Angry Crab Shack

I REALLY like this place! I wish more people would want to come with me. My kids like it too. However, my husband refuses to go because they get incredibly awful health ratings. I’ll take the risk when I can. It is spicy! But everything I have had is good. They do run out of items so if you are going for something in particular (like crawfish), call and check.

Great food and service. It would be nicer if they accepted reservations on smaller parties for our wait time was probably 30 minutes. Also it’s very loud in there between the music playing and the conversation roaring and the birthday greetings screaming it’s hard to have a conversation. But I guess we were so busy trying to eat the food that was placed in front of us that we didn’t mind screaming a little bit to be heard at our table of three. Our server was really nice and made sure that my husband didn’t see the preparations for his birthday cake surprise and I really appreciated that. I will have to give them a four out of five simply because the noise was pretty bad but I do recommend their food. It was great!

Very good restaurant. However, they add to much salt to the order so you have to drink a lot of water after you go home. Idk if u can ask them to make the food less salty next time.

Our first visit to the Angry Crab Shack was tonight, it will definitely not be our last. The service was excellent, Frankie was our waiter and she was great, always checking to make sure everything was good. We live on the west coast so are always looking for a good seafood restaurant when in Arizona. The Angry Crab Shack more than met our expectations. The ‘Chard’ oysters were amazing. The trifector sauce was great as was all the different dishes we had, between eight of us we had the shrimp, crawfish, Dungeness crab & King crab — it was all delicious. It was also great fun digging in with our fingers and being totally messy! Thanks so much for a great meal.

This place is about Cajun seafood. They have «baskets», but the most popular is the «per pound» section. There you order the protein (crawfish, shrimp, etc), the sauce/​seasoning, and the heat level. They bring it out in plastic bags and you eat with your fingers. Bibs provided. Several people in our group did that. I opted for a catfish basket and gumbo.
The décor is supposed to look like a dive you might find in the bayou, as near as I can tell. Everything has graffiti on it, and it’s all very basic. I don’t think it adds anything to the experience, frankly.
My catfish was very good. Fried perfectly with good breading. There was a dipping sauce which added some nice flavor to it. The «Cajun fries» were fine. I’ve had better, but they were good enough. Also included in the basket was «sausage». Polish sausage for some reason. Really??? Ummm… Cajun means Andouille, people! Not Polish. The Polish was fine, but out of place.
Lastly was my gumbo. First, for the quantity it was expensive. And then they didn’t even add rice. Gumbo is served with rice! There should have been at least that much gumbo served on a quarter cup of rice. For $ 6 I would expect at least that. Finally, it was salty. Not extremely salty, but noticeable. The flavor probably would have been really good if it wasn’t for the excess salt. It wasn’t bad, but not as good as I think it would have been. It also had a nice heat level (a bit spicy, but not too much; though I do like «hotter» than a lot of people).
All in all, it was OK. Some definite positive notes, and the negative notes weren’t fatal. But they are a bit on the high-​side of pricing. My basket was $ 9 and the gumbo was another $ 6. That’s an expensive lunch. I really can’t give more than 3 stars.

What a fun place! This my friends is an experience. You pick your seafood, they bring it to you in a bag, you tear it apart and eat it. Chuck the rest in the bucket. Its great, really tasty and fun. If your squeamish about tearing apart your food and eyeballs and guts go for something a little on the beginner side. But all in all i would recommend this place to anyone. Its great for kids, loud, and your kids can color on the paper tables. Be sure to get there early because they do get busy.

Unique experience! Fresh and delicious. Definitely will be returning

First time eating here and it was so delicious. A really fun atmosphere and great service all around. Our server Lupe was so amazing. He answered any questions we had and gave great recommendations. I would definitely recommend checking it out.

WOW! Had the King Crab bag with the three spices, medium heat and it was awesome. The Hush Puppies were great too. This place gets a big olé BOOYAH!!!

Everyone we spoke with was so friendly and pleasant to include Diana one of the managers. .and our server Emily who was training Tray was great! Also, Brandon… just everyone. .a great family place and delicious seafood!

We are from the Pacific NW and we know seafood. The king crab legs were fantastic!!! Service was excellent. Tables were clean. My husband had the «wimpy kajun» he said he would kick it up another notch or two, for me I thought it was very favorable. I had the butter and garlic and I LOVE garlic, it was delicious but even I would say «WHOA, back off a touch on the garlic». Leave the corn alone, the sausage was very good and we also had the steamed veggies, were also very good and plenty for two or even three people. Hope you like Rock n Roll, good music is being played, good smells roaming around and very friendly staff. Yup, we will return.

