The Crab Cooker

Crab Cooker in Newport Beach looks charming at first, but sadly, the food tells a different story. This isn’t a proper seafood restaurant — more of a casual diner setup, but with restaurant-level prices and low quality. All plates, glasses and cutlery is single use and thrown away. We ordered 2 crab cakes $18 per plate, deep-fried in what tasted like reused oil — soggy and lacking flavor. The *clam chowder* (tomato-based, not creamy) was honestly the worst I’ve had anywhere, Wholefoods is even much better. Our server was friendly and upfront about the chowder being different (tomato base), but it still didn’t taste like clam chowder at all — just a bland tomato broth with tough pieces of clam. We also had fried calamari and 3 lemonades. Total bill $90 before tip. For that price, you’d expect fresh seafood. Sadly, this felt more like a (tourist) trap with nostalgic branding. Our waiter was kind, but it doesn’t make up for food that just doesn’t deliver. Many reviews mention the same issues — poor food quality, small portions, and high prices. Plenty of better seafood spots in Newport Beach. Skip this one.

If you are a seafood lover, especially crustaceans you will love this place. Came here for my husband’s birthday and Mary Jane took great care of us. They do not take reservations but when we arrived at 6pm on a Saturday they had some open tables for my party of 4. We enjoyed the fried calamari and shrimp cocktail to start. Their main dishes come with sides with choices of coleslaw, rice, tomatoes or mashed potatoes. We had the soft shell crab, lobster, scallops and shrimp skewers. Everything was delicious, well prepared and seasoned. The mashed potatoes come in a big scoop and are seared on the bottom on their griddle, really tasty! They gave a complimentary slice of cake for the birthday celebration and all sang happy birthday. The atmosphere is casual with fun decor.

I love this place. Normally I just get a point of the smoked albacore and cooked shrimp cocktail to go but this time I ate I. The restaurant. Clam chowder was excellent as was the fish and skewers pictured.

I wanted to round up on this one, but couldn't bring myself to give it a 5. This is a Newport Beach classic. However, with so many more restaurant options these days, the bread is just OK and you have to pay separate for it. The salmon meal was fine, but the tartar sauce isn't my favorite. The King Crab was actually really good, but expensive (although fairly priced for the quantity). I have to agree with the overall consensus that this is a below 4.5 star experience. But, above 4 keeps you on the list in my book. Especially with all the nostalgia.

Delicious and fresh seafood with a wonderful atmosphere! Standout dishes were the fried calamari and the cheesy potatoes. The mosaic tiles and stained glass throughout the building are beautiful, and the shark hanging from the ceiling was the icing on the cake.

A couple friends and my wife and I enjoyed a fantastic meal here the other night. We had oysters, clam chowder, lobster, and scallops. Everything was very good! It was our first time trying non-new England style chowder, and while I do prefer New England style, this was very very good. Highly recommend anything off of the grill as that’s what the groups consensus was the best. And the potato side was phenomenal!!

First time in and I loved it! I was here with a relative that had been coming here for 60 years an and it still lived up to his hype! It starts with a great atmosphere. Very clean and nice surroundings and it has every right to be pretentious, but it’s a perfect casual beach town seafood place. The staff was friendly and efficient, but the food was the star of the show! I had the scallops on a skewer with the potatoes and cole slaw, but I want to come back for half the menu. If you’re anywhere near Newport, do yourself a favor and stop in to The Crab Cooker!

