Delicious seafood, fresh and tasty, friendly service, generous portions, reasonably priced, conviently located by the water front
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Hubby and I have been to The Crab Shack on multiple occasions because I loooove crab! Their service standards were consistent I would say and food quality is always quite high.
Our whole family was there to dine last night and I booked in advance as there was 7 of us. Although I was excited to have the Alaskan King Crab, it was unavailable due to the current Covid situation around the world which made it very difficult to get the King Crab imported. This was understandable and we appreciated that this was communicated to us.
Ambiance 4/5 – We went at night and of course there was some mood lighting going on, but I think it was much too dark for my parents, but it was okay for the young adults. My parents enjoyed the quirky fishing décor.
Food 4/5 – I love crab and I am so happy that you are serving them! Really enjoy them even with just butter, or garlic butter, or lemon butter. We would love to have the Alaskan King Crab again next year when the pandemic is over, we prefer that to the snow crab but it was good that we gave the snow crab a try! The snow crab was a little dry though we thought so it was good that it was served with butter. We loved the Beef Tacos recommended by our server, we enjoyed the cheesy garlic bread, the seafood chowder was chunky and well-seasoned, the Fish n Chips were very enjoyable, Steak was cooked perfectly (Medium Rare), Dukkah Spuds were yummy (but I found them a lil spicy hehe). Portions were good for the price and we were all full at the end of the night. Room for improvement: I did think it would be nice to have a small side for the Steak (either a small portion of chips or a salad) as it was served by itself only and the big board it was served in looked really bare.
Staff and Service 4.5/5 – We were first greeted right away by a gentleman who was the one who sat us down. He was kind enough to sit us early even though we were 15/10 mins early for our booking. He was not the one who served us, but we think he could be a manager that night as he would usually come by to the table to explain some things about the menu to us. We felt that he could communicate a little kinder (maybe he was trying to make jokes which we didn’t get or maybe it was too busy and he was feeling tired), but overall, we think he is still a good guy.
Wait times were very good with the entrees (We had the garlic bread and beef tacos), but it took a while for the mains to come out. We appreciate their efforts as we were a big group and I suppose they wanted the mains to come out altogether. We would like to mention though that when we followed up and the kitchen said the food will come out in 10-15 minutes, the food did come out after 10 minutes.
My special mention for this night would be our server, Yannick. He made sure to double check regarding our questions about the menu before giving us a response. He informed us of the specials and made suggestions for our order (That beef taco was yum, thanks!), he was very friendly, attentive and accommodating. He was still smiling even though Saturday night was hectic and busy. I experienced a bit of distress due to dehydration and light headedness. Yannick was kind enough to attend to my needs and went above and beyond his duty as a server. I appreciate it all the more since it was very busy that night and he took his time to ask my family if we needed anything and made sure we were okay. We had already paid but we were unable to leave right away due to my dizziness, but Yannick was still attentive enough to check if we needed anything else before we left. Thank you, Yannick! I appreciate you as a professional, and as a person. I hope your work place commends you for what you have done for us that night. I give Yannick a 5/5 😊
Overall experience was great and I would still be happy to come back to try other seasonal menus and other crab varieties. This review is mostly based on last night but taking into consideration all other times we've gone. Thank you always for your efforts!
Love this place, great vibe, great food
nice food, really cheap during promos
I along with 10 close family and friends went to the crab shack on a Sunday for my birthday lunch. We were promptly seated in the outdoor area (which was lovely on a beautiful sunny day) and our drink orders were taken.
Drinks too a bit longer to arrive than expected but no issues there. Our food orders were then taken. Now the food did take more than 30 mins to arrive and we were a big group of hungry people. However once the food was received, we promptly forgot the amount of time we’d waited.
2 orders of fish and chips, 1 order of the fish burger, 1 order of calamari, 2 mussel pots, 1 clam pot, 2 chowder, 1 lamb roast, 1 order of mud crab with a side of fries, 1 order of prawns and some other sides.
We were all first timers at the crab shack and not one person was disappointed by the food. It was all delicious and fresh and well presented. Everyone has said that they would return and I agree 😊
Love the daily specials here + $5 beer & wine is good. The fish is really fresh & cooked to perfection with crispy batter, come here just about every week. I like the bar seating area, very light & airy & great views of the cruise ships. Nice friendly staff who are always bopping around, great vibes here & good live bands occassionally. Love coming here. Friday 17 January 2020.
First time there. Tried the mussel and clam fritter and mussel pot (white wine jus) (so many other dishes I wanted to try too). Love both of my dishes. So yum! Will definitely go back.
Went on Boxing nite with 8 others for a family dinner, table was right by the windows and views over the harbour . Our server was Drake? He was amazing, friendly knowledgeable and prompt. Made an error and owned it which was great to see, food was good and plentiful and cooked as ordered. While it was noisy it was comfortable and nor overwhelming. All in all a great night and we will definitely return
I like their steak &rosie pasta!! But pork belly is full of fat and too oily
I’ve been here for dinner twice and have enjoyed the seafood here very much , this time I am here for the afternoon tea special , they have different specials on offer Monday to Friday between 3-6pm , today (wed) is the mussel pot for half price ! My favourite!
My meal was so satisfying , the perfectly cooked mussel with that white wine garlic sauce is amazing...
Will definitely come again!!
The food was excellent. only thing we didnt like was the table they gave us. we order so many dishes and table was too small to fit all dishes. we asked if we could move to a bigger table, they were not accommodating. plus we went there early mornin as soon as they opened. there was many people early morning....sometimes they lack of common sense. we could of ordered more dish but becoz we couldnt fit any more dish we just skipped....they could of made a few more $$$....
Came here for restaurant month offer. Got off to a slow start as trying to grab attention of the staff to order was a bit of a mission. For the $25 Restaurant Month offer, you pick a taco for entrée as well as a main. I went all fish and chose the Tempura Fish taco and the Potato Top Fishermen's pie, which I would recommend. Super creamy and filling, it makes you think of Mac & Cheese. Side salad was pretty basic, ended up just mixing it in with pie. Considering most of their menu is at least $25, it's not bad for two courses but their usual menu may have more satisfying options like the 🦀. Overall a decent meal
Great place to get messy. The 1kg crab pots are the way to go. The sauce is amazing. The Cobb salad is also good to get a bit of greens in your diet. Comes complete with crab meat
Great atmosphere and warm, it has a couple bars where you're drinks can be made so they come quick. The was interact and that's being modest if you're going crab, good fun though..
First time at crab shack. Ordered crab of the day, tiger prawn, seafood pasta, King crab leg and mixed shell fish. The food tasted good especially tiger prawn and shell fish. However, the king crab and crab of the day were not very fresh. Value for money 6 of 10.
Thank you to Reece and team for having us at the crab shack.
We had the mixed pot of green lip mussels and assorted cloudy bay clams in white wine, chilli and garlic cream sauce.
I paired it with a lion beer and a Chardonnay.
Yum yum yum 😋
We ordered calamari rings as appetizer, shack steak and seafood marinara as mains with 2 sides of 200grams king crab legs. good food, friendly staffs and nice ambiance. value for money 7/10
Awesome place for seafood lovers!!
We ordered Fush ’N’ Chups, Tacos with blackened fish and Tacos with tempura soft shell crab.
In the Fush ‘N’ Chups, beer battered fish was served with chips, tartare sauce and slaw. Fish tasted superb, fries were crispy and the portions were generous. The two tacos were pretty delicious and satisfying. The drinks were good as well.
The ambiance is awesome with the rustic and vibrant decor and spectacular views overlooking the Princes wharf. It literally makes you feel that you are in a seafood place. I would surely recommend this place to all the seafood lovers. Would definitely go back again for the mussels and crab dishes!!
I love here for casual dining. If u r into crab or other seafood, then u should go! I went there and ordered steak though. It turned out steak was yummy then other steakhouse even. Nice place! Would definitely check it out second time
I wanted seafood for my birthday dinner so to The Crab Shack we went last night — and did not regret it! For first-timers, we ordered 1/2 pound of Tiger Prawns, Crab of the Day, BBQ Pork Ribs and some soft rolls (plus beer, of course!). The server made the mistake of punching in an order of ciabatta for our table so they gave it to us for free too! The crab was absolutely good — fresh, soft and tasty. We’ll definitely be back to try their daily deals and the clam chowder!
Crab of the day was fantastic. Heaps of flavour and really easy to eat.
Chook flavour was fine but it was overcooked so meat was a bit dry.
Fish of the day was nice. Cajun spices went well with the fish and slaw had just enough punch to it.
Seafood chowder was awesome!
A group of us went here for lunch. Friendly staff and service was exceptional, the fish and chips are perfectly cooked and the burger tasted fresh and flavoursome. Also love the mussels so much as they were cooked to perfection. SO YUMMY!!! I will be back next time to tackle the king crab for sure hahaha!! ;-)
The Big Aucklander was a pretty good burger. Standard sizes for its prices. Fairly nice relaxed vibe. The wait time is on the longer side though.
The clams and mussels cooked in white wine, chilli and garlic is always my favourite option. I recommend ordering some of their buns to soak up the delicious broth. We also ordered the swimmer crabs in chilli garlic butter, good flavour but unfortunately twice now the crab meats has been on the mushy side.
Service never fails, and getting a walk in table is never too long of a wait.
“Dailee” 25% Off Zomato Gold
+4
If you want to satisfy your shell fish cravings, come here. They do different deals everyday so make sure you check it out. They dont do bookings so come early! We came here when they have the $10 curry sauced mussels deal. We ordered a pot of wine & garlic cream clams and garlic chilli butter crabs, with side fries and coleslaw. We might have ordered a tad bit too much for two! So worth it though for around $100, we were full to the brim by the end of it!
had a "dinner" with my friend at 5pm. The daily deals is $10 rib which is super awesome! fresh oyster is $2 each. It's good to see they have Chinese menu. a little disappointment is we came in and no waitress noticed us, we stood for a while. After we sat and were ready to order, the waitress seemed to come in late as well.
Food quantity: 5/5
Service: 4/5
Price: 5/5 (before 6 pm)
Last time we visited this restaurant. We ordered crab a day, steak, lamb burger and fettuccine. The food there are tasty especially the crab is fresh and delicious. However the service is not good enough. When we ask staff for something they never come.
I am a seafood lover. This restaurant is located in harbor and popular for its crab. Customers could enjoy the food while having a good sightseeing. Every time I come here will order steak and crab. And the crab is fresh and tasty even in summer. The price of the food is reasonable as well.
Not the freshest crab, but at least flavour is good. Waiting time a bit long, staffs are nice and friendly.
Quantity 3/5
Flavour 4/5
Quality 4/5
Service 4/5
Environment 4/5
Price 3/5
THE BEST CRAB IN TOWN! We enjoyed everything😊 Especially their Chili Garlic butter sauce. TO DIE FOR! We’ll definitely come back to try their other dishes 👍🏼👍🏼 If you’re a seafood lover and you don’t mind the mess. This place is perfect 👌🏼
Popular place. So glad our team here for an early dinner! Like the 80~90s music, decor, prompt customer service, fish and chips.
I ordered the seafood marina - which was nice in that it had a variety of seafood and tasty gravy sauce. Wished it had crab meat and more pasta serving as I did not feel full.. The fish and chips and the 1KG Mussels special were delicious however.
Would come back again to try the crab and the daily specials as it is super worth it!
Went to the crab shack for a birthday lunch with family and we all enjoyed it! Menu had options for my fiancé who doesn’t particularly like seafood so he was happy with his chicken tacos and beef burger. The seafood however was incredible! First time trying clams and tuatua so was very exciting!
Erin - Gold Code For 20% Off : CATH6386
+4
Crab shack for my lunch birthday cause i’m craving for seafood.. so ordered mix clams (500gr) where i got green mussel and clams, then pork belly for main food with extra 200gr alaskan king crab.. i can say the mixed seafood was really nice with the white wine garlic sauce, but the alaskan crab quite standard unless u put it into the wine sauce.. but still good seafood experience in here
Really love the crab shack! The most amazing chicken tacos and fried chicken here. Seafood chowder is amazing, tiger prawns and shrimp cocktail. Love how this place has an indoor and outdoor sitting area which both are fully covered but brings in the outdoors nicely. Drink selection is decent. Overall just an amazing place to eat and service is always been good on all my visits.
Love coming to Crab Shack. Me and my family have been here like 6timea we cannot get enough of it. The staff are very kind and the food is amazing . We have taken young children here aswell and the kids food is also delicious! See you soon Crab Shack.
My wife and I had a great time at The Crab shack,the staff were very friendly and helpful, one staff member forgot to order my crab legs, so offer me a free drink on him. Delicious food.very cheap for Auckland city waterfront location ,good entertainment. Will go there on a regular basis now
My friend and I had a great first time dining experience here! The place looked really cool and felt cozy. The staff who attended to our table was so friendly and enthusiastic. For starters, we had the the soft shell Tacos with bbq pork pulled filling which we find a bit spicy but taste good. We also tried two of their Shack Boards (Crab and Prawn Cake) which is new to our tastebuds but we def loved it esp the pickled onion mayo and the Tempura Soft Shell Crab which instantly became my favourite. We also had Creol Half A Roast Chook with ‘dirty rice’ which is not that appealing to hear/read but taste wise it was really good. Chicken is tender and juicy. After being full we had tha cocktail of the month ‘Black Magic Woman’, although I cannot taste the tequila in the cocktail I still enjoyed it. Overall, our experience was awesome and would definitely be coming back.
Great place for seafood. We had couple of drinks then fish of the day along with some burgers. Very helpful staff. The ambiance is quite comfortable right by the harbor with some awesome views.I would definitely go back again and recommend for everyone to visit whenever in auckland.
The $15 fish and chips deal on a Friday is really great value. Super tasty and large portion size for the price. Unfortunately it only runs until 6pm so gotta get in early! They also do a cheap deal for the house wine before 6pm too. Great location down on the wharf, I’d recommend eating in the bar area so you can enjoy the views and the live music on Friday and Saturday nights. The complimentary free popcorn is a great addition too.
Came here for my mum’s birthday after loving our experience in Wellington. It’s safe to say that we thoroughly enjoyed everything - including the service, food, waiting time and ambience! So glad that this place didn’t disappoint as this was a birthday dinner and we will definitely be coming here again!
Have visited the Crab Shack before but after Wellington’s experience I was itching to visit the Auckland spot again. I ordered the Seafood Marinara and it was so fresh and creamy. Wish it had more prawns and calamari but for $26 I was stuffed, good value in my opinion. We also the crab legs for the first time and it was a mission to crack them open but a fun experience too. Meat was soft and tender, absolutely loved it! The staff are absolutely excellent and will take great care of you when you visit.
I’ve been here more than once already but I decided to try out their Restaurant month menu and for 2 courses at $25, it didnt fail. Everything was amazingly good. I tried this out with my sister in order to try out the whole menu and for sure it was yummy. Especially in love with their seafood chowder and the jambalaya. The staff were very helpful and attentive. Totally will be coming back soon.
Friendly and lively service and atmosphere from the beginning. We got the 2 entrees and two mains for Restaurant Month, plus a drink and oysters. For $2 each the oysters were impressively fresh. Loved it here but would be curious to try other things on their menu
Nice friendly service with great view n lively ambience.
Food was good n their signature dish The king crab was great. Full of flavour n the portion was quite decent.
We had a pleasant experience n will definitely return for more.
Food - 4/5
Service - 3.5/5
Ambience- 4/5
Like the atmosphere of the restaurant and how we can have free popcorn whilst waiting for the ordered food to be served. Like how we can see the seaview from the restaurant. Tried crab pasta and it was quite nice :)
Love this place. Service was great and food was even better. All you seafood lover's, make sure to check out this place. Love the view as well of the wharf. First time and will definitely go again.
After checking out their Wellington location, we weren’t expecting that much but was surprised at how great this location was!
Service was again lovely and they had $3 tacos which came with generous fillings. Highlight being their pulled pork with bbq sauce and their fish. Their version of soft shell crab was more batter. They also have $2 oysters (3-6pm) and they were big! I only ordered half a dozen but could have easily done a dozen if I wasn’t so full hungry.
Their kids menus come with steamed veggies which is amazing as it has the three veggies that my son likes (broccoli, cauliflower and carrots). It’s hard to get veggies into kids when on holidays but this was perfect. Unfortunately his beef burger was dry and burnt but I scraped some of it off and he seems to enjoy it.
Overall great place when dining early to enjoy their specials.
Been to Crab Shack in Wellington few times, finally got to try the Crab Shack in Auckland. Good Food like we expected. Service a bit slack but friendly, overall good food with good night!! Good job!!
Great food, fast service, nice staff
what else can you ask
I can say that crab shack is one of the best bar/resto in CBD
they don't have that much on their menu but that's fine because I think all on their menu are quality food.
We had the Fush N Chups, Crispy Pork Belly, and The Shack Steak
All food was great! Fush n Chups is a bit expensive as many other restos offer fish n chips at a lower price but that's fine the taste was superb. The Crispy pork belly was also delicious maybe there are a few other restos better at this but that's also fine
The Shack Steak was glorious the flavor and tastefulness of the steak were just magnificent and for 31$ that's a great deal! We also had the freshly caught oysters which were equally nice.
The servings were generous!
We came on a weekend around 2 pm and the place was still a bit crowded so maybe during lunch time and dinner its more crowded so be early.
Definitely coming back maybe to have some drinks with colleagues.
Give it a try!
Went here for lunch last October.
Usually don't eat crab but Crab Cobb Salad was amazing! Fries were crispy and at the right thickness. Mocha was served with marshmallows, the way I like it. Boiled eggs and prawns were soft. Crab cakes were delicious as well.
First place I ate upon arriving to Auckland and it was exactly what I needed! The chicken wings and soft shell crab with a serve of chips was a comfort feed shared with Mum and we loved it. Sister got the fish burger and enjoyed every bite. Relaxing setting with lovely staff
Great spot and friendly staff.