Got some alligator bites, crab, and shrimp. Absolutely amazing customer service and such a fun place. Made some new friends here and my wife who is normally very picky ate as much as I did. Could easily eat here everyday!

Grab your time card and get ready to clock in cause you’re about do work!
This place is messy goodness so don’t be shy of the bibs. The mess is warranted and makes the experience all the better.
Service was exceptional and our waitress excellent at breaking it down for us first timers.
We ordered the hush puppies, which other reviews on here will tell are out-​freaking-​standing.
Then also had the 1-​lb of the King Crab which was excellent.
I truly can’t wait to return and dig in with unadulterated abandonment.

The food was YACK. Way over priced, and flavorless. The shrimp was served with head, eyeballs, and legs. We ordered shrimp, crab, AND lobster. So that’s a little variety. I’m giving this one star because our waitress was great and the crab was sweet. Still, that wasn’t enough to save us from the constant pooper scooping and flavorless food. Granted, we got it «wimpy» as it was our first time here and had no idea if we could handle any spice. Regardless, when the server brought a different sauce, it just didn’t save anything. Eat at Joe’s!

So I raved about this place then brought my family there for a special occasion and the experience was really disappointing. I attribute this to our waitress. She was so rude! Right from the introduction she had a bad attitude and was short with us. She seemed impatient and pissed off. My husband asked what was on tap and she said Kilt Lifter. He said «cool, I’ll have a pint of that.» She brought him a coke. When he pointed out the mistake, she treated him like it was his fault, rudely telling him «no, you ordered a coke, I heard you.» So everyone at the table replied «no, we all heard him order a Kilt Lifter.» She actually rolled her eyes and, without saying a word, picked up his drink and never came back with his beer. She didn’t check on our table after that and we saw her chatting at the bar instead. We had to get the attention of a guy clearing tables and he went and got my husband’s drink order. We also ordered our food mild and I think she put the order in wrong because three of us got really spicy food. My grandmother’s food was so spicy she couldn’t eat it.
Luckily our waitress left in the middle of our meal and was replaced with a guy who was very friendly and apologized for our experience. Still, the family members I brought with me said they wouldn’t be returning. First impressions can make or break an experience and that waitress definitely broke it! I hope she is having a better day next time we visit because I really don’t want to play waitress roulette, especially if I’m bringing people from out of town or it is a special occasion.
My advice for our rude waitress: I get that food service is a hard industry to work in but we are a pretty easygoing, fun-​loving family. Not every customer is an asshole or difficult. Don’t take your bad day or bad experiences out on the next guy. We are usually really good tippers!
One positive note to end this bad review, we took a family photo before leaving and the bartender photo bombed the picture. It was hilarious when we looked at the picture later. This is the fun I’m used to from the staff at Angry Crab Shack. C’mon you get messy, eat from a big bag, and literally tear your food apart with your hands. The whole point of this place is to be relaxed and have a good time. Thank you, photo-​bombing bartender, for helping us end our experience with a laugh and a good memory!

OK… fair warning… I hate sea food. I walked in this place and the smell was awful… yet oddly alluring.
However, this place is so cool! We had some of the best service I have ever had, and the food was great. Granted, I did get chicken strips, but I tried it all. The alligator bites were surprisingly delicious… like really really good… try them… NOW! I tried various seafood bug meat… or crab/shrimp…whatever you call it… I call it bug meat… It was all very good though. Would defiantly bring someone here who loves Cajun type seafood.
Our waiter Noël did a phenomenal job with such a large group of guys. Better service than some 4 star restaurants we go to.

Great place. i have tried a similar place called hot and juicy crawfish. This place is very close. My only beef was that the sausage was not very good. It was more of a kielbasa then and andouille. For spicy lovers, the 3 was not bad at all. Will be back for sure.

Really interesting place for a guy like me that comes from the Midwest. You basically order by the pound and they put everything you want into a bag for you to eat (very messily) out of. Be sure to order a lot and bring a fat wallet. Our server was super knowledgable and helpful, she even showed us how to break open the lobster we ordered. It was a fun time.

