Seattle Crab Co

This was one of my favorite neighborhood places. Although some of the reviews are not good, there was a change in management, and this place stepped into its own. However, it closed Saturday night (5÷29÷10). It was sold, and staff was only given two days notice. Will open again in two weeks, after remodeling, as some sort of Thai Panera bread place. I am very disappointed as it was «my» place, an easy walk, good food, good service, good company. You will be missed. ..

I came here a while back, and it struck me as a reasonable (albeit nothing special) seafood restaurant. Well, I hadn’t been in a while and since I was up in Northgate this weekend, I figured I might as well give it a try again. Verdict remains unchanged. The food at Seattle Crab Co is just mediocre. It seems like they try to compensate for the average flavor by adding a little too much salt. Not terrible, but there are definitely waaay better seafood places in Seattle. I had the halibut cheeks. Halibut is very flavorful if prepared correctly — these were seared decently, but they came with capers in the sauce, which added an odd flavor. The seafood fettuccini was decent, but on the bland side. I will say that the soup was pretty good though — I went for the bisque and I remember the chowder being ok in my past visit.
The price is too steep for the mediocre quality of the food. Service is fine, and the facility/​ambience is clean enough.

We came in for a quick beer and fries before a movie– nice server. Tarter sauce was amazing! fries– eehhh, all in all i would go back, for the recipe for that homemade tarter!!!

Service: 2-​stars for being slow and inattentive.
Food: 3-​stars. Not bad fare. Not spectacular. The menu has a lot of items to choose from.
Originality: 4-​stars. There aren’t many unique restaurants in the North End. You can get a huge bowl of crab legs, put a bib on, and chow down — definitely a more memorable experience than having yet another burger at Red Robin.

I haven’t been here for a couple years because the last time I was, I walked out thinking «I won’t be back», but was here the other night with a group of friends for a holiday party. The food was better than it was, much improved, service was A-​OK, not spectacular considering there was 20 of us, could have been better prepared for a large group. But, I will try it again, as it was better than the last time and the menu is more accomodating to a variety of tastes now.

After visiting friends in south King County yesterday, we decided to try a new restaurant on our way home to Bellingham. We’re KPLU members and decided to look for inspiration in their restaurant guide which provides discounts to hundreds of restaurants in Western Washington. We chose Seattle Crab Company because it was easy to find and not far off I-​5.
Although we didn’t have particularly high expectations, we were delighted with the great food and friendly service. I noted that one of the other Unilocalers found William, the interim manager pulled in by the owners to help them relaunch and build the business, «obnoxious» and «hostile». By no means, sedate, we found William to be a delightful addition to the otherwise mundane, chain-​like atmosphere. He was friendly, professional, and clearly knows what he’s doing.
William has apparently recently added a full-​service bar, and expanded the wine list and beer selections. The food was excellent, and he is clearly working with the wait staff to supplement their friendly nature with additional skills that will both improve profitability and the overall customer experience.
William plans to remodel and add white tablecloths to improve the atmosphere, but the menu, prices, quality and friendly wait staff are reason enough to check this restaurant out.
We will definitely return.

My boyfriend and I used to frequent this place because he loves the shrimp and crab melt. BUT…
We’ve been there twice since the new owner has taken over, and we’re NEVER going there again! This «obnoxious» and «hostile» waiter everyone is talking about is the new proprietor, or at least that’s what he told us the first time we met him. Again, he is VERY heavy-​handed trying to sell the specials. My understanding from our conversation is that he buys fish fresh from the boat and if he doesn’t sell it, he’s screwed. And, since his restaurant is never more than half full, and he’s turning away customers left and right… it’s no wonder this douchebag is so mad that no one is buying his crappy specials.
Now, onto the real fun…
This weekend when we went there, they’ve totally changed the menu. The menu had things crossed out and the prices changed with a Sharpy and rewritten at a higher price. CLASSY! I sooooo want to pay $ 2 – 4 more when the menu looks like it’s been drawn on by a 1^st grader! So, basically, they’re losing anything that was reasonably priced off the menu and moving more ttoward becoming a fresh-​fish, upscale, fine dining restaurant. WHICH IS SERIOUSLY LAUGHABLE. The place looks like a family-​friendly fish shack and is next to an AM/​PM, an abandoned gas station, and a jiffy lube. FINE DINING? Methinks not.
Also on Saturday, they were supposedly having the «Halibut Festival» and when I ordered Halibut and Chips (now priced at $ 14 instead of $ 12), they told me they weren’t offering it tonight… would I care to spend $ 17 on the fresh halibut instead? NO THANKS. WTF? This is a halibut festival and you aren’t offering halibut and chips? GIMME A BREAK. AND… my boyfriend ordered his beloved shrimp/​crab melt that used to come with loads of potato wedges and cole slaw. Now it comes with bland, fancy looking fries, about ½ the portion size, a different recipe (according to him, not nearly as good) and no cole slaw… what gives?
Also, I should mention — this place used to have impeccable service. There was an older asian waiter and a young black waitress there who were by far our favorites in town. THEY WERE AMAZING! But, guess what? They’re both GONE. Where did they go? My guess is they either couldn’t stand the new owner, or he couldn’t stand having «nice» people on his waitstaff and they were let go. Now he has a waiter that is possibly his son (they look alike), and a young boy that gets people water and clears the tables.
Too, they’re raving on their signs about now have patio seating? HA! This is hilarious. They have three 2-​top tables squeezed outside on the sidewalk on the noisy side of the building.
DUDE (new owner), YOU ARE STEARING THIS PLACE INTO THE GROUND. YOU’VE LOST TWO VERY LOYAL CUSTOMERS AND MORE WILL SURELY FOLLOW.