Category: Fish House and Local Icon. This place is so much of a Newport Beach institution that it’s featured in a painting on the wall, the original of which hangs in the Hilbert Museum on the Chapman U campus in the City of Orange, and was even acted out in Newport’s annual Pageant of the Masters. So what’s the restaurant like? It’s sharkingly good (there was a huge taxidermied Great White shark hanging over our table). The first thing you see upon entering is the fish counter/display for purchase and home cooking. From there, proceed to the shark-dominated dining room with the aforementioned painting, the photo of Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra dining there, seafood-themed stained glass above the street level windows, hardwood floors, Tiffany-ish hanging lamps, lifesized mermaid lamp, and fun, fish-related things wherever you look. There’s a similarly themed dining room perfect for private parties, and beyond that the rear dining room with raftered ceiling and fans, and a wall of nautical mementos. All of this, combined with booths and tables with banquettes throughout, make this neighborhoody seafood joint exactly like you would expect. You can even view the busy kitchen through the glass to see the giant, namesake cookers. The crabs and all of the other seafood are sharkingly fresh: crab (of course), shrimp, fish, crustaceans, and mollusks. I can vouch for the clam chowder (Manhattan), shrimp skewer, soft shell crabs, crab cocktail, and grilled halibut special. All delicious and all well prepared. Almost all wines were under $40 (our sweetspot for restaurant wines), with a couple under $30. Excellent service. YouTube’s Chef’s Apprentice

I love this place! A local favorite, and a place we frequent every time we're in town for many decades. Simple and delicious in-season seafood served in a casual atmosphere. Today, we indulged in the calamari appetizer, grilled halibut, and steamed crab, NY cheesecake, and the BEST key lime pie. Everything was outstanding. Nostalgic, fun and interesting artwork on the walls. You can count on efficient service, fresh seafood, and an unassuming atmosphere.

The Crab Cooker has always been one of my go-to spots to take family and friends when they're visiting. This iconic seafood restaurant is an absolute must-stop, regardless of what else you have planned during your time in the area. The Crab Cooker truly delivers on its reputation for consistently excellent seafood dishes. I've tried a number of items on the menu over the years, but a couple stand-outs for me are the Manhattan-style clam chowder and the grilled seafood skewers. The chowder is a rarity to find done well (or at all outside of the New York area), but The Crab Cooker nails it - rich, flavorful, and packed with tender clams. And the seafood skewers are cooked to perfection, allowing the natural sweetness of the fresh seafood to shine. But beyond the food, what I really love about The Crab Cooker is the friendly, welcoming atmosphere. The staff is always attentive and happy to offer recommendations or suggestions. And the location, just steps from the beach, can't be beat. It's the perfect spot to refuel after a day soaking up the sun and surf. The only potential downside is the parking, which can be a challenge in this bustling beach town. On our most recent visit, we decided to just walk from our Airbnb rental, which worked out perfectly. Reservations are not accepted either... Overall, The Crab Cooker is a Newport Beach institution for good reason. If you find yourself in the area, do yourself a favor and make it your second stop after the beach. You won't be disappointed!

I adore this place because it is a piece of my history of summer vacations and every trip to Disneyland. Great location and quirky artwork inside. Paper placemats and the same menu. We ordered the swordfish and scallops and enjoyed it. Our server was Nisha and she was attentive and nice and brought everything we needed. The one thing I took a star off for was less than environmentally friendly things like all plastic and disposable cutlery and cups. It made me so sad knowing all of these things were used once and off to the landfill. We can do better! I honestly prefer stainless steel silverware to eat anyways.

Crab cooker is awesome. Have not been here in years but was there last weekend. Had the combo meal would highly recommended. I prefer Boston Calm chowder however there manhattan chowder was tasty. The wait can be daunting we went early.

We were just driving around for a seafood spot and came across this one out in Newport. The service was great and no complaints there. The food however, very bland. From the rice pilaf to the cole slaw. The breadsticks, we were expecting a nice soft breadstick but they were hard like a cracker. Reminded me of the teething crackers you give to kids. The price for parking and the price to eat here. Not worth it. There was a small area to buy seafood in the front. The food was very bland. Calamari we sent back to be cooked longer for a more crispy taste than soggy.

I've lived in the area for over a decade and thought it was high time I ate at this NB classic! They're giving off perfect vibes - everything looks old but well cared for, with nostalgia served up in spades on paper plates. The good smells hit you from the moment you walk in the door. I felt like I'd returned to a pre-digital world and was very happy about it. The fish is amazing. We had the daily catch, swordfish, and I savored every bite. Tarter sauce was on point. The rest of the food - ehhhh. Coleslaw was fresh. The Fisherman's Bread "hand kneaded and baked fresh daily" was served cool - the crust cracked and crumbled and it tasted dry in my mouth. And the famous cheese potatoes had a gluey consistency. I am a carb queen and for me to not finish bread and potatoes is saying a lot. If the prices were a little more reasonable, I might come for the fish alone. But at their per plate cost, I'll grill it up at home with better sides.

