Good service, delicious food I 100% recommend this restaurant and one of the best restaurants I've tried

Love the food here!! We love coming here with family. Go the whole sha-bang, it's the tastiest. read more

Honest review, it's OK, it could be better. Server was OK but he went on break right after we ordered and we never saw him again. Nice kid. The lobster was $80. 2 bucks extra for corn. The shrimp I asked for melted butter too and that was $.75 extra, although it came with the lobster. OK. The shrimp was 18-20 bucks, two bucks extra for corn and I don't remember how much it was for sausage. sausage was the best thing out of the whole meal. It's boiled lobster, it was very chewy. The shrimp was very chewy too almost mushy tough. It just wasn't what I expected it to be. Not great, not horrible either. Would we go again as a couple? No. Would we take family there if they wanted to go there and experience it once, sure. It was just disappointing. It wasn't as wonderful as I thought it would be. I think when you order an $80 lobster it should at least come with corn or potatoes. If somebody's ordering a little bit of butter with $140 meal, just give them the butter. The beer was nine dollars. The onion rings were nine dollars. It was just too much for what it was. The place is decorated nice, seemed clean. Pretty loud though. Music is up way too loud. read more

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The Boiling Crab Came here for seafood and left very satisfied. From the start, the staff were friendly, welcoming, and quick to take care of us. Even during a busy time, service was fast and attentive, and the servers were very enthusiastic and helpful. The seafood was fresh, flavorful, and juicy. The seasoning was bold without being overwhelming, and everything tasted well-prepared. Portions were generous and perfect for sharing, especially if you come with friends or family. The restaurant itself is large, clean, and spacious, so it didn't feel crowded. The atmosphere was lively but still comfortable, making it a fun place to enjoy a casual meal. Parking was another big plus, plenty of space and very easy to find, which is always a bonus. Overall, a solid spot for great seafood, excellent service, and a comfortable dining environment. Would definitely come back. Food: 4/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 4/5 read more

The Boiling Crab - Seafood Near Me - San Marcos, California

The wait time was 2 hrs long Friday night. Luckily there is a yelp waitlist online where we can add our names before heading over to the restaurant. No blue crab or live crawfish offered that evening. They ran out of Dungeness crab; however, our waiter came back when it became available again, but we had already decided on snow crab, which I regretted later. Both the crab and shrimp tasted less than fresh. I ordered the medium Whole Sha-Bang and the spice was so overpowering that it masked the freshness of the seafood. What made our dining experience memorable was our waiter. He was very attentive and even tied our bibs for us. The y2k music was on par and kept the vibes going. read more

I came here for my friend's birthday. I'm not a seafood person so I didn't get crab. So I can't speak on that. They had a very limited menu for someone who doesn't eat crab. The chicken fingers were pretty good all in all. The French fries were rather bland and not that great. The staff was helpful but kind of had an attitude to her too. I got the corn on the cob, which came in a bag with the seasoning of your choice. It was overcooked though. The place has a bunch of tables and booths but still expect a wait. They had sinks outside of the bathroom, which I thought was a good idea for those crab eating peoples. read more

The Boiling Crab - French fries - Seafood Near Me - San Marcos, California

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Not worth the long wait tbh, but it is the only seafood boil place in the area. I've had better in other places, and better prices. I got two pounds of live crawfish and it took a bit for them to come out. But the crawfish were big and meaty and definitely juicy. I got the whole sha bang as the flavor and it was indeed the whole sha bang, filled with all the flavors. read more

The Boiling Crab - Seafood Near Me - San Marcos, California

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First time trying and was not disappointed. Service and ambiance were very nice. Was surprised how busy it was for a Monday night. Everything came out quickly! read more

The Boiling Crab - Birthday feast! - Seafood Near Me - San Marcos, California

Cute host boy working there. food was bomb, diverse clientele and good folks having a good time

Staff is always very nice and accommodating and they are all well organized. The food is always really good

Was told that because our party was small (four people) there would be an hour and 45 minute wait. It went even 75% full?! Nope. That was the first time and last time I will enter their doors. Apparently my family is not good enough. read more

Ivana was absolutely awesome. This is me and my wife's second time here and Ivana was our server both times. I would not have e it any other way going forward. Excellent customer service. The food was great. The soft shell crab was bit salty but tolerable. Thank you Ivana for making our experience memorable read more

