Everything was amazing about this seafood oceanfront restaurant. The seafood is not your run -of- the -meal cuisine but kicked up a notch With a Caribbean flair. My crab cakes were delicious, unlike any I've ever had with rice, black beans and spices. Oh so good. My friend had the Caribbean oxtail over polenta and thought it was very good. The view....... Spectacular!! read more

As a professional chef, I found this meal unacceptable. These were basic failures in food quality, preparation, and communication. The crab, shrimp, and mussels smelled awful and tasted off. Five of the ten mussels were completely sealed shut. The andouille sausage was rock hard and dried out, with a texture that suggested it had been reheated repeatedly. I couldn't finish the dish and sent it back. Their attempt to fix it was another disappointment. I took the replacement dish to go, and it also smelled unpleasant and looked unappetizing. Sending back one awful dish only to receive another is not an acceptable resolution. Then came the check: $75 PER BOWL for the lobster mac and cheese "special," a price the waiter never disclosed when presenting it. The lobster portion appeared to be less than three ounces. Charging that much for such a small amount of lobster was outrageous, and discovering the price only when the bill arrived made it worse. Calling something a "special" is no excuse to leave guests uninformed about a $75 price tag. At these prices, I expect quality ingredients, competent cooking, and clear communication. This experience delivered none of those. I would not return or recommend this restaurant. read more

Dined in last Wednesday night. We got a table on the balcony overlooking the beach after about a 30 minute wait (this was the highlight of the night). Our waitress (Nicole) was very overwhelmed and slow. She was nice enough when she came around but the service was not great. Now the food...we had appetizer bacon wrapped scallops they were good. But the dinners were awful. The Key Lime Shrimp and Lobster pasta was inedible; I really should have sent it back. It had no flavor other than bitter lime (and I love lime!) I see after reading reviews I am not the only one to have this complaint, probably should remove it from menu. The blacked ahi tuna had good flavor but was cold as was the quinoa (not sure if it's supposed to be served warm or cold). Our son had a filet which he enjoyed. Our girls got a side of fries and they were $8 which is crazy to me (no cheese, no toppings). Overall was highly disappointed. Was a waste of $150. It's a shame because it's a great location but the service lacked as did the food. read more

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There aren't many instances where I walk away from a meal almost untouched, but I just couldn't do it. I'm not quite sure what the Sunkissed Key Lime Shrimp & Lobsta Pasta is trying to be, but it was gross. The pasta was overcooked and so was the seafood (rubbery). The rasta pasta dish had tough dry chicken and tough overcooked seafood and overcooked pasta. The bacon wrapped scallops had undercooked bacon and conch fritters came after our dinner. Fritters were cold and dry. Ick! Honestly the place was getting swamped, they seemed understaffed, and there were so many flies! I get it when you have outdoor seating and going in and out, but it was brutal with the number of flies bombarding me during dinner. It was really hot in there too. Our waitress was nice but she was also the bartender so the service was slow and not attentive. We also had to flag someone down after waiting to pay for our food to get out of there. Took waaay too long to get in and out of the place. The food looked fancy but it missed the mark. This was one of the poorer experiences we've ever had at a restaurant. read more

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Popped in at opening on a Sunday . Sat upstairs outside , was perfect . Server , didn't get his name was great, just attentive enough . Hubs had the mahi sandwich, healthy piece of fish he really enjoyed . I had the Harkers island clams . Delish loved the addition of the Tasso ham . Would def return ! read more

Crab's Claw Oceanfront Caribbean Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Atlantic Beach, North Carolina

The server made us feel very uncomfortable with her awkward demeanor. They didn't have a wine menu, so you had to constantly ask for the types of wine they had in each variety and remember what was rattled off. While the view was beautiful from the first floor outdoor patio, we could barely enjoy our food due to the amount of flies buzzing around us and constantly landing on our food. Even when we asked to move inside, there were just as many flies indoors. The jalapeño corn bread was very crispy and not sweet or soft enough. The corn inside the seafood pot we ordered was not sweet at all. The seafood was cooked well though, and the portion was generous. The shrimp just had incredibly thick veins. The clams appetizer was okay, but the sauce could have been more buttery and flavorful. The best part of our meal was the homemade key lime pie slice. It wasn't the best I'd ever had, but it was dense and creamy like key lime pie should be. read more