The best chowder on the west coast, get it while it's hot! Try the sourdough it's superb!

I ordered the crab cakes. They weren't that good. I'm visiting from DC, with access to seafood from the Chesapeake Bay, perhaps I'm biased. The crab cakes are heavily battered and fried. They had a decent amount of filler, no real flavor profile. I'd rate them about a 4/10. The cole slaw was fresh but again not really seasoned at all. Just cabbage with minimal dressing. The service was decent, ordered to go.

Yummmmmmy...it smells so divine in here! This place caught my eye because...well...CRAB! Lol We were spending my Friday off taking a walk in the HB wetlands, then driving down the coast to eat somewhere yummy near the beach. We ended up here by sheer luck. We started with a bottle of layer cake, Malbec from Argentina, which was quite good. We then had the large shrimp cocktail appetizer, which was OK... But nothing to write home about. Smaller size "large shrimps", but chilled and good. The Manhattan Clam Chowder wass thick, hearty, and tangy served with house-made oyster crackers. The clam flavor jumps right out at me in a delightful dance on my tongue, with a sweet tomato-y essence of deliciousness to follow. For dinner, we ordered crabcakes, and the softshell crabs. I had mine with cheesy potatoes and coleslaw. The crab cakes were good, the cheesy potatoes were served in a scoop. An orb of dense potatoes covered in cheesy goodness...a cheesy crust but super dense mashed potatoes. The coleslaw was traditional and really good. The softshell crab was fresh and delicious. I just want to eat them all right now. These were by far the highlight of the dinner. Surprisingly, they use plastic cutlery and paper plates and plastic glasses, so not my preference, but it maybe keeps the prices down? This restaurant is yummy, and does not include the price tag of most of the seafood spots around here.

This restaurant is a staple in Newport Beach. It's newly revamped but still has the original old feel. They even still serve with paper plates, plastic utensils and paper cups! This started when there was a water shortage in the 50s and is now one of the endearing things that brings the locals coming back over and over again. There is usually a loooong line for this popular restaurant so I suggest you come early and be ready to wait! The service is efficient and done with a smile no matter what or how you order. Prices are not inexpensive as you are not only paying for the food but the location and experience. The food is yummy and fresh. We always order the crab and their famous potatoes. This time we also ordered the lobster, which comes on a stick as does their shrimp. The shrimp had really good flavor!! The other sides include coleslaw, sliced tomatoes and rice pilaf. I suggest for sure the potatoes as they are tasty and made on a griddle!

Good seafood meal and good service. It was a 15 min wait to get in. Glad that it is open again after the construction. Thumbs up on the cod salmon and shrimp.

Enjoyed a quick bite at The Crab Cooker. Was looking for some clam chowder and was amazed by how it tasted. Service was great and the setting was really cool. Don't forget to order the cheese mashed potatoes.

Was recommended to try this place out from someone in az. It was super amazing clam chowder, it was red clam chowder. The only thing is that I wish there was more clam. There was barely any. Everything is throw away. All The utensils and plates and cups. We didn't know what to expect when we got out combo cocktail appetizers. They were a bit smaller than we expected but tasted very very good. They only serve oysters from October to April so that was a huge let down. Their bread was super good. I really did love that soup. I've never tried any clam chowder like that before. Our server Moses was very attentive did a great job. I liked the stain glass windows the building had. They were very pretty. Definitely was a good place to try.

