Be sure to make reservations before heading in. They were able to seat us as soon as we arrived for our reservations and the waiters were very quick in their service, but not in a rushing way. Their Karai sauce, with spice added, was great for our shrimp and crab legs. We also ordered one order of rice, garlic noodles and some corn on the cob to feed my partner, baby and myself. The corn on the cob arrived a few minutes later than the rest of the food and the waiters offered to take it off our bill but it was really no big deal for us. I'd definitely return! read more

YUMMM!!!! Food was so good!! I especially recommended the garlic noodles, but everything on the menu was fresh & well seasoned.

Make a reservation! This place is always crowded and for good reason..... the food is so delicious. You'll wish you had 4 stomachs so you could order everything on the menu and come back every day so you can eat your fill of this scrumptious seafood. We ordered a bottle of white wine and then looked at the menu. They have everything here..... chicken, potatoes, corn, almost every kind of seafood imaginable..... but I came here for clams and mussels, so that's what I ordered. We had a pound of the miso sake clams. There really wasn't anything wrong with the clams, but I didn't think the miso sake sauce was very good. Sorry! This is why I only gave 4 stars instead of 5. The clams were fresh and I enjoyed eating them, but the sauce did not make me want to dunk huge pieces of bread to sop up the juices. It's ok, I'll know what to order the next time I'm here. The mussels were absolutely swoon worthy. We ordered a pound of garlic butter mussels with a spice level of habañero. This is my new favorite dish! I go to bed dreaming of the garlic butter mussels and wake up hoping they'll show up on my breakfast plate. Yes they're that good! I love spicy food and the habañero spice level was just right for me. Yes, I dunked lots of bread in the sauce and made plans to move in so I could eat these every day. I also ordered a side of broccoli because..... I dunno..... health? I came with a date but next time I'm coming with a bunch of friends so we can order even more dishes. I love you Karai Crab! read more

Karai Crab is simply outstanding!!! This is a separate restaurant at the old Willows on Hausten, a place I went to as a little boy close to 50 years ago. It is a great nostalgic throwback. When we do a return visit to the Islands, Karai Crab is a must. We all had the King crab. They have four sauces, and most of us had their most popular "Karai Special"; garlic butter with cajun spices. You choose a heat level as well, which we went with mild as not to cover up the crab. If you are sensitive to spice, do what my father-in-law did and get simple drawn butter. Throw in a few sides, such as boiled potatoes, corn-on-the-cob, french fries and a beer and you have a crab feast. Nice desert selection after -- if you have room. read more

We ordered the kraken & it was enormous for just the three of us, We ended up taking a little less than half home. Service was great, the servers were nice & made us feel welcome. The food was great, service was wonderful, & environment was peaceful. Coming back again. read more

Ok so when you walk in, you're not going to be blown away with how it looks. But it's soo good! We started off with the garlic noodles, which is a must try. And then we had shrimp and crab. The lemon pepper, was good but the Karai Seasoning on the shrimp and crab was amazing! We would also recommend the Mango Spritzer. This place was fantastic. read more

Karai Crab - Karai seasoning with shrimp and crab bowl. - Seafood Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Time to get messy! *Puts on bib* I am a seafood lover and when I hear people say I don't eat seafood, I stand up and exit the conversation. I just can't understand why...why ignore the vast ocean of all it's delicious delicacies. In the spirit of ragin crab and kickin kajun, this place offers more of the same kind of things. We ordered the combo which came with crayfish, corn on the cob, potatoes, clams, shrimp, mussels, and we ordered the crab legs for a little extra. After that we also ordered 6 piece Cajun shrimp, which was nice and juicy. We also tried the jalapeño cornbread, which was tasty and not so spicy. Karai means spicy, but the levels of spicy didn't go very high in my opinion. We ordered the medium but felt it barely had any kick, so we ordered the Cajun shrimp at the highest level of spicy and finally I felt my tongue burning and my forehead sweating. If you like spicy stuff, I'd only go with the hottest one they got. The other levels are just child's play. The restaurant is sorta small and very clean. There is even a sink in the back to wash your hands of all the seafood goodness. I was very greatful for that since my hands were covered in grease that no amount of disposable towels could wipe away. The staff was very welcoming and friendly. I just think their definition of spicy is a little skewed. Maybe Japanese spicy is a certain level and Thai spicy is another level. I really like this place and I can see myself coming here more than the other seafood places. read more

