The shaking sauce is amazing a matter of fact it's perfect! The waiter was excellent and Very tentative ( Hunter)! The portion and price ! I'm here in town for business and will be a returning customer anytime I'm in the area. I'm in love! FYI I'm a very picky eater!!!! #foody oh yeah the popcorn is served as a complimentary appetizer, no salt:( but I guess it has to be that way for Diabetics read more

Every single time I've come to eat here has been such a great experience even when you have to wait 30 minutes to get a table. I almost always get the the shrimp with head on in shaking mild sauce. The SAUCE!! The sauce is the BEST!!! They use FRESH garlic, not the pre-minced sitting in liquid in a jar-garlic. The ratio of spice-salt-butter is perfect! The shrimp are always done perfectly! The shell peels right off the shrimp! The texture is perfect and they have an amazing flavor. Not that metallic, fishy, slimy taste! And let me tell you, I've had bad shrimp before but this place, THIS PLACE does it right!!! I've also had their fried fish and shrimp platters those are BOMB as well. The CAJUN FRIES, OMG they are the best! They use those fries that are super crunchy but have that nice and smooth potato-y texture on the inside! The Cajun seasoning they use on them is SOOO good. The hush puppies are HELLA good too! I've had the crab legs, and muscles too both of which are delicious. Definitely one of the places in Hampton Roads that I'm going to truly miss even knowing that I'm moving back to California, home of amazing food and restaurants. Thank you Shaking Crab for being my go to place for my shrimp and fry cravings and for consistently satiating my palate. read more

The atmosphere was really casual and fun. I took my order to go and ordered the combo plus sausage. I couldn't even finish it! So much food at a great price! The shakin sauce was amazing and the shrimp was nice and big. read more

one of my fave places! food is delicious and service is great! i typically avoid the crowd by goin on "off" / less busy days because it can get crazy (over an hour wait in some cases) but they are fairly quick about seating customers. try the shaking sauce! read more

If I could give them zero stars I would but I guess the one star can be for the sweet tea because that was good. I ordered the king crab with garlic flavor and potatoes and added corn. It comes out and I try a potato. The potato tasted pretty good so I get excited about the crab legs I reach for the crab leg but the legs are prickly so I have to use the cracker to crack the legs problem is the legs are so soft that I can't crack them they just bend. Clearly the crab legs are over cooked so I asked the waitress if I can order more she asked if I want king crab or snow crab I specify if they can cook them correctly then I want king crab legs again the second time I get king crab again they are brought out the exact same way they're bending just the same but once again I can't handle them because they're so prickly that they're hurting my hands. I speak to the waitress and she then said tells me that that's just how their crabs are and that people usually use gloves I ask her what kind of gloves she says plastic and that makes no sense because the plastic will just get ripped by the legs. She also states that they just have to "get through it." Now I'm not sure what meal that I'm paying for that I'm just going to get through but that definitely wasn't going to happen so I asked to speak to the manager the manager comes and talks to me and explains to me that they are having problems from their vendor which to me just sounds like an excuse because their problem should definitely not be my problem and also I feel as though it should just be taken off the menu until they can fix the problem. If I had known better I would've just ordered the snow crab although I'm not a huge fan of snow crab. When I get my receipt I have corn still on my receipt and my sweet tea. Really I feel like my whole meal should've been comped. Because I sat there with a party of over 10 people as they were able to eat and I didn't eat anything and all I was able to do was drink tea and I was completely inconvenienced and frustrated and hungry, but the audacity to still charge me for corn that I never ate that they took away in the bag that they returned the kitchen along with the bag i crap that I never got to consume. I wouldn't recommend this place I'm never going back to this place I ended up going to Joe's crab shack like I would've preferred to go to in the first place. I like queen crab anyway. read more

When we first visited I wasn't sure what to expect. We walked in and everyone had on plastic bibs.. prepare to get your hands messy. Ordering was a little confusing to me for some reason but the waitress was helpful in explaining and the experience was good. It's a little overpriced in my opinion and they fact that you smell like food the rest of the day.. it would probably be a great spot with with a large group. I would go back.. read more

Went to this place several months ago on a whim on a weeknight. Food was fantastic!! place had a fun atmosphere we had almost, almost too much food for us to eat. Can't wait to go back!! read more

This place is awesome the seafood is so fresh!!! We had the fried oyster basket with Cajun fries, steamed mussel bag with shaking sauce, and a side of hush puppies! Definitely will be back! read more

Omg I can rave about this place over and over again. I haven't had the pleasure of eating there sadly but thats only because it's always crowded. I have done carry out plenty of times and let's just say the craving was satisfied to the fullest. Plus the price is affordable and damn is it delicious!!! Wish I could bring this place with me to wa state!!!! read more