Absolute most visited place. The good atmosphere and service are great I recommend going with friends and family

This place is worthy of nothing less than 5 stars! We had a great experience from start to finish- the clam chowder is fantastic! The oysters are too. I had the blue plate special & I ate every last drop. My boyfriend had the lobster & was impressed as I was. I love the casual atmosphere & friendly service, it's clean & lots of decor to keep you entertained (the shark!!!) We'll return sooner than later

Services was great. Our waiter Rene was the bomb and never left us waiting for refills and offered suggestions etc. The atmosphere is fun and it's cool seeing all the pictures, art and decorations on the wall. The food....ehhh. It seems you come here for the vibe and not really the food. Nothing was bad, but nothing was WOW. We got the fisherman's bread which crumbled when you took a bite and made a mess and the bread was basic I got the Soft shell crab dinner with tomatoes and cheesy potatoes. Potatoes were like mashed potatoes but tasted instant. All in all I can say I've been here but won't come back. There's so many other seafood options out there. Plus everything was plastic from silverware, cups, plates seemed kinda wasteful. That has nothing to do with my review but just found it odd.

Solid 5! We had an amazing lunch here and our server Janet made our visit a wonderful one! The renovation took place 3 years ago and they reopened during the pandemic. Glad to come back with the regulars years ago! We ordered the Manhattan chowder, blue point oysters (8), combo skewers with potato and rice and king crab legs with cole slaw and potato. Ice tea and some beer! We cleared the plates clean and were busy eating when the food arrived. Everything was delicious and the potato side were so good! I'm a huge fan and will be back.

The shrimp and scallops on a skewer is a solid go to for a first timer. Bread comes on request so ask. The Tatar pairs really well with the bread try it if you don't like it, there's no loss. Typical Beer menu with a house margarita that's very potent. This is a staple for So. Cal.

The food is mehhh , no parking , long wait since there is no reservations . We didn't have to wait since we got there at 4 pm on a Saturday but I still wouldn't go back. The only alcohol they serve js beer and margarita in cans.

I've been going here for years, but this past year on my birthday was my first visit after their remodel. They did a fabulous job! Still looks the same on the outside but the inside is very spacious and welcoming! So nice to have plenty of booths and large tables. I remember how crowded it used to be, not anymore! The prices have increased quite a bit since I first started coming here, but the food is really delicious and you get large portions. I appreciated the non-alcoholic beer option as well! Will definitely be back!

Unbelievable experience. The seafood was fresh well cooked and delicious. We came for lunch and the experience was excellent. We had little of everything and all of it was tasty and fresh. Service and the place vibes were perfect. Enjoy!

Doesn't deserve the 1 star, should be 0. Service was horrible, the food was beyond a disappointment, and as for the ambiance....well if you're looking for a place that lets obnoxious drunks constantly scream obscenities so loudly you cant hear the people at your own table, this is the place for you! Server was aware that these men were disturbing customers and didn't care. Manager seemed dismissive. Disgusting and small crab cakes priced at $18. Not worth anyone's time with so many other wonderful options nearby. SAVE YOURSELF A DISAPPOINTING MEAL AND GO ELSEWHERE!!!

I have been going to the Crab Cooker for almost 50 years. The food, the service and the staff are outstanding! If I were to have a "last meal ", it would definitely be from the Crab Cooker. If you are looking for a place with outstanding seafood, impeccable service and an excellent staff, you MUST go to the Crab Cooker!!!

Clam chowder is Manhattan (red) style and was just okay. The clams were few and far between, but the ones that were there were a bit chewy. However, the raw oysters were solid although they come in an order of 8 which is a bit odd. Prices are reasonable for the area and the restaurant was very clean. Our server was great, made good suggestions.

Hadn't been here since the major remodel. The place looks great! Service was outstanding. The woman server automatically refilled our beverages as she floated from table to table. Had the combination skewer and the manhattan chowder. Thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Don't forget to pay for street parking ($6.80 for max 2 hrs). The meter reader was busy writing up tickets. Walked off lunch by heading out the Pier. Beautiful day.

Simplest is best. Mesquite grilled FRESH seafood on a skewer, attentive service, and quaint sunny seating areas. Prices are high but the quality matches the price. Newport pier is about 100 yards away so you can walk off the gluttony. What more can you ask for?