Karai Crab - Half order of Cajun shrimp at hottest spice - Seafood Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Move over Boiling Crab and Crustacean!! I am California dreaming of the crab and garlic noodles I had at Karai Crab! The best garlic noodles ever! EVER!! So good I would catch a flight!! So good that we visited two days in a row during both of our trips to Hawaii!! I wish the owners would open a California location or overnight me some sauce and garlic noodles OAN when we visited, we sat outdoors and our ears were blessed with the best R&B playlist ever!! Great food, a bomb playlist AND the nicest owners EVER= a real five star experience in my book! read more

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Celebrated my mom's birthday at Karai Crab! It did not disappoint! Service was excellent and the food was amazing as usual! Most of us at crab clusters but we also tried a black bean shrimp and pan roast which were equally delicious! The appetizers are really good too, fresh poke, sweet potato fries, edamame, and calamari were all equally tasty! Can't wait to visit again. read more

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Amazing! Food was great and the customer service was above and beyond. Shout out to Gigi!!

Oh man, the Karai sauce is so good! I took my In-laws as a 'thank-you' for all the help they give us watching the kids. We got 4 orders of the Karai Combo and it came out just as I hoped. They put paper down on the table and brought out a huge metal bowl with all our delicious food inside. There was very little talking as we all chowed down on everything in there! I have yet to try take out during COVID, but I've been eyeing this place to get myself a treat. read more

I really loved the food here....seafood was well seasoned (not too salty) and they have Kona Brew beer on tap. The Kona light blonde paired well with our dish. Also enjoyed their wings and garlic fries. The staff there are very nice and accommodating. I'll definitely visit again when I travel back to Hawaii. read more

Karai Crab - Crab Boil - Seafood Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Ordered the Karai Combo... says good for 4-6 people but in reality it's closer to 6 than 4. A lot of food! If ever you could say $200+ was good value for food this is it. The Karai seasoning is not too salty (like some of the other seafood boil spots' Cajun) recommend it! read more

Karai Crab - Karai Combo - Seafood Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

AWSOME CUSTOMER SERVICE! Quick food service & ordered a little bit of everything on the menu & everything was completely satisfying. read more

SO BOMB. Strap on that bib and get crackin'. Had dinner here last week to celebrate my Dad's birthday and every.single.person. in our party of 9 left completely satisfied. It was all of our first times there and we were quite impressed. Love that they take reservations, too. 1st thing you notice is that it feels sooo local there. Local servers, local management, local aloha spirit and vibe. The place isn't fancy by any means but the outdoor seating area (adjacent to The Willows) gives a very serene, relaxed, private oasis feeling. Everyone was so nice and welcoming to us there, not to mention patient, given we had some people in our party scattering in late + 2 keiki with us. The portions are SO SUBSTANTIAL. We were highly impressed by the size and quality of the shrimp and snow crab. Plenty of food to go around, and loved the seasonings. We tried a bunch of sides too: corn (SO good, comes 4 pieces to an order), fries (came out piping hot and crispy with just the right seasoning), sausage, garlic noodles (these were the only ones the party deemed just so-so, like standard chow mein, but with garlic). But all sides are cheap, filling, and GREAT to share. The only uneasy feeling I got was at the very beginning when the hostess told us upon seating they had a "strict 2 hour seating" policy which set a weird tone at first...but I have to say they never once made us feel rushed. We're all from LA visiting my parents here, and have to say most of us said we'd try and squeeze in another visit before we leave, if we can. :) P.S. Bonus: You can order off the Willows drink menu + buffet (if you have any guests who cannot participate in the shellfish fest)! read more

Our go to place for crab every time we visit! Great tasting food at amazing prices!! Tropical Hawaiian sauce with kick ass habanero! Goes really well with the sweet potato fries Fantastic staff and thanks Jon for the warm hospitality - can't believe we had two rounds of Snow Crab this trip in the span of 4 days!!!! read more

