Reviews of Crab Shack. (Restaurant) in Wellington (Wellington).

Crab Shack

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342 Comments

Restaurant

Seafood restaurant

5 Queens Wharf, Wellington Central, Wellington 6011, New Zealand

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Information of Crab Shack, Restaurant in Wellington (Wellington)

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Open hours of Crab Shack

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Reviews of Crab Shack

V.

I stumbled on The Crab Shack quite by chance, and chance absolutely delivered! A relaxing atmosphere, good music playing across the dockside and their outdoor dining space provided welcoming shade from the summer sun. The staff displayed the height of hospitality and the experience was overall faultless. This was the perfect location for a Sunday afternoon lunch on a weekend getaway. ⭐✨ P.S. The mussel fritters were absolutely scrumptious!!

A.

Ordered the Seafood Tagliatelle. Love the sauce it’s not to saucy that it get everywhere, a bit of sweetness just to my taste. Loads of seafood, well cleaned. Lovely staff!

C.

Pretty average. Had mussel fritters. More corn than mussel. The wings weren't bad. Ordered the blue swimmer. Claws were sweet but the rest of it was salty and mushy. Quite disappointed there were no clams. Service was great.

R.

Went here for Xmas work do they were great. 4 weeks later took my partner to dinner and spent 45minutes waiting for our drinks then we were afraid we would end up stuck for hours so ordered main with entree. They almost came at the same time I’d have walked if I wasn’t taking partner for time without the little ones. Didn’t want the entire evening sat with fly’s waiting on dinner

T.

We tried hard to finish the food 🤣 we didn't expect this big portion of each meal 🤪 but it was yummy 😋

K.

We went for dinner at 9.00pm and still the staff served us with a smile on their faces. Spoke with us very nicely as if we were their friends. Tasty food and they did not watch the clock but they were checking on us to see if the food was good and if we were happy. Such a nice environment and pleasing service, will go again for sure if I hit back to Wellington.

E.

Crab shack always slaps, I've never had a bad meal or experience. I recommend the poke poke bowl- so delicious and a fantastic summer meal. The Cajun catch of the day is so good too. I don't think there's anything on the menu I wouldn't recommend. Always fantastic!!!

R.

Best fish in Wellington I personally believe. Didn't get to try the crab but the fish was so tender and cooked to perfection. Drinks came out quickly and the cocktails were amazing. Would definitely head back!

S.

Busy and buzzy on a sunny Tuesday evening. We were a group of eight and told we couldn’t book (bookings for 10+ groups only), but could wait for a table. We waited almost an hour. Once seated, the service was awesome. Friendly, attentive and prompt. I ordered the pot serve of clams in green curry. The sauce was delicious, fragrant with great flavour. I tried my friends dishes and they were also tasty. Everyone seemed to enjoy their meals. Great variety in the menu too, with lots for seafood (obviously). Will check out their Auckland branch, especially for the oyster happy hour deal, which they don’t seem to offer in Wellington.

F.

I comment with 5 stars based on the two things I have had from here. Their clam chowder is delicious. Well done those chefs. Came back for it twice on a short trip and still thinking about it now. Make sure you get their side of bread too to pair with it.

M.

Excellent experience. We were welcomed warmly as soon as we entered, our waiter got us seated immediately. Food and drinks were fantastic. Highly recommend getting the crab claws, mussel, cheesy garlic bread, shrimp cocktail, & spicy fried chicken wings. Both the mock tails we got along with the tall glass of Gin (which you get to pick how it's mixed) were great too. With seatings indoor and outdoors there's plenty of space. I didn't give a five star because our waiter didn't get back around to taking our orders,.. we eventually got a waitress's attention... and she was just as nice to us 😊👍

R.

Top location right on the water front. Had a delicious lunch, with a great view, an interesting menu. The staff were friendly and helpful, and the decor suits the brand and the vibe. Awesome toilets with the most wonderful hand cream - smelt devine. Even worth a wait on busy days.

i.

In Wellington, an interesting place to go for a meal & drinks with a seafaring environment on the wharf & decorations to suit. Very busy @ dinner time, the kitchen is on the side of the restaurant with the Chef & helpers flat out moving through the orders This was quite entertaining watching them working so well together. The food was very good, well presented & sufficient quantity to satisfy us all. Check.it out if you are in Wellington.

H.

Lovely place with great food and amazing staff! Tried the Jonah Claws with classic sauce it was just perfect!

S.

Had always wanted to eat here especially during their promo on Wednesdays. Finally got the chance and it was amazing. I prefer the spicy sauce which was not that hot at all. The deco of the place was amazing and unique with good service. Hope to dig in here sometime in the future.

G.

Well spent Sunday afternoon. Enjoyed their sitting area outside on bean bags with good breeze coming through the sea.

D.

Staff were awesome and friendly, first time I've had crab, it was an experience that you'll need to set some time aside. Not a dish to order if you're hungry. Don't worry about wearing your bib, everyone's doing it. Get it on! 😅

N.

Used to be awesome but the quality has definitely dropped in recent times. Fish tacos had very little substance - and the soft shell crab was pretty tiny for $12/each. Good atmosphere and while it used to be a favourite, I’m not sure I’ll return in a hurry.

T.

Loved it, had dinner here during a short visit in Wellington. Fresh and tasty shashimi and clams. Will definitely come back again.

G.

A local sea food eatery i would highly recommend. The fish, crab, prawns and sea shell food is fresh and superbly cooked. Having eaten at Wellingtons best sea-food restaurants, Crab Shack is value for money with excellent waiting staff who go the extra mile 👌

R.

Great location and good atmosphere. Loved the music Playlist. Had the seafood pasta and the muscle and clam scoops with white wine sauce. Nice walk along the wharf afterwards. Highly recommended.

P.

Our group of 6 had an awesome dining experience...we started with 3 orders of the cheezy garlic cobb, soooo soft and oozing with garlic and cheese in the centre, with a crisp crust. We had a variety of mains to share, 2 raw fish platters, 2 clam dishes, 2 soft shelf crab dishes, battered Bluff oysters, Mooloo burger with chips, clams with fettuccini, and a calamari dish. All soooo delicious...our bellies were full. We still managed to share 3 dessert, decedent, and rich. The wait staff were courteous, and efficient, service with a friendly smile. The front of house server, Josh was super friendly, and gave great service, very attentive... thank you.

F.

Wonderful experience! From greeting, seating and service. The food absolutely sings for itself and I can't express how awesome the staff were enough! Coupke of hiccups with orders but remedied immediately and with no qualms. Thanj you so much for such a lovely dining experience!

P.

Great service. The food was ABSOLUTELY amazing. And even though we looked like rugged Maoris they treated us like anyone else.

B.

Great place to eat and drink. Great staff who were really friendly, had a few laughs. Yummy dinner in very awesome surroundings

B.

Everything was really impressive (far cry from the horror we had at the AKL branch!) Helpful staff, really tasty fish, calamari & chips. Clean bathrooms (even with a wedding going on as well).

D.

Had the Catch of the Day. Turned out to be snapper - really good! A fish with flavor - not bland - and filleted so well that there were no bones in the plated serving. The Cajun seasoning was perfect and side dishes complemented the fish very well. The wait staff were personable, not overly attentive, and general atmosphere was mainly on the bar side of the restaurant world, but fun and pleasant. Sit outside if you can for the seaside flavor of the area, and also to avoid the Noisy Noisy fans!!! There was music playing, but it always took us a bit to figure out what it was as the fans overpowered everything. One star lost due to noise level from fans. Technology has certainly evolved to a point where fans can be less obtrusive and bothersome. Had a nice chardonnay, but served ice cold. Hmmm... I guess customary for the area. Was quite good after it lost the chill. Took a while. Go - sit outside on a pleasant day and enjoy the quiet and sunshine while you give your chardonnay time to warm up : )

S.

Great chowder and mussels. I must remember that ordering a steak at a seafood restaurant isn't going to be as good as their main features. The chowder is a great mix of flavors that will have you wanting more and with the mussels with a Thai green sauce you can tick seafood off as being done. Very nice of them to also make a Buster Brown cocktail which is an easy cocktail to make but not always one bar tenders know. Will be back for the crabs!

