The Crab Pot

I’ve been there four times and they are consistent with their food. Its a walking distance from all the ferries around the port. Parking spots are limited because it’s near a tourist site.

The good:
— fun experience
— nicely cooked crab
The bad:
— crowded, noisy, cramped
— indifferent employees
— prices
I knew heading into The Crab Pot that it was basically a tourist trap. It’s really easy to see this, and isn’t a place I’d typically go to, but we decided to give it a try anyway since my grandfather had talked about it from his trip to Seattle a few years ago.
When we arrived we were quoted a wait time of about an hour, which go figure, since the crowds were crazy! There was one guy yelling names out, but when he left, it was hard to hear who was up next. I think they ought to invest in the buzzers that many restaurants use nowadays. Service once seated was indifferent. Most of the employees didn’t seem to give a rip, but hey, I’m not surprised and don’t blame them either. The place is also pretty cramped and noisy, and geez getting to our table was like walking through a maze!
The food was *meh*. The wife and I decided to order the Crab Cakes ($ 14.75), which is supposedly their signature. It definitely wasn’t bad, with little filler, but there wasn’t large pieces of crab and rather than pan fried, they were deep fried. Bread is usually an extra charge here (4-​freaking-​dollars?!), though we got half a loaf of sourdough complimentary, presumably because we ordered The Alaskan Seafeast ($ 41.95/person). The bread tasted decently good, but was cold and a little stale. The seafeast? It was tons of clams, mussels, potatoes, corn, andouille sausage, shrimp, and a couple pieces of Dungeness, snow, and king crab. The crab was actually nicely cooked, and though it lacked seasoning, tasted pretty good. The veggies were all water logged and bland, well, everything was pretty bland really. The clams were ok, the mussels tasted nothing like the fresh ones I had at other places, and geez those poor shrimp were way overcooked! But it was kind of fun smashing away with the mallet and just being messy… Even with the ridiculous bib on.
It isn’t a cheap meal, the quality isn’t the greatest, the service is far from good, and it’s really everything you expect a touristy restaurant in a tourist district of an expensive city to be. But you know what? It is fun. Just be patient and know what you’re getting yourself in to. Do that and you may just like it a little. Can’t do that? Then head over to Goldfinch Tavern at the Four Seasons instead for way better seafood for around the same price.

This place was something special 10 years ago and I had every birthday dinner here but… oh how things have changed.
Now you have to order the most expensive pot or all you really end up with is a bunch of corn and red potatoes. (Not really… of course the seafood is there too but not as much as it should be)
The tables and seats are definitely not clean, I didn’t look first and sat in some spilled pop! I imagine who bused the table dropped a cup and didn’t wipe it up. As a local the lines to get in are unbelievably long for such a sub par experience. As an «out of towner» In my opinion EVERYONE should try this place at least once.
I gave it 3 stars because of loyalty to how it used to be, I was a huge fan!
Now I will say this about the Crab Pot…
If you are from out of state this place actually would give you a good taste of Pacific Northwest Food. The food here is really good. That part never changed! So if you are not from Washington the Crab Pot does give you this interesting experience. Who doesn’t love eating with your fingers and smashing crab with a mallet!

If you accept this place for what it is, you’ll totally enjoy it. It’s steamed and spiced sea food. Yes it’s expensive, but if you go for the experience then it’ll be a good time.
I can easily do this myself, but hey– it’ll be a mess so why not leave the mess at crab pot.
The flavours were bang on!
It was expensive, but I would go back as I enjoyed my experience and the food was good.

Great stop in Seattle. Had a clam chowder and a few oysters. Not the best I’ve ever had but coming from the Midwest we tried to eat as much clam chowder as possible and this was a top 5.

Feast at crab pot in Seattle, king crab legs will set you back $ 50 the quality was good but not the best, little better value for what you get in the same area, it’s worth a visit.

We spent the day exploring Pike Market and enjoyed a nice dinner here. Price ranges from $ 10-​$ 50 for dinner. They do have lunch specials. The crab is higher prices part of the menu. We enjoyed crab stuffed salmon and steal head trout. With rice and veggies. We had a choice of rice, red potatoes or French fries. The food was enjoyable. Our dishes were about $ 20-​$ 25 each. A little pricey but it is a tourist spot. The grilled fish option was gluten-​free. I’m sensitive but not celiac so can’t speak to that safety. Overall it was a great spot.

