Dancing Crab

I went there with my friends and the crabs are so fresh and meaty! And white wine is perfect for the seafoods. Also got lobster and calamari. Nothing was disappointed us. I even got dessert after the meal! Need to mention their pasta was good cuz the chef is from Italian. Anyway, I am happy to know that place.

I’ve been in love with this place ever since the new management took over. Finally a real crab restaurant with fresh daily crabs and sea food in Washington, DC. The new management is doing an outstanding job keeping the place flawless and the service at it’s best. My personal favorites and highly recommended are the crab cakes, fried calamaris and shrimps and the seasonal soft shell crab which is delicious. You also can’t go wrong with the shrimp salad. Over all, a great experience.

This place was a great place to eat!!! I Wasn’t disappointed at all! We asked the waitress for her suggestion on the menu. She recommended the Dancing Crab Platter for four. She was right on her recommendation. The platter consisted of the following 6 of the following oysters, clams, and jumbo shrimps, 2lbs lobster, 4 large crabs, 2 King crab legs, 2 snow crab legs, and seafood ceviche. The food was definitely spot on! The only thing I may suggest is warning the lobster as opposed to having it chilled. This platter alone is $ 99 which I thought was reasonably priced.
The reason why I gave it a 4 instead of 5, we kept asking for utensils and condiments. But that’s something that can be corrected through proper training. Otherwise, I would definitely come back to this place and would highly recommend it! From food perspective they deserve a 5 star!

SO great!
I had a few friends in town from Columbus and wanted to treat them to some great DC seafood. Initial thought was grabbing some stuff from the wharf or going to Georgetown, but the Taste of Georgetown was happening this weekend, so I was not about to mess with all that traffic and the crowds.
Did a quick search on google and The Dancing Crab popped up. Hadn’t heard of it, never been. I’m a native Marylander and I know my seafood, so I’m always skeptical of seafood places I’ve never been to. Did a quick search on here and the reviews about the quality from other native Marylanders and DC folks and the casual ambience convinced me. Made some reservations on Open Table and away we went!
We started with the Dancing Crab platter, full size. 6 oysters, 6 clams, 6 jumbo shrimp, 2lb lobster, 4 large hard shell crabs, 2 king crab legs, 2 snow crab legs and seafood ceviche. For THREE of us.
And then we added 6 more large crabs, an order of hush puppies and 2 sides of grilled corn. Our server Haley, like the comet, was a little skeptical, but we assured her we’d do just fine.
I’m reluctant to eat raw shellfish because when it’s bad, it’s bad. And it’ll more than turn you away from doing so for a while, it’ll also turn your stomach. Not disappointed at all! All the raw bar stuff was great, ceviche was wonderful and we were definitely happy.
The crabs were fantastic! Really meaty and fresh and delicious. Disappointed they didn’t have females that night though. Not sure if they ever do. But I love me some roe!
Everything was fantastic, cooked to perfection and we left very full and very very satisfied.
Haley was a wonderful server and was attentive and friendly despite how crowded the restaurant was.
Left with a $ 200 bill that included several rounds of top shelf drinks. Not a bad deal at all. Will definitely come back again!
FYI — we polished off ALMOST everything, save for two crabs which we donated to the table next to us. Now I’ll know to only add 4 large crabs to our order next time if it’s just the three of us. Highly recommended!

OK so I just want to respond to the review made my Jill. I have no affiliation to The Dancing Crab. I live a half a mile away and have seen the changes made upon new ownership of this 40 yr old establishment. I happened to be at the restaurant that Saturday when Jill was there. The restaurant was completely packed. While the Staff was extremely apologetic and COMPED (I saw everything) for this Jill lady and her friends, she was still extremely rude. I know some of the staff at the crab. They are awesome and completely sold out of their fresh food. They dont offer anything BUT FRESH FOOD. That’s why instead of ordering crabs, I ordered a hamburger. It happens. But this lady– you could hear complain and it was nauseating. She seems to be the type of person who really doesnt like anything. Her friends were friendly and kind. She I absolutely new was going to write a review. I come on here today and see that she did. I have to correct her. It’s her who is the pain. Not The Dancing Crab.

