I remember really liking this place but haven't been back in years, so I finally went to Claw Shack for dinner last night. Not bad, but could've been better. Then shrimp and mussels were good, but some of the crawfish were mushy. We also got crab legs and while it was meaty, it was just way too salty. We expected it to be the best thing we ate there since it was so expensive, but it ended up being the worse thing we ordered. The wings were ok (it used to be so good!) and surprisingly the clam chowder was pretty good. Garlic noodles were good too. I would come back and just skip some of the items next time. read more

Claw Shack - Mussels and clams - Cajun/Creole Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

The chicken wings were crispy and delicious! We got a pound of shrimp and pound of muscles for the combo deal and it was great! The seafood boil here is amazing and the staff was friendly! read more

Claw Shack - shrimp and muscles - Cajun/Creole Near Me - San Jose, California

Food was ok. Tried their Garlic Noodles and it was ehh. Their shrimp was an over cooked and so is the crab. They may keep it under a warmer that cooks it more as it sits to be served. It can be better if made correctly. Service is ok too. Ambiance can get loud when it gets busy. Once in a Blue Moon will eat here. read more

It's been dayyyss since we last dined at Claw Shack. Heard it was crawfish season (back in May), so we decided to have dinner there for a friends birthday. We got there around 6pm on a Friday. We got one of the last two open tables and after that, a lot of people came in and had to wait. It was rainy and cold and they had to wait outside..so super glad we beat the rush! Once situated, we got cups of water. A server came around and asked if wanted gloves and bibs, which we did, and they brought those out along with paper plates, plastic utensils, plastic sauce containers and sliced lemons. We ordered.. CRAWFISH COMBO $37.98 -it was $6 more to make it a combo and we had to order at least 2lbs or more of any of their boiled entrees. We got 2lbs of crawfish. It came with 2 corns, 2 potatoes and 5 pieces of sausage. We added 1lb of head-on shrimp and another 1lb of clams for $15.99 each. We chose "shackies" sauce, spice level "hot." All the seafood tasted fresh but the clams were a little under. Corn was meh, I think they were previously frozen. Didn't try the potatoes but my hubs said it was "whatever." Lol The sausage pieces were pretty good. The sauce was super garlicky and had a kick! Kinda salty if you ate it on its own. 4/5* WINGS SAMPLER $24.99 -16 wings served with celery and carrot. It came with 2 ranch sauces. You can choose up to 4 flavors. We got it with garlic honey, spicy honey and lemon pepper, doubled up on the garlic honey. The wings were very good when it first came out, hot and crispy. Garlic honey was the best! 4/5* CAJUN FRIES $6.99 -so hot, crispy and YUMMY. MUST ORDER. 5/5* BREAD ROLL $1.99 -got 4 of these. These were garlic bread rolls, like the ones you get from a vietnamese banh mi store. I think theirs is from Duc Huong. They toast it but the bread didn't taste super fresh. 3/5* HOUSE CLAM CHOWDER $7.99 -homemade clam chowder with chopped sea clams. Topped with fresh, pan-fried bacon bits, parsley and white pepper. Served with crackers. Pretty good at first since it was piping hot. As it cooled, the table agreed that it didn't have too much flavor.. just like a butter and cream taste? It did have some chunks of clams and veggies though. 3/5* GARLIC NOODLES $11.99 -chewy and garlicky noodles. Good texture, the table liked it. 4/5* Service was okay, they came around to refill our waters and got everything we needed but no one seemed to be thrilled to be working. Hah. There's a small discount if you pay with CASH.. but after looking at the receipt, it just meant you didn't have pay the Merchant Fee from not paying with a credit card?? LOL Overall dinner was pretty good, satisfied my crawfish cravings. Left full and smelling like garlic all night long. read more

