Holly Crab Mad For Chicken

Cajun restaurant · Allston

Holly Crab Mad For Chicken

Cajun restaurant · Allston

2

1098 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215

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Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null
Holly Crab Mad For Chicken by null

Highlights

Southern-inspired seafood boils with spicy crab & gumbo  

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1098 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215 Get directions

hollycrab.com

$$ · Menu

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1098 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215 Get directions

+1 617 487 5957
hollycrab.com

$$ · Menu

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Aug 8, 2025

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@eater

12 Adventurous First Date Restaurants in Boston | Eater Boston

"More utensil-free dining awaits first dates in Allston. Holly Crab delivers buckets of spicy seafood that’s really best enjoyed messily (although with a bib and gloves if you so choose). It’s part of Boston’s growing scene for Cajun- and Viet-Cajun-style seafood boils." - Dana Hatic

https://boston.eater.com/maps/best-adventurous-date-restaurants-boston
View Postcard for Holly Crab Mad For Chicken
@eater

Where to Eat Cajun-Style Seafood in Boston | Eater Boston

"One of Boston’s earliest entries to the scene, Holly Crab is the work of co-owners Ryan Kim and Rick Kim, who wanted to emulate Vietnamese-Cajun seafood they had tasted in California. With varieties of seafood ranging from crab and shrimp to catfish and oysters, everything gets shaken up in a bag with plenty of spices. The restaurant first opened in February of 2016 and now has a second location in Lowell." - Dana Hatic

https://boston.eater.com/maps/cajun-seafood-boston
View Postcard for Holly Crab Mad For Chicken

Margo BeautyZen

Google
Amazing stuff and great sauces options to choose for your seafood bowl. The taste is perfect as well! I grabbed my food for takeout because the portion was huge. Highly recommend this place!

Shanese Rogers

Google
Brought my bestfriend from Maryland to his first seafood boil and he said it definitely didn’t disappoint! When I go I always get the sweet holly sauce, third spicy level, eggs, broccoli(best part), potatoes, shrimp(head off), and lobster. I used to live in ATL and this is the best seafood boil I’ve been to so far!! The mango and lychee lemonade is also AMAZING.

Sherri Lin

Google
Super underrated spot! The food was so good, it was worth getting your hands dirty for (they have gloves). The fries somehow stayed crispy for 30+ mins, it was delicious. Definitely would come back again!

Nick S

Google
Holly Crab/Mad For Chicken is a Cajun restaurant specializing in Seafood boils, remaining as one of the few still around the Allston area. The interior is very nicely decorated, with friendly staff that can recommend and change around orders if needed. They also offer quite a bit of discount for food through delivery services or other offers. We got the seafood boil and the fried catfish plate. We tried the shrimp, crab legs, and clams within the seafood boil. The boil had a nice flavor, not as strong as we would've expected but still had a nice kick to it, not overly oily but still enough for a coating on the seafood. The seafood was pretty standard, though went well with the boil. The fried catfish was alright, I thought the fries were just ok but using them for the boil helped it. Prices can get expensive, but it is definitely helped by the many offers they do have. Overall, a decent option for a seafood boil in the area.

Stella Kim

Google
ITS SO GOOD!! my favorite was sweet holly sauce! def recommend getting sides too, everything is pretty good. my fav is catfish fries

la

Google
Drumsticks are tiny. Love the seasoning but everything is undercooked and came cold.

Name First

Google
I ordered the Calamari and Cajun fries today. Very tasty. Which I can appreciate because a lot of Calamari served in Boston is either too rubbery or the breading falls off the bland unseasoned Calamari when you pick it up. I would just say that my Calamari was slightly over fried not by much for my liking though. I'll be back to try other dishes there.

Sophie

Google
I haven't had crawfish in 2 years and this definitely satisfied my cravings! They had noodles with their crawfish (optional) OMG the idea was genius! They were so delicious and the crawfish itself was the best. The corn with the sauce as well was just soooo good.
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Alex L.

