Charleston Crab House

The food was so-​so at best. We split the Low-​country boil and the calamari. The boil had 7 shrimp, 1 sausage, and 1 potato which was fine for 2 people to eat. However, the calamari breading was not crispy and the calamari was far too chewy to be enjoyable. The service was mediocre due to the servers not knowing who was responsible for our table. The only saving thing for this place is the view. We added this to our list of never to return and will never go back.

Fantastic! I had the Charleston Grouper and it was some of the best fish I’ve ever had. The she crab soup was also great — super creamy and great flavor. Our server was friendly and prompt. It was also nice being next to the river.

We loved this place. I got a #1 and left stuffed. Huge crab legs and at least 8 large shrimp. We had to wait about 45 min on a Saturday night, but was definitely worth it. Drinks were well poured. Fun beachy atmosphere. I would eat here often if we lived here.

Tropical Colin couldn’t keep us away from eating at the Charleston Crab House! Hushpuppies’ Fried Green Tomatoes w Goat Cheese Sprinkles, Fried and Grilled Shrimp were delicious! Sweet tea very good Southern Wine! Worth it to watch the torrent rainfall while chomping on lunch. LOL! Thank you Danille for making this a memorable first day!

Great view of the water and really great atmosphere. We had a variety of steamed, grilled, and fried seafood and it was all cooked really well. Our server was great and very attentive. The only thing I would change is the cocktail sauce could be better. Definitely recommend!

This place is amazing! Food was great, the best grits abs crab legs ever! The staff was friendly and accommodating. We will definitely be back!

A gluten for punishment, we had lunch today. Same results as the location in downtown. Very surprised by the high scores. Do not recommend.

We have tried to go to other crab houses while in Charleston, but none of them compares to The Charleston Crab House. You will get twice the food for half the price that you pay at other crab houses. This has became a must stop for us every time we come to Charleston. The food is second to none and the staff is amazing as well.

Great location and atmosphere– dolphins at sunset here! Well prepared fresh seafood and other offerings –classic not progressive but delicious nonetheless. Friendly smiling staff bring out your orders quickly– kitchen is on point. Chrissy is a pro. Wi Fi available. I highly recommend you to relax outside and soak it all in on the waterfront.

What a great find! I really enjoy being able to stop off and grab a bite somewhere while boating. Shem Creek is way too crazy dangerous with boaters, kayakers, paddle boarders, etc — all in various stages of intoxication. Charleston Crab House has an easy dock that can tie up at least 4 boats — maybe more. It was a decent weather day for January so we were out on the water, not sure how crowded the docking will be during warmer weather when more folks are out. It was a short 5 minutes from City Marina.
We were greeted and seated quickly with a great view of the water. Service was wonderful — quick taking our orders and quick with the drink and food and refilling drinks. I had the Mahi sandwich and waffle fries — excellent. The fish was wonderful and the waffle fries were cooked to perfection and the light seasoning was perfect. My lovely wife had the Salmon Club sandwich with waffle fries and enjoyed hers equally. Everything was decently priced. Will definitely be back next time on the water in that area.

4 women from Chicago who happened upon this place. Decided what the hey… let’s see how this place is since it’s close to Angel Oak tree and The Citadel. We started with the fried green tomato appetizer which everyone liked along with the crab dip. We ordered the steampot of king crab legs; two sampler platter and combo platter. Everyone enjoyed their meal however 2 of us didn’t care for the rice. They made some pretty stiff cocktails which was a nice surprise and our waitress was courteous and non-​intrusive which was an added bonus. I thought the mahi mahi was overcooked and the seasoning a bit salty. Overall we had a nice relaxing Monday afternoon especially when we happened to see a couple of dolphins out our window

We truly enjoyed our meal. The service was amazing. We will be making the trip from Summerville again for wonderful experience.

Great food and service. It was my first time but I was very impressed with the menu, service and quality. The Palmetto burger was awesome.

This is a review written after a single visit. Will update after we visit again.
So, Charleston is literally zero inches from the water. There’s rivers everywhere and a lovely ocean right over there. It doesn’t even matter which way I point, I will be pointing at some water. So, good seafood should be all over the place, right? Well, after a year and a half that has not been the case.
With all that prefacement in mind, let’s continue. You’re a fairly smart person. I can tell by the way you already saw that I gave this restaurant a high star rating. You are correct. I hate to say the food here was good because all the other seafood we’ve had around town was disappointing, but I have to admit that possibility exists.
The setting is fairly nice, nestled between the river and a gigantic drawbridge. It’s not scenic, but if you or your kids have never seen a drawbridge in action before, that might be a little bonus. Boats can drive straight up to the dock and disembark right into the restaurants back patio. The staff was nice and fast and the prices are fairly on par with a casual-​but-​authentic seafood joint.
For the food, we got a grilled sampler and a breakfast burrito at lunch to keep our overall prices down. The red rice was the only thing I can’t say I’d like to eat again. I honestly have no idea what the point of it was. Maybe it’s just not my thing or maybe it should be deleted from the menu and never return.
The burrito was a very pleasant surprise with some great flavors I feel were familiar but I couldn’t place them. The scallops were amazing, fish was nice an mild (which the wife doesn’t like but I do) and the shrimp were easily top 10 I’ve ever had.
Bottom line, we’re sitting at a 4.5 right now. If the next visit is good it’ll stay at 5 stars or if it’s slightly lesser we’ll start to average things out.

