I don't want to take anything away from this restaurant with this review at all. It just was not for me. Let me put you on to game. What they don't tell you is that you need to arrive at least an hour before you plan to dine. That is because you will most likely have to wait to get a reservation which is done by ticket. That was a huge let down to me because the place is not big at all and the "waiting area", forget about it. I guess one could spend their time at some of the local shops like Rite Aid, Rainbow, Sallys and Farm Fresh. So on to the actual food and seating. So the place is small. I was so cramped at my table and I had no where to put my purse. The whole time I was trying to not disturb my neighbors with my elbows and knees, hold my purse and eat with both hands. I ordered the shrimp and crab legs combo that came with potatoes and corn. I got the spicy sauce that was a mixture of all the sauces but made super spicy. The food came out super quick and I accompanied mine with a nice cold corona. My meal was little over $30 and I had leftovers but I had two small red potatoes and a small piece of corn. With all of the spicy sauce in my bag with nothing in my belly to soak up the sauce I had a belly ache. At the price of the food one would expect more starchy foods to fill you up along with the seafood. I also tried the calamari which was extremely rubbery and almost like an after thought. All in all, Im glad I got to go to see what all the hype was about. I don't think I would be super stoked to go again. read more

Shaking Crab - A huge bunch of crabs and shrimp in the Spicy Shaking Sauce - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

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Every time I've been it was great a love the shaky mix!! Definitely a treat on the palate!

You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you how hard it is to actually find a decent place with crab legs in Norfolk. Isn't the city RIGHT on the damn water?! Anyway, nestled inside a very nondescript strip mall, I found a nice little spot. Walking in, Shaking Crab looks like every strip mall chinese food restaurant I've ever been to. Its when you sit down that you see the charm Shaking Crab has. At the table, the top is covered with clean paper and on every square inch of the walls, beams and rafters is....for lack of a better word, graffiti. Bring your Sharpie to Shaking Crab, as they let you tag to your hearts content. There wasn't an inch of free space to add anything as everything is COVERED in writing. AND, it should be noted, with that policy, and that amount of work, you would expect the vulgarities to be PLENTIFUL, but aside from the mens room, I couldn't find a single untoward word or phrase. And, if you've ever been in a mens room, you'd know that curses and horrible phrases are the rule, not the exception. Even in the bathroom though, it was the absolute bare minimum of terribleness. The only thing that was off for me was that the seat backs were wobbly and loose and every time I moved, I bumped the unlucky people sitting behind me. About the food: flavor wise, this place is SPOT ON! You pick your food, your flavor and your spice, and they throw that shit in a bag, shake it up and deliver it to you. As far as TASTE, Shaking Crab was a knock out. The mild garlic butter seasoning I had on my crab legs and shrimp was DELICIOUS. (weirdly enough though, AVOID THE DRAWN BUTTER. It tasted off. Like a weird, old burnt, rancid flavor) The seasonings and sauce just sit in the bag, covering every inch of your food. Make no mistake about it, you will get absolutely filthy eating here. I was covered up to my elbows in seasoning when it was all said and done. Its not ALL accolades and praise however as there were 2 things in particular that I wasn't a total fan of. First, and this is gonna sound weird, but the servings were too much. You can't get a 1/2 pound of anything here (other than side sausage.) I wanted crab legs and shrimp for my meal (so I had to get the combo). Now, a pound of crab legs isn't anything crazy. Thats like 2 clusters. But a POUND OF SHRIMP? Thats a different story. It wound up being like 30 shrimp, which is what I like to call, WAY too many shrimp. I knew that before I ordered, but you don't have a choice. Listen, I ate WAY too many shrimp, gave all the ones I couldn't finish to my dining partner, and there were still 9 shrimp left over when HE had had enough. It was an obnoxious amount of shrimp. If you're splitting this bag, then great! But if its just you, you're going to be wasting a lot of food. Secondly, the bags come with corn on the cob and potatoes and while the potatoes were cooked nicely and, with the delicious seasoning, were a treat, the corn was mushy. If it weren't for the seasoning, the corn would've been straight to the bin. I've read that this place gets hella busy, but at around 5:30 on a Thursday, we had zero problems getting a seat or our food. Your mileage may vary. They have a bar too (wine and beer) so you can sip a lil sumpin if you're so inclined. If I'm back in Norfolk, I would definitely head back. Oh, WEAR THE BIB! Seriously. It looks like a crime scene when you're done eating. Don't try to be too cool. Save your clothes. read more