Yelp
Love going to this place! It's fun and interactive and you definitely get a bit messy. This time we tried the lobster in holly crab sauce as well as the snow crab/shrimp combo in holly crab sauce (they both hit). I've tried a variety of the seafood so here are my takes: - Lobster and snow crab are most worth it since they have the most meat and are easy to shell - Dungeness crab I remember was super hard to crack and had such a thick shell with not much meat, snow crab I don't remember - shrimp had more meat than crawfish but less juicy and both need the poop taken out yourself - clam and mussels if you like them are good - THEY HAVE GREAT FRIED FOOD!! From the catfish and soft shell crab to the chicken, it is quite yummy I have come back here many times. Hits the seafood craving!
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Ashley S.

Yelp
I used to go to Holly Crab often years ago because I felt they were the only place around here whose sauce (Cajun and signature) had flavor. So I was so excited when they had a BOGO sale for New Years! I ordered the snow crab with all corn in Holly sauce. When it arrived, it was still hot and the sauce tasted just as I remembered! A consistent restaurant is hard to come by so I appreciated this service on one of the busiest days of the year!!
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Yickhong L.

Yelp
Food was decent but service was slow; for some reason they only had 2 waiters/stresses with 1 behind the counter and 1 actually serving. Poor management on the management side. We got the black mussels and shrimp boil and a shrimp and crawfish boil. We counted 8 black mussels that were firmly closed which was about 1/3-1/2 of the total mussel content but we talked to the 1 waitress and she did offer to remedy the situation by giving us another pound of black mussels. They messed that up and gave us green mussel instead of the black but we accepted didn't care too much. We ordered the pasta in one boil but it was a bit overdone and not al Dante. Potatoes and corn were good. The Cajun sauce was better than the garlic soy sauce for the boils.
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John Y.

Yelp
We went to Holly Crab in allston for my daughter's 17th bday. She wanted seafood boil and the reviews and pictures looked better here than the much closer by Shaking Crab. It was a rainy day and we still made the trek to Allston, and lucked out with parking pretty easily on a Friday night after work. The restaurant wasn't that busy either so we were immediately seated. The decor, seating areas were all comfy and clean. The tables and bench seats were roomy. Let me review each of the major items we ordered. Shrimp with head on + Snow crab combo + added sausage $49.90: This was really good. There were 2 pieces of potatos and a corn as well. Sausage tasted really good in the sauce (more on this soon). The snow crabs were hit or miss. Some we were able to crack in half and pull out hole pieces, others were not so good because the shell just bent without cracking and then we'd spend a lot of time trying to get the meat out. The shrimp was cooked nicely and plentiful! If you want no head, you'll have to pay extra. Just get the heads and suck it and save the money. This came with Holly sauce with medium spice. It was actually kinda spicy. Everything is fine with this bag except there was not much sauce. We struggled to dig up some sauce within the bag. Green mussel + Snow crab $44.95: This was great. Mussels tasted good, though slightly over cooked. We still enjoyed it. Snow crab is the same as above review. We got the holly sweet sauce (not sure if thats what its called) but it was our favorite. Sweet and spicy. Crawfish + Clam combo $26.95: Skip this. The clams are tiny...like half the size of the dime! It's barely visible. Truffle Fries $7.95: Not much truffle flavor but the fries are cooked fresh and goes from fryer to table. We'd order it again. Cheesy Noodles $7.95: If you're expecting straight cheese and boiled noodles, this is not that. It has a flavor to it, not sure if its garlic or something else? It was hit and miss amongst our table. Some liked it some did not. 20 piece (large) Soy Garlic wings $23.95: Wings are not a primary focus here, so don't expect a bunch of flavor options like a korean fried chicken joint. The wings came out looking really nice. They tell you it takes 30 minutes but it felt sooner. Looks wise, size wise and flavor wise it was great. Problem is it was really overcooked. Inside is very dry and not enjoyable. Hoping it was a one off. Soft drinks are not refillable, as they give you cans with a cup of ice. Sodas were $2 each, strawberry lemonade was $5.95, orange juice was $3. Service: Everyone was friendly. They didn't come to empty our garbage bin though. They did come once to refill the waters...but I had to ask 2 times before they brought us waters. I like that they give us gloves and bibs. They come by afterwards to bring a moist towelette.
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Anna F.

