The Kickin' Crab

hey guys, let me tell you about a place called kicking crabs located in Irvine California. If you’re looking for really nice seafood boil that this place is awesome. The only one downside to this is that the wait time for Seden is sometimes over an hour the cocky guys that are there. Don’t really give you the best customer service in my opinion other than that, the ambience is great. The men’s bathroom was pretty filthy. When I went inside I didn’t take any photos of it cause I’m not here to create any Health Department issues with this restaurant however, I believe that they can do much more better in the restroom

Super friendly staff. Delicious food. I usually go to the one in Garland Texas, so I thought I would try this one since I was close by. Kickin Crab never disappoints no matter what state you're in. I got the whole Lobster, 6 piece Sausage, and corn, Cajun medium. DELICIOUS. The lobster was perfectly cooked (no overcooked). Get there early because it is a little small and seems like seats are limited. I kept seeing people come in and leave. Other than that... a definite must.

I ordered the shrimp and it was extremely disappointing. The flavor was bad and tasted old, definitely not fresh. It wasn’t spicy at all, even though that’s what I ordered. The food seemed reheated, and overall the taste was just disgusting. This is not what I expected or paid for. Very disappointed.

Was in town for a shoot and craving some Cajun :) This was referred! The boil was pretty good and sauce was very tasty, but what stood out the most was the fish and fries! Fish was thick and so tasty! Especially with the tarter sauce! Also had the clam chowder and it had huge pieces of clams in every bite! Really light and not so creamy and delicious.

It’s been a while since I had Cajun boil and Kickin crab did fabulous job making the shrimp bag with sausage/corn for dinner. Medium was spicy enough for someone who likes HOT 🥵! The sauce is so good… I can eat white rice 🍚 just with the sauce 💜 Thank you for delicious dinner! 👍🏼👍🏼

This was my second time dining at a Kicking Crab location. My first experience was at their Long Beach branch, where I ordered a non-spicy seafood combo and really enjoyed the food. It was flavorful and fresh, and I left with a great impression. However, my recent visit to the Irvine location didn’t go as well. I decided to try the spicy combo with lobster, crawfish, and prawn, and unfortunately, I ended up feeling sick afterward. I didn’t expect that choosing the spicy option would affect me that way, and it unfortunately ruined my Friday evening. I’m sharing this not to bring the restaurant down, but so others—especially those who might be sensitive to spicy food—can make a more informed choice. I still believe Kicking Crab serves good food based on my first experience, and I hope this was just an isolated situation. I wish the Irvine location continued success, and I may return in the future, maybe going back to the non-spicy option I enjoyed in Long Beach.

Our first time at Kickin Crab. We got there before 6pm and luckily best the rush. We were seated immediately even though we had no reservations. We really enjoyed the food. Even my daughter who is so-so with crab enjoyed the experience. She even asked to go back. Overall a very pleasant experience.

Definitely, yes, It’s one of my favorite restaurants! Seafood is always fresh, the service is great, we choose the Combo 3, $125, including snow crab legs, 3 lbs other seafood( shrimps, clams, mussels). Everyone likes the snow crab legs, and we order 2 more lbs again. Spent over $400

just wanna say that I love kickin crab. would possibly take a bullet for them honestly love getting a pound of shrimp covered in kickin style mild and going ham on it. flavor is solid and it's a fun experience! messy but so rewarding :) but the best thing abt kickin crab is their Cajun fries. literally best fries in the universe. THATS what I'd take the bullet for. without kickin crab Cajun fries on this earth, I'm moving to a different planet. perfectly crispy and packed with flavor. and I love soggy fries so it's especially telling that i like these crispy crunchy fries (though I do like them when they get soggy lol) garlic noodles are also yum!! I like to mix it in with the kickin sauce. same goes for the fries. service is always good. never had a bad experience from the countless times I've been! as for the interior, has very nautical and sailor vibes. very cute and ON THEME which needs to be mandatory in all establishments thank u very much writing this is making me want kickin crab rn :(

We came here on 6/5/25 to celebrate my son's graduation with the whole family, and it didn't disappoint! We expected a long wait, but we were seated in just 10-15 minutes, which was a pleasant surprise. I hadn't been here in a while, and it looks like they've made some upgrades. The space still has that cool, cozy vibe but feels more open and spacious now. My daughters shared a seafood combo with head-on shrimp, king crab, crawfish, potatoes, and boiled eggs--all tossed in their signature Kickin' Style sauce. My son and I shared head-on shrimp, king crab, potatoes, and sausage, also Kickin' Style. Everything was absolutely delicious--cooked to perfection with incredible flavor. We were all happy with our food, and it made for a really special dinner. Highly recommend this place, and I'm already looking forward to coming back!

