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    The Boiling Crab

    3.8 (162 reviews)
    Open 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated a few days ago

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    THE BOILING CRAB ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Moderate noise
    Happy hour specials

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    Get dirty combo
    Mariam K.

    The seafood boil was sooooooo good! The flavor of the sauce was not too salty and just right.

    Menu
    Jimmy A.

    What makes this place special isn't just the food. it's the experience. You ditch the silverware, roll up your sleeves, and dive in. It's communal, a little chaotic, and totally fun. Perfect for catching up with friends, cracking jokes between bites, and bonding over buttery garlic goodness. If you're looking for a laid-back spot that delivers flavor and fun in equal measure, Boiling Crab hits the mark.

    Leroy R.

    No pictures of the food but trust it was good! Came here for my little sisters birthday (turning 10). I called ahead just to be sure they could accommodate large groups because they don't do reservations, and they stated they could seat large groups. There were about 10 of us including children and a crying baby. We were seated upstairs, which was just us, which was great. It wasn't very busy there - thankfully for us. Our server was amazing. She was very patient and attentive! The space was large with lots of seating. Everyone enjoyed their boils and food. Will definitely go back at some point.

    Snow crab
    Bobbi D.

    Upstairs was closed and they were out of lemons, but still tasty. Service was good. Crab is delicious. Those fries are my fav.

    Snow Crab cluster boil
    NeShawn L.

    Came here yesterday right around 5pm when they opened. Very cute place, spacious in the inside, with nice decor. They also have a few table in front of the building for those who may prefer to eat outside. Lovely city views from upstairs. Now, getting into the food Honest opinion, the food awful! My friend had their chicken wings w/ranch. The wings were fried to extra superrrr hard, and lacked flavor/seasoning. They appeared to have some type of light "seasoning" sprinkled on the outside after they fried, but it didn't help. She also said the side of ranch had a weird taste. Side of onion rings were also hard as a brick and had no flavor. My other friend and I both had boil bags. I don't say this lightly, but I'm sure it was the WORST boil bag I've ever had ‍ I had a snow crab cluster and added corn. The snow crab was great size, but I couldn't enjoy it because of the flavor! Better put, the lack of flavor. It tasted like mild Cajun spice (but not salted/seasoned) and a couple chucks of garlic and butter. The corn was undercooked. My friend let me taste her egg and potatoes. Potatoes had an awful aftertaste on the skin and could've been cooked a little longer. How is an egg in a boil bag nasty?! ‍ Idk what their base recipe/spice selection is for the boils, but they need to scratch it and start all the way over. On a good note, the service was very good. S/O to Jason, who was our waiter. The man that brought out the food was also very nice. We also got a free order of fries after checking in via Yelp. Got the "Cajun" flavor. They were hot and fresh, but flavor wise absolutely nothing to holler about. All in all, if your looking to actually enjoying your food I would recommend trying one of the many other boil places. **No happy hour or real alcoholic drink selection**

    Raw Oysters
    Krissy L.

    They only had one server so the service was extremely slow and for that reason, I may not return but the oysters were delicious. I liked the special sauce they paired with it on the platter.

    Fried options, sides and drinks
    Jack G.

    Food is always great! Great service! Haven't been disappointed at this location at all!

    She put what they brought in a Togo box and dumped it out on the table she didn't even want it anymore
    Robert R.