If you don’t mind getting down and dirty with your claws, this place is heaven on earth (I seem to be having this trend of «heaven» for some reason). The couple of times I’ve gone in, I ordered the 1-​lb shrimp with trifecta, medium, with white rice and garlic vinegar on the side. I was in a trance until I came up for air. GOD it was so good! They give you a plastic bib so you can eat like a child and splash your family with the juices from shrimp — I’m salivating as I write this — you can even write on the walls if your artistic personality dares to compete with all others who have attempted to be the next Van Gogh.
**NOTE: I have a high toleration when it comes to spicy foods and I ordered MEDIUM, the constant delicious burn is refreshing. But for some, a ZERO or no spice should be something you could order and maybe ask for the spicy sauce on the side.
For those you are not keen on chomping with their hands, for example, my mother who had a manicure that etched GREEN BAY PACKERS prior to coming here, you can ask for GLOVES to cover your delicate spirit fingers.
They compost the scraps! I love that!
I WISH WE HAD ONE OF THESE IN DETROIT AREA! This will definitely be my first stop when I land at PHX!

This place was busy, so be prepared to wait in line. This place has tons of energy and food. I found the sauce quite salty and would recommend you have the seafood boiled with dipping sauces on the side. But everything was ordered and plenty were merry with all the different dishes/​sauces.

We went to the shack for my birthday dinner last night. This second time at Angry Crab still gave us delicious seafood but the service and preparation was off. We were given our side of rice when our drinks came out, so it was cold and hard by the time we got our food. The traditional boil sauce did not have any flavor this time and our bag of veggies came out raw. When they brought us a new bag of veggies, they were then soggy and overcooked. Bummer. Just like last time, we again had to ask numerous time for the tools to crack open our crab.
When we inquired about crackers to get crab open and a tool to devein the shrimp, we were told that they didn’t have any available. I would think that a place specializing in seafood would have an over abundance of these tools in stock. On busy nights, hand wash if need be between dishwasher runs of the tools. The scissors we were given didn’t quite get the job done. I kept asking different people for crackers four times and finally got a pair from a helpful gentleman who was checking on all of the tables.
Once we were able to dig into the seafood, it was delicious! Steamed to perfection and the trifecta sauce garlic-​tastic and tasty with a kick. Mild spice still had me reaching for a tissue. The pound of shrimp seemed like an endless bag and quite a few snow crab in a pound as well. Still yummy and we will be back when they are less busy. Bummed about the service and some of the food preparation. :-(Read my previous review for newbie tips and details about the food.

I’m not always the first on the band wagon, but I try to catch up. Finally made it here and my experience was nearly perfect. The atmosphere and ambiance are total chill, but in a real way. Service was exceptional, especially our server Nate. Most of the food was right on and seasoned perfectly. The crab legs, veggies, grilled shrimp and hush puppies rocked. Unfortunately, my nephew said his catfish was a bit soft and my sister-​in-​law said she’s had better Po Boys (well, she lived in NO for a while, so she knows her Po Boys). Everything else was so great that these slight imperfections were overlooked. The super rich, dark chocolate cake was consumed rapidly. This is a really fun place with great food. Oh, great for kids too because everyone is allowed to be messy here.

For the most part the times that I have come here I have had good experiences. There was only one time where the potatoes were undercooked and then this recent time that they didn’t have mussels!
The know: This place is high prime time during dinner time on the weekends with wait times up to a couple hours! If that’s the case they will take down your cell number and text you when your table is ready. If you come during lunch then you are better off with no wait time. You get a bib while eating and yours to keep. ;) a bucket to dump the shells.
The Area: Picnic benches and tables are out on the patio area with misters during the hot season. Inside has graffiti walls and seats for you and your guests to write your mark that you were there. TVs are along the walls to watch the sports that’s going on. When it’s someone ones birthday they ring a bell and announce for the entire restaurant to hear.
The Food: For a table of 2 I recommend getting a pound of snow crab legs (around $ 16) and a pound of mussels ($ 14) both with the trifecta sauces (garlic, lemon pepper and Cajun) and mild spice. They have a new sauce, coconut curry which is a bit spicy. Then add 2 – 4 small red potatoes ($ 0.50 each) and a couple ¹⁄₃ — ½ sized corn ($ 1 each). A little rip off on the corn and potatoes but still worth the eat with the sauce and just a good combo meal with the seafood. Sweet potato fries ($ 4) are a good «health» food to add if you are still hungry or need options other than seafood.
The Food (part 2): haha! I had to add this for separating my usuals and the other parts of the menu. Along with the main course of seafood (clams, king crab legs, crawfish, shrimp, blue crab, etc.) you can always get some fried foods like the po boy sandwiches, alligator, frog legs, and fries.
The Price: Seafood prices vary during the seasons. Prices above indicate summer prices. The food is reasonably priced.
The verdict: 4 out of 5 stars. Great casual place for a couple or for a group. Good for sports watching. A place to pig out on seafood and to get messy. So pull your hair back ladies and put out all 10 fingers men and chow down.