If you're in Irvine and craving seafood, The Kickin' Crab is definitely a spot worth checking out. I went with a couple of friends after a long week of classes, and it was exactly what we needed. What really made our experience stand out, though, was our server, Matt. He was seriously awesome, super friendly, and just genuinely seemed to care that we had a good time. He helped us navigate the menu and gave us great recommendations. I ended up getting shrimp and live crawfish with medium spice kickin style, 10/10! Matt checked in regularly to make sure we had everything we needed even when the restaurant was getting busy. The food itself was amazing. Everything came out hot, flavorful, and cooked perfectly. We also ordered fries with Cajun seasoning and the portion sizes were super fair for the price. Overall, it was such a fun dining experience. Messy, delicious, and surprisingly affordable. Definitely planning to come back soon.

I really enjoyed our seafood boil. We got the combo #1 and got shrimp, clams, and crawfish we ordered a side of rice to add bc all that sauce needs to be eaten with something lol. The service was quick we came on a week night and got seated in about 10 minutes. Inside has a nautical theme and it's pretty clean as well. Overall if I'm back in the Irvine area I would eat here again. Our clams were so big and juicy I've never had clams like them before! The shrimps were so good and not overdone.

Came here on a Friday evening and had to wait about 60-75 minutes for a table. Service was okay but they were definitely a bit scrambled. Ambiance is kind of loud, there are TVs on and people usually come here in groups so there is a lot of chatter and background noise. Food was good, we ordered a crawfish seafood boil, fried shrimp & fries entree, and fish & chips entree. Everything was good. This is messy eating so come here wearing something you're ok with getting a bit dirty and get ready to roll up your sleeves and dig in!

Exorbitant but tastes good. Paid $35 for a meal that was scrumptious at first but towards the end was so bloating and stuffy that I couldn't finish it. The Kickin' Wings was yummy and crunchy. The Seafood Alfredo Pasta was delectable too, but towards the end, all that fattiness and carbs filled my stomach and I got full off the carbs instead of off of protein. + Helpful staff. - Situated in the busy, overcrowded Diamond Jamboree, which often has entitled, stop sign-ignoring drivers. I had: $20.10 Seafood Alfredo Pasta + $12.80 Kickin' Wings + tax = $35.45

For the long weekend, my wife and I decided to treat ourselves to a seafood boil--something we hadn't done in over a year and a half. We originally had our sights set on The Boiling Crab, but curiosity (and convenience) led us to The Kickin' Crab instead. I'd never been before, so it seemed like the perfect time to check it out. We arrived around 6 PM on a Friday and quickly found ourselves on a waitlist behind 17 other parties. The wait took about 40 minutes, which honestly wasn't too bad given the busy evening vibe. The interior has that familiar Boiling Crab energy--TVs on the walls, wax paper on the tables, plenty of paper towels to wipe down the butter, bibs to catch the inevitable splash damage, and a super casual, laid-back atmosphere. We went for the classics: shrimp (medium kickin' style) with sausage, corn, a side of cajun fries, and I topped it all off with a cold glass of Modelo. The food hit the spot--it wasn't quite as bold or flavorful as I remember from The Boiling Crab, but it was still satisfying and definitely scratched the seafood itch. All in all, it was a decent experience and it may be another year or two before we visit again -- I don't think my cholesterol levels can take this more than once a year haha :(

This was my first time at Kickin Crab in YEARS and MMM it was just as good as I remembered. For 6 people, we got 5 lbs of shrimp kickin' style, sweet potato fries, and cajun fries. The shrimps were perfectly cooked - tender and juicy. I can't wait to be back!

Always a good time at the Kickin' Crab. Favorites are the EZ peel shrimp, sausage, calamari, and chicken wings. Parking can be a hit or miss with how busy the plaza is. Ask for Jasmine, she was fantastic! Food- 5 stars I've tried most of the menu here, but my favorites have to be the EZ peel shrimp, sausage, fried calamari and chicken wings Service- 5 stars We usually have Jasmine as our waitress and she's fantastic. She was attentative and always made sure we are taken care of. Bottom Line Great place to get cajun food. Don't skip out on the wings or calamari!