Dancing Crab is Terrific! They had a 3 piece Brazilian band on Saturday night. The whole room had a suddle rock to it! It’s a small restaurant great for a family dinner or a date night, just because it is so intimate. The jumbo fried shrimp were huge golden and FRESH! The fries were perfectly seasoned and yummy, enough for 2 people to share. Hush puppies were fried gold brown and were pretty good. The drinks are strong I had this sort of mutated long island iced tea with pineapple juice and triple sec, something they made up based upon what I told them I liked. No complaints, so my friend decided she wanted one too!
Just so happens we were sitting next to the newest owners May-​May and Carlos, they were having a family dinner and all I saw were these huge lobsters and I said oh next time I have to get the lobster! One suggestion for Dancing Crab, if they had little add-​ons with their entrees like petite crab cakes or say 4 to 5 shrimp, the menu would be perfect. What I am saying, if you like a variety of seafood just be prepared to spend extra as there are not a whole lot of combination deals.
So as the night went on we ended up in the middle of the restaurant dancing with the owners and their family! There was an experienced Samba dancer that pulled each of us out of the crowd and into the circle. We each received a mini dance lesson, that woman was a dancing machine!
OH MY GOODNESS such a GREAT time matter of fact, I can’t ever recall going to a casual dining restaurant and having such an incredible experience! By the time we got back to our seats Carlos and May-​May were topping us off with red wine, so just when we were ready to leave we sipped a little longer and we laughed a whole lot longer and BY GOSH ISN’T THAT REALLY WHAT LIFE IS ALL ABOUT ?!

I hate going to this place. A friend of mine is hooked on going to this place and this is where we meet. I have convinced my friend to go elsewhere. The prices for what you get are much to high. On some rare occasions the food is OK (3 stars worthy). You could imagine the frustrations when your food comes and it tastes so bad. Ordering the crabs at this place was painful as well. Often times the crabs were over cooked and full of water. Often we ordered large crabs, but they were very small crabs to be considered large.
This place is a total ripoff. However, the staff is nice and friendly. There are to many nice restaurants in this area, so research and find the good ones.

This place has the most AMAZING crab cakes I have ever tasked and the artichoke and crab dip was to die for. It was great because we had a live band playing some Brazilian samba music and the Manager (Carol) was the nicest and sweetest person you can ever meet. She totally saved my date night when our waitress (tall blond women) totally dropped the ball and did bother to check back on us.
The place looks questionable from the outside but the food totally makes up for the lack of décor.

If you are looking for a place to enjoy amazing seafood with a fun and friendly atmosphere I urge you to give this restaurant a try.
This restaurant has been under new ownership for about 4 months now. This place has made some of the most amazing improvements in food quality, service, cleanliness, and atmosphere I have ever seen in such a short time.
I ate a few pieces of the salad and promptly diverted my attention to the Oysters. Not because the salad wasn’t delicious and fresh, but because no sane person would eat a salad with such delicious oysters, clams and cocktail shrimp piled high on crushed ice! Piping hot hush puppies, mashed potatoes, and Oysters Rockefeller and a whole fish that the owner recommended to us arrived next. This fish was of a very good size and was devoured by the table in minutes. Then… Hot, fresh and HUGE Maryland blue crab. I vacation in Ocean City nearly every summer and catch my own crabs, I’ve never had size and quality like this before!
It was tough to stay seated at our table. The live band they had playing everything from classic Clapton and Billy Joel to Adele was fantastic! At some points it seemed like every person there was up and grooving!
Our night ended with some coffee, eggnog ice cream, and a lot of smiles.
This was worth every penny, and if you don’t believe me, send me a message and I’ll answer any questions you have.

