We waited 1:45 to be seated, which we agreed to. We waited another 15 minutes to be greeted by a server. Services was very slow. We were seated 35 minutes before we placed our orders. The water was very chlorinated. The tea was weak but sweet. The crab dip was mostly filler, not much crap with stale pita. The prices are outrageous and the market price for crab changed $20 per pound from check in to being seated. The food was overall not good. The crab legs were good, the slaw and applesauce was good, the firecracker shrimp they gave us as an apology were the best thing we had. The flounder, catfish, crab cakes and other sides were overcooked and bland. Our service continued to be super slow as we were only checked on 1 time the entire time we were eating. The server's attitude was very much an I don't care attitude. The manager came to talk to us about the bill after they asked us how we liked the food. The bill was $250 full price and they took off two of the meals bringing it down to $180. Very little was even edible for $180. This definitely seemed more like a tourist trap than a real restaurant. read more

The Crab Shack - Crab legs - Seafood Near Me - Salter Path, North Carolina

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I wanted to give this place a 4 or 5 because it's in a great location. The waitress was friendly and prompt and gave me honest suggestions when I asked for it. But the food was just ok, not amazing. And for the price, I was expecting something more. I realize these kinds of places do most of their sales off tourists in the summer but they are open all year and many locals want to eat out too from time to time. Our lunch was $89 dollars and that should have produced some amazing lunch but it was just ordinary, and I could have done better if I had made what I had at home. I had stuffed shrimp, and they were basically sharp like I would get at nay grocery store with some moist crab cake filling on top. It wasn't bad, in fact I liked it. It was just nothing special and should have been better for the cost. One plus and minus on the soda's. The fill your cup as expected with your soft drink of choice and put a little half sized pitcher of your soda on the table so you can fill your own glass. I like that. But, I ordered the Diet Pepsi because they don't have any ZERO drinks and used to have diet Dr Pepper but got rid of that. But it did not taste like a Pepsi, I think someone need to adjust the mix and clean out the pipes. It sort of tasted like several flavors were running through the same pipes. read more

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If you are a hush puppy lover, this is your place! We waited about 20 min. For a table at 6pm on a Monday night, but the hush puppies appeared as soon as we were seated. This is a casual, local spot with a great variety of seafood. Tonight we went for the 1 1/2lb Dungeness Crab (MP was $50, reasonable) that came with 2 sides & the Pan crab & shrimp (pan butter sauté) also w/2sides. We opted for the she-crab soup as an alternative for 2nd side ($3 up charge) - soup was very good. Both dishes were delicious, hot & served quickly! Denise, our server, never let us have an empty glass, attentive & friendly. Great meal, great service. We will be back! read more

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Heck yes I'd come back here again! My husband and I are visiting the area on vacation and, of course, I needed my fix of southern style fish, so I picked this place for lunch. We were seated right away(all inside seating with view of the bay) and given delicious hush puppies. We order half and half tea which was still sweeter than I'd like most of the time but good. They bring you a pitcher which is nice since things got busy and we didn't have to bother the waitress. We also ordered the crab balls as an appetizer. They were good, but were not needed as we got our plates at the same time and our plates were huge with more than enough food for us. I got the deviled crab to try something new. Reminded me of thanksgiving stuffing but seafoody. Loved it. The potato salad was really good, and so was the Cole slaw, but sooo sweet. It was like dessert for me. My husband got to fried shrimp and was by far the best we've ever had. The shrimp alone was a 10/10. I loved how thin the batter was and they were perfectly seasoned and cooked. You didn't need any sauce to dip them in and the minimal batter didn't leave your mouth coated in grease like most. I gave it a 4 because the menu didn't have descriptions so i had to ask what things were and the waitress didn't like seafood so it was hard to know what was a favorite or not. May be silly so some, but if you are particular or not from the area, there's several things you'd have no idea what they were, like deviled crab. The pricing was amazing though. My husband and I have ate this cheap in forever let alone on vacation. Hope you enjoy it too! read more

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Beautiful view! Decorated very ocean vibes and had peaceful feeling. Service was kind and quick (just how I like it) but I didn't feel rushed to leave but she worked well with quick eat and out 5 out of 5 Food: we got kids chicken tenders with apple sauce for $12.50 got a good bit for the price. Also the lunch pop corn shrimp with fries and green beans $12.99 3 out of 5 the shrimp was very oily. Bowl of she crab AMAZING!!!!!! Smooth and creamy 10 out of 5 Final lunch baby flounder sides of fries 3 out of 5 kinda bland. read more