S.

such yummy food and great customer service! love the atmosphere and vibe of this place :D highly recommend if you're craving delicious seafood!

B.

Clams, Crab, Ribs and soooooo much more! What a great place! Thank you for the wonderful lunch, Team! We will for sure come back!

A.

I got the taco and salmon salad, they were both extremely tasty! I also appreciated how well they cater for allergies and dietary needs.

R.

We came here while visiting for WOAP and tried their 'Who Deers Wins' burger. It was DELISH. Great service and atmosphere too. A+ would trade again

N.

Food was ok, service started off fine but one of the servers got my order wrong and tried to make it out like it was my mistake? Manager rectified the issue but service felt a bit cold afterwards. Also one of the servers seems a bit confused with Jonah crab claws vs blue swimmer crab. Average overall, not terrible but have definitely had better for this price point

G.

Very nice waterfront restaurant. Food is delicious and customer service is great 😊 Amazing for seafood lovers, but there is plenty of other options as well.

K.

Fantastic food and incredible service, staff went above and beyond last night for our table of 4. Thanks guys, highly recommend the Crab Shack.

A.

The Crab Shack located on Queen's Wharf in Wellington is a great seafood restaurant. The restaurant is faces the sea which provides good ambience for the restaurant. The food is fresh and well-seasoned. The portions are just right. Prices are reasonable.

A.

Amazing as always!! Awsome service and food. Mine and my partners favourite place to eat out 😍

N.

Date night with my wife. We had mussels to start which were awesome. I then had the Cajun fish which was cooked superbly and my wife has the creamy chowder. Great food and great staff

I.

Decent chained restaurant serving bar grubs. Did not have their crabs, I think I can have better back in Asia (and cheaper lol) so we opted for the local clams with white wine. Amazingly huge and good! Typical restaurant bar, seemingly alright service and nothing to fault for quick evening bites. No surcharge on Christmas Eve and we are happy.

H.

Great location! Great service! Staffs were very friendly! Our dinner was delicious! Will definitely come back!

F.

Graat experience, was an avciebetal find when down in Wellington. Then customer service was superb and the food was next level. Little bit on the piece side, but worth it.

S.

Great food, service was spot on. Food was a bit slow coming out but was worth the wait. The Cajun fish was so gooood. Great atmosphere good company and the milkshakes......... hic!

s.

The food was ok. The reason the Shack gets five stars is because of two staff members who were faced with malfunctioning eftpos machines during peak dining time. It probably didn't feel like it to them as they frantically tried to resolve the issue, but these two workers really showed some good service in trying to resolve the issue quickly, calmly and with plenty of apologies thrown in (not their fault for a tech glitch) - Kudos you two. (occurred approx 6.50pm 15/12/2021).

D.

Gorgeous food wonderful staff great place can't wait to go back

T.

Love everything there! The staffs are really nice and friendly, really beyond our expectations. The Mac n Cheese with prawn and bacon is so good, we had to order the second one! Not to mention about seafood and their promotions, it’s super delicious!!

P.

The place was cozy. I personally like the decor very much. The food is good. Flavors are OK. We enjoyed them very much. I guess when you come here (especially as tourists), you pay for the atmosphere.

D.

Friendly staff and speedy service. Very good food with a decent view of the harbour. Tastey, plentiful, and cool decor. All up a great seafood place in a great location for a midday stop for lunch on a sunny Saturday walk around the harbour 👍🏻

D.

Fantastic! Great service, great meal, great atmosphere. Our party had the steak and fish pie as well as the Brownie. Couldn’t fault anything. Will definitely return if in Wellington.

P.

Surfy friendly atmospheres, I ordered Cajun catch of the day, there was a white fish, probably snapper. I wish it could have been a little moist and tender but over all was great. Tried chocolate milk shake, very unique ingredients with mix of peanut butter, very nice, must try.

C.

Rocked up at around 9.30pm with a party of 9. These guys had us all seated, watered and fed within half an hour!!! Excellent food and drink, efficient and friendly service. Will be back for sure!

J.

I visited Wellington and found this wonderful eating place. The servers were all so friendly, attentive and amazing. The food was delicious. My friend who dined with me wanted to go back again within our short trip. Crab Shack, you have an amazing team.

S.

I was recommended this restaurant for dinner on the waterside. I had a bucket of crab claws, a mixed scoop of clams, tempura soft shell crab, and a salad. They were awesome quality along with friendly and passionate staff - the restaurant did not disappoint. Will definitely come back!

G.

Dropped in with family at 4:00 and asked if we needed a reservation for 6:30, was told no- just turn up. Arrived and was told there would be a 1 hr wait. We're pretty keen so we waited the hour (had to leave, they wouldn't seat us at the bar). Took a bit long to take our orders and took even longer to bring the mains. By this stage it was nearly 9:30 and kids were no longer hungry. Food was pretty good, nothing spectacular.

M.

Loved it! Beautiful ambient setting overlooking the water, They gave my partner and I a lovely romantic corner table with the perfect view. Great staff, Thomas' customer service was exceptional. Great cocktails, garlic cob and crab was delicious!

A.

Good food and service. The blue cheese chicken wings are our all time favorite.

J.

Crab Shack for lunch today, check the menu and thought we'd grab a few smaller sharing dishes. Absolutely fantastic meal, didn't order from the mains menu didn't need to. Definitely worth the visit. Thanks Crab Shack

P.

Great casual place with a good menu at reasonable prices. Because it's a historical building, it gets hot in the shack. Certainly recommend the Happy Hippy burger, especially with the portabellos, spicy pumpkin and Halloumi. Though not known to be kid friendly, the Crab Shack delivers in catering for kids.

P.

Excellent menu and food options for younger kids. The chicken wings were good and the prawn cocktail was pretty decent too. Great, friendly service

C.

We waited 25 mins to be served, it came a game watching all the customers that came after us getting their drinks and food seeing how long before we were remembered. Their rating was saved by some very delicious food - pulled pork taco was delicious! Pity we were also given a dirty side plate with our calamari. A glass was broken also whole there, it was hastily cleaned up but not very well so was walking over glass upon our exit.

D.

Staff wonderful. Starters was amazing. Crabs were very dissapointing. So small that first pan, if you got a tablespoon of crabmeat, that was a lot. The bigger crab claws were much nicer.

R.

Omg the food was to die for... Compliments to the chef... And wonderful service... I also enjoyed the eclectic look within the restaurant... Thumbs up 👍

S.

Always great food and seasoned perfectly , much better than the Auckland one and the cocktails are made really well.

S.

We were drawn into the Shack by the wonderful smells & music that whafted out the doors. Fantastic food, impressive size of servings. Charming staff & quirky decor ( which we loved & is perfect for the setting). The tin plates sure brought back memories. Thanks very much.

T.

Amazing atmosphere, amazing food and amazing service. This place lives up to the great reviews it already has. Will definitely be back again :)

C.

Had a fantastic couple of meals at the restaurant when I visited Wellington and was impressed. The staff were friendly and courteous and added a great deal to my experience. Can get very busy and at times felt a little cramped. The food was fantastic and would recommend the crab and prawns to any visitor.

A.

Sizable restaurant by the wharf with drinks better than food. Mussels and clams were good by global standard. The king crab and french fries were recooked before service. The clam shower could be served warmer and with less potatoes.

C.

Amazing food, well worth it. Decent prices for the area! Definitely have the soft shell crab that was my favourite!

G.

New Zealand Paddle Crab in a butter, garlic and chilli sauce...Great, Great, Great. Green Lipped Mussels in a white wine and butter sauce, so fresh fantastic. Allow some time, this is not a meal to rush.

M.

A nice view but the decor inside is a bit dated. The staff are ok, though the service could be improved. I didn’t get any water on my table until I was asking for the bill. There was live music when I was there on a Saturday, which was a nice touch and start to the evening.

J.

If you are looking for a place to have seafood in, this is the place. Delicious seafood, classic cocktails (some with a twist), good selection of wines and beers. Fast and friendly service.

L.