The Kickin' Crab offers delicious cajun seafood in the popular Diamond Jamboree plaza. Parking can be difficult to find on the weekends, especially in the evenings. This spot doesn't take reservations so you'll have to check in with the host early if you want to eat at a typical dinner time. For 2 people, we ordered: -2 lb shrimp head-on, kickin' style, medium spice level -1 lb clams, kickin' style, medium spice level -3 pc corn -6 pc sausage 1 side of white rice We also shared the following with friends: -1 order of cajun fries, medium -1 order of sweet potato fries -1 order of garlic noodles -4 pc chicken tenders I appreciated that the server checked on us regularly and refilled our water. I also liked that they provided gloves so we didn't have to get our hands that messy. The garlic noodles, seafood, and cajun fries were my favorite items.

I've visited several Boiling Crab locations, and aside from the parking situation, this might be my favorite spot for Cajun seafood. Today, oddly for Friday at 11:30, we found front parking and was seated immediately. We were offered water and placed our combo order, along with two sides of extra fried oysters. Service was great, including refill of water without asking. As a big fan of clams and mussels, I found the portion size to be generous, and the seasoning was spot on with the level of spiciness. The shrimps were large and fresh...skins peels off nicely. The flavors and sauce were so strong that I have to eat the seafood with a side of white rice!!!! The garlic was a tad too much and overpowering to me. Next time, i may need to make a special request to skip the garlic.

I love seafood boils. Growing up, I went to my local Boiling Crab mostly for special occasions, but as I earned my own income I'm proud to say that I can eat a seafood boil just because. The most recent time I came to this location, my server Jasmine H. was amazing. She was super kind and attentive, and she has such a bright and happy attitude. It was super busy, as it usually is around dinner time, so I felt really special that she paid so much attention to my party despite running around so much. As for the food, it never misses. A pound of kickin style mild shrimp always hits the spot. It's perfectly cooked and sometimes I get extra sauce on the side for dipping. I'll usually get the garlic noodles too and mix it with the sauce from the shrimp for extra flavor, even thought the garlic noodles are already so flavorful. I'm just a garlic girl~

Kickin Style seasoning is the best and I really like getting it on the side. Maybe when you get it on the side you can get multiple. One for spicy lovers and another for non-spicy. Since it already comes in to-go containers, it was obvious that I have to just take it home to make my own crab broil!

We always order 3lbs of the kickin style shrimp (headless). It's really good! Sometimes we get their garlic noodle and that's good too. Our food is ordered for takeout. On the weekends they don't take orders via phone, fyi.

11/10 best boil bags in town. Staff is always on point! Spicy shrimp or nothing. Ambiance could use an update but we aren't there for anything other shrimp and natalie n. She brings us back every week. And those juicy shrimps.

They take forever to set you down one time I went and it took two hours and there was 5 tables open and people were leaving and asking questions about sitting and the crew would just ignore

Like the crab and food tasty, service is good and ambiance is comfortable. I went there serval times.

Been here a few times. One of the few seafood boils I've been to. But also one of the best I've been to. Prices are decent and the mixture is pretty good. Service was pretty good and quick once ordered when we went.

We had dinner at The Kickin' Crab and were really lucky to have Natalie N. as our server. She was friendly, easy to talk to, and just really solid all around. She checked on us at the right times, kept things moving without rushing us, and made sure we had everything we needed. It's not always easy to get good service when a place is busy, but she handled it like a pro. No attitude, no stress--just good vibes and attention to detail. Definitely made the experience better. Would absolutely come back and ask for her again!

Basic ambience, quick service and delicious (seafood) fresh stash served piping hot on the table. What more can one ask for!? A perfect place for groups, be it family or friends. I visited with my folks a little over a month ago for the first time and I definitely will visit again. Their broth in the bag is so tasty. I would recommend not wasting it at all rather ordering fresh steamed rice and a portion of Garlic noodles to go along. We had the prawns in super spicy broth. Yum highly recommend. The fish n chips were decent. The garlic noodles are lip smacking for the taste buds, drool! The place is huge, well spaced out seating and sweet service. Plenty of parking available outside the restaurant. Must visit when in California.

We had such a great time here and a big part of that was thanks to our server, Natalie. She was super friendly, on top of everything, and made us feel right at home. She gave us great suggestions and kept checking in without being overbearing. Even when the place started getting busy, she stayed cool and made sure we had everything we needed. You can tell she actually cares about her customers. Honestly, she made the whole experience even better -- would totally come back just to be in her section again!

Solid choice. A good classic spot for a good old fashion seafood boil. It's a couple bucks more but highly recommend getting the shrimp peeled. Less work more shrimps

Omg, I have not been here in a minute and I loved every second of it LOL. I think my favorite thing here is still the Garlic Noodles above all, and then the Kicking medium cause Kickin spicy kills me everytime. Service was amazing. Natalie N was my server that day and she was so attentive and friendly and always filling up my water (for my thirsty self LOL). Cant wait to come back when I visit OC again!