Went to the crab shack with the Mrs, immediately greeted then seated by a friendly host.
We ordered a Caesar salad with crab , soft she'll crab with miso mayo and spicy chicken wings. With boy cheese and chipotle sauces.
Caesar had lots of crab which was great and had tasty paprika croutons, but had no bacon and the Caesar dressing was not strong enough. But the salad was still good quality.
The spicy chicken wings were not actually spicy. They were coated in bread crumbs and deep fried to a beautiful golden brown but in terms of flavour there was none. They were served with 2 delicious sauces chipotle and no I cheese. Can't help but think that if you tossed the wings in the chipotle sauces then served them with the blu cheese sauce, they would be ten times better.
All in all the food is good quality here and I'd be happy to return.
I love Crab Shack. Seafood is one of my favorite food. Crab shack is one of those restaurants which is hard to find in Auckland that specializes in seafood and offers lots of varieties to customers. Just next to the water in downtown. Beautiful surroundings. Nice gathering place.
The food are nice,while services are not good enough. Staff are too busy to serve us.
Crab and mussel&clam are 'must order' every time.
The sauce is nice with the bread to dip. On Thursday the special Tacos are great value and good tastes.
Great environment next to the wharf and queen street. Good for sharing with friends.
Two years ago, we went to this restaurant to eat crabs. It didn't feel good, but we're happy with the service. Not long ago, we went to this restaurant to try lunch. But I think the service is much worse than before.
Second time I've come now and i would say don't come during the holiday season. They explained to use that due to the christmas and new year season, a lot of their suppliers were on holidays and so they didn't have a lot of items on the menu in stock. Overall it was super good and drlicious and food came reasonably fast. Great service.
we ordered a 1 kg bucket of muscles and they weren't shucked properly, They still had seaweed bedding in every single muscle, not one of them has been taken out, I did come in with the idea to have crayfish, / crab but the cheapest was 19$ for two pieces of deep-fried crab which was a starter and 35$ for some crab legs and $60-115 or more for an actual crab meal. the seafood pasta also was very average, the sauce was overpowered by pepper . and was very bland. the music was also very very loud,
Went here several times with friends. It's a pretty good place to have anniversaries and birthday dinner. The location is good, outside is harbour, once finishing dinner, it's good to have a walk.
The crab was delicious. We three people often ordered two different crabs and a plate of steak(no time no visiting, almost forgot the name, the pictures would come up soon).
The service is quite good even it is peak time. offer
Dined at the crab shack last night for dinner and the location was awesome! Customer service is 5 out of 5! The ladies were so lovely. The food was yummy. My 9 year old daughter ordered the pot of mussels and was in heaven!!! We will definitely be back!
Came here at around 8pm. They're usually busy but the staff are friendly and accommodating. A little bit pricey but the food's nice. We ordered seafood marinara, it was surprisingly good! As well as the market catch which was good! Loved the scooped mixed shellfish and the sauce which was white wine, chilli, garlic and cream. They were busy at the time but the food arrived at the right time. Ambiance was nice and I love the decors! It was a bit hard to have a conversation with my partner because of the loud music.
I real love strawberry and lime cider～the king crab so nice and i love it so much❤️harbor's view enjoy sunshine and heard seagulls～relax day😄
Great dining experience when you dive into crab with dirty hands. Crab of the day is always very satisfactory. Sangria is nice as here, and other dishes will really satisfy you too. They got this super cute crane machine too out front :)
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Indypindy05 and I came her on a Monday evening and we were excited to see what the menu had to offer. We were unfortunate not to order any crab dishes on the menu. Though we did get to taste their Shack steak and Creole half a roast chook. The steak was delicious even though I asked them for a well done and got a medium. I didn’t take it back as I wasn’t too fussy and it did take 20mins for our orders to come out as we were told the chicken in the Creole half a roast chook was coming from the freezer. This wasn’t a huge problem as we decided to order an alcoholic beverage which was delicious and refreshing (I forget the name of it)
Other than that the ambiance was a bit of a let down, walls were torn up and there was a speaker above every booth which was so much of a let down cause the music was that loud I had to sit right next to my friend.
Waitresses were nice and bubbly. Would catch them singing along to the songs every now and then.
We ended spending a whopping $90 for the three things we ordered! Which was a shocker.
Food is to die for literally.. tried crab for the first time and i love it! Bit pricey but worth it!
Awesome place to go to, staff had on their Disney costumes for Halloween. The staff were friendly. The scenery of the wharf is beautiful. The food if yummy, and the tables were nice and clean. A little on the pricier side, but it was worth it. Definitely would recommend a try.
Today, after we attended The Very Vintage Day out, we were asking each other if we prefer to call in to The Crab Shack or New Orleans for a bite. The choice was The Crab Shack. Last month, we visited during dinner hours and were ignored, honestly, no one bothered to attend to us and another couple waiting in line so we left. Now that the time is after lunch, we hoped we would get some service.
Came here this afternoon for lunch. Always like the venue and service. The wait staff were all dressed up in costumes for Halloween which was nice. Wasn’t a big fan of the fish burger but the green lip mussels and beef burger were delicious.
Have tried the steak before which really good, would recommend trying it when dining here :)
My happy place! Love the service, FOOD, and environment they have.. really relaxed ! Prices are a little high but you forget that because of the experience and flavours they have coming out of that kitchen is AMAZING!!
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It's a great atmosphere, like a cleaned up American crabshack. I absolutely loved the decor with all the nets and traps hanging above. It reminded me of when it used to be the Steinlager bar except it had caps and nets. The food was great. I had the Market Catch of the Day, fish was perfect and juicy, and I loved the potatoes. My friends had the Fush n Chups and the Aucklander Burger and were both satisfied. They have jugs of beer for $30 which I would usually find pricey but they are actually decent sized jugs so on point for that. I guess my let down was the service, although he was very friendly, I barely had time to sit down before I was asked what I wanted to order so I didn't get much of a chance to truly decide. Also, I have a tendency to push my favourite part of my dish to the side so I wasn't too happy when my dish was cleared before I had finished all of my food - especially the potatoes. I understand that it can be busy and you need the table, but please don't make your customers feel like they're part of a factory line.
This place has an amazing variety of seafood! The spicy wing are stunning 👍🏻 the clam and mussel are so tasty 👍🏻 and the main which is the crab are very well season and has plenty of meat! 👍🏻 A great place for a big group to dine and socialize as the place have great vibe and chill. The staff are quick, efficient, super friendly and always ready to attend to your need.
Atmosphere: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Food: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Service: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Nice place to hangout with friends. Visited on the weekday night and it was crowded. Waited 20-30 minutes for table. Staffs are friendly and very good service. However, the foods are just average. Little disappointed.
Been here twice! Really love their seasoning/flavours. So so good! Best seafood chowder. Clams are great! Blue swimmer crabs seem overpriced but id still come back and get it 😂 on the expensive side for everything actually.. but taste great!!! Also.. i dont think the crabs are fresh 🤔 the flesh consistency was different even though it was cooked in the same bach. But still.. the flavour was good.
The best Customer service that my partner and I have experienced. We sort of dreaded going there, as we have a 6 year old but the waitress made our experience so enjoyable and my daughter absolutely loved her. The food was awesome, would definitely recommend the steak that they have on the mains list. We definitely enjoyed our afternoon there. Would definitely recommend to Family and friends. We will definitely be visiting soon!
I really like this place! It's in the heart if the buzz around the waterfront and its got a great rustic ambiance. The staff are very aware that they get tourists there so the service is impeccable. They even had 2 concierges at the door to greet and seat us!
The food is GREAT value for money. I had the chicken tacos and my table ordered the fries and the calamari deep fried.
The waiting staff was charming and I just loved the fact that we were on the wharf.
Would definitely go back.
Will definitely be going back again soon! Absolutely loved the atmosphere but esp the food.. even the staff were so friendly! Highly recommended :)
Went here with my partner. Lunch with a great view was nice. Steaks are good, and love the sauce. Its very tasty. Burger and Chips is pretty big.
Came here for weekday lunch deal and the food was great! Had tacos for entrees, chicken dish and fish dish for mains. Full of flavour and cooked really well. Will go back! Only $50 for lunch.
Best crab in Town am I wrong? Everything is just perfect! Very good and tasty food. The atmosphere was perfect. The crab was delicious. Great value for money. With a bottle of wine, what a perfect dinner!
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My first crab experience.
Started the meal with chicken wings - my fav.
Did all the justice to the name. Crispy skin with soft juicy white meat chunks on bone. Delight.
Ordered a crab main from the menu and told them this is my first time dealing with a crab. The server being the awesome self he was advised me to try another crab which would be a smaller portion and easier to handle. And i guess he was right. Crab in tamarind sauce.
I was explained how to use the "tools". But I was also told just eat like you want to. So off I went, wore my bib and started the mess. A yummy mess to to say the least. Loved the crispy onion on top.
My partner in crime had the fish and chips. Yes i know, why would one have fish and chips at a crab shack. But the fish was good aswell. Chunky fillets fried in batter. The chips were not what I would call the best. They were ok.
Drinks: pina colada. Fresh. Opened my brain, eyes and soul. Also in the pic, dark beer from the tap,
Pricewise: everything above put us down approx $100. They do have online vouchers that offer discounts.
Returns: yes. Sure would.
This place maybe the best seafood restaurant in the Auckland CBD. They have full serviced bar with an amazing atmosphere. It really makes you feel you are in a seafood place. The service was friendly awesome since the staff were so knowledgeable. I totally recommend this fabulous place for seafood lovers. Even for the non sea foodies.
Just showing some family around town and as they like seafood, this place came to mind.
Ambience is cool, laid back and a fitting motif/decor. Service is standard. We had the fush 'n' chups, seafood marinara, seafood chowder and an Australian Spanner Crab. Everything was delicious and brought out in a timely manner, relatively close together. Definitely a favourite spot for seafood.
We loved this place. The mud crab and sauce were amazing. Had fish and chips which was also done well. Lots of cool drinks. Quite noisy and full of families and larger groups as well as more intimate tables. Go for it!
Food was really yummy, seafood pasta was delicious absolutely divine pasta sauce. Steak was also nicely marinated. Portion sizes good enough to leave you satisfied and full. Pricing is not too bad and staff are very friendly. However there was chipping on the plates which was quite unpleasant.
A vibrant restaurant with bright lights and chirpy waitresses and with the head chef shouting orders in the kitchen. Reminded me of some reality kitchen cooking show. Food wise is okay. Clearly crabs are their speciality which was good. Seafood chowder was delicious too but not too sure about the hot and spicy chicken wings and the steak. The chicken wings were on the salty side - perhaps too much blue cheese in the seasoning.
Had the 1kg pot of mixed NZ clams and mussels with coconut curry sauce and loved it! Goes well with the Green Beret Indian Pale Ale and side of Caesar Salad. Staff very friendly and helpful; was surprised at how busy for a coolish Wed night in the middle of winter in Auckland. Will be back again next trip to Auckland👍👍👍!
Came here for dinner with friends. When we searched the crab theme restaurant, "The Crab Shack" was definitely the only and best one on zomato. It was not let us down, the crab were nicely cooked, the flavor was all there in the meat, very tasty! The waitress was friendly guiding us through the menu, helped a lot!
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Came here for my birthday dinner and were blown away by the service and food here.
The ambience here is really good and the drinks are delicious! I was really wanting to try their pina colada but unfortunately their blender wasn't working that night :(
We ordered the pork belly, the steak, 1 kg crab and burgers . The crab my friends ordered was seriously delicious..the marinate was the winner. It complimented the crab meat so well. Remember to order yourself some buns to soak up the juices. To die for.
The pork belly has got to be one of the best I've had...it was cooked to perfection and the crackling was supper crisp and delish 👌
The steak my partner ordered was so good that i' d go back and order it again and again. Steak was cooked to perfection and the mushroom sauce was incredible. Had a nice peppery taste to it 😍 amaze.
The staff here made my night really memorable...seriously dine here for a special occasion because they really look after you so well. Big thumbs up to crab shack, you guys are a gem!
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Went crab shack with my partner to celebrate our anniversary and they didn't let down at all! It was our first time there & we dined around 2pm on a Saturday. The place was pretty packed & has a rustic look and feel to the decor. Waitress was amazing, genuine and checked in occasionally! We ordered crab of the day, sea food chowder, fries, prawn and cake fish cakes & the steak! Sea food chowder was a bit cold - but still yum - probs because it came out the same time as the crab! Crab was so nicely cooked and flavors were sooooo goooddd! The fish cakes were so DELISSSSH! With a zesty lemon type of dip under it, matched so well. And the steak & mushroom sauce? Best mushroom sauce We've tasted & the steak was perfectly cooked and grilled.
Price was, quiet expensive but still feel like it was worth the money! We will definitely be going there again.
However PARKING, oh my gosh it's expensive lol - not crab shacks fault just be ready for $14 an hour or $26 for 2 hours if you are going there.
Amanda Jane Prior Williams
+5
It was a cold blustery day outside today. The restaurant was buzzing with glorious plates full of huge claws and more passing out of the kitchen at an alarming rate. We loved our mixed half pot of mussels clams and the sweetest pipis with a wine a garlic sauce. Bringing back fabulously carefree memories from harvesting these for ourselves back in the good old days. He had a beaut fettuccine marinara Yummo and I managed to almost finish a very tasty pot of chowder. Could not fault anything from service to entertaining fellow eaters cracking their crabs to the amazing food. We will be back! Thank you Crab Shack!
Went the Saturday 24/6 with a table of 7, the place was chocka was told there was a 20 minute wait, waited less than 10.
The staff were great very attentive and quick.
I had a fish burger was nice lacked flavor but over all it was tasty. The crab tacos YUM will definitely be back for them tried the chicken tacos to spicey for me. Others had Steak, Pork Belly, Pasta. Beef Burgers.mussels and Fish & Chips. Overall the meals were good. Reasonable prices. Didn't get photos of all the meals.
I wish Auckland has more places serving crab like this. Highly recommended the tuatua/ clam with white wine sauce or garlic butter sauce. The star of the night is of course the King! I don't usually go for the blue swimmers since it's quite time costly to eat them. Perfect place to satisfy your seafood craving but make sure you save up for this :)
Food and Flavour: 5/5
Ambience: 5/5
Seating: 4.5/5
Service: 3.5/5
Value for Money: 4.5/5
Oh man...The Soft shelled crabs are the best I have ever had. juicy centres and crisp covering. The salads along with the crab were fresh and good combo deal.
We came here for dinner with a group of my friends. Our waitress was so friendly! We ordered crab tacos, mussel fritters, mussels and burgers. Service, drinks and food came promptly. Will definitely be back.
Scarlet Shen With lovely Miss Scarlet. Congratulates to your last semester in uni. Wish you a bright future in SH♥(ˆ⌣ˆԅ) I will miss u💋行ってらっしゃい。まだ 会いましょう！！
The crab dishes were great, especially the spanner crab as it has lots of fragrant flavours. But can't say the same for the Caesar salad or the chicken wings (starter). The salad was too salty and it felt like just a bowl of mayo and lettuce with some sardines in the bottom. The chicken wings had a very strong blue cheese flavour, so if blue cheese is not your forte, the chicken is not recommended. Otherwise the restaurant had a good atmosphere and the crab dishes were delicious.
Be prepared for your hands to get dirty - but it's well worth it ! Ordered : battered fish taco, crab taco, seafood marina, blue swimmer! The tacos were both very tasty with a nice crunch! The pasta had a really delicious sauce with lots of seafood in it. The best was still the blue swimmer - good choice for first timers. There was a good amount of crab and was very flavourful. Every bite had a mixture of spices and the crab was very fresh. Must try at least once!
Danielle Riethmiller
+4.5
The seafood chowder is bomb. Honestly after the first time I tried it, I was back in the restaurant 3 days later eating it again. 5 stars for the chowder. The tacos were all pretty average, very heavy on the sauces and lettuce/cabbage. The staff are very friendly but just with the nature of this type of restaurant set up they aren't always around to check on you so getting a new drink or ordering more food can be time consuming. Great location and would be good for a casual lunch.
Food was great! I love the crab and half chook! Excellent service and we were very enjoyed, thanks a lot for a wonderful night!
FYI their coleslaw got little bit spicy, watch out watch out
If you love seafood, you ought to love this place. We ordered mussels and the blue swimmer, absolutely loved the food. Can't wait to go back.
Lunch menu was solid! We went on a Sunday and the kids are free so extra bonus. Cool concept and food was tasty came out fast and great service.
Amazingly delicious food. If you want some decent fish and chips, definitely worth a visit. The location is also great and the service is friendly and very relaxed.
Excellent service and waiters are very attentive. Portions are decent and filling a little surprised that there is a lack of desserts. But all in all they have great food and a great location. Would definitely recommend.
Okay fans a change of scenery, decided to turn seafood and chose this joint to try as per yer reviews.
It's not everyday i get to eat crabs as It involves a lot of violent prepping Including euthanizing then other graphic procedure, so prefer to pay the restaurant to do the preps and happy to say it is NOT a deep fry surimi as served elsewhere, more like the internal part of crab but did not have that eggshell like crunch like the Cali soft shell crab in which i reckon is the best so far. Dish came out within 5 minutes of ordering too...
Came here for a second try when we were told to wait 40 minutes last time! It's always so packed!
Came here for lunch, ordered the Crab Cobb Salad and Seafood Marirana. We were surprised with the portion sizes, it was pleasantly generous for what we expected! The salad was generous and hearty, good sauce as well!
Pasta came nice and hot and was super rich and creamy, would recommend both of these!
I'll definitely be back for their signature tacos next time!
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Not too crabby.
Having wanted to check this place out for Aaaaaaaages we finally made a reservation.
The fit out is typical for a viaduct waterfront seafood venue with more nets than your grandma would know what to do with yet it works.
The service was particularly wonderful. We were greeted by a young, casually dressed host with a turned back baseball cap and though we were initially surprised at his relaxed appearance we were immediately reassured by his charming nature, friendly approach and hospitable manner.