On a cold December weekday, my boyfriend and I were in search of a crab feast. Thinking that we were out of luck for the season, we discovered the Dancing Crab. We called on a Tuesday and were quoted $ 39.99, but we called again the next day and were told it was $ 34.99. I assume it’s priced daily. When we spoke to them, we told them that we’ll be arriving in the next 20 minutes, in case they needed to prepare ahead of time. 20 minutes later, we arrived, sat down, gave our drink order as well as reiterated we were doing the crab feast. There was a 40 minute wait for our first tray of crabs, presumably defeating the purpose of calling ahead. There were three other tables, all of which were eating crabs or lobster.
They have a camera inside the kitchen and it was broadcast on one of the televisions in the dining floor. This is a great idea, although it made time go slower seeing other trays plated before ours. When I saw our batch of crabs go into the steamer, it felt like forever.
The crabs were absolutely worth the wait. They were delicious male crabs and had a ton of meat inside, hot and fresh. We requested a second tray when we had a few crabs left, thinking it was going to take a long time. It didn’t. 5 minutes later, a tray of 15 or so crabs arrived. Even better than the first tray. A few had sand inside.
This isn’t a crab shack and actually had a very homely vibe with nice servers. We’re definitely returning for the crab feast.

How do I even describe this? Have you ever had one of those Friday nights that end with feeling like a million bucks? Well if you haven’t, you need to go to the Dancing Crab.
Less than two blocks from the metro, you pass the typical chain restaurants and cafes and here appears a fiery beacon. Now that’s actually the bar next door, so I was initially skeptical to enter the unassuming restaurant next door with a walk up through a covered patio. However, walking inside I was slightly surprised. The walls are covered floor to ceiling in refinished hardwood and various nautical themed components giving the patron a feeling of being inside a ship.
The boyf. and I sat up front where a jazz band was setting up. Our waitress, Wanda, (who has been there thirty years and had the demeanor of a fabulous old friend and not the hardened crabby feel of a veteran waitress) told us the wine list had just been redone to include some really great Napa Valley wines hand-​picked by the owner so we immediately started with a bottle of red wine. Then we decided on the 2lb. lobster, both coming with two sides, and let me tell you, the truffle mashed potatoes tasted like heaven and the hush puppies had corn kernel and were delightfully crunchy. The lobster was hot, very meaty and delish!
During dinner I noticed two large TVs back toward the bar. One was showing sports and the other looked to be some cooking show. Every time I looked at the cooking show I kept seeing the same guy. Turns out, I was actually watching my chef, steaming my lobster, in the restaurant’s kitchen. Very neat!
Some more wine later and the jazz started. Admittedly, I LOVE jazz, so I didn’t mind the loudness, but the band was clearly experienced in the art of live playing and took an appropriate amount of breaks in order for patrons to continue conversations. I excused myself for the ladies room (back by the bar) and noted the bathroom was more dated than I would have expected. There were strange mermaid tiles and an old metal stall door. I hung out at the bar for a few minutes, talking to strangers as one does on a Friday night, and did some more looking around. The crowd on this particular night is one of my favorite things about DC. You had your older couple sitting of the same side of a booth, the thirty something group of ladies at the bar, Japanese embassy teenagers, and the guys upfront alone with a scotch/​beer listening to the music. Not a single voice was heard nor an eye turned away during the last set, these guys were so great!
The night ended with a perfectly tasting margarita, a short walk to the train and a great recommendation for friends and family.

