pros: -yummy, just as expected -fast and friendly service -lots of parking splace cons: -none read more

Ray's Crab Shack - Seafood Near Me - Newark, California

On Valentine's day, we put ourselves on the waiting list 10 minutes before we arrived because I knew all of us in our party had to be there to be seated. We parked in a tight space and opened the door to a full waiting area. It was about 5:30 PM. Yelp said to get ready to be seated. Someone that was after us was seated first so I went to the waiter to ask about it. He immediately sat us at a table. We ordered a lot: lobster roll, crab cake, clam chowder, the bag of shrimp, crab legs, and clams (i think?) with the spiciest sauce. Clam chowder: worth ordering. Id order this again. It exceeded my expectations. I might even say it was good or even slightly better than ones found at santa cruzs pier. Crab cake: pass on it. It was nicely cooked. Moist in the inside and crunchy on the outside. The crab blend wasnt my cup of tea. Lobster roll: get if you love lobster hoagie bun - yum! Lobster filling was missing some flavors. It tasted like lobster and hoagie bun. I wanted more of a creamy mixture. The bag: there was a LOT. Expensive at $78. Very spicy! So get it if you like spice. We did. I cant say to get it or not to get it. Loved that we were given bibs. Loved our waitress who checked on us. It is a family business. Would come back if craving for clam chowder. I would get everything else somewhere else and eat the seafood in the bag only if i had mad cravings and didnt want to drive farther. read more

My go-to place for years. The service is always great and the sauce flavor is consistent. Unfortunately last night I ordered 1 lb of head-on shrimp and something tasted off with one of them. A few hours later I ended up with what feels like food poisoning and have been up all night dealing with it. My girlfriend had the crab and she's completely fine, so it seems like it was just the shrimp. I've always loved this spot they've never done me wrong, but after this experience I'll probably take a break from seafood for a bit. read more

I've been going to this spot for years and haven't been in a while so decided to take my mother in law for Mother's Day. & I'm glad we chose this place. Rays hadn't crossed my mind for a while so when we went I was reminded why I like this place so much. The ultimate power sauce is always my go to and the hot spice level made it perfect. Service was quick, we got our food fast! I appreciate the staff's attentiveness. It also wasn't too busy at the time we went. Will be coming back again sometime soon! The garlic fries were a bit soggy from the garlic but was still ok. read more

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We ordered a combo deal plus an additional lb of shrimp. It was a Friday afternoon so not too many people but the service was on point! Each bite was full of flavor. Other than being warm and hot to touch; this is a great place to feast and get your hands dirty! read more

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This is easily my most recommended restaurant for a seafood boil in the East Bay. I am always greeted with a warm welcome and enjoy service that is both quick and attentive. They have lots of tables, comfy waiting area, and TVs that broadcasts sports throughout the restaurant. While they offer a variety of dishes, the seafood boil is the star of the show. I usually order the Ultimate Power Sauce at a mild heat level. Although the spice can vary slightly, the actual flavor profile is always spot on. It's a reliable, delicious favorite that I return to again and again! Be mindful that there is gratuity included in the tab as well. read more

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I don't always eat seafood because I don't want to crack crab or people fail to clean shrimp properly, that's not the case here! The service is great & a pretty chill place. read more

Ray's Crab Shack - I built my own bag. Crab sausage corn potatoes every flavor mild & garlic noodles - Seafood Near Me - Newark, California

This place is as good as I remember! I got Shrimp with no head, no spicy ultimate power and 2 corn in the bag. My boyfriend got shrimp no head, with cajun lemon pepper -medium. Oh! And sides of rice! Both super good! The servers were so nice and welcoming. I wish they checked in on us more, so we could have gotten our refills on the soda. Everything else was great! read more

Ray's Crab Shack - Ultimate power, no spicy, Shrimp Without Head w/ 2 corn inside - Seafood Near Me - Newark, California

Came for dinner last night and had a blast! The food was delicious and hot - so much so I didn't have time to take food photos!! The bibs and gloves would have made a fun photo. Had the garlic noodles, shrimp/crab special, and the combo fried basket. One pound of shrimp was hot and one was mild - both were very buttery and flavorful. The corn with butter was a hit with my kids. Garlic noodles were extra garlicky. I might skip the fried basket in the future but the sweet potatoes fried were very good. Would totally come back again for dinner with family. read more

Ray's Crab Shack - Bag of shrimp!! - Seafood Near Me - Newark, California

My fav seafood boil spot. I've ate so many and always come back to rays. The sauce is outstanding. Service is good, a bit of a wait but so worth it. Everything tastes fresh, the ultimate power seasoning is my fav. The garlic noodles are excellent too. Can't say enough good things been a customer for a decade! read more

Ray's Crab Shack - Seafood Near Me - Newark, California

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Bought 2 pounds of shrimp and it was garbage it was undercooked and so slimy it was disgusting I had to throw it away so mad I wasted my money here. I would Not recommend the shrimp boil from here. read more