Stopped by here for a quick bite and lots of seafood. The chowder was delicious and the everything was cooked really well. Salmon was charred really good and the scallops and shrimp were not over done. The only thing that was a bit bland was the crab salad, which was just crab, tomato and lettuce. Overall a great experience!

You guys love seafood you have to try crab cooker. Best seafood in town. This place deserves 10 stars.

The shrimp skewers and swordfish had no flavor, the bread was served with ice cold butter that doesn't spread, we were not asked if we wanted drinks other than water. Just a heads up since they waiter didn't bother to tell us and it's no where on the menu, the clam chowder is Manhattan style and tastes like vegetable/minestrone soup. I will say the crab cakes were good but for the price and the portion I would not order again. Over priced for the food and the service was ok. Your food is served on paper plates, plastic utensils and plastic cups. Highly disappointed and won't return or suggest this establishment.

The place looks really cute and you'd think the seafood would be fire because of how fresh it is but it's just not. We got the crab legs and calamari. They don't season with anything other than salt and pepper and butter, our server said, and it makes sense. My crab tasted like a boiled egg, honestly. Calamari was decent but the chewy texture threw me and my man off. Our server was really sweet though and had great service. I don't really recommend this place. I saw some other reviews about the food being dry and I should've listened. I'm sad. Paid $90 to not really like the food and thats with the calamari taken off the bill.

First time here and next time I'm in the area I will be back Friendly waitresse Great ambience I could sit there all day The food is freshly cooked to your liking at anytime Great spot

Wow! We really scored! The pricing was fabulous according to us - the king crab delicious! Our waitress, Helga, was awesome - very attentive! The dining room was full of fun things to look at too!

The service was okay, they gave a bit of a nasty look while taking our orders but proceeded to wash away with a smile when walking away but pretty patient. The food had a weird taste to it and some things were small portioned for the price, they were like a cup size. We didn't get anything to actually help take the meat of the crab out just had to make do with what we had like a butter knife or fork and the presentation was questionable . For having a sign saying "world's best seafood" i was very disappointed and we paid about $450 for food that tasted worth less than a quarter of the price and a very dark gloomy space.

We ordered the Combination Plate, it comes with cod, shrimps and scallops. Overall, everything was good, the only concern was about the rice that, particularly, wasn't that tasty. The server Faith was great! Good restaurant to have seafood meal by the beach.

The food was gross, a real waste of good money spent on horrible tasting food. The service was good, she was attentive. The restaurant smelled, outdated, and seemed dirty. I knew the food was going to be horrible when they brought some bread out on a paper plate. The bread was the worse tasting bread we have ever tasted, it came with 4 pats of better. THE SOUP IS GROSS MANHATTAN CLAM CHOWDER, the mash potatoes we wanted to spit out and they were cold, the coleslaw was nothing special and the fish was mediocre. We were dining at the Tustin location, we will never go back.​. Personally, as I was leaving I was thinking this why hasn't this restaurant closed down the food is nasty, the decor seems dirty and it's overpriced for the in my opinion for the garbage opps food they serve.