I think 3 is a good # for this place. For now.
At the last minute I just didn’t think I could handle seafood, so I just had a burger…*makes vomiting sound* I mean, it was good… but I think I was so hungry that I scarfed it down waaaay too fast. The seafood other people had didn’t smell too seafood-​y so that’s good I supposed. I will give it another shot sometime and have something with salmon in it. The fries were surprisingly delish… not salty like I had expected.
But the waitress we had was so extremely bubbly and had a perma grin– I thought either she was flying high or just really desperate for a good tip.
She kept the water full, checked on us throughout the meal, and was very timely. I give her kudos, even if I have drugs to thank.

I lied, we go here all the time. It’s not great, but it’s consistent, and the service is always friendly.
PLUS, they added breakfast! You have no idea what a boon this is to the neighborhood! Breakfast! Pancakes and omelets and hash browns and everything!
The sign out front says «best breakfast in town», which is laying it on a little bit thick (ok, a lot thick!), but it’s definitely «best breakfast in Northgate», so eat breakfast there lest they stop serving it! Breakfast!

Seattle Crap Co. Umm, need I say more?

My cousin took me here several months ago and we had some wine (decent) and crab. The crab was pretty good but not the great. It’s still so much fun to eat, though. I love eating with my hands! Yeah that’s about it. Not sure if I have any desire to go back, but it was filling and fun that one time.

THE BEST FISH-​N-​CHIPS I HAVE EVER HAD!!!
I only get the halibut but I have heard the cod is good too, the day staff are amazing and the owner is totally down to earth. I did have one issue with a female staff member one night when picking up but I haven’t seen her since.
They make their own tartar sauce, and it is by far the best!

I REALLY liked this place until they changed their menu up. Basically they took some items off, and increased the prices. Seems that everytime I come here I have the same waitress and he is very friendly and helpful. Mainly the reason why I come back. Service goes a long way!
The food here is very good, quality seems to be sufficient for me. Too bad they changed up their menu, just not the same anymore :*(

Bland, greasy fish. Skippers is tastier and cheaper. Or you could always just go inside the QFC and pick up a box of Van de Kaamp’s.
Like a couple of other reviewers, I too live around the corner. One time a few years back, I don’t know what happened but it seemed like their dumpster didn’t get picked up for a few weeks or something. It was the height of summer, and the entire neighborhood smelled like rotting corpses for two months.

The place looked closed when we pulled up. We decided to chance it. I think I would rather have figured them for closed and found another establishment.
Here’s the thing: Despite what many think, I’m not high maitenance. However, I do like slightly more of a variety to my menu unless I’m at McWenking’s, if you get my drift. Why does EVERY pasta dish have to be made with Fettucinni noodles and an alfredo/​cream sauce? Why are your only choices for fresh seafood outrageously priced crab (yes, I get that it’s the «Crab Co» but come on!). I mean, Variety is supposedly the spice of life. You, however, are lacking in spices, savory juices and something delectable for my palate.
We left full, but feeling a little defeated in our quest for a night of seafood. How dissapointing.