I have eaten many things in my life. Some remarkable, some regrettable--but few quite so memorably appalling as my experience at Resultant, Crab Shack. A name which, I suspect, was the result of an unfinished thought. Or perhaps it refers to the "resultant" agony of dining there. Upon entering--if one could call crossing the threshold into chaos "entering"--I was immediately greeted by a "Proud Deplorable" sticker affixed to the host stand. A curious choice for a business, to shout its disdain for civility from the moment one arrives. I momentarily considered turning on my heel and walking into the sea. The service was best described as a disappearing act. Our waitress appeared once, huffed something vaguely approximating human speech between puffs of her vape pen--a plastic wand scented of despair--and then vanished, presumably to go rehearse for her role in a community theater production of Customer Service: A Tragedy. To my horror, seafood--frozen, mind you--was being stored in what may have once been the lobby, though now functions more accurately as a waiting room for disappointment. As for the crab cake: mon dieu. It arrived nestled in a bun that bore the char of indifference, its interior texture not unlike a loofah soaked in mayonnaise. It was not so much eaten as it was endured. I consumed it only out of necessity, starvation having dulled my instincts for self-preservation. Photographic evidence would suggest the meal was a practical joke. I assure you, it was not. Needless to say, I shall not return. Not for all the crustaceans in the ocean. Zero stars. -- Anton Ego read more

The Crab Shack - Seafood Near Me - Salter Path, North Carolina

A local told us about this place, which was further than we've been driving before. So we hadn't seen it. Due to our size party of 6, the weight was about 45 minutes. But we waited about thirty five minutes. We had a group of six and they brought us two baskets of delicious, hush puppies. The best I've had in the south. Whitney our waitress was super nice and when we asked for refills she brought little pitchers so we had plenty. The place is small and the tables are packed in but you don't feel like you are sitting on top of each other. The food was delicious and plentiful. read more

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We've been coming here for years, but it's no longer worth the infernal wait. The website suggested coming early for quicker service, but that's not what we found. We arrived at 5:50 and didn't get a table until 7:25. At that time, there was hardly anyone waiting. Our 95-minute wait was in the boiling heat (please add some fans to your outdoor waiting area) with a persistent smell of sewage outside - not sure what was going on there. Once we were finally called (behind two similarly-sized parties that arrived AFTER us) the inside was a wreck. The floor was littered with food, utensils, napkins, you name it, and many tables were waiting to be cleaned. In addition, it was so cold inside that our sweaty bodies revolted and we were all shivering pretty quickly. The bright spot of the night was our server. She was friendly and attentive without being over-bearing and all orders were accurate. The food was slow to come and was okay, but nothing to brag about, with the exception of the hush puppies, which were delicious, as they always have been. Sad to say, but this may have been our last visit to the Crab Shack. read more

I could give exact time stamps. I could give a play by play review, but I won't. The wait time we had was one hour and forty-five minutes. Post being seated, an hour went by before they even began putting in our drink order. The waitress had as bland of service as the food, and the overall atmosphere of the place was dirty and dingy. All three combos were overcooked and dry and flavorless. The crab legs were alright. Got skimped a claw. I can't stress how bad the prices were and upon further reflection, so overpriced Gordon Ramsey would barf. read more

Delicious meal with friendly and efficient service from Clara. It had the feel of being with family. We had a great table overlooking the sound. The hushpuppies were a delicious start. Even the iced tea tasted great. I had the senior grilled shrimp. I must have gotten 40 shrimp. I gave a 1/3 to my husband as I couldn't finish. The baked potato was salted nicely on the outside. The shrimp was grilled and sat in a little butter and spices. So delicious. The coleslaw was perfect t too. It was not too mayonnaisey. The key lime pie was a perfect sweet end. Delicious meal in a friendly, clean, cheerful restaurant. read more

The Crab Shack - Senior grilled shrimp with potato and Cole slaw - Seafood Near Me - Salter Path, North Carolina

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Service was really good. The place has your average dock skack feel. The shrimp was over cooked and very hard to peel to eat. The seasoning was very mild and I was not given an option for hotter. I would probably go back but I'm going to try other places first. read more

The Crab Shack - Mahi Mahi and the 1/2 pound shrimp . - Seafood Near Me - Salter Path, North Carolina

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Great surprise. Staff wonderful, food delicious and prices were reasonable. Triple win!