Yelp
We had a blast here. Very cool and different how the food comes out. It's like a picnic. My partner and his friends ordered, because they had been many times before. The Cajun fries and the calamari were fire. So was the corn. They ordered two different types of seafood. My favorite were actually the clams. My bf and his friends were big fans of the head on shrimp. They give you gloves for eating the seafood with. It comes in these bags, with a lot of garlicky sauce. My favorite part was eating the rice balls with sauce at the end. I wish I had more to dip in that sauce.
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Yerina K.

Yelp
Im giving this place a 5/5 because of the quality of food and quantity being great for the price! The sauces were yummy and the seafood was great as well -- we were shocked that the price wasn't super pricey for what we got. The atmosphere was nice and the server was friendly as well. I will definitely come back here!
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Rocky W.

Yelp
Holly crab is my go to spot for Cajun boiled seafood! The restaurant is decorated in fisherman and seafare attire. There is metered parking available outside. There is usually no need to make a reservation ahead of time. For appetizers, I recommend the cajun fries and cheesy noodles. For the seafood boil, I always get the 2 pound seafood boil combo of snow crab and shrimp (you can ask for the head off) which comes with 1 lb of each plus potatoes and corn. Next, you pick a sauce and my favorite is the Holly Crab sauce which is made up of Cajun, garlic and lemon. Last is the spice level and I personally enjoy the "hidden spicy" and I eat a fair amount of spicy foods. I also recommend ordering the Holly Crab chicken wings with half and half of soy garlic and spicy garlic. The chicken is Korean style so it's very crispy and delicious. You also get to put on an apron and gloves when you eat to avoid a mess and a small trash can to put the shells in. The prices are reasonable and the portion sizes are good. The service here is awesome and the staff are very attentive and kept checking up on us and making sure that everything was good. Our water cups never ran empty. If you have leftovers, it's not a bad idea to save the sauce and put mix it with rice or noodles for food for the next day. The bathrooms are unisex and were pretty clean and located downstairs. There are not a lot of Cajun boil seafood restaurants in Boston so I do recommend coming here as a solid choice.

Samantha J.

Yelp
Unfortunately I had to report Holly Crab Allston location to the Board of health, I got severe food poisoning after eating bad seafood, reported it to staff immediately and was told "there's nothing we can do about it as other customers didn't report getting sick". 0/10.

DeAnna G.

Yelp
We had an incredibly horrible day getting to Boston and we're about 3.5 hours late. We hadn't ate since early morning. We arrived right before 9 pm and Jay was our server. He was amazing and made what was a horrible day into a great ending!!! We ordered the crawfish and crab legs boil with an extra corn and andouille sausage. We chose their holly sauce and I found it really tasty! We had several large chunks of crab meat. My son also had a cup of clam chowder. He didn't seem to have many clams, but he enjoyed it. Thank you, Jay!!!
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Erin W.

Yelp
I love and crave this placeeeee!!! It's seriously my go to spot!!! Not only is the owner amazing and very hospitable, the food is always so yummy ... sooooo very reliable. Every time I go, I always enjoy my food ... and so have my friends. I'm never disappointed!!! The portion sizes are really good for the price. I always get the snow crab legs in the Holly Crab sauce (SO GOOD!!!), and my BF always gets the shrimp. I love to go with our friends because we usually end up ordering a good variety of items to share ... like the lobster and king crab legs. I've been to some other "seafood boil" type places, and I definitely prefer this place due to the Holly Crab sauce. It's just so good!!! I usually get mild or medium spice, which makes it perfect!!! Other yummy items I love there are the Cajun fries and the cheesy noodles. Drool. I just recently tried the truffle fries, but I didn't love them ... not very truffle-y. More just ... cheesy. The place is always really clean and has a very open style environment. Super casual ... so it's ok to wear the provided "bib" and get messy. I seriously love this place so much that I order takeout quite frequently ... and recently celebrated my Birthday here. That's how obsessed I am!!! The only ... maybe ... downside is, is that they don't serve any "adult" beverages. However, this place is just as delicious and fun without having adult beverages, so it doesn't really matter to me. If anything ... it's more room in my tummy for the yummy food!!!
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Michael C.