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Food was outstanding ! Sweet crab and amazing homemade potato salad :) the waitress was upbeat and sweet thank you Dana ! The table was perfectly Positioned and so cool upstairs ! I loved this place ! read more

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Crabs Claw in Atlantic beach was an expensive disappointment, and we won't be back. The seafood had an overpowering fishy taste that seemed off to us. The crawfish tasted old and unpleasant, and none of the mussels in one of our steamer pots had opened. For a restaurant specializing in seafood, what we were served was embarrassing. Then came the bill. The lobster mac and cheese was presented as a special without anyone mentioning the price: $75. At that price, the "special" apparently was the surprise on the check. We were told it contained a pound of lobster, but there was so little visible lobster that we questioned that description. In our opinion, the dish came nowhere close to justifying the price. We brought our concerns to someone we believed was the manager. She initially acted concerned, then walked away without resolving anything. Listening for a moment and disappearing is not handling a complaint. The food was unpleasant, the service was poor, and the prices made the whole experience even harder to swallow. Charging premium prices doesn't make this a premium restaurant. Based on what we experienced, it was terrible value, and we would strongly recommend spending your money elsewhere. UPDATE: they did call us back after and offered us a gift card, tisk tisk. RIGHT THE WRONG! read more

We were hesitant to try this place due to the inconsistent reviews, however I'm so glad we did not let that deter us. Our server was attentive, told us the specials, and answered all our questions. You must try the warm crab dip and order it spicy. It is served with warm seasoned pita style bread and delicious. We also ordered a pound of steamed crab, a pick three with lobster, steamed shrimp and scallops. Fried shrimp basket and lobster Mac n cheese. Fresh well seasoned seafood, yummy sides, and we walked out with full happy bellies. Watching and hearing the ocean waves upstairs was a bonus. If in the area try it out, and see for yourself. The only suggestion is ask the price of daily specials. The lobster Mac n cheese was $75! Would not have ordered it if I knew it was that much. read more

Everything was great here! The service was awesome. The food was delicious. The drinks were cold and tasty. Great views and atmosphere too. The only thing I would change was the temperature of the room upstairs. It was a little on the warm side. read more

I ordered the blackened sweet heat snapper and it was outstanding! My daughter's Rasta Pasta and my husband's Cajun shrimp platter was also a hit! We loved eating out on the patio. Even though it's summer, the patio was breezy and comfortable. Our waitress was very friendly and helpful with the menu. read more

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Some items were hit and misses The crab cake dish was amazing But the shrimp in the boils were visibly dirty Honestly only giving it a good rating bc the staff was on doing the best despite the high turnout that night and the fact we did not have reservations yet we were seated within the hour read more

Crab's Claw Oceanfront Caribbean Restaurant - Pick 2 boil. Not worth it - Seafood Near Me - Atlantic Beach, North Carolina

Sept 14, 2016 I had read bad reviews but did not believe it. It was very warm inside. Flies were everywhere. Sanitation grade was 90. The waitress tried to a good job but to put it simple the food was just not good. I had the oxtail stew with one little joint with very little meat. My wife had something but not what was in the menu. We had out of town guest and I was so embarrassed that I chose this restaurant. I will never visit this place again. It is hard to believe they are still in business. read more

Worst food ever . Thin watery cocktail 14.00 after having to go track it down after it took over 20 minutes in an empty dining room to get the tiny 8 ounce $14.00 cocktail served. $63.00 wasted on fake crab cakes, fake scallops, terrible cocktail. Dirty dank dark place .Not what is shown in website phots. Do not go. Dismal. read more

Great location, forgettable dining experience. We sat on the upper deck and did not receive service for about 20 minutes despite having a reservation. Both parties on either side of us were seated and had drinks well after we arrived. I decided against ordering a bar drink due to this timeframe (we didn't get a drink menu to look at during this time either). When I went inside to use the bathroom there was a large group of waitstaff near the kitchen door. I think they just forgot to tell someone we were there honestly. The food was then okay. Prices did not reflect to their online menu by about $10 more for the steam pots. Will be looking for other choices next time we are in town. read more

Crab's Claw Oceanfront Caribbean Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Atlantic Beach, North Carolina