Hush puppies were hot. Fried flounder was good but lunch portion almost twice size of dinner portion. Soft shell crabs fried so crisp that they were tasteless - claw meat was completely dried out and body meat mushy, shell was like thin potato chip. Coleslaw okay. Tartar sauce was runny watered down mayonnaise with barely a speck of relish. Crab cakes were claw meat and breading, not much flavor. Fried onion rings and garden salad were tasty. NO butter in kitchen, served melted margarine. Server friendly but very rushed and stated she didn't know much about menu items. read more

This place is fantastic. it's location right in the water makes you enjoy the food and the view . The staff is super friendly and hospitable. True southern hospitality. The food there was DELICIOUS . The steamed platter was definitely memorable, satisfying and fulfilling. The fried shrimp was so good and crispy. The only thing is that the steamed platter was a little cold. But we'll definitely come back. read more

The Crab Shack - Steam Platter - Seafood Near Me - Salter Path, North Carolina

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Fabulous! Excellent service. Amazing food. Great prices. Truly worth a visit. This is one of our very favorite places. It's always friendly and welcoming. A real gem! read more

The best way to describe the seafood here is like being fed canned cat food. Very bland. Servers all at the desk had their backs to us when we walked in. Greeted with a single word "two?" And mumbles Tables all around us were crowded and dirty. Anyone who knows how waiting works it's their JOB to fill drinks and interact with their guest. Our drinks were filled once and then left with the pitcher and server never to be seen again. I hope it was cleaned before going to another table. I don't even use yelp, I installed it because of the amount of shock I had from this place Never going back. read more

Last weekend was our first time trying The Crab Shack and it has definitely earned a spot in our vacation dinner rotation. The quality of the food was incredible, nice large portions and the right price. We got our food to go so I can't speak to the ambiance but the ordering process and pickup was flawless. read more

I visit my friends in NC every other year, and try to eat here as often as I can during that week. To start, the hush puppies are simply superb. Perfectly done to a crispy finish, a hot basket of these delicious sweet treats arrives as soon as you are seated. Their $12.99 lunch specials are a fantastic buy any time, but especially in 2025 after 4 hot years of inflation. For just $3 more one can enjoy 2 choices, as I did today with flounder and popcorn shrimp. 3 of us had lunch, and our check was just over $40. Unlike some restaurants in Atlantic Beach, all of their seafood is absolutely fresh, and perfectly coated and fried lightly to perfection. Without exaggeration theirs is the best fried seafood I've ever eaten, anywhere. They also offer grilled, broiled and butter poached, but I have never gotten beyond the fried. Someday, maybe. In over 10 years and many lunches, always excellent, and always served by their pleasant, hardworking staff. You will not be disappointed. read more

The Crab Shack - Flounder and baby shrimp lunch special. $15.99 - Seafood Near Me - Salter Path, North Carolina

Parking was terrible with that being said we come to the door and wait to be greeted. No welcome in, no we will be with you in a minute. We decided it best to just leave and went next door to anchor pizza where we were greeted with a smile, seated immediately and had amazing service and delicious food read more

Food was very good and service was on point! Beautiful views! We went for lunch and each of us enjoyed our food. Niece won with the lobster pasta! read more

Stopped by the other day and had a great meal. No waiting as I just missed the crowd..staff was friendly and food was great. Will be back. I had the seafood platter, loved those oysters. read more

We ate outside, which was nice. The inside had a grunge seaside look to it. The waitress was very fast. I had the blackened tuna, which had a lot of seasoning caked on it. I had to scrape it off. For myself and my wife to get the blackened tuna and two drinks, it cost us well over $150. Not worth the money. read more

Service was just ok, but what turned us off of this place was the waitress chased down part of our party to complain for not tipping..... although a good tip was left in cash on the table. Both of our parties paid with a card, but only one tipped on the card and the other cash. It was the most rude and embarrassing experience. We will never return. read more

This is the worst place i have ever gone to, i dont use yelp, it was so bad that i downloaded yelp and im now writing this review. All the food was bland, the catfish had the texture of pulled-pork. The flounder was inedible. Crab cake were also bad but i was hungry and it was the only thing other than the side of coleslaw and an appetizer that was edible. On top of that, the final price was over $240 and we got a meal and a half meal off and we still had to pay over $180 for everything. Service was terrible considering we were only checked on 1 time the entire time. Just dont go here. read more