If you're looking for crab or lobster in Wellington look nowhere else! They have a good selection of starters, and a number of options for main courses (e.g. two types of crab or the 1kg 'combo' with lobster). The fish is fresh and superbly prepared, and the staff is careful and friendly. We had casually mentioned being here on our honeymoon, and they prepared a lovely surprise for us at the end! Recommended, and we'll definitely be back when in Wellington!

F.

Love the diverse menu and dining atmosphere. A little lacking in the the way of children's meals and drinks, but who cares about those ungrateful pieces of sh- <CHARACTER LIMIT REACHED>

c.

Ordered the crab in tomato and ginger sauce with bread. The place was busy but the servers were super attentive. The metal plates which were used for serving added a rustic appeal. Great place for a family meal or a dinner with friends. There is outside seating if you also prefer al fresco dining.

J.

I have ordered the steak and it was different to the one in Auckland branch. Still delicious though. I had to wait about 1 hour to get the food in total on a typical Wednesday. Not recommended if you are super hungry.

J.

Very nice food. Service was okay too- could have been a nicer experience if we had been served by a local New zealander. The stool I was sitting on was a bit wobbly. Location very good. Could have been more attentive to service.

C.

On wednesdays they have $1 hot wings. Now I'm no good with hot food...I can only just manage KFC's wicked wings. So I opted for the mild. Let me tell you. These wings were amazing. They have more kick than wicked wings and are much tastier. But not enough kick to make you gulping for water... at least not for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the wings. Service was also very good. There were plenty of napkins at the table, and the waiter knew to give us all plates, a finger washing bucket, and bucket for bones without us asking. Oh there were even individually wrapped toothpicks at the table!!! The atmosphere of being right by the water was really nice too. We had a table that was sort of like a conservatory. The decor really brought in the whole being near the water feel inside. I'm thoroughly pleased.

T.

Lovely location in Wellington waterfront with a wide selection of seafood, and as the name suggests Crab. There are three on offer with the Scottish Blue being the best eating. Service can be hot and miss on a busy night.

J.

Great place to eat seafood and crab in specific. Love the food and the choice of cutlery.

J.

Too much choice. Great selection for the seafood lover in our family. Service was fantastic and quick.

R.

Nice relaxed atmosphere the food is good beautiful views of the harbor and such friendly accommodating staff

S.

Service was friendly. Nice ambience by the wharf as well. Food was ok. We ordered Shack Paella and 1kg NZ Paddle Crab (classic sauce) to share for two. We aren't used to the NZ crab meat texture which comes off mushy. It's tasty nevertheless. Just that our taste buds are tuned to what we have eaten in our country of Singapore - which serves Sri Lankan crabs done in Chilli or fiery Black Pepper Sauce.

B.

Yummy food. Good selection of drinks. Helpful attentive staff.

R.

The food was great, the only complaint I had is that we had three year old with us. We had a tall table I was paranoid our toddler was going to fall off his chair which would have been very bad for the restaurant if that was to happen. I literally had to keep a hand on him at all times, which made it difficult to eat and enjoy our dining experience.

K.

Loved it!!! Attempted to go before, but there was wait, so always ended up in different restaurants, but yesterday was not so hungry so was willing to wait 45mins, and it worth it! Food is really amazing! Though again took some time to prepare it and the place was full. My advise would be to get entree, so you won't be so hungry while waiting. Clam chowder - yumm! Crab tacos is also very nice. And 1kg of crabs in classic sauce... Well, 10/10. There are no right words to compliment the chefs! Also luteal brilliant! Divine food. Will be back!

A.

This is i guess the best place to eat crabs. the ambience is good the food was awesome the staff were good too. the only commplaint is that i dont think it is appropriate for staff to play, dance and sing when guests are seated. The staff literally were shouting snd playing stone paper scissors. something i wouldbt expect from such a place. otherwise it was a good experience

A.

It was our first time having a lunch here, and definitely will come back. Had a crab&shrimp sandwich that was beyond delicious, my son had the piranha (kids menu) and magically ate it all with no questions nor comments. We also ordered clam chowder, calamari, and fish burger and all was just great. Staffs were friendly, the place was absolutely comfy.

M.

Exquisite entries, crab and dessert. Very fast service, we wait only 8 min for the entries, 5 for mains and 3 for desserts.

H.

Food was good. Service a bit slow but friendly. Couldn't choose where we wanted to sit.

B.

Soo good that I forget to take a photo before the meal

C.

This place hands down has the best and the biggest mussels. I'd recommend the Thai sauce. Their crabs look pretty darn good too.

C.

The food was great service was awesome at the start was a bit slow near the end.

F.

If you are staying in Wellington and if you are interested in sea food this should be your first choice. Nice and friendly staff, nice terrace directly at the Quay and a good variety of seafood. Even in the summer nights it's getting quite cold and windy on the terrace so you may take a jacket with you.

I.

Really delicious mixed clams pot, remember to order some hot bread to soak up all the yummy sauce!

J.

Food good, nice place, staff friendly, Snowman ice cream was a hit

Z.

Great place to have a nice meal. Ordered the burger and was not disappointed. Great decor right along the harbour front and food to match it.

T.

Excellent! The crab tastes amazing and the price is reasonable. The texture of bread is also fantastic. Highly recommended.

K.

Recommend the Blue swimmer crab main with 2 garlic loafs to sop up the gravy, it's delicious and was enough to feed two of us. The King of Antarctica on the other hand was slightly underwhelming especially for the price. We were expecting to get half a crab but instead got 4 legs with what we would describe as the shoulders NOT half the body. The legs were huge but not as fulfilling as the Blue swimmer. We also got both curly fries and steak fries (I think they were called) and would recommend going with the second choice. They were also delicious, as was the poke poke, Taco and fish board. After all this we were way too full to go for dessert 😁 Staff were friendly and efficient and explained the dishes to us in detail, as per our many many questions 🙄😆... Sorry about that... We had first timers' syndrome 🤗 So overall 4 out of 5 stars, only letdown being the most expensive dish at $130, The King. Everything else was delicious. Oh the beach bummer cocktails were nice and refreshing too. We'll be back the end of May to try some else off the menu 😁

N.

Amazing. Best meal out we have had in a very long time. Great service. Great atmosphere. Great food. Amazing drinks!!!

J.

Best restaurant in Wellington.been many times, just love their 🦀

G.

Good food and friendly staff. I just would have preferred a not hot-spicy choice, but there isn't. Also, it wasn't specified that there is capsicum in what I ordered and I don't like it.

C.

Such a warm cosy atmosphere. Very helpful staff and quick service. Food is very tasty and good variety of seafood. Really enjoyed prize winning cocktail.

P.

Amazing restaurant! Certainly a must-have for anyone who is remotely interested in seafood. The food is great and the waiters are very friendly. Do arrive early on busy days, this place does get quite full very quickly.

J.

I went with my family. Service was good, drinks were yummy. I thought the food was average if not on the small portion size for the cost. Was busy enough so had atmosphere and is in a great waterfront location.

A.

Always a go to dining destination for me when I visit Wellington. Fresh half kg crabs / claws and large, juicy & plump green lip mussels swimming in a tom yum broth. Fresh and delicious seafood offerings. Slightly pricey when ordering the crabs by the kilo but overall a fantastic experience.

R.

We went for crab and we got crab. Delicious! Excellent service and a great vibe. Thanks for making our night.

V.

Great food, great views of harbour, very decent price

J.

Great food, fish was amazing. Busy place snd staff were super friendly.

E.

Wonderful host and server... Super friendly! I had taco fish and taco crab.... Both delicious!!

J.

Fast, easy no-fuss (not fancy) seafood classics. Service with a smile on a busy Wednesday night. It was crowded, yet the staff were totally on top of the scene, keeping everyone fed and watered. I had the cajun chicken. It was cooked to perfection, with a great sauce and coleslaw on the side.

P.

Service friendly and relaxed, we shared a bunch of starter plates and it was all very good. Top pick soft shell crab taco.

M.

Lovely place to end your day at Queens Wharf with the awesome seafood they offered on their menu. We ordered the Fish n Chips ($25), Roasted Lamb ($28) and their signature Dungeness Crab ($60). We took the black pepper flavoured crab and it tastes marvellous.

A.

Awesome meal and service team. Also had the pleasure of a big ray cruising past. Great location. Kids really enjoyed their meals too. My fettuccine was so flavoursome. Our lunch made our day out in Welly amazing. Thanks team.