The Boiling Crab - My 2nd time to this establishment with my best friend, my wife. Great customer service, Ivana! - Seafood Near Me - San Marcos, California

Been here a few times and overall customer service has always been great even though it can get busy on a random weekday. Joining the waitlist on Yelp is a must! Wish it would open earlier than 3pm. I always get 1lb whole shabang medium shrimp with corn and potatoes - so bomb and flavorful. I can usually finish it if I'm pretty hungry. FYI The spice level varies on the batch (sometimes a bit too mild for my taste) but tonight the medium spice was perfect! They don't provide gloves unless you ask - your hands will thank you later lol I always order medium spice cajun fries on the side - the fries are top tier here. A michelada also pairs well with this type of food. Decent prices too Chill & casual ambiance with r&b/hiphop early 2000s music playing on the speakers read more

The Boiling Crab - Shrimp - Seafood Near Me - San Marcos, California

We visited The Boiling Crab in San Marcos for the first time and had a great experience! We went on a Saturday and arrived about 20 min before opening. There were a couple of groups ahead of us, and luckily there were a few benches outside. Plenty of parking and the restaurant was massive compared to the Mira Mesa location. The staff were welcoming from the moment we walked in. Shoutout to Paolo who was friendly and attentive! Hubby and I ordered the cajun fries, which had great flavor--though I do wish they were tossed a bit more evenly in the seasoning. We also ordered The Whole Shabang (medium spice) with 2 lbs of snow crab legs and crawfish, plus corn, boiled eggs, potatoes, sausage, and a side of rice. Everything was cooked perfectly--the corn was soft and sweet, the sausage had tons of flavor, potatoes were meh, and the spice level was perfect for us. We left uncomfortably full and felt like it was a great value for the price. Only downside is that they charge extra for additional sauces-- which is a bit annoying. But overall, we had a great experience and would definitely come back! read more

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Came around opening time and had to wait about 30-40 minutes. Lines build up fast here so make sure to get here early! Or at least sign up on the Yelp Waitlist if you are nearby. For the table, got shrimp, crawfish, lobster, corn and crabber fries: - For the fries, we chose cajun. It was decent but I think the flavor profiles didn't quite line up. I think I'd try a different flavor next time. - Skip the lobster. It ended up being way overcooked and chewy which was a bummer because it was the most expensive item. - Shrimp was the best. Highly recommend. Perfectly cooked. - Crawfish was fresh and tasted great but the size of crawfish was tiny. - Corn. Must get. Sweet and crunchy. - I get everything with whole shebang XXX spice level. Honestly it's not that much more spicy than medium. Wish there was another level higher. As for service. Fast and friendly. What more can you ask for. :) read more

The Boiling Crab - Crabber Fries (Half Order) - Seafood Near Me - San Marcos, California

Not good. It was my 1st and last time at this location. We got a text that our table was ready. Only to be told it wasn't when checking in. The Whole ShaBang sauce was sweet, flavorless and not spicy at all. We asked for mild. The fries weren't good. The sausage was the best thing out of the meal. The server didn't check on us until it was time to pay. She also didn't smile until the end. The food did come within 5 minutes of ordering though. read more

The food was good, but they're serving portions are really weird. You have to order everything separately.

Love coming to this restaurant for their seafood boil. My go to - Mussels and shrimp with Rajun Cajun Sauce (not spicy). Wash it down with their margarita. read more

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Food was good. And our server and the rest of the team were great especially coming in with a big party. Went on Monday night and didn't except it to be so busy because called and said there was no wait plus we had a big party so we put our name in the waitlist. Upon arriving, many parties had arrived and left so it looked like they kept seating every party as they go in the waitlist or not. Expecting to be seated right away once our whole party is all present because we already waited more than 30 minutes as is but they kept saying they are waiting for this one table to leave so they can accommodate to our big party. Understandable but the fact they had to wait for that specific area to be cleared, like we have been waiting for a while and they kept seating small parties. read more

WOW BEST BOIL IN TOWN, I drive over 2hrs to come here. Quick and friendly service and great atmosphere. Staff is always on top of it and it's always worth the drive. read more

