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The Crab Station

3.3 (401 reviews)
ModerateSeafood
Open 9:00 am - 9:00 pm

Order The Crab Station Takeout or Delivery

The Crab Station Photos

THE CRAB STATION ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Loud
Casual
Touristy
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - The Crab Station

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Reviews With Photos

Lobster Roll
John D.

Lobster Roll is a staple food at Fishermen Wharf in San Francisco, and finding the right restaurant is very difficult. There are many locations to choose from. The Crab Station was randomly chosen and it was definitely the right choice. The bread was soft and fluffy, filled with delicious lobster. The service was fast, got the Lobster Roll right after paying. There are outdoor seatings which were kept clean, but the seatings are located next to the busy sidewalk. The price was steep, but it is no different than any of the other locations serving Lobster Roll.

Frozen fish & chips. This makes Morton's look deluxe!
Richard R.

Food was the worst food I've ever ATTEMPTED to eat. Frozen years ago in a rectangle and no chance it would survive. One bite and threw away the rest even though crazy expensive. Clam chowder was straight out of the can and not a good brand. When we complained, the employees could not care less. DO NOT GO HERE!

Menu
JJ W.

San Francisco is known for their lobster rolls and it was bit of a tough decision to choose which restaurant to get a lobster roll from. The Crab Station opens early and they have an open kitchen showcasing all of their foods. The tables and seats were clean and right in front of the restaurant. The man who took my order was very nice and excited to take my order. I ordered the Lobster Roll and it was expensive as it came out to $36.00; so be aware of that. The price did not bother me since I have been wanting to try one for a very long time now. The roll is PACKED with lobster and each bite was messy, but in a good way. The lobster was tender, sweet, and fresh. I did find a couple pieces of shell, but I did not mind. The mayonnaise brought it all together and the lemon and melted butter paired very nicely. The roll itself was soft and fresh as well. The lobster roll is a lot for one person so I recommend sharing. Overall, I enjoyed it very much and the service was great. I can understand if some people may be skeptical because of the "looks" of the restaurant, but it's the style of the food spots in this area and I recommend trying new places and things. I'll definitely be back in the future.

Popcorn Shrimp
Aaron H.

The best places don't always have a flash! Crab station sits on the corner and from the naked eye, it's just another corner spot. However, you'll see quickly why The Crab Station stays with a line compared to those in the area. Baskets are always fried fresh and plentiful in size. Whether it's the fresh cod, fresh popcorn shrimp or crab, The Crab Station serves it up right. Kudos for a quick lunch while strolling the pier area.

Clam Chowder
uatesone t.

Clam chowder was really good. The two guys working were nice and quick. Would come back.

Crab cake wharf 2024
Denise C.

What else do you do on your vacation to San Francisco? You wanted to see a vacation for 22 years? At the wharf...to eat harbor style seafood bistro...crab cakes, fish and chips...harken back to 1997...harken back to your high school days....harbor style seafood bistro...is so fun and it was raining lightly...the world doesn't stand still..the crab shack is back Here's to my father and all the good people...de ja vu

Paulina G.

The clam chowder In the bread bowl was delicious. Only thing I will complain about is that the bread wasn't warmed up. They had both indoor and outdoor seating but the day was too Beautiful to sit inside. The fish and chips were yummy too. The French fries reminded me of jack in the box fries, which I'm a huge fan of! Service was super quick! Loved it

Crab and Shrimp Combo
Alyssa Y.

One of the last things we did before leaving SF was to hit up crab shack for a crab and shrimp cocktail. We got there right when they opened, maybe a little early, but they had no problem serving us. We ordered just one to share and it was full of delicious crab and baby shrimp. The sauce and cracker accompaniments made it that much better. It's a roadside stand kind of vibe so don't expect fine dining but for a what it is, it was perfect and hit the spot. Only downside was that it was a little expensive, which may be to be expected since it's seafood and in the most touristy spot in SF. But the taste and customer service made up for that! If you're looking for a quick, yummy seafood cocktail, give this a try.

Medium-sized Dungeness Crab (around $30) - VN
Vince N.

Turns out we've eaten in their dining room before but actually brought in food from a neighboring biz. Whoops! I was extremely saddened to see that neighboring restaurants, Tarantino's and Guardino's, both closed for good due to the pandemic. They were our go-to's for crab and chowder. Luckily, Crab Station weathered the storm. ATMOSPHERE: Located in the heart of Fisherman's Wharf on Taylor Street, the takeaway stand has a few outdoor tables along the sidewalk and a lesser known indoor dining room. The "dining room" is in back of the stand and features three double counter seats and two high tops. We had it all to ourselves until a few stragglers took notice. MENU: Seafood apps, soups & mains. Soft drinks & beer. FOOD: Dungeness Crab - $ MP Our two medium-ish sized crabs came out to $59. They cooked it, cracked it and served it up with lemon wedges, drawn butter and cocktail sauce. Simply divine. Clam Chowder - $10.00 (bowl) Very tasty and creamy. Served in a paper bowl with oyster crackers to the side, we took it to nearby pier 45 where we consumed it all while enjoying the sensory experiences of the area and view of Alcatraz. My heaven... SERVICE: Surprisingly really good and professional, especially from a sidewalk stand. Kudos! OVERALL: This is exactly how we like to consume crustacean in SF. No glass plates, waiters in tuxes, or climate-controlled rooms.