We got a pound of shrimp (head on), crawfish, and mussels - made it a combo (comes with potatoes, corn, and sausages), and garlic noodles. This was a lot for two people and we ended up taking half of the garlic noodles to go. We got the shabalang sauce, spicy level hot. The sauce tastes flavorful and balanced. It's not too salty and wasn't spicy (which I feel like is good and not overwhelming for seafood boil). I'd get this sauce again with the same spice level. The garlic noodles were good but I wouldn't reach for it again. We also got a side of rice and it felt better to balance the flavors out with rice instead. The staff were also friendly and attentive. They checked in on us regularly to make sure we had enough water. read more

We love this place! The food always comes out fresh and tasty. All the sauces are pretty good but our fave is Shackies and medium spicy.Garlic noodles (garlicky and not greasy), fried fish with fries, clam chowder, shrimp with head and crawfish (only when in season) are always in our order. There are many places around like it but this one is the best. read more

Claw Shack - Cajun/Creole Near Me - San Jose, California

This place is really good! It won't give you a sodium headache like boiling crab. My friends and I got the combo which comes with 2lb of your choice, 2 potatoes, 10 sausages, and 2 corns. It was definitely enough food for us- we also got Cajun fries to share. I really like the Shackies sauce! It's salty with a hint of sweetness, and doesn't leave you desperate for water. I would compare it to a thinner, sweeter, less salty Whole Shabang sauce from Boiling Crab. Medium spice isn't spicy, there's the spice taste but not the spice feel. The store itself is cute and tight, but there is an outside area as well. The food came out QUICK (almost instant) but the fries were on the smaller side. Pricing is reasonable and average, but there was a merchant fee that we got (maybe for using Apple Pay?) and no one came by our table after we were served. read more

Claw Shack - Combo with shackies sauce medium - Cajun/Creole Near Me - San Jose, California

What happened?? This was my go to spot back before the pandemic... my friend told me a lot of chefs quit in a lot of restaurants but didn't think a Cajun broil would be different. -fooooooood- Their garlic noodles use to be to BOMB. I advertised it so much and now I feel like I have been betrayed. Felt like something was missing in the garlic noodles that drew me in every time I was in in sj. 2.5 Cajun broil was alright. I don't remember the shambalang sauce being that Tangy but I haven't gone since pre pandemic so I can't really judge. My fault? Or not? But... -note to self- don't order crawfish when it's not in season. Or is it? Too lazy to google haha. However, their shrimp is bigger than most Cajun establishments I'll give them that! And the fries are still good ! Friends and I started to feel sick the next day... no not sick but just didn't feel like ourselves. Probably going to stick with boiling crab now unless they changed too... read more

See all

Location: Inside a strip mall. Plenty of parking available. Service: For as busy as they are, they have plenty of servers that will take your order and grab whatever you need immediately. Ambiance: Clean but outdated. It has your typical "sailor" vibe to match the seafood theme. Food: I got the combo with 2 pound of shrimp head on with shambalang-hot; sauce on the side with Cajun fries. The shrimp is hot and juicy. I like how the shrimp is never soggy and fresh. I had around 28 shrimps in my bag along with 2 corns, few sausages and 2 potatoes. The Cajun fries are also a nice complement to eating the main course. Highly recommend since I came a few times and each time has been the same or better. read more

Claw Shack - Combo- 2 lbs shrimp with head on, shambalang sauce- hot on the side with Cajun fries - Cajun/Creole Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

Well, another place we never need to eat at again. Despite the good review we did not have a good experience. Walking in there was a dirty garbage can collecting water from a ceiling leak - but the place was packed so we thought we would try. Most everyone around us seemed happy with their bags of seafood boils. We were not happy with our fried food. I had the seafood platter, calamari, shrimp and 2 pieces of fish, very hot temperature but lacked flavor, it all tasted the same. My wife had gumbo which was good despite being served in a "to go" container. She also ordered the chicken tenders for 6.99, it was 2 nuggets and some fries, less tasty than fast food. Our friends had the fried fish which was okay until a live spider crawled out of her dish! Yep, they took off her meal and gave us a discount but not worth it. Not impressed with the atmosphere, old and tired, all plastic utensils and paper plates. read more

best cajun seafood around, good garlic noodles and good sauces. Service was good and the restaurant felt homey. I would come back but i never have the tjme to. also its pretty expensive but well worth! read more

Awesome head less spicy shrimp , there shackies sauce are my favorite decent ambience and service .