Shaking Crab - You get to tag the place up - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

I wasn't sure about this place when I first walked in because it was definitely not what I expected. The wait staff however was very attentive and helpful in helping our group decide what we wanted. I ended up with the crab cakes and sweet potato fries, and my husband got a seafood boil. My dish was fine and well-cooked, but my husband's seafood boil was absolutely incredible. (I kept bugging him for bites of his.) For that reason, I know that we'll be back and I know I'll probably only ever order the crab and shrimp boil he got that first time going forward. read more

This was my first visit and I brought a friend who was really betting on my foodie senses so the pressure was ON! I am glad to say the food at Shaking Crab definitely lived up to the hype! I ordered the Shrimp and Snow Crab leg combo with the cajun + garlic butter sauce, mild spiciness. The wait was not long at all and when the food came i was happy with the portion size. I got two full crab clusters that were a nice size with a bunch of large shrimp a couple potatoes and corn on the cob. The flavor was absolutely delicious, robust and the perfect amount of heat. My friend and I could not stop saying how good it was and how happy we were that we had come in. I had to drive back to the peninsula so I decided to stop eating before the food coma hit. The price tag was $31 but I would say it was well worth it. The only reason I'm giving them a 4 vs a 5 is because due to them taking a reservation for a party of 15 there was a crazy wait for 1.5 hours. I understand trying to be accommodating but at a certain point you have to be realistic about the constraints of your venue. This space is way too tight to host a party of that size on a saturday night. Other than that I had an awesome experience and will be back very soon! read more

I tried this place for the first time today and I was pleasantly surprised. I ordered a beer and had to send it back because it was too warm but the shrimp was amazing! The spices they used in the boil were just right and I was raving about my dinner. The place was clean and neat. Service was excellent. I'm going back and bringing a friend. read more

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Well, third time was kind of the charm. Finally got here around 1 pm on a Friday and immediately got sat our waiter Nick was nice. I understand getting caught up in the back talking or eating when it's slow so I'm not mad lol. I got the combo with crablegs and shrimp with the heads off. Idk why you'd eat them with the head on but whatever floats your boat. I just got the original seasoning, spicy. I get the whole "shakin" concept but I didnt like getting it in that bag. ‍ It was a little too saucy for me too. Very messy. Not great, not the worst. I had to see what all the hype was about. They should also see about another location with outside seating today would have been a perfect day. read more

Shaking Crab - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

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I don't understand why this place has received so many good reviews as it was without question one of, if not possibly the worst seafood meal pI have ever had and I am a lifelong resident of VA Beach. Ordering was easy, the delivery person was courteous and polite. My food cost was just over $15. but my final bill was well over $30, double! I ordered calamari with onion rings and hush puppies. It was hard to distinguish the calamari from the onion rings because they were all the exact same shape and size and obviously frozen and from some supply house. They were super greasy, not just fried in a lot of old oil but left sitting for a long time. Needless to say everything was saturated with oil and cold by the time my order came. I heated everything up in the air fryer hoping to "crispen" things a bit and remove some of the oil but it didn't help. I won't be ordering from this restaurant ever again. In a city that is know. For its great seafood this place should be the shining example of what NOT to be. I live in VA Beach not CA. read more

What can I say the food is amazing and tasty best place for seafood so far .. the seafood boil is my family favorite

I'm from WV not a lot of amazing seafood options so I was hype to go to shaking crab . Sad we didn't get to eat inside and get my bib but everything was BANGIN ! read more

Shaking Crab - Combo with shrimp no heads, crab legs with the medium Cajun sauce - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

