A little bit of a wait on a busy night but completely worth it!!! Their crab legs are fresh and amazing!

Worse service ever... Was in restaurant for two hours still did not get all of our food. And what we got was underdone or overdone. The waiter would not even come back to table to say sorry or bring check. Sent someone else over to say sorry because he knew we were upset. Food was not good. Kids hot dog cold, chicken burned, fish bites under cooked. We had to get a different waiter to bring us a refill, then another one tried to take the blame for our waiter. Our waiter did manage to stand behind the bar drink three glasses of water for himself and play with someone's baby sitting near the bar. They did save us the cost of the sodas however we still paid for the food that we didn't get!! When they said they realized we had gotten bad service. Don't make the mistake of going to this place. Money waisted. read more

The Mad Crabber is ok. Not bad, not great - - just ok Now, beach dining-wise it's more or less what you would expect - - pricey seafood in small portions served on brown paper to give the appearance of homey-ness and value. You might be better off buying a nice, big batch of shrimp, crablegs and assorted seafood at the nearby, local Food Lion and steaming it up yourself at home with some Old Bay and some beer. Cook some corn on the cob, and you're pretty much set. It will cost a lot less, taste just as good, and at the end of the meal you'll be full without emptying your wallet. The drinks, by the way, were way over-priced. On a positive note, the Mad Crabber has a very catchy name which makes for an excellent souvenier t-shirt. read more

The best crabs, in my humble opinion, on OBX. Awesome sides, Cajun taters yum! read more

The Mad Crabber - Seafood Near Me - Avon, North Carolina

While on vacation in the outer banks, I had the BIGGEST craving for some fish tacos. Went fishing on a boat and the local fisherman suggested coming to this restaurant. Anyway, came in for lunch with the lover. The place was awesome, family owned, the owner was working the bar and assisted us, while his teen daughters served the floor, which was pretty cool to see them working together as a team. We first ordered drinks; I had the pineapple mojito, which wasn't really impressive, very plain and flavorless. My bf ordered the Bloody Mary and it was simple. I'm guessing they're probably known for their food and not drinks, which is totally okay. (I'm here for the food anyway. Lol!) So for my meal I ordered the $10 mahi mahi fish taco and my bf the Blackened Chicken Cesar Salad wrap(it was greaaat. It had bacon and avocado) Anyway, I finally got my first bite into a fish taco! Yayy me! Lol! Honestly it was good. But being from california and working in the industry, I've learned about taste, simplicity, and flavors in food. The fish taco they served was on flour tortilla, with grilled mahi mahi, black beans, lettuce, mixed cheese, tomato, and I believe a guacamole sauce. I'm sure all of this sounds great while reading, but all of those ingredients take away from the flavor of the fish in my opinion. Basically it was good, not to die for. Although they did have a great selection for many other things on their menu, I would still come back and give it a second chance. The place itself has a good atmosphere, great service and music. read more

The Mad Crabber - Grilled Mahi Mahi taco w/side of slaw and fries. - Seafood Near Me - Avon, North Carolina

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Always a favorite place to go when we travel to Hatteras. The paper plates and plastic silverware are a bit on the cheap side, but the quality of the food makes up for the cheap style. I would recommend staying away from the calamari here and any other place on the island since they all seem to go to the same place for their frozen squid. I have yet to find fresh calamari on the island and my family seemed intent on ordering it wherever we went. The prices here are not bad at all for the island and the quality of the food is very good. This is why we always come back to the Mad Crabber when we venture to the OBX. I would recommend it over Dirty Dick's and other more expensive places on the island if you are looking for crab legs. You can try their AYCE on Tuesdays. We had to go on Monday due to our timetable. Maybe next time we will try AYCE. read more

The atmosphere and food are awesome. They cover the tables with paper and provide crayons so that kids and adults alike can draw while waiting for the food. Every time I've been both the staff and food have been wonderful and the hush puppies are the best I've ever had! read more

I don't know if it's because it's the off season and people just don't care at this point but this is the second bad review I've left today because of horrible food. This was the worst one though. I've never in my life gotten such bad food. We are in no way food snobs either. We decided to order from here to support a local business we were going to order from DIrty Dicks Crab House but figured we'd support the locals which usually ends up being a house thing but not this time. First off either their menu prices are wrong or we paid $40 for 4 slices of pie that wasn't worth $2 a slice. Then the crab legs this is something we look forward to and usually go up to Captain George's but again figured we'd support a local establishment we live in WV so fresh seafood is pretty much nonexistent but what we received tonight we've had better in a Chinese restaurant in WV. They were so dry they were like crab jerky most of them didn't have enough meat in them to even bother cracking them and they were either over cooked or freezer burnt. My husband said the clams tasted weird and wouldn't eat them and I don't think the scallops were cooked all the way. We're throwing away ALOT of food and that makes me sick to think we wasted $170 when we could have paid $80 at the buffet and got better food and don't even get me started on the sides. I'm not sure how you mess up coke slaw but they managed it. It was full of black pepper and tasted like perfume. The shrimp were not deveined and there was so much old bay that's all that could be tasted. I guess trying to cover the bad taste of it all. So very disappointed with this experience. The only decent thing was the pita chips in the crab dip. The one crab leg had something brownish/black coming out of it and the whole thing was dirty looking. I'm not a fan of bad reviews especially to little local places but this experience wasn't one I could let slide. read more

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Went here for the fried soft shell crabs, and they did not disappoint. Super tasty. They also had a crab chowder which was outstanding. Pretty fun atmosphere overall. The only thing I really didn't like was the used of paper plates and plastic forks. That was kind of weird, and not very GREEN! read more

This place has NEVER disappointed. Our family has been going there every year since 2006. The seafood (especially the crab legs-all varieties) are a staple. Fresh, big, juicy , meaty. I'm a big eater and I need rolled out of there when I'm done. If this place closed up and left I would consider not staying in Avon anymore- that's how good this place is. It's a little pricey but that's expected in a vacation spot like the OBX. The environment is nice. Not too loud and not quiet. Good for kids and the staff is ALWAYS nice. I'll be going there next week. Can't wait. read more

I got the fried scallops and my wife ordered the fried crab cakes. We were both impressed with the taste, freshness, and quality of the food price was reasonable for what we ordered. Honestly only complaint was that I originally went in for crab steamers but they do not offer anything with the crab like most places (such as corn or potatoes) read more

The most recent review nailed it, The Mad Crabber is ok. Not bad, not great - - just ok Now, beach dining-wise it's more or less what you would expect - - pricey seafood in small portions served on brown paper to give the appearance of homey-ness and value. The place itself is pretty nice especially compared to other OBX establishments but clincher for 2 stars vs 3 stars was the service staff there is ok at best, some close to rude, others average. I'd recommend trying someplace else unless they have some type of really good special going on. read more

Can't say enough positives about this place! Amazing food, great staff, amazing food, very clean, amazing food, great atmosphere, and amazing food! Get there early or you'll be waiting all night to get in. Best spot in Avon/Hatteras area by a nautical mile! read more

We ordered steamed crab legs, shrimp, fried soft shell crab and grilled snapper. The snapper and soft shell crab were good. They crabs legs were so over cooked they were as chewy as rubber. The shrimp were not de-shelled, were seasoned on the shell, and were also extremely over cooked. I can cook crab and shrimp better than what we were served. Won't be going