Yelp
This place is great. For a fresh seafood boil the price is reasonable, the amount of food is appropriate, and the house garlic sauce is fire.
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Taeyoon K.

Yelp
I've ordered from here a few times, but today's meal was the best so far. The crab was the biggest I've ever had, packed full of meat, and the shrimp portions were incredibly generous--enough to burst! The spiciness level was just right, and it seems you can easily adjust it to your taste. I highly recommend it!
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Jaime H.

Yelp
The crab boil hit the spot for a quick lunch! We've visited a few similar spots around the US, and the staff and food was top notch. I'd say the ambiance was very casual but it didn't hinder my opinion of the meal.
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Whitney M.

Yelp
We paid extra for the head off, easy peel shrimp, but still got the wrong ones. The shrimp themselves were good though. The clam chowder was terrible. We threw it out. It tasted like watered down milk with a few potatoes & maybe clams or just onions, we're not sure. The catfish bites & sweet potato fries were ok. Would not recommend.
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Gloria H.

Yelp
There was an Uber Eats deal for Holly Crab so we decided to get the 1lb snow crab + 1lb shrimp dish (which was BOGO, so overall we got 2 pounds of each). The shrimp was not good -- it's the opaque kind that gets overcooked and grainy easily. I also would have appreciated more corn -- there was only half a corn per 2lb of seafood (and 2 potatoes). The crab is quite good, though, and the Holly Crab sauce is delicious! We paid $60 total thanks to the discounts. It would've probably cost closer to $100 in store. The food was still hot and fresh when we got it. Overall the flavors were amazing, and I liked the crab, but wouldn't get the shrimp again.
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Barbara K.

Yelp
If you like shellfish you'll love this place!! Take out or eat in!! The service is quick down to a system from the host to waitstaff to the kitchen!! This place cater to a mix of young adults and young professionals. It can get pretty busy and there maybe a waiting list expected at peak hour but it's worth the wait. The bathroom is clean and the decor is pretty basic.
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Katherine C.

Yelp
The combos are 2lbs, but I feel like it was adequate more for 1 person rather than 2. The snow crab legs are quite thin so it's tough to get the meat out. The experience is overall still very enjoyable considering there's really not many places in boston as similar to the gloves and bib experience with Cajun seafood. I really liked the interior. Cute stuffed sea creatures and sea like wooden boarding. Not sure if it's run by a Korean business owner, but if so, I'm impressed that they got the Cajun flavoring so well done/the business model and trendy modern/contemporary look as well as a Korean American. They even offer gumbo and soju and beer alternatives. The waitstaff and service was great. The only thing I was slightly disappointed by was that 1lb didn't seem enough for 1 person depending on what you ordered. Overall experience was great. There was plenty of seating on a Monday night.
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Apex S.

Yelp
This was a lunch to remember! Cold, cloudy day in Allston while we enjoyed a hot seafood boil in a cute, quiet restaurant off Comm Ave. Service was quick and attentive. We ordered the 1.75 fresh dungeness crab with the Holly Sauce and the green mussel and shrimp combo (1 lb each), again with the same sauce. When you order the fresh dungeness crab cut, like we did, they fill the shell with rice and bring it to you. The Holly Sauce is a mix of garlic, butter, lemon and we ordered it medium spicy, so it also had chili. The boil also came with potatoes and corn. The star of the show was the crab, followed by the shrimp. Honestly, the potatoes weren't far behind either! Might not order the green mussels again because they felt chewy. The sauce was spectacular. We could not get enough, and I'm glad the restaurant didn't skimp on the sauce, there was plenty to go around. We took our time to eat these, and didn't feel rushed at all. Only a couple of tables were occupied. It was great food in a nice ambiance and we enjoyed it! The one change I might want is I wish they offered 1/2 lb orders so you could order more variety.

Jacob A.