Had the best meal & experience of my entire vacation eating out at this wonderful spot. We were given a perfect table for four on the top level balcony overlooking the ocean right as the sun was setting. The food was amazing all around and the drinks were top notch. Our server Patricia was absolutely AWESOME and feel blessed if you get her as your server because she is the best! Unpretentious and just all around top notch. I'll be dreaming of their Blackened Tuna 'til I can get back there. *And make sure to ask for a side of their House Made Jamaican Jam Jam Hot Sauce [but know it packs a heaty punch!] read more

Crab's Claw Oceanfront Caribbean Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Atlantic Beach, North Carolina

Worst service I have ever received. We waited at our table for 2 hours. Crab dip was S L O W, but good. Fish and chips and grouper sandwich never came. Flagged down the waitress when said the fish and chips had been under the "warmer" for half an hour. Just waiting on my fish sandwich. Paid for our app and 2bdrinks and left. NEVER coming back. read more

Crab's Claw Oceanfront Caribbean Restaurant - Nice view, terrible service. - Seafood Near Me - Atlantic Beach, North Carolina

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Food is usually good. Service was awful. Upstairs deck two nights ago. Just awful. Appetizer was forgotten and when we asked it felt like an afterthought. read more

I have eaten at Crab's Claw 3 times in the last couple of years and can say that I have had a 5 Star experience every time. Look forward to the next visit as well. The food keeps getting better. I was there for a late lunch last week and was lucky that the Mahi sandwich was the special. It was delicious. We also had Conch Fritters for an appetizer. We ate on the deck overlooking the ocean and actually got to see a dolphin swimming by! Service was great and I could tell they really pitched in and got the table next to ours cleaned off quickly when the patrons left their table. I'll definitely be back ASAP. read more

Here's the updated review with that detail incorporated naturally: We waited about 45 minutes to be seated. When our table was ready, we were told we had to sit upstairs. There was an open table outside, but we were told it was reserved, so we ended up sitting right by the door. The upstairs dining area was extremely hot with no air circulation. We were seated at the table that the ceiling A/C vents were pointed directly toward, yet we couldn't feel any air at all. If the people sitting where the vents were aimed couldn't feel anything, I don't believe the A/C was working. It made the dining experience very uncomfortable. Our waitress was the only positive part of the experience. She was kind, professional, and did the best she could while clearly being overwhelmed with a large party on the other side of the restaurant. Because of her attitude and effort, I'm giving this review a higher rating than I otherwise would have. If it weren't for her, I would have given this restaurant no stars if that were an option. As for the food, it was very disappointing. The crab dip didn't taste like crab at all and wasn't worth the price. The salmon burger was literally just a piece of salmon on a bun with no toppings whatsoever. The crab cake sandwich was just okay. The sweet potato fries were not very appetizing. The fish and chips had a sweet batter, but the fish itself lacked flavor and didn't taste seasoned. The only food I actually enjoyed was the crab legs. They were hot, and the butter was good. Ironically, the best thing I had the entire visit was the mint by the door on the way out. I really wanted to like this restaurant, but after the long wait, the uncomfortable seating in an extremely hot upstairs dining area, and the disappointing food, I left wishing we had chosen somewhere else. I don't usually leave negative reviews, but I hope this feedback helps improve the experience for future guests. read more

No parking,that $5/ hrs, so adding 10. the staff is rude and very as a matter of fact. Just plain rude. Do not go

Have been coming here for years. Something, maybe the ownership, has changed. It was terrible food. How does a place that is right across from Morehead City- one of the fishing capitals of the east coast (home of the Big Rock Marlin Tournament) serve pre-battered, frozen shrimp and flounder filets. Couldn't believe it so after one bite we asked the server. She asked the manager and came back and told us it was indeed frozen, pre-battered, processed food. Basically like SeaPak. We didn't eat much of it before telling the manager what we thought of it. Their response was that they wouldn't take anything off the bill. Well please go somewhere else instead of wasting your money and time here. Too many great places to eat in the area. Avoid this place at all costs. read more

Absolutely delicious food, great server, wonderful beach location. We're here on vacation and will go back. Highly recommend!