H.

Excellent crab 🦀 is highly recommend to get 1kg as it’s really not that much and is perfect for two. Burgers taste nice too. Excellent.

V.

Had great time with friends here, super love the crab and super yummy if you dip your bread into the sauce...yum!

J.

We had dinner here on 27th. Everyone of us loved it. Food was absolutely beautiful and the service was more than great. Thank you so much! Especially to our server, I believe his name was Ben. Amazing place and all the things we ordered were delicious. 10/10 place. We'll be back.

L.

We tried fish and chips and corn chips platter. Food was delicious with a reasonable price.

Y.

If you’re craving for seafood, this is the place to be! Food is super good and tasty with a fusion touch.

M.

Loved the crab pot! It was my first time there and I would definitely recommend the place.

J.

First time dining at crab shack and omg food was amazing top service too

A.

The best seafood restaurant ever! Our tuatua and clams were cooked perfectly. Every meal was flavour some and delicious. We could taste the care that the chefs put into each meal. Our meals were served very quickly. All 11 of us loved our meals, the atmosphere and decor. Price is very good here for the excellent taste and quality of food. All staff were very friendly and welcoming. We appreciated their great and professional service. We highly recommend and will be coming back all the time and telling other to come too.

F.

The food was really nice! Loved the soft shell crab taco, cheesy garlic bread and I liked the green slipped mussels with white and garlic but unfortunately didn't think they were amazing. Our family have said this Crab Shack is better than Aucklands!

C.

Wow! Beautiful fresh seafood, wonderfully welcoming staff, great prices and a second to none location!! What more could anyone want in life!! Will 100% be back next time I’m in Wellington! ❤️❤️❤️

R.

Excellent service and delicious mussels and clams. The raw market fish board I recommend as well so yummy. They even saved tables for customers when they wanted to see the fireworks outside. Will be going back when I crave lots of seafood.

C.

The food was amazing and staff friendly will be going back again next time we go back

S.

Fantastic alcoholic milkshakes! Fresh clean seafood with awesome flavors. Highly recommended

P.

The photos and the venue looked so fun but the food was okay. The pasta was bland and sad. Has a lot of potential overall.

F.

I had the best fish n chips that i had for years. Four stars presently. I will visit again and if things are still the same, I will award the fifth. The fifth star is for consistently high standards.

A.

Amazing food but the service staff is unattentive. But the soft shell crab taco was a let down.

K.

Yummy seafood place and good drinks. Great view and atmosphere as well.

M.

The food the service atmosphere👌💯 and especially the company😊💖was just amazing

T.

Certainly not fine dinning but good value for a good feed.

B.

Best mussels and clams beautifully cooked. Service a bit slow and disjointed

M.

Had a great night out here, warm and friendly atmosphere, very helpful staff and the food was awesome. I live in Auckland, but visited Crab Shack in Wellington. I will definitely be visiting the one in Auckland now based on the Wellington experience.

R.

The food was fab ! Great service for a large work function and the bathroom for women has hairdryer and hair straightner for those wellington winds. The view is nice and warm for winter .

D.

Great food and service, soft shell crabs a must.

R.

Ariel was the best server ever. Great food of course.

C.

Friendly and helpful service. Food was good. The cheesecake was especially delightful. The deck area is a comfortable place to sit although even low winds do prevent the umbrellas from being allowed open.

L.

Crab Shack is a waterside restaurant with rustic charm and a chilled atmosphere at lunch times, though it can get busy later in the day. Food was tasty and served by friendly staff. The portions are large though so either go hungry or share!

T.

Always have a lovely meal when I go! Had a beautiful family dinner last night celebrating a birthday and our server (can’t remember his name) took wonderful care of us! Big thank to him and the other staff. We will be back! 🥰

u.

every Wednesday from 3 to 6 pm they have hot wings promo.. so delicious only $1 for 1 wings.. yummyyy

K.

The best seafood restaurant ever! Our tuatua and clams were cooked perfectly. Every meal was flavour some and delicious. We could taste the care that the chefs put into each meal. Our meals were served very quickly. All 11 of us loved our meals, the atmosphere and decor. Price is very good here for the excellent taste and quality of food. All staff were very friendly and welcoming. We appreciated their great and professional service. We highly recommend and will be coming back all the time and telling other to come too.

P.

I wasn't really too sure what to expect, but getting crab is a long process. Hubby got double steak and kids x3 mac n cheese very very dry. I enjoyed my crab but noone else

B.

Very yummy seafood and the butter bread is super delicious.. must try!!

A.

It's fine. It's a bit of an institution, but seems expensive compared to many other places

A.

Awesome food here & nice service 🤤

A.

Stopped in for lunch on Friday what an experience had the dozen bluff oysters yummo,great service from the girls, nice cocktails.great tacos.had the crab experience with the bib.not much meat in a crab but gotta experience the mess once in your life lol,love this place.

T.

What a superb experience! Welcoming staff, warm, helpful, happy. Fast service with a smile equals happy customers. Excellent food, excellent cocktails. I'd go back to Crab Shack in flash. Thank you for the experience ☺️

M.

Huge thanks to our lovely server. Came in tonight for the WOAP Burger and she was great at helping to accommodate my needs. The food was delicious and very filling. The cocktail was devine and the cutest thing ever! I've never been to The Crab Shack before but I will be back with enthusiasm again! 10/10 and 5 star rating from this very happy customer.

F.

Great food, the seafood I ordered was perfectly cooked! Really nice setting and great service!! Would recommend.

P.

If I go to Wellington, I will go to this restaurant. Good service.

E.

We went on the Sunday and the kids got to eat for free, but the kids meals were a bit limited. Waiter was very attentive, fast service, but hard to understand due to his think French accent. Meals came out fast and were delicious, only mistake was the starters came out with the Mains rather than first, but we did not care. Finally they brought out our birthday cakes which we brought with us, although they did charge us a cakeage fee which I thought was disappointing... Do they make birthday cakes we can buy of them to serve? Overall a good experience, recommend if you enjoy seefood and crab.

M.

Boozy milkshakes, service always tad bossy by managers (can't sit there) but servers charming ..

P.

Awesome food and great ambiance.

H.

Amazing seafood, great view and trendy atmosphere.

B.

What a jewel of a Restaurant / Eatery on the water front. A true family accommodating place to come and eat and relax. They have a great menu and because of the big variety to choose from, it's always difficult because of the extremely fresh foods and fresh sea food you get to eat. A real Family atmosphere and beautiful views from the eatery. The staff is very friendly and their reccomendations on the daily specials makes it so much easier to help choose our meal, we had Clam chowder and Calamari for starters and then for our mains we had Jumbulia and Fush and Chups - all these meals were superb and extremely fresh. Will definitely recommend it to all future customers and recommend all visitors and locals to support the local businesses and bring you friends and family to enjoy very good fresh food. Will be back in the very near future.

A.

Lunched there twice very pleased with the food I requested 🙂

P.

That was delicious! beautiful waitresses and the crab and food in general was the tastiest I've had! Highly recommend! Easy 5 stars for me 😁

J.

I've eaten here twice and both times the food and service were spot on. Definitely the place to go if you are craving seafood.

B.

Had a truly wonderful evening 4th Sept 7.30pm. Dined with my family of 9 & we were hosted by a 3 day old employee, who made our experience enjoyable. The food was well presented & delicious. Recommended.

M.

Great service, no wait for a table. Excellent menu. We had a pram and this was no problem & our table was nice and roomy. Our 4 year old enjoyed her free meal (kids free meal on Sunday), and the rest of us enjoyed our mains. One suggestion is to add low alcohol craft beer to the menu :-)

B.

Amazingly great food. But possibly the best part of all... There is a very short wait for the food. Sauces are amazing and their chicken is just the right amount of crispy and spicy. The crab is to die for. Make sure not to dress in white! It can get a bit messy...

J.

Fantastic staff! Great food! Amazing beer on tap.

H.

Great friendly service and the food was very delicious. I will eat there again when I'm back in the city. Definitely want to try out the other food on the menu

O.

