Ronnie's Crab Shack

So my peeps, this is a hidden gem in Wilmington NC. I had people tell me it was very good. Well, it’s well beyond good. First, I walk in to this little. ‘Mom and Pop small business’ and I’m immediately greeted by the staff. Very welcoming. Saw some people waiting on their order so I went to the window. I was greeted by a wonderful hostess who was very forthcoming with information as I asked many questions! She set me up with a shrimp and crab boil and I added their collard greens to the order along with some hush puppies. They were very busy and the staff continued conversations with me while I waited. I learned the original name was Zora’s and that the new owner brought back the old name. This place has been there for years! One of the staff educated me a lil on how they clean blue crab for frying which I thought was amazing that she went out of the way to do so. Now to the food. Their signature butter sauce on the boil was absolutely full of flavor and spice. Delicious! Perfectly cooked and everything was amazing. The greens were cooked to perfection and the flavor reminded me of how my grandmother used to make. The his puppies were flavorful and well prepared! All in all I would recommend this place to anyone reading this. The price for the food was consistent with most places in Wilmington with one exception, abundantly better prepared, better flavor and more welcoming staff than any seafood place in town! Make sure you visit this place and you won’t regret it! Outstanding.

Not bad! I passed by this place often when it was closed and vowed to one day try it. That day was today, during a tornado watch ironically. I was pleasantly surprised when I walked in because it smelled great and was impeccably clean. I ordered the whiting platter with grits and collards and lemon cake. The food was ok. I much prefer more seasoning on my fish but it tasted so fresh and clean this can be easily overlooked. I would have given 5 stars but they forgot my lemon cake. When I tried to call there was no memory and a receipt was not given to give them the price. When I finally looked at my credit card receipt I paid $19.38. This seems to indicate I paid for a cake as the platter and the extra $0.50 for the collard greens only amounts to $15.50 including tax. I’m not making a big deal as I probably don’t need the extra calories, but I am warned should I patronize again. It’s worth checking out!

Great place they have male blue crabs known as Jimmies. Very helpful in boxing everything up for you. If you’re not ready to cook them right away then they’ll ice them for you enabling a later cook time. Can’t beat the price and service overall. Definitely buying from them again.

Highly recommend! We had reserved crabs near where we were staying south of Wilmington but the day of they claimed to not have our order. We needed crabs that day and with the storm it was hard to find somewhere. But Ronnie's saved the day!! They are the nicest people and were so helpful, will definitely be taking the drive anytime to go back!

Ronnie's exceeded all expectations and their food, incl non-seafood, was nothing short of exemplary! There are a couple of tables to sit at, but perhaps best to order takeout and be an absolute slob in the comforts of your own dwelling. Furthermore, the value here is outrageous between the portion sizes of this ultra fresh seafood and the fixins that accompany it. Please enjoy responsibly!

Ronnie’s is a great place! The star of the show were the garlic butter crabs. We also ordered the shrimp plate, flounder plate, and catfish. Everything was cooked to order and fresh. The staff is really friendly and you can tell they love what they do.

We were at Wrightsville Beach for the first time and wanted to steam up some blue crabs…. we are from Maryland….. so we do enjoy our steamed crabs! JJ at Ron’s Crab Shack totally hooked us up….. 3 dz #1 jimmies….. were awesome…… we were sending pictures back home!

This was our first visit to Zora's Seafood Market(formerly Ronnie's Crag Shack). Great selection of fresh fish, shellfish, and related seafood products. We'll be back.

Ronnie's has always been amazing, but has gotten somehow even better with Dean Neff's ownership. Scallop plate today was phenomenal, and they have the best shrimp burger in town. Friendly local folks and awesome food. Thank you Ronnie's from your friends at Farmers Supply!