We enjoy Atlantic Beach and our visits to Crab's Claw Oceanfront Restaurant and love the ambiance and service. read more

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Crabs Claw is located right on Atlantic Beach, next to public parking which was very convenient. We made reservations for the top deck and were seated relatively quickly. When we were sat, it took about 20 minutes to be served, only after my husband asked another person on the wait staff if we could get our drink order taken. We noticed a lot of the people around us with empty drinks and wait staff having a lot of apologies for how long things were taking. We put in an order of conch fritters, which were okay. The sauce with them was an orange/pineapple sauce. My husband got a blackened mahi sandwich which he said was a little dry. I got a steam pot. I felt like the crab was a little over cooked, but overall it was tasty. Nice view on the top deck but probably wouldn't be back any time soon due to the service and mediocre food. read more

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Was greeted by a friendly young woman and shown immediately led up a long staircase to a small dining room with 4 seated around a table more suitable as a 2-top. There were three large parties there at the same time and two servers to cover inside and outside so although quite a bit of time passed between check-ins, the servers were hustling. A woman wearing a hairnet and dressed for much cooler weather assisted the servers, which seemed strange. The AC was clearly not present/working because the room was HOT to the point of discomfort. There were also a LOT of flies. Our little table had 4 that would not give up so everyone ate with one hand and fanned flies away with the other. I felt sorry for the runners-- climbing those stairs with trays seemed like an accident waiting to happen. There are a pair of restrooms in the dining room that appear to be an afterthought addition. The bacon wrapped scallops tasted like they were frozen and the hushpuppies, a box mix. The blackened tuna was perfection but the purple quinoa salad was horrible and abandoned. Caribbean specialities' rasta pasta and sunshine-grilled Mahi Mahi were both highly regarded. In fact, one in our party chose the mahi mahi as the best dinner on our entire trip and hopes to learn how to replicate it at home. The check couldn't come quickly enough, however, due to the need to escape both the heat and the flies. read more

Crab's Claw Oceanfront Caribbean Restaurant - Sunshine-grilled mahi-mahi over a bed of rumba rice and peas, topped with brown sugar sauted plantains and tropical fruit. - Seafood Near Me - Atlantic Beach, North Carolina

I'm so sorry, im not the type to write bad reviews but oh my goodness. The staff is super sweet but you can definitely tell they were stressed. Our food nearly took two hours to come out. Another table told us good luck bc they were there for over 3 hours! They told us the all the food is made to order but all of our food came out luke warm. Not a single steam in sight. My uncle sent his food back because of how cold it was. My crab cake was okay but my rice was over cooked and mushy again, the staff was super nice, just the management needs more work. I would not recommend coming nor would I ever come back. I also suggested this place because on google it was nearly 4 stars so I thought it was worth it, but I ended up paying the whole bill since everyone had a bad experience. Please read reviews before coming read more

Crab's Claw Oceanfront Caribbean Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Atlantic Beach, North Carolina

This place had its pros and cons, I won't lie The view was absolutely gorgeous, even from our indoor table, however, due to the door having to swing open constantly, there were a whole lot of flies inside. I think we had about 6 flying around our table by the time the entrees arrived. It's something to keep in mind. It was also pretty hot in there. The food was pretty good, though improvements can certainly be made. The hushpuppies were a bit dry, though I liked the corn in them. It was a neat touch. I got the rasta pasta. For the most part, it was tasty, although they didn't remove the shrimp tails. I can't say I'm a seafood connoisseur, so I dont know if that's normal for pasta dishes, but it's something to note. The Mahi Mahi and blackened tuna got positive feedback. We also got an appetizer of bacon-wrapped scallops. They were alright, I liked the touch of barbecue. Service was rather slow. The drink refills took a while, but both the sweet tea and lemonade were good. Overall, this felt fairly average, which I wouldn't say is necessarily a bad thing. I'd go for the sunshine grilled Mahi. Can't comment on dessert (I would have tried, but I was too full.) And I really do reccomend the lemonade, it tasted nice and freshly squeezed. Hope this helps. read more

We made a reservation for dinner. We had a short wait while they got our table ready. We were thrilled to eat outside in the upper deck to enjoy the sunset. We ordered drinks and an order of mussels to share for an appetizer. They were so good! Perfect start for our meal. I ordered the grouper sandwich. It was a generous piece of fish and cooked perfectly. My salad was fresh and tasty! My friends also enjoyed their entrees too. We couldn't leave without a shark fin. I hadn't been to the area in some time and I was so happy to see they still had them on the menu! It was just as good as I remembered too! We had great service the whole visit! read more

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Great unusual menu with seafood standards as well. Attentive service and a pleasant, active setting. Definitely will plan to go there again.