Food - Fish and Chips were great Atmosphere - Very shack like Service - Guy who took our order was very helpful and informative. Drinks - Loved the Tap Beer

J.

Great food, quick service. The Cajun fish was super delicious. Glasses of wine are really expensive compared to elsewhere so the cocktails are better value. Cost more but about half a litre! Can get very busy. Wonderful old building so look up!

L.

Bangin music, bussin food, beauti views, the caboodle🤌

e.

Nice atmosphere. I've had the beef burger which quite good, I would have liked the patty to be thicker, but it was very tasty (with the bacon and blue cheese). My colleagues had fish of the day (red snapper) which they also liked. Good service . Everyone were very nice (everyone in NZ are...)

E.

Great vibe, awesome cocktails and hard shakes!

B.

Very nice food, just a little bit on the high end for prices, buts its all good for a treat.

T.

So impressed the first time, I returned with colleagues. Great food, service and atmosphere. Simple but tasty seafood, large portions and cooked fresh.

D.

We’d traversed the entire north island and were incredibly pleased to find actually good food in Wellington. It’s true, you don’t go to New Zealand for the food. Crab Shack was delicious. There was a bit of a wait, but you can grab a drink at Bin 44 to wait. We had the wings, the seafood pasta, fries, and a burger and all were fantastic. Extensive beer list. Only downside is the service seemed to be scattered and we had 4 different waiters throughout the evening, so we didn’t know who to ask for things (needed forks and napkins and the check), but it was fine.

M.

One of 2popular/full eating places. Good meal. Nice balance of service-spare time-not always been asked something by staff. Busy people. Hard working and cleaned up real fast behind customers leaving

J.

Been here a number of times unfortunately the last time; service was lax and food disappointed. Chef does not know how to cook medium steak correctly, had two goes and still not right.

D.

Best fish n chips. We have traveled Australia and New Zealand for the last month eating fish n chips along the way. These were the best I've ever had. Perfectly crispy, with a delicious homemade tartar sauce. I highly recommend it!

G.

Fantastic food, service and ambiance!

K.

Had a splendid lunch here. Catch of the day. Good wine selection and a nice view.

S.

Good food. Good vibe. Meals are a bit pricey but worth the price.

H.

Amazing service, food,drinks and place. Everything was super fast and we were well looked after. Really enjoyed our Time there ㅁㅐ우친절, 음식도 굉장히 맛있어요

D.

Great menu choice, good service and beautiful food that was well presented. Good choice of accompanying drinks. Both indoor and outdoor tables were busy, it was clearly and justifiably very popular on a lovely summer's evening. Might have to go back again this week!

F.

While we got right in for dinner, the waiter struggled to get our order correct. This was true for the other tables around us also. Our food was delivered incorrectly and we had to ask repeatedly for our drinks and the tab when done. Food was marginal and the service was lacking. There has to be better options in the area.

_.

Food was great, service sadly not. Been to Auckland before.... was great. We ordered our 4 share plates, then saw the specials. I asked about them and had a menu almost thrown at me. Then asked about the Calamari Thurs special and told we ordered at 2.55pm so could not have the 3pm special.

M.

Excellent customer service, food and facilities.

D.

Good atmosphere and friendly staff. Food was good but not five star good. Had fish taco which was crispy and spicy. Also had green lipped mussels, which seemed a bit off. Had with white wine, garlic sauce. Clam fettuccine was good. Kids really enjoyed chicken tacos.

V.

Great beers and seafood. Especially love the different flavours of clams. Sometimes they will have a half price special. Awesome location by the sea can't be beat. Go for a nice walk afterward if it's not windy!

D.

Free food for kids on a sunday! That is enough of course. But add to that the fact that the food is amazing! I had Chowder (it was a cold day - love this), Marianne had the biggest muscles ever and the kids had the best quality fish and chips on any kids menu anywhere, ever. Love, love, love Crab Shack.

H.

Surprisingly this year was great: Think it had a change in the menu. Now is better well served in terms of quantity-amount of food, considering the price. Lovely attendance as always.

a.

First time there the place was crazy busy! Place was full and they had a function there Despite this, The service was awesome and the Chefs were fast, Chicken wasn't raw and the seafood was great! Can't wait to go back.

F.

Nice food. Service was friendly, but a bit average. Meals took a long time to come, and we had trouble getting to attention of our waiter to get a 2nd drink while we waited for our food.

K.

The Crab Shack has great seafood and a nice seaside view. It has something for everyone. It offers a menu that caters for families wanting a fun night out as well as for the discerning restaurant connoisseur.

s.

The food is really good..

J.

Off their game today, although I have had good food here before, but today it lacked flavour. They're doing renovations in the other restaurant and there were too many staff on today. The waitress who saved us was really nice, so I wouldn't treat this as typical

J.

Spectacular food, well impressed. Really busy on a tuesday evening, the open kitchen was obviously under pressure when we arrived, however the chef and his team turned it around and proved themselves. Really neat to watch from our table.

S.

Great place. Maddi our waitress made us welcome and always made time. The food was to die for. Thank you chefs we will be back.

A.

Food was nice - hot wings, and fish of the day dish were great. Loved the coleslaw. Service was fine and ambience was casual. Only disappointing dish was the crab - didn't like the sauce, crab was over cooked.

T.

Loved the shared platters! The mussel & clam fritters were awesome and we enjoyed the crab & prawn cakes too. The steak chips were crispy on the exterior but not overcooked as the inside had a nice potato flavor and texture. Best chips I've had in ages! Nice casual and cozy interior and ambience.

J.

Great meals.. on the pricey end but well worth the visit

L.

Ambiance is a 5/5! But good takes it down. To a 4. Was good but not great! Their seafood chowder doesn't come with bread ... Like what? That is so uncommon! Their tuna poke like was good but was missing avocado and nothing to dip it, so we had to pay for extras. We would go back for sure but can't give them 5 stars for the reasons mentioned above.

u.

I did not like the way the staff behaved

G.

Really delicious place and a great menu for sharing. Between the 4 of us, we ordered Fish and Chips, Calamari, Garlic Bread, and Soft Shell Crab, all of which were very good, albeit somewhat salty. The atmosphere is nice and a good place to have a chat with friends.

K.

A bit overpriced for quality, especially the soft shell crab board was tiny. I was dissapointed in the selection of fresh sides, and for the price of the king crab I would have liked a bit of veg or salad on the side? The staff also seemed under trained. All and all it was a alright meal but I personally won't return.

V.

It was crowded on a Monday. Was there at 7.40pm and only got a table at 8.20pm... The clam chowder packs freshness of the sea as well as goodness of sweet corn and chunky cubed potato. The soup was creamy and full of umami, no wonder it's a must-try on the menu. It was sad that they ran out of mussels and mixed clams but the cockles in white wine sauce was fabulous. I wish i had an extra stomach so that I can order more things to try. The fish was very good too... fresh and flavoursome, served with yummy homemade hash and slaw salad. Good service too even though it was really crowded.

E.

Food was excellent, the best we had in 2 weeks in NZ. Drinks good but not excellent. Good recommendations from staff for choices meals etc. Otherwise slow service, did not remove glass/dishes in a timely manner, mixed up one order, some room for improvement. However easily countered by the quality of the food.

D.

Food was alright. But when paying we were charged per shot for our double vodka and the cashier got everyone paying someone else's order. Service at the table was good, our waiter was attentive even with a busy night

C.

Delicious meal, great atmosphere! The Salmon Poke Poke (DF&GF) was a great combination of flavours to begin with, followed by the Blue Swimmer Crab (DF&GF) which was light and creamy paired with the spicy tomato sauce. I was impressed by the dishes which had dairy free and gluten free on request, all laid out by stars on the menu.

S.

Very nice seafood. Will definitely have to go there again.

S.

Not to bad, food was good

E.

Walked in for a late lunch & were seated immediately which was nice. After we were given our menus & water our waitress seemed to forget about us so we had to wave someone over. As a result we were served before 2 girls that had been there longer than us. Other than that it was a lovely experience. The atmosphere is so nice, the decor is great and I’m a big fan of the high ceilings and the natural light. We ordered the Moroccan calamari as a starter and I had the fish pot pie and my boyfriend had the burger (forgot the name but it was massive) My fish pot pie was so tasty. Not only was the food super yummy but the portions were very generous. We struggled to finish it all. The staff were also very nice and attentive without being too intrusive (besides that first little hiccup) We will be back again to try those wings!

