Such a fun spot. When staying at the Shore, highly recommend going to the Crab's Claw Inn for solid seafood fare and a good time. We went to Crab's Claw Inn for lunch, and arrived around opening hours near 11:00am. This is def a hot spot, so would recommend getting there upon opening or just the understanding that you may need to wait a bit for a table...especially in the evening hours. They have a great bar inside (highly recommend the Bloody Mary's) and also an exterior bar for those waiting/hanging. I love the idea of the outside bar. The night we grabbed a drink from the outside bar, they had live music and we sat front row on one of the benches. I think they also have live music on certain nights inside as well ~ such a great vibe, service/staff, and local hang. I loved the crab chowder and still think about it to this day..I even ordered two cups in one sitting which never happens! The Crab's Claw Fish Sando and Coconut Shrimp Tacos were standouts, not so much fans of the Pierogis to start. All in all, next time we're in the area we will def be back to enjoy summer tunes on a hot night. read more

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Date night with hubby! He chose The Crab's Claw Inn so after dinner we could take a stroll on the beach. We sat outside on a high top. There was live music! Absolutely love the lobster roll! I have tried different cocktails here but have not been very impressed the last few visits! I only enjoyed the Pina Colada that I ordered inside the restaurant! On the Fourth of July. So last night I ordered a pistachio martini as my dessert! Pistachio martini rimmed with crushed pistachios that's what was on the menu! The Server Christian did say the martini would be served in a plastic cup. I said ok! But was disappointed no martini glass stem. Well got a pistachio martini in a plastic cup! Was not tasty And filled with iced! No pistachio rim! Took a few sips and it just wasn't worth the calories. Left disappointed! Had to google are martini's ever served with ice ? Google response: No, traditional martinis are served "up" in a stem glass without ice. The drink is chilled and diluted by being stirred or shaken with ice, but the ice is strained out before pouring! Maybe have an outdoor no frills cocktail menu for the outdoor seating areas! Stating served in plastic cups, Filled with ice and no garnishes! And reduce the price for the no fills cocktails. :( read more

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Crab claw is a great staple. Consistent food, great music when they have live entertainment it's kind of like a neighborhood establishment that everybody's been to one time or another. read more

Wow what a gem of a place... our host Tosh was so great in helping us get a table even in the rush of a Friday night for dinner outside for my wife and MIL. And our server Gigi was fantastic... we are still finding gems here on the Jersey Shore and this place is definitely one of them. I love the area of Lavallette its more calmer than the busyness of Seaside and the food was awesome...will keep this on my Jersey Shore List... read more

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My friend and her family have been coming here for years. It's an easy spot to grab dinner and a drink. I was so surprised by how good the Shishito peppers were! Never would have guessed. The cocktails were lovely, the service was friendly and the food was good. It's definitely a tourist spot but it's a good one. read more

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We did Lavalette for a week. Thus we had to do Carbs Claw. We had two trays of oysters -local and otherwise and that meant 12 each. Fine tasting and fresh add a drink and a burger for us. Solid food and steady service. Went back with friends and had the same exp they really liked their whole dinner. read more

If I could give a zero I would- been coming here for 40 years, it is so incredibly sad to see how poorly this has changed. They cannot keep up in the summer, too many tables, zero quality control- cold seafood brought out, over seasoned, cold sides- this is the end of our family summer visits. read more

The waitress we had was very nice. Outside guitar player was great. Goes downhill from there. I ordered the crab cake. $14.99 couldn't possibly have been any smaller! Very thin and maybe 3 inches in diameter!I should have refused it but we waited 40 minutes to be seated read more

The food was bland, I had crab cakes, green beans mashed potato's. No spices, no oils, no nothing. Crab cakes didn't have any breading no flavor at all, dry and boring. I couldnt believe a restaurant with a 45 minute wait couldn't be bothered to cut the tips off the green beans or even SEASON their food. Ridiculous. Ambience and service were fine. read more