This was always my go-to seafood boil spot in San Jose while I was in college (pre-pandemic). I came back here for the first time in years since I was in town, and not a thing has changed. The service is always quick, and the employees are friendly. The inside of the restaurant is a bit small, but they recently opened up an outdoor area with heaters so the wait isn't as long as it used to be. The Shambalang sauce (all sauces combined) is hands down the best compared to the equivalent at other restaurants (Boiling Crab, Kickin' Crab, etc.) I crave it all the time. I usually order a combo with shrimp head-on. The corn included is usually pretty large compared to other places I've been to -- I love corn so this is a huge plus for me. Their wings (lemon pepper), fries, and gumbo are all really tasty too. 11/10 recommend eating here! read more

Me and my boyfriend loveeeeeee this seafood place!!! The crab is sooo good and taste fresh my bf got shrimp and he really liked it. The restaurant itself is a bit small but they have fast and friendly service:) definitely a place I recommend to others and the waffle for dessert is sooo delicious read more

Claw Shack - Cajun/Creole Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

This is a favorite place of one my friends and they thought to take me here to try. Time to get messy. The service was great and the seafood boil was delicious. We ordered some shackles shrimp with corn on the cobs and sides of rice. Shrimp was perfectly cooked and easy to peel. So flavorful til the last bite. Definitely a favorite for me as well. read more

Claw Shack - Cajun/Creole Near Me - San Jose, California

This is the best seafood boil spot in the Bay Area! The shrimp wasn't over cooked, and the sauce was very comparable to *other* seafood boil places. Without the outdoor seating, it is a pretty small space. If you're coming with a group, it might be a wait to get seated. Overall, would definitely recommend! read more

Haven't had cajun shrimp in years so it was a real treat. Our daughter loves this place so we ventured here Since we were in the area and Claw shack did not disappoint. Nice big shrimps in each bag going at $15.99 per pound. Not bad since years ago we paid $12.99 per pound. I picked the Shackies seasoning mild. It was just right. Very tasty with the pepper and salt lime juice. We also ordered the fish fillets - there was only two pieces with fries. Fillets looked like a mackerel - hot and crispy. Wish there was more than 2 pieces to an order of $12.99. We also ordered Chicken wings - 1/2 honey garlic and 1/2 lemon pepper. Good size wings. My favorite was the honey garlic. We also had an order of garlic noodles. They were okay for me but I loved the pieces of whole garlic in it. Also had the sweet potato fries. It was a huge order. Stuffed now! read more

See all

This is my go to place when it comes to this type of food. Seafood with Cajun Louisiana style. You can adjust the spicy level. My favorite sauce is Shackie's; it's garlicky, medium spicy is so good that makes you want more ! sambalang sauce is also good it's my second choice. Service was alright, not bad but it's no that great either. The place is quite small and so is parking. It can get pretty crowded so you may have to wait a bit or if you come in when they just open, you can get seated fast. FYI- It's better to bring cash since they charge 3.75% or something like that if you pay by cards. read more

See all

Seated immediately on Father's Day ... my lucky day. Cool little spot with a fun seafood decor. Come as you are vibe. Water on the table almost immediately, and order is in .... Minutes later, food starts showing up. Impressive service on a busy Father's Day. To go orders are flying out the door like crazy too. We had a feast! Bread Rolls Garlic Noodles Cajun Jambalaya Head on shrimp (adds flavor) King Crab Leg Everything was delicious. This kind of dining isn't cheap, but I find this location to be a little more affordable than others. Also much more accessible than others. Makes the whole experience much more enjoyable. Will definitely be back. read more