    Holy cow I literally just had the worst dining experience ever on planet earth. Ok so for starters I knew something was off when I called before I arrived and asked was there a wait time and there answer was no. I have ate at boiling crab in Korea town in California and this place should not be allowed to have the boiling crabs name on the building it's nothing like the original location. Ok so me and my date walk in they sit us upstairs right next to the windows that are not properly sealed right it's 20 degrees outside and we were instantly cold like freezing so we move no big issue there but wow were we in for a treat tonight one I wish I could throw back up. So we moved tables like everyone did who was sat there. So I ordered the shrimp boil and my date did to. My shrimp was supposed to be a pound it came out a half a pound my dates food after sitting there for an hour never came. She ordered also fried calamari she said it taste like a frozen bag from the grocery store he words were these taste like fish sticks. Ok so we're n hour in and her food is still not at the table but people who came in way later than us are sitting and enjoying there food. So they bring her food finally but it's rushed and throw together like a toddler made it then it's not even the right mix it's hot she can barely eat it she ordered mild . So they after thirty minutes bring her the right food at this point she is tired and exhausted and really just trying to be nice about it and I was too. The manager ended up apologizing a couple of times and comped a portion of our bill. Not only did you ruin my memory of boiling crab in California you insulted us by feeding every table around us while we sat there starving eating those lemon pepper fries which is all u should sale at this point. I payed 58 bucks after the comp for over and hour at a table without food having to say to My date multiple times. I had a very bad experience here and the reason they kept giving us was the kitchen was backed up. I do not understand how your kitchen is backed up on a Friday night with an empty restaurant. We left feeling cheated and with massive headaches because we were so hungry waiting for our food. I feel the one in Korea town should ship some workers here or really make them take the name down because this is not a true boiling crab nor was the experience. Some chains are hit and miss and this tonight was def a miss to the point im calling somebody in charge of the Korea town location to ask them wtf is this place on H street cuz it sucks how they get to use your name and brand. Terrible to go somewhere and have to pay for a headache and poor poor kitchen awareness. Sorry doesn't make up for my time and the look on a woman's face when she is hungry at a restaurant and not getting fed. Y'all suck like majorly suck

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    3 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    10 months ago

    I love boiling crab! Great food, always. Excellent service and friendly and the place is very spacious!

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    5 months ago

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    11 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    11 months ago

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    2 months ago

    The staff and food were amazing! It was my son's first crab boil. He loved it! Thank you!

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    1 year ago

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    3 months ago

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    10 months ago

    The ambiance of the restaurant is really chill and I loved the food here! Restaurant was clean and the crew were so nice!

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    10 months ago

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    6 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    8 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    9 months ago

    Great service and we really missed Boiling Crab! Best best best best! Staff os great too!

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    11 months ago

    Good food, get the Shabang sauce - medium spice! Reasonable prices, chill environment!

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    1 year ago

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    11 months ago

    This place is great. The service is good and since it was my wife and I first time they were very accommodating.

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    10 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    8 months ago

    Very friendly server! Good location! We haven't tried the food yet. Good menu choices.

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    10 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Wheelchair accessible and good food. I got the miled it was very spicy. Delightful interior!

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    9 months ago

    I always enjoy going to the Boiling Crab! It is a fun experience and I really enjoy the vibes within the restaurant!

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    9 months ago

    Great food. Really really great and awesome food. Very delicious for my taste buds and easy on my stomach.

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    Aaron P.

    Thank you for the positive rating, Mike! Hope to see you again soon!

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Little expensive food is good my family liked it. I suggest sitting upstairs. The waiters need to be more friendly

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    4 years ago

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    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - The Boiling Crab

    How is parking around here? Street, garage, any free times?

    There is street parking, no nearby garage except for the apartment buildings. I actually parked in the neighborhood and walked a couple of blocks.

    Do they take reservations?

    No reservations, seating is first come.

    Are they open yet?

    Not yet! A few more weeks. We appreciate your patience as we get everything ready. Follow TBC's Instagram to be updated on Grand Opening details.

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    Pesce Seafood House - Lobster pasta

    Pesce Seafood House

    4.8(111 reviews)
    2.7 mi

    We had the most wonderful meal! We started with mini cornbreads which were delicious.Between the…read morethree of us, we ordered a Caesar salad, the sword fish ceviche, lobster rolls, Lobster with shrimp fettuccine, and the special which was Japanese imported scallops. I don't know what was the best! Everything we ate and shared was wonderful. The service was impeccable and the Staff wonderful. I highly recommend this wonderful gem!

    Wanted a fish dinner for my birthday…read more I give it 4 and not 5 stars because the service after our dinner before our dessert got extremely slow and the desserts were good, not excellent. We started with drinks at the tiny bar. The drinks were quite good. The restaurant is tiny with a very cute three chair bar. It is decorated with items made by the owner. She is very personable and seems to take pride in the fish she buys and serves. Before dinner, they present you with two tiny corn muffins. A nice little touch. We had the octopus appetizer that was probably among the best we've ever had. It was cooked perfectly. My friend had the scallops and said they were quite good, but a tad undercooked, and the sauce was delicious. I had the Bronzino and it was delicious served with grilled zucchini. The sauce was excellent. For desert, my friend had the Affogato, which he said was just good not great. I had the Keylime parfait. The Keylime itself was quite good, but the crust was just a little off. (I was hoping for a candle in my dessert to get a birthday wish as I had noted in the reservation it was my birthday dinner, but alas, no candle. No biggie, but that would've been a nice touch.)

