grease at the end. However, the food just wasn't all that great and we figure two times was all we were going to give them.

I am so glad this restaurant has opened!!! We now have a place to get crawfish in Auburn!! Ok, with that being said, everything was just ok. The service was quick and efficient with their hand held ordering device and a little robot that follows the servers around delivering food and drinks. Restaurant was very clean. Food was reasonably priced. They charge for an extra side of sauce ($12 for an 8oz container). The timeliness of our food coming out to our table was horrendously long. We ordered 2 fry baskets (chicken tender and chicken nuggets) and 1lb of crawfish. It took over 45 minutes. At least everything came out hot. We might consider coming back just for convenience.

Great food at what you would expect to pay for this quality of food. Good sized portions clean, restaurant

Establishment clean, roomy, and has a nice big screen tv .Wait wasn't long at all and our server was very nice. I was digging the Hawaiian jams adding to the coastal look of the interior. We ordered Calimari, gumbo, the basic combo w/ cajun seasoning. Gumbo had an assortment of seafood. A pretty big bowl. I wonder what the jambalaya is like...its only $10. The basic combo was filled w/ mussels, shrimp, sausage, corn and potato. Menu says it feeds 1 but I think it can feed two. Good price for the amount you get. I would say the cajun sauce is good but Im still a fan of Captain Crab. I feel like the flavors are not infused into to the shrimp. Overall I would come back here again.

Came here for dinner with some friends. Clean place with friendly staff. I ordered Cajun Fries and a pound of green mussels in the House Sauce - Mala at extra hot spice level, and added the Fresh Hand-Pulled Noodles. Their Cajun Fries tasted just like the frozen bag of curly fries you get at the grocery store. Didn't have any cajun flavor. I would have liked it if it was hot, if not, at least warm. Our food all came at different times. Some food came out hot, some warm, and some neither. My mussels in the House Sauce was decent, but it wasn't spicy for being extra hot. And I liked the hand-pulled noodles in it. I felt like they did give a good amount of potatoes and sausages, if you like those little sides.

We returned with my son's family. We were able to access the full menu. Services was good. One tip to find a better solutions with refilling the water. Taking the glass and returning it seems unsanitary. It's a new place which is starting to build its place in Auburn. The house sauce I recommend is the Cajun seasoning. It has a kick so choose your spice level carefully. Affordable pricing per pound. I would also like to see them add scallops to the boiled choices. Until next time...

Their snow crab in their medium spicy sauce was super flavor and great value at $19. Add the sausage noodles and they complimented great. Not many people inside. Remodeled and clean but could definitely benefit from some good word of mouth.

Cute place. Very clean. Nice music. Unfortunately they didn't have clam chowder ready 1.5 hours after they opened and our food had cold spots. Also, for such a cute place, they brought plastic utensils in plastic wrappers, which seems cheap for a sit-down restaurant. The chowder was good. The jambalaya was good, but partly cold.

I asked my boyfriend to bring me here for a late Valentine's Day dinner as we wanted to avoid the crowds on Valentine's Day. We remembered that parking here can be real tight but luckily there were a few spots in the late afternoon. We entered and we were greeted then taken to our seat. We love the renovations to the place as we have been to this location before it changed into Happy Crab. It felt much more intimate and the lighting was nice. We didn't get to see the robot server going around but they were testing it probably for the dinner service. Our waitress greeted us and took our order which was a Clam Chowder, Feeling Right combo with additional scallops in mala sauce (Go to Hell spice), Assorted Seafood Fried Wild Rice, Jambalaya, and Chocolate Fudge Layer Cake. We received our clam chowder quickly and I love that it came with bacon on top. However, I was severely disappointed that the clam chowder was just Iver's. I know this for sure as I literally had Iver's Clam Chowder earlier in the same day so I know the taste although they are crafty for hiding the test slightly with the bacon. Now I ordered the jambalaya after we ordered our initial order so we received the fried rice first then after several minutes we received the jambalaya. Now, I know another table which was a pretty big group (more than 5 people) also ordered seafood boils as I kept seeing them pass by. I'm glad I added the jambalaya as my boyfriend finished his meal and my seafood boil was still not coming out. Once I did receive my seafood boil, the spice level was not really spicy and I didn't get the mala numbing feeling so that was also very disappointing especially with how long I waited as I was really hungry and looking forward to my meal. However, I do love the hand pulled noodles and the seafood was cooked to perfection! I would just be sure to know that if you don't order seafood boils then you will receive your food much more quickly than seafood boil orders. So if your table is ordering separate items, just be know you won't be able to eat at the same time. Additionally, I'm also conflicted on the service as our server seemed very disinterested in helping us, didn't come by as often as the other server and she also sighed in front of us when we put in our order for dessert. However, the other server stopped by to give me a togo bag and takeout container and she was so much sweeter and helpful as she even packed up my leftovers for me.

