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The Crab's Claw Inn

3.2 (600 reviews)
Closed • 11:30 am - 11:00 pm
Updated 3 months ago

The Crab's Claw Inn Photos

Business Info

THE CRAB'S CLAW INN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Outdoor seating
Happy hour specials

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Recommended Reviews - The Crab's Claw Inn

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Fish and Chips
Kaitlin R.

We arrived a few minutes before lunch service started and were seated by a frazzled hostess. We would have been happy to wait the extra few minutes until they opened (especially since we were hoping to sit in the covered outdoor area) so that was a bit disappointing. The inside was actually fairly crowded, with many people at the bar even though lunch hadn't started yet. I ordered the fish and chips, which came with soup. I upgraded to the crab chowder. I thought the food was just okay. The soup was not as flavorful as I would have hoped and the battering on the fish wasn't very crispy. Our server was great though and I found him to be very attentive. There are not a ton of sit down restaurants in this part of Lavalette, so I would give this place another try with a different meal despite my mixed feelings about this visit.

Blackened chicken pasta, burrata salad, and Creamy Crab Chowder
Dipali G.

The crabs claw seems like the main go to place for the people in Lavallette. Good food and fun environment! Ambience: the restaurant is huge. They have and outdoor and indoor section. We went on a Saturday evening around 7 pm and the wait was over an hour. But they have an upstairs bar that is a bit tucked away where you can get seats at the high table. This was a quieter area and where we ended up sitting. It was enjoyable and actually quiet so you can hear each other talk! The downstairs is a lot busier and loud! Food: I got the blackened chicken over linguine and it was good! I think the flavor overall could be better but the portion size is huge and I enjoyed the garlic bread. The burrata salad was large and flavorful and so was the clam chowder Price: reasonably priced - especially with the portion sizes. Expect to pay a m $35 for an entree Service: they are very kind but service could've been better!

Old Bay Steamer Pot

We came in for lunch and shared the Old Bay steamer pot, which was delicious. I got a guava spritz which was pretty good. Our server was friendly and the atmosphere felt pretty relaxed. We had tried to get dinner the previous night (Saturday) and it was insanely packed.

I would like to start off with the decor of the place it is July with Christmas decorations up,ok "Christmas in July" but I am not coming down the shore to see balloons taped on the ceiling. Now I don't care about all that but should've seen it as a sign that this place is SLOWWWWWWW. Waited a hour and 45 minutes to get our dinner. Then the manager comes out blaming our AMAZING SERVER! (His name was Shane and he's new) would not go again if you want to be home before your death. The food was ok would've expected better for such a long wait.

Seafood bucket

Honestly such an amazing place. The food is spectacular and the staff is so sweet. Whenever I go down the shore I have to stop in!

2 Coconut Shrimp Tacos
Julie S.

Oh The Crabs Claw, if I was given an unlimited amount of stars to hand out on yelp, I would give them all to the Crabs Claw. This is my favorite restaurant of the Jersey shore. My family and I go there for all occasions birthdays, holidays, just because, you name it. The atmosphere is always inviting, the servers and bartenders will be your best friends. The winter time, especially, is my favorite time, it's like being on an episode of cheers jersey shore style. The bar is large and cozy and when the fireplace is going in the winter, I swear that place will suck you in in the best way possible. In the summertime they have awesome live music inside and out, and the outside bar is such a fun spot to hang. It makes a long wait go by like nothing. Aside from the ambience itself the food is incredible. At this point I've been there so many times I have probably tried nearly everything on the menu. Since choosing my favorite item would be hard I'll give you my top three. The tuna sandwich is incredible, there's so much flavor and the tuna is great quality. If I had a dollar for every tuna sandwich I've gotten from the Crabs Claw I could probably buy three more tuna sandwiches. They are so good! The coconut shrimp tacos also are incredibly flavorful. I've tried to re-create them at home and have never been successful, the mango salsa I think is the real winner here. In the winter time, especially on a cold day, there is nothing better to warm the soup than a Crabs Claw lobster bisque and grilled cheese. If you're looking for a nice casual cozy dinner on the barrier island look no further. The Crabs Claw is it!

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3 months ago

The food was delicious and the service is always good. I would like to see more specials

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2 months ago

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3 months ago

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7 months ago

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2 years ago

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10 months ago

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3 years ago

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9 months ago

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Aileen G.

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10 months ago

Had to wait an hour and a half for a table of 7. Told it would be 45 minutes. Won't be coming back here again.

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11 months ago

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10 months ago

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10 months ago

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10 months ago

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Aileen G.

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9 months ago

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Aileen G.

