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    Shaking Crab - Boston Common

    3.6 (202 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 9:30 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    Business Info

    SHAKING CRAB - BOSTON COMMON ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Dee C.

    I went and got crab legs, Shiggy my server let me to think that a half isn't good enough so I bought two. If you can't eat that much that's definitely a mistake. It came with potatoes and corn, I really love corn so I got a side of their fried corn. I don't regret that at all, though I could eat less cuz it was so much food. I also got muscles and shrimp, the sauce I got was really good. I love this location because you get to look out at downtown while you're eating, and you can find parking actually. The servers are great and friendly. This was on a Super Bowl Sunday so there wasn't much people there but they did have the game on. I like that they cater to their customers.

    Kelly Z.

    This place is soo underrated! Their seafood boil is so affordable, so delicious and so juicy! We got 2 pounds of the shrimp head on, 1/2 pound of mussels, 1 pound of snow crab and a side order of the sausage. Plus a side of the garlic noodles. It came all in one bag with 1 corn and 1 potato. We got the SHAKING sauce medium level spicy and it was so flavorful and it has a good balance of flavor and spice. It comes with a lot of garlic and seasoning as you can see in the photo, they were piled right on top of the seafood! The shrimp and mussel were super big and juicy! It goes so well with the sauce!! The snow crab came in a big cluster of 5 and the meat was cooked just right. We shared all of this among 3 people and I think it was just the right amount for $22 per person. However, there was a big table of drunk people behind us and they were so loud and disturbing. The place is not that big, so they really took up lots of room and were really load. We sat right next to them and they really gave us a headache and it was hard for us to even talk to each other without yelling. I wish the employees could have handled them better or at all, but I understand how difficult it would be to control a big group of drunk people. That was our only issue but I hope this is just a one time instance and it doesn't happen often.

    Menu
    Emma M.

    Haven't been to another place with a Cajun boil near Boston and was impressed by the size of the crawfish. For two people we got the boil with snow crab (full), crawfish (full), and shrimp (full) with the shaking sauce and hot spice plus sausage add-on. The food was all delicious. We are used to spice and it wasn't too hot, could try the next level. This seemed like the right amount of food for both of us. The server was great and helped us navigate the menu.

    Erika Chloe R.

    It was my boyfriend's first time trying seafood boil and he totally enjoyed! I think they were a bit understaffed the night I went, but the people working were still so nice and accommodating. At first we were sorta confused walking in because you have to go upstairs to get a table, and we weren't sure what to do since no one was downstairs to help us out for a bit. But once we got sat, they were very friendly and helpful. The place wasn't too busy when we went, besides one big party. So it was pretty chill and didn't feel crowded at all. The seafood seemed good quality to me and I really liked the sauce. Overall, I like the place a lot and I hope to come again the next time I'm in Boston!

    Shaking Specials
    RA J.

    Good food. Good service. The ambiance was just blah like most places in Boston. I think it's a Boston thing. But I was able to watch the Celtics vs Heat on tv while I ate a late dinner after seeing Tracy Morgan comedy show that was being taped for HBO. The taste is different than similar restaurants in other parts of the country. I will admit that I like I had a choice of spiciness for my food.

    Crawfish roll
    Gladys C.

    The food was great! Especially, the boiled bag with king crab, shrimp, lobster tail, potatoes and corn ( add on). The crawfish roll...not a fan but it was great because I had lobster roll and crab roll today to another restaurant. Service was good he obliged to request that we sat in the first floor because of medical reason. The shack was cool . Lighting was good too.

    Grier F.

    Overall rating: 5 stars, a hidden gem in Boston and my absolute favorite for seafood boil Food: seafood boil, calamari, noodles, we got the combo bag which could either be purchased in 1/2 pound bags or 1 pound bags. Our combo bag had shrimp, king crab legs, mussels, potatoes, and corn. Texture: the house Cajun sauce is gooey and delicious, it coats the seafood and sides beautifully Pricing: $35 for a half pound bag (you get a half pound of chosen seafood) Ambiance: There isn't much for ambiance, a few nautical inspired decor. The windows face Boston Common and lets a good amount of light in Seating & Parking: lots of seating, it's located above a cafe, no parking spaces Service: straight forward! Music: pop and country Bathrooms: men and women bathrooms Final comments: move favorite seafood boil spot, they empty your seafood boil into trays for easiest access

    Fried corn

    Came back here again. I got the half lobster, which is one lobster tail, half mussels, which are around 8-9 mussels and I added noodles. The mussels are fresh and big and the lobster is good too. The only problem is that the sauce is outside and the seafood doesn't have much sauce flavor when we eat them. The corn and potatoes are worse because they just taste like steamed ones and then flavor is really not in it. Unless we have to eat together with the garlic which has the sauce flavor. The noodle is good though as it's the most flavorful. They just don't give you a fork by default. So it's weird to eat noodles with hand. Service is slow on the first floor. The lighting is dim at night as well.