We were the last table they seated on New Year’s Eve. It was really delicious. My boyfriend and friend shared the Alaskan king crab Dungeness crab snow crab muscles clams and shrimp. They really enjoyed it. I’m not a seafood fan so I had the garden salad and a side of fries. I make exceptions for dips so I did have the crab dip and it was great!

We forgot to make reservations, but waited the 20 minutes (it was worth it!) We ordered 2 Westports, which are on the Seafest menu. Mussels, clams, crab (snow and dungeness), and shrimp. It also came with mildly spicy sausage, potatoes and corn on the cob.
The crab meat was great, my favorite was the mussels! I think they should probably put less corn and potatoes, for the price (because we spent close to $ 100), it needs more seafood.
The location was in downtown Seattle. It was fun and trendy. The restaurant was right on a port (on the water). Inside the restaurant was spacious and the people were very nice and not loud like they are in Angry Crab or Crab Shack.

I don’t think I can not enjoy myself when dinner comes with a bib and a mallet, right?
This place was a ton of fun! Since I was being a shameless tourist for the day, I stopped by the Pike Place Market and the pier where the Crab Pot is located. My group was seated upstairs, where there is a nice view of the waterfront.
My friends and I opted for the Westport Seafest. At ~$ 30 a person, it wasn’t cheap, but I think I got a good amount of very fresh seafood. We skipped most of the filler foods (bread, potatoes) and still felt very satisfied with the quantity of crab, shrimp, and shellfish.
The staff was very prompt and kind. The restaurant felt a tiny bit dingy. My main complaint is that the tablecloth and floor felt pretty greasy. Thank goodness they put out butcher paper before pouring out the seafeast.

Hmmmm what to say about the crab pot. It’s a tourists destination through and through and benefits from its spot on the pier despite the seawall construction. Although being a lifelong seattlite I’ve never been here, I think there’s a reason I didn’t. I came for my girlfriends work holiday party and that’s probably the only reason I’d come here. The food is extremely overpriced. I would argue that 90% of the restaurants in Seattle are less $ per person and most deliver much more. The seafood is of decent quality don’t get me wrong, but they charge a serious premium.
We had the works: salads, soups, Dungeness crab, king crab, mussels, clams, oysters, shrimp, corn, sausage, salmon. Most was overcooked except for the king crab (which was $ 42 for a pound). I mean I LOVE seafood and I’ve eaten the best in this town, cutters, anthonys, rays, McCormick band schmucks, etc. And they are better deals for better food.
The one redeeeming quality of this place is the service. Very attentive and patient guy named Devon got everything down to a T for 10 people and did it with a smile. If you’re from out of town looking for a fun time smashing shells on the table then this might be your spot. If not check out cutters up the hill or even elliots neaxt door.

Such a confusing set up on the pier, the restaurant is laid out in multiple different rooms, very confusing/​cluttered.
Seated next to a window we got a good view of the bay, but a little shafted by customer service. Took a good chunk of time to get our drinks, then more time to have our order taken, but our food came out really quick. Server was decent, but not very friendly.
Paired with a gigantic beer and some sodas, we dug into our giant pots of seafood and orders of fries, leaving totally satisfied. We ordered the Westport bucket which was filled with crab, shrimp, mussels, clam, corn and potatoes. Every thing was cooked perfectly except for the corn which was super mushy. We also asked for it to be decently spicy but couldn’t taste any spice at all, now I’ll know to go for extra hot next time.
Regardless of wait times and etc., I did enjoy my time and meal here, just probably won’t be a regular.

Yeah, this place is full of tourists, but that’s exactly what I was on this trip to Seattle! I was on a quest to get some king crab outside of Pike Place that was served hot with some butter, and Crab Pot fulfilled that for me. For a pound and a half it was $ 48 I believe, and it was enough for two without making us feel overly stuffed. It came with a side of bread, red potatoes and corn. The crab meat was abundant inside each of the shells and not overly salted with old bay seasoning, but just right. Our server was on point and I’d return.