What an Auburn gem! The decor was on point! The food was delicious! I've never been to a crab boil so this was my first experience and the place was so welcoming and the staff was fantastic! The cheese sticks were amazing and the Feelin Right combo was huge! We will Definitely be back!

Ambiance is open and tables seem too narrow for booth seat spacing. Tables are not logically placed to optimize space. Service is a little slow, but not terrible. They have one delivery robot. Food. Cod and Cow nearby has better cod. Managers combo "Feeling Right" is in photo. Cajun medium spice was just right with unlimited Cocacola to put out the fire. Will likely be vampire safe for a year due to amount and intensity of the garlic.

Won't ever go back. They close at 10 per website and sign. Walked in at 845 and after waiting for 5 minutes server came up asked how many we had then disappeared and came back saying sorry they weren't adding to their waitlist. There was hardly anyone in the restaurant and one couple sitting in lobby area. Very disappointed,

So happy we found Happy Crab and on my birthday too! I had the pound of prawns, sausage, potatoes, corn all bathed in a Cajun spice and it's the best I've ever had. Wife had jambalaya and it was delicious. A robot delivered a dark chocolate piece of birthday cake. I'm looking forward to our next visit.

Happy Crab at Ballard, WA We had a very good experience. The local is big and beautiful. The food we ordered was delicious -- the jambalaya was perfectly seasoned, and the biang biang pork noodles had great texture and flavor. Austin, our server, gave us friendly, warm service from the moment we walked in. Not only was he attentive, but he also took time to explain the dishes, offered suggestions, and made sure we were comfortable throughout. What really made him stand out was that he noticed little things -- refilling drinks without being asked, checking in at just the right moments, and always doing so with a smile. Gilbert, the manager, was outstanding. He personally came by to see how everything was going, making us feel very welcomed. He showed great leadership and genuine care -- ensuring our satisfaction, addressing every concern immediately, and making us feel like valued guests. All together, the combination of warm, attentive service from Austin and thoughtful oversight from Gilbert elevated what was already an excellent meal. We'll absolutely be back.

I ordered a takeout from the kiosk in the entry area. It was convenient, easy, and my order was ready in ten minutes. The takeout presentation was excellent. I walked home two miles away and the food was still hot! Excellent noodles and jambalaya!! Highly recommended!!

Not too crowded. The place is clean. Food is good and delicious. 4 of us finished the Lucky Seven order. Bottomless iced tea.

Food is fun and tasty! We had the chowder which was flavorful. Made ourselves steamer pot with ready to eat shrimp and lobster with Cajun seasoning. It's nice that you can pick your level of spice with it. Staff were attentive and helpful. The inside is comfortable and chic. Would totally come back here!

Wow, I'm actually blown away. I've been going to different crab boil places around the area for years and Happy Crab was the best by far. I ordered the "Basics" combo with the House special-Mala flavor and medium spice level. It was absolutely incredible! The Mala flavor is insanely good, it's Sichuanese Peppercorn based with the perfect amount of tongue tingliness without overpowering your mouth. I took home leftovers and can't wait to add it on everything I eat. My friend made her own combo with Dungeness crab in Cajun seasoning, the portion was incredibly generous for the price and the crab was fresh and delicious. I liked her Cajun seasoning, but it didn't compare to the Mala. The spice level on both was a perfect medium, and all the seafood tasted very fresh. Service was attentive and the place was spacious and clean. There's a parking lot making it easy to access and the prices are actually lower than anywhere else I've been. Lastly, even the to go bags are thoughtful! They're cute, reusable and even insulated. My friend and I are now debating whether we should come back weekly or monthly and weekly is winning...