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    Pesce Seafood House - Inside

    Inside

    Pesce Seafood House
    Pesce Seafood House - Inside

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    Inside

    Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab - Grilled Seafood Platter

    Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab

    4.3(2.2k reviews)
    1.8 miDowntown
    $$$

    I've been a longtime patron of Joe's for years. I've brought clients here for dinners, gathered…read morewith friends, and have always known Joe's for great food and service. Unfortunately, my wife's first experience was the exception. On our last visit together, the service simply didn't deliver and we ended up leaving. After the manager reached out and encouraged us to give Joe's another chance, I convinced my wife to come back. I'm really glad we did. This time we brought our toddler and ordered the oysters, stone crab, king crab, and bone-in ribeye. Everything was excellent. More importantly, the service was back to the Joe's I've known for years. Our server Kimberly was wonderful, attentive, warm, and took great care of us. Ryan the manager also stopped by personally to apologize and make sure we were having a good experience. What made this visit especially satisfying was seeing my wife finally experience the level of hospitality I had been telling her about all these years. She walked away impressed, and so did I. Great seafood, a proper ribeye, and excellent hospitality. Thank you to Kimberly and the management team for turning things around. Looking forward to many more visits. Keep it up, guys!

    7/7/26 DoorDash order…read more MOLD on the fries and cornbread muffin??? Just because people order delivery doesn't mean it's okay to serve moldy food! I thought if I ordered fried shrimp that the quality would be better than a non seafood restaurant... Boy was I wrong! The shrimp were not deveined!!! It's like they didn't even clean them before applying the batter! I've been here on a date so I know how the lighting is dim... perfect setting to hide the wilted brown lettuce and moldy food... I just so happened to look under the cornbread muffin; SO GLAD I DID! I spent close to $40 for inedible food. Won't order from here again! The highlight was the salad dressing; that was tasty!

    Photos
    Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab - Area near hostess stand

    Area near hostess stand

    Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab - 4 Cheese Mac and Cheese

    4 Cheese Mac and Cheese

    Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab - Back dining room

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    Back dining room

    Hank’s Oyster Bar, Dupont Circle

    Hank’s Oyster Bar, Dupont Circle

    3.9(1.6k reviews)
    2.1 miDupont Circle
    $$

    It has been years since I have eaten at Hank's. Too long really. But we wanted some seafood and…read moretheir Dupont location was close so - off we went. We were seated immediately and the dining room is adequate. Sufficiently decorated to make it okay. It is furnished for maximum occupancy which is fine. Think casual place, almost bar with food, not fancy at all. I do not mean for this to be a negative comment. Hank's presents itself as more of a beachside joint, not a high end seafood restaurant. Each of these sorts of restaurants has a place in the spectrum. Our waiter - Keith or Kevin - I'm so sorry but I cannot remember his name - was GREAT! Funny, good at his job, great personality and helpful. He started out with a corny, but cute, joke and he kept getting better all night. The manager too was quite good, professional and friendly. What a great staff! The food is good. I could talk about the lobster bisque (a bit on the strong side) or the flounder (a bit on the salty side). But, honestly, the food was good and I enjoyed it a lot. I did not complain about any of it nor do I think a complaint was necessary. So, as I said before, it had been years since I had last eaten at Hank's. But it won't be that long anymore. I recommend Hank's for a casual seafood meal.

    I finally checked out Hank's Oyster Bar for their Monday $1 oyster special, and it lived up to the…read morehype. I sat at the bar to access happy hour (bar-only, but oysters are available everywhere). Ordered a dozen oysters, bacon-topped deviled eggs, Old Bay fries, a salmon slider, and a tequila pineapple drink. Everything was solid-- the oysters were fresh, the deviled eggs were flavorful, and the Old Bay fries were perfectly seasoned. The standout for me was the salmon slider-- the sauce was so good I wish I ordered more. Great vibe for a casual happy hour. I'd definitely come back, especially for the $1 oysters.