We went to the Crab Shack on a recommendation from a friend. If you are looking for delicious, fresh seafood, an air-conditioned restaurant with a great view, this might be the place for you! The service was amicable. We started with a generous basket of sweet hush puppies. Our server was friendly and helpful and recommended a variety of great options! We both had Seafood Plates Combinations. Mine was deviled crab and trout; my wife had soft-shell crab and shrimp. They came with a massive amount of fries and cole slaw. The Crab Shack is a must-stop in the Emerald Isle area. read more

The Crab Shack - Seafood Near Me - Salter Path, North Carolina

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Nothing but good things to say about this place. Amazing well staffed service. Awesome food. Owner came up and said hello and thanked us for being there. Way better then that drafthouse next door. Overall it was a 10/10 and I'd go back in a heart beat. read more

Well, the best part is the food... it is delicious! It's everything you would find at a beach restaurant. It's not real fancy, but it sure is good. There is plenty of seating. Unlike some other restaurants at Emerald Isle! If you don't like protein from the sea, there are also land options such as steak and hamburgers. Staff... From the minute you get out of your car, ( plenty of parking) you are greeted by staff at a picnic table where they have cold alcoholic beverages that you can buy while you're waiting for your table when your table is ready you're called into the restaurant where you are greeted by a wonderful set of staff at the front desk who then take you to your table. These people are amazing considering they really do most of their work over 12 weeks. Everybody works together the service is impeccable, even during the high season. They have a senior menu, which is fabulous and then they have regular entrées. Prices are excellent for being on the island. If you get there early enough, you might get a table right by the windows which overlook the sound and it's just beautiful, but there is no bad table in the place every table you can see outside and see the sound and the ships. I'm telling you don't miss this place read more

I have been visiting this local spot for over 15 years. I enjoy seeing everyone enjoying themselves with some great local seafood. The building hasn't changed and that's part of the charm. The waitresses are knowledgeable and sweet. The scallops are always top-notch! If you get a table near the windows you can watch the water and it's great for larger groups as well. read more

Went for lunch. Had a 30 minute wait. We waited on the back deck which overlooked the marina. Beautiful view. We had the lunch specials. Hush puppies were brought to the table as soon as we sat down. They were amazing! Food was really good with plenty of leftovers. Service was great! Would recommend. Very casual restaurant read more

Watch out for bones! They filet their own fish here. There were soooo many bones it was impossible to safely eat. I asked the waitress about it and she said that's how they serve it there. How about a little warning!! Bluefish is fairly easy to fillet with a bone structure that's easy to follow. So maybe get a new guy. They do not devein their shrimp here. I know its been cooked so there's no bacteria but the grit was off putting as well as the look. Yuck. The coleslaw was ok, the potato salad was ok, just mediocre. The deviled crab tastes like cornbread stove top stuffing only. It's a busy place right on the water and it was packed for the lunch special $12.99. Hush puppies are complimentary here. Cocktail sauce is tasty. People are friendly. View of the bay is nice. It's a cafeteria setting and the dishes are a step above paper plates. Forks tines are bent up. Only beer and wine, no liquor. There was nothing I would order again. YMMV. read more

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This place gets better every time I eat here. I had an oyster cocktail, which was delicious. The main course was fried shrimp and soft shell crabs. Both were some of the best I've ever eaten. The soft shell crabs were the meatiest I've ever eaten. I highly recommend. read more

The Crab Shack - Fried shrimp and soft shell crabs. - Seafood Near Me - Salter Path, North Carolina

I really want to like this local spot more than I did. I pulled up and the place was completely packed. That's always a good sign. I walked in and noticed that it would probably be quicker to order to go than to wait for a table. The staff at the front were best nice and I could tell that they enjoyed working there. I was given a to go menu and ordered the steamed clams. They said they didn't have any. Then I wanted crab legs and they didn't have that. So, I settled with peel and eat shrimp. I also preserved a cup of clam chowder (which they told me was water based and I was happy about that). I went outside to wait for my order and enjoyed the beautiful view of the sound. They call your name over the speaker when your table or food is ready. Prices are not cheap for this type of "casual" restaurant so I was thinking it's going to be amazing. I did notice that people seemed to all be eating fried food. The food was wrapped nicely and I was excited to dive in. Clam chowder was odd. Clams were food but it tasted like there was chicken or something else in it. It definitely wasn't the best, but I would eat it again. My peel and eat shrimp were inedible. They were so overcooked and mushy I had to throw them away. They also tasted "muddy" like they didn't clean them. I recommend not getting anything other than fried food if you eat here. Obviously a local favorite and a nice staff- but was not my cup of tea. read more