This review is for the fresh seafood, not the restaurant side. Ronnie's sells fresh seafood and cooked seafood. When you walk in, you will see about half a dozen different fish. This varies based on what they can get. Sea bass and flounder seem to always be available when I have been there. Regarding the fish, you can buy it whole and take it home, or you can have Ronnie's filet it for you. I have always opted for getting my fish filleted so I don't have to deal with cleaning it. Fresh (live) crabs and oysters are a staple here. They also have fresh shrimp (heads on or off). You pay more for the headless shrimp. Trust me, it is easy to pull the heads off so save your money. Look for frozen seafood as well. It's not on display but they have signs stating what is available. The prices are very good. This is my go to place now for fresh seafood. Parking is street parking. Ronnie's takes cash or credit/debit cards.

Great grab and go seafood. Everything as fresh. Had fried okra, corn, fries and slaw for sides. Lots of flies for outdoor seating. We had just got in to town and wanted to grab some yummy seafood right away and it hit the spot. These folks are very nice too!

Love this place staff was very friendly. You didn't have to go inside. They had a window on the side you went and picked up your order.

Need to update your Yelp business page and say that the food truck no longer exists!! We drove over 30 min for nothing.

Good service good food, beautiful people come out and enjoy enjoy good food and good service you will not regret it. You will want to come back so come out and enjoy the seafood of your life.

Wow! Their seafood is so good and fresh! And the fried pork chops, collards and Mac and cheese were there bomb as well!

Absolutely delicious! Picked up two orders for takeout. Even after an almost 20 minute drive home, the fish was still crisp and warm. Got 2 orders of the flounder 3 pc which came with two sides and hush puppies. The sides we got were mac n cheese, potato salad, and corn. Everything was cooked perfectly and seasoned well. Can't stop thinking of it! Will be back very soon!

Fresh, fresh, fresh! They told my husband it was caught the same morning. Yum! We've only done the Saturday takeout order but it was a hit with us and our visiting family. The portions are huge and drowning in butter (as it should be). We tell everyone about this place and can't wait to order the take home platter again.

I got the fried shrimp burger. It could have been a little more season . I also got the fried crabs . They was mushy very disappointed and greasy.

Best fresh, fried seafood. This was our 1st visit. Skip the Mac/Cheese, but definitely get the fried crab. None of us had ever fried crab until today. We are also convinced that no other restaurant can make fried crab like this. We had three orders: salmon patties; fried shrimp; whiting with oysters w/ 3 fried crab. We were all extremely satisfied with our food. When visiting Wilmington again, we WILL be back.

Great, fast service! I recommend calling ahead of time because the food is cooked fresh. The shrimp was cooked perfectly

Wow! Delicious! We tried to visit in 2020 but unfortunately the kitchen was closed. When we came back this year, I had to try. We ordered the Ronnie's platter to sample everything. It was all delicious. I would say the shrimp, deviled crab, and scallops were our favorite!

If you just want good fried seafood without all the flash of the more expensive places, you need to eat here. I had shrimp and scallops with fried okra and potato salad. Everything was well prepared, fresh, and tasty. You get about 15-20 smaller shrimp and 4-5 nice sized scallops. My wife and daughter had fried shrimp, fried flounder, fried okra and potato salad. They were both very pleased at the quality of the meal. We also ordered 2 containers of banana pudding. If want want food like you used to eat at grandma's house at a fish fry for relatives, this is the place. This building is no longer blue as in the pictures posted earlier but it is now painted white so don't look for the blue building. Great food, low prices and without all the frills you pay for at other places. This is a take out only, no seating unless you want to eat outside.

If you just live the smell of day old rotting fish, do I have the place for you! . Horrible service, mediocre food. Zora's was a much better experience . Not recommended. Lots of better fish places.

My husband got homemade crab cakes and it was great and nice seasoning. And came with 2 side and hushpuppies. I got the shrimp plater was simple fried shrimp and 2 sides and hushpuppies. I got fries and more hushpuppies. Nothing special just fries no salt. I do wish they had like a sauce to try or something different to make the shrimp stand out. But over all was cook so that's all I could ask for. But do like the fact that they have fresh sea food.