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    Hank’s Oyster Bar, Dupont Circle
    Hank’s Oyster Bar, Dupont Circle - Seafood Fettucine

    Seafood Fettucine

    Hank’s Oyster Bar, Dupont Circle - From left to right: Strawberry-peach margarita (margarita of the day), Bellini, Purple Reign cocktail

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    From left to right: Strawberry-peach margarita (margarita of the day), Bellini, Purple Reign cocktail

    Cordelia Fishbar - Coal Roasted Oysters

    Cordelia Fishbar

    4.4(168 reviews)
    0.5 mi

    Cordelia called it and we answered with another visit but this time with friends up from Richmond…read more A great way to end a birthday weekend...and it did not disappoint. Our waitress read the room immediately. With a very hungry pregnant lady at the table she prioritized the Parker house rolls without being asked. This kind of attention to detail sets the tone. We later learned she was a fellow Cancer with a birthday coming up. Cancer energy is real!!! The food and drinks did not disappoint. Asparagus, calamari, shrimp cocktail, coal roasted oysters, chicken chermoula, and lump crab gratin. Worth every penny. One tip worth sharing, ask for a bit of sea salt for the chicken. The first taste lacked it and that small addition made all the difference. We were five deep which honestly matched the energy of most tables around us. The space was bright and airy and the round tables made for great socializing, easy sharing, and yes some excellent boomerang pics. Checkout was seamless. Splitting the check evenly with tap to pay right at the table got us out quickly and on to the next stop. Puddin is a crowd favorite so we left room to run over there even though the dessert menu at Cordelia looked amazing. From a post embassy hang to friends up from Richmond, Cordelia meets every occasion at the table. We said a table worth coming back to again and again. Visit two confirmed it.

    Cordelia Fishbar was Soo good. Went there to celebrate my cousin's birthday. She's been eyeing the…read moreplace for awhile. The service was great and the server we had (can't remember her name at the moment) was top notch. The way she described the dishes made you want to eat EVERYTHING! The table had a number of dishes with the birthday girl opting for oysters and linguine Frutti di mare, I had the crab cake with seasonal veggies and the other guest the rosemary half chicken. No one left disappointed! The food was fresh and amazing. Definitely coming back to try more menu items.

    Photos
    Cordelia Fishbar - Part of bar

    Part of bar

    Cordelia Fishbar - HERILOOM CARROTS

    HERILOOM CARROTS

    Cordelia Fishbar - BRUNCH BURGER

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    BRUNCH BURGER

    Fish Shop - Sourdough bread

    Fish Shop

    4.0(74 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$$

    The restaurant is nice and airy, with minimal but charming decorations. I couldn't tell how noisy…read moreit gets because there weren't many customers when we were there for brunch last week, which is too bad as the food is really good and not unreasonably priced. We had the very large breakfast burrito and the garden vegetable shakshuka. Both were excellent; delivered hot and were well seasoned. The coffee is strong but not acidic. The servers were very helpful and attentive, and responsive to requests for additional items. I would definitely return again for a meal before a play at Arena stage or otherwise.

    I had such a great happy hour at Fish Shop in 2025 that I'd been dying to return for a proper…read moredinner. This past weekend, I finally returned for dinner with a couple of friends after a show at Arena Stage. The restaurant is still stunning. We sat outside to enjoy the Wharf/water views and the summer weather. The food was still great, too. We shared lots of dishes: a half dozen oysters; tempura fried squash blossoms filled with Maryland crab and cream cheese; an heirloom tomato salad with feta and fried shallots; Massaman curry with fragrant herbs, housemade roti, and the fish of the day; a beautiful halibut dish; and a candied Virginia peanut tiramisu. Everything was tasty, but the entrees really blew my mind - beautiful and delicious. We also each had a glass or two of wine, and they have a great wine list. The service was very friendly, but at some point during our early dinner (our reservation was for 5pm), they got busy and our server disappeared a bit as he got busier. Still, it was a lovely dinner overall - exactly the kind of place you want to be on a warm summer day! If you love seafood and summer vibes, Fish Shop should definitely be on your list.

    Photos
    Fish Shop - The Bar and entrance of Fish Shop

    The Bar and entrance of Fish Shop

    Fish Shop - Twice baked potatoes - the little pot was so cute!

    Twice baked potatoes - the little pot was so cute!

    Fish Shop - The private dining room, with a giant canoe hanging above.

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    The private dining room, with a giant canoe hanging above.

    The Boiling Crab - seafood - Updated August 2026

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