Was having a pregnancy craving for seafood boil the other day so the hubs brought me to kicking crab. The food was bomb and our server Jen T. Literally made my night. She was kind, efficient, and recommended me all the good stuff. Would come back just for her!

Located inside of the diamond jamboree plaza, this is a solid spot for your seafood boil fix. They compare to your boiling crab, without having to drive all the way to Costa Mesa. Their spice levels are not too extreme, the hot is still enjoyable (but it'll make you SWEAT that's for sure!) They bring lemons, salt, and pepper to the table. Their fries are bomb. Their shrimp (head on) is always nice and sizable. Their staff is extremely personable (even if you have to flag them down sometimes) Overall a great spot to come grab your seafood boil. The only reason it's missing a star is because of the horrid parking lot that is diamond jamboree plaza.... I know it's not their fault but, it stills affects the experience :(

Service and food were both good. They are in the midst of renovation so the air time is longer than normal. Overall, it was a good experience. The seafood is fresh, and the mild kicking sauce still has a bit of spice to it which was nice.

We love the food here. There is a great flexibility to choose your seafood, flavor and spice level. Parking is always an issue so pack your patience.

Kickin' crab = my happy place Me and my housemates come here literally every other week. We get the easy peel shrimp with the garlic noodles and Cajun fries. I always get extra spicy sauce on the side for more FLAVOR. The cajun wings and calamari are also amaaaazing! HUGE shoutout to Jasmine, she's always so sweet, remembers us, and always makes sure our table is taken care of no matter how busy the restaurant is. I've been to many other kickin' crab in California but this one is definitely most consistent with quality and service!

Great Cajun place, but don't come here wearing white. Eating can get messy, but worth it, especially the mussels. The cajun fries are some of my favorite fries, plus the give huge portions.

I usually frequent the Chino Hills location but my fiancé and I were in the Irvine area so decided to come try this location. As usual, the food was AMAZING. We ordered the shrimp, corn, garlic noodles, and Cajun fries. Place was also pretty clean too. Wanted to give a shoutout to our waitress Jasmine! She made sure we got our order on time and brought everything we needed. She even brought a ton of extra limes without us asking (thank you!!!). She was SUPER friendly and always had a smile on her face. We never had to flag her down for anything whereas in previous experiences dining at Kickin' Crab, it was always difficult getting what we needed. Even though the CH location is closer to us, I'd come back here to served by Jasmine again! Thanks for making this a great experience, Jasmine!

Walking in the place was pretty small. There was no weight when I went on a Saturday afternoon around 4pm but business did start picking up. The server was a really nice guy who continuously checked on us filled up our waters and ask if everything was OK however, the crawfish that we ordered took a good amount of time we were waiting compared to the tables next to us longer. There was four of us in total, and we all ordered around a pound ofcrawfish kicking style, I got mild and had a good amount of spice and crawfish was HUGE for being frozen. The only thing I would say is that sauce was a little buttery for my liking and I would want to try the other combinations.

Our group got there fairly early, could say around 3pm so wait time wasn't so bad. (5-15 min wait). When we got seated, off the bat our table kept wobbling around, even when we were trying to stabilize it in front of our waiter he did not try to help or accommodate us. Service was attentive when it came to taking our order, but for one of our meal it came in incorrectly. We ordered head on shrimp, but we received headless shrimp. Waiter took back the order and said 5 mins we'll get it fixed. Yet when they brought back the order, again it was headless shrimp and with no sides that were previously ordered. It had to get fixed again. It's just very unfortunate that the whole party couldn't eat together at the same time. At the end the food I have to admit was delicious, just a bad experience.

With the hot weather and don't allow people waiting outside. No consideration for the customers.

I really enjoyed my meal! My server (I think Josh) was attentive and extremely kind. I think he made the experience so much better. I even saw him treating other customers that well so it's a credit to his character. The shrimp was a bit fishy on some pieces but overall I enjoyed it! I wish I got more potatoes and less sausage personally. Overall, great meal!

It was my first time trying a seafood boil place, and I was totally impressed! I did the combination of all of this seasonings together, and it was so delicious. I ordered crawfish, shrimp, and crab legs. However, the crawfish didn't particularly impress me because it was so small!

Garlic Noodles !!! Mic drop!! Always good. No complaints must try ! Always a family favorite!

Shrimp with head off is the way to go! Spicy kickin' sauce has heat and sill have loads of flavor. Can get very busy but service isn't degraded! Can get noisy/loud but this isn't a "fancy" restaurant!