Literally Life!! Service was great during pandemic. Had lines separate for ordering and pick up. Food was fresh and they had military discounts which I can appreciate. Very flavorful and seafood was fresh.... I will definitely go back! read more

If you don't mind Old Bay seasoning drilling down your chin and elbows while you indulge in steamed crustaceans, you should eat at the Shaking Crab. The portions and prices are similar to other seafood boil eateries. Dine-in is closed during COVID19, so you will have to order for pickup. read more

Shaking Crab - Crawfish - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

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This place is amazing! Love the vibe and the food is awesome! Had the crab and shrimp in the shaking seasoning and it was so good. The oysters were fresh and delicious. Service was good. It's a place you can take a ton of people or just yourself. Def will be back. read more

Shaking Crab - Oysters - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

Went there with the family and really enjoyed it. Ordered several different kinds of crab that were all delicious. Corn was watered down but not a deal breaker. Nice casual atmosphere. Fun place to go with family! read more

Not that great. Highly do NOT recommend. Everything was too salty but had no taste, essentially like salt water. Lol. Also tried to say that 6 shrimps and 7 mussels were a pound each cos they were a "little bigger" and "they were weighed and came out to a pound each." Okay mah boyyy sure they were. ‍ One star for the popcorn they brought out beforehand and another for my ice tea being decent. read more

Delicious food and great service! I suggest deep trays to dump the food onto for dining instead of eating out of a bag. Perhaps a napkin dispenser on the table as well. We loved it and will recommend to all our friends. We loved it so much we took the pic after we were finished. Lol. read more

Shaking Crab - I remembered to take the pic after we devoured our food. Delicious! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

This place was sooo good!! Ended up here after the restaurant we planned on going to was closed and I'm SO GLAD it was closed so we could come here! The service was amazing and the food was OUTSTANDING!! Will definitely be going back over and over and over!! read more

Great amazing food Amazing atmosphere will be visiting again real soon. The muscles where huge and the spices where just right. I was expecting the kids shrimp to be small and just plain. When they came out i thought i received the wrong order they where large and very great tasting flavor. Amazing 4 stars only because its to small need a bugger spot read more

Shaking Crab - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

Love this place! The food was amazing and perfectly made if I had the money I would've bought myself a second bag. The customer service was amazing I had a male server and he was very entertaining and helpful! Over all an amazing place I now go every birthday. read more

I was here last night. I was very disappointed with the portion of King Crabs I received. I believed they weighed the crabs with the potatoes and seasoning juice in the bag and called it a pound. We both received four broken King Crabs two potatoes and one half of corn on the cob in the bag. We were still hungry and unsatisfied! Best Crab place hands down are and always will be Captain George's located on Laskin Road. I'll have to be a fool to return here... read more

We were given wrong order. We were in a hurry so just left after pickup but realized later after we got home that they provided a wrong order. Plus the taste is definitely degrading. Very less sauce provided along with missing sides. read more

I've been looking for one if these seafood in a bag places for a while. I thought I'd have to leave the area to try it out. I them saw a few of my friends posting ally this local spot. I thought I'd try it out. I enjoyed the writing in the wall.. When you see it you'll know what I'm talking about... lol.. I think I'm going to try the different flavors when I go. I'm not interested in having a bunch of Old Bay. The problem for me is when you can actually cook and realize you can cook this yourself it kind of takes the whole Nostalgia away from it as well. I like the fact that they offer various combinations for your bag. read more

Great place, I love the crab bags, Every month my family has a game night and we always get it, Prices are OK, the location could be better, almost got hit twice, food is the best though, good service, you can even write your name on the wall! Highly recommend the mild or medium spice level, not that spicey but still has a little kick. Highly recommend it to get, it's my favorite seafood place. Make sure to get hush puppies. read more

There's a simple joy from the messy, all hands-on, bib wearing to protect from juices splashing on you- experience of eating seafood!! Have you heard or tried the Boiling Crab? Well, this is a restaurant-dupe of that, hip and divey- like, casual atmosphere. It's good! Between my boyfriend and I, we ordered the crab legs and shrimp combo with potato and corn, 2 sides of rice , mild spice. We enjoy the peeling and cracking ourselves then redip the peeled shrimp and crab back into the bag and eat it hot and fresh. The seasoning is tasty. The wait is long, but worth it, so anticipate for that. read more

Shaking Crab - Shrimp with heads and crab legs combo!! Mild spice. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

Great atmosphere and customer service was great. Food is absolutely amazing. Make sure to think about your wardrobe as you may get messy.