It was my first time at Boiling Crab and it won't be my last. They have a convenient wait list that you can access through Yelp so you can avoid waiting too long at the location, which I advise since this is a very busy location. We joined the waitlist and waited an hour for the text letting us know that our table was ready. They allow 5 minutes of the text being sent before you lose your spot. We were across the street, and because of the traffic lights, we missed the deadline by a minute. The host was super understanding and gave us the next table available. The servers were very friendly and gave us bibs for our meal and recommendations on what to order. They were also very attentive, refiling our drinks without us having to ask, even though the restaurant was very full and busy. The ambiance of this restaurant was very busy and loud and the excitement of having a tasty meal was palpable in the air. We ordered a meal consisting of a Dungeness Crab, a pound of shrimp, clams, potatoes, eggs, and corn, and we had it seasoned the Whole Sha-Bang way (rajun cajun, lemon pepper, & garlic butter), and at a medium spicy level. To say I was in seafood heaven is an understatement! The whole meal was pricey (that crab alone was $90!!!) but everything was delicious! Overall, it was a great experience and I will be returning soon! :) read more

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First time at The Boiled Crab, not my first Cajun experience as a lived in Nola. The wait time for this place is huge, but using Yelp you can get on the list and arrive when you are almost ready to eat. The menu changes based on availability, so call ahead if you are concerned. The boils are brought out in bags, they provide bibs, gloves and napkins. We ordered the king crab boil, with three potatoes, two corn, and one sausage. We also added the fried shrimp basket and a bowl of gumbo (I just had to try it). The seasoning is great, mild has a kick, medium is like a 7 or 8 out of 10. The king crab was great. They give you a plastic cutting tool, but it works well. The corn, potatoes, and sausage were good, but not necessary after we had the fried shrimp basket that came with French fries. We had the lemon pepper fries and they were great. The gumbo was a bit on the dirty rice side, my critique is kinda unfair due to my exposure to places in New Orleans (check my review). Overall, the amount of food , the quality of the sauces in the boil and the ambience is outstanding. We'll be back again. read more

The Boiling Crab - Gumbo, small portion of rice in the center. - Seafood Near Me - San Marcos, California

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The only thing would be the wait time and but overall great food and great customer service.

The Boiling Crab continues to please, but I do have a not-so-nice thing about them. We have gone to this location several times in the last several months. Although they say they service Dungeness Crab, I think they have had it one time since they've opened that I've experienced. Everything else is good, but I suggest you go somewhere else if Dungeness is on your list. read more

It's one of those places that's a fun place to go. You can be messy and eat your food bring bring the kids. It's really loud in there. It's not a fancy restaurant like you would think but it's it's pretty good. read more

I've always wanted to come to the Boiling Crab and this was my first time. We came just before opening with a full line outside. We got seated immediately after giving our name to the hostess prior to opening and got seated at a booth. The booth was spacious they know their gluttonous big back audience well. Gotta have some room for the big tummy. The ambiance? Alright. The amount of SCREAMING infants was wild. Who brings an infant to a seafood boil place? Whatever. To each their own I supposed but that's the downside like damn how yall afford crab and diapers in this economy? We got king crab, mussels, shrimp, catfish and some fries. Everything was great. Will def come back. Our servers were awesome and informative for it to be our first time. read more

The Boiling Crab - Seafood Near Me - San Marcos, California

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Nope this place went down hill the shabang sauce wash wayyy to lemony $244 later it was aiite. I feel like their bags aren't as saucy as they used to be. I had a situation with the waitress and I was totally gas lit. They lost 7 customers today. It's loud and dark so misunderstandings are bound to happen. read more

My favorite Cajun restaurant! There are several out there that I love too but it's the sauce that always brings me back here. I've tried to replicate the sauce and I do come close to it but I still haven't made it perfect...one day lol You will always enjoy this place!!! read more

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Everything was perfect. The service I was so impressed and the food. It was so delicious. We went to celebrate my birthday so everything else was perfect for that day. read more