See all

My 200th review! Crawfish and shrimp are some of my favorite things in the world, so I was ecstatic to finally be able to try out Claw Shack for the first time since I was in the area. I've been to its competing restaurants like Boiling Crab and Kickin' Crab plenty of times, and IMO, those two do not compare to the quality of food at Claw Shack. Claw Shack is located right by the San Jose Flea Market right at the corner of a small plaza. I came during an off-hour, around 3PM, and luckily there was one parking spot open right as we came in (the lot was completely full!). We were able to be seated inside with no wait. Inside, the space is a lot smaller than expected; seating is pretty limited indoors and outdoors so I'd imagine that there's probably long waits during busy times like lunch and/or dinner. Our group ordered the 1 lb crawfish and 1 lb shrimp combo (combo added potatoes, corn, and sausages), chicken fritters with fries, garlic fries, and 2 bread rolls and everything was phenomenal! For our seafood boil, we opted for the shambalang flavor at a medium spice level. I loved how loaded it was with the garlic and the acidity from the lemons added a great touch to the overall flavor. Medium spice wasn't as spicy as I thought it'd be; it was pretty light. The crawfish and the shrimp were both HUUGE in size and full of flavor! The garlic fries were garlic heaven and were crisp to with bite. The bread rolls seemed moreso like a Vietnamese banh mi with garlic butter on top which was super delicious too! They have a sink outside of the restrooms near the general indoor dining area which is nice and convenient, and they also offer gloves for people looking to keep their hands clean. Service was great - food came out within minutes after ordering. One of the best cajun food spots hands down! read more

See all

I paid for a side of sauce and received a spoonful.... I know times are rough, but give me a break. read more

Claw Shack - I paid for extra sauce. This is like a spoonful.... Disappointing - Cajun/Creole Near Me - San Jose, California

So good when they gave fresh crawfish! We like their other dishes as well, including their clam chowder! Will be back. Totally recommend! read more

Ladies tie up your hair and get ready to get your paws dirty, because if you eat here you're about to go in. Claw shack is a family owned chain that serves some of the best seafood boil in the South Bay. I had the honor of having my first seafood boil here at their mother location just off of Berryessa. We ordered the seafood boil combos which include 2 corn, 2 potatoes and 2 pounds of seafood of your choice. I chose shrimp and crawfish. You get to also choose the sauce and spicy level of your boil it's enough for two people to share, if you're a cute small girl like myself. Our table also ordered garlic noodle, chicken wings, and the lobster which comes with a bread roll. The lobster is definitely worth a try as the sauce that the lobster comes drenched in is a lot thicker and has more garlic. The chicken wings were tender and crispy and come in a wet sauce. Have a few beers here with your friends and you're sure to have a great time. Nothing is better than good company with good food read more

Claw Shack - Boil - Cajun/Creole Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

Probably the only seafood boil that uses fresh shrimp and knows how to cook it right! While I do prefer the sauce elsewhere, the freshness of the shrimp has won me over. I have never had such sweet, fresh, and easy to peel shrimp! They also have decent garlic noodles, which is a huge plus. Def want to come back again! I just wish it was closer to home! read more

Claw Shack - Cajun/Creole Near Me - San Jose, California

Visit: 4/29/21 Came here for a Friday night dinner with Trish and Em! I think I like this spot over Boiling Crab - less crowded, seafood was just as flavorful and fresh too! Parking: kinda crowded, can get busy during peak dining hours. Would recommend carpooling/be careful because the lines are not marked properly. Menu: the classic things are all there for you to choose! Seating: indoor and outdoor (with tent) available. Between the 3 of us, we ordered: 1) Garlic Noodles ($9.99). Pretty good! 2) Fried calamari with fries ($10.99). Yum! 3) 2 lbs of shrimp ($13.99/lb): Delicious! We originally ordered 1 lb, but changed it to 2. Or maybe it was 3?! 4) 1 lb of Half shell green lip mussels ($13.99/lb): this was also delicious! 5) King crab legs (market price/lb). Came with 2 large bread rolls. Maybe I'm not a crab kind of person, but it was too much work for me to peel lol. We tried a variety of different sauces, and seriously - nothing was wrong, everything was delicious! Service was great, food was yummy. I would come here again! read more