Karai Crab - Snow Crab with Tropical Hawaiian with Habanero - Seafood Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I love this place!!!!! The staff is wonderful and friendly. There cute small place is larger now, but the ambiance is so comfortable. Although the Dole soft serve was good, u have to eat their pecan tarts!!! After eating the Karai combo with snow crab, garlic noodles and jalapeño cornbread. We got our money worth. I was so sad when they had to leave Willows location, because we just discovered this and are several times, now we can keep on returning their to get our crab, shrimp, clams, mussels fix..... they even have a cute logo on the wall of the establishment read more

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Great food, takes reservations, extensive bar menu. Off Waikiki so affordable and just really good food and service.

Excellent service! They are all so friendly and everyone serviced us not just the main waitress. Food was delicious and came out fast and hot. And if you're local you get a Kamaaina discount. Convenient parking in the building ($3 with validation). read more

Food was good, not a lot for the money. Pretty pricey. Service was great. And the atmosphere was fun.

Im a Total foodie and this is My favorite restaurant not only in Hawaii but anywhere in the World!! Have been coming here and to the last location ever since moving here to Oahu from Las Vegas 2 years ago. Everything is so ONO & Delicious!!! The staff are warm & wonderful! John the Owner is a Legend. I have been to all the similar by the pound seafood hotspots on the mainland in Las Vegas California and this place tops them all! Easily!! My faves are Shrimp w Karai seasoning w Cayenne level spice, Karai Chicken wings, Peeled Shrimp, King Crab, Mushrooms and the Garlic noodles! Tell John I sent you Keep up the wonderful work! read more

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I've been craving a good seafood pan roast for a while. After searching local restaurants online, I found Karai Crab. No need to continue my search! The pan roast was fabulous. The garlic butter edamame was to die for. Top it off with a Kona Longboard and you have one fantastic meal. Service was excellent, even with me showing up almost 30 minutes early. Will definitely be back!! read more

Karai Crab - Pan Roast is so fabulous. Spicy and full of seafood and sausage. - Seafood Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Let me just start off by saying, I appreciate the staff here so much. My boyfriend and I needed to return our rental car at a certain time but forgot we had reservations, so we came here and thought we could leave a little earlier but time wasn't in our favor. Our server, Arlene, allowed our food to come out a little later so we could both enjoy it warm. When he got back they brought out our food steaming hot after a few minutes. Couldn't have appreciate our server more and also the kitchen. Oh my goodness, the crab was absolutely delicious. We got the recommended sampler for 1-2 people which was well more than enough. Arlene was so awesome with providing us more of the sides rather than mussels & clams since we're not too much of a fan. Drinks were also really good, we got two shots each of their famous shot which was a spicy mango and tajin rim. Absolutely enjoyed our experience and a huge shout out to the staff for being so understanding and attentive. Ambiance was super cute and dainty, we loved every part of it. Service over all was really good. Thank you so much Arlene & Karai Crab! read more

I really enjoyed this restaurant... I miss raging crab... I had been to willows tons of times growing up and heard about this sister restaurant quite of few times... so decided to finally check it out! Inside is small but they have tables outside as well... reservations are recommended... Items are quite generous and easy to share! You can pick your items... sauces... heat... and even make it a combo which I recommend. Garlic noodles were good and the catfish was only ok for me... but the main crab combo was served hot in a big bowl and delicious! We also ordered side sauces that were so good! After making a big mess and eating it all they told us we could help ourselves to dessert in the willows buffet area... a nice simple raspberry whip for me was a satisfying end to my meal... Must say the staff is excellent. Extremely hospitable and friendly! Made us feel very welcome and happy... sorry I'm bad with names... I think our server was Casey?! But anyway really great restaurant... totally going back... snow crab was my favorite... read more

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This seafood joint was absolute perfection! I ordered the snow crab legs which was a generous 1 1/4 pound portion. I opted to try the Tropical Hawaiian sauce which was local pineapple mixed with coconut and mango chutney. I had to get it spicy to enjoy the sweet and spicy collaboration. It was amazing. Sauces must be their specialty because every sauce I had was done just right! The next time I visit Honolulu I will make this my first restaurant stop! read more