This is maybe my second visit to Crabs claw, normally the wait can get long but I learned you can call to make a reservation not sure if that's new but good to know. Overall a great experience, ~30min wait for 4 to sit outside. It was a really windy day (20mph+) but they had things weighted down well on the tables. Not overly busy but our waitress was covering a lot, and still able to keep a good check on us. Only reason for 4* was due to the app taking awhile, and being pretty small and no complementary hush puppies! Would still visit again all of the food was very well prepared read more

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Absolutely loved the Blackened Red Snapper. Spectacular and perfectly seasoned. Great location right on the waterfront and great service too with accommodations on the patio. Highly recommend. read more

Crab's Claw Oceanfront Caribbean Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Atlantic Beach, North Carolina

Our food was amazing! Blackened snapper, tuna burger, Swiss chicken sandwich. All was piping hot. But I could not eat all my meal. I got it boxed up to go. It was bagged in a very wrinkled used Walmart bag. I had to leave it. I imagined someone's stuff previously in that bag. It turned my stomach. Service was great. The ocean view was great as well. read more

On the beach with a great view. Depending on your taste, you can get items that are either sweet or with heat. I have tried a couple of the menu items but my favorite is the sweet heat blackened snapper. Hush puppies are a nice addition to the meal. read more

The Crab's Claw does have a great location. On the other hand - my husband was served the wrong beer and the mint leaves in my mojito were rotten before they replaced them. Our lobster bisques were ordinary. The seafood pasta noodles were tough. If you want more than a beer overlooking the beach, we don't recommend it. read more

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This evening my wife, sister in law, and myself tried Crab's Claw Oceanfront Caribbean Restaurant for the first time. We had and appetizer of little neck clams steamed with butter, white wine, bell peppers, taso and bread for dipping, WONDERFUL! I could have eaten two orders of them! We also had an appetizer of fried empanadas, those were also delicious! For our entrees I had 1lb of crab legs, my wife had blueberry marinated chicken salad, my sister in law had a burger. All I can say is there was nothing left on our plates! The atmosphere is beachy, with service a bit slow but the servers were friendly and attentive. Menu prices seem to be inline with other like restaurants. We would go back again for sure! read more

Food was served one entree at a time, took an hour from when we placed our order, everything was cold or not fully cooked. The tuna was raw and the rice was so cold it was like it came straight out of the fridge. With a 90 sanitation score, this is a solid avoid... read more

The food was awful. Steaks and lobster were rubbery, conch fritters were burnt, hard & greasy, steamed little necks were covered in old bay seasoning, fried tomatoes pretty bad. My plate had a big chip. Service started off ok & went downhill. While my husband helped my mom down all the stairs to the car, I waited for her to return to bring the check. It was not handicap accessible, a lot of stairs for my 82 yr old mom. It was loud with dishes being dropped. For the price $223 & expect a tip of minimum of $50. I have never gave a bad review before. So disappointed. read more

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Our food was good and our particular server was good; however, there was obviously some issues amongst the staff that resulted in multiple loud arguments while we were there. There was not enough servers as I observed at least two sets of tables leave after no one waited on them. read more

This place was honestly NOT worth the money. The food was extremely disappointing from the moment it came out. The bread was completely burnt, and the shrimp and lobster pasta tasted like pure lime. It was so sour that it was basically inedible. We also ordered a steak well-done, specifically asked for it that way, and it still came out undercooked. The service was just as bad. Our waiter was barely attentive and acted like she genuinely did not want to be there or do her job. We were practically ignored, while another woman who doesn't even work there ended up checking on us and helping us more than our actual waiter did. To make things even worse, our total came out to $300+, and they still expected a $50-$64 tip after giving us food and service like this. That honestly made the experience even more frustrating. I understand tipping, but expecting that much after such poor service and disappointing food is ridiculous. For a $300+ bill, I expected quality food, good service, and an experience worth the price. Instead, we got burnt bread, sour pasta, an improperly cooked steak, and a waiter who seemed completely uninterested in taking care of us. read more