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    The Boiling Crab

    4.2 (94 reviews)
    Closed 3:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

    Waitlist - The Boiling Crab

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    The Boiling Crab Photos

    THE BOILING CRAB ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Classy

    Recommended Reviews - The Boiling Crab

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    Menu
    Maria G.

    So happy to see the Boiling Crab in the east coast! I still remember going to its CA location a decade ago, and waited in line for hours for the first time to try the food. It was so good that I went back the next day, again waited for an hour, to try the food again. It's messy, so be prepared. It's also super delicious. I always bring my own disposable gloves, just so it's easy to eat and then maybe take a break and then put on new gloves to continue eating. The menu is simple, so it's easy to decide what you want. Highly recommend this place.

    Gloria L.

    I've had a lot of seafood boil before and I have to say this place is great! Plus, the medium actually has kick to it, which I loved. And they have hard boiled eggs as an option to add on, I've always wanted to try seafood boil with eggs after watching a mukbang. Not only was the food delicious, but the staff was attentive and nice. The decor was cute and seatowny, would come back

    Garlic butter
    Christy W.

    We had lobsters all around -- so delicious! The Cajun fries were really good, and everything came loaded with garlic butter. Tasty cocktails too -- a great meal all around!

    Taste of TBC Combo Deal with added sausages
    Loren M.

    As a college student in Boston craving seafood boil, The Boiling Crab in Cambridge is a great choice! I got the "Taste of TBC" combo deal, where I got a large bag of shrimp, corn and mussels with delicious fries on the side. The service was adequate and they were very helpful breaking down the prices for their seafood offerings. I do wish they checked in a bit more as I often had to call them to request for water refills. The atmosphere of the restaurant is very nautical and whimsy, which was nice. I can see lots of people from different backgrounds (college students, families, elders) enjoying eating here.

    Shrimp, crawfish, crab leg , sausage, potato, egg
    Kelly F.

    Service was good. Food was good. SO MUCH GARLIC. I think I would go again but was tough on the stomach. There's no other place like this in the city. Would recommend !

    Sweet Black Tea
    Nat B.

    Sometimes I crave fried seafood but don't feel like going to a fancy dine-in establishment for that. Thankfully, there's Boiling Crab, and it hit the spot! I got the fried soft-shell crab basket with Cajun fries, and it was absolutely delicious; perfectly portioned and affordable, too. Shoutout to Maisa, who was an incredible server! She was so kind, accommodating, and super knowledgeable about the menu. She needs a raise! I'll definitely be coming back and hope to have her as my server again.

    Alyssa C.

    love a good seafood boil place and this did not disappoint. the snow crab and shrimp were fresh and delicious and I would stick to these! the fresh crawfish was alright. the whole sha-bang sauce was a great choice that combines all of the sauces. mild had a decent kick while still being very flavorful. crabber fries with lemon and pepper were excellent. I just wish they had garlic noodles as a side too

    Monica A.

    So good! This might be a bit of a hot take, but my favorite item here is actually the hard-boiled eggs in the Whole Sha-Bang seasoning -- I'd be happy with just those. They've got all the classics: crab, shrimp, mussels, clams. If you're getting shrimp, go with the headless option -- it's a better deal. The staff was great and really accommodating. We had mussels that didn't have much meat, and they quickly replaced them with clams and made sure we were taken care of. It's a fun, hands-on experience with just the right amount of spice. Definitely on the oily side, so not an everyday meal, but perfect when you're craving a seafood boil. This location is solid and homey -- hoping they add scallops to the menu soon.

    Munah H.

    We dined at Boiling Crab a few times and every time is great! The atmosphere is so lively and welcoming. This time Val was our server and she was very friendly! We ordered the TBC Combo which comes with 1 lb. of Boiled Shrimp, 1/2 lb. of Mussels, 2 Corns and Crabber Fries. Every was cooked fresh and tasted amazing. 5/5! We will be back!

    Akshita P.