See all

100$ worth of food and I can count how many clams and crawfish is in that small bag lol Left feel like being robbed and not satisfied Not once the workers asked you anything or need anything lol There's like 4 dudes at the cashier talking about their problems and sh*t about stuff loud enough that I can hear it clear as day, like can I eat my 11 crawfish that cost almost 20$/lb in peace. Kicking crab 1lb bag of crawfish or shrimp will outweighed their petty 2lb combo bag anyday. Thanks will never see you again read more

Omg they have to be the most unorganized place ever!!! We got seated then we got moved... no reason.. just moved. They asked us to place our name on the waiting list then they sat us immediately and then moved us to another table... another person asked what my name was that I put on the waiting list... he asked if we wanted to sit at the table we were sitting at or do we want to be taken off the waiting list..I was so confused... We had to ask for napkins, bib, gloves, utensils after our food was brought out.. they literally had to make three trips to our table to bring the napkins, gloves and utensils. we didn't get our drinks until right before our food came. Our server didn't come back to check on us. The next time we saw her was when our check was ready. Food was ok. The seafood boil tasted like they just threw the sauce in a bag with the seafood, so the flavor wasn't marinated in the seafood. The fish and chicken wings were pretty greasy and again, just seasoning sprinkled on top. So no flavor. We were pretty disappointed and will definitely not come back! read more

See all

Good service, chill ambiance but it can get loud inside with a lot of people due to small dining area. Small private parking lot. Outdoor seating is available as well. I love getting the shrimp - shambalang style! Also the crab legs come with bread, and I recommend the seasoned fries. read more

Claw Shack - shrimp shambalang style - Cajun/Creole Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

Claw Shack is my #1 go-to for seafood boil in San Jose. Before I heard about Cajun Crack'n, I'd be going here almost every other week. My homegirl put me on years ago and since then, I've had many wonderful experiences coming here with my loved ones. Love how this location is super close to where I live, but I sure do miss the other one on White Road as it was a little bigger! Whatever seafood you pick, get it with the Shackie's sauce. So damn good. Another seafood spot that's consistent and fresh, their shrimp always tastes well cooked. I know a good shrimp by its peel. Their Cajun fries are also bomb plus the garlic noodles. Never had any issues with the service. Staff have always been nice and attentive. Probably one of the most hidden gems of seafood spots we got here in the South Bay. There's only one now and I hope they stay in business for a very long time! Don't sleep on them. read more

Came here from out of town because our cousins raved about this place. We were lucky enough to get seated right away since there was no wait Wednesday evening. The service was good and the food was flavorful. However there was no king crab legs, which was super disappointing. But the main thing that stuck out to us while we were waiting for our food was how outdated the furniture is and that the ceiling was caving-in in multiple spots. That seems like a safety issue and they should get that fixed asap before anybody gets seriously hurt. So if you don't care about ambiance and just want good food, check this place out. read more

My favorite crawfish restaurant, tried many others but this place is still my fav. love their shambalang flavor. read more

Claw Shack - Togo and add crabs and more clams - Cajun/Creole Near Me - San Jose, California

I ordered takeout for about $280, and the shrimp were old and mushy almost reaching the texture of pulled pork. Everything else was fine, but 70% of the order was essentially a bag of discarded shrimp. read more

They give free samples of their sauces! I recommend trying their Shackies and Shambalang. They are the most flavorful in my opinion. I'm usually picky about my shrimp in seafood boil, but Claw Shack cooks it perfectly! The shell never sticks to the shell. The shrimp always is firm in texture and has flavorful meat! The crawfish here are a bit smaller than other places... but when the crawfish are in season, they are really fresh. (CRAWFISH SEASON STARTS IN NOVEMBER!) + They have combo deals here where you can get a minimum of two pounds of seafood, and it will come with potatoes, sausage, and corn for $4 extra. + Customer service is so friendly! Very attentive and helpful with any questions. read more