Yelp
I tried to come here for lunch, they open at noon. I walked in at 1:15 and was told it's takeout only. I tried to order inside but was informed that I could only order online. the website wouldn't work, and I asked for help and the staff ignored me? they acted like I wasn't even there. This entire time the phone was ringing and the staff wasn't answering it. I finally ordered on a third party app, and got my 1 bowl of soup 25 minutes after walking in. Mindblowingly bad experience

Bellatrix T.

Yelp
I went with 4 people on a Saturday for dinner. We got lucky because no wait but the place was fully packed. I got the Snow Crab and Clams Combo with the Holly Crab sauce. The sauce was really salty but we got 3 clusters for each combo when we were only expecting 2!!! I'm guessing they were feeling a bit generous but I'm not too sure. Great dinner though!
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May C.

Yelp
I ordered from Holly Crab via doordash. I'm from the DMV area which has amazing seafood boil, but I wanted to try some while I was in Boston and saw Holly crab on Yelp. The flavor of the seafood boil was good - not as strong as some other places I been to. We ordered the gumbo and chowder too and liked both. Was hoping the boil would come with more add ons such as sausages and potatoes that I'm used to at other seafood boil spots, but it was pretty good overall!
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Cam A.

Yelp
Came here in a solo date just treating myself . The peach green tea drink is made fresh to order and is so refreshing and too sweet . The sauce for the crab boil ( I got the holly sauce ) Cajun, butter and garlic was a bit salty but still delicious . I definitely couldn't finish even half this bag so had to take it with me . I did order boil eggs and steamed rice on the side . They put a generous amount of sauce in the bag . The staff was pleasant and very accommodating.

Sherry F.

Yelp
Ordered spicy crawfish and king crab legs. The lady asked what type of sauce I wanted? Crawfish are normally juicy, spicy , no need for sauce. So excited with anticipation to "bite the tail and suck the heads" !!! First taste , crawfish. NO juice, NO spice, NO crab boil used, NO flavor !! These crawfish tasted like the environment they came from with evidence of NO purging!! The crawfish tail was difficult to bite with your teeth and remove from the shell. Myself being a coni suer of crawfish I assumed they were boiled previously and then reheated. The "king crab" same, boiled prior and reheated. The shell was near impossible to "crack". The legs were pliable, soft. No cracking these legs. I'd been so looking forward to eating these two items I apologize for not taking a picture. My husband ordered fried catfish and it was delicious! His basket came with two sides. The clam chowder was also delicious . We both drank water , no alcohol. The check total was over $117! There were 2 employees seen, a cook and ONE waitress. The waitress more than earned her paycheck! She answered the telephone taking orders, bagged orders for pickup, while waiting tables AND being the cashier!!
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My-Linh D.

Yelp
This is one of my favorite seafood boil places. They have great flavors and quality seafood with a reasonable price. The place fills up quickly so I recommend making a reservation (by calling) or coming at an off time. My favorites are: Cheese noodles: these noodles have the perfect amount of cheese to offset the spice Wings with garlic soy: perfectly tender and crunchy Green lip muscles and shrimp combo: the green lip mussels are my favorite here! They are big and soak in the sauce so well. The shrimp are also plump.
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K C.

Yelp
This place I found on yelp. It was listed like #7 on seafood search but it did not disappoint in any way. We got bibs, GLOVES !! And cleaning cloths!! They only serve can soda but we didn't care. I had the holly spice at hidden spice !! Both bags came with 2 potatoes and a corn!! More than enough!! Wish I took a before picture but we dug right in & didn't even talk to each other it was so good!! Delicious!! Spicy!! We came at 1pm, we were only ones here for about 10-15 mins then ppl started to show up!! Hidden gem !!
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Edward W.

Yelp
This became my go to for seafood boils! I've been to every place in Boston and this is definitely my favorite. We had a great experience with takeout and dine in. The staff are great and friendly. The food is delicious and the sauce is the best around! My personal favorites are the green mussels because they are huge, cheesy noodles, and the Korean wings which might actually just be the best in Boston! I actually like them more than the specific Korean wings places. The rice balls are good if you like lighter flavors. I probably spend around $30-$50 when I'm here. Allston can be hard to find parking, but it is always easy to find parking nearby this location.
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Drake L.