I’ve driven past the Seattle Crab Co. many times on my Northgate travels, but had never really given it serious thought until my Visiting Friend from out of town pointed it out. He was having a Weekend of Crab and really felt that this restaurant would provide him the authentic Pacific Northwest crab experience he was craving. I was recovering from a stomach bug and was alarmed by the mere thought of food, so I indulged his crab whim.
The first thing that hit me when we walked in was the overpowering stench of greasy fried fish, which almost made me barf then and there. I guess if you like batter-​fried fish, it’s not a bad thing, but my stomach was in no condition for that kind of assault. However, the place was otherwise clean and cheerfully/​pseudo-​nautically decorated, with an open kitchen (which I think is always a good sign).
The lunch menu features sandwiches and fried fish combos ranging from $ 8 – 12, with dinner ranging from $ 15 – 20. I had the soup/​salad/​bread combo ($ 8.29), and upgraded to crab bisque for a small charge. The Caesar salad was huge and excellent, with a good homemade-​tasting dressing, and the bisque was rich and very creamy, though I was in no state to appreciate it. I was more interested in the loaf of sourdough bread that our waitress plunked down when we sat, which was crispy and fluffy in all the right places. My Visiting Friend had the cod sandwich combo and was quite pleased with it (he traded in his two sides for the crab bisque).
The service was remarkable here — our waitress was friendly, super-​attentive and helpful, without seeming like she was schmoozing for tips. She checked on us frequently and got whatever we asked for without needing to be reminded. Amazing.
I wish I’d been feeling better, so I could have done justice to my soup and salad, but I really liked what I did eat, and Visiting Friend had no complaints. For a reasonably priced, friendly neighborhood restaurant with pretty tasty seafood, the Seattle Crab Co. is just about perfect. 9 out of 10 Visiting Friends agree!

I am such a snob. I’ve lived within close proximity of Seattle Crab Company for more than a year now, and yet, I’ve never lowered my standards enough to try the place, based solely on the fact that their neon-​lit sign had several letters burnt out for months. I figured, if they can’t maintenance their sign with new light bulbs, they probably don’t know a thing about making tasty seafood fare. Logical conclusion, I know.
Boy, was I wrong (and of course, this isn’t the first time I’ve been wrong about a place). Seattle Crab Company is not a fancy place, by any means. It more closely resembles a Marie Callender’s on the inside, with tall booths and plastic-​coated menus. Not unfittingly, the menu offers a wide range of seafood favorites, from crab cakes and clam chowder to fish & chips and the infamous fishermen’s platter.
But what surprised me most was how great the food tasted. I ordered the fish & chips, with an extra piece of fish, while my two lunch companions both indulged in the fishermen’s platter. The plates came out quickly, granted there were only a couple other tables in the restaurant that particular Saturday, overflowing with crinkly, wedge fries.
My fish was crispy, yet not greasy, perhaps coated in panko, as opposed to traditional bread crumbs. And the fishermen’s platters offered several pieces of cod, shrimp and clams. Definitely no skimping in the way of seafood and fries. I barely touched the cole slaw, which was tasty, too.
The service was adequate, never had to ask for a refill of iced tea, and the dining room was clean. All in all, Seattle Crab Company was a pleasant surprise. And to think, I’ve been missing out all this time because of a freaking sign. I’ll take THAT as a sign that I need to lighten up and venture out a bit more. Yep. You heard it here, folks.

Sunday, 2pm, place to ourselves. Joy!
Simple, unobtrusive restaurant that really digs its seafood motif. But real live plants were hanging all over the dining room. REAL PLANTS people! I was liking it already. Though the ones in the restroom are fake.
My Mom and I were on our way to Display & Costume (
) but needed something to eat before making the journey (which is funny to me as this place is in spitting distance of D&C).
My Mom had the Fisherman’s Stew, and Maria is right (as usual). It rocked. A solid and tasty garlic butter broth loaded with shrimp, mussels, scallops, and two good size crab claws. My Mom actually wore the bib when her first bite wound up in her lap. Teehee! I told her!
I had the Fisherman’s Platter. Yes the heartache special and it was fucking awesome! Fried shrimp, clams, and fish with fries and slaw. The slaw was sweet and I don’t like sweet slaw, or slaw with pineapple in it (another story). The fries could’ve been cooked more but honestly I didn’t order that platter of sinful panko fried goodness for the god damn fries.
The table bread basket was a very warm round loaf of delicious French bread, you know with the crunchy yet chewy crust and the sourdough innards that require tearing out. I had two ciders, Mom one beer, and we breezed over to D&C where it took me 30 minutes to pick out some new lights to put on my front porch. We finally settled on the amber and lime green and they look loverly.

It’s basically a red lobster near a mall. But without the awesome addicting bread.
We ate here because as we waited at the light, we turned to each other and had an insane craving for crab. So we pulled in and sat down. Overall, the typical family crowd and fake but nice wait staff.
The food was good. I mean the crab was really quite decent but definitely not a fancy seafood sort of place. And for the cheaper price, you get what you pay for.
Sadly, despite Seattle being known for crab, there are not a lot of places to actually get a decent crab. So I know I will be back when I want some crab.

Fun casual seafood restaurant. I think it’s fun to just order the crab and go to town. Kids like the battered and fried fish or shrimp. Something for everyone, and the chowder is quite good.
Reminds me of being at the seaside… maybe in So Cal.