The cocktails were well executed, presented beautifully and were the perfect accompaniment to the dishes we ordered.
We ordered the Nelson crab pot, tempura crab, fish and chips, king crab legs and a lemon tart to share. We left feeling very over indulged. The crab was tasty and served in a delicious broth that I couldn't get enough of. The tempura soft shell crab was heavily battered, a little soggy and too greasy for me to enjoy, as was the battered fish.
The king crab legs were divine. Simple, tasty and full of delicious meat.
Overall we enjoyed our evening and would return but we'd avoid anything battered or fried.
To be honest, overall an average experience.
I personally found the Wellington one better in comparison.
The food was good, their seafood chowder was nice with everything chopped into little easy to eat bits without losing the heartiness. They also have great daily deals which is a good way to try out their menu if you are free during the day.
Service is a little bit lacking but it could be due to them being busy and borderline understaffed all the time.
There is definitely room for improvement!
Been there for dinner with my mates. Full marks for the crabs and couple of starters what we had. Everything was just spot on. Even the service was really good. The waitress guided us through the menu very well. The thing what disappointed the most was the catch of the day. It was John Dory served with the skin on but the skin wasn't crispy at all, it was completely soggy and I really didn't like it. I hope it will change when I come back again
Genie @ BunnyEatsDesign
+4
My family and I had a pretty good experience at The Crab Shack. The decor is great, a little different to their original Wellington restaurant, but within the same realm of design. The Crab Shack had a special when we dined making it very good value. Everything tasted fresh and was presented nicely. They were almost at capacity during our visit and the food took a long time to arrive, but when it came, it came all at once. The portions were generous and flavourful and we had pretty good service and the staff were great at accommodating our slightly unusual requests. I see they have some really great daily specials and I would come back to take advantage of those. I loved their soft shell crab tacos and would return for those alone. Yum.
Great ambiance especially the outdoor tables. Fully packed when we went on a Sunday lunch but we were able to have a seat anyway. We had the Crab of the day which was really fresh and good enough for 3 people. The Makihiki Fries is impressive too as it was not oily and very tasty (even when I reheated the take away the next day :)). The Seafood Marinara has a very rich taste. The Seafood chowder was also a thumbs up as it was very tasty and chunky. Staff service was good. Looking forward to try their King Crab next time. :)
It's the only restaurant that's a crab theme in auckland.
I love crabs. -a lot! These crabs aren't the freshest, but they are good for nz Quality... crabs go off really quick... so must be frozen since not much crabs around auckland
I must try for crab lovers!
Environment 4/5
Food Quality 4.5/5
Food Quantity 4.5/5
Service 4/4
Price $40-$50pp
Ahh I love this place!! Although they always seem to be super busy and we did have to wait quite awhile for a seat, but we just walked up and down the harbour and enjoyed the view so we didn't mind too much. The first time we came here the crab was amazing! However the second time it was a little overcooked and some of the crabs seemed like the meat had fallen out during the cooking process :( but otherwise the flavour was all there. Their battered fish and chips, seafood chowder and clams were SO GOOD! We had to finish every last bite even though we were so full. There was also a lovely small band that started playing - not super loud or crazy, very calm and kind of relaxing. The staff are nice here, but they seem to be too busy sometimes
Food 3
Service 4
Ambience 3
This place is overrated. Had a steak meal, it was ok at best. Server was friendly but was a little lost at times. Restaurant was very busy on the night I dined in and I found myself having to yell across the table to have a conversation with my company. Might give it a try one more time and if it doesn't impress then definitely won't return.
Friendly service & great atmosphere. Food was nice - we had the calamari, a 1kg scoop of mussels/clams in white wine/garlic cream sauce and the soft shell crab tacos - which were particularly good. Only complaint is that the desserts were extremely underwhelming - we had the lemon tart and the sundae - the sundae was particularly disappointing as it was extremely small and the icecream itself was quite icy & for $13 each I would've hoped for something a bit better. Overall it was enjoyable & I would definitely go back for the seafood but would skip on the dessert 👍
Best seafood dishes ever!!
Plus a great view from the wharf.
I love how they cook crabs with chilli butter.
The mussels and clams are amazing!!
Work dinner here last night. We shared fries, 2 x onion rings, 2 x edamame as starters. Drinks were 3 x tokyoes, 1 corona & 1 prosecco. Mains were 2 x market fish (john dory), 1 roast chicken, 1 beef burger. Bill was $200 which we thought was pretty reasonable.
Food was all delicious and well-prepared. Our server was very friendly and helpful. Will come back with the family.
Wonderful dishes!
My first lunch in Auckland, love all varieties seafood, they are fresh and delicious!
Besides, the sauce in the pasta is really special, never taste before, creamy, buttery and flavoursome.
Went with fam. Pleasantly surprised. It was a bit of a wait for the table. And had a bit of a wait for the food after we ordered. But to be fair the place was packed and the staff were working flat out. There was a magician going from table to table entertaining the kids. And the bartenders to keep the adults amused. But once the food came it was worth the wait. The kids" fish and chips was nice. And the fish didn't look it came from a frozen packet. We had blue swimmer crabs. It was messy and tedious, but absolutely delicious. Would go back again and again!!!
I was there with my cousins last year. Crabs and the sauce were simply orgasmic in the mouth. Lots of flavors coming in, would absolutely go back again! Staff were friendly and nice ambiance
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Dined here for dinner on a Saturday night, the venue is massive & the place was pumping, we arrived around 6:30ish & there were no tables, however the staff took our name & advised us of a 20 minute wait for a table, we seated ourselves at the bar & were served a drink by a friendly bartender who set a tab up for us since we were dining in. After only 10 or so minutes our table was ready. The service started off fine our order was taken in good time & our starter the tempura battered crab was served in good time, however the wait for mains was super long & we weren't offered more drinks or anything in the probably hour long wait. The highlight of the meal for me was definitely the crab, it was perfectly cooked & accompanied by a yummy sauce. For mains I had fish & chips, the person I was dining with had the seafood marinara. The fish & chips were presented beautifully & what I did eat was enjoyable, unfortunately I felt unwell and could barely touch my main (nothing to do with the food) however the waiter kindly made me up a doggie bag & I did enjoy some left overs in the wee hours of the morning. The pasta was enjoyable although a little peppery I was advised. The thing I liked most about the crab shack was vibe & ambience. The decor looks awesome & is so well suited to the theme, for such a busy place the Crab Shack is well staffed who can handle crowds. I would return again to try some more of the menu.
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Service: outstanding, our waitress sabine took really good care of us and made my brothers birthday special. Impeccable service, if anything wasn't on the menu or different she made sure she found a solution rather than telling us “no”.
Food: They had a option for vegetarians which tasted as good as any meat filled dishes. The hallloumi was on point. The crab itself was a decent size for your money. Would recommend one kg bowel of crab between 2-3 and definitely rice or any side dish with it! The soft shell tempura crab is definitely worth an extra spend, very delicious. The sauces in both the crab and mussels were to die for. I wasnt too much of a fan if the lamb dish, wasnt particularly favouring the cold orzo but the lamb itself was well cooked. I have no complains, yes it pricy, but it is worth it for your taste buds to enjoy such flavours.
Environment: great decor, well themed with fishing nets all over the place, large and busy with a great view of the waters. You can either dress to impress or go in your runners, either way. You'll fit right in
I really like the coastal theme of this restaurant. Very spacious and friendly staff.
The Crab Shack does daily deals and lunch specials.
I loved the fish tacos, really well seasoned and the fish was crispy and melted in my mouth. The seafood marinara was a bit of a let down for me. Although generous in amount of seafood, the pasta was rubbery and the sauce was too overpowering.
Would definitely come back for the daily specials.
Ashlene Cheryl Cardoza
+3.5
The best thing going for the Crab Shack is the location. Right by the water front at the heart of the harbor - location-wise it doesn't get any better than that. Which also explains why the place is always busy. I like the decor and the crab nets used as lanterns
The food was standard fare. We tried the chicken wings, chowder and clams/mussels by the scoop with garlic cream. The chicken wings were crispy. I wish they would've provided the sauce on the side to dip rather than drizzle it over the chicken. The chowder was a disappointment as my first bite and I got a mouthful of scales. However, the staff was apologetic and handled it quite well. The mussels and clams were delicious. I wished they would serve some bread on the side just to mop off all the seafood goodness.
They had a deal with a beer and glass of Jameson for $16, which my husband really liked.
I was overall a bit disappointed, but to be fair to the place, it IS called The Crab Shack. I'm looking forward to coming back and trying them crabs!
Meal for two with the above food and drinks plus a glass of wine and minus the scaly chowder = $60
This place has really amazing crab. We ordered the blue swimmer, buffalo wings and the pork belly. Buffalo wings and pork belly was average but the blue swimmer was amazing. The garlic butter was delicious and the crab was fresh. Would definitely go back just for the crab. The waitress was very nice and the restaurant was adorable as it was ocean themed
Very nice had the crab and lost myself in flavour and food heaven. The service was fun and and attentive and even though the weather was rubbish the semi outside area was warm enough.
Their specialty is crab but their mussels and clams are also really good. The price is a bit higher than most places but the food here is good.
Our group went there on Saturday night. Two of us had never been there before and did not know what to expect but wow what a place. The food was just great and reasonably priced but the best part of all was the service from our waiter Phil.He went out of his way to make sure we all had a fabulous evening,.When you go to The Crab Shack make sure you ask for Phil- He is a legend.
If you like seafood and don't mind spending a bit extra, this is a place to visit. They specialize in crabs but also do clams, mussels etc. They have different ways of cooking crabs and different kind of crabs. Prices for crabs in seafood in general do not come cheap. Even the salads can set you back 20 NZ dollars. Crabs range from 40s to almost 100 nzd. The food are fresh and are served within a reasonable time.
Monday's hot and spicy chicken wings specials ordered before 6pm is a great treat. It cost $0.50 a piece and it's really delicious. Made with blue cheese and Shack Buffalo sauce, it's pretty tasty. Located by the wharf, you also have a lovely view of the sea and on a lovely sunny day it's a really treasure.
I went last week because it was August Restaurant Month which had a very good deal! The setting was very good with good lightings however the restaurant was very hot inside which brought down the grade abit- 4/5. Service- 4.5/5. On top of two 25$ deals we ordered the spanner crab as well! Worthhh! However the curry was abit too watery with lack of flavour but wasnt thattt bad because we can have a taste of the freshness from the crab. The chook, clam spaghetti and the soft shell taco(abit ool9) were REAL good- 4.5/5!
Came here onFriday night after work with a group of friends. Enjoying crab takes forever to eat and whilst it is tastey it isn't filing by itself. Recommend getting a few other options if you opt for the crab. Which entails a more pricey night out. A few of us got the simmer crab pot, raw fish, and calamari and chicken wings and that didn't still fill them up. I got the roast chicken and kumara hash which I loved and enjoyed and filled me contently. My personal experience was great!
If you go here, you have to ask for a guy called "Phil"! He is one of the best hosts we've ever had! It was because of him, my first experience here at the Crab Shack was such an awesome night!
Everyone's plates were licked clean at the end, we felt slightly embarassed that all we had left on the Spanner Crab dishes were the shells (absolutely demolished)!
It was Crab Shack's restaurant deal of the month that we used, $25 for a Taco, Main and a glass of Wine/ Beer. It was so filling and tasted superb!
Definitely worth going again!
Possibly the best value Restaurant Month menu -in fact we felt like Crab Shack was getting shorted so left a tip (which is not the norm here in Auckland). Beware, the BBQ chicken is quite spicy.
We waited a long time for food but it was restaurant month + a Saturday night so we understand!
The waitress was so lovely and she even sang us a birthday song when she bought the cake out.. So incredibly sweet thank you so much!
The soft shell tacos were soooo delicious I'll have to come back for those.
The seafood Mariana pasta was so good too
We also got a 39 crab pot and the sauce was incredible but the crabs pretty much had no meat inside.. Will probably not get the crab again xD
But will definitely come back!
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Came here with the partner after our wet jet boat ride in the viaduct. Obviously we had to go home and get changed cause I didn't want to walk around with a wet crotch and ass.
We were served immediately and seated inside near the kitchen. The second you walk into the main dining area you get a whiff of seafood and ohh it smelt so good!! Nice warm and inviting area, tables are spread out with good space so you aren't feeling to close to other tables. Our waitress was working her first day at the Crab Shack and she was very polite and attentive. We ordered the Salt & Pepper Squid for starters - so good! Nice and soft but crunchy on the outside. Our mains came out soon after; Big Auckland burger and Catch of the Day w/ shack bean stew and grilled mussels. My fish was cooked perfect! Crispy on the outside and moist and fresh on the inside. I am an ultimate seafood lover so I was in heaven here. Of course we took away a doggy bag to savour the flavour again at home.
There are dishes without seafood if your not a fan of it but it's a definite must try place!
I had my birthday on Thursday, my Waitress Kat was amazing and attentive, the food constantly good, so good my friends were eating my food lol, Big thank you Shawnie, and Alistair at the bar you guys rock, the best Cuba Libre with kaffa lime. And the manager Scotty Can forget this guy he was the host with the most. Great venue, Great Staff, Great Food, and great drinks.I am a very happy Birthday boy, best way to have my birthday
We went for the special August 2-course menu which includes a taco, main & wine or beer for $25. The tempura soft shell crab, miso mayonnaise & slaw was a very nice taco choice. I had seafood marinara shrimp, mussels, clams & spaghetti & my wife had the Shack Cobb salad, feta, shaved ham, shrimp, egg, crab, etc. Complimentary popcorn came with wine/beer. (Food - 4/5; Service - 4/5; Ambience - 3/5)
Have dined here 3 times in the last month for different occasions. Each time service was great and so was the food!
I have tried the snow crab, soft shell crab, mussel & clam pot, mussel & clam fritters, crab & prawn fritters, marinara spaghetti and the half chook.
My favourites are the snow crab and also the mussel & clam fritter.
The food here is really good, prices are good although the crab is the priciest on the menu. The better the crab the more expensive. I felt that the snow crab was good value in terms of the taste and effort. The calamari looks really good too and they have really good specials during the week between 3pm and 6pm.
Staff were very attentive and knowledgable, bathrooms were clean and tidy. Snow crab was fantastic, beef burger was good not great, over all a really good experience. Would return
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Restaurant month gave us an opportunity to try this place out. As they don't take bookings, we arrived and were told that a table will take 15 minutes and we could be seated at the bar. We had a seat and ordered drinks. The man staffing the bar was very friendly and knowledgeable. The complimentary popcorn was a great little distraction and a table for us was ready in less than ten minutes. We were seated in the glass outer ring, which despite heaters was still very cold and we ended up dining in our jackets.
There was no restaurant month menu on our table so we had to ask for one. We decided on the same dishes, tempura crab taco and the seafood marinara. The waitress while lovely, mixed up our orders. She initially delivered chicken tacos to our table which she promptly realised was a mistake and sent them back to the kitchen. This was unfortunate as the place was very busy and we had already been waiting twenty minutes for our food. Once the correct tempura crab tacos arrived, we dug in. They were good but I found you couldn't taste the crab with the amount of batter they had cooked it in. The saver was the lemon wedges provided as the mayo didn't have much taste and the slaw was underwhelming. Our seafood marinaras arrived shortly after we finished our tacos. The amount of seafood was generous and the sauce was incredible. One recommendation is order a bread roll as well as there will be plenty of sauce left over. I was glad I ordered this meal through restaurant month as the portion size for the marinara was on the small side and would been disappointed paying $25 for the dish on it's own.
Overall, not a bad dinner but I don't think I will be back.
I enjoyed the drinks more than the food to be honest. The burger had too much beetroot on it which ruined the entire burger. The rest of the food was pretty good tho, but too expensive to wanna rush back for round 2.
Great service and atmosphere, the food was average. We ordered the the spanner crab and buffalo wings, the flavor of the crab was average, we thought the buffalo wings was better. Great place to hangout, would probably try something else next time.
I like the portions that they had and the seafood was ofcourse AMAZING! bt the seafood Marinara was a little bit salty but nothing like a good 'ol lemon can't fix :D
Although it was busy at the time we arrived, the staff was very attentive, and friendly. Food was great. Environment was good. Overall, we had very good experience
Lunchtime special - $15 and if your don't get it in 15 minutes its free (Monday to Thursday only). The options are fish and chips (2 quite big pieces of fish), Chicken caesar salad or clam chowder. As usual fantastic services and the food was delivered well within the 15 minutes. I had the fish and chips and was not disappointed. Great lunch time special for the city workers in a hurry.
First thought was wow, love the decorations. A girl waitress was a bit rude, but the waiter we had for the rest of the night was superb. Full of personality :)
The food I had was good but not great, and it wasn't too expensive. I would definitely go here again to try out some other stuff on the menu.
If you like crabs then you cant go wrong here! 😜Good decent crabs served in some nice broth and good service in a relaxed atmosphere. Cracking open crabs can get messy but thats the fun of it! Enjoy!
Most memorable dish I've had: Alaskan King crab, my friends had the mud crab and loved their dish. Service is is amazing and personalised definitely some of the best I've had. Will be coming back for a birthday dinner!
This is a good seafood restaurant. The staff were friendly and chatty, service was prompt and there was a nice atmosphere about the place - great location on the harbourside too.
Tried both big crab dish and small crab dish there. Staff forgot to bring us the tool for big crab, and we were been there the first time, so we had to finish it with hands. Lol ~ The taste of small crab dish was very strange and bad, I got skin allergy for few weeks after that.
Considering the love for seafood especially for crabs, we revisited The Crab Shack today to treat our taste buds with the lovely crabs that this restaurant serves.