Yelp
Great seafood! We ordered the whole lobster in garlic butter sauce and two orders of shrimp in the Holly sauce and garlic butter. The seafood was cooked to perfection, soft, tender, flavorful lobster and shrimp. The sauces were very tasty. We loved that they gave us bibs and rubber gloves as the meal was messy but delicious!
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Kelly C.

Yelp
We checked this place out for dinner and oh my goodness they didn't disappoint! We started off with a platter fresh, juicy oysters. Then, we got the seafood boil: crawfish combo with mussels and corn. Our spice level was spicy and it was just enough for us. They give bibs, gloves, and wipes which are super helpful for this delicious, but messy meal. Not pictured: large, spicy Korean fried chicken wings and sweet potato fries. Both were delicious. Highly recommend this place! Parking can be a little difficult to find, but public parking is available 7 minutes away (walking). You NEED to try Holly Crab in Allston!
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Danyelp J.

Yelp
Had such a great time! Didn't know what to expect from the outside look of the restaurant. I have had seafood boils at other places in US and was totally surprised by the quality of the seafood. Beat my best expectation. Took my daughter there for a last night together before I leave. The waiter was awesome! Could not have been better. He informed us how "it works" and was gracious and friendly. Everything was served hot and fresh. So fun to get your hands dirty and wear bibs. We got a boil with clams, crab, shrimp, and crawfish. Perfect. Butter and garlic and mild spicy. Will be back if I am in the area.
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Ed Y.

Yelp
One of my newest favorite restaurants. Walked by this place a thousand times and finally decided to try it, it was unbelievable. The flavors, the seafood, the add ons, all delicious. I had crayfish and shrimp, added chorizo sausage, pasta, extra potatoes and corn. Portions are huge, plenty of leftovers to take home. It was incredible, can't believe i never tried this place earlier. Highly recommended.
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Emily C.

Yelp
I came on a weekday for dinner and there were plenty of seating so my party of 7 was seated immediately. The service was pretty good and the food came out at a reasonable time so it didn't take too long to wait for the food. The seafood that comes in bags are what they're known for so I got shrimp, snow crab legs, and clams. I tried the Holly sauce and the Sweet Holly sauce. The sweet Holly sauce was actually really good. They also give free baguette bread that you can use to dip in the sauce and it's perfect because it soaks up the juices from the sauce. It would be better if the baguettes were warmed up though. You can also get rice and have it over rice which is also good. The shrimp didn't come out of the shell smoothly, sadly, but everything else was good. As for some additional foods: - Cheesy noodles were decent but not as good as I hoped. It was kind of greasy. - Their wings are super crispy and very juicy. But, they were small pieces of wings so not a lot of meat in it and didn't have a lot of sauce covering it. - The boneless breasts were pretty good too. Like the wings, it was really crispy and the pieces were pretty thin. - Cajun Fries were good. A bit spicy for those not tolerant to spice. Overall, a great seafood boil spot that also serves nice Korean style fried chicken! It's definitely a good spot to come with friends to share food and socialize as you eat messily together. At the end of your meal, you might feel a bit greasy from all the sauce settling in but it's a good experience and tasty.
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Kashon S.

Yelp
Food Was Read,hot an very well seasoned.. It was delicious I loved it.. definitely will be back
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Gillian S.

Yelp
Loved the place! I took a picture of the seafood boil but it turned out blurry so wasn't able to post it but I'll return there again so I'll post a picture then. But posted is the garlic noodles. Super yummy, would recommend the noodles with their boil sauce too! I got the garlic butter and the holly crab sauce for my boil. It was with their snow crab, shrimp, mussels and clams. All amazing but my favorite would be hands down their snow crab! Cute small cozy place so it would be great for parties of around 4 people maximum I'd say. Overall, loved the vibes, loved the food! Get ready to get messy but you'll definitely be satisfied.
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Jeeyeon M.

Yelp
The staff here is so courteous and nice! My favorite was the shrimp and potatoes. Would definitely recommend getting the rice balls on the side and dipping them in the sauce as well!
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Howie H.