I have been going to this place since they opened 15+ years ago and this was my first time in a year, and I would still say this is one of the best seafood boil restaurants. We normally order the Rays combination and it still tasted just as good as I remembered. It's usually packed on a weekend but we went on an odd Wednesday night. The restaurant itself can accommodate lots of people and parking can be challenging (although they closed Bombay Gardeb next door which provides more parking). I hate comparing but if I had to choose between boiling crab or this place, for price and taste purposes, I would always choose this place. read more

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**forgot to take photos of the food, we were hungry LOL** This place used to be my favorite seafood boil place out of different seafood boil restaurants i've tried all over the bay area... haven't been back here in a while, overall, I feel like the food didn't hit as much as it was back then. The service used to be better back then, but the wait was very long this time even if we already beat the rush on a Friday night. The ambiance inside hasn't changed over the years. Cute inside, but nothing too special. Good enough spots in the parking lot. read more

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I know restaurants have their good days and they have their bad day. My last review, I believe they were having such an off day, because this is one of my go to seafood boil places. I had to call ahead of time to see if there was a wait, and the worker said, maybe 5-10 minutes. We were in Union City at another seafood boil place because we were in the area, but their wait was 45 minutes. That's when I called Rays. So glad I did and we went. We were seated right away, with no wait. It is always a hit or miss with who is the cook in the back. I always get a pound of shrimp, The whole Shabang, Medium. Sometimes their medium lacks that kick and other times it hits the spot. This time, it really hit the spot. My boyfriend who gets the same flavor but Mild, and he loved that this time it had a small kick to it. This time, NOOOO shrimp was over cook. Everything also came out very quickly. This was also my boyfriends first time getting The Whole Shabang as his flavor and he loved it. His cajun spice tolerance has gotten so much better. The service was not over the top or had a WOW factor. Our food came out quick, they checked up on us once, but that was at the beginning of our dinner. We needed water refills but got it at the very end when we were almost done and ready to go. They were all really nice and friendly though. read more

Ray's Crab Shack - Seafood Near Me - Newark, California

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Really enjoyed the food here! We all loved the clam chowder! Good customer service :) The food was very good! We all enjoyed our time there! read more

I wasn't a fan of seafood boil until I came here. The king crab legs are fire and so are the micheladas. I can't get enough of this place now read more

Ray's Crab Shack - King crab legs - Seafood Near Me - Newark, California

Good food but make sure the shrimp is not soggy. Long wait during dinner so come early. Do not park next door.

Food was delicious piping, hot and affordable. Great customer service. food comes out within minutes. Great for when you're hungry.

First time at Rays. Very busy with full tables. We waited maybe 6-8 minutes for a booth to accommodate 6 in our group. So many servers we always seemed to have what we needed. Waitress took our orders and the food came in reasonable time. Some ate a bag of seafood, others ordered Crab Rolls and a Seafood Salad. Everything tasted good. I think what I didn't like was that entrees were served with plastic flatware and plates. So I gave a 4 rating. I'm sure it's to keep cost down and quick clean ups. The food was expensive and I would prefer regular serving ware for the price. read more

Ray's Crab Shack - Seafood Near Me - Newark, California

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I haven't been here since before the pandemic so I went with a friend and my sister. The food was delicious and came to the table hot and quickly. I got the Cajun headless shrimp, some appetizers to share, and the garlic noodles. The shrimp were just as good as I remember no complaints. My only issue was at the end when the check came and I had to pay a mandatory tip of 15%. I didn't see anywhere where it said that tip was mandatory so that's a little crazy, especially with the option for an additional tip. It's a bit of a pricey meal but for the flavors, it's easy to forgive. read more

Been a patron here for 15+ years. Always gave this place a chance no matter the quality. The last two visits, however, felt like the prices have gone up and the quality has completely tanked. The seafood bays are more grease than flavor. The shrimp baskets lack flavor and the fries are skimped on. read more

I love this restaurant. I went there this afternoon with my husband. I had to buy a gift card and have lunch. Everything was wonderful. My husband and I ordered a lot of food. I'm so glad I have dinner for tonight. The service is fantastic. The food is fantastic. I'm so glad to have this restaurant in our area. I thank your entire staff. read more

This is one of our regular spots with the family. Today we had lunch here after church. Today is not as busy since it's still early. We normally have to wait a little bit because of the long line. This is popular because of their seafood dish in a bag, specifically the shrimp ! The servers are very attentive and helpful. The restaurant is very spacious and clean. Their decorations are on point and make you wet to eat seafood! read more

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The Ray's Special seafood boil is pretty good! The shrimp is larger than most seafood boil places which we like. The sausages are sweeter than what I am used to, and I didn't enjoy them. Their Cajun is also unique, cant quite pinpoint the difference but it doesn't taste like the usual Cajun at other seafood boil places. The two times I've been here, we were seated immediately and the service was fairly quick. Lots of tables and seating inside. There is also a lot of free parking available. read more