This was my first experience doing a Crab Boil at a restaurant. My cousin suggested this place so we tried it out. When I entered I was immediately greeted by the hostess and we were seated immediately. The tables were covered with a white paper covering in preparation for the meal. When our waiter came to our table he was very helpful. I advised that this was my first visit and he was very thorough in explaining the menu. He explained the level of spiciness for the seafood, sides, combos, the different dips (butter and garlic butter), and other menu items. He even made a few recommendations. I believe his name may have been Deon (2 braids on top starting locs)......I am not sure. I ordered a half pound of dungeness, pound of snow crab, potatoes, corn, sausage, fried catfish (comes in a seperate tray not in boil). They brought out gloves, crab crackers, a bucket for shells, bibs, plates, and fork. When the meal arrived I was pleased with how much food I had. The spice level and combination of sauces was very balanced. The waiter was excellent checking in us several times before, during, and after our meals. The only thing that was not to my liking was that there was no bar or way to order any adult drinks other than beer and wine. read more

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Well -- it's been about 5 months or so since I last visited and everything is still the same, which for me is both fine and disappointing. Fine because: service was great. Tyler was awesome! Whatever we wanted which wasn't even much: an extra order of a pound of sausages (so good, btw!), refills, and to-go materials when we had leftovers to take home. I like him and hope he'd still be there next time I go. Disappointing because: it was still hot inside! I don't know if the AC isn't turned on low/high enough or if it just isn't strong enough. I've said it before & I'll gladly say it again: it was hot as balls in there and it was scorching 95 degrees outside this July day. Come on. Let's not boil the customers along with the food. Not cool - you see what I did there? Lastly, the ladies' bathroom was still gross. The sinks were slow draining and there was water EH VAH REE WHERE! Yuck! Totally forgot to use my 10% off Yelp check in offer but oh well. I still love this place (even more if they'd settle the AC temperature!) and the Shaking medium sauce is still where it's at!! Less and less places and spaces to make your mark on the walls...makes me wonder what happens next? read more

The seafood bags are always. amazing. When we've gone into sit down the staff is very nice and the food is always quick.

This place is modern and fun. They serve popcorn complimentary, and gloves and bibs. The food is amazing and cons in big bags. It's exciting top eat here. Unfortunately it's a small place and theres always a wait. My kids love this place, they get to write on the walls. read more

Straight to the point! I order the Crab-Cakes and my crab cakes came soaked in grease - 4/10 my friends ordered the seafood bags and didn't like how they were prepared. They even mentioned that they felt like they just warmed the food in the microwave. read more

Amazingly fresh and flavorful food! Our server Caitlyn went above and beyond for a food allergy and gave great service! Best place hands down! read more

Shaking Crab - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

Came here for the first time for a birthday dinner. We were surprised how busy it was on a Sunday night at 9PM. Sadly no popcorn or free snacks before the meal. No birthday treats or birthday songs. As corny as it is, customers appreciate this. Alas. Main seafood was good. We got the tilapia platter and the snow crab with the shaking sauce. NB. Medium spiciness is nothing for Asian people even if you can't tolerate spicy food and when we got hot on the side, the beauty of the sauce shined. Points for this. The Platter came with 4 pieces of Tilapia, all cooked very well and very tasty. The sides (corn and Cajun fries were nothing special at all. The corn would have tasted better if it wasn't in the same bag as the crab but brought out separately. Overall service was minimal/standard at best. As we were eating they are sweeping right in front of us (NB place hadn't closed. It was 15-20 minutes before.) also, Two wipes a person is not enough to provide and unfortunately our server did was not around enough to follow up. Side note: Yelp 10% coupon was sent to phone by text but did not load from link. Initially management refused to extend the yelp offer even though they took my phone my phone away for 2-3 minutes saw the text from yelp themselves. Not sure whose side the problem was on, but annoying given that it was a birthday dinner that late at night on a Sunday. Definitely killed the mood and was not demonstrative of the "awesome service" described here. All in all, the food was good, but not particularly memorable. We may do lunch or takeout but dinner? Not so much. The experience however is one of a kind and definitely recommended. read more