The Crab Shack is a must if you are in the Emerald Isle or Atlantic Beach areas. The restaurant has wonderful views of the water and great outdoor areas to sit if you have to wait for a table. When you sit down, the always friendly wait staff brings hush puppies (some of the best in NC) for you to munch on while you wait for your food. They serve pretty much any seafood you could ask for with yummy sides. My fish was a bit overcooked, but that is just a drop in the bucket compared to the experience that a visit to the Crab Shack is! read more

The Crab Shack - Seafood Near Me - Salter Path, North Carolina

Never going to this restaurant again. The fish was similar to saw dust consistency. Strong fish odor and taste. The fish was brown and pasty. Our server disappeared and then got an attitude when I went to the front to try and pay the bill. Our food was $89.00 for two people and it was the worst sea food experience I've ever had at the coast. NEVER GOING BACK. Would HIGHLY NOT RECOMMEND this establishment. read more

The BEST seafood ever! We ordered the crab dip appetizer (200/10!!) and a combo deviled crab and fried shrimp. Best seafood I've had in a very long time! Can't wait to go back read more

Ella, was our server and she was very good. The salmon was fresh and well seasoned and delicious The onion rings were hand cut and fried perfect. The slaw was fresh and homemade. Great stop if you are in the area. read more

The Crab Shack - Salmon - Seafood Near Me - Salter Path, North Carolina

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Cute inside which overlooks the water. Simple and unassuming, but warm. Excellent service and food.

Was told the wait was 30 minutes. Sat in the car waiting. After 30 went back and asked how much longer and was told the wait had bumped to an hour/hour and a half. No text. No nothing. This was in 90 degree plus heat. Never again. read more

If you are looking for over-priced, previously frozen, and microwaved "seafood" served by disengaged waitstaff, boy do I have place for you! You must be prepared to wait...and wait...and wait some more for this meal and fully accept mediocrity in abundance. The WAIT: The place was packed and because they are they so busy they have parking attendants. We were not a large party, only 5, and our wait time was 90 minutes but we thought it must be worth it with the number of patrons there. Just outside the entrance they had a makeshift bar set up. We didn't expect great wine, and they didn't disappoint in that area, but we did expect great beer selections...but their beer selections were dismal. The restaurant has an outdoor only waiting area. Most of it is along the west side of the building but there is a small open area in the rear along the waterfront. You'd think the waterfront area would be pleasant, but it reeked of dead fish. While we waited, our seating choices were either hard plastic chairs nailed to the floor or small wooden benches. All the benches were taken, so hard plastic chairs nailed to the floor in the sun it was. Be prepared to order your appetizers to go and eat them while you wait... The WAITSTAFF: This must be a family run business violating child labor laws daily, the bus boys couldn't have been more than 12. When your name is called you enter the "chaos zone", moving through the hustle and bustle of young kids clearing tables and too close for comfort seating. Our waitress didn't smile, seemed bothered she had to take our orders, and barely made an appearance at our table. She like the others, seemed overwhelmed, overworked, and obligated to be there. The FOOD: The food was bland, tasted freezer burned, and it seemed as far from fresh as one can get. Among the foods we ordered, the clam chowder was terrible with no evidence of clams. The crab cakes were dry, had the consistency of saw dust, and there were no lumps/chunks of crab meat. Perhaps the owners sourced their food from a big box store, pulled it from the freezer, microwaved it, plated it, and served it hoping the minions wouldn't notice. The takeaway is stay away. 1 star is being generous. read more

We felt that the food left a lot to be desired. My meal (crabmeat and scallops panned in butter) was bland. The scallops were overcooked and weren't cleaned well enough, as each one was so gritty. And while I understand you will get some shell with crabmeat, having to pull out shells in every single bite, sometimes two, is not my idea of an enjoyable meal. We sat outside (which they don't service so you have to get your meal to go), and that was an enjoyable view. But I don't understand why their outdoor eating area isn't right behind the restaurant, which would make it "serviceable" and a more enjoyable experience for patrons. We won't be back though, because of the food. read more

The Crab Shack - a seagull perched on a post - Seafood Near Me - Salter Path, North Carolina

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