The service was very quick and attentive. The interior was decorated on theme and the food was very hot and delicious! We got the fries and boiled shrimp with Cajun garlic seasoning and not spicy. We thought the sauce on the shrimp was so flavorful! read more

Ray's Crab Shack - Shrimp - Seafood Near Me - Newark, California

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Bomb.com! Better than any crab place i have tried! Wait time is short! Even when full! Food is delicious. Service is great! Taste is better than any where! read more

This place will always be a favorite since it was my late father in laws favorite. This place is what we compare other places to. They are very consistent in quality and taste. Always yummy. Also in service. Very friendly. The place is on the dark side as it's dimly lit, which I prefer but it might not be everyone's preference. read more

Ray's Crab Shack - Ray's Combination Bag (no substitution) - Seafood Near Me - Newark, California

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Hell yeah. My boyfriend and I's favorite seafood boil in the east bay. They have the best sauce idc what anyone else says lol the best service too! read more

Ray's Crab Shack - Seafood Near Me - Newark, California

Ray's Crab Shack adds a mandatory gratuity to the bill, with the amount varying based on party size, according to reviews. Who does that? We were 2 people!! We didn't know this and almost added an additional tip. I saw it and questioned it. The amount they charged was huge!! I complained loudly about scamming people and they removed it from my bill. read more

I've eaten here a bunch of times over the years, and this was one of the better occasions. There was a dip in quality just after the pandemic, but this time, the food was delicious. The menu has expanded since the early days. They now offer a variety of items, including clam chowder, beef loin, fried à la carte options, and salads. I come for the seafood in the bag. The staff is really nice. Very attentive. There is plenty of parking and it's excellent for a group dinner. My party ordered three 1lb servings of shrimp (head-on) with Ultimate Power sauce, both mild and non-spicy. Everyone in my group enjoyed the flavor. The shrimp here are always large, though a couple in the bag were overcooked, making them a bit mushy. However, overall, it was fine. I had two pounds of crawfish with Ultimate Power sauce, extra spicy. It comes with sausage and corn, and I added an egg. The egg cost $2.00, but I get it--eggs are expensive. My only gripe was that some of the crawfish were really small, which can make them mushy. However, there were only a few. Generally, at Ray's, the crawfish are big--that's why I always go for the 2 lbs. We also had clam chowder, three orders of rice, and sweet potato fries. I love dipping my fries in the sauce! All in all, a great place for a meal. The prices always seem to go up, so be mindful if you're on a budget. That said, Ray's is still one of the best places in the Bay for seafood boil. Remember, Ray's is a local business--let's support our local spots instead of giving our money to big-box eateries whenever possible! read more

Quick update for their Lunch Specials as of 7/22/24: They currently have 3 lunch specials at $14.95 and I think they provide good value in today's pricing standards. We tried out the Fried Fish Special and thought it was great: 1.) Fish was crispy on the outside but juicy on the inside 2.) Variety of goods (Clam Chowder, Cajun Fries, Salad, etc.) 3.) Good Portion Sizes Definitely give their lunch special a try if you are in the area. read more

Ray's Crab Shack - Fried Fish Special - Seafood Near Me - Newark, California

Food here is great. Service is always on point . The ambience is chatter and music just perfect. read more

Ray's Crab Shack - Garlic noodle - Seafood Near Me - Newark, California

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The flavors here are explosively amazing!!! That sauce recipe here is the best! Service is always good and the wait is not bad at all compared to other overhyped places. It's a cool looking place and the set up is very nice. read more

Fun place with a group. It's a seafood boil, though they have a lot of other options too. There was 8 of us and we had 4 lbs of shrimp, 2 lbs of clams and sausage with the mild spicy sauce. The seafood comes out piping hot and you're just picking it out with your fingers (watch out, it is HOT). Ordered sides of rice which goes wonderfully with the seafood sauce. Great garlic bread as well, we kept ordering more and more as there is only 4 slices per order. It's simple, down to eat food. Service is nice. Best to go with a group. read more

Not worth the high price. Other places have good food with lower prices. We used to love that place. Not anymore. read more

I was craving seafood boil and wanted to try out rays since it was close to me. I ordered a few pounds of shrimp head on to go and it was delicious. The sauce was hitting and the shrimp didn't taste like it was bad quality. (Most places don't use the best shrimp) I loved how they packaged everything nicely for my take out order. I'd love to come back and dine in next time to try their other items :) read more

Ray's is always 5 star. The food is always good. The service is always good. The restaurant is always clean. This is one of our favorite places to eat in the Bay Area. read more

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Food was delish! But noticed that there was less shrimp in the bag than usual. Love everything else. Just add more shrimp.

Never disappoints! The spiciness, sometimes varied but always so good. My go to order is the shrimp and crab deluxe bag w garlic noodles, and Cajun fries. 10/10. read more

Ray's Crab Shack - Shrimp & crab deluxe bag (ultimate power/hot) - Seafood Near Me - Newark, California

This place is amazing. The food tastes fresh and the people are always friendly. It is always worth the drive to get the best catfish I've had on the west coast. read more