Well, this restaurant in San Marcos, CA is quite popular! Must say, it is not my style at all. They are known for their seafood, boil bags. However, they do offer other items on the menu, and my husband tried the chicken tenders. He enjoyed those. I ordered a boil bag with various shellfish. I did not like that they left the head and legs on the shrimp. That is so gross to me. They fill a bag up with all the seafood you ordered and boil it with spices of your choice. They bring it to your table in the bag. The bag then gets dumped onto the table. Oh, and they give you bibs to wear if you would like. Of course, I used a bib. This is messy food. Can also be considered fun food due to the festive, savage style of eating. I think this is a great, fun, family place. Shellfish was delicious. I tried the mussels, clams, and shrimp with sausage and corn. My daughter ordered the crab legs in her bag with other items and they were good. Decent size. read more

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For the most part had a good experience, left very full. Our server was very helpful and professional. I think the only reason I didn't give it a full 5 stars is because I ordered mild, and I'm pretty sure I received medium. My boil was a bit spicier than usual. I also realized I'm not the hugest fan of their sausage. It's kind of tough. Otherwise, shrimp, potatoes, and corn were delicious. read more

The Boiling Crab - 1/2 lb of shrimp, potatoes, sausage, and corn. - Seafood Near Me - San Marcos, California

This place is airways great and I'm so happy that they built this Kozak. We put ourselves on the waiting list which was to to an hour. Then we headed out. Got there and checked in then waited another 15 minutes. Once the 15 minutes were up, we ordered immediately. Our waitress Kayla was nice. A Michelada with Modelo Negro and Elysium beer (2) for drinks were ordered. For apps, half a dozen oysters were ordered and we placed all the fixings on them. Delicious as usual! We saw this guy squeeze lemon juice into his salt and pepper container and dip his food into it. He's a genius and we tried it and it was good. 1 pound of shrimp and sausage in whole shebang mild with rice and corn in butter was ordered a long with the fried shrimp basket with fries. My bf almost finished the whole shrimp basket and we almost finished the other food. But no worries, now i have the left over for lunch and can add more shrimp to the sauce. Win-win! We will always come back! read more

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Amazing service and food, will definitely come back. Great atmosphere, delicious food.

Love coming to this place! Was craving it for a few weeks & finally decided to come. As always, it did NOT disappoint! The snow crabs were amazing. I want to shoutout my server Zandra! Super funny & attentive! Thanks for the great service girl! Will be coming back soon. read more

The staff is friendly. The food as always is delicious and amazing. And the restaurant itself is very nice and I just love the way it's set up read more

It was our first time there. We ordered the Fries Calamari and Catfish baskets. Very delicious by the way. Our server was excellent, he was very kind and courteous. Love the bibs and the authentic table manner with the plastic cloth. I was also surprised how fast we were seated, even though the place was packed!!! Can't wait to go there again! read more

The Boiling Crab - Their Christmas Tree, which I love to see - Seafood Near Me - San Marcos, California

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The food is always great and the service is pretty quick. Really like the music they play as well.

This place is my secret comfort food! My husband and I love to come here randomly and share a couple of bags of food. We've been to a similar one in Hawaii and Arizona and this place was way better! Service is always great and friendly also love to tunes lol. Also prices are very reasonable so i can see why large groups like to come. Now that I'm writing this review we will probably stop by this weekend read more

I thought it was dinner. It wasn't. My soul was touched. What happened in there? That was a full-blown spiritual seafood awakening. Soon as we walked in, Ricky hit us with the energy of a man who's seen things--but still chooses kindness. Bro knew the menu like he wrote it. Said, "Y'all trust me?" And we did. Next thing I know, I'm elbow-deep in some sauce that had me questioning my whole childhood. Karen came through floatin' like an angel in Crocs. Her energy was peaceful. I asked for extra napkins--she brought me a stack. That's love. Then Alaysia showed up and straight up ran the table like a quarterback. Kept the drinks full, made sure the food was right, and hit us with a "Y'all good?" every 10 minutes like she actually meant it. She got that "I care but I'll still cuss you out if you disrespect my section" kind of vibe. Respect. We laughed so hard we forgot about life for a second. Food was fire. Service was elite. And now I can't eat shrimp without thinkin' about that night like it was a first love. Everyone I talked to. Smash. 10/10. Would risk high blood pressure again. read more

The Boiling Crab - Seafood Near Me - San Marcos, California

Food and services are always on point. Never disappoints. My kids and I love the pound shrimp