Yelp
holy seafood holly crab. we came here last saturday evening for dinner. restaurant was open for dine in so we took advantage of it. the first time we ate from holly crab was carry out back in 2020. we ordered two combos; snow crab legs and clams and snow crab legs and crawfish. each combo came with with potatoes and an ear of corn. our sauce choice was holly sauce and mild spice level. in each of our combo, three clusters of crab legs came in the bag. multiple mini clams in one and multiple mini crawfish in the other. the sauce had lots of garlic, butter, and spices. it was really delicious. the crabs were fresh. so was everything else. i definitely will be returning whenever i feel like holly crab's flavors on seafood. parking is street meters.
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Alice W.

Yelp
I would give a 4.3 out of 5 stars. The food and service was good. I was craving for mussells and clams so I had 2 seafood combos. One was 1 lb of snow crab legs and 1 lb of clams. The other was 1 lb snow crab legs and 1 lb of mussells. There were also corn and potato included in the combo. I loved the snow crab legs and the clams. Mussells was okay for me. Too bad the clams was too small. I would need to ordered 2 lb of clams. Spice level: I couldn't decide between mild or medium. I asked the server and decided to go for medium. I like the kick to it but a bit spicy for me. I would recommend either very mild or mild if you don't eat spicy food. Next time, I would try mild and compare which kind of spice I like more. I can't wait to go back again.

John R.

Yelp
Got the easy peel shrimp with XXXX Spicy Holly Sauce. It tasted fresh, and was absolutely delicious. Only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is that it wasn't quite as hot and spicy as I was hoping, and I know some people like it even hotter and spicier than I do. So I definitely recommend this place. If you're on the fence between Spicy and XXXX Spicy, I think it's an easy call: XXXX all the way!

Catherine O.

Yelp
This used to be my favorite Cajun broil spot... I'm pretty sure we got old food that was stored in the fridge or freezer. The meat wouldn't come out and was stuck to the shell- def not fresh. And the lobster was chewy. I don't know if I could trust ordering from here again.

Sophie V.

Yelp
The most delicious seafood. The ambiance is such a vibe and fits the oceanic theme. The crawfish fresh is unbeatable. The service is attentive and accommodating
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Melanie W.

Yelp
Been driving by this place many times but never get to try it. Parking can be challenging since it is all street parking but due to pandemics, finding a parking space is much easier. I have been craving some cajun seafood, finally, give this place a try. We ordered the snow crab + shrimp & clams + crawfish. Both mild and one with garlic butter and one with holly. I can't really tell the difference. It is bland and only can taste the butter. Seafood is fresh. I am happy that they have fresh crawfish since it is seasonal, cajun seafood restaurants might not have fresh crawfish. But I am disappointed that they did not wash the crawfish, there is still dirt on it. Definitely will not come back again since there are new cajun seafood restaurants just opened, I would rather try a new cajun seafood restaurant.
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Alan C.

Yelp
I have eaten at holly crab twice both times the food was very tasty. I got the shrimp and clams in the sweet holly sauce and my friend she got the shrimp and green muscles i liked hers better but both were great. Added sausage and potato very satisfying
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Bruce K.

Yelp
Boiled and fried seafood on offer here at Holly Crab. It's definitely not fancy and the presentation is sorely lacking. If you're into having your seafood arrive in a plastic bag, then you've found the right place. Tables are covered in heavy paper and this is important because the stuff goes EVERYWHERE. Fortunately, standard issue when eating shellfish here is a plastic bib to save your clothes as well as a big pile of napkins. I was especially impressed that there were two latex gloves included with the food and that definitely made eating a lot more enjoyable. I got a pound of shrimp, paying the $1 upcharge for the heads to be removed and added potatoes. The bag arrived, filled with shrimp and two nice sized potatoes. The shrimp still had to be peeled but they were tasty and with the gloves, I was unconcerned with having "stinky" hands the rest of the evening. The potatoes broke apart easily and were consumed in three or four bites each. No silverware, but no worries. Several four-space tables line the outside walls and then two very long "community" tables down the center of the restaurant. I didn't spot a fountain but they do have a cooler with a small selection of beers and wine. I had an Angry Orchard cider which went well with the seafood. It's not first date fancy but you could definitely do a third date here.