Crab station venue! Next to Fisherman's Wharf iconic sign.
Kat K.

Been eating the crab on Sourdough since 1986! It's a full to the brim with crab on a fresh roll. We always need a bit of salt on it but it's delicious! Clam chowder is great too! Place is not fancy but food is amazing!

Lobster roll
Francisco G.

The crab station has one of the best lobster rolls in town. This is a place to come to get your lobster fix.

Hnin T.

We were visiting pier 39 and we found this place around that area. The whole experience was okay... the crab sandwich was a lot but the sourdough was really hard to eat. I was disappointed with that crab sandwich because I was looking forward to that the most. The shrimp and crab cocktail was okay too and ut came with the cocktail sauce. I did like the fried shrimp, curly fry and small octopuses. The clam chowder was good and probably what I liked best. The service was good. It was outdoor eating cause the restaurant is kind of on the street.

This is pretty much what it looks like on the outside...seating and all. It's Fisherman's Wharf, babeeee!
Maria E.

Let's be real, there are A LOT of clam chowder bread bowls and other seafood options on Fisherman's Wharf & Pier 39. And I'm sure most of them are wonderful. This particular spot is not fancy--it's pretty much street food right there on the wharf. But there's something about it that we always crave and go back to every time we're in the area. The bread bowls are large and hallowed out enough that you're getting a balanced ratio of clam chowder and bread. The chowder is savory and creamy and has an acceptable amount of clams and potatoes and everything else. If they could figure out a way to make the tiny cardboard they put the chowder bowl in edible, there would be no waste with our family. LOL! :-D Their fish & chips are also delicious. It's crispy on the outside and super tender on the inside and the flavor is there. They don't provide tons of tarter sauce (I was only given a packet, but I'm sure I could've asked for more) but the fish itself was tasty on its own that I didn't feel I needed to douse it in sauce. Seating on the outside sidewalk (yup, I meant to say that) can be a little tricky, and huge warning, the lines can get pretty long here. But people somehow manage. As for us, we'll keep coming back.

Clam Chowder bread bowl

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1 year ago

This is a great spot if you're craving crawfish. The servers were very nice, especially Ashley. The best sauce had to be the shazam flavor.

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Ask the Community - The Crab Station

When do they close?

Yelp says 10pm but when I went down there between 9-9:30pm they were closed and all of the other ones were closed. I was informed that they had closed a few minutes before 8pm. I am curious about what time they open now since I know I need to get… Read more

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Nopa Fish - Fish and Chips - huge portion where it. Was perfect to share between two people. - fantastic fish and chips

Nopa Fish

4.5(111 reviews)
1.5 miEmbarcadero, SoMa

Came here with my sister and her friend for lunch during a trip to San Francisco and decided to get…read moretheir Fried Rockfish sandwich. The seating inside was a bit limited and taken up by other people, but there was an ample amount of seating around the SF Ferry Building (including outside) that we were able to seat ourselves at instead. I have to admit that my standards weren't high for this sandwich, but it genuinely tasted amazing. I have to say that it was probably one of the best sandwiches that I've ever had the opportunity to eat in all of California, and I'm unsure if I'll ever be able to encounter a sandwich that tops it. Overall, amazing. I'd happily come back here again during another SF trip, if I happen to be in the area.

Wow! Nopa Fish in the SF Ferry Building deserves its high marks. We came here for an early lunch…read moreand loved our sandwiches. Simple, yet exquisitely prepared and delicious. I had The Rocky, a very large piece of fried, crunchy-battered rockfish on a bed of a delicious cucumber/ carrot/ ginger cabbage slaw served on Acme Milk Bread. Enough for two meals - if we weren't staying at a hotel. My wife had the open-faced Bay Shrimp & Egg Salad Sandwich, so beautiful that people walking by kept asking what she had. A great fish market, too, for those who live in the area. My only knock is that the nearly all-community seating area is small and less than comfortable. Stop by and grab lunch to go!

Photos
Nopa Fish - Inside Ferry Building

Inside Ferry Building

Nopa Fish - The Rocky

The Rocky

Nopa Fish - French fries

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French fries

The Crab Station - seafood - Updated May 2026

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