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11 months ago

Crabs claw is the BEST restaurant down the Jersey shore and that's saying a lot beating places like Wharfside.

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

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Aileen G.

Thank you !!!!

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1 year ago

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7 months ago

Great place food is good bartenders are always in a great mood and very helpful . Comfortable bar and happy

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9 months ago

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

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Aileen G.

Thank you

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9 months ago

The food is really good except it gets very crowded the servers are very nice and responsive.I definitely recommend coming here.

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9 months ago

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Aileen G.

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2 years ago

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10 months ago

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1 year ago

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10 months ago

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Aileen G.

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11 months ago

Nice atmosphere always friendly service good local restaurant for a quick meal. Food is good.

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1 year ago

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Aileen G.

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2 years ago

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11 months ago

We had a great dinner - halibut. Atmosphere was fun. Price was fine. Karaoke was not so great. Would rather have a singer inside.

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11 months ago

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2 years ago

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Ask the Community - The Crab's Claw Inn

Are reservations required for new years brunch? Can I make reservation anytime between 10-2?

you can make them but you can also just walk in at your convenience

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The space- The stench of spilled beer and cocktails from…read moreweeks (maybe months) past hung in the air, with sticky tables and bar tops throughout. All of this in a place that's fairly new, which makes it even more confusing. The service and the food- Easily some of the worst we've had. We mentioned that our food was inedible, and unfortunately that was not an exaggeration. The chicken fingers were absolutely obliterated. I'm someone who will usually eat a well-done tender, but these literally snapped in half they were so overcooked. The salmon on our salad was so hammered it had turned fully white, as if it had given up. The bartender completely ignored us while chatting with the other bartender (the place was dead). After about five minutes, we finally got her attention. She was visibly annoyed to be bothered. We calmly said the food was inedible and that we just wanted to leave. She dropped the bill with both items still on it. We politely asked if the uneaten food could be removed and said we were happy to pay for the iced tea and soda water. This request seemed to make her very angry. We then politely asked if a manager could help. The manager arrived with the same attitude. After some back and forth, the items were finally comped, but not before the manager called us idiots under her breath across the bar, which we clearly heard while she was speaking to the bartender. Overall- The staff matched the vibes. Hard pass.

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Chef Justin's Sunset Keys - Octopus

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Super cute spot right by the bay. Delicious food and fast service. Highly recommend the eggs…read moreBenedict and biscuits & gravy! Indoor and outdoor seating available, I'd say stay inside if it's windy.

Chef Justin's Sunset Keys is truly a gem in our little beach town! After the devastating fire back…read morein January, it took a long time for them to recover and reopen, and we all know how important this time of year is for a local restaurant. They were finally able to open in mid-August, and it's clear the community was ready--this place has been absolutely packed for brunch and dinner daily. I've noticed some negative reviews that don't seem fair, especially given everything they've been through. Since reopening, I've eaten here eight times--so they must be doing something right! The food is consistently outstanding, and the service is always top-notch. On a few occasions, I was lucky enough to meet Chef Justin himself and share my positive feedback with him directly. Some of my favorites: Brunch: The Frenchie Bennie is a must-try. Dinner: The wings and fried calamari (so tender and clearly fresh cut by the chef) are excellent. Pasta: All homemade--I even caught a glimpse of the pasta machine in action one night. Crab cakes: Gigantic and probably my favorite dish of all. Every dish I've ordered has been delicious with generous portions. Sunset Keys is more than worth the wait, and I couldn't be happier to have them back!

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Barnacle Bill's is great. There aren't too many mini golf places in the area, but this one is…read morereally nice. Fun course, 18 holes, and just a beautiful atmosphere. This is one of those places and experiences where I don't even pay attention to the price. I'm sure it's sort of a lot for mini golf, but you'll get a lot of good family memories here. I can't speak to the arcade as I've never gone in and I'm not a fan of the ice cream here. There are better places in the area, but the golf is an excellently fun time! The cashier even came out of his booth during our last visit to take some photos of our whole family. If you want the same, just ask.

We opted to do a mini golf meet-and-greet for our wedding weekend September 2025, and it was SUCH A…read moreHIT! Not only did it provide a casual, stress-free opportunity for our guests to meet one another, but we all had so much fun and my husband and I got to catch up with everyone as we went hole to hole. A family friend also came up with a quiz/challenge game for each team to play to keep things competitive and interesting. The staff was very kind and accommodating, the holes were well kept and clean. And, we were allowed to bring our own special golf balls that were gifted as a surprise! Thank you so much!

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Barnacle Bill's Amusements - My boys had a great time at a wonderful place. It was a joy to finally update an old family picture.

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The Crab's Claw Inn - seafood - Updated May 2026

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