Roni D.

Yelp
What a wonderful experience! Excellent food, the seafood was so fresh. I ordered the spice level a little milder for my husband as we shared. Hearing the conversation, the proprietor brought me a little extra spice for my own use. Everyone in the area should try this amazing restaurant!
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Nhung N.

Yelp
Holly Crab is now my favorite crawfish joint in Boston since Brother's Crawfish in Dorchester changed ownership. The restaurant is easily accessible by T. Parking is a little difficult in Allston in general and especially on Commonwealth Ave. But you may get lucky. Be prepared to cycle around the block a few times. What I like most about Holly Crab is their bold flavors and you have to be willing to up the notch on the level of spicy so none of that low or mild spicy levels. I definitely recommend going for fresh crawfish over frozen any day. If you're willing to pay extra, go for the Alaska king crab, dungeons crab, snow crab, and even the fresh blue crabs. They are very expensive by the pound. The combo is probably the way to go if you want to start sampling their flavors. Try the different flavors and see what suits you. I recommend the crawfish and shrimp combo or the crawfish and snow crab leg combo. The crawfish and clam combo is also good. It really boils down to what seafood you like best. I think the lemon pepper sauce goes best with the shrimps and clams. As for crawfish, go with butter garlic, the Canjun, or their special. All three are good. I recommend kicking the spice level up as high as you can go and chase it down with a cold beer. Honestly, if you can't handle the heat, don't later complain about your seafood lacking flavor. I don't want to hear it. Got it? The rice balls are expensive but is another must try. Funny but this is one of my favorite item on the menu and my son loves it also. The oysters are also very fresh and plump. And their gumbo is pretty good also. Overall, quick prompt service. Great atmosphere. Just a tad bit expensive but well worth it for the bold flavors. See my pictures.
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Winslow E.

Yelp
Awesome. Flew in from Texas and came across this gem. I had the Green Mussels boil with andouille sausage. We also had Snow Crab. Shrimp and A Lobster boil. Everything was a trip to FlavorTown!!! Great food, great portions great service. Very friendly and covid safe!!! I'll be back!!!
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Ash W.

Yelp
Thank you for the experience Holly crab! I've never been to an actual crab restaurant before when they passed me my bib and gloves I was skeptical. We had such a good time and food was so flavorful definitely a hidden gem!
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Heather F.

Yelp
Great place to grab seafood boil. Highly recommend the clams and, of course, the shrimp are delicious. Holly seasoning medium was perfect for the shrimp. Garlic butter medium spice was great for clams. Easy shot right up the Green B line. Two minute walk, if that, from the station.

Danisha G.

Yelp
This place is stupid and disrespectful would not order again!! I ordered food for me and my children just now we was good to go it said food was preparing. And all of a sudden the guy from this place just called me out of now where and insisted that he'd cancel my order and get me a better promotion. I even asked if I needed to do anything he said no!!!Remind you I asked him if he would fix the order right away because that's all the money I had on my card. He said Yes and cancelled it and lied said that he would reorder. When the time came he said I have to make the reorder myself and I tried to re order again I couldn't. Then I asked him why he would do that and give wrong information he said well usually people have money to reorder and that he told me he was cancelling, and then asked me if I was done talking. Now I have to wait 3-10 business for refund.. smh
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Melena S.

Yelp
Holly Crab is pretty good but something is a bit off about it. I got the clam & crawfish combo with additional potatoes and corn. I love this combo, some of my favorite seafoods and my favorite starches! I got the Holly Crab sauce in medium spice and it was pretty good but again, something was off. I don't know what it is about the sauce but I really just don't think it sticks to any of the foods in the bag, making it a bit flavorless despite its inviting aroma. I find myself having to dip my seafood back into the bag to get some sauce when I remove it from the shell. No big deal but again, with the aroma so delicious, I'd expect the food to follow through. I also got rice balls and they were nothing special. I wouldn't recommend, tbh. ---note, this review stems from my second visit because I wanted to give it another chance since I wasn't as impressed my first time. I'll probably come back though!