This is by far the best crab place I've ever been to. Our family keeps going on vacation to Virginia Beach just for this crab. If you're on vacation too, I want to tell you that you are seriously missing out if you don't eat here. To say that this place is excellent is an understatement. I recommend the cajun seasoning and (if you can handle it) the spiciest heat level. I like potatoes with my crab but the corn is really good too. And try the hush puppies if you haven't! read more

So good, first timer. We order the king crabs and crawfish with the shaking crab sauce,compared to the boiling crab in LA, this sauce is so much better. The shellfish, it tasted so much more sweeter and fresher. We ordered it to go considering the space is quite small. Definitely will be back for more. Glad we found this restaurant. read more

This was a great experience my wife and I enjoyed the food, service, and atmosphere! Plan to bring friends next time out!

Wow. This place us legit. I had the King Crab With Hot Cajun Spice. Made we wanna slap my momma. So damn good. I soaked up the cajun spice with my potatoes. The best crab shack I have been to in my 43 years. read more

Our new Favorite place to grab crawfish. My husband and I had been looking for a good spot. Coming from New York we had many options that are much more limited in Virginia. Very reasonable prices, quick friendly service and a nice atmosphere. read more

First time ever coming here on a layover from work. My friends wanted some seafood and we came across this gem. Holy moly it was amazing. I've never had seafood this way. Came in a big bag with a bib and gloves with nut crackers for the the crab legs. Me and my two friends couldn't stop saying how good it was throughout the entire meal. You know it's that darn good when you can't stop talking about what you're eating and not even comparing it to anything else like we foodies sometimes do. It was fantastic and the service was on point too. Our server was really cool and explained all the different options and levels of heat intensity it was. I got mild with all the shaking sauce and I was more than pleased. Can't wait for next week because I'm coming back! read more

The shrimp are great and the fries outstanding!! Oysters are a little small and just OK. The hushpuppies are pretty good too. The one question I have is: Why don't they offer coleslaw as a side?? We have to resort to bringing our own if we want any. read more

Ok first time at this place and last .. Sorry let's start with the young man at the checkin was on his phone as all the young employees where .. There air conditioner was Broke it was so hot in there I still stayed my friends rave about this place .. I tell my server what I want I ask him to fry my shrimp and wings a little crispy neither came out that way cold onion rings and the shrimp was def not cooked proper the breading was to soggy , I watched several young men Asian put there hands threw there hair and proceed to serve the guest as well as eat popcorn after that they literally where on there phones every chance they had the young man greeting you could have helped but busting the many tables that where unattended and dirty team work I would never eat at this place again it was definitely not up to my standards for the prices my food was definitely not good it lacked seasoning I can't believe this establishment didn't have ac it was beyond hot in there the wings where so small and soggy as well ... I definitely won't be back a waist of an hr wait for below average food .. read more

The restaurant was quick to seat even with a waiting list. If you get a boil bag you won't be waiting long. You can pick a variety of seasonings, proteins, and heat level. It was perfect for the summer days when you want that seafood fixing. read more

I don't know.... I guess it wasn't really what I expected. The food was pretty good. I service was OK. I didn't like the to go Coca Cola cups they used but no big deal. I love it was pretty empty for a 4pm visit. I saw about 4 people come in look at the menu and leave. I got a bag of snow crab legs. It says it comes with a side of potatoes however it's just 1 small potato. I got wings too and they were just blah.. I tried it just not my preferred restaurant read more

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Great local seafood place. Similar to Joe's crab shack. All their dishes are delicious. Their popcorn needs to go....maybe, trade it for pea nuts. read more

OMG. It was excellent!!! It was steady and I was expecting a wait but we were seated immediately. They did get quite busy after we were seated. Our waitress forgot some of the components of my dining partner's dinner but she was very polite about the mix up. read more

Good price. Delicious food. I got the king crab legs and shrimp with medium Cajun spiced garlic batter. We also got the fried shrimp basket.

I had their fried shrimp, fries, corn and hush puppies. The food was Great! It's a little pricy $14-But filling. I called my order in they had it ready within the 15 mins they quoted. I had to ask for condiments and their customer service could use some work but overall the food was worth it and I'd visit again. read more

Although it's always packed I love this place! The portions are good and seasoning is usually on point. I gave 4 instead of 5 stars because sometimes the service is lacking and every now and then my food on top of the back isn't seasoned as well as the food on the bottle of the steam bag. read more

First time going to this type of restaurant. It was not a long wait on a Sunday afternoon and there were 13 of us. We ordered as a group, 2 combos of shrimp and crab legs and 1 combo of shrimp and crawfish. Also ordered a catfish basket, calamari basket, and chicken tenders for the kids. Our combo had the shaking sauce with medium spice level, it was super yummy. My family enjoyed themselves and were glad it wasn't too busy. The only complaint I have is that the waiter thought we ordered shrimp without head but we ordered shrimp with head and when we brought it up to his attention, he looked annoyed. Overall my first experience here was a B+. I especially was amazed at the almost nonexistent waiting time considering the other reviews about the wait. I really wish I could give 5 stars but the waiter really didn't give outstanding service.. read more

I just love the fast service and the flavors offered. My shrimps and clam are always delicious!