    Loved the flavors of the sha-bang shrimp! it paired perfectly with the side of white rice. Also would recommend the cajun fries, well seasoned and crispy. Inside is very spacious and can seat large groups.

    Menu front
    Jonathan A.

    It's unfortunate that the prices here are so steep, especially considering it's not a Black-owned crab boil or a spot that incorporates Cajun culture. The drinks were disappointing--do not recommend the hibiscus mule. It was awful, and they still charged me for it, even after I had to remind them to remove it from the bill. Meal 1 - Oysters: They didn't have the fresh, briny taste you'd expect. They were fine, but nothing special. Meal 2 - Calamari: The calamari was tough, and there wasn't much of it. The seasoning was lacking, but it was okay overall. The boil itself was tasty, but I still think it was overpriced. This feels like a one-time visit kind of place. The prices weren't clear, and there were too many stipulations on portion sizes--like only being able to order shrimp in half-pound increments, which didn't make much sense. Other places give more accurate pricing. If you're craving NOLA and a good boil, you'd probably be better off booking a flight. It would be much more satisfying.

    Side ("extra") Gumbo w/ extra sausage
    Mark T.

    I have to be honest with you all - when my friends decided this would be the spot to celebrate two birthdays in one, I was a little skeptical. Don't get me wrong, I generally enjoy seafood, but not cooked shellfish. Especially when I have to get my hands dirty and deal with shells and cartilage... just not a fan. Yet: 1. This celebration wasn't about me. 2. Life occurs outside the comfort zone. 3. I did see some items on the menu I would've found agreeable. All this in mind, The Boiling Crab ended up being an overall fantastic experience! I ordered She-Bang Bang Scallops Medium Hot, and a side ("Extra") of Gumbo with Extra Sausage. The scallops were fantastic! They were fried ever so gently to have a gentle crispness and supremely tender interior. They were also not overly fishy - too many places seemingly use the same oil for everything, and if that's the case here, I couldn't tell. The sauce, though, is what took them to the next level. It was phenomenally savory, not overly salty, and had a proper heat! To be fair, while I ordered them "medium" and they were more "hot," it was agreeable to my heat loving self regardless of nomenclature. Rice was a nice touch too to help sop up any excess liquid fire-gold. Since the scallops weren't all that filling on their own, the gumbo hit the right spot in rounding out the meal. While maybe not quite as good as what I had in NOLA proper, it was respectable in its own right. Savory, hearty, appropriate salt level, and well balanced (esp with extra sausage). But wait, there's more! There are two more areas where The Boiling Crab shines! One is service: Our server, Angie, and the overall team were fantastic. She was knowledgeable, and perfectly attentive for our group. Food came out very fast, too. Bonus points because we were a group of eight! Second is value: There is no denying seafood is expensive on its own, and even more so when dining out. Considering the quality, I would say the value at TBC was excellent! Thus, despite my initial hesitations, TBC left a glimmering first impression, and I look forward to returning, and maybe even bringing family to share in the awesome!

    Dining room
    Chris M.

    I started off with soft shell basket. It came with 2 crabs cut in half with Cajun fries. I wish there more but I suppose they need to make a profit I felt like I was near the ocean. There was a lighthouse in the dining room. The fries had some Cajun spice on them. I had them mild which was plenty hot for me. They had other choices available. Because of the way the dinning room was decorated, there was nothing to absorb the noise. The floor and walls were wooden so the sound carried.

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    2 months ago

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    4 months ago

    Unique place. You eat your food with your hands from a plastic bag. Not sure I will go back....

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    3 years ago

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    We're so glad you stopped in for a bite! Thank you for the 5 stars.

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    9 months ago

    Fantastic food and drinks with top-notch flavors, complemented by exceptional service from Lorena and Fernando!

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - The Boiling Crab

    What is parking like?

    There's no on site parking but there are a good amount of metered parking spots around Harvard Square. The area can become pretty busy on the weekends but we've always managed to find street parking.

    Can we place order online?