We were 6 people nd we had:
1 Blue Swimmer: serves 3
1kg crab (approx 4-5 small size crabs). Though it says singaporean sauce, they have changed it to some other sauce (i guess it was Thai).. The first sip of sauce tht u taste..it hits ur taste buds nd the spices in it lingers on ur tongue for ages. Perfectly cooked crab with orangish shell nd melting flesh inside it. 5/5 for it.
1 Spanner Crab: serves 2
750g crab (approx 2 medium size crabs) with indian spices, chilli, coriander and lemon. The sauce is mild, could have been more spicy, being mentioned tht it contains indian spices. Again, perfectly cooked crab.
Both dishes are absolutely recommended.
The staff though, the billing lady was extremely rude and so not 5.
Taste is divine. I hope the staff is good to u.
I love this place!!! The flavours are great. I always get the Jonah crab with chilly and lemongrass. The service is great. It gets really busy and the wait on food is quite long but for us, it's always worth the wait.
We had brunch on 14 May 16, and were not disappointed. We had varied fare - calamaris, fish and chips, catch of the day - snapper, nachos, crabcakes and all dishes were tasty and as expected. Phil, who served us was also pretty courteous and friendly. The portions were quite adequate and would rate as value for money. The plus was the excellent view of the Princes wharf. Highly recommend this place.
First time dining here with group of people (8 of us) on a Friday night. Place was very busy but service was excellent! All staffs were very accommodating despite the place being packed. food wise i thought was slightly over priced. I ordered their steak and it was cooked well but $35 for just a steak and some greens was a little pricey. Seafoods was great (mussels, crab, soft shell crab very light and crunchy and calamari) all was very good but the crab was not meaty. My friend got a burger (beef and fish) and I must say their burger looks amazing so huge and looks yummy! And we also tried their pork belly which was very satisfying also. Overall it's a great casual place to dine and will be back.
I heard a lot about the food at crab shack so when we decided on this place for a lunch do I was very excited to try out their food.
I ordered a beef burger which tasted good.
Nothing extraordinary I couldnt really fault anything I was happy with the taste and the texture. The makikihi fries were tasty!
It was great dinner with my partner. Nice service as well! Ordered crabs, drinks and some snacks. The drinks were served with little umbrellas which were so cute!
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This was our second visit to The Crab Shack - the first being over a year ago, with such slow slow service we had been hesitant to return. With a friends birthday (and a crab lover at that) we decided to give it another try.
We arrived early & decided to have a few drinks while we waited. I must say the service was exceptional at this point (particularly as we were not expecting too much). We were welcomed, introduced to our waiter, introduced to the barman. Very engaging with lots of good banter - the barman particularly! He was chatty, helpful when choosing our drinks, and able to make us laugh & relax. What an asset!
We ordered mainly a special cocktail which was delicious (one the barman had created), but the craft beers also went down a treat.
Once we were seated we again were well looked after, introduced to the menu & engaged in friendly banter. Full credit to our waiter.
We ordered a few entrees - one of the faves being the hot wings with blue cheese sauce. These weren't very spicy hot, but this was good in a way as everyone could try them & there was habanero sauce on the table for those who wanted extra kick.
For our mains we ordered a variety across the table & everyone enjoyed their dishes with no complaints. Decent portion sizes. Fish & chips (Terakihi), fish of the day (snapper), pork belly (yummmm!!), steak perfectly cooked to medium rare, a pot of muscles, and the mud crab for the crab lover. Recommend the bread rolls for the muscles & the crab to soak up the juices. They have bibs for the table which is helpful as the crab can flick everywhere!
No room for dessert tonight although they did look delicious.
All in all a good night with the only issue being that toward the end service was a little slow i.e. drinks had run out & it was hard to flag them down or there was then a long wait for more. Not a deal breaker, but it would be great to keep the original awesome service going from start to finish especially as it was such a massive improvement on our last visit.
Will be back.
Came here with mum sister for her birthday dinner. We were just walking along the waterfront deciding what to eat when we came across the crab shack. From the moment we stepped in the service was fantastic! It was super busy but the staff were very accommodating. We were seated quickly and served quickly. We got the calamari to start, and it's safe to say it's the best we've ever had. For our mains we had a pot of crabs in butter, garlic and chilli and boy oh boy was it amazing. We will definitely be back again to try more!
Really good service at this place. Love the mussels - they were cooked in this divine creamy white wine sauce! Delicious. A great place to hang and enjoy some seafood and drinks. A little on the pricey side, but it has a great atmosphere and view.
Came here for Sunday lunch and beers. We had crab legs and chowder :-) chowder was sooooo yummy. I duno if I should have mixed beers with it but it stayed down, the crab was difficult to eat so lucky I was warned and didn't wear white clothing.
Great location on a nice sunny afternoon.
The place has a good ambiance. You get a great view of the wharf and the city and looks great at night.
The staff who served is were very pleasant and helpful. I've tried the calamari, with coriander and palm sugar dressing (this makes the dish), Skillet fried tiger prawns (not much meat but tasty), tempura soft shelled crab (generous portions) and the charcoal seared tuna. The Makikihi fries surprised me, quite good and a table favourite.
Would have loved to tried the crab but I just hate messy eating outside my home. I know that it's part of the experience to crack the crustaceans open yourself but I wish it came with the option of it being de-shelled for you.
Joanna Marie Francisco
+4
Dined here few days back when my parents arrived to auckland. We had an incredible experience. We ordered pork belly, steak and some crab. Everything was fantastic especially the steak. But the crab was a little bit disappointing. It doesn't taste fresh and feels like it was frozen already for a long time. But the steak was really fantastic. I ordered medium rare, it was really juicy and tasty. Another thing about our experience was our server, i think her name was Selena/ Helena (something like that). She was really helpful to us until the last minute of our dining experience. Two thumbs up for the fantastic steak, and to Selena. We did not regret dining here.
Joan Cecille De Guzman-Lomibao
+4.5
Our first time to visit here last night and the food was amazing... I ordered medium rare steak and it was really soft, juicy and tasty... I even tasted the messy pig which is pork belly and it was so delicious... I like the salty taste of the pork belly... Highly recommended... Lovely and friendly staff... 👍🏼
Came here for a dinner and went through the interesting reservation wait list routine. They gave us a call when our table was ready and we sat down. The place is pretty well priced and the atmosphere and decor is like a Louisiana crab shack. The food wasn't too bad and it's always worth hitting the crab with full force.
Eleanor Purdey Smith
+3.5
This place was a pleasant surprise. I was slightly dubious about having a catch up here with some old mates following numerous mediocre reviews from friends over a year ago.
The waiter was excellent: friendly, smiley, attentive, patient and good natured.
The food was very good: beautifully set out, delicious and now had fish and chips on the menu (apparently it didn't used to). The environment is relaxed and looks out beautifully over the wharf.
I would have scored this place a four or more but what lets it down is its pricing. You're looking at over $25 to $29 a main - that's burgers or fish and chips. Pretty over-priced for what they offer. I had the snapper which was very nice but I could have gone down to ostro for something better for the price.
I could be back if it's just to catch up with some mates for something low key but ponsonby central would have more to offer in terms of price range.
Been here a few times.
The first time had calamari and lamb. The calamari was soooooooo good, best calamari I've ever had. Was served with three sauces at the time, so good.
The lamb was good as well but wasn't all that impressed by the sides it came with.
More recently went back and had the calamari again with fish and chips and soft shell crab.
The calamari was still good but came with the watery sauce I didn't like.
Liked the portion size of the fish and chips and the amazing Mayo it was served with and soft shell crab was so yum and crunchy. Loved it.
Went to Crab Shack for lunch with friends who were craving to have seafood. I don't really like seafood apart from fish so I had no choice but to try their fish and chips. It was okay but a bit pricey.
Located in one of the best spots in Auckland, Crab Shack offers several options of good seafood. In spite of the fancy location, it's not expensive but it's a bit over touristic, including the decoration.
They're squids are pretty good and come along with a tasty sauce.
Just like Wellington this place is great for a fun night out. The menu has a great selection of seafood as well as dishes for non fishy people.
Overall the entire dining experience was lovely. I definitely recommend the deep fried soft shell crab, it was the favourite entree of the night. It was cooked to perfection and the sauce matched it perfectly, just melted in the mouth. Salt and pepper squid was decent, had good seasoning and the size and thickness of each piece was very good value for money. The crab in the pot was the only disappointment of the night. Can definitely tell that it's frozen and not fresh crab so very disappointing as it tasted watery/washed down. Other than that everything else was nice.
Best to go to crab shack for their other food options except for crab because it's not fresh. Unless you order the Red King Crab then that's the only crab that is guaranteed to be fresh.
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My partner brought me here for my birthday after I had been asking to go for months. The atmosphere inside is great; I loved the on-theme decor. Seating style is a mixture of regular tables, bar leaners with stools, wall-side benches facing outdoors, and also couched booths. I thought that was a neat idea, as different seating styles create different feels and some tables allow quicker turnover for the queues which are often waiting at the door. Our waitress was really lovely with helping us choose what to order. We decided on the pork belly, fish and chips, and a crab pot. The crab pot was huge although you really have to have patience if you want to eat those blue swimmer legs. Wish I had bread with this to enjoy some of the delicious sauce that it came with (though maybe a little on the salty side). Slaw with the F&C was delicious. Pork belly was an absolute treat! Didn't bother with the cocktails as they were a little expensive and there wasn't anything that tickled my fancy. The menu was a little short perhaps. Overall, good experience. Will definitely recommend to others for special occasions or dates. Maybe not first dates though, just coz of the crab dribblies and fiddlies etc.
We were here for the red king Crab, however; hmmm, the best dish of the night was the steak😛 juicy & meaty, great atmosphere but that was it.. nothing really special ...
Always walked past this place on my nights out but never thought to try it out, well I'm glad I did! The waiting list was kind of long but what can one expect on a Friday night in Auckland city (you cannot book ahead unless you have a table of 8+). The bar service was lovely and the cocktail list is well themed to the environment. Best pina coloda I've ever had 🍍🍹. The menu is primarily fish based, which seems silly for me to even look into since I don't eat fish - but none the less I just had to try this place. Wait staff are kind and accommodating and regularly check on your table (in the least irritating way possible 😜). The crab was cooked perfectly and my burger was one of the best I've had in a long time 🍔. PS: the bib is just a gimmick
Been here twice already and each time was great. The live music was so good and the food even better. Great atmosphere. Will definitely be back for more.
Visited The Crab Shack yesterday evening for date night. We couldn't have made a better choice. I actually only eat Fish so any other seafood does not appeal to me at all and I've never really eaten it at all...but the crab here (Specifically the Blue Swimmer option) was fantastic! My husband ordered that and thoroughly enjoyed it.
I ordered the Shack Steak and thought the presentation was lovely and very appealing - the taste of the food did not disappoint either.
I'm actually really impressed. Everything from the ambiance, the friendly and approachable staff and the divine food was just perfection. It was relaxing and overall just a great experience.
We had an amazing time & the attention to detail with the restaurant decor, the harbour views, the enamel plates and bowls right to the drinks served in jars, make for a truly unique experience.
Will definitely be back! Highly recommend :)
The first time I visited here the food was amazing and I was 100% satisfied with my selection. My second visit recently... was disappointing. They got rid of the lobster tail which was absolutely delicious, the blue swimmer was good but definitely not up to the standard it once was, the potatoes were dry and lacked flavour. However, the clams were delicious and so was the king crab. The staff was probably the highlight of my visit, had a toddler with us and one of the waiters brought her crayons and paper to draw with so we were able to eat in peace! A lot of people complain about how difficult it is to eat the crab...I'm not sure whether or not those people have ever had crab in their life...crabs have shells, it's not really any new information there.
Crabs crabs crabs! I love this place. Staff are friendly and accommodating. And the soft shell crab is so good!best one i had so far.😊😊😊😊
Can get a little messy but it's kinda fun at the same time! The portions were a little smaller than what we expected but the food was very delicious!
If you love crabs you have to try this place out! My friend introduced me to crabs in a whole new way today.. usually I'm not a fan of crabs as can be a quite messy. The crabs we ordered was the blue swimmers and it was so tasty with the butter and chilli sauce topped with coriander and spring onions! The shells of tge crabs cracked open nicely unlike other crabs ive had in the past.
We also ordered side dishes of potato's and salad. The side dishes are generously sized portion. To compliment the meal we had a pinot noir on the tap wine. It actually was not bad and very smooth.
Meal was great and yes I can say I love crabs now☺
Been wanting to come to the crab shack for a while and finally got the chance to try this place out. This place have chilled atmosphere, service was fine.
We ordered the blue swimmer, calamari to start and fish and chip. The blue swimmer was yummy but it was so difficult to eat. I must say you must have a patient of god to eat the crab. The calamari was good and fish and chip was very fresh and yummy. The fish batter was crispy and thin just how i like it.
This place is stunning. One of the very few places where I enjoyed sea food to the fullest. Haven't had any better customer service experience in Auckland like this before.
This restaurant is amazing! I really liked the scenery and the setting of the restaurant. Inside it was very cozy, nice service and a overall clean environment. Food was exceptional (had the steak) and it filled me up, although a bit pricy it was well worth it in my opinion and would definitely go there again!
This is our first time having dinner here. We two ordered one tuna tardard, one mixed clam and mussel with gralic and chili sauce and one blue swimmer. The tuna was really good and yummy, with the raw tuna and avocado; we were expecting the crab would be the star of the night, instead the clam was a really surprise to us, super fresh and delicious and the sauce was amazing as well. The crab was not that good, even the making and the sauce was perfect, the crabmeat was not much there…So a good choice for hang out!
The place is awesome I love the feel they're very accomodating. She got my drink wrong but its wasnt a big deal. I ordered the king crab cuz i hardly eat seafood I was really looking forward to it boy was I disappointed it was overcooked it was cold & it didnt taste fresh its wasnt satisfying at all. My friend had jambalaya its like a really soupy rissoto not good,my other friend had a bucket of mussels & clam that was delicious the sauce in that wow so lucky we ordered a lot of bread rolls I was soaking the juice out of that thing the seafood was nice, perfectly cooked, juicy & meaty. Because theres only 1 thing thats awesome Im rating it 3.5 but if Im basing my rating to that bucket shellfish hands down 5 its that great! But all in all not bad.
Superb services and amazing Crab. Ordered the Alaskan king crab and it didn't disappoint - it was soooo good. Most definitely going again!!
This place never disappoints, with its nautical atmosphere, friendly staff and great food, The Crab Shack is the place to go for fresh seafood! Located right on Princes Wharf, Auckland, it's hard to not feel like you're on holiday with the smell of the sea creeping into The Crab Shack as you tuck into your meal!
Obey the claw and enjoy some crab! Have been hankering to come here for a while, finally had an excuse to meet some mutual unqualified diners and decided to have lunch here. When we rocked in there were plenty of tables free but there was some reluctance to give us a table of our choice which was odd but after about an hour I could see why, the place was maxed out and it was a matter of organising tables as efficiently as possible. The food of course was outstanding, crab cakes and soft shell crab shackboards were awesome and my catch of the day simply superb (blackened tarakihi with smoked tomato broth and clams...). Service super friendly and the interior (hanging lights anyone?) charming with plenty of atmosphere... can definitely recommend as a lively and fun place to gather.
Highly recommend!
In a beautiful location with very cute decor! With the glass roof and nets around, really sets the mood, complete with your own little bib too!
I wanted to try this place for a long time and there aren't really any restaurants that are similar, and I was not let down.
My friends and I each got a crabpot and a mixed pot of clams and mussels. Boy were we full after that... The garlic sauce was absolutely divine, I even used my shells to drink it, it was that good!
Wonderful Saturday night, food and service was good, definite back again.
Seared tuna was lovely. Fush and Chups very nice as well. Great atmosphere on the harbour. The vibe was very upbeat with friendly staff. Quick service without being rushed.
Back again and enjoying some alone time with my beer while waiting for dinner. While I really don't enjoy eating alone the Crab Shack is vibrant this Tuesday and is well located in the Auckland Viaduct (the vibe sucked me in and side-tracked my original mission to eat my own body weight in meat at Wildfire 😜).
Beer = very good (Shack Craft Tap) - cold, tasty and served in a handled jam jar.
Music = rockin' (Freebird by Lynyrd Skynyrd was playing when I sat down).
Food = a hunger satisfying Messy Pig (charcoal oven pork belly, spiced black beans, avocado salsa, an attorney sauce, potato hash and raw roots chilli slaw) with a side of Makakihi Fries (yum).
I'm sat at the bar due to my diseased-like single diner status but I don't mind as this provides the perfect vantage point for some people watching. All up an enjoyable, albeit a little lonely, dining experience.
Went there for my boyfriends birthday. The service was amazing and loved the delicious food. Would definitely go again for a special occasion. Nice chill atmosphere and friendly wait staff.
I've been wanting to try this out for so long so I arranged a time to go here for lunch. I emailed them before hand to see if I could book a table for two and they were nice enough to say yes! . When we got there, it was still quite early in the afternoon so there were a lot of tables available, the reservation was good for assurance but it wasn't necessary. I'm assuming it'll be busier at night. The waiter took us to our table, handed us the menu and also told us about the specials. I got told that they changed their menu just the day before I went. For our entree, we ordered a platter of the calamari. I'm a huge calamari fan and this is currently at the top of my list! It was nice and crispy on the outside and very chewy on the inside. They served it with this coriander and palm sugar dressing. I thought it was quite tangy but nevertheless good.
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What a fun-filled atmosphere this is. Unfortunately because it was a Saturday night there was about a 45 minute wait, but because this has become such a popular demand resturant we understood ! The wait didn't seem too long as there was a bar that we could wait and have a nice cold cider and watch every pot that went by with a big load of CRAB! Our mouths were watering by the time we went to our table we got a comfortable 2 person table by the heater and we had a lovely night view of the wharf. I ordered the Blue Swimmer pot that was filled with juicy crab mixed with lots of delicious herbs and a whole heap of spice ! My mouth was on fire but the good kind that makes my body want more ! My partner ordered Jonah Crab, Unfortunately that was the downfall of our experience as we sat there for around 40 minutes after my Blue Swimmer came and there was no sign of our Jonah Crab. But when we told the waitress she got the manager and she was so prompt and the situation was quickly solved which we highly appreciated ! We understood as it was a busy night and orders do get mixed up. But they gave us many complementary meals and ended up wiping our bill which we thought was so generous . I would definitely come back because of the lovely service and the amazing mouth watering food, But because it is such a popular resturant there will be a wait.