My family loved this place. They had a guy singing and playing guitar. The food was really great you can tell they have made it their own and perfected it over the many years it's been here. It runs like a well oiled machine and it's a great place to eat or have a drink and some appetizers at the bar. Very Family friendly. read more

The quality of the food is sub-par. Presentation is lacking as well. There are many steps I would take to improve the place, but this is not a reality show. They're well established, been there since the beginning of time and probably figure, "Ain't broken..." read more

We arrived a few minutes before lunch service started and were seated by a frazzled hostess. We would have been happy to wait the extra few minutes until they opened (especially since we were hoping to sit in the covered outdoor area) so that was a bit disappointing. The inside was actually fairly crowded, with many people at the bar even though lunch hadn't started yet. I ordered the fish and chips, which came with soup. I upgraded to the crab chowder. I thought the food was just okay. The soup was not as flavorful as I would have hoped and the battering on the fish wasn't very crispy. Our server was great though and I found him to be very attentive. There are not a ton of sit down restaurants in this part of Lavalette, so I would give this place another try with a different meal despite my mixed feelings about this visit. read more

The Crab's Claw Inn - Fish and Chips - Seafood Near Me - Lavallette, New Jersey

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Ordered an hour in advance was asked to tip the packers before we even got there when we arrived that we arrived too early, despite being told to pick it up in an hour. Then when food finally appeared were told we should tip (again) got food home was sparse and had one piece of bread for a country boil. It was a great disappointment for the wait, the cost and the treatment. Food was subpar and thrown in like the packers did not care not the restaurant. VERY disappointing. read more

Food and ambiance was poor. Appetizer- calamari and a pretzel were tasteless. Fish and chips diner was small and felt processed. The location needs a remodel - felt dated and cheap. Not at all like it used to be. read more

When for a quick bite and drinks. It was crowded in the bar area - bartenders were friendly and personable. Ordered the Paper Plane drink - was really good. We also had the calamari with marinara sauce and the buffalo wings. Everything was really good and great portions. I recommend this restaurant if you're in the area. Also, there is live music outside & outdoor seating! read more

The crabs claw seems like the main go to place for the people in Lavallette. Good food and fun environment! Ambience: the restaurant is huge. They have and outdoor and indoor section. We went on a Saturday evening around 7 pm and the wait was over an hour. But they have an upstairs bar that is a bit tucked away where you can get seats at the high table. This was a quieter area and where we ended up sitting. It was enjoyable and actually quiet so you can hear each other talk! The downstairs is a lot busier and loud! Food: I got the blackened chicken over linguine and it was good! I think the flavor overall could be better but the portion size is huge and I enjoyed the garlic bread. The burrata salad was large and flavorful and so was the clam chowder Price: reasonably priced - especially with the portion sizes. Expect to pay a m $35 for an entree Service: they are very kind but service could've been better! read more

The Crab's Claw Inn - Blackened chicken pasta, burrata salad, and Creamy Crab Chowder - Seafood Near Me - Lavallette, New Jersey

This is a popular place in Lavalette. They don't have many vegan options but that's not their focus so don't fault them for that (you can get a baked potato and salad and steam vegetables). I did call and ask about allergens and they were confident there was no egg in the kids hot dog and hamburger buns and nothing on the chicken fingers however when I was in the restaurant they said there was egg on the bun. We asked for water and only one was delivered and had to keep asking - but again they were really busy. The fish and chips special seemed good but the fried fish was tiny. read more

Food was ok, but we waited way too long to get our entrees. It was busy. But... Too long a wait to me means I don't think we will go back again. read more

Had to wait an hour and a half for a table of 7. Told it would be 45 minutes. Won't be coming back here again.