I’ve been here several times and have enjoyed my food each time.
The location is conveniently located near Pike’s Place Market. It’s down the stairs behind the market. Just down the way from the aquarium. The restaurant is inside a small shopping area with a cool gift/​gag gift shop across the hall. They have a large dining room which can make it a good option for sit down dining near the market. Often they have a wait at peak meal times, but they have plenty of room in the hall to wait.
My favorite menu item and experience here is one of the feast buckets. It’s a fun NW experience to get a bucket of seafood and just get crackin’. Naturally the seafood is fresh and the buckets offer a variety of seafood options. The bucket I liked also includes corn and sausage. The blackened shrimp tacos are also delicious. Pricing here is reasonable for fresh seafood and being in a tourist area.
There are many cool places to eat in Seattle and I’m not sure that this is a must visit, but it’s a valid option if you are in the area. Since the restaurant is casual this would also be a good spot with kids or large groups. On a nice day I would suggest dining outside on the deck. You can’t beat eating outside on a beautiful NW day.

Thanksgiving dinner at The Crab Pot; I didn’t expect it to be as busy as it was and was nervous that the quality of service & food would suffer.
I was wrong to have doubted & from now on, my faith in The Crab Pot will not waiver.
Our hostess was so chill like dealing with a hungry mob of people in a small space is normal & somehow personally satisfying.
The waitress was friendly, funny, and either totally loved her job so much or at least faked it so well that I almost wanted to work there.
The FOOD! The food… oh my lord… Perfect crab legs, huge, delicious shrimp, and mussels to die for… Prices, cleanliness, extras and sides all terrific.
When visiting Seattle, make it a point to have lunch at The Crab Pot — you won’t regret it.

The Crab Pot is in an interesting place right close to the water in a tourist-​y part of town. The menu is basic — almost all seafood. Our party ordered the Alaskan which consists of two types of crab, mussels, oysters and shrimp along with potatoes and small pieces of corn on the cob. There is no silverware; only wooden mallets to whack the crab shells with.
Now the food doesn’t come out on plates. Consider the middle of the table one, big, sharing plate! The seafood was fresh and delicious. The potatoes and corn were done just right. Metal bowls are placed on the floor next to your table so you can throw the shells, corn cobs, etc in there. I wouldn’t recommend getting dressed up and coming here. As you’ve probably guessed by now, the meal gets messy quick!
One final note, a wise tip was posted to tuck your bib under the board to avoid food falling in your lap — good call on that!

Definitely a tourist spot and very similar to the Joe’s Crab Shacks we have in California. It’s a fun and interactive dining experience to try because you can hammer away at your crab legs, but far tastier seafood abounds elsewhere. Just because it’s crowded here does not mean it’s good.
The day prior to my visit to The Crab Pot, I tried some boiled seafood at Ivar’s Acres of Clams, which was way more succulent and flavorful. Not to mention, seafood at Pike Place Market looked absolutely incredible, and you can have it cooked up there too. But the crab legs and shrimps I had at Crab Pot were just dry, stringy, and bland. Overcooked for sure. My favorite thing was the plastic bib with a crab drawing on it, which they give you to protect your shirt. The view was pretty nice from outside too, though there are gorgeous views all around town.

Had lunch here with my bf. It was a beautiful day we got a table right away but it was 3 pm. The waiter was polite and helpful.
We had the Alaskan for two cost $ 41 a person. It was way more than enough for the both of us. We couldn’t finish all the seafood. It comes with king crab, mussels, shrimp, corn, potatoes, sausage, clams, snow crab. Oh and sour dough bread.
They give you a hammer and fork.
Overall it was okay. Needed more seasoning. You get some melted butter and red seafood sauce but it still a bit bland. Probably won’t come back but it was the touristy thing to do.