Highly recommended.
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Just finished having dinner with 3 of my friends and well, I've got mixed feelings about the place.
We started out with some drinks of course.
Berry Collins - average (cant taste alcohol)
Pina colada - average (again, cant taste alcohol)
Beach palm - average ( same as above)
Lava - amazing
Prices - 2/5 - quite expensive. Be prepared to spend a lot if you want to get drunk!!
Starters - ordered the following:
Corn chips platter - Average. Chips were hard and also tasted like yesterdays leftover.
Scoop of mussels - fresh and perfectly cooked. Downfall - about 6 mussels. Not enough
Calamari - absolutely delicious. Not chewy, fresh with spot on seasoning and sauce complimented it well. Downfall was again not enough (about 7 nuggets)
Prices - 2/5 again expensive for small portions
Mains -ordered the following:
Messy pig (pork belly) - melt in your mouth pork belly just like I like it. Crackling was spot on. Whole dish didn't disappoint
Shack steak (scotch fillet) - cooked perfectly with hash brown and leaf salad. The salad was the star of the dish. Steak wasn't chewy. Beautifully done
Catch of the day- didn't ask what kind of fish it was but it was lovely with a few clams ( when I say few, there were only 3!!) spicy broth. Only downfall, portion was way small considering its price
Blue swimmer (bits of crab) - spicy, messy and not a whole lot of meat. Very average and not filling - at all.
Prices - 3/5 - pricey still but portions and quality of the dishes was exceptional
Desserts:
Panna cotta - deliciously creamy and the compote add a bite to it. Well received. Portion was small but filling mainly because we were all sharing
Walnut brownie - ok. Not moist enough to melt in your mouth. Not overly sweet which we all agreed was better
Salted caramel - Ok. Sweet enough and strong with coffee flavor. Can barely taste the salted caramel because of the overpowering coffee
Ice cream sundae - what's not to love about ice cream drizzle in hot fudge!!
Prices - 2/5 - portions could've been a bit bigger
Overall service - exceptional. Waiting time was acceptable and our waitress for the night was welcoming, cheerful and very attentive. Made our dining experience a little bit better despite the cost.
Total cost - approximately $350 plus tips
The night was fun with good company. Place was bustling so make sure to book in advance. Will we be back?? Probably no. Too expensive. But at least we had a taste of the Crab Shack!
Great food and great atmosphere. Got welcomed by enthusiastic and very helpful waiter. Awesome view of the harbour. Food was which was quick and delicious
Superb place for a Saturday night. The staff here make sure that it's not just another dinner for you but indeed is an excellent experience. I couldn't eat the Crab as I'm allergic to sea-food but all my friends loved their dishes with the blue swimmer sounding to be the winner of the night. My vegetarian burger was amazing considering these guys are a Crab shack.
Kirsty (sorry if I get the name wrong) served us and she was exceptional with her customer service. Almost a 5-5 place for me
Would I come back - of course yes!
Really good crab! I've been a fan of this place since I went to Wellington for the first time! Food well presented and really good portions! So hard to find a place to have crab in NZ! Thank you guys
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I've been wanting to try this out for so long so I arranged a time to go here for lunch. I emailed them before hand to see if I could book a table for two and they were nice enough to say yes! When we got there, it was still quite early in the afternoon so there were a lot of tables available, the reservation was good for assurance but it wasn't necessary. I'm assuming it'll be busier at night. The waiter took us to our table, handed us the menu and also told us about the specials. I got told that they changed their menu just the day before I went. For our entree, we ordered a platter of the calamari. I'm a huge calamari fan and this is currently at the top of my list! It was nice and crispy on the outside and very chewy on the inside. They served it with this coriander and palm sugar dressing. I thought it was quite tangy but nevertheless good. For our mains we ordered 1kg of the Blue Swimmer Crab with chilli garlic butter, sirloin steak with chips and salad, and we also ordered an extra platter of chips just because I didn't know how big the servings would be.The crabs were divine! I'm not a huge fan of crabs but this, I would definitely go back to try again. The sirloin steak was really good too, but it probably wasn't a good combination to eat with seafood. For two people, I would say what we ordered was a lot. We were already in a food coma and we haven't even finished our food. We still had a whole bowl of chips and half of the calamari dish uneaten. I didn't want such good food to go to waste so we took it as takeaway. In total our meal costed around 90 bucks which I would say is worth is for the amount of food we got and it's quality. It's definitely worth the hype and I would want to go back again for special occassions
Great Atmosphere,enjoy the moment I walk in, steak was delicious and so the seafood chowder. The crab we ordered not so much, it's funny the name is the crab shack.... I shouldn't have order dessert, because the brownie was so dry like Bread crumb.
My husband and I are crazy about seafood especially crabs. This fabulous crab theme restaurant just comes in and feeds our needs well. We ordered 2 pots of crabs and we dedicated one hour of silence to these 2 delicious pots ...sorry we started eating without photos (taking one single photo will slow us down from enjoying crabs)
Great food , good service! Had the spicy chicken wings and the mussels.
Both had a very subtle flavor, which actually brought out the taste of the fresh mussels but didn't quite achieve the same effect with the wings. The wings could have been spicier. Would go again and actually try a crab this time :)
Food was delicious...but price to quantity ratio cannot be justified. I had ordered their specials for the day which was a platter of clams, prawn and I think it was crabmeat. I got a medium size plate with 2 big clams, 1 king prawn and very little crabmeat...I kept waiting for a second part or something more to come out, but that was it. The salted caramel dessert is to die for. I will definitely be going back
Food was delicious, waiter was amazing "thomas" I believe his name was. Young guy with tattoos, he had a great sense of humour and knew the menu every well. Atmosphere was perfect. Outside area warm for a cold rainy night.
Overall great night out
Finally had the chance to visit. Chose this for my boyfriends birthday celebration as he loves crabs. The staff were extremely nice, they were going to seat is towards the bar area but when I requested to be seated towards the inside of the restaurant she was happy to do so. Our waitress was very polite and happy to be taking care of us. We had the blue swimmers with a couple of bread rolls and the 1/2 pound prawns. The prawns were slightly over cooked,But tasty. The crabs were just plain amazing, my boyfriend loved every little bit of it and we both loved our experience at the crab shack.
The location is great, the service was fast and waiter was helpful i ordered the market fish with teriyaki sauce, blackened potato and the calamari salad
all tasted nice but where a tad spicy for me.
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We had a great evening at the crab shack on Saturday night, wait was only about 30 mins for a table so we sat at the bar and had a few drinks and nibbles while we waited.
Service was good, and the restaurant has a great atmosphere.
For starters I had the prawn and crab cocktail, unfortunately the prawns were pretty tasteless and I didn't think much of this dish. My partner had the spicy chicken wings which were amazing!!! Other people in our group had calamari & mussels and clams.
For mains I had the 1kg of mud crab, and bf had the Atlantic king crab. The mud crab was super messy and hard to eat but very tasty - I'm not a big seafood lover and it was lovely and sweet and didn't taste fishy at all. Partners king crab had 3x the amount of meat in the legs but this was to be expected as his dish was$112!!!! Sides were pretty average and we didn't really need them as we were quite full from just the mains. We had a salad, coleslaw, fries and bread buns.
Overall we had a great experience and will definitely be returning.
Awesome place with excellent service. The food was yummy. Would definitely come back for a special occasion. Nice place to socialize and get your hands dirty
The onion rings were quite nice, they were cooked well, a lot of places I've been to the onion inside has been quite raw. I had the calamari as a starter which I loved! It tasted really fresh and full of flavour. For main, I ordered the lamb rump which was cooked perfectly, the meat was pink and very soft, and the chipotle slaw was really nice and refreshing, although I didn't quite understand why it was served with a hash brown aswell - it tasted nice but it was nothing special. The only downside was my partner and one of our friends we went with ordered the blue swimmer crab dish for main and were quite dissapointed that there was pretty much no meat in the legs, there was only meat in the centre, and even then there wasn't a lot. Overall was quite enjoyable, wouldn't get the blue swimmer crab again but would happily go back
Cheerful and fun dinning . Great seafood and ice cold beers, what's not to love? You can not go past the crab! Consistently good service and food.
We had a great experience. The offering is unique with crab and seafood truly being at the centre of it. We enjoyed the half pound of prawns in an Asian style broth, the 1kg of crab in chilli garlic butter (which was outstanding), the fries (excellent) and a salad. The wait staff were efficient and friendly and ensured that we had all the utensils we needed to successfully attack the crab! It’s a messy affair – definitely not first date material! The barman at the outside bar was excellent, offering a mocktail to our teenager and making sure my wine glass was not empty. Definitely worth a visit.
i bring my mum whos love sefood to there, Perfect place to come for dinner with a big group~but we have been wait for 45 mins,slow meal:( I ordered The Shack Stack and it was cooked perfectly. Will be back again :) but should go there for weekday no weekend
Went here for dinner with a group of 8. Dinner was pretty good, lots of great dishes, some not so great. My dad ordered crab and said he wasn't very impressed but on the other hand their fish is quite fresh and tasty. Service is friendly but a bit slow. Some of our orders came way later than others which was a bit inconvenient. All in all not a bad dining experience but not sure if it's fully worth it for the prices.
Nice place and it has unique ambience. We went here for lunch. Food was good. Rayweenah bread is soooo delicious and i had the shack stack which was good but a little bit on the salty side. Overall it was a lovely experience. Thank you
GideonMarisa MasterchefNz2015
+3.5
Don't know if I really really liked this place, I felt like it's more of a dinner party venue as opposed to a lunch time sort of feed! The crabs were good but definitely something you have to get your hands dirty for! Loveliest waiter , very enthusiastic and up to the task #g1
Great atmosphere and this is good place to go hang out with few people and have good time. I enjoyed the food and the service however it didn't wow me as much as the hype of it did. Jennifer Tsai
Came here with my friend who happens to be the opposite gender and the waitress was like "you guys are such a cute couple" ew we are not a couple but big ups for being friendly. The vege burger is to die for and turns out the waitress was vegetarian and was probably glad to give honest menu recommendations and stop upselling the crabs. I'll be back for the burger and fries thank you crabby shack.
Somebody said dishes slow coming but ours quiet quick! Somebody said the crab is not enough weights but ours is quiet big, enough for 2 people. Service ok. Food are good! Tasty! Recommend chowder and shells and mud crab! Burger just ok. We went there for seafood not for normal meat. Nice and different experience for us! Lots Asian people.
Went to The Crab Shack for lunch today, we ordered the Jonah Crab and Mixed Clams with a few hot steamy bread rolls. All food tasted great but I felt that portion sizes were a little on the small side. Let's say I could tell my man friend was still hungry!
I'm updating my previous review of 3.0 stars. Was here with parents as part of the Restaurant Month deals. We hugely enjoyed our evening! The service was very accommodating and informative, our taco dishes as well as mains of pork belly and fish were gorgeous.
Went here for lunch on a Saturday, first impression was nice and there was a good buzz and atmosphere. There was 4 of us and I thought we wouldn't get full given what we ordered. Boy, was I wrong. We got the 1kg crabs (should have actually ordered some the king crab), pork belly, 500g of clams and 500g of wings! Will definitely be back to try the rest of the menu.
What a lovely place for lunch! Our waiter was extremely vibrant and very full of personality. We tried the fish cakes which were delicious along with the prawns that were very flavour full and also the soft shell crab tempura which I had never had crab before so was hoping to try the soft shell as a first step and gosh all the food was tasty! Will be coming back here again maybe I'll be brave enough to try the hard shell crab
Have dined here a couple of times now and I have to say the food has been top notch every time. The prices are a bit higher than what I would normally pay but there's not many restaurants like Crab Shack. The staff are very friendly, and the atmosphere has always been great.
Be warned on cold nights you'll want to be seated on the inner part of the restaurant as the front section can be a tad cold.
Went there for dinner yesterday to celebrate my special moment with my girlfriend. Although we had to wait for a while because they said no need to book a table, it didn't took long until we got one. We ordered The King, Slipper Lobster and the Karaka Garden Salad for our dinner with Savasour wine. The wine was good and the food was so awesome. The sauce for Lobster was great and I love the King with the garlic and butter sauce. Everything was fantastic!!! The staff were friendly and welcoming. I'll definitely come back here again.
What an awesome atmosphere! Such a fun, lively place to dine. Outdoor heaters placed all around which really kept it nice and cosy! We had the most bubbly, hilarious waitress, she was great and had us laughing every time she came to check up on us. All together we ordered calamari, 1kg of crab, fish burger and a salted caramel jar for desert. The calamari entree was AMAZING, I would go back just to order that! It came with 3 yummy dips which went down great. Had a few hiccups here and there though but nothing major. I think there were a few new waitresses as we were brought someone else's drinks and had an extra side of fries given to us that we hadn't ordered. When my partners crab pot came out it was just dropped on the end of our table which we thought was a bit unprofessional and strange. But overall out dining experience was great and I would recommend it to others!
Perfect place to come for dinner with a big group on a Saturday night. I ordered The Shack Stack and it was amaaaazing and cooked perfectly. Will be back again :)
I went with my gf at around noon and the seats were half full. The environment was great! The service was beyond what you would usually get for other restaraunts. I ordered one of the burgers (the Aucklander if I remember correctly), my gf ordered the soft shell tempura crab and we shared a kilo of crabs between us plus a bottle of hops. The food was amazing! What stood out was the creamed corn and the kilo of crab! All together the meal cost around $90.00. Both of us were completely stuffed at the end of the meal. Would highly recomend as all the food was perfect!
Having eaten at Crab Shack in Newport, CA, my wife was excited to try Crab Shack here in Auckland. The flavours of the broth accompanying the crabs were very tasty, more tastier than that in the US. The service was excellent, and overall experience was good.
Love this place! Went here for fathers dad couldn't make a reservation bc they were fully booked but they said the wait was an hour, which we were fine with. This was my first time coming to the AKL one the atmosphere was great!! They had one of the workers there playing acoustic which was so nice NICK BARNS or something haha. We only waited 25mins then we were seated. Which was excellent! My parents and sister had never been here, but they throughly enjoyed EVERYTHING, from the drinks, to the music and the food. The waitress was v nice aswell. Overall the price is decent for the amount of food you get, but I think Wellington is a little cheaper and you get more (portion wise) We will definitely be back!!!
Third time lucky, we finally obtained a table tonight. Our waitress was friendly and catered to our needs throughout the night.
We started off with the calamari as our entree. The golden pieces of calamari were crispy, light and tasty. As for the main, I ordered the messy pig and found the dish average. My partner ordered the lamb main and also found his dish average. We were both quite full by the end of the night.
I'm keen to come back again and try the seafood range.
Just dined this place. The mussel and clam are amazingly tasty however the blue swimmer is disappointing. The pot is watery not flavorsome. Also do not recommend popular ramena bread it just tastes weird sugar coated with garlic butter. Rocket salad is another no go. Overall it's at great spot and got friendly service.
Went there for after work dinner. Ordered the bread and wings for entree. The bread was very soft and flavoursome, similar texture to a brioche. The wings with the 5 cheese sauce was very tasty. I ordered the messed pig for the main. I didn't really enjoy the black beans with it but that's just my personal preference. Service was great. Food was good.
Exceptional food with the choice of where you would want to be seated. The most friendliest staff with awesome and fast service. Food presentation was very appealing and so is the taste.
Had the most wonderful night here, recommend visiting on an off peak night like we did, as the waitlist builds up very quickly!
We were quickly shown to our table by our lovely and helpful waitress who knew the menu well and was knowledgeable about the crab varieties and able to answer all our questions.
We ordered a range of food, including a big bowl of crab, slaw, fries and the much needed bread buns. Cracking into the crab was fun and delicious. we had the best time and the food, ambiance and staff were excellent. 10/10 would dine again.
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The wooden crate decor, lightbulbs hanging low from the ceiling and the vintage crab nets all contribute to the wonderful crab shack vibe! As soon as you step inside, you feel as if you're in another world - maybe on a summer vacation.
I absolutely LOVED the vibe.
Although, the menu was convincing, I wasn't very hungry (shame on me 😅). I ordered the calamari and a side of chips. My heart did somersaults as I held on to the menu and saw all the gorgeous sounding seafood dishes: mussel pots, tuna steak and fresh crab... how could you go wrong?
The food arrived promptly. and W-O-W! The calamari was simple, arriving on a wooden board showcasing three sauces. The calamari was soft and tender, not chewy. It had a light golden batter that, combined with the calamari, just melted in your mouth. My partner and I were stoked. We felt like we hit the calamari jackpot. The fries were different to normal steak fries. They were chunky in all the right places. Seasoned in a nice blend of spices, it gave the steak fries a special touch. I enjoyed our short time spent here. Really liked the attentive service, the food and the lovely holiday-like vibe (almost like you've spent a day fishing and you're eating your catch)! Highly recommend this place!
We (my partner and I) spent the rest of the evening discussing how their mains would be selectable and made future plans to come back.
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Been there a few times and they never disappoint me. The food is very consistent, always perfectly cooked and taste delicious. The staff is polite, attentive, and friendly. The restaurant is always packed so make sure you go early!
My favourite was the mud crab pot, blue swimmer pot, the mixed cloudy bay clams, and the lamb.
The mud crab was very peppery. However the sweetness of the crab and the black pepper sauce matched perfectly together.
The blue swimmer crab was excellent too. Perfect balance of chilli, garlic, butter, and spring onion. I just hope they have a bowl of hot rice or pasta for me to eat with the sauce (sorry I'm Asian and I want to eat rice with everything...lol)
The cloudy bay clams was plump and juicy.