Came here for my girlfriends daughters 18th bday, we had a party of 12. One of the kids doesn't eat seafood so we ordered her chicken strips. The chicken strips didn't come until everyone was pretty much done eating. Service was slow and it did not seem that busy. The boils were okay but lacked flavor. There are definitely better seafood boil spots in the area.

This place seems like the rest of the food would be good and the inside was very clean and inviting but I went in to try the jambalaya and it was awful I was very disappointed because nowhere around auburn has jambalaya but if that's what you're looking for I wouldn't get it from here

Wifey and my youngest daughter wanted crab boil on a weekend and it just so happens this place had open tables without a waiting list. Great food, service was good, very spacious and the part my daughter loved is when they brought the food over with a robot. Overall as long as my family had a good time, than I had a good time.

Food is great! Price is right! Service is good! Restaurant is big, open, and clean. The music is not loud which is a plus to just enjoy what's in front of me The details of the to go bag makes the experience better

First time visiting here since they opened. The place was clean and very inviting atmosphere. We were promptly greeted and the service was excellent. The food was excellent and I would highly recommend the jambalaya!! We had dinner for three and we didn't leave hungry. If you're looking for a new and delicious place in Auburn look no further than Happy Crab. I will definitely be back again!!

The service was friendly and fast. The restaurant is nice but could be warmer. I had a desire for fresh, fried oysters and I read on their website that they do serve fried oysters. Unfortunately, they were just frozen, pre battered, chopped up bits of oysters off of the Sysco food service truck. I could have cheaply purchased my own bag if I wanted frozen food. But I go to a restaurant when I want someone else to cook fresh food. Not reheat frozen food. The steamed broccoli was fresh and nicely steamed but barely warm.

Food was OK service very slow. If you wanna wait for drinks your check your order to be taken. Make sure you have enough time in your day and not to rush your meal if you're there was seated properly, but everything else was very slow even looks like the manager owner was there just cleaning any tables and cleaning the floors, but didn't care that people were waiting very long.

We were in there prime dining time on a Friday and it was dead. Food was blah, overpriced and nothing special. Service was OK at best

Truly disappointed in this place. Our boil came out looking good, but it was hella salty with little to no flavor. Fries for the kiddos came undercooked. Our server wasn't the greatest. We all needed a water refill. She only refills the water of whwhoever asked..weird and annoying. cuz it was everytime. Grab a water picture and refill it, all of it! Will not be back anytime soon.

~Casual, but elegant! ~ Wonderful, rich seafood dishes. We were a party of 7, and everyone got something different and loved! Serving proportions were a great size for sharing. Excellent service; water cups were full and were already at the table before we walked in, we did have a reservation. The staff was SO friendly and nice - very knowledgeable on the menu and just happy people. Highly recommend!

What a makeover! A transition from what the restaurant used to be and it was very enjoyable! Great overall comfortable setting! The customer service was typical of an establishment who is just hitting the ground running but I would say that they came together to help each other out and were knowledgeable! The food was delicious! For two of us we were able to share a chefs preselected bundle and opted for the lemon and garlic sauce for the seafood medley! I am looking forward to going back to try another dish and to get my hands and face dirty

We are out-of-towners and staying in the Auburn, WA area and craving seafood. So I jumped on Yelp and found the Happy Crab! There weren't many reviews but the food looked good so we gave it a shot. I'm glad we did! This place is new....like new new. The server told us it had only been open a couple weeks and you could tell. It was super clean and had that new car smell...but for restaurants. The outside was cool with big windows and colorful signs. The inside had a wood-theme decor which I like. I ordered Dungeness with potatoes, corn and eggs, Cajun seasonings with medium heat. The crab was a plump one with nice big legs. The eggs were great with the Cajun butter and the potatoes and corn were standard potatoes and corn. But I wasn't disappointed at all. It was super good and I loved the flavor of the Cajun seasonings. My husband got the snow crab, shrimp, mussels, potatoes and corn, Cajun seasoning with hot spice level. He said the spice was wasn't as hot as he had at other places but he still enjoyed it. He is a shrimp fan but said his shrimp were a little tough to open and tough in texture. This was the only issue with tonight's meal. Otherwise it was good and I would go back if I'm ever in the area again. Our server was super nice and friendly and prompt. Also, it's worth noting that the wet wipe that you get after the meal was legit. Lol. It's funny to mention a wet wipe but it was big, thick and not like those other flimsy, thin wipes. It's those little attention to details that make a well rounded experience. I wish the lighting was a little better (a little dark) but I recommend this new joint!