Karai Crab - Snow crab legs- tropical hawaiian style - Seafood Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Have been here twice when in town, never disappointed. Garlic noodles are amazing, highly recommend

I loved the portion for their price but the taste wasn't all that too me. I ordered the snow crab legs combo which comes with 1&1/2 pound of snow crab legs with clams, mussels, corn on the cob, shrimp & red potatoes I also ordered a bowl of white rice. Taste was okay I felt like it wasn't fresh like juicy it was more dry! Mind you this is probably my 4th cajun spot I tried and maybe I should of went up on the spice. I got the mildest one with butter and garlic. I gave this place 3 stars bc it lacked fresh ness and i didn't like love it it's just average for me. But I will Come back to try something else just not a WOW factor for me read more

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The good: From the outside it doesn't look like much , but the outdoor seating is really comfortable, beautiful, and creates great ambience. Indoor seating is like that of a fast food restaurant, and not worth it. This restaurant is located in a quiet residential neighborhood. Other reviews have mentioned there is a charge for parking, but it seems like street parking in the neighborhood is also available. The service is fast and friendly. My server took the time to describe menu items and answer questions. Once I ordered , my food came quickly. The spiciness of each dish is easy to customize. I erred on the side of caution, not wanting to spoil my meal , and my server kindly offered to bring out more spices to make it spicier. Soft serve is included with every meal. I was invited into the adjoining buffet to serve myself after the meal. Other reviews mention crowds and reservations, but I walked in on a Wednesday evening and didn't see anyone else there . The bad : The price just isn't worth it. I spent $27 (Just for me) for a bowl of shrimp , a cocktail and a piece of bread ($4!) . Entrees include protein only and all vegetables and starches are separate . My cocktail was very weak and tasteless, it was so watery, I didn't finish. Worse: after leaving an objective 3 star review outlining the positive and negative aspects of my dining experience, someone from the restaurant responded with a nasty comment and blaming a different restaurant for the bad drink , rather than making suggestions or trying to make things right. I had thought about coming back with my husband, thinking he may enjoy it more than I did. I also intended to try the Willows, their sister restaurant, as the options looked really good. Bottom line: the food is good, but the value just isn't there. Most importantly, restaurant management should never be rude to people who have a bad experience, it's just bad business. read more

Been here twice and I must say both times have been really great! Last night I had the snow crab with garlic butter and habanero sauce. OMG!!! Soooo Gooood!! The spice is not as hot as you think it is. Well that's of you like spicy hot, but whatever else they mix along with the hot pepper sauce is amazing!! You can also order a few sides like sausage, corn, and potatos, etc.. it's all on the menu. We also had the garlic fried rice and garlic butter clams which you can dip an entire slice of bread in and it's really yummy!! Service is always great! Very friendly staff and they are quick and attentive. There is a hand washing station outside of the bathrooms which is very convenient. Parking is valet across the street but last night (Monday) it was free parking. Not sure if the valet closes on Mondays. Will definitely be back to try other items like the shrimp that one of my friends ordered. I don't think I can go here and NOT order the habanero spice. They have me hooked!! Lol read more

Karai Crab - Snow crab legs with habanero sauce - Seafood Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

OMG! Best crab I've had in forever! Quantity was so great for the price. Customer service and staff were amazing. Still eating leftovers 2 days later and 6 friends got a taste of the leftovers. Think we're going back tonight. Not usually a fan of garlic noodles, but there's were so good! read more

Karai Crab - Seafood Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

My sister and I were on holiday in town. Craving crab/ seafood. The food was really good. I recommend the garlic seasoning . The pricing was the average for a carb boil spot even on the main land. The servers were super attentive and the vibe was cute and clean. I would go here again. read more

The food here was pretty good except for the King Crab. $92 it wasn't worth it at all. Not enough flavor and meat wasn't firm like the King crab I had in Jamaica. However their honey garlic shrimp and the garlic noodles were a 15/10. Overall good experience but our most expensive purchase was lack luster. read more