I didn't except they can cook their lamb so nice too. The lamb was tender and flavoursome, love the smokiness from smoked chipotle
We also order the slipper lobster, the shank stack, the soft shell crab, Love the potato hash in the shank stack, so crispy and perfectly season. I will go there again just for that ;)
I really like the extra touch that they offer you free popcorn while you are waiting for your food. Just something small for you to eat before the main meal.
We specifically go there for their lobster burger, but they were out of stock that day (cry...) Well, just give us another excuse to go again!!!
Overall I really love this place. Highly recommend if you love seafood too. Be prepare because you are going to get messy there
Excellent. Friendly staff, great food what more could you ask for..? recommended!! Make sure you come and try, lovely views. My burger was very tasty.
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Food ordered:
Ray-wen-nuh Bread
Tempura Soft-Shelled Crab (x2)
Messy Pig
Calamari
Bill: $93
Big tummy: We had been advised in advance that they don't use reservations and operate on a first-in-first-served basis, so we knew that we were going to be in for a wait (it was a typically busy Sunday evening). As expected, we were told there was a 1 hour wait time (which eventuated to be around 45min). We were happy to wait and were directed to a table near the bar, but the one thing that stood out for us was that everyone else at the surrounding tables at the bar were eating, yet we weren't allowed to place an order. When asked about this, the waiter advised that we were only able to order drinks or barfood... but all the surrounding tables had mains etc on them?? Unless we were somehow sat at the one table reserved for the bar... but anyway... onto the actual meal.
We were eventually greeted by a waitress who was incredibly friendly, but who came across as inexperienced. Even by her own admission, she had trouble remembering the menu and the specials available. Her friendliness somewhat made up for this though, so kudos to her.
The food itself was amazing. With three of us dining in, we were able to order and sample a selection of their dishes, with none of them disappointing. Impeccably presented and delicious to boot, it is easy to see why CS has become such a popular joint to hit up. It might be a bit on the expensive side, considering the portion sizes, and they utilize that annoying trait a lot of restaurants have seemingly picked up recently, where they ask for a tip upon payment, but overall we'd most likely go there again.
Little tummy: As one of Auckland's in-demand restaurants at the moment, there was a large wait time for a table. We were a little bit perplexed as to why we were sat at a table for 45+ minutes, but weren't allowed to order any food from the menu. I mean, if we'd been able to order food while sat at that table, we wouldn't have needed to wait for a table in the first place. Oh well. The food itself was delicious though. I was worried it might be a bit messy, but I ordered the soft-shelled crab which was presently perfectly and easy to eat. The dipping sauces were a welcome addition to the dish as well. As a small eater, the portion sizes worked perfectly for me and leaving me not-too-bloated-not-too-hungry.
We were there celebrating my sister in law birthday. The lunch was wonderful. We had crab, clam, pork belly and lobster. We enjoyed the foos so much. A must visit seafood restaurant in Auckland.
One of my go to places for a casual meet up with friends. Their service is good, polite and attentive. My fav from their menu the Shack Stack paired w Steak Fries & Creamed Corn (as dipping sauce for fries - good combi) hmmmm *drool*. As for their crabs - I usually go for their Kilo Crab - 50/50 w this one, sometimes you get them cooked perfectly sometimes they can be overcooked. Their cocktails are okay. Nice place.
At last a place to eat crab and lobster, great staff and good atmosphere, had the lobster which was great and good selection, definitely will go back again
Friendly staff, helpful with menu..perfectly cooked clams, lamb to die for and small selection of cold beer from tap.. Made my evening after a 10 hour flight from Perth 👍😊
The service was fabulous. Great staff. The food was scrumptious. Soooo good. The surprise free round of drinks from the manager was an awesome value add to our experience.
Went here for my dad's birthday. Upon entering the restaurant, I am quite pleased with the interior and the vibe of the place. Service is splendid where you've got you're own waiter/waitress for the day/night.
Foodwise, we ordered the Kilo of Crab and the Atlantic Golden Crab Pots. Both were tasty and filling for the price.
I would recommend this place to anyone. I will definetely come back but this time to try their bar menu.
After three tries we finally got to dine here. We had the chili garlic a messy delightful eat. The rowena bread we ordered was good but not really a perfect match to the crabs the regular buns would have been better to wipe off the juicy sauce off the plate. Calamari with triple dip yummy. For dessert, brownie fudge sinfully delicious.
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I dined at Crab Shack for a Zomato Foodie Meetup, having been once before for a business lunch. This particular foodie evening was filled with 5 rounds of Crab Shack faves, all delicious!
Our meal started off with a round of crab cakes- a crispy crumb on the outside, succulent crab meat in the middle with a creamy Pacific Island coconut dipping sauce. The textures and flavours were spot on. That was followed up with a fresh, colourful and flavourful Karaka Garden salad that was almost too pretty to eat! It had a lovely and light balsamic dressing that gave just enough tang but wasn't too overpowering.
Next came my favourite dish of the evening, the clam chowder. I needed a bowl of it, maybe a bucket. It came with a trusty, crusty bread roll that was fluffy in the middle. We asked for some butter and got super-butter, which had a curry seasoning to it. Simply delectable combined with the chowder. Our fourth course wasn't what you'd expect from a place titled The Crab Shack, but we were served a mini Shack Stack, sirloin steak with a side of coleslaw and field mushrooms. The steak was well cooked, but the slaw was a little sloppy and soggy. To me, the mushrooms were the highlight of the dish and work very well with the steak.
The feast ended on a sweet note with a combination of coffee and chocolate- see pic. I would quite happily eat it all over again!
It was a fantastic evening- the vibe is great and a look around the room showed very happy diners. The staff know about the food and were always there to help. I'll be going back for the chowder!
Mint atmosphere! Waitresses & waiters are defs good! Food was perfect, a bit too much chilli in most foods I tasted.. The best Aoili sauce & definitely the best crab pot.. Mint vibes all round 👌🏼
Nicely themed shore side restaurant.
The service was excellent, they were charismatic, polite and attentive.
The food was well flavoured and had a good amount of spice. There was nothing particularly wrong with the food but we've had higher quality seafood before in Hastings and were expecting more from all the hype.
The crab shack was pricey but overall I wouldn't mind coming back again.
V good grub but overpriced for the type of restaurant it is. We also had a pretty annoying waitress who kept asking if "we" we're ready and if "we" had enjoyed our meals. She rattled off the specials like she'd said them a thousand times already that night, completely insincerely.
All I can say is
sort your heating guys it's fricken baltic!!!! cold cold ice freezer artic polar bears penguins orcas is this the ice bar????
Yes it is pricey but crabs in NZ are pricey. The great part don't like crabs there is other seafood to try don't like the seafood try the pork belly. The servings are huge. I have tried the tempura crab, the big pot of crab that comes with this delicious sauce...the flavors of garlic, chilli, coconut ahh yumm yumm yumm. The calamari is fantastic too. The staff are amazing and nothing is too much trouble. Love coming here and we try to make it here as much as we can
Great atmosphere service from the door to the table is good and been able to see kitchen and hear the chef yelling the calls for new dockets makes the restaurant enjoyable food was excellent
Dined here last Friday with work friends and ordered the messy pig which was exceptional...and that chipotle slaw ---yum!! Now, I had initially arrived at this restaurant grumpy after working a 12 hour shift but one bite of my main and I was smiling by the second mouthful. The restaurant was buzzing when we had arrived there at 9:30pmish...it was a full house and after dining there, I understand why it's so popular. My work colleagues raved about their meals...we had also ordered the crab and crayfish cakes, calamari bites, crab & prawn cocktail, kilo crab, big aucklander burgers. The food there was so good I plan to go again this week!! Great food and great service!! Highly recommended!!
We came here for my birthday dinner. We had booked a table for 8pm but unfortunately they were so busy we didn't actually get seated until about 8.45pm. The staff were very apologetic and we were given complimentary corn chips! The place was super busy but our food came out surprisingly fast. The staff were wonderfully attentive. I had the chowder, which sadly was a little lack-lustre for my liking but the calamari was to die for! We also got a couple of crabs to share and they were delicious. One of my favourite restaurants I've visited so far this year!
Went here before a concert in town and couldn't have been happier. Food is very good and the atmosphere is excellent. Very fun and friendly staff. Led to a fantastic night.
Met a friend here for lunch. Was nice food and the service was ok. Really friendly staff but food took ages and there didn't seem to be any sense of urgency. It was lunchtime and we had to get back to work right after our food arrived. Would still recommend.. Would go back for dinner!
Great atmosphere. Menu is a bit pricey. Ordered the bucket of clams and mussels which were in a delicious sauce (there was only one sauce option) a friend ordered a fish main and the fish was quite dry. Worth going to check out the great decor and great vibes
Finally a place to eat crab! Waiting time for a table was around 40mins, cooking time was around 20mins, the large amount of space and many empty tables were not used due to the capability of cooking staff. Would order prawns and blue swimmer crabs again but the mud crab was too tough. Three dishes were more than enough for two people.
20.6.15 the best gift ever from my nephews and their partners, a celebration bday dinner for me. Very busy night, we all had a very delicious entree, our mains and dessert- yum. Our waiter for the night was incredibly on to it- thanks Trent. Moved to the bar area until 12am having the best night ever with the best company. The bar dude was far the wackiest, friendly, people's person everrrr. Thank you for making our night the best ever, you cannot get the same service from anywhere else when it comes to this dude. Overall staff member are awesome, friendly and atmosphere was just incredible. We will return again
Went there for dinner with my girls Jennifer Rong. A really nice place with good atmosphere and decorations! The waitress was really friendly. We ordered the 1kg crab and the fish burger, was absolutely amazing!! The flavor was so nice, full of herbs and there's soup at the bottom, keeps the crab nice and juicy. The fish burger was really nice, my friend loved the corn cream, she ate all of it lol I was like you such a fatty. Chips were really nice and chunky, not just some shitty fries. Overall the food is so good but feel like it's a bit over priced. Would definitely go back again!!!
Maybe it was the time we arrived (around 3pm) but service was initially a bit shaky as we had to wave someone down to take our order, drinks were a little slow and boy, were we getting hungry.
Calamari 4/5
Mud crab 3/5 - good, but quite dry in the claws and legs
Lobster tail burger special 3.5/5 - very tasty, but it was a very very small tail :( It just didn't feel right to put it in a burger but my partner really wanted lobster! It probably didn't also need the side potatoes.
Mixed cloudy bay clams and mussels 5/5 - highlight of our meal. These were so juicy and delicious.
Steak fries 4/5
Overall it was a good meal with some disappointments on initial service and the main event - the crab. Will definitely come back again though and try more crab pots.
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I came here on 2 Friday's ago with my boyfriend after work. The Crab Shack has been open for quite a while now, but I just haven't had the opportunity to try it. It was well worth the wait!! It was very busy (which is expected for a Friday night) but we didn't have to wait too long for a seat. We had a very warm and friendly waiter who was constantly checking up on us to see if everything was ok, throughout our meal.
I started my night of with a blue lagoon cocktail - definitely what I needed! It was a slushy type cocktail and had vodka and blue Curaçao.
We started our meal with the Ray-wen-nuh bread. I wasn't sure what I was expecting but it was nice! It was quite sweet however the shack butter complemented it quite well. The cracklings added another texture to the bread.
I had the kilo with crab w/ the chilli garlic butter. One word. AMAZING. I'm a huge seafood fan and this was great. I felt so content after having this. The crab was everything you expected it to be and even though I'm not a huge fan of spicy/hot food I managed to make my way through it all even with the chilli garlic butter. I do have to admit my mouth was slightly numb after this meal!
My boyfriend opted for the Big Auckland burger - this comprised of beer battered fish fillet, shack tartar, ice burg lettuce and tomato. It also came with a side of fries, onion rings and creamed corn. He already enjoyed his meal - it was quite a decent sized burger!
Overall the crab shack was worth the wait. I will definitely be back to try something else!
Located on the wharf, long waiting list on weekend.. Food was great and cant get enough if you're seafood lover! Check their chef special and daily promotion
The king of crab is the best! The sauce from the shack stack is really delicious! However the service is somewhat slow. But its a great place near the harbour.
Where to start? ! The amazing menu or the fast friendly service? No waiting and being left unattended here you are well supplied. A really interesting concept and it works perfectly well, twice so far and looking forward to the third. The pork belly and the king crab and everything else are all great dishes!
We had an enjoyable experience at the Crab Shack.
We ordered the Crab & Crayfish cake, Crab Cobb Salad and Kilo of Crab.
The Crab cake was hot and delicious, the salad was a big portion good for sharing, unfortunately the crab didn't taste as fresh (we suspected canned crab meat). Nevertheless, the chilli-garlic butter for the Kilo of Crab was smooth, super tasty and flavoursome.
Overall, loved the ambience of the restaurant, the food was delicious, albeit lack of freshness, and our staff was friendly and attentive. Would visit again.
It was fantastic! I loved the vegan burger and the desserts 😍 However it is a bit pricey 💸 But overall I enjoyed having dinner here, it made my day 👍🏻
My wife really wanted to try this new resto and with her birthday coming up, the family tried it today.
Wasn't bad. Kids loved their burgers and the wife, she just loves crabs, enjoyed her kilo pf crab. I crabbed the catch of the day. The apple and peach sauce or condiment that came with it was lovely. A bit pricey but that's expected. If we'll return, maybe not.
Before she started with her crab, she wanted a little vinegar on the side, it came right before she finished her meal, maybe they forgot but to carry on charging us $0.5 for it, that's the part I didn't get, they won't charge us anymore for more hot sauce or maybe even pepper. Don't get that one. Sophia was fantastic with us. We were greeted with smiles when we walked in but no thank you after they received our money on our way out! Oh well.
After much anticipation, and a few of my zomato buddies recommending me to come to this place, me and my partner headed down to crabshack to experience something new. The place was completely packed and it was the 4th of July so the waiters/waitresses were in costumes. We were greeted immediately with great big smiles and the place was just so vibrant and full of energy. After hearing the specials, we ordered one kilo of crabs as well as the ray-wen-nuh bread and the crab and crayfish cakes. The bread had such a distinct flavour to it which fitted very well with the butter spread. The kilo of crabs were very delicious indeed. Loved the chilli-garlic butter sauce which fitted perfectly with the crabs. The crab and crayfish cakes were delicous but a bit small in portion. Overall, a place that provides a unique dining experience with GREAT food and GREAT service. I definately recommend this place!!
Went here to treat my hubby to his surprise b'day lunch- great service by wait staff, and absolutely satisfied our seafood cravings! Hard to come to a restaurant and just eat good, messy tasty seafood like crabs and prawns and clams- this place is the place to come to! Other dishes were also superb! Definitely coming back. Thanks Simon for this wonderful place.
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My parents had come down to Auckland to visit me and they wanted to try a new restaurant along the waterfront so I decided to take them to The Crab Shack. We are huge lovers of seafood so I knew this restaurant would probably be a hit.
There are several seafood and no-seafood dishes on the menu to choose from. We started with the Kilo of Crab ($40) between 3 of us. It was the perfect way to start our lunch. We put our bibs on and got stuck into the crab. It tasted delicious and was full of flavour. For the mains I ordered the grilled tuna steak with blue swimmer crab and caper celeriac remoulade ($29) and I wasn’t overly impressed with the dish. My parents both ordered the Shack Stack which was two rosemary & garlic sirloin steaks, layered w roasted field mushrooms & caramelised onions served w gorgonzola cheese sauce, potato hash & peanut chipotle slaw ($28). They both really enjoyed their meals but the highlight was definitely the crab!
The interior is funky with nets hanging from the ceilings and wooden tables and the service was impeccable.
I would recommend The Crab Shack to get your crab fix – delish!
Great to know that the kids dine free sunday will be permanent as the price is on the high side. The food was tasty but a lot of the dishes we wanted to order (crabs, prawn, shellfish) were spicy and we have trouble sharing them with our little one. Very busy for a late afternoon lunch and the wait was a little bit long.
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For a Monday night it was pretty busy, waiting time for dine in was about 30-45mins so we were given the choice to eat in the bar area. With the high bar seats and 3 kids 1in a high chair it was ok. We made it work and the waiter we had was really helpful and friendly. Kids got colouring activities to kill time so that was good. We ordered quite a few things. Entree was calamari, that was average but still yum, also the re-wun-nah loaf...was ok but flavours werent my cup of tea. Lobster burger was average, the wasabi mayo was a bit much but I loved the lobster meat. King prawns were delish but would go with garlic butter sauce next time. Kids got cheese burgers n curly fries and they ate the lot minus the veg so that's a+, also the fish burger, my husband said he's had better. I went for the crab so I ordered the kilo of crab in garlic butter...yuummmy! Loved it, a bit of work but I enjoyed it, the flavors were so good. So all in all I enjoyed it and would definitely go back for the prawns n crab, everything else we had was average in a good way lol.
Came for my birthday in a group of 12. Service was very good, our waiter was upbeat and helped the dining experience enjoyable. Portions were alot larger than I thought. Because we were in a large group got to try a bit of each others food. The seafood salad I ordered was a bit meh and didn't seem it should be served in this restaurant but I tried the crab and it was delictable with just the right amount of spice, although was slightly over cooked. The prawns however were perfect and on point. Would come again, and this time I will be prepared. Menu is a bit hard to understand as in if it's a shared plate or how big the portion is. Venue= perfect. Although e prepared to pay quite alot for parking if you want to park near. That was a bit of at down. There was also no disabled parking which we were looking for hence why we had to park near and pay about $24.00.