I would give 0 stars if i could. Starting off strong with the first red flag that shouldve made me walk out was how rude they were being for bringing in my daughter. However, im used to places not being fond of kids so i let it slide. The second flag was after ordering our appetizer which was their calamari as their list of appetizers seemed interesting and i dont mean that in a positive way. Girly pop when i tell you there was a whopping 10 pcs of calamari on that dixie plate (yes you heard correct disposable plates are what they serve their food on) $15 for 10 pcs of calamari isnt unheard of but this is a nice area and i was expecting a bit more for a seafood spot. The menu is small which i can appreciate since they are specializing in a certain type of food not a big deal but the descriptions were off putting all of their main foods are on a skewer? I dont know about you but all the places ive been to that have skewers usually give you at the very least two skewers right? Yeah its a singular skewer for close to $30? I get this is an old fashioned spot but places like boiling crap sell you a literal pound of shrimp for the same price with sausage potatoes and the works. But im talking about three pieces of shrimp on a damn skewer. My dad ordered a cocktail which was served to him in a plastic sauce cup lol 5 pcs of cold par boiled shrimp in a plastic sauce cup for $15. Again walmart can sell you 2lbs of the same kind of shrimp taste and all for the same price. I was tempted to order crab legs but after seeing they give you two legs for the whopping price of $78 dollars i wasnt even hungry anymore. $30 for three crab cakes smaller than my palm. The most decent thing we ordered was a slice of smoked salmon that tasted like smoked ham and clam chowder which for the price was the best bang for your buck from the entire menu. It was an experience id never recommend to experience again unless youre thinking im lying can cant fathom this place is still open. My advice is go to costco or walmart and buy what youd want to order because after all they only serve crab legs, cod, salmon, lobster and shrimp. Warm it up in a microwave or boil it in some water, hold the seasonings. And bam youve got the same if not better quality food for a much better reasonable price all from the comfort of your own home without the hassle of a confused waiter not understanding why youre upset youve just ran up a $200 bill of paper plates and all together about 1/2 lb of unseasoned shrimp and .05 oz of cod and calamari put together. But seeing as this places pays their workers bills their mashed potatoes are pretty good as well as their coleslaw and bread, aside from that i dont really have anything positive to say. Youre better off going to red lobster as you might actually leave full and not having food poisoning or overspending for a meal a toddler could have cooked.

Crab legs were not good, overcooked and sort of ruined my appetite . Server was super nice though. Decorations were also neat.

Last week we were looking forward to eating dinner at the Crab Cooker and enjoying a bowl of Clam Chowder. Unfortunately the cook either completely missed a main ingredient or the recipe was changed. Either way it was extremely disappointing. Second, I know the original sourdough balls that were served with the soup changed some years back. They used to serve them in a small little container, and were quite delicious with your soup. But now the management has decided to skimp on the quantity of the substitute Dough balls only giving you four or five. Keep in mind I have enjoyed eating at the Crab Cooker NB since 1960 when my parents introduced it to me as a young child. Since we are now visiting from out of state, it was extremely disappointing that something you were looking forward to, somehow is not the same quality you were used to.

Fresh seafood haven! I initially didn't expect to like this place but I ended up immensely enjoying our 2nd meal on our Newport Beach trip. Restaurant had lots of space and character, specialized in grilled fresh seafood and had the best service. Shoutout to our server, Janet, who was the picture of utmost professionalism, stellar food recommendations, and friendly service. Our table ordered a variety of food and we loved all of it. Everything was homemade, fresh, and tasty. From the flavorful mesquite grilled salmon filets, scallop/shrimp skewers, Alaskan king crab legs and crab cakes to the delicious baked potato, coleslaw side dishes, to the complimentary cheesecakes they brought out for my friend's birthday, it was an all-around memorable and delicious experience. We were all stuffed and needed a wagon to wheel us out of that restaurant by the time we were done. Highly recommend stopping by!

The last time I was here I was in college. When I moved to NY I used to order their canned clam chowder and gave them shipped to NYC. They need to bring the canned soup. Brought my mom and sister for a visit today. Everything is still so good. They loved the calm chowder and is also their favorite now. Nisa our server was super friendly and helpful. We enjoyed her company and our conversations. She is a gem and a keeper. Looking forward to another visit. Hopefully not waiting another few decades to do so.

I came here a while back. Just chillin at the beach and felt like seafood. I was in the mood for lobster! I ordered the lobster on a stick thing, but it was so small and didn't taste very good. So I decided I'll be safe and order my go to. Clam chowder! But their clam chowder is red! Like tomato soup! I thought it was minestrone! LOL even though, my minestrone didn't taste very good either. I wasn't impressed by the food and didn't like my wine in a plastic cup.

Lobster skewers and double potatoes! My favorite meal since I was a kid. That is all!