D.

Great atmosphere. Really wanted to give better review but when they serve you chicken wings that are raw on middle and the chef says yeah that is how they are supposed to be... Unacceptable! I sent them back, they came back Hot and cooked. Really would have been nice if the chef had said sorry and fixed the problem. Rather that try to say yeah its acceptable to serve raw chicken. Great place but no raw chicken is not acceptable.

H.

Absolutely buzzing restaurant even on the Monday night we went! Prime location on the waterfront with cosy, family-friendly, naughtical vibes. The staff was so friendly and attentive and provided tasty food.

P.

It's ok, but the service was shocking. Sure - it was a Monday night, but we had to check if there was table service the staff were so absent. Once the order was taken, we again had to follow up, thinking that the order had been lost. And, no, we weren't in a hurry - the staff just clearly had better things to do than focus on their customers...

M.

It was very quiet when we went around 5pm. It worked out to be $15 for 1kg of mussels which is an amazing deal. The mussels were fresh, plump and large. We just had the white wine sauce which is a classic. I'd definitely come here for the mussels. I dunno if it's because they call themselves a shack and wanted a rustic feel but the cutlery didn't seem very clean. No biggie, I just used some water and gave them a clean myself.

D.

Very busy restaurant but quality food.

C.

great portion sizes for sharing, amazing dishes. If you love seafood its definitely a place for you to visit. Equally amazing service.

C.

Delicious!! And didnt have to wait long for the food!

M.

Took about half an hour for a table, and the waitress rang us when it was ready. Ordered the most expensive thing on the menu at 130.00 there was barely anything on our plate. We chose to share as HUGE was what the waitress said, misinformed. The best thing though was the chowder. I dont think I will ever go again as it was pretty pricey, the money wasted could've brought the entire family as massive night out

D.

Nice mussle pot and great Thai coconut sauce. Would have liked more than 9 mussles for the price . But great atmosphere and staff

S.

So yummy, had a great meal. I had the thai prawn salad was so good. Great atmosphere even though its so big, always busy! So many great options to choose from, service top.

D.

Quite pricey for a Shack flair. I ate the beef burger which was good $26 is too much. The other went for the seafood and left dissatisfied. Was a bit of a wait before the food came out. The dessert were great but $13. It's a confused eatery, Shack style with scratched old metal plates but prices of fine dinning places. Been there twice, not going again.

S.

Food was good, but not great service The waiting staff were great but the "maitre d" was slack and posted missing, both when we arrived and when he was sorting out the bill

E.

They didn't take our order, and we end up go up front to place our order. But the waiter is so happening and friendly, food is superb especially because they have daily deals. Overall is nice.

A.

Very nice feed! Everyone left happy saying their meal was delicious. I got the fish pie and it had a great flavour. One unusual aspect I'd point out was that the bill left at the table had a line for tips, and again at the till they had a request for tips on the EFTPOS machine that you had to accept or decline. I feel like a lot of tourists and cruise ship patrons would pay the tip out of habit, without knowing that NZ doesn't have that tip culture.

W.

Fun, seaside location with good selection of fish items. I had the fish sandwich without the bread and it was great, also the steak fries -- all served on hot plates. Service could have been a bit more attentive, but the WERE busy with lunch crowd.

A.

Really great food here. The decor + vibe is super relaxed. They do great crab and fish. Yum 😊

E.

Trully authentic seafood pub style I love this place, nice decor and ambience. It is a shack that makes really good food, and yes Emerson is on tap

A.

Location is good, staff is friendly but can't really say food is very good. Fish batter is a bit oily, soft shell crab is very very small dish. Won't say its value for money.

N.

Service was great. We needed a quick dinner before another committment and our waitress got us seated and got our dinner to us with time to spare. Very much appreciated.

S.

The food was very good. Fish and chips, chowder and jambalaya were our items. All hot and tasty. The disappointment was that upon ordering, was asked if chowder and jambalaya should come out together. "Soup first would be great, thanks". What came last? You guessed it. The chowder. Isn't that the easiest and fastest thing?

C.

Friday evening and super busy at The Crab Shack. Had to wait a while to place our order but the guys in the kitchen pumped out the food really fast and it was delicious!!!! Hot, fresh and very tasty. Will definitely visit next time in Wellington and would highly recommend, even for those not keen on fish or seafood, there are other options on the menu.

S.

Love Crab Shack and have lovely memories there. The crab eating experience is always great and the restaurant location is ideal. Highly recommended.

S.

Great service and amazing food. They make good spidercrab

K.

Such a cool experience eating here. Loved the friendly service and amazing food/cocktail!

G.

This is a great place for family/group gatherings. Always busy and given that they don't take reservations, it's very common to experience a 1 hour+ wait for a table to come free. Fortunately there's plenty of interesting spots around to keep occupied of grab a pre-dinner drink. The food/drink has reasonable selection for all (including kids), is quickly served and has always been well cooked in my experience. Makes for a fun night out

K.

Delicious blueberry gin sour. Food was good

D.

This is one of very few seafood-dedicated restaurants in the country, with very decent selection of quality seafood, and considering the location and average prices in Wellington the price of my meal was very good. I would have rated this 4 stars, but the waitress was so hot that I feel I have to bump this review to 5 stars, as attractive waitresses are not easy to come by these days. ;)

C.

Fabulous place. Courteous staff and great meals. Can recommend the door stopper and their margaritas are excellent. Reasonably priced too. Suggest booking as it can be very busy.

s.

The wings at this place is one of the best. We generally go here on Wednesday wings There is a beautiful covered patio sort of area which provides good harbour views

G.

For a restaurant where a simple fish burger is $25 the place was short of a disaster. Music too loud, stools uncomfortable, and tables too small. Glad we could escape when we finished our meal. We've had better, and the location didn't make up for the mediocre service.

M.

AMAZING customer service, especially Dee !! Absolute legend

A.

Great food and wine

C.

Can't go past the fish and chips. The fish was tender and flaky and so fresh it was just about ready to jump off my plate and back into the sea. Great house tartare too.

C.

Food is good, service is average. Things as simple as asking for water took forever. I understand things can get busy, but when 3 wait staff walk past you after you've been waving your hand in the air for more water, it gets a bit frustrating.

S.

Amazing. Honestly one of the best seafood meals I have ever had! The chef's really know their seafood. The staff all want to make sure you have great service.

C.

Fun, busy, and as fishy as you want it. Lots of messy items on the menu, as well as items your grandmother can order too. This place can get loud, and some of the seating is uncomfortable if you dislike high tables & chairs, but the service has always been great and the food plentiful and delicious. Worth visiting.

D.

The actual meat able to be consumed was too little even given the context of crabs, especially in relation to the price. But it has a great seaside environment so it is nice for a novelty treat.

h.

I feel that every dish is very delicious, including spicy chicken wings, different flavors of seafood, shellfish, hamburgers and cheese, which is absolutely great. I will eat it next time. My god, the price is not expensive.

A.

Wow excellent food and great service absolutely fantastic so friendly and helpful Stephane great help very happy young lady Thanks you to all that work there

N.

Best crab!

B.

Love the "Shack"; addicted to the Clam Chowder! I live Sydney, but fly over to Welly as often as I can just to slurp down this taste sensation. "Please Jacinda, allow Aussies back into NZ asap! I need my fix!"

M.

NEPTURE BECKONS: CS #5 has pot-loads of crabby vibes! Check out their ceiling for unusual lamp-shades. Venture through their thick revolving door and find ropes and other nautical paraphernalia also adorning the interior. Expect to be served with sailorman's crockery as part of their quirky, sea-dog vibes even as fishy aromas assail / tantalise your nostrils. And the bar is open if you aspire to be the merry, Drunken Sailor / Mermaid of the night! If you're ordering crab-claws be prepared to use eleven fingers and to get very messy. Don't worry about getting spattered because they will supply you with such essentials as big bibs! Service is fast and staff are friendly and attentive. On Tues, tacos are half-priced (for the first one). We recommend these, especially the Piscean ones and the mussels are a close runner-up, or even a Chart-Topper. Before you leave, you do get the opportunity to tip your deserving waiter if you so wish. Still undecided? Take the Plunge, Shack it out!