So far the best service and food from Kicken Crab that I've ever had. Wings were piping hot and delicious, garlic noodles had the perfect amount of garlic and seasoning, and the seafood boil combo was delicious! All of the seafood was crunchy, fresh, and saucyyyy. Everything came out literally the moment after we ordered. Our waitress with the cute baggy pullover was very kind, attentive, and hustled among her other tables. The restaurant is very fortunate to have someone like her. Except when she took my friends card instead of mine. (jk ) Overall, they got us in and out, but we didn't feel rushed and got to enjoy our time together with our dinner.

Whoever took my order at 1:09 today has terrible customer service. When I walked in she didn't even gr me t me or ask if I wanted to place an order after standing there like 5 minutes, I finally walked up to the kitchen area and asked how I place an order. She was visibly annoyed she had to do it. When I came in to pick up my Togo order she said she won't give me a pair of gloves for a Togo order. I said I just picked up last week and they always give my gloves, and she said well they won't because they're not supposed to give them. So after paying $70 for a meal I have to go buy gloves because she's rude and accommodating. Not sure what her deal is but not good customer service at all. Everyone else there has always been very kind and welcoming.

Haven't been here in a while but decided to stop by before going to h-mart. Was seated pretty quickly for a Monday evening. Our server, Natalie N?, was very friendly and attentive. We ordered our usual shrimp and crawfish with kicking style. My husband and I enjoyed our food a lot. Natalie was quick to refill our water and get us all the things we needed. We will try to stop by again next time we're in the area.

We had a big group so we did have to wait a while but once we were sat, everything was great! They give you napkins and bibs, since it does get a bit messy, and there is a sink for you to wash your hands after.

yall know i'm a seafood boil girly, so i was very excited to finally try kickin crab. i've only ever been to boiling crab, so i wanted to see the difference between the two. i got the pound of shrimp with eggs and cajun fries. i do wish this place did half pounds of shrimp like how BC does, but that's ok. the shrimp was excellent. i feel like these shrimp were pretty big in size, and easier to take off their shells. the cajun fries were amazing!! super crispy, and plentiful. the eggs were fine, i feel like they were falling apart easily because they were soaked in the flavoring. i went in the early-mid noon, so i didn't have to wait to be seated. of course i will be coming again!

Five stars cause my craving was completely satisfied! I love kickin' crab so much! My go to order is a 1lb bag of shrimp with head on, kickin' style and medium or mild level spiciness! Always hits so good! So fire. We also ordered the garlic noodles! It's a must order every tkme we go. The service was perfect. They came around to check on us a few times, refilled our waters and provided us with condiments. The waiters and waitresses were super friendly and easy to approach! Typical seafood boil setting inside. It was kind of on the darker side, very casual. They also had remodeled a bit since the last time I was here. They removed all the writing on the walls and have blank walls now which makes it feel more open but also took some character away from the restaurant.

The food is good. I love the messiness of it all. I usually get Combo #2 which comes with shrimp, crab legs, red potatoes, Cajun sausage, and corn. I get it medium with all the spices. Do not go here if you are looking for good service. We waited to be greeted for a while. We only saw our server when she took out order and she never checked on us again. I wanted a second beer but I wasn't able to order it. We had to flag someone else to cash us out. It's truly a shame.

Im already excited to come back again because how great my food and service was!! shout out to natalie n for making great recommendations and changing my whole dinner experience.

The staff here is extremely welcoming and fun. Our service from Natalie Nguyen was quick/efficient and done with a smile on her face. Will come back!

Kickin' Crab is waaaay better than Boiling Crab. Here's why: 1. The sauce. Omg the sauce. Yes your breath will stink but that means it has flavor. BC's sauce is tastes like salt water to me, but KC's sauce is rich, buttery, and well balanced. 2. More items to choose on the menu. I can't have my crawfish without garlic noodles, which BC lacks. 3. The service is great! Natalie N. usually helps us out and she always answers all our questions, makes sure our drinks are refilled, and packs our leftovers nicely when I order way too much food. She remembers us when we come in and I feel like we're friends now. Parking can be tricky, but worth it for the Kickin' sauce.

Came here for the first time with my family, I'm not a big seafood person but wow there are a lot of options here! Thank you to our server Natalie n, she was so patient in explaining how everything works and what she thinks I would like. And she was on point! Such a good time and such a great meal

I come to this location all the time- it's my favorite restaurant! The food and ambience are always great and the customer service is top notch! Natalie N. is my regular server and she always does a great job of making you feel welcome and making excellent recommendations. Love the Kickin Crab!!