Crab Shack

Haven’t been here in a few years and I’m sad to say it is not what it used to be. Prices are very steep and service is mediocre at best. Better off at shoprite. Sorry.

Do not eat here!!! After a lackluster experience once we decided to give this place another shot because the bartender was awesome… we were here on a Wednesday night which I guess was an all you can eat crab night… we passed on that and went with the classic sampler for an appetizer and the redfish in lobster sauce. The appetizer was so so at best… the calamari was dried and the dip was rationed… barely enough for two people.
We got the fish figuring that’s so easy to make you cant mess it up… lo and behold were we mistaken! The lobster was raw and cold, but we decided to give the dish another shot and kept eating. After another couple of bites my girlfriend found a very long strand of human hair in her food. That was it. We both stopped eating at that point, and got the attention of our server who summoned the manager.
He came over and we explained our plight and we had clearly stopped eating and we’re done with our barely eaten meals. He said he was going to take care of it… he comped us 1 dinner and gave a $ 30 coupon to use upon our return. Would’ve thought he’d comped the whole thing after his kitchen was being so unsanitary to have a hair in our food… what happened to hair nets?
We settled the tab and left the coupon as we have no plans on returning. I don’t know if it’s this chain or just this location, but was a very disappointing dining experience.
Pay the extra money and go to a real seafood spot. Left feeling very unsatisfied and still hungry.
Disappointing.

Classic road side seafood shack with an emphasis on live crabs of various sizes. Sandwiches are all fried — I had oysters which were very good but had some shell fragments. French fries and onion rings satisfying. Can’t opine on wide selection of fresh seafood for sale (some local and some from away) in their market — looks ok! Indoor and outdoor seating.

I decided that I was over reacting to the crab shack simply because of one slacker employee. My wife and I have been back a couple times since and the experience has been exceptionally good. This summer we were able to find fresh squid which no one else in the area had, We called regarding shell on shrimp and the owner gave us very good buying tips. I am favoring this place over all the other seafood places in the area. They even have crabs from the Shrewsbury River all winter long. Gonna go get me some this weekend. I have a food blog that launched recently and in the Jersey Fresh Seafood section I also praise the huge selection and quality found here. Please read it at

Uncertain why so many rave reviews for this little seafood shack but whatever. It’s OK but that is a far as I go. Flounder sandwich boring and tiny at that and served w/​o fries.
Stuffed crab, all breading and small portion. Dozen clams on half shell, nice. $ 22 which was no bargain considering the small portions and lack of taste. Bottom line: would not venture back here again…

This is another place I visit at least twice a week. Some people may be turned off by the ambiance, or lack thereof. I’m all about the food. If you’re looking for a good, fresh flounder sandwich or some seafood to take home, this is the place to be. The staff is friendly and helpful. These are good people.

Love this place! It’s THE only place we will go for fresh seafood. Selection & quality are outstanding. The service is always wonderful. Doesn’t look like much from the outside… but don’t pass this by!

Did not order a meal, but bought some clams and scallops for the grill. Both were very good. Nice selection of good looking seafood.

You might just drive by this place, but don’t! It’s a fish market. It’s a restaurant. Ordered lunch at the counter, found a great spot at an outside picnic table and the chef delivered the food when it was ready. It’s wonderful! I love that you can order oysters individually, rather than by the dozen or half dozen.

This place has been around for years and it’s always been great! The owner (s) are hard workers AND they provide the very best service! Fresh, clean fish, shrimp, lobster, crab… you name it! Wouldn’t go anywhere else!

Great place to pick up some lobsters and a couple bags of clams — good prices (not as good as Point Lobster) but as good as it gets for the area.

This is a really good seafood take out place. They have freshly caught crab DAILY and do a good job of steaming it for you. We order from here 2 – 3 times a week when we’re staying in Lavallette. You can get it with old bay or with old bay on the side, they’re happy to cater to your needs. They also sell a LOT of fresh fish and seafood and can cook it up for you right on the spot. Like today, we came by to pick up a dozen crab we ordered and we some some damn good looking grouper so we got a fillet and they fried it for us on the spot. Really yum. They also carry a nice variety of seafood soups in their fridge section and other tasty treats. I highly recommend them! Call in the late morning to place and order — they close at 6pm on Sundays tho!

The Crab Shack is exactly that; A tiny quaint «Shack» right on the way to the beach. They sell all kinds of seafood and is reasonably priced. They are located right in the heart of the jersey shore fishing areas so you know that all their seafood is fresh and right off the boat. When you walk in, there is a counter that has 6 – 8 wooden baskets that contain live different size hard shell crabs. You can literally pick what you like. I have not tried the hard shell crabs yet, but I have tried the soft shell crabs and they were phenomenal. They are expensive and will run you $ 7 a piece, but if you are in the mood for them, splurge! I have also had the whiting fish, jumbo shrimp and steamers and all get an A. I have not had a chance to sit down and order in yet, but I imagine it to be excellent. So, you are probably wondering why I gave this place only 3 stars. Well, 2 out of the 7 soft shell crabs that we had received were missing claws, and we all know that that is where the best meat is. I asked the guy to clean the crabs as well so he knew that he was selling us ones with missing claws. Shame on him!!! Not pleased about that at all and will definitely bring it up to him next time I go. I am hoping for some crab compensation in exchange for his mess up so I might be changing my rating in the near future.