See all

We wanted to try a different seafood spot since we always go to the same spot so we decided to go to Claw Shack. We got the mild 1lb shrimp, 1 lb crawfish combo with the Shambalang sauce and an order of garlic noodles. Mild flavor was had a kick of slight spiciness which is the perfect mildness I was looking for. The sauce was good but it could be a bit better. I'm curious to try the other sauces they have! Garlic noodles was a good addition to the seafood since I like to have a mixture of food when eating. Service was friendly. The servers were very attentive and kept coming up to refill our waters. This is a great spot for seafood cravings. The spot feels comforting the moment you step in. I would definitely come back to try their other flavors! read more

Claw Shack - 1LB shrimp, 1LB Crawfish combo - Cajun/Creole Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

Great place to go on date night or with a small group! Excellent food and service. Everything we ordered was hot and delicious so much flavor. Great potion sizes and not bad priced!! Two people with a good amount of food is easily under $100.00. Definitely a new place to recommend!! read more

My wife and I had a terrible experience at claw shack. We like seafood boils and we're excited to try a new restaurant but this was a terrible experience. The issues span a variety of issues with the food. -mussels and clams were not cleaned well. Since we got a mild level of spice with garlic butter, any pieces that didn't have a high amount of sauce would taste of grime. - shrimp was overcooked -snow crab cluster legs were small and contained very little meat - sauces did not cover seafood well. -pricing was not worth it for a combo, the additional potatoes and sausage adds minimally to the meal Overall save your money and go somewhere else. read more

I had a really enjoyable meal at Claw Shack. They have plenty of indoor and outdoor dining and the place seemed very clean and everyone was masked. The parking situation was good. My friend and I each ordered the headless shrimp - she got the "shackies" sauce and I got the "shambalang" which was garlicky and spicy and also had lemon in it. I did like how they let you sample the sauces before you order. Also my friend ordered hers with the sauce on the side which is a good option if you don't want to get messy. (I was fine getting messy!) I also got the garlic fries which were really fresh and tasty. I also got a corn cob with mine which was delicious. I do wish they had dungeness crab - that's really my fav though I know it's pricey. read more

Claw Shack - Garlic fries - Cajun/Creole Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

Hands down my favorite cajun spot! I always get their snow crab clusters (comes w/ a baguette), shambalang sauce, & hot spice level. Definitely add the potatoes (they're huge) & sausages! Sauces @ other cajun spots tend to be too oily in my opinion, & I don't seem to feel that way about this place. I do wish they did give a bit more sauce though Garlic noodles are definitely a must - great to share w/ others. Love that they have whole garlic pieces in it. You also can't go wrong with Cajun fries, a classic! The sauce tastes so good w/ rice too. All the carbs are perf for all my carb lovers out there :) They have indoor & outdoor seating available. Workers are usually attentive and friendly! If you're looking to get your cajun fix, this is the spot to go (just don't try to come on Monday's because they're closed) read more

Claw Shack - Snow crab, shrimp, garlic noodles! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - San Jose, California

tl;dr A good spot if you like boils, especially if you get the 2 lb Combo pricing! +$6 more for the 2nd lb and a number of corn/sausage/potatoes included. I've been to Claw Shack a couple times now and I would say it's overall a good time though not my fave cajun restaurant in the South Bay. The restaurant is a bit on the smaller side, so you might end up with a wait depending on when you go. My friend and I shared the 2 lb of shrimp-with-head boil combo with the Shakie sauce. The Shakie sauce was recommended to us by our server, and it did not disappoint. While it wasn't particularly different than other cajun sauces I've had, it was still very tasty! The shrimp were fresh and hot, and the shells did not stick to the meat. If I'm in the area and feeling cajun, I would definitely come back, but I'm not sure if I'd make the trip to this particular restaurant if I were feeling cajun. read more

It has a casual vibe no prior reservation required and servers are the best. They greet you and make sure you're comfortable and check on you on regular intervals on how you doing. Service is really fast too. We ordered Snow Crab, Shrimp and 2 corn cob in extra hot Cajun (house special) sauce, side of butter garlic sauce and a butter garlic noodles. It was juicy and delicious. They do serve beer which goes well with the spicy but I was driving so just stuffed my mouth with crab I see myself craving for this place and returning for snow crab love this place!! read more

See all