Coming from New England I was psyched to move to coastal North Carolina so I could continue getting good fish. I've tried restaurant after restaurant for the best fish and chips, and at best they play second fiddle to Ronnies. Ronnies is always fresh, properly breaded, and the sides are fantastic. Collards, baked beans, okra, fries, it's all good. Ronnies only does take out, pay attention to the hours! Also, if you need a sit-down restaurant, try copper penny, they have second best fish and chips (surprisingly, better than the places that specialize in seafood). Ronnies is the only five-star fish and chips that I've found in Wilmington.

It has taken me a week to come up with just the right combinations of words and thoughts to put down about Ronnie's Crab Shack at Zora's. To begin...if you aren't familiar with where Ronnie's is...you can easily drive past it if you're going over 30 mph on Castle St., in between 14th & 15th Streets, in Wilmington. There is such limited parking in front of the restaurant, that you might as well say...there is no street parking unless some miracle happens and Heaven's gates open up at that precise moment that you arrive...type of parking. I pulled onto 15th St. and found an available curbside spot, just a couple of mins walk away. There is a reason why so many spots are taken up and I think Ronnie's has something to do with it. FOOD: Fried Flounder & Fried Scallops (pick 2) w/ fried okra & collard greens; Fried Trout & Fried Shrimp (pick 2) with corn on the cob and potato salad. Most of the protein items are fried at Ronnie's so we need to clarify this first. If you're searching for the "healthier" fish and seafood options such as smoked, grilled, blackened or sashimi style...Ronnie's Crab Shack isn't for you. This is where you go when you have heard that Ronnie, himself, is an avid fisherman & ensures his seafood is fresh and fried to perfection...the southern style that satisfies the soul. The flounder and trout were incredible. I would guess that Ronnie's has local caught or imported fish coming in multiple times each week. Each filet / piece was generously thick and flaky, not overcooked and not a hint of being too "fishy". The batter breading is remarkable. Everything at Ronnie's was fried golden brown with light crunch into each bite. Okra was on point in every way, my wife devoured the potato salad and the scallops were large and cooked perfectly. A few scallops also included that same light crunch but others had more of a soft fried texture. If each scallop had fried for just 10 - 15 seconds more, I believe each one would have come out, fried to perfection. However, each was very tender throughout. The only true area of opportunity I could see was maybe having less vinegar in the greens. Although they were still delicious and wilted wonderfully, the vinegar was fairly powerful throughout. But hey, this is where I will go next when I think of fried fish with tasty sides. SCORE: 4.6 STARS!! SERVICE: It was about 5:15 pm on July 1st and I did not pre-order ahead of time. When I had parked and walked up to the side window of the building, the outside waiting area was full. Apparently, I had been missing the boat on this hidden jewel. The young lady at the window had a great personality. She was approachable, friendly and full of energy. She knew her fish and when I asked for her to select my fish choice, she knew precisely which one to recommend. It took approx. 25 mins waiting for my order to come out from the window, but in all fairness, I also did not call ahead or pre-order when there were approx. 8 orders ahead of mine. I was provided more than enough condiments and sealed plastic-wares. I only had to ask for my receipt rather than being provided one. Each staff member was courteous, fast and efficient with all things being considered. Each member was also observing COVID-19 measures with gloves and masks; providing social distancing markers outside. 4.8 STARS!! OVERALL SCORE: Aside from having to ask for a receipt at the time of receiving my food and after already paying & maybe needing to reduce the amount of vinegar slightly in the greens, Ronnie's has the fried goods!! I thoroughly enjoyed my meal and felt very satisfied with what I had ingested, afterward. As a matter of fact, it's making me hungry right now for lunch. 4.75 STARS!!

Oysters had a very fishy taste. I think they were bad or fried in very old oil. There was a lot of food for the money.

Haven't had seafood this good, ever. It's the best fried seafood in Wilmington hands down. Always fresh and perfectly seasoned. They also have home made desserts and steamed crabs and shrimp

Great food and great prices! The gal at the counter was in a foul mood but nothing I can't handle for some yummy seafood. The place was clean and packed. It's all carry out so just be prepared for that. The scallops and the hush puppies were perfect! We spent $40 and had leftovers. We will definetly be back!