I'm a big seafood fan...this place reminds of Crab hut in California but crab hut gets 10 stars. I enjoyed the Crablegs, shrimp, and sausage! Thank God I have the choice between shrimp with and without the head. For me the shrimp with the head is just tedious. Shaking Crab can be a tad expensive but its fresh seafood so it's a given. read more

Really delicious! My adult kids were coming over for Easter Sunday and, quite honestly, I didn't feel like cooking. Oftentimes for these sort of gatherings I would order baby back ribs from Frankie's....but, they're now closed (sad face). I'd seen this place, Shaking Crab a few times and there always seemed to be happy people going in or coming out...so, I verified that they were indeed open on Easter and drove on over. There was A LINE for seating, but because I had a to-go order the gentleman at the front desk took my order right away. He sort of walked me through things...you pick your type of crab, in my case, I kept it all simple...four orders exactly the same, then you pick the spicy-ness (mild for us), your flavor of spices (Shaking spices) and extras (corn on the cob and potatoes). I was asked to be seated and about 15-20 mins later I had a very large paper bag filled with our food. It was all super good. Even got my 2 1/2 yo grandson hooked on crab. :) read more

Perhaps our experience doesn't reflect their normal service and I don't normally write such low reviews but.. Arrived at opening on a Saturday and the person in front of us wanted a to-go order. He was told, "Our manager is not here yet, so you can't get a to-go order." The three of us were seated and given our menus from which we ordered oysters, catfish, and Soft shell crab. By the way, the food was actually quite good. Our waiter...not so much. My daughter ordered sweet tea and was told, "The sweet tea is not ready yet." A little later we were brought plates and forks for the food that would arrive when the order was ready. One of the plates was dirty; not stained, dirty! While we waited for our food and ate we were "treated" to a steady diet of rap music. I'm not sure how many people are a fan of rap music, but a seafood restaurant and rap music don't pair well, in my book. Maybe I'm just old :-) Again, The was actually quite good but the service was very off putting. Hopefully the staff will have a better day. read more

The food has been good every time my order was taken correctly. I say this because today when the phone was answered I heard laughter in the background. I always order the same thing so when the price was different. We figured out what was wrong but Ms. THANG, who answered the phone, her voice changed three times until it was, in my opinion, nasty. When I asked my ticket number, she gave it to me and hung up! I will go in to order from now on....or not! read more

This place is phenomenal ! You will not go wrong coming to this place. My boyfriend and I went and we cannot stop talking about it. We had to call someone right after leaving just to tell them how good the food was. It left a lasting impression. We will definitely be back. read more

The food was outstanding, but the wait was challenging. It took us over 40 minutes to get seated. Great atmosphere and a great place to take the family. On certain days, just be prepared to wait! Food and hospitality was awesome. read more

Awesome!!! We've been looking for a place like this for ages and when they opened we went and have been back time and time again! read more

I love this place....everything about it reminds me of boiling crab on the west coast....I'm glad something similar finally opened in my neck of the woods. The waits can be brutal so come here on off hours, they serve popcorn as an appetizer which is cool, get the shaking sauce on everything......DO IT.....I love the andouille sausage and the shrimp the most......but the sauce though...DOOOO it. read more

BEST PLACE FOR SEAFOOD IN A BAG HANDS DOWN IN VA BEACH. dont fall for other restaurants. Me and my family go here all the time , actually went again today. The flavor is on point read more

Very good seafood and pretty good service. You may have to wait 10-30 mins for seating depending on when you arrive it is well worth the wait. read more

The shrimp basket with shaking sauce yummmmm the sauce was delicious and the shrimp was huge I was so full afterwards

Best in VB!! Been coming here for 2 years now! Never fails!! Thank you to all the employees keep it up!

My absolute favorite place for boiled seafood! I go there at least once a week. I would suggest the shaking crab sauce on everything. There is a wait time if the place is packed, the wait is worth it I promise!! read more

Crabs are amazing. Flavors are excellent. Workers try their hardest and give great service. If you're down for a hands on experience this would be the place for you. Worth every finger lick. read more