I have been wanting to come to the Angry Crab ever since it opened. Tons of my friends rave about this place so it was definitely on my list, but I’m rarely in the area so the opportunity just hasn’t been there. Finally had the chance to come here for dinner on a Thursday night around 6pm. The restaurant was packed but we only had to wait three minutes for a table (although the waitress said the wait can be up to TWO HOURS on weekends!!! Crazy!).
Our waitress, Julie, gave us a rundown of our seafood options and how to order — pick a meat, pick your seasonings, add extra spice if you want, and select any extras/​sides (corn, potatoes, etc). I got a pound of snow crab legs with the «trifecta» seasoning (Cajun seasoning, lemon, salt, and garlic) and my brother got a whole lobster with the Pacific Rim seasoning (coconut curry sauce). We opted not to get any sides, which in retrospect was a mistake. It would’ve been nice to have some bread or potatoes to sop up the extra sauce, and we were both still slightly hungry after we devoured the seafood. We waited about fifteen minutes before the food arrived in individual plastic bags, not plates. Presentation isn’t fancy but it was delicious, delicious, delicious!!!
The overall ambiance of the restaurant was unimpressive. I am not a big fan of the graffiti all over the walls, tables, and chairs. To me, it just looks dirty and… a little ratchet. The tables are covered in paper to help with the messiness of the meal. Our drinks were served in paper cups and we had plastic utensils (but real crab cracking tools). I understand that it’s a tradeoff — affordable seafood means you don’t get cloth napkins, real cutlery, and classy décor. It’s not a super nice restaurant but absolutely worth it for the food and experience.
A few notes: Don’t wear anything nice — you will be messy despite the bib they give you and an endless supply of napkins. They gave my brother a big rock to smash his lobster, which we both thought was hilarious. It was very effective but it would’ve been nice to have a «pokey» tool to help get the lobster meat out of the shell. The exterior of the restaurant is plain and unassuming, which matches the rundown plaza it’s located in. This is not a good place for a first date or a new relationship… you won’t have any dazzling conversation because the two of you will be busy smashing lobster shells, ripping apart crab legs, and getting covered in sauce.
$ 56 for a pound of crab and the lobster, with one soda on the side. Not an everyday restaurant but a great place for a fun meal and tasty seafood.

Well I have heard how busy this place gets, so when Mr. M got home early from work on Friday, I told him to put on some old clothes and we were going to hit this place early to beat the rush. We skipped lunch and got there a little before 4:00 so we were starving. Autumn was our server to start with and she was great. She took the time to ask us if we’d been there before and then gave us a rundown of the menu. She also recommended the gumbo, which I don’t normally try, only because I’d had bad experiences at other places in the past, and I’m so glad we listened to her. The gumbo is rich and full of flavor. Tons of tender little shrimp and pieces of sausage, and great seasoning. Very nice. I’m still thinking about it and want some more.
We also got an order of hush puppies which were really good, and had a nice little kick. We ordered a pound of mussels, add sausage, trifecta mild style, and also a pound of shrimp the same way. What can I say? The 4 and 5-​star reviews are spot on. Everything was delicious and the service is great. If there are restaurants out there that get complaints about their service, come spend some time here to see how it’s done. Every employee I saw was smiling, friendly, and helpful. Some places just get that figured out. They hire and keep good people. At some point Autumn’s shift was ending, and Kaitlin took over. She was great as well.
We got great happy hour prices on our beers also. With 2 Abita Ambers and 2 Sierra Nevada Kellerweis, and all that food it was $ 46.75, before tax & tip.
I only have 2 items that keep it from being 5-​star. First, there were about 7 mussels that did not open. Can’t eat ‘em. We were still full, but I wonder if that was a quarter of the pound that we were not able to eat. And also, their credit card machines were down, so they had to do the old school card imprint forms which print the entire card number and expiration date on the carbons. I wish we would have been given the option to use a credit card instead of the debit card that I handed over when we got the bill. If those carbons fall into the wrong hands, then I have more protection with the credit card. Next time, let people know before you grab the card. It can make a huge difference if something goes wrong.
And just a side note, to the people who complain they run out of stuff, A. it’s a really busy place, that’s going to happen, and B. I’d rather have them run out on occasion because then you know they keep things fresh. The alternative is something I don’t even want to think about.