Growing up in the DC area as a kid, I knew the Dancing Crab as the only «real» crab house in DC. Usually we had to go to Baltimore or Annapolis to get crabs. Over the years this place had become kind of a run down dive which was disappointing. I went back again after many years and I was pleasantly surprised at its transformation.
The Dancing Crab has gone through a complete overhaul. It looks like Gordon Ramsay came here and turned this place around for his TV show. The interior looked like it had been completely re-​done. It still maintains that quaint crab house feel, but with clean inviting surroundings. They have a large flat screen TV with cameras in the kitchen so you can see everything going on there. (I assume this is to restore confidence in the quality in the back). The kitchen has obviously also gone through a complete makeover. All I could see were sparkling clean stainless equipment everywhere that looks brand new. The bathrooms (while still small as expected for a small place like this) were very clean and had been remodeled as well. The only thing they havent yet restored is the outside… the place needs a new awning and facelift to reflect the changes inside.
The staff was great. They were very attentive always checking to make sure everything was satisfactory and if we needed anything. This wasnt just from the waitress either. Everyone in the restaurant checked in on us, the management etc. The only ones who worked there that didnt stop by our table where the chefs, who were busy in the kitchen (I could see them on the TV!)
The food was great. They have a conservative menu with typical crab house fair: steamed crabs, mussels, lobster, hush puppies, steaks, soup, etc. The prices were very reasonable and the quality was great. Of course a pile of steamed crabs is hard to mess up and always tastes great, but their other items were really good as well. They had a beautiful 18oz rib eye steak and 2lb lobster that were cooked perfectly. Their hush puppies and hand cut fries were awesome. Reminded me of the type you get on the boardwalk at the beach. The only disappointing item we had was the Maryland Crab Soup. The crab was fresh and sweet but the soup lacked flavor and spice. It tasted like a mediocre tomato/​vegetable soup with lump crab added. Being a true crab house they need to kick this up a notch.
All of their previous reviews over the years of the place being an overpriced, dirty dive has obviously been heard by the owners. They seem to have taken everything to heart and restored this Wisconsin Ave landmark to the great little crab house it was. Fair prices, great food, a nice clean place for a pile steamed crabs on the table. Don’t judge this «book by its cover» as it still looks like a bit of a dive on the outside. Go inside and you won’t be disappointed.

This place clearly has new management, ownership (or both!) since the last time I was here over the summer. The restaurant literally looks entirely different inside. I was confused at first, until I realized it wasn’t redecorated, so much as it is lacking all of the previous grime and dust. Finally, the inside looks like someone actually CARES about cleanliness AND their restaurant. If you’ve read my past reviews, you know that feeling that sense of owner’s pride is one of the biggest signs I look for in a favorite restaurant.
If they care to clean up, it typically means they are taking the same care in the kitchen!
Okay, with the new (clean!) look taken care of, thankfully the food tastes just as good here as it always did. The hush puppies are just as crispy as I like them and the crabs are phenomenal. Pitchers of beer are still available — as they should be at any good crab joint! And I gave them a second chance with their margaritas (they were so bad last time, but I had a good feeling since the place looked so clean and different) and they won me over this time! SO good!
The service and the general vibe is still just ‘dive-​y’ enough, in my opinion. It has the same rough around the edges charm (as do most of the servers), but you can tell that management has re-​trained everyone to be more ‘customer-​focused.’ As it should be! Even in a dive, right?
All in all, I am super excited that someone took a place that had awesome elements (the crabs!), kept those elements strong and seemingly changed all of the weaknesses.
I have a new favorite crab joint the next time I need a crab fix!

Ok so here is a quick rundown,
The crabs were actually amazing!
Oysters, Ive had better.
The New York strip was really tough i couldnt finish it.
The service wasnt impressive. The three of us had to wait for like 15 Minutes to get the server actually come and greet us and it took probably another 10 minutes just to get our beers.
As a restauranteur, I know i can be extremely critical when it comes to giving a place a review but honestly im actually taking it easy on this place.
I dont know if i want to go back!
The only reason i had fun was because of the 2 really close friends that were with me, the crabs and also the pitcher of the beer.

Snow crabs and shrimp — good.
French fries — cold.
Hush puppies — crunchy and hot.
Nice server.
Roach in the bathroom — big and almost dead.
Not much more to say than that!

Who is feeling Crabby on a Saturday night?! ME! This is a local’s spot. The service is fantastic and Saturday night karaōke is the way to go! Drinks are cheap and the crowd is fun and young, well majority of the time. Keep doing what you do, Crab!

I’m rating Dancing Crab higher than you’d expect for 2 reasons. I only had crabs there, and the location.
1) Crabs — they were heavy, hearty and full of meat. I had a dozen to myself, and that’s when i shut out everyone else and focused in on devouring these critters. The fun of eating crabs is the experience of getting down and dirty with it, and working for your food. It’s an art.
2) Location — its easy to find street parking, and the new Public opened right next door. So after you stink of seafood, you can go next door and pass on the flavors while you drink a beer.
Well done, Dancing Crab.