    Roach  cooked in sauce/crawfish batch.

    I was disgusted after receiving my crawfish and crab legs only to find a roach in the bag of crawfish. I couldn't believe it. Makes me wonder about the sanitary conditions of this restaurant. I will never eat here or order from this place. I am beyond disgusted. I called to inform them and someone told me to email Simon, and they provided the email address. I emailed and sent pictures. No response. I have written a rating on Yelp in years, but I refuse to not share to prevent others from having a similar experience. I wish I could leave a 0 rating.

    FRIED CATFISH BASKET, SEAFOOD GALORE with Cajun seasoning

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    2 years ago

    Good EXCELLENT and Service, Riken, also EXCELLENT 5 Stars! We had the lobster roll, kid's catfish and clam chowder- all sooooo good!

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    Ask the Community - Shaking Crab - Boston Common

    Can we do reservations?

    Yes! Check on Opentable

    How much is your cheapest dish?

    It is less than ten.

    Is there decent amount of seating in the restaurant? I was hoping to come with a group of 5.

    Hi Ruby! We’ve got just over 100 seats (including the bar) at the Boston Common location. Please give us a call at 617-936-3162 for current availability or to make a reservation.

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    A Boston must-try, Neptune's is a tiny restaurant (like, 20-25 people max seating) that will very…read morelikely have a line when you arrive. Unless you wanna wait an hour or so, it's best to arrive 30min before they open to beat the rush. It's incredibly cramped and rushed inside, and you may need to share a table with others if you're a smaller party. Food is quite pricey but well worth it. We ordered the oysters (they've got a variety so you can choose), clam chowder, lobster roll, cioppino, and johnnycake. Oysters were fine, but the clam chowder was absolutely dismal. Not sure what happened, especially since it's so highly rated, but it was extremely watery and almost completely unseasoned. It could've definitely used salt at the very least. If I didn't know it was from Neptune, I'd have given it a 2/10. To my relief, the lobster roll was the total opposite. Succulent, juicy, heavenly. It was like being in Maine. The cioppino was also very good. The Johnnycake was an interesting but fun way to end the meal. It's a sweet pancake-like cornmeal covered in a syrupy glaze and topped with smoked bluefish paste, crème fraiche and caviar. I've never had anything like it. Nothing was super overpriced, but I personally prefer next door (Paulini's), which is much cheaper and while it isn't as good, it also doesn't require waiting in an hour in line. However, I think Neptune's is definitely worth a try as long as you're willing to wait in line.

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    Busy restaurant on the water and one of my favorite lobster rolls on this trip. Huge portions and…read morevery lively in here. Server was a bit slow but due to the influx from the FIFA fans. Started with the cup of clam chowder that comes dripping from the cup. They use a lot of dill here and come out hot. A bit on the salty side but oyster cracker helps with that. The lobster mac and cheese came with a salad. The lobster mac had a nice broiled cheese top and a creamy inside. Nice lobster and cheesy flavor to it. I got the warm lobster roll and changed it to come with onion rings for $1. The onion rings tasted homemade. Slight crisp to it and thick onions. The lobster roll was massive and the amount of lobster it came with was incredible. Poured the hot butter and squeeze lemon on it for an amazing bite. Would come back here for a larger party to share the plates and order more stuff from here. The lobster bisque is only on the weekends. They have daily menus as well.

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    Corner seating with an open window
    Corner seating with an open window
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    The 3 pounder
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    Clockwise: lobster Mac and cheese, lobster bisque, clam chowder, 2 regular lobster rolls

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    Clockwise: lobster Mac and cheese, lobster bisque, clam chowder, 2 regular lobster rolls

    Shaking Crab - Boston Common - cajun - Updated July 2026

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