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Walked in on a busy Saturday afternoon & they looked hard to fit a group of 7 in who had no booking. We were seated within 5 minutes. The atmosphere is great. I had the 1kg of crab & it was divine. Everything from the dining to the experience was on point. Our group started with some starters, Reywena Bread, Calamari Rings & Fish fingers. Reywena Bread was divine but definitely only made for 1 person. Calamari rings & sauce accompaniments were delicious. Fish fingers were good but that's all it was...fish fingers, no disappointment though. It was a Saturday so wasn't looking to eat too much but I guess any other day I may have been left feeling a like a bit more. The portions are fair & fine, I'm just a big eater. Also got free baskets of onion rings with the jugs we had coming out & I have to say for onion rings they were blimmen delicious. I have to give a special mention to the staff especially Trent who was looking after us & Harry at the bar also the manager at the time (Mana ? Moana ?) for finding us seats. All in all. Great food, Great service. I'll definitely be back :)
Went out for an amazing dinner with my boyfriend and family. Had tremendous customer service and food to die for. Would definitely be a must go if your in Auckland!
This place is always consistently a 10/10
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When faced with the task of choosing somewhere to eat at the Viaduct, I immediately jumped at the opportunity to eat here, as I have heard nothing but good things about it.
We arrived early, so we were lucky to have the pick of the tables. The one right next to window overlooking the Cloud by the water was perfect.
The only issue I had here was trying to choose what to have on the menu! Tempted by the fish of the day, the lamb, and the pork, but because this is a seafood restaurant, and it was a special occasion, I couldn't go past the special of slipper lobster. And how often do you get the chance to have a decent serving of lobster for only $40?!
I was delightfully smitten with my choice, encouraged by the fact that it was accompanied with a finger bowl, enticing me to get elbows deep in the pot of lobster. I just couldn't stop smiling as I mopped up the incredible chilly garlic buttery goodness with the little buns served on the side. Although I wanted to keep this hoard to myself, I couldn't help but share a bit with my fellow diners to instigate food envy. Fortunately for them, they thoroughly enjoyed their own meals too (fish of the day and the Aucklander burger).
The ambience was unintentionally enhanced when they experienced a significant power cut, but we had the flame heater to throw an intimate light over our meal. Thankfully it made it easier to hide my ridiculous grin of satisfaction.
The service was friendly and attentive as well, so I really don't have anything to fault about my dining experience. I'm already wondering how soon is too soon to return to the place to try the shared meals here too.
Was hungry did my search on here for great place to eat the crab shack was the one to gorocked up 730pm full house left my name went back an hour after sat down everything was outstanding great place great food great staff will go again.
Great food, ambience and service. Went for a Friday lunch and really enjoyed the crab and fish. Great way to end a hectic week. Will definitely go back! Highly recommend.
Came here for a mid week birthday dinner and was blown away.
Loved anything seafood on menu! It was just really good. Anything non seafood - including sides were just normal.
However, the crabs the clams the chowder just couldn't stopped us from demolishing them! We wanted to lick the plate clean if we weren't in a restaurant.
Would come back for seafood and try the other seafoody menu.
Went to CS with one of my best friends and we loved it! The bread a stuff recommend was surprisingly good and we really enjoyed the atmosphere of CS. Unfortunately we did not try the crab pots, we'll be back and we are gonna try it definitely next time!
So where do i start 😄 we just had dinner here tonight and everything was amazing! From customer service to ambience to food! If you are looking for a big feed at a reasonable price and something new this is the place for you. Wide range of menu and tho the place is called crab shack they do serve pork, chicken and beef cooked in i'd say innovative way. I got the shack stack which was two portions of steak, potatoes and coleslaw. Meat was cooked perfectly and fat was rendered, it was moist and juicy and the potatoes were to die for. The coleslaw was amazing too and it wasn't your ordinary type of coleslaw. Have a try and experience it yourself 😄 service was flawless! It was a busy night but there was no wait at all, we were looked after very well and the menu was explained to us before we ordered, it was great of them as well to ask for any allergies and stuff. Over all this place is great, definitely a must try.
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The back story: We were searching for a place to dine with a large group and unfortunately many places in town would not take bookings. Luckily for us though, after calling many other restaurants, we stumbled upon The Crab Shack.
Setting : The interior was funky and very spacious - and upon stepping into the main restaurant , we knew we had picked the right location for our group. With a bar on one side serving drinks pre-dinner, the transfer between after work drinks to the group dinner was seamless - perfect for a large party. It also served my favourite Hopt sodas of salted lychee and watermelon and mint amongst others. The service was impeccable for a large group too - meeting all our requests and being flexible on orders and when they came. They even accomdated our BYO cake and helped us set it up!
Food: We were initially a bit hesitant to try this location as neither myself nor a few of the others in the group ate crab. Fortunately the menu offered many other options beyond crab, including burgers, fish, steak and salads. The steak stack with mushrooms looked impressive as did the Alaskan crabs for those that did order the dish. I had a go at eating the crab but have to admit I had a lot of trouble. I wouldn't personally recommend it for those who haven't had crab before. My favourite that night was the bread though - served with a mustard shaker - it was definitely something different to try. The free popcorn machine also added to the fun of the night !
Occasion : really good for large groups and functions. Location by the waterfront offers good views and an interesting interior decor makes for good conversation
Revisit potential : 8/10
I was craving some meat but didnt want something too overpowering. There was a good choice of seafood and salads but one dish caught my eyes,the Kiwi Pepper Lamp Rump.
What an excellent choice if I must say. Such tender meat and having salad with nuts and some hash...it was a burst of flavour with some Frankton Heat chili.
I had that with the watermelon and mint soda to balance the heat...and went home happy!
It's a great mix of food with a view of the viaduct.
I love this seafood, we had order Jonah crab , this one is a little bit spicy for me. And we ordered Nelson padde crab, this one is 1
Kg.and taste good,
Wo also ordered Atlantic golden crab, this one taste also very good
Finally had the chance to try dine here tonight! Place was packed but we were seated within 10 minutes. A fun and cool vibe the moment you walk in!
Between the two of us we had the calamari, 500grams of mixed clams, 1kg crab, spicy chicken wings, softshell crab and two drinks. I was slightly mixed about the food, the soft shell crab and calamari wasn't great but the wings and clams were delicious. Especially the clams- big juicy and drowned in the most amazing sauce ahhhhh. Dinner came to $137 which I thought was pretty good considering we both food coma'd by the time most of it was done.
Hi5 to the waitress which had the coolest personality ever. She literally went out of her way to satisfy our needs! Good service overall :)
I'm coming back for clams!!!! 😍
Yummy yummy!
Highly recommended place to get your crab fix! The crab pots are easily shareable but can also be eaten solo which is what I did hehe, cooked to perfection and generously smothered in sauce.
The burger was a vegetarian option and was described as delicious from the vegetarian herself!
Décor is very cute and staff are friendly and welcoming, even during lunch the staff are very attentive to all diners which is very nice to see.
Overall I would definitely recommend and come back for more crab and taste other meats on the menu 😁
If you're keen for a big feed then definitely head to The Crab Shack!
There were heaps of great seafood, and non seafood dishes, to choose from. I went with the rewena bread, which was a nice surprise and tasted just like home, and the pork belly dish. The pork belly dish comes with a peanut/chipotle slaw which is good enough to eat on it's own, I'm determined to replicate it at home!
The vibe at The Crab Shack is a busy one, and we were waiting a while for our booked table to get sorted, but it's a fun place.
You can see the chefs hard at work from a lot of the tables which always makes things more interesting. I liked the decor, lots of hanging cray pots and industrial style lights (very Auckland huh?).
There is something for everyone at The Crab Shack, the only dissapointment was when the wait staff failed to mention that a particular part of my dish wasn't available that night. Let's hope that doesn't happen next time that I dine there as I'm keen to go back.
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We weren't very hungry when we came to the crab shack but we just had to come try it out!
The decorations reminded me of spongebob squarepants in a good way!! There were nets hanging from the celling. I'm assuming crab catching nets?
The bar and tables are wooden which added to the whole shack theme haha.
We wanted to try the lobster special but sadly they were sold out. To be fair we did turn up quite late.
We ordered the 1kilo chilli butter crab pot to share, bread rolls to soak up the sauce and creamed corn.
The crabs pots came with a bucket of lemon water for washing your hands, hilarious but adorable bibs and crab eating utensils.
The crab pot was not spicy which was good! The shells were easy to crack even with your teeth. The body part was full of meat! The sauce was absolutely delicious with the bread rolls. the creamed corn was good too but eat it first because it wasn't as good cold.
We'll definitely come back here. Our waiter was awesome. He explained how everything works and whether there would be enough food.
They do daily specials which we will definitely come back on Monday for the the half priced mussels.
We came here early for dinner and got seated straight away... Yay... Totally worth waiting for though... We didn't get any main meals but instead shared all the other entree type meals .... Calamari a must... Enjoyed it all and the ice cream sundae was a great way to cleanse the palate from seafood!
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after a much anticipated wait I finally have tried this place last Friday.. took my mum and and her friend as I knew they would appreciate this food.. parked at the princess wharf for a hefty $15 dollars for 90 minutes and turned up at about 1pm to start our feast. The setup is really different yet fitting for the name with heaps of crab nets hanging from the ceiling with old school music video playing and an awesome view of the dock and ocean.. we ordered the fish plate, crispy pork plate, curly fries, Atlantic crab pot, prawn pot and salted caramel glass. The waitress also to be noted was super friendly and got my baby and nephew their seats super fast for me.. We donned the bibs with pride as soon as the food arrived which was really fast and dug in.. the sauces in the crab and prawns were finger licking good.. so much so that the pots were basically licked clean.. my favourite was the crab of coarse as I love them anyways and even my baby ate quite a bit of the crab too.. the coleslaw had some peanuts in it which was surprisingly really good so will now add these to my coleslaws thanks simon.. all up it was about $140 for 3 adults and 2 small kids.. so okay .. can't wait to go here again with my hubby!
Really exciting night gathering with my high school friends! We chose the Crab Shack as it locates near harbor and the view is really peaceful looking out of the window. As a result, the food and the sights both bring us a good mood.
I ordered a shack salad. It was so tasty with its sauce and crab. The steak that my friends grabbed was amazing as well. As the crab shack is famous for its crabs( easily seen from the title:-P ), the soft crabs were fantastic. It was rather different from the taste we ate in China, however, both had their unique sides.
In one word, the environment and service were beyond description and the food was right to our taste. Everything was perfect!
Hope to visit again!
AMAZING!!!!!!! Been here twice and service is great friendliest waiters and waitresses and the food is great. Some may find it pricey but where can you get seafood for cheap these days? Happy with my build your own lobster burger
Went to lunch with a few mates during the week. I found the place a bit pricey for what you get. I had the rainbow burger and added on a beef patty. The burger was nothing to write home about. Others at the table however mostly enjoyed their meals.
The food and service was amazing. The food was delicious especially the clam chowder! Although it was quite pricy for the amount we got, it was worth it.
We dined in this restaurant a while ago when they were just opened. It was a good experience. I liked the decor. The service was good and the food was super! The fish burger was really really good and the crab platter was fantastic. I will come back again to try the other meals.
Had a great night out. Dinner was amazing, the best calamari I've ever had, totally recommend it. There was a bit of a wait but Kaylin the manager, kept our custom with her professional and friendly manner. Neil at the bar whips up a mean cocktail and again the friendly, awesome service coupled with the fantastic food guarantees that we will be heading back ASAP!
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On hindsight, I didn't need to ask where The Crab Shack was, because the giant gleaming neon sign is visible for miles around, like some kind of garish Las Vegas neon monstrosity. The first thing you notice was how big the place is ... the restaurant and adjoining bar are both massive. Despite being celebrity chef Simon Gault's baby, The Crab Shack shares a lot in common, look-and-feel wise, at least, with American chain restaurants like Bubba Gump's and TGI Friday's. It's big, it's bustling, and the friendly service is very American.
The food, however, is another matter. We had the calimari and battered soft-shell crab as entrees, and they were both delicious, with a range of tasty sauces to cut through the rich seafood taste. I had the messy pig (pork belly, slaw, black beans and potato hash) as a main and, again, the combination of flavours and sauces was exquisite.
I'd definitely come here again (especially now I know kids eat free one weekend!) for a low-key, casual meal. This is another welcome addition to the rapidly increasing array of North American restaurants setting up in Auckland.
Good experience, staffs are friendly and helpful. Had Atlantic Golden Crab, vege burger, colsaw, bread roll and apple cider, initially thought servings were undersized but surprisingly wholesome for two. Will try the king crab and a different main next time.
Yutika Tiki Anturkar
+3.5
I came here for a friend’s graduation dinner. The atmosphere in this place was amazing! Really friendly and very welcoming. The restaurant itself is beautiful and makes you want to eat. We were a large group so kudos to the waiter for handling us!
The food was unfortunately very average. I had The Shack Stack, it was two sirloin steaks with a peanut coleslaw and potato fritters. I personally felt that my steak was way overcooked (I wasn’t asked how I would like it) and very underseasoned. The potato fritters were also not seasoned and they were crunchy because there were burnt bits that seemed to be scraped off the bottom of a pan. The coleslaw was my favouraite. It had the perfect amount of mayo and the peanuts added a much needed cruch to the dish. My partner had the Kiwi Lamb, also underseasoned and slightly over cooked. The chutney that was given with the lamb however saved the dish.
I did have the mussels and a little bit of crab. They were to die for. The crab was so juicy and the garlic was perfect. The mussels were cooked to perfection and the creamy sauce had a great tangy taste.
I had the bartender whip me up a delicious mocktail and they were more than happy to personalise it for me.
Overall it was average food with smallish portions. What really saved The Crab Shack was really their crab, mussels and the amazing service. I will be visitng again as I do think this place has great potential.
Been here twice over the last couple of weeks once for lunch and once for dinner. Very friendly staff, from the phone call to the meal service. Fabulous seafood, love the crab and mussels and bread rolls are a must to mop up the delicious juices. Will definitely visit again
Went for dinner, had a wonderful time. Really gud tasty food and great service! I had the lobster special and hubby had the tuna steak. Both were cooked to perfection. Highly recommend this place and we will be back to try the other delicious looking meals!
Went to The Crab Shack for my birthday with a friend and the food was amazing I loved how you had to really get into it with your fingers etc. The only thing that I think turn people off is the fact you can not book and the wait can be round 45mins. In saying that tho I'm looking forward to going back.
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Disappointing night. Great looking place, musics fab and the whole vibe is one of excitement but the food and drinks weren't up to the dollars spent on them. We visited Thursday evening and were seen by at least 5 staff and it felt hurried (from seat to feet outta the door was less than an hour and we had 3 courses!) The Rewena bread had a sweet sugar wash making it more like a doughnut and the tapenade was unpleasant (more like grass mulch) and the pork crackling on top was texture over flavor. The bucket of prawns was really lovely - succulent, large, perfectly cut but the calamari was similar to that purchased from any frozen section - heavily breaded and deep fried. The bucket of clams were OK but slightly over cooked which made them rubbery and the crab (we had Jonah) couldn't be tasted over the sauce. The soft shelled crab was the best buy (2 tender but heavily battered crab) The piña coladas (Thursday special buy one get one free) were very tasty but the wine list and the food isn't up to the standard of euro or fish though the charges are similar. I doubt that we will return.
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Simon Gault's newest Auckland dining experience sure did not disappoint. While I do admit the location of The Crab Shack at the old "Float" nightclub where I spent many a nights in my younger years partying felt a bit odd; I was pleasantly surprised that the premises had been transformed into a fun, vibrant and causal cool space to enjoy a few drinks and good food.
There is a neat outdoor space with circular bar where we dined up on tall tables and high stools. There was a bit of a wait for a table (no bookings unless large groups!) and a little confusion over actually being told that our table was ready but, after a 20ish minute wait, we eventually sat down to place our orders.
We opted for the ray-wen-nuh bread ($7) and calamari salad ($18) to start and were not disappointed. The bread was the best - sweet, soft, warm and very more-ish. The salad was nice with the calamari cooked to perfection but it wasn't anything spectacular.
When deciding on which crab pot to choose we were initially quite perplexed on which one of the four options to choose. After asking our waitress for advice, we settled on the Atlantic golden crab ($45 for 500g) as we were told we wouldn't have to work as hard to get out the crab meat compared to our original choice of the Nelson paddle crab ($40 for 1kg). In addition, we also ordered a mixed scoop of clams and mussels ($20.50 per 500g) and steak fries ($7). The crab and shellfish were delicious - both with lovely sauces of which bread rolls needed to be ordered to soak it all up. Admittedly the crab was still hard work to eat but all the tools/utensils are provided. Essentially the best way to eat is to not be shy and to really get in with your hands and pull apart the hard outer shell. Thank goodness bibs are provided but this is probably not the best place to go on a first date to make a good impression!
To finish, our table of four shared a selection of desserts including a chocolate brownie with salted caramel sauce and, from memory, a chocolate mousse of sorts.
The Crab Shack is definitely cool with a great vibe. The fit out is excellent - think wire crab pots, nautical rope, nets, wooden planks and glass jar lighting - and it really adds to the atmosphere. Give The Crab Shack a visit if you're in the mood for some good seafood with good friends.
Excellent service...... Food was good with a range of prices.. Wanted to try the fish burger but decided against paying $40 for a burger.. Clams and mussells were great and the mains are generally well priced... Excellent location
Visited here last night - a table for 7 was ready when we called in. Was quite busy for a Wednesday night. We had a lovely waiter who served us the whole night. Ordered 3 lots of 1kg Nelson's paddle crabs, spicy chicken wings, fries & crab cakes - rounding to around $30 pp. The crabs were excellent! Highly recommended! The chicken wings were spicier than expected but nevertheless good! However the crab cakes were a bit disappointing - 3 tiny cakes for $16. The lemongrass & corriander flavours were delicious though! Their pilsners are amazing as well! Would be the perfect place for after work drinks or just a casual family dinner! Loved the warm atmosphere and the interior was what caught our eye. The staff were amazing, overall experience was great! Will be back soon!