R.

The food at this place is out of this world, I had The big Welly and it was delicious, the fries that comes with it crunchy and tasty, it is a really good portion and tastes fantastic. Service is good and the staff is friendly. Thanks guys.

M.

Hmm bit of a hit and miss. Have ordered mussels before and they were good. This time not so good. On a positive our guy on the night was awesome, thank.

R.

Ok food. Terrible portion sizes.

p.

Our family love there! Should try their crab, very messy but worth to have one, definitely order some bread and dip into crab sauce as our waitress recommended!

W.

Great place, excellent food, atmosphere and staff. Go for the NZ Paddle crab!

J.

The soft-shell crab entree was very noteworthy, would definitely go back for that alone. My main - the Cajun Catch of the Day (tarakihi) was very nice, served with coleslaw and a good slab of potato hash. The waitress we got was a bit busy and took a long time to take our order but was friendly overall. Prices were reasonable, but definitely not cheap. Overall had a great time and would go back again!

D.

Apart from getting leaked on from a hole in the roof the food was fabulous. If you like seafood, and when you see food and want to eat it all... this is the place

S.

Service and food was excellent. Staff was so friendly and understanding with my mum, who is in a wheelchair. Thank you.

L.

Busy Mothers Day lunch but service prompt & food really tasty. Helpful, friendly dtaff.

A.

We celebrated my Mum's 80 on Saturday 29 June at the Wellington Crab Shack. Wow, we had an awesome time, the food was fabulous, prices were good, but the Customer Service no words can describe it, our family would like to acknowledge Callum for all that he did for us. He was absolutely awesome, he made the experience even more pleasant. He catered to all our needs. We came back Sunday for lunch not as many of us, but the service was ok. So Callum thank you thank you thank you, you are a SUPERSTAR.

R.

Still a great place to go for a casual but pricey outing, but as a long time customer and one who has always ordered the signature dish and has done many many times over the past few years - Alaskan King Crab Claws (quite a spectacular dish both visually and from a culinary perspective), it was disappointing to find that seafood played such a small part in the new menu and that Alaskan King Crab claws have morphed into Russian Spikey Crabs - a far less comparable option and just really a pile of 7-8 leg portions that cost the same. Crab cakes are still an awesome entree and our favourite by far. It seems that the menu has changed to cater for middle of the road diners who prefer food other than seafood and in our humble opinion detracting from the essence of what we thought the crab shack was created for - it was the nearest to a Bubba Gump that NZ had but seems to have moved away from that model. Cant fault the excellent service and atmosphere - just not the "Bubba Gump NZ" that we had become accustomed to.

S.

OMG! divine, delicious, yummy yummy yummy i got love in my tummy tummy 😉😄😍 Cannot fault it at all it was scrumptious we loved it Fried shelled crab... Taco shelled crab.. Crab mussel corn roasted fritters... Craft beer macs interstate APA Yummmeeeeee! Totally loved it! So nice to finally give a perfect rating re a cafe bar restaurant.. A Must Do when visiting Wellington NZ Everything about it was great & finally great to experience top friendly & quirky customer service.. We loved it!!!

R.

It was full - always a good sign. I had a really nice bowl of good size mussels. Lovely!

C.

Great Start Disappointing Finish :( Arrived at 6.45pm and were told a table would not be available for about 45min, no problem! It's a Saturday, we get it. Left our number and went and had a drink elsewhere whilst we waited as were told we couldn't drink at the bar (weird, but ok). Got a call an hour later that the table was ready so came back and was seated just before 8pm. The wait staff were initially friendly and efficient, we ordered drinks and three dishes. Waiter came back a few minutes later and advised there would be a 30min wait for the meals (again weird as we could see the docket board and there was only a handful of dockets up but ok no worries). Food arrived, superb! Really yummy and great portion size. We continuously ordered drinks and then some crab. Partner loved it, me not so much, turns out im not a crab person, but hey that's no reflection on the crab served. By this time it was approaching 9.30pm, restaurant was half full, tables actively eating their mains and the service just disappeared as the staff focused on shutting the restaurant.... We sat with empty drinks, empty dishes and no service which moments before was very prompt and efficient. We had to ask for our table to be cleared and asked to order more food but were told the kitchen was closed. Really Disappointing! The docket board had only been empty a few moments so it's not like the kitchen staff had been standing around bored, killing wage costs, with no one to serve. The table next to us also tried to order more food. Something as simple as 'hey guys kitchen is closing in 10min would you like to order anything else' would've made the world of difference. Such a shame a great atmosphere was instantly killed by 9.30pm and it then felt awkward, uncomfortable and like we needed to hurry up and leave. Would have loved to have stayed, ate and drunk more and given you more of our money, so would've the guy next to us and probably the other tables remaining. I get you have to close when no one is spending money but people were and wanted too. So great food! Just totally guttered it ended early.

B.

Easy and cool place with very friendly staff. Food was deliciozs!

A.

Great experience. Having crab for the first time, messy, yummy, weird with a sauce full of flavors. The service was excellent 👍

P.

Great service, Jonah Crab Claws were awesome but as crab does it took forever to get the meat out.. loved the Hot wings, but then again I'm partial to blue cheese dressing on really hot crispy wings.

S.

Tasty food and good service.

E.

Absolutely fantastic seafood restaurant! I loved the grilled fish of the day and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys freshly caught fish, lightly grilled and seasoned to perfection!! Will definitely be going back soon

H.

Nommy nommy...wow'd at Crab Shack..this little biggie has Seoul and then some

c.

Apprehensive at first due to it's name, but the food was amazing, the atmophere brilliant (although a little loud at times) and good choices of beverage. Had a family evening here with 8 of us and it came to a reasonable price.

J.

Delicious food, great drinks and very personable staff made for a fantastic night out with friends. The restaurant was packed and everyone seemed to be having a good time. The service was very good.

M.

Well presented filling meals. The crab meal is messy but good fun, if you are strong using pliers. Ambience is lovely right near the waterfront. We booked a table for a lunch date - good move because the place filled very quickly

W.

Crab shack is wonderful! Definitely recommend crab pots, clams by the scoop and salt & pepper squid, they were so good! Also order the bread rolls, they come with NZ butter and are great with the crab pot's sauces! Only issue is, this place is ALWAYS busy! Either go a bit earlier or later to avoid the rush.

M.

Friendly wait staff went out of their way to help my mother who has only recently been diagnosed as celiac. Our food was delicious and decently priced. It was christmas day when we were there and very busy, but we were served promptly with little wait time.

A.

Great service and food. We really appreciated how they helped us find a table suitable for one of us with a bad back. They were awesome. The food was also delicious.

S.

love it! yummeeeeeeeee... again... must go get the shelled crab, the taco shelled crab and the third dish i cannot remember sorry but get the crab dishes for sure and a craft beer washed it down nicely... is definitely on my favourite list! cool casual and if you are cold they give you a blanket, customer service excellent also... thanks Crab Shack

B.

Food was very good. Service was a little slack. After being seated, we waited 15 minutes before having to find a staff member to take our order. Once we broke through that chaos, we were good!

W.

First time visit this place, the food was delicious. We ordered some appertizers and 1kg of crabs to shared. We request for extra hot on the crabs, after put up the request we start to worry our action might ruin the taste. But it didn't, good jobs Chef!!! It was soooo delicious.. Apart from that the calamari snacks was so good as well. The mixture of the dried spices coat on the calamari was sooo good. Definitely will come back again.

D.

Really excellent dinner experience along the water in Wellington. We had "The Happy Hippy" sandwich, the clam chowder (with tons of actual clams!) and the double chocolate brownie (with carmelized walnuts and salted caramel and ice cream and OMG was that good). Great food, great service, VERY reasonably priced. EXCELLENT experience.

P.

Really interesting menu, beautiful food, great service from a really great team - just an awesome time.

P.

Crab Shack in Wellington NZ was great. Excellent food and very good service. We went twice as it was such good value. Would recommend without hesitation.

D.