The food was delicious and the service is always good. I would like to see more specials

Edited with comments regarding manager response: NOT FAMILY FRIENDLY Aileen, let's not twist this. From the very start, the woman at the hostess stand was rude when I asked about the stroller, even trying to brush me to the side without finishing our conversation. That's not the way paying customers should be treated. If there hadn't been a two-hour wait, your stroller policy wouldn't have even come into play. My baby fell asleep during that time, and demanding I wake them was absurd. Yes, your staff eventually brought what we asked for--that's the bare minimum of their job, not a favor. It doesn't erase how poorly the situation was handled. And it's not my problem if the rest of my family was content with subpar service. I expect better. As for your "hope" that I'll have a better experience next time--there won't be a next time. Not for me, and not for anyone I know. Families deserve respect, not excuses. Terrible experience for families. This restaurant has a "no stroller" policy, which they tried to enforce even though my baby was peacefully sleeping. The staff insisted I wake up my baby and take them out of the stroller just to be seated -- absolutely unreasonable. We were a big party, and it was very clear they didn't want to lose our business, but instead of handling it gracefully they dragged us into an unnecessary, massive argument. Only after going back and forth with the manager did they finally allow the stroller, but the entire situation was stressful and soured the night. If this is how they treat paying guests, I'd steer clear. There are plenty of restaurants that welcome families without making them feel like an inconvenience. read more

We came in for lunch and shared the Old Bay steamer pot, which was delicious. I got a guava spritz which was pretty good. Our server was friendly and the atmosphere felt pretty relaxed. We had tried to get dinner the previous night (Saturday) and it was insanely packed. read more

The Crab's Claw Inn - Old Bay Steamer Pot - Seafood Near Me - Lavallette, New Jersey

Oh The Crabs Claw, if I was given an unlimited amount of stars to hand out on yelp, I would give them all to the Crabs Claw. This is my favorite restaurant of the Jersey shore. My family and I go there for all occasions birthdays, holidays, just because, you name it. The atmosphere is always inviting, the servers and bartenders will be your best friends. The winter time, especially, is my favorite time, it's like being on an episode of cheers jersey shore style. The bar is large and cozy and when the fireplace is going in the winter, I swear that place will suck you in in the best way possible. In the summertime they have awesome live music inside and out, and the outside bar is such a fun spot to hang. It makes a long wait go by like nothing. Aside from the ambience itself the food is incredible. At this point I've been there so many times I have probably tried nearly everything on the menu. Since choosing my favorite item would be hard I'll give you my top three. The tuna sandwich is incredible, there's so much flavor and the tuna is great quality. If I had a dollar for every tuna sandwich I've gotten from the Crabs Claw I could probably buy three more tuna sandwiches. They are so good! The coconut shrimp tacos also are incredibly flavorful. I've tried to re-create them at home and have never been successful, the mango salsa I think is the real winner here. In the winter time, especially on a cold day, there is nothing better to warm the soup than a Crabs Claw lobster bisque and grilled cheese. If you're looking for a nice casual cozy dinner on the barrier island look no further. The Crabs Claw is it! read more

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They don't take reservations. Arrived at 5:15 last night and was told it would be 30 minute wait as long as we were willing to sit upstairs. We agreed. 1 hour 40 mins we were finally seated. Put in a small app order which came relatively quickly to hold us over for our meals as we were famished. 1hour and 15 mins later our entrees were served at about 8:40pm. Ridiculously disorganized. My two children were so out of it, we took two bites and left with "to go" containers to eat another day!! Want to acknowledge our waitress Gigi who was wonderful, apologetic, and in no way at fault. Never again. read more

I would like to start off with the decor of the place it is July with Christmas decorations up,ok "Christmas in July" but I am not coming down the shore to see balloons taped on the ceiling. Now I don't care about all that but should've seen it as a sign that this place is SLOWWWWWWW. Waited a hour and 45 minutes to get our dinner. Then the manager comes out blaming our AMAZING SERVER! (His name was Shane and he's new) would not go again if you want to be home before your death. The food was ok would've expected better for such a long wait. read more

The Crab's Claw Inn - Seafood Near Me - Lavallette, New Jersey

They gave you a time and estimate that is no where near the time. We were told it was 45 minutes ended up waiting an hour in a half just for them to tell us there is still 10 tables ahead of us. Don't waste your time going here As the managers and the hostess are very rude and lie about the times. read more