As an avid fan of seafood I was very excited to taste the raved about meals at the crab shack. I ordered some classics: Nelson crab with garlic butter, buffalo wings and the crab cakes. Honestly if you go to the Crabshack you get food and a fun experience. With a lovely nautical theme and bubbly staff you will soon realise that your crab bib is dripping with sauce. Lovely crab cakes with a lemongrass and chilli flavour, tangy wings with a lovely dipping sauce and the king: buttery crab- full of flavour and easy to eat with the tools that they give you. Honestly would go a million times!
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We came here tonight for dinner. When calling beforehand, we were told we didn't have to book but got there and was told to wait around twenty minutes for our table of four. It was unexpectedly busy for a Tuesday night!
When we were seated, our waitress came over and introduced herself (by the way Kat you were great!) and the specials for tonight. All four of us ended up getting a crab dish each but they had quite a large selection of other dishes as well! We tried all the crab dishes with the exception of the king crab. Our dishes cost $40-$45. We all thought $40 for 1kg of crab was worth the price, where as the other crab dishes were quite pricey $45 for around 400g of crab. The crab tasted great, but it was quite tiring eating it! of course, I don't think you can expect anything else eating crab unless someone else was to peel, and crack it for you and personally feed you the meat. I felt as though the crab dishes was more to do with the experience than the actual food. It took a lot of effort to eat, and I would probably only go again for crab on special occasions.
Service was great and the food was great. Will be back here again for other food and crab on special occasions!!!!
I went there to celebrate my birthday.
Food was awesome. I ordered the canadian crab plus half pound of shrimps.
the waitress was very nice and helpful.
Definitely i will be there again soon!!
Brilliant place for a long unwinding Friday lunch. Great food & wine, friendly & prompt service, cool music selection, super views - somewhat obstructed by a whopping cruise liner - and a warm buzz. Our lunch lasted a tad over six hours. We'll be back!
The Wellington venue has been a long favourite of mine so I was keen to try their new Auckland location. I wasn't disappointed, the quality food, service and cocktails remain and it has its own feel rather than simply copying the Wellington format.
Great place for lunch. Heaps of atmosphere.. Kiwi spin on Louisiana cuisine with great touch of kiwi casual.. Staff well trained.
Left hand side menu great to share between four.. We had 8 dishes .. Plenty of food..
Calamari awesome.. Seared tuna, while smallish was beautifully prepared... Sauce for chicken wings should be bottled and sold.. Yum yum...
We will be back... Get there early... By early afternoon place was full and jumping...
Great quality food. Good service. Serving sizes a bit small and a few mix ups with our order but was when first opened so that's expected. Great atmosphere
Had amazing crab and prawn here. Staff was very friendly and help us to choose the food. Also great place and beautiful view. Very recommended for seafood lovers. We definitely will come back for it!!
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The Crab Shack and Matterhorn - the best of Welly has come to Auckland in the first half of 2015!
I had been to the Crab Shack in Orleans when they open exclusively on Sunday and Mondays.
But I have to say, nothing compares to this Simon Gault eatery.
The vibe is spot on and there's an excited energy about the place. The decor feels like something out of the States with a relaxed Hawaiian feel - heck even the cocktails come with cute umbrellas.
Recommendations:
- The soft shelled crab is a must order! We ordered another portion of it because it was so juicy and unlike other ones which are just crispy tempura batter, you can truly taste the meat.
- The bread. Yes, order the Manuka smoked bread. I don't even like bread and I was the one who suggested to order seconds.
- It is probably wise to wear the bib that comes with the crab. I realiesd this only after I saw the flecks of crab sauce on my friend's shirt.
Avoid:
- Going on a Saturday night in a group. They only take bookings for groups of 10 or more so we ended up waiting for an hour before we got seats.
- The cocktails were yummy but priced at $20, there wasn't enough alcohol in it to justify the steep price.
I was surprised the whole bill came to around $35 per person - I was expecting a lot more for crab! Mind you, we didn't order the Red King crab which was $112 for 700g. Instead we got 1kg of the Nelson crab pot with chili-garlic butter. Admittedly it was hard work and messy digging the meat from the crab but also part of the fun! We also ordered the spicy wings and 1/2 pound of Shark Bay tiger prawns in a lemongrass and chili tomato sauce and I can recommend both.
I didn't order any mains or burgers so if I were to go back, that's what I would try from the menu. But I can confidently say you'll be satisfied from the crab pot and shack boards alone. Plus I think you'll agree that they're more fun to share and eat!
Jennielyn S. Joaquin
+4.5
Superb food and accommodating staff! Will surely go back to this place to taste other food. The messy pig is really a good choice.???? Very nice ambiance and a good place to hangout forfamily and friends.
awesome energy and decor. the staff were great and the food tasty and well presented. portion sizes were very small and quite a lot of money for the amount of food you had. half a pound of prawns = 6 prawns on a ton of lettuce!
It was great to have finally been able to eat at the crab shack.
The crab pots were tasty. I ordered the kilo of Nelson paddle crabs. If you have a big appetite like me, I would recommend one crab pot a portion, to avoid ordering a second meal like many of my friends did!
I enjoyed the gingerly spices in the sauce, although I did feel it overpowered the taste of the crab a little.
Getting hold of them was not easy. On their phone system they tell us not to leave a message, and on their website they tell you to email them. I have done so twice and neither times did I receive a reply. I recommend contacting them in person, or persistently calling until someone picks up.
Overall it was a satisfactory and pleasant experience. Glad to have tried it.
Awesome location and decor. The resturant is illuminated with nifty lights, fishing and crab nets. The food was extravagant! The seafood was fresh and beautifully displayed. All dishes were rich tasting and quick to fill tummies. The Ray-wen-nuh bread was the most memorable. A cross between a crisp garlicy ciabatta outer but a soft bap-crumpet inside. Perfection
We were fan of crab shack in Wellington and were very excited to know they opened a restaurant at AKL. Went there on our anniversary day:-) Lovely and warm service and always great food! I love the crab! The sirloin definitely worth trying! Pork belly is very tender, just one thing, it's a bit salty and I would ask for less salt next time:-) Crab is great! great!
Went to The Crab Shack for lunch with my wife. A very well presented eatery.
We selected three dishes to share which entailed a Crab pot, crab and crayfish cakes and a Cobb salad.
The food was brilliant and did not disappoint. Our orders were well presented and the balance of flavours were just right in that you could taste the delicate flavours of the crab, prawns and calamari.
There was a 40min wait to have us seated but this was ok considering how busy they were. What did not sit well with us though was the service; it was pretty poor. Our servers were a little haphazard in bringing our food out. We also found it quite challenging to get the attention of our servers.
The service a side - we enjoyed our meals and would return for the food and also in hope of getting better service next time so that I can change my current rating of 2 to something higher.
Rating out of 5 (5 being the highest):
Food – 4
Ambience – 4
Presentation – 4
Service – 2
Environment – 4
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A weekend trip last year with my friends was the first time I tried The Crab Shack, the one in Wellington. So naturally, we were really excited to try the Auckland version, especially since we absolutely loved our meal in Welly!
We arrived at approximately 6pm the weekend before last, and the restaurant was already entirely packed. We didn't mind putting our names down on the waiting list and heading to the bar for a couple of drinks though.
After about half an hour, we received a call to advise a table would be ready for us, so we headed over and were seated on a cute small table near the entrance.
The menus came out and we proceeded to order the calamari (perfection!), spicy chicken with five cheese sauces, the 1kg of Nelson paddle crab, and some steak fries.
We were advised by our extremely friendly and humorous waiter that there is a slightly longer wait than usual with our food coming out, but we didn't mind as we had lots of catch up on anyway!
The restaurant is decorated with the same funky flare as the one in Wellington, but lacked the sailor feel that it did there. Most likely due to the high volume of customers, they weren't able to provide all the little things as well, such as the utensils for digging into the crab and a water bowl to wash our fingers in. However, the actual food itself certainly did not disappoint! Not one flaw I can name.
Definitely looking forward to returning!
Finally a proper crab spot in auckland! The most divine crab I've ever had amazing atmosphere on princess wharf and staff that makes you feel welcome!
I was so excited when I heard that crab shack opened in Auckland CBD, finally crabs in town! The restaurant is located in the wharf which offers a stunning view of the waters. We ordered nelson paddle crabs, grumpy chicken, bread roll, spicy chicken and my favorite belgian beer. Food was alright but was expecting more flavors from the crabs. Chicken was served in skewers and came with a mini griller which I find really cool. Service was good and I find the food a little bit pricey. Nothing exceptional but still good to try.
Great casual dining in good location. Did not have to wait long for table for 4. Service prompt, friendly and efficient.Particularly recommend the crab and crayfish cakes, the pork belly and the tuna. Place was humming but food and drink arrived with very little waiting time.Would eat there again no problem.
Loving the south american vibe they throwing of without even trying. Awesome food. Awesome service. Different and very nice ambience of the whole restaurant.
Grilled Tuna Steak great preparation fresh and really tasty
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I came here while a cruise ship was in town so it was really busy in the city and I had luckily got in before the huge rush of people came through.
The decor definitely reminds me of every crab shack in the states, very Hawaiian look and feel to it and would be a nice place for a late afternoon drink after work.
Immediately when we were seated by the hostess someone came and served us - I was so shocked! I will tell you that the service is exactly what I would expect from a decent establishment in America as well. My friend commented on how it had been ages since she had been treated so well! We ordered the Cobb salad and the fish burger. Sadly the fish was overdone and was dry and the bread itself was tough but I did enjoy the chips and creamed corn. The Cobb salad went down well though so it wasn't a complete let down.
I think it's a little on the pricey side but the location is great overlooking the waterfront but I would probably not come back for a while unless it was for a quick drink.
In all a fun experience. Had the atlantic golden crab as our main dish along with clams and other small starters and was fully occupied from start to finish. Service was polite and helpful. Will certainly be going back.
I've been wanting to try this place for a while now and I was quite impressed. Really good service and a nice atmosphere. We got the shack stack and the Nelson paddle crab pot and both were very good. For dessert we got the salted caramel jar and it was delicious! Only bad thing was that there was a wait list of an hour. But other than that everything was great!
Wide variety of seafood with some hot sauces on the side. The calamari was amazing as was the prawns. We gorged ourselves on crab. The butter garlic sauce was a thing of beauty. All in all a great experience and I will for sure come back here again.
Great food! I dined at The Crab Shack today for lunch with some work colleagues. The restaurant has a great vibe and very well presented. Its got an American fishing town feel and looked and smelt amazing when we arrived. I had the entree calamari & prawns which were both amazing. My colleagues had the fish of the day and the fish burger which were equally as good. Simon Gault was even in the restaurant checking the food and taking ticket orders. We thoroughly enjoyed our meals and will be back again.
If your looking for a great atmosphere with flavoursome food then the crab shack is for you.
The food is great and comes out pretty quick but the waiter's definetly need some more experience as it is lacking a bit.
Celebrated a special day at Crabshack yesterday and I can say that the food was excellent! However, there was a bit of a wait for a table. Approximately 40 mins wait to be seated and a few more minutes for food to arrive. I guess it was a really busy night for them. They do accept bookings for a minimum of 10 or more people as I tried to book in for two but was told about their booking policy. We did enjoy the food very much! I had the Nelson Crabs, very nice! And tried the blackened tuna which was very flavorful. Also, had the manuka smoked bread that was just fantastic! So, overall the experience was good. Just the waiting part was a downside so I guess be prepared to wait for a table and if you're a group of 10 people might as well book so you can enjoy the time very much and skip the waiting. Otherwise, no questions about the food here. Just brilliant!
Aucklanders no longer have a reason to be jealous of Wellington Crab Shack fans. After years of hearing great things us big city dwellers finally can experience the old world seaside charm of a San Francisco styled eatery.
The flavour on the Nelson sourced paddle crabs is almost as good as the gently poached crab flesh itself. You'll be licking the shells, and when you're finished, you'll be licking the splatters off your dining partners bib!
Add to the mix old school tunes like Mustang Sally, and you've got a delicious recipe for the perfect five star, relaxed dining experience.
Great Location, Delicious food , Beautiful View of the waterfront and excellent service from staff. I've been here a few times with Family & friends and both experiences have been great. Look out for their $2 oysters and make the most of it I surely do 👍 Only downside is you need to pay for parking or find parking somewhere as parking costs.
A well deocrated family friendly restaurant. The staff were friendly. Price is reasonable. The clams is still one of my favourites. The seafood chowder is very creamy with lots of seafood and vegetables. Their kids meals are also surprisingly very nice, we had the burger with steamed veggies (i don't usually expect the kids meal to be as good value for money).
We stopped in here for dinner on our first night in Auckland and were sure glad we did. The service was fantastic, especially our waitress (I think her name was Mel) who was warm, friendly and very attentive. The food and drinks were excellent as well, in particular the Black Magic Woman cocktail and the mixed mussels/clam 1kg scoop with white wine sauce. The servings are generously sized and after a starter, main & side each we had no room for dessert.
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We really enjoyed our first visit to Crab Shack over the weekend. It was fairly busy around lunch time, and we sat outside where you can look out to the wharf and boats. We seriously weren't expecting that view, so that was a massive bonus! Being the first time we were ordering crab to eat, we weren't sure what to go for. The waiter helped explain the different crabs and what sauces paired well with the different crabs. I think it was Snow crab that we went with in the end, shown in the photo, with 1kg mussels. All together, it was a perfect amount for two people. We enjoyed being so occupied cracking them open. Both the Crab and mussels were so tasty. It got messy, so make sure you don't wear your best white shirt! Lots of fun. There's not many places where you feel comfortable digging into your food with your fingers and getting messy! They bring you a small wash dish each with water in it, so you can clean your fingers as you need. The waiters and workers were all really attentive. Was so impressed with the whole experience that I left a tip. It's not something I do often in NZ, but we were just so impressed with the whole experience. Service, Food, and View. All perfect. After that, go grab an ice cream, there are lots of options nearby, and enjoy it walking around the wharf.
Great decor. Mussels was top notch. Fish n chup (as per menu) was pretty good as well. Chicken taco was tasty. Chicken burger was great but sadly the soft crab was over salty. Waitress provided a good service and food arrived quite quick.
This is a lively, music filled restaurant with lots of activity and high energy. The food was really good, service was attentive and the location on the wharf is perfect to watch the busy Harbor and cruise ships at dock. The bar offerings were extensive and reasonably priced. They are complete with lunch specials, happy hour and daily chef specials too.
I love the food!! We ordered crabs of the day which was Australian blue swimmers and was cooked really good in garlic sauce. 👌🏻👌🏻 One order of it was shared by me and my partner and was more than enough for us. We also had one of the best chips. The shrimp cocktail was also great for starters.
The place was also a nice spot with a sea view and clean toilet. Staff was excellent in taking orders and were very accommodating 😊
We went to eat after a long wet day of touring around. The staff was friendly and helpful. We were a large group with different dietary restrictions and they went to above and beyond to ensure that everyone was taken care of. Alex was delightful and never missed a beat. The food was delicious! The Fush and Chups were the best we have had in New Zealand. The Blue Crab was very soft, which they explained, but it was not quite what we thought. The sea food chowder was amazing. We ordered the 2 oysters, they were tasty but a little small. Overall the meal, experience, and atmosphere were at the top of our adventures so far.
Had the best lunch here in recent months. Excellent snow crab, fresh and meaty. Even food from kids menu are awesome. Attended services and staff were very friendly.
$2 Oysters and $2 Wings!!!!
Oysters were delicious and wings were nice maybe just a little spicy and would've been nice with like a yoghurt sauce or something cold to help cool ya mouth after eating. We also didn't realise how huge the wings were and ordered $40 worth and probably wouldn't order as much next time.
The soft shell crab was the least favourite dish we ordered. Menu said the crab came in a tempura batter but the batter was quite heavy and the crab kind of disintegrated through the batter which was also really oily. Got sickening eating it. The sauce that we chose with it was really nice however. Mud crab was ok...yum with the sauce we paired it with. Squid Rings were average, what you'd expect. Favourite dishes were the Skillet Mac n Cheese and the Classic Crayfish and Prawn Roll. Great service and atmosphere with $5 beers for happy hour. Would come back again.
If you want to get your hands dirty and enjoy crabs with seafood pliers and picks, there really is only one place in Auckland. We came here after it’s move into the previous Culpeper location, and it’s a smaller venue but feels more cosy. The chowder was nice and chunky. The snow crab has a good amount of meat to dig into and more delicate in flavour but the mud crab was full of meat albeit a more tougher and mild in flavour. We found the garlic butter more moorish but a bit overwhelming after a while. But the white wine garlic sauce to be great all the way through.
Had a great evening and dinner! Happy hour value is amazing and the staff were all awesome. I just want to acknowledge the staff member who came to check on us after noticing the discomfort we felt from another group there who seemed to take issues with my wife breastfeeding (everything under a blanket so nothing could be seen) by staring at us the whole time and then taking a photo of us on their departure. He gave us reassurance that we were not being improper and it saved our night, so thank you again!
Good place to have seafood. Clams were fresh and tasty. Steak was cooked right. Plenty of seats. Good selection of beer on tap. Even had TV for us to watch Saturday night rugby. Table host was friendly, but waitress did not look too happy, otherwise would have given a five star.
Went here for Valentine's Day. Ordered chowder, cheesey garlic bread, squid rings, 6 wings, two steak meals with extra fries. Food came out fairly quickly. Almost too fast. Hadn't finished chowder before steak came out. Steak was cooked to perfection. Over all the food was great. Watch out for the chicken wings, they're bigger than you think 😁. We ended up taking the wings back home with us. Only issue I had was with the ordering system. If I'm going to pay that much then I would prefer table service but that's a personal preference.
Great food and great service. The green mussles We're especially good and they were even the daily special so we got an amazing deal on them. This is a really good spot to visit if you are hungry aftee just getting off the nearby ferry.
Nice place, nice food and friendly service. I had the tempura soft shell crab, seafood marinara and a cocktail of the month. Unlike an earlier review, the soft shell crab was crispy and tasty. The staff was very attentive, even offered to help me take a photo.
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