Shaking Crab - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

So this seafood restaurant is probably one of the best seafood restaurants that I've been to in the Hampton Roads area. I've been living here for over 13 years. This place, hands-down , is my new favorite spot. I have been to several other seafood restaurants simply because I am naturally a seafood lover and for those that are seafood lovers, you know seafood comes at a price. But this restaurant is one of the only places that I felt where I got my moneys worth. I highly recommend this place to any and all seafood lovers! read more

Shaking Crab - Checking into the shaking crab with my queen - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

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I love to eat seafood especially crab & shrimp! You can never eat seafood without being a little messy. Had dinner with Family, boyfriend, & friends and we always enjoy it! I always order either just Shrimp (Recommend order with Head) or their Combo: Shrimp with Crab legs with All sauces combined "All Above": Cajun/Garlic Butter/Lemon pepper/Shakin' Sauce; in Mild or Medium, to give a little kick. This place gets real busy during dinner, but I think its worth it. If you get the chance, or if there is any room, you can ask to write on their walls with a sharpie and leave your legacy, LOL. The customer service were friendly and are on top of things. I would recommend this place, bc it's sooo yummy!!! *When you walk in, Check out our YELP SIGN! You can't miss it!!!! read more

Shaking Crab - Leaving my legend! LOL! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

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Update: I have to change my rating from 5 stars to 4 stars. I still enjoy this restaurant though. The reason I changed my rating is because I am a huge seafood lover! I've tried the shrimp, crab legs and crawfish, but the shrimp are the only shellfish that seems to be cooked with the seasoning. I prefer my shellfish cooked in seasoning, so the meat will soak up the flavor. This might just be my preference, but I will definitely keep going for the shrimp, sausage, corn, and potatoes. The additional items are seasoned well, such as the sausage, corn and potatoes. Again, the service and atmosphere are good. read more

Eating at shaking crab is a staple to my visits home to VB. Great value for the price sadly the servers aren't always up to snuff; hence 4 stars rather than 5. There are so many options for those who do not want a bag of steamed and seasoned seafood. Love the fresh popped popcorn once you sit at the the table. Great way to kick off your meal! Word of advice- wear dark colors because it can get messy with a bib or not. read more

So i usually go in and eat in but this time i wanted to take food to go so i preordered! $43 for combo "A" with half pound of sausage... get home mouth watering so excited to eat it and after eating a few shrimps i noticed a long piece of fine grade of hair and sorry my hair is coarse so wasn't mine especially deep on the bag called they offered me to come in and get fresh bag and 15% off my next meal but after driving there 20mins and home another 20mins there was no way i was going back to have it remade so i just trashed it $43 down the drain but hey Atleast there are more broil places to try on hAmpton roads area... read more

Shaking Crab - A. Shrimps with Head and Crab Legs Combo - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

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Plenty of food, fresh and delicious. Service is good. The restaurant is open a spacious. I would definitely go again.

Prices going up...quality definitely going down. The shrimp in my order were mushy and stuck to the shells couldn't eat them. I have eaten here several times in the past without issue and this is the 1st time the food was this bad. Not sure what the issue was but I hope Shaking Crab gets it together. read more

The food is good,but the price for what you get needs help. When your food gets to you it's in a plastic bag and you fell like your eating out of the garbage. But like I said, the food is good. Not too bad. read more