This place serves excellent seafood! We went here last night for a celebratory dinner. For $ 65, we received a 1.25 lb lobster, 4 crabs, 2 dozen mussels, 4 oysters, and 6 – 8 shrimp. We were absolutely stuffed afterwards! Everything was fresh and tasty.
The sides, sweet potato chips, were soggy and the steamed vegetables were in need of some pepper. It seems like seafood is really the Dancing Crab’s specialty. The sides? Not so much.
The beer selection was limited, but we ordered the Bell’s Ale and loved it so we didn’t mind. Our waitress was very nice and very efficient.
I really liked the casual atmosphere of the restaurant. Outdoor seating is available and there are cozy booths inside. In the dining room, there is only one TV so this is not a place to go during a big game.

This place sucks. I knew I should not give it a second try, but did this evening with some friends, and paid a lot of money to be very disappointed.
One friend got the $ 40 all you can eat crab and fries, but they only had male crabs and medium size, which is second to smallest on their size chart with 4 sizes larger. Needless to say he spent the whole meal looking for meat and left hungry. the fries did not compensate.
The rest of us got lobster, crabcakes and catfish. I paid $ 27 to have them convert my catfish into a sandwich and it was fine, but not worth $ 27.
The $ 24 pitchers of beer were a little steep as well. I’m fine paying DC prices for drinks, I’ve lived here $ 16 years, but this just added insult to injury.
Service and food were bad, prices were high. Save yourself the frustration and don’t even try it. Go to Tony and Joe’s and have a crab cake on the Georgetown waterfront for cheaper and a better view. It’s one of their sister restaurants and you may not have to go eat a second dinner to satisfy you.

This review is only judging them as a late-​night-​out venue:
I was always morbidly curious about the Dancing Crab when I passed by on the street. Had there not been anyone outside, I would have guessed it was an abandoned building. Upon entering late on Saturday night, I got the feeling I was in that old fisherman’s bar from the Perfect Storm. We showed up with a large group for the karaōke: the clientele did not seem pleased at our presence and the staff wasn’t much better. I then asked about their bottle beer selection: pretty slim. Standard Miller and Bud collections with maybe a Yeungling for a kicker. They had some beers on tap that were decent, but then when I paid $ 5 for a plastic, half-​solo cup, it was not making me happier. Luckily, I was there with a dozen friends, so we still had a good time regardless of the atmosphere, but this is not a place I would care to return to.

What more could you ask for? There’s hot steamed crustaceans and ice cold beer.
We ate crabs, shrimp, oysters, drank lots of beer and they watched the game; I sat with my back to the TV ’cause I was FOCUSED, you hear me… focused! The seasoning was perfect, the service was swift, and the atmosphere was way comfortable. We must have stayed like 3 hours. I’ll definitely be back, I love cheap beer and food just as much as the next fat drunkard.

I felt comfortable here. Sitting out on the patio of the Dancing Crab is somewhere I would take Thelma from Mama’s Family on date.
And that’s not a knock on the restaurant. It’s homey, comfortable, albeit a little unpolished but the servers are super friendly, down to earth and welcoming.
The tables were dressed with old school, red and white checkered plastic table cloths and I could smell the slight remnants of an old cigarette.
But my Diet Coke remained full, the hush puppies were awesome, loaded with bits of corn kernels, and my Caesar Salad was sizable. Only complaint is that the chicken was a bit bland and the lettuce was not properly dried. Wet lettuce is not a good look.
Overall though, the hush puppies, laid back atmosphere and kind severs made the experience very enjoyable. Not sure if I would jump to come back for any reason other than the hush puppies or a few beers on the patio, but overall this spot is fairly enjoyable.

I ordered the all you can eat crabs. The crabs were small but really fresh (no meat was sticking). I felt that the price was a bit high at $ 44.00 for 3 hours. They have a pretty good beer selection and keep them coming cold. Outdoor patio was really nice and clean. Server was very friendly and funny. Would suggest the Dancing Crab as a good place in D.C. for all you can eat. They also don’t charge for extra butter.