We tried the garlic shrimp, which was kinda good, but very salty. The mac salad was awful and tasteless - pretty sure all of the salt on hand went into the garlic sauce. We ordered takeout and received paper bowls rather than clamshell containers, which made for a challenge to eat in our hotel. We were so excited to try this place, and it was a total let down. There is so much good food on Oahu, but this place isn't it. read more

Terrible. Everything was too potent. From the drinks that was too sweet (watered it down) to the crab karai special (too salty) to the miso clam (strongly smelled and taste of sake) and the garlic noodles (I was today's year old when I found out something can be too garlicky). This place isn't worth it and I have no idea what everyone else who gave a favorable review ate, but it wasn't our food. read more

I was in town for a Wedding / retirement celebration. A group of us went here for dinner. The food presentation was very nice. The food was delicious and the service was delightful. I would definitely recommend this place. read more

Love love love everything there!!! You'll not regret going there!! They're friendly amazing and professional! Food is the best!! Love it there!! read more

Just plain disappointed I was super excited to take my boyfriend here after I came in and had a great experience but we walked in at 8:10 and they refused to sit us even though their was plenty of tables open they said kitchen closes at 8:30 even though it say 9 on here? But even still if the kitchen closed at 8:30 we could of rushed and put our order in. Instead we where told They don't take walk in after 8 pm I just feel like this is something that needs to be said on the website So people are not wasting their times driving here to just being told no read more

Crabs were amazing, sauce was just right and the lobster was so good. Service was beautiful and quick

It was okay. Expected my socks knocked off and perhaps they could include a free crab knife/cutter with an almost $400.00 order.

My friend who been to Karai Carb before recommended this place to me and said that it's one of the best Cajun seafood places on the island, if not the best. After looking at the reviews me and my friend decided to give this place a try, sadly I'm disappointed. We ordered the Fried Catfish w/ Fries ($12) and Fried Swimming Crab in Black Bean Sauce ($14) as our Appetizers. We also decided to share a Karai Combo in Garlic Butter because we didn't want to order too much food. Finally, we also ordered two bowls of white rice to add some more starch to our meal, Karai Combo contains 2 small potatoes. The Fried Catfish was perfectly fried and wasn't oily at all. The catfish was also very crispy whenever and the white catfish meat was really soft. The pieces were also a good size, there was a lot of meat in each piece. The crinkle fries were also seasoned well and slightly crisp but otherwise pretty standard. The dish also contained ketchup and aioli for the fish. The aioli was pretty good and I particularly like dipping it into both of the sauces. The Fried Swimming Crab in Black Bean Sauce was also really good. This dish is based on Chinese Cuisine. The crab was fried well enough that the shell was edible for consumption, for me at least. The black bean sauce is something you can find in some chinese resturant but typically it won't be used on crab. Their unique twist was interesting but really good. The sauce was really thick and sticks to the shell, thus intensifying the flavor. This is probably my favorite dish. We then had our main course, which was the Karai Combo. I was very excited since our appetizers exceeded my expectation. The Karai Combo consists of shrimps, sausages, potatoes, corn, clams, and mussel. But, after taking a bite of shrimp, I was very disappointed. The garlic butter sauce lacks flavor, it wasn't just lack but it was really lacking. I even coated my food with the garlic butter sauce. I understand that garlic butter isn't a very strong sauce but it was really bland in my opinion. I even took a slip of the garlic butter sauce and I couldn't really taste anything. Adding a little more salt and more garlic would have gone a long way. In particular, the potatoes retained no garlic butter flavor no matter how many times I dipped it into the sauce. It just tasted like steamed potatoes and nothing more. The shrimps were large in size, but the mussel and clam were basically non-existent. The sausage also lacks any flavor in my opinion, but the corn was nice and sweet. The service was really good, our waiter was friendly and patient in waiting for us to order (the waiter had to come back 3 times before we decided what to order) and would check up on us frequently throughout the meal. NOTES: The Parking is across the street was plentiful. The area is a little sketchy at night (it's located in a residential area), so be careful if you are going to eat at this restaurant. They also have gloves, so if they don't offer you any, you can ask for some. read more

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