Single person meal 1/2 lbs of shrimp, 1/2 lbs of sausage, & 1/2 lbs of mussels with a corn and potato is nice. Order hot and didn't think it was hot. Great deal for 26.99

We have been to the new Happy Crab in Auburn twice and enjoyed it both times. The service is excellent. The food is flavorful. The price is reasonable. Win-win-win!!!

Amazing! The green mussels were everything. Service was quick. I cant wait to go back. Auburn is lacking in restaurants and now I finally have a favorite!

This is our first time here and we really freaking enjoyed it. The food was super great and delicous. Moreover, they provided the ever friendliest service. With the spacious room but also cozy, this place is such a nice place for seafood lovers to come

In my opinion, the food was so good, especially the crawfish with cajun sauce The service was excellent, and the staff always took care of us when we had any concern The ambiance was nice. I love the cozy vibe so much

Used to be great at the first few weeks of opening now is like whatever there r better places I go to elsewhere now When I used to come every week No I know that they need to put more in to the food because the restaurant is beautiful and clean but the food is ok now

We saw that this place opened up and decided to give it a try. When we walked it, my mom was amazed how the place looked. We ordered the U Combo It because we only wanted snow crab and shrimp. We had the house flavor (Mala) and it was very flavorful. They have so many different options to try. Our server was very attentive to us and answered all the questions we asked. Will definitely come back and try different options.

A must try! A hidden gem in Auburn. Service was top notch, and you get so much food for the price you pay. The restaurant looked so inviting and loved the lighting and decorations. You have to try it !! You won't be disappointed

Decor is very cute but the food was not. Bland in flavor and no spice at all. My sister got the hottest spice with the house mala flavor and I got Cajun flavor in hot. No flavor came out of either, not hint of anything. The Cajun salt I dipped my food in was spicier than my bag of boil, which we had to ask for. The size of crawfish was good. I love that they have peeled and deveined shrimp on the menu.

Saw this restaurant on social media, was in town visting family so had to try. Service was great, restaurant was clean with lots open space, the basic sauce is fantastic. The menu takes a bit to decipher but is well worth it.

It's very pretty inside. Our waitress was nice but never once checked on us or any other table in the restaurant I could see her just sitting in the kitchen through the window. Never refilled our drinks I had to flag her down to add an additional dish. The food was really good the hand pulled noodles are delicious in the seafood boil. And the boil was good lacked a bit of flavor but overall good experience.

I went to happy crab . They towed my car around xmas and I had to pay 600 dollars . What a horrible experience

I came in today and got sat 12:50 to get some lunch with my girlfriend. After about 10 minutes of waiting I waled up to the "server", I asked her if I could order food. She told me to wait because she's busy. Mind you there was only 2 more table. I left at 1:12 after getting no service at all.

It was really nice and clean! The fall in love signature combo with garlic butter flavor was really good especially with scallops added on. I think the service was good with our waitress making sure to check up often to make sure things were going well.

We were there on a Friday night and there was not one empty table so we were expecting a wait and it was a lengthy wait but the server and owner came over a couple times to apologize and update us. The owner was running around the whole time helping the wait staff and we all had charged phones so we passed the time easily. The food; INCREDIBLE. We did "the basics" with Cajun sauce and it was so so good. I'm a wuss with spice and it was perfectly spice. Sausage melted in your mouth. Portions were great and prices were very reasonable. Ambiance; it was a packed house so it was loud in there but people were friendly and the staff were working so hard, it couldn't have been much fun as they were slammed but they were doing the best they could. We will be back.

I really wanted to like this place but it's like a foreign concept lost in translation... service was sub-par (robot just slows down the process; flashy technology for technology's sake), food was sort of Asian-Cajun fusion but missed out on flavor. We ordered soup, fried fish basket and fried rice - nobody asked if we needed anything else, refills on drinks or if our food tasted ok. Even the manager just strolled by us while fawning over the table that ordered expensive platters. We were invisible. There's better food, service and ambiance elsewhere. It's a one-time visit for us.