Cracked Crab
| Address: | 751 Price St, Pismo Beach, CA 93449, USA |
| Phone: | +1 805-773-2722 |
| Site: | crackedcrab.com |
| Rating: | 4.4 |
| Working: | 11AM–9PM 11AM–9PM 11AM–9PM 11AM–9PM 11AM–10PM 11AM–10PM 11AM–9PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 8
CO
Corina Calsing
This is a decent place for crab, even when dungeness cant be had. They dont take reservations, and even on a Monday night there may be a wait. The bar is tiny, and at the back of the restaurant, so it may not be the best place to wait. However, they will call you on your cell when the table is ready to let you know. There is a bar across the street to get a drink if you have to wait. If youve never tried abalone before, the appetizer is a great place to start. They let the meat shine here, but the serving is small -- only an ounce -- so there is little to share. The serving and price is comparable to foie gras elsewhere. The clam chowder is also quite good. Not too think, with nice pieces of clams and vegetables. Clearly no out of a can! The boiled crab buckets are the way to go here. Definitely stick with the crab varieties. We had the mussels and two types of crab. The mussels also included two types -- huge green lip and small black -- and the small black mussels were definitely the best. The green lip mussels were a bit too large to enjoy. Beardi and king grab were both great. The other lovely accompaniment is the sourdough rolls. I grew up in San Luis County, but have spent the last decade in New Orleans. No bread beats Central Coast sourdough! The wait staff is attentive and efficient. All in all, a good experience.
DE
de ann freitag
Very disappointing. We got a 3-choice bucket with corn and potatoes. Our choices were Dungeness crab, shrimp, and slipper lobster (which we had never had). The lobster tail was the best - nice and tender. The crab was terrible, tough and a salty flavor (this was not snowcrab legs either). We always get crabs in November when the season starts and fresh delicate tender crab is fabulous; this wasnt it. And the shrimp were totally overcooked and rubbery. Putting potatoes and corn in the same pot doesnt have a chance of coming out tender - potatoes were water logged and one half white ear of corn was OK, the yellow ear was old and startchy. It is a great concept and weve had great "dump on the table" seafood (like Bubba Gumps shrimp baskets on Maui) meals before but this didnt cut the mustard. Additionally, the fruit cobbler was served with raw dough/batter in the cobbler center; had not been cooked enough to get the dough firm. The best dessert was a sliver of Key Lime pie - it was perfect although $8 for a 1/8th slice makes it a pretty pricey pie. Sorry; will not be going back.
A
A Private User
On a recent trip down PCH from San Fran to home in the OC, I came across this place with "Leo Luck". If hadnt have been so many tourists at every trap along the way, I wouldnt have become angry and just pulled over. I wanted to treat myself, and WOW did I ever. I was a cook for 6 years and have traveled the country, eaten at the best places on the east and west coast, BUT NEVER, EVER have I had such fresh crab. You can feel it in the snap as you crack open your first leg. Tomorrow instead of Christmas shopping I am taking my Mom back up for the 4 hour drive, just to eat there, and I cant stand being in the car with my Mom : ] The staff is kind, not judgmental when seeing dark people walk in. The treated me like I have been eating there for years (that may be a shocking statement, but being a minority in a place with $44 menu items, you are never treated well, but not here OMG they were awesome) Homemade cocktails sause and crayons on the table... I was in heaven. Oh and this is the only review I have ever written, so that should say something there as well.
PA
Paul Vasquez
My wife and I stopped here on a road trip from Los Angeles to Monterey. The decor is nothing special, but its standard fish camp fair, not good or bad. The service was good. The staff was friendly and helpful. The food was excellent. We ordered the bucket for two, which they pour out on your table. We got the snow crabs, another kind of crab, and the lobster. Ill start with the bread. The warm sourdough they bring to your table is excellent, some of the best sourdough Ive had, and we asked for more. The seafood was the best thing about the experience though. The lobster was sweet and delicious, and so were the crabs. They also serve a delicious spicy sausage, potatoes and corn on the cob in the bucket. On the side they have a heated container with drawn butter, cocktail sauce, a can of Old Bay seasoning, and a very tasty spicy mustard for the sausage. Lastly, the portions seemed generous, as we were quite full afterwards.
AN
Antonio Ortiz
We are repeat customers, bring our appetite, and always enjoy the "hands on" primal experience. Food is flavorful and we mastered the seafood- crab eating tools in no time. Our server "Help me Rhonda- was really good. This is a down home - at the ocean dining hub!! The noice level was high and at times challenging as it was difficult to hear my friends conversation. The food still won us over. Fresh, tastey -- FUN.! We were disappointed by the appetizer, yet management responded nicely to our concerns. We did NOT appreciate early collection of table items, clearing everything from the table, other than our beverages-- we do not like feeling rushed!!! We waited a long time for our table and paid over $160.00 for our meal.-- it felt like a gentle kick in the pants toward the door.
MA
Marilyn Cleveland
I treated a friend to dinner there for her birthday. I ordered the Lobster thinking this would be a place to get some good Lobster. It was terrible. The meat was like a sponge filled with brine. Very salty. Lobster is suppose to be firm. The waitress took it back and said it was probably the sauce and would bring me one without the sauce. The second Lobster was the very same. Soft, watery and very, very salty. Very disappointing. Would not recommend this place for Lobster. I dont know about the Crab but I dont like stringy Crab meat either. Needs to be firm.
DA
dawn fox
This business does not even deserve one star. We were treated so rudely by the manager Natalie when we asked to be seated after a 50 minute wait and was told our table was ready. She would not seat us because my husband was next store paying our wine tab.i told her he would be there in 2 minutes- When we asked to talk to the owner we were told he died a year ago. We eventually left when another lady told me they were treated bad as well. This lady Natalie was such a brat. Iam a women over 50 and was embarrassed to say the least by this little brat snobby girl.
EL
Elojo Delamosca
Clam chowder was runny and not tasty. Complimentary sourdough less than nothing to write home about. The chile poblano stuffed with crab meat and cheese was dry, mushy, and taste-less. San Felipe style fish tacos were served on paper dry tortillas. DO NOT order the seafood enchiladas. The sauce is terrible, sticky, too cheesy and taste like something from the school cafeteria. The stuffing was composed of tiny little rubber-like shrimp and "crabp". When will we return? NUNCA! Oh yeah, also overpriced and I feel like I am about to be sick... no kidding. :(