Prologue:
For the life of me, I am unable to understand peoples’ passion for shellfish. Lobster, crab, clams, mussels, oysters, or what have you. For me, either these foods are relatively tasteless, save for the clarified butter, or smell and taste like the underside of a sailors’ overshoe.
Now that I’ve given my two-​bit shellfish rant, on this given day, we decided on The Crab Pot restaurant and bar for dinner. My wife and mother-​in-​law spent better part of 45 minutes hammering, poking, prodding, pulling, ripping, tearing and dunking their recent seafood cuisine. I, for one, do not want to work that hard just to have a meal.
Anyhoo, we ordered spaghetti and a burger with fries for our two little kids, respectively. The family ordered the crab stuffed mushrooms and crab stuffed jalapeños, which for myself, someone who is not a shellfish fan, I thought was quite decent. I ordered the salmon chowder in a sourdough bread bowl. Unbeknownst to me, apparently a red chowder is a thinner chowder, and not of the creamy variety. It was similar to a minestrone-​like stew, as opposed to a traditional chowder. The flavor was fine but in my mind, a little disappointing. I think that I was probably expecting more of a «clam» chowder, only with salmon.
The trophy wife and the trophy mom-​in-​law shared the Pacific Clambake which, I am told, was very good. I tried three things that were in the clambake… the andouille sausage, corn on the cob and red potatoes. To me, they all tasted shellfishy and that ruined it for me. If shellfish is your thing, then this dish is awesome!
I loved the fact that for my son’s 4^th birthday, our waitress Katie brought him a full size (not some dinky child-​size) $ 8.00 piece of strawberry shortcake with extra plates so the rest of the family could share. She also didn’t charge us for the extra Shirley Temple and Roy Rogers for the kids. We also decided to try the rhubarb strawberry cake (with vanilla bean ice cream on the side), which I also thought was very good.
Epilogue:
For what The Crab Pot is, it is as good a seafood place as I’ve ever stepped into. Kudos to Waitress Katie and whoever that guy was that kept on RELGIOUSLY refilling our water glasses. I tip my hat to you, sir! Waitress Katie asked my son if he would come back for his birthday next year. (for the record, he nodded yes) The next time we’re back in Seattle, I would have no trouble coming back and asking if I might try… um… maybe their clam chowder this time?

Located on Pier 57, yeah, The Crab Pot is definitely touristy — but they deliver. It’s also right on Elliot Bay and next to the Seattle Great Wheel, so there’s more fun to be had than just chowing down.
The way to go:
Share several amorous whirls on the Wheel with your sweetie at sunset and take in the stunning views of the Bay and the Mountains while canoodling with your sweetheart, then make your way to TCP for a far from romantic, more barbaric, tasty seafood feast.
Started off with receiving a free app of yummy Crab Stuffed Mushrooms (saved $ 10.50; comps of the voucher from the Seattle Visitor Center @ Pike Place Market) and some house comp local sourdough bread and butter — caution! Avoid filling up on bread… add a few cold beers.
Next, ordered the «Westport Seafest» for 2 at $ 29.50 p/​p. Strapped on the plastic bids and prepared to dig in. Large pot arrived promptly, and the glorious variety of steaming goodies was poured onto the table — this IS how it is done — traditional style (for those who complained, how did you expect the food to be presented? Perhaps your first rodeo so-​to-​speak?)!
Succulent Dungeness and Snow Crab perfectly cooked, jumbo peel-​and-​eat shrimp, fresh and juicy mussels and clams, tons of tators, and cobs of the sweetest corn I think I’ve ever had! As I’m writing this review, I’ve decided to bump my rating to 5 stars in lieu of 4 (solid 4.6, rounding up). Heck yeah, it’s «as good as it gets» when taken into perspective of most patrons are probably visitors, location, cheesy nautical befitting décor, extremely awesome, friendly and fast waitstaff (thanks for all the local tips Robin!), and the mass of food you get for a very reasonable price.
Anyone who ordered one of their four «Seafeasts» and stated there was not enough food or they didn’t get their money’s worth is well… just beyond me! My husband and I are both fluffy folks and can eat seafood until we’re blue in the face, but we were unable to finish all of the offerings from The Crab Pot… no matter how hard we tried (see the sad photo of what we were forced to leave behind).
They tell you no lies here. Seems like people would kind of know what to expect from a joint like this. It is what it is, and it’s pretty darn good! No victims here… accept the crustaceans and mollusks I suppose. ;)
[126 in 2015]