Wanted some fried seafood and Ronnie's was excellent. Friendly service, good prices and the food was fantastic. We had shrimp, oysters, flounder, hush puppies, potato salad, green beans and fried okra. Ate it all on the river walk and I am still smiling at how good it was.

Always phone your order in if you don't want to wait 20+ minutes outside. The food, shrimp, crab cakes, flounder and fries were ok. There is better seafood around Wilmington, BOWMANS of Carolina Beach is still the best for us anywhere. No fried crab available, which was a shame as that was what I wanted to try most. We were there an hour before closing but locals told us that the best chance of getting fried crab was early on a Saturday! No web site or menu/prices on line so we took a chance and went. Other reviews say the prices were better than fancy restaurants, our view, for take away only, was it was expensive.

The other reviews were correct. Great fried fish.You know you are someplace special when the cars and people keep coming. I had the flounder platter. Threw in some deviled crabs just because lol. Fish was cooked to order. Service was friendly and quick. Had to add this Cash only

This place has outrageously delicious fried seafood. Seriously. The fried shrimp burger is crispy and very flavorful. The hushpuppies are perfectly fried and are super soft and warm. They are only open 3 days a week which makes it even more desirable. They have a 100% sanitary score which is very rare and very impressive. 10/10. I highly Highly recommend.

A little unassuming white shack on the side of a fish market on 3rd street, is cooking up some of the best seafood since my grandma's kitchen. While I am a plain jane kinda girl ordering the combination of two (shrimp and whiting) with cole slaw and potato salad, along with an order of three fried blue crabs; they offer much much more. If fried foods isn't your thing, they also other cooking options, but really why would you do yourself the disservice and denying yourself the experience of their seafood batter. Its crispy and full of flavor that hides a hint of spicy on the backside. Obviously, I haven't even begin to share their menu, but you can't go wrong with fresh seafood, and crspy batter that can be added to any menu item. Here's the kicker- these guys are so good they're only open Thursday-Saturday, until 6pm. Normally, i would take a star off for these restrictive hours, but the food makes up for it. Another thing, cash only. Prep your week: get your cash and leave the office by 5:30 to get a taste of Wilmington's best seafood.

I wrote a review under Zora seafood but then just realized that the name of this place is actually called Ronnie's. The cat fish is the best in town and the side vegetables are just as good. The portions are generous and very convenient pick up service.

I'm the person that usually will order fish & chips if I see it on a menu, so needless to say, I am always on the hunt for good fried fish. I had seen a bunch of positive comments about this place, so guess where I had to go on my cheat day? :) The service was wonderful, the employee was very friendly and playful while still being patient as we were trying to figure out what to order as first time visitors. We ended up with a combo plate (fish, shrimp, & scallops), a Whiting plate, & banana pudding. The establishment is carry-out only, and wow, they are so consistently busy with people coming in & out for both the cooked food & fresh seafood selection. The amount of food you receive is generous, and for a good price! I didn't personally enjoy the banana pudding, but the BF loved it & we both agreed the hush puppies were some of the better ones we've had. Will def come back the next time I'm ready for some more fried fish

The best. Forgot the Mac and cheese side order with out food and tried to call us but had the wrong number. Called the next day and they gave us our missing Mac and cheese and a free honeybun cake for our troubles. Food was absolutely delicious too!! Great prices and good variety, homemade feel.

Okaaay! I got a 2 piece trout plate with fries, Mac and cheese, and greens. Let me start with the greens! Awesome! Highly recommended. The Mac and cheese, nothing special. The fries were good.... and the fish. Super fresh. They fry was perfect. Four stars because of the mac and cheese, but I highly recommend trying this place. Good stuff!