    No.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Neptune Oyster - Calamari

    Neptune Oyster

    4.2(6.8k reviews)
    3.4 miNorth End
    $$$

    Very yummy seafood! We waited about 45 min at 5 pm on a Sunday evening (holiday weekend). It was…read morevery cozy in there and we shared a table with other people but we didn't mind. We ordered a bunch of raw oysters, a lobster roll, a cioppino with lobster on top, and a burger (my husband wanted to try it). The oysters were delicious and the lobster on the roll and in the cioppino was excellent. My favorite dish was the cioppino - what a delicious variety of seafood and so filling too!!

    I think a lot of people, like myself, end up here after realizing that JAMES HOOK & CO closes…read morepretty early. After a quick Yelp search, you find yourself looking at Neptune Oyster reviews. We ended up going from Fenway Park to Neptune Oyster by taking the train. When we arrived, we saw there was a substantial line. We ended up waiting about 1 hour and 20 minutes. They make you stand in line outside the restaurant and have signs that say, "Please don't block the other business entrances" and "Please stand behind this sign." Meanwhile, I'm thinking this is 2026 and Yelp must have some sort of online or phone number check-in system where they could text you once your table is ready. But I think, selfishly enough, the restaurant does this so other people walking by notice the line, and it acts as good advertisement for them. Anyhow, we decided to try the lobster roll with fries, six oysters, the bluefin tuna crudo, and their "clam chowder." Yes, I put "clam chowder" in quotes because it was more of a soup than a traditional chowder. I could have gotten past the texture, but it had no flavor and, unfortunately, we had to send it back, which I don't think I've ever done at a restaurant before. The oysters and tuna were pretty good, and I enjoyed them. The lobster roll was also decent, but nothing that I would rave about. Maybe that's my fault because, again, they are not a lobster roll restaurant. It says it right in their name that they're an oyster restaurant, so partially my fault. I was guided by Yelp when I searched for lobster rolls and thought maybe they were known for them due to all the pictures posted on their Yelp page. Overall, I think it's a little overrated and not worth the wait and the $130 bill.

    Photos
    Neptune Oyster - One of the few lines worth standing in + oysters of the day

    One of the few lines worth standing in + oysters of the day

    Neptune Oyster - Wednesday - Fish & chips

    Wednesday - Fish & chips

    Neptune Oyster - Woodbury Littleneck Clams

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    Woodbury Littleneck Clams

    The Daily Catch

    The Daily Catch

    4.1(2k reviews)
    3.5 miNorth End
    $$$

    Cozy little Italian restaurant in Boston. We came to Boston early on our road trip with the sole…read morepurpose of eating dinner here and was very glad we got there early, as there was already a line forming by restaurant open. The combination of it being limited seating (it holds less than 20 people) and being a popular spot makes it quite hard to get in without a long wait, so I would recommend right when it opens. Food wise, we got the Squid Ink Pasta and Calamari. The calamari was the perfect combination of crispy on the outside, but soft on the inside, which I find a lot of restaurants don't do a great job of doing. The squid ink pasta was also delicious and on par with any quality Italian restaurants in NYC. I would come back again if I'm ever in the Boston area and want a nice Italian restaurant. Also this place is CASH ONLY so be prepared before coming.

    A small hole-in-the-wall type of restaurant. The locals recommended we stop by here for lunch while…read morevisiting Boston and it was well worth it! The kitchen is right next to the dining area so you can watch the chef in action. All the dishes were flavorful but I'd say my top dish was the clam pasta. The Monkfish Marsala does have a sweet taste to it and a nice aroma. We definitely came out of there fully stuffed and likely will come back in the future! Be aware that they take cash only.

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    The Daily Catch - Corner seating with an open window

    Corner seating with an open window

    The Daily Catch - The best meal I had in Boston. Get their world famous Lobster Frav Diavolo!

    The best meal I had in Boston. Get their world famous Lobster Frav Diavolo!

    The Daily Catch - Mix siafood

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    Mix siafood

    The Boiling Crab - seafood - Updated May 2026

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