This place is a historical staple to the Newport Beach area. The food and prices are just okay. The clam chowder is red manhattan still which I enjoyed. The crab cakes weren't too delicious but I did live in Maryland for a bit recently until last Summer so maybe I'm spoiled, albeit this is a different style of crab cake. The Dungeness crab was easy to eat but wish it specified it was only half. The slaw was delicious and rice pilaf was alright. I actually prefer the rice to be less strong the way it was so as it doesn't overpower the main. The romano cheese potato side were interestingly scalloped...maybe even double scalloped? It's the literal opposite of traditional since scalloped potatoes typically don't include cheese, which I'm absolutely open to, however it was just all cheese and overly thick so I don't recommend this side. Service was excellent for us, ambiance was nice. You likely will have absolute 0 reception inside by the market/kitchen side. It's definitely a spot for tourists or locals who are real close by, but if you're trying to drive here as a destination spot it's hard to recommend.

The best food ever. I have been put on a restrictive diet and this hit the spot. This place reminds me of the sea food broaler.

There is a difference between raising prices for inflation and an a-hole level of raising prices. Crab Cooker is the latter. I've been coming for over 30 years to pick up picnic items of fish and bread. I ordered a half pound of smoked fish at about $24/pound. When I went to checkout, the total came to about $28. I said, "Hold up. How did $12 worth of fish turn into almost $30?" Turns out the two fisherman's loaves were $10!!!! WTF!? And the two mini tartar sauce cups, that used to be included, are $1 each. Other little disappointing things are that they got rid of the postcards and the taffy jar. The new owners are money grubbing a-holes.

The crab cooker has been my favorite restaurant since I was little, and nothing has changed (other than the remodel upgrade) since then. And I mean that in the best way. Consistent, classic, amazing seafood. The people complaining about the "shabby chic" vibe just don't get it... that's part of the charm, and the paper plates and table settings are part of the nostalgia. I love it and wouldn't want it any other way. My favorite "trick" is to mix the tartar sauce with the rice pilaf. Order extra tartar and do it. Trust me. The lighteaters meal is my go-to. Perfect to pair with a bowl of *literally* the world's best clam chowder. Perfect combo if you want to be full and try more than just the entree. I sometimes go for the fresh catch or salmon which are both delicious. Thank you Crab Cooker for being my consistently favorite restaurant when I go back home to visit. "The main thing is the keep the main thing the main thing"-- and you've done it flawlessly

Really tasty, good service and good price. Friendly, fast and clean. Nice interior, cozy like home.

Great local place. No busy. Handmade and reasonably priced. Great staff. Free street parking. We would go again.

This is our first time eating here at the crab cooker. Over the last couple of years every time we've tried to stop in they have not reopened from their remodel/retrofit then Covid hit. I have to say we really weren't missing much. Decor of the inside of the restaurant is really cool. Lots of great looking pictures in many different sections of dining area. The restaurant look clean and well stocked. The person who helped us when we walked in was very pleasant and got us seated immediately. So the first thing that took me by surprise was the red clam chowder. Well many people may like this I am not a fan. I have to say it tasted like vegetable soup. I'm not sure if that's what they were going for. I would've much rather had white clam chowder. I didn't see any clams In the chowder at all. I think they're going to need to contact the Coast Guard to put out a search team. The wife ordered small plate fish kebab and she really enjoyed it. Very tasty and tender fish. I ordered the king crab legs that also was served with coleslaw as was my wife's meal. The coleslaw was very good. The king crab legs were good. Nothing really to write home about. They did serve with an ample amount of butter and lemons. I have to say the thing that I wasn't impressed with was how salty the crab tasted. It was overbearing. If you want bread with your dinner you have to pay extra for that. You get a French type roll of bread. Now this place is either shabby chic or something they're going for and I'm not sure what it is but everything is served on paper plates and plastic silverware. For the prices they charge one would think you would get a real place setting. If you are an environmentalist which I'm not you would lose your mind at the amount of disposable paper plates and silverware that they go through. Maybe this is part of the look in ambience they're going for. I feel having disposable place settings makes it feel like the place is extremely over priced for what you're getting. I know we're in the middle of the worst inflation in 40 years but still. The server was pleasant and the bus boy was extremely friendly. I'm glad we tried i, t but I can definitely say we won't be going back. It is definitely worth three stars butnothing more.

Food is alright, but not much variety on menu. Needs more side options other than sliced tomatoes.