The orginal, better than the one we have in Auckland imo lol. The chowder was thicker and tastier. We were lucky with good weather, still windy but warm. Service was good and friendly. Is as good as i remembered the last time i was here :)

C.

Really yummy food, service cos be better!

P.

Best place to go to get crabs!!! Been three days in a row now and have had amazing service and food every time. Wish we could bring them back to Auckland with us!! We will definitely be coming back next time we are in Wellington

W.

Average food but very friendly waitress.

C.

Great food, great atmosphere and glad I took my family to experience it too 😊

C.

Food was delicious, but getting the attention of the wait staff is hard as they're really busy. Overall experience was not as good as we hoped.

B.

Friendly staff. Food ok. The group enjoyed themselves. Good lunch time venue.

S.

We dined at lunch with a large group. The staff made an effort to bring all the food out at once so if you're one of a large group and just stopping by quickly make that know to the wait staff. Otherwise good.

M.

The food here is excellent. I recommend the burgers. The decor of the place is pretty cool as well. Be aware though it can be very busy. A couple of times haven't been able to get in.

D.

The food and service was fine for a busy Sunday night. But the 2% credit card surcharge takes the edge of an otherwise good experience.

R.

Now serving the most generic modern bistro cuisine (i.e., everything is made with mayonnaise), the crab shack is fine for what it is (good outdoor seating on a sunny day) and is otherwise an unremarkable premium mediocre experience.

s.

Well worth the trip into wellys . Great meal , good vibe . Will be returnig thats for sure .

s.

This place has an amazing atmosphere! The food was lovely but portions are too small. Order some sides or you'll go hungry

J.

Love the vibe of this eatery, yummy food, friendly service.

J.

Nice atmosphere, steaks and burger were average, and crab was quite bland (but this was out first time experiencing crab).

W.

Amazing, food excellent, staff are so cool, happy fun friendly. So is the place. Well worth the effort.

S.

Great music, atmosphere nice. Dinner was ok, wait staff were kept very busy, but the were attentive.

P.

Drinks where probably 4/5, the service started as 4/5, but ended as 3/5...the food however was 5/5. The best food we have had in new zealand so far after 3 weeks of traveling. Overall great and cozy place

C.

Really good atmosphere and very good but not quite great food. We go regularly as it has a bit of something for everyone. They have king crab every once and a while at very high prices. Sad to say it was a bit of a let down (I have had it quite a few times before in the states) it was good but had a slightly old taste to it and would have been better if served with butter instead of a strong seasoning.

F.

Been a few times. Always great food and atmosphere. Only disappointed once as got food poisoned after having poke, chowder and crab is yum

T.

Amazing service, food,drinks and place. Everything was super fast and we were well looked after. Really enjoyed our Time there

R.

Very popular place for a seafood meal - full house even on a Monday evening. Food (clams, lamb chowder, fish cake & calamari) was pretty good except for the crab which was not quite firm.

J.

Food was tasty but not generous. Service was a bit tired

C.

Excellent location and ambience. Staff tops, but food mediocre for the $$s. Crab very "tired", did not thaw well.

R.

Great food, very friendly attentive service

M.

We had a lovely early dinner. Great food and drink. Wonderful staff overall. Not too expensive.

K.

Its ok. This is a good vibe fun place. We came during peak hour and had to wait for a table. The waiter forgot our drink order. Family, kids and group friendly restaurant.

S.

Great venue with good food at a reasonable price. Our server, Anissa, as delightful with our two little girls. We'll definitely be back!

J.

My family and I enjoyed their food. Their were good options for kids. The Friday night fish and chips deal is great. My son enjoyed the crab.

H.

Awesome place! Food worth trying it out. 1* short because it would be nice to have great customer service. I'll try this place again in the near future, then maybe a 5*

R.

#goodfood however small portions. Prices are ok but just they are really on the edge price/portion wise. Don't know why they seem busy. It was packed on a Wednesday so enough turnover to work with smaller margins bigger portions.

P.

Food ordered and delivered quickly. Cooked to perfection. Staff very helpful and friendly

A.

Gorgeous food!

R.

Excellent dining - Recommend

J.

We stopped by for dinner on Christmas Eve. The place was busy, which is always a good sign. We tried the Crab and Clam fettucine, the Paddle crab, the mix clam by the scoop, and the Bogan burger. All the dishes were delicious. The chefs obviously know how to cook seafood!

S.

Seafood chowder and soft shell crab as good as San Francisco marina

T.

Excellent decor but slightly overrated dishes. Tried the 500g SG crabs but should have heeded the waiter's advice on the 1kg local crab which he described as fresher and has having a "gel feel". What we had was medium sized, not exactly spicy nor hot when served. Anyways I think fresh meaty crabs do not exist in NZ or have all been exported. The clam chowder is rich, creamy and chewy. The rissotto had good variety of seafood but cannot compare to the huge Greek & Italian versions. The music, decor and front line service make up for the less than excellent seafood. Bookings are entertained if you have at least 10 guests so be prepared to wait at the bar otherwise.

R.

So good in here, sometimes have a wait a little longer than usual for your food but that's just because it's so popular, noice.

R.

What else do u need for lunch?

ホ.

Awesome vibes, great food, relatively fast service.

J.

Love sea food and have a comfortable budget... This is the place for you!! The seafood here is amazing, and for those who prefer the land meats there are some awesome options too. Always friendly staff and a very casual atmosphere.

S.

Nice idea. The wait staff could be more relaxed and less abrupt, pay a little more attention to customers requests when receiving drink orders. You would expect that 5.30pm on a Friday night you would be able to sit down to the Mussels appetizer listed on the menu but they had "Run-Out?" ...on Friday?? ...come on, the weekend is only just starting and you have already disappointed 2 kiwis who are eager to show off Wellington to their American visitors. The corn chips in the "corn chip platter" are a dentists nightmare and should be yours too - I'd be looking for a slightly thinner more teeth friendly chip if I were crab shack. Hoping to stay we ended up leaving and did a curry in Petone. I'm curious, so I may go back a second time just to see if anything has changed.

5.

Wellington has the kindest waiters i have ever met in my life they were just amazing, i would go back there just for the waiter service, definitely recommend you go there. And the food is also great.

B.

Very enjoyable experience with the variety of dishes on offer. Opting for a range of the smaller starter dishes was a good decision allowing us to sample a good range from the delicious options on offer.

P.

Staff good food fantastic

A.

The food here was excellent and service was very friendly😜. Ordered the battered fish fillet, kiwi peppered lamb rump and clams fettuccine and they were delicious😋. Definitely would recommend this place to all tourists and locals.

W.

Easily one of the best places to eat along the wharfs in Wellington. The crab and clam fettuccine is absolutely amazing as are a number of the other dishes. Highly recommended.

D.

Crab shack is a very cool restaurant located on the waterfront. I ate the bucket-o-lobster, well worth it. The food is very tasty and the lunchtime meals are also huge.

K.

Amazing calamari and such a fun theme for a restaurant on the Wharf.

C.

Great seafood, and good service

I.

Great food. They were really busy but the waitress came and apologized for the wait. So great customer service as well

I.

delicious food, nice place.

B.

The food has been great all the times I've been here. I really recommend the crab and clams. It's a shame you can't book in advance as you end up waiting about 1+ hour for a table.

s.

Food was amazing and the service was amazing very friendly staff and hats off for the chefs

L.

Good quantities, great service, excellent crab. 10/10 would crab shack again

A.

Soft shell crab taco was my highlight along with yummy cocktails.

A.

Great lunch stop at the crab shack today with a few friends... everyone super enjoyed their food choices (personally had the thai prawn salad, definitely recommend)👌 and were served most attentively and enthusically by the waiter (thanks Hyden... hope we got your name right?) Great guy!👍 Chill atmosphere which we loved, will definitely return if we get the chance.

S.

Friendly staff (Victoria was awesome) and food fine. Have been here many times now when in Wgtn and consistently good. Steak with hash and beetroot slaw is a good choice.

V.

Okay decent atmosphere and food. Lots of frozen ingredients so a bit more disappointed around that being it is located by the water. Soft shell crab was tasty though!

A.

Great food, nice looking place, and friendly staff

G.

Oh my goodness what a feast we had. Fabulous

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