Steamers were delicious! Entrees good except for cold accompaniments ( green beans and potatoes). We were charged an additional $8 for two drinks, neat, and there was nothing on the menu indicating that significant additional charge. The really good part of our meal was our "in training" waitress, Christine. We live locally and are so disappointed. read more

Solid local place with solid drink and fare and friendly staff. It's got a line in the summer, and never been because of that - I am a local, and know how to not let summer crowds crowd me out! Enjoyed it in the spring and fall, when one can walk in and get a table right away. read more

Honestly such an amazing place. The food is spectacular and the staff is so sweet. Whenever I go down the shore I have to stop in! read more

The Crab's Claw Inn - Seafood bucket - Seafood Near Me - Lavallette, New Jersey

great service from hunter ! he was very attentive and nice. the ladies at the counter were very nice we over ordered a lot of food because we couldn't decide - the seafood items were all wonderful ! steak tips were delicious (a little well done for my liking but i like red red red) the vodka sauce for the pasta dishes was lacking something. only complaint. read more

What a cute local bar in the heart of Lavalette. Loved the lively bar in this place. It feels so homey inside. They also have sidewalk seating with live entertainment. My cousin and I stopped in for happy hour. We ordered the meatballs and house pinot grigio. The meatballs were very good. They were served in a cast iron dish with crusty baguette. The wine was good as well. The bartenders were friendly and attentive. I can't wait to visit again in the summer. read more

The Crab's Claw Inn - Seafood Near Me - Lavallette, New Jersey

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Great place food is good bartenders are always in a great mood and very helpful . Comfortable bar and happy

fun time with friendly staff Florida Mike the bartender was great. Good food as well as a welcoming atmosphere read more

Waited 90 minutes but worth it. Had the lobster tails and the were great 45 bucks for 3 tails how can you go wrong. Clams for app. Music and band was fun. Nice night out on the Jersey Shore. Be patient on the wait you won't be sorry. read more

Have visited here a few times now and still love it. Small town feel with great food and drinks! Order the tuna nachos.....you won't be disappointed. Oysters are really good!! read more

The Crab's Claw Inn - Drinks! - Seafood Near Me - Lavallette, New Jersey

Good food , Great service, Plenty of seating ! Awesome specials! Fair pricing many fancy drinks to keep us coming back ! the evening entertainment is never disappointing! read more

The food is really good except it gets very crowded the servers are very nice and responsive.I definitely recommend coming here.

Went there during the week for lunch. Surprisingly, the place was not crowded at all, and got a seat right away. Our party had the lunch special fish and chips, and two of their burgers. The waiter looked at one of the guests and asked what they would like to drink, and when he answered, he passive aggressively asked very loudly FOR HER? It seemed he did not realize he was asking him what he wanted and then made a big deal out of it when he answered. The attitude continued throughout the meal with the same snarky comments when asking for our food and desert orders. We will not be back. read more

Excellent food!!!! Buffalo Calamari was amazing! Fish sampler and tacos were awesome. read more

The Crab's Claw Inn - Seafood Near Me - Lavallette, New Jersey

It's summer and families want to go out on the town to enjoy an evening out..Let it be known your wait time we be longer then 45 minutes (2hrs) because they let people sit there who have paid their check and listen to music as long as they want- was told to many by desk staff..even if you have a hungry party of six who will be eating qand drinking more. Bad business manners by owner. They should have bar area only for music lovers and drinkers to listen to music on busy summer days to stand with a drink while others enjoy spending their money on eating at tables. Though tasty fresh clams steamers burgers and steaks are good not all fish frozen and fried entrees. Nice portions- tasty - staff is nice and well trained.. They do their best to make you happy after desk lies about wait time but food comes out fast. Has a regular crowd who gets there early to reserve their bar stools.They do serve drinks at their bar outside while you are waiting. It's a staple in town but there's a very long wait..Outdoor seating you'll get a seat faster..shop around town then your table will be ready- maybe? l gave it one star because of the lies waiting too long for our table.Many were annoyed as well.Management needs to control summer crowds in a more professional and efficient way. There's entertainment outside to keep you from going stir crazy waiting.. read more