This is one of those places that you want to be great because of the location of the restaurant. The location is awesome. It’s right on the water next to the bridge and you can see boats going by as you enjoy your dinner. The actual décor and location of the restaurant are 5 star. Then you’re totally let down by the menu and the food. The food is mediocre at best. One person at our table go a steam pot, and the rest of us got different items on the menu. I would say the steam pots are probably the way to go. But you have to be in the mood to crack shells and do all that work. I really wish this place would do something to make their menu/​food better. With the location it has, this place the potential to be a must visit!

I’ve been here several times and normally think its just ok. However, the last time I went I was pretty impressed. We rolled into Charleston relatively late, with no dinner reservations. That can be a problem, since Charleston can be pretty busy for dinner time on the weekend. So, we called the Crab house and they had available seating. We made our reservation and drove over.
They had a good menu selection, and some local Craft beers on tap. I got the fish special broiled, with some veggie side. My son got fried shrimp with fries. My wife got one of the other specials (can’t remember). Afterwards we got a cheese cake for desert. Overall, I thought it was a pretty good seafood experience. Not cheap, but a good location, good food, friendly service.

Yes another 5 star review. love this place, been coming here on and off for over 15 years. My mother in law loved the flounder cooked in a paper bag. The seafood is really fresh and really do love the slaw!!! Yes the restrooms are clean, that alone gives this place a star. The servers have always been nice and professional. My goodness get the hush puppies! So good, as is the crab dip. My favorite is the fried shrimp and my wifes is the crab legs. Sure it is a bit pricey but every now and then it is worth it, plus you dont have to drive to Folly and look for parking, that is a big plus!

I came here for dinner on the 4^th of July so it was super crowded but luckily it was just the two of us as our other friends don’t eat seafood. I have heard this spot is considered a tourist trap but it had the seafood that I wanted so I didn’t care. The wait was about 20 minutes for us since we had only 2 people but it was over an hour long for larger parties. The host is located at the entrance of the restaurant but you have to stand outside and wait because there is no inside waiting area. The inside of the restaurant has two floors including a bar area on the first floor. Luckily, we got seated on the second floor because the first floor seemed pretty hectic.
We started off with the sauteed mussels and the bacon wrapped stuffed shrimp. The mussels came in a garlic butter and wine sauce that was really flavorful. Good portion size of mussels with some bread on the side so totally worth it. The bacon wrapped shrimp only had 4 pieces and costed just as much as the mussels. The shrimp tasted great but a little pricey for the amount you get. They each were about a little less than $ 10. For our main entrees, we decided to split a half dozen raw oysters and the crab house crabpot.
The raw oysters were still a little sandy but tasted fine and were nicely sized. As for the crabpot, it came with Alaskan Snow Crab, King Crab, shrimp, sausage, corn, and potatoes. It cost a little over $ 30 but there was quite a lot of food as we were easily able to split it. The crabpot tasted good and I enjoyed the variety of ingredients that came with it. Overall, the restaurant exceeded my expectations because of it being a tourist trap. Food was good and the service was fine which definitely satisfied my seafood craving!

Been here many times. Ok place, food is good, people are nice. The best thing is the view of the river. Just go to get your fix of good seafood. Far from the tourist traps. Nice place to relax and take the family. Prices are good. Try it, you’ll like it.
Frank G

I have been coming here every year since I was six years old. It is family tradition! And this really is a great place to bring the kids, the in-​laws, the grandparents – everyone.
As soon as you’re seated, they bring you a giant heap of crab hush puppies. The recipe has changed over the years, but they’re always phenomenal. We choose to sit outside because you get a lovely view of the river and all of the boats that go by!
Side Story: One of the groups next to us on the patio had fallen into the river nearby after their boat had sprung a leak! The restaurant actually brought out heaters for them to sit by so they could dry off and stay warm. How’s that for service? All of the employees are friendly and attentive, as expected.
I usually order the Shrimp Scampi (to die for) but I went with the Crab Cake Platter this time around and was not as impressed as I expected to be. They were a little dry.
Still, this place is one of my absolute favorites. The only unfortunate part of the experience here is the massive wait. Everything else is marvelous!