I was happy to know that Ronnie's was taking up shop in the old Zora's seafood building when they first opened. I was even more thrilled when I found out they were serving seafood plates cooked fresh to order. I have been a customer for the past couple of months and usually visit the establishment 2-3 times a month. The last 2 times I couldn't help but to notice that the portions of shrimp and oysters on the fried combo plate have gotten NOTICEABLY smaller. I would not expect to pay almost $15 for a fried combo plate that offered 15 shrimp and only 5 oysters...especially when they charge an extra $2 just for ordering oysters. Their motto suggests that these cooked-to-order fresh seafood plates are "...worth the wait..." After 3 months of my patronage and their declining portion sizes, they are hardly worth the wait OR the price.

I found this place on yelp as I was looking for good fresh seafood cooked by locals. I was very pleased with the food. We had a shrimp burger, crab cakes and fried whole crabs. All were awesome! Simple place, ate on a bench in front of store but what cooking. Oh and get fried okra!!

Ronnies Crab Shack has the best Fried Seafood that I have ever had, at any place at any price. That is saying a whole lot, as I have been to some of the best Restaurants serving Seafood. Ronnies is both a Fish Store and Take out Seafood Restaurant, the Restaurant is located in a trailer next to the main building. My wife and I could not beleive the quality, freshness, portion size and price!!! This is truly a fish lover's restaurant.The person who took are order was pleasant and helpful and the owner was among 3 or 4 people preparing food. The taste of the food was just amazing and the cooking oil was fresh, which definitely made a big difference in the taste and quality of our dinners. I wish we had Ronnies in New Jersey we would eat here on a regular basis. The only place we have that comes close to this place in Fried Seafood is Mr. Shrimp located in Belmar, NJ. Ronnies is a must stop and eat location when in the Wilmington area, you will be pleased you stopped!!!!

Its always a pleasure serving Wilmington the best fresh and cooked seafood in the Cape Fear area.... With our clean and stocked fresh seafood market open 7 days a week to our Mobile Kitchen (Ronnies Cooking Shack) that is on site every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 11am-6pm ...cooking some of the best southern fried seafood for CARRY OUT ONLY!!! 910-763-0992 to reach both

Great bunch of guys working in here that will clean and fillet the fish for no charge. Give them a tip though, don't be an asshole. THIS is where you get the biggest soft shell Blue Crab when they are in season. Don't hit up the beach seafood shops because they are much more picked over and often don't get as many blue crabs. Hell, most Blue Crabs come from hard working black folks, just like the folks at Ronnie's. That's what's up. SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL FISHERMEN!

So far I've had fresh and flavorful blue fish I took home to cook for lunch and light, mild, fried catfish cooked on site. The fish prices are reasonable and the meal portions generous. The employees were all friendly and helpful. I'll certainly continue buying fish here.

Great seafood take out place. Taste great and amount is big. Friendly stuff. Will definitely want to visit again.

Awesome seafood and very nice people operating the place. You ca n tell that everything is fresh because you are in line waiting with locals. I got two dozen blue crab, 2 lbs of fresh head-on shrimp and a bag of Ronnie's hot n spicy seasoning. The man waiting on us asked if we had a long drive or a cooler as we needed to keep everything cold until we cooked them. We only had a short ride to our rental so it wasn't a problem. I cooked everything in a steam pot and my family went nuts over it. The seasoning was awesome and the seafood was so fresh. I had to use tongs to get the crabs in the pot as they were snapping and jumping all over.

Great, local place! Johnny was extremely helpful and gave me tips on fish and how to cook it! I drove it all back up to the mountains, and they had packed it so well that the ice didn't even melt! I have to say that the blue crabs were an adventure in eating for those of us used to lobster and king crab legs! The shrimp was amazing, as was all of the fish- I may have gone a bit overboard! No pun intended!

We have been purchasing fresh fish of all kinds from Ronnie's for almost a year now, ever since we moved to Wrightsville Beach. While it's a bit of a drive for us (10-15 minutes), it's worth the extra time. They have the best selection of fish by far, and we have never had a bad experience there, which I can't say for the one closer to us. Service is exceptional as well. Just a pleasure to deal with! They also are the only place I've been able to find live soft shelled crabs consistently in the summer. Kudos!

We were here earlier this week. Got a pound of shrimp and 4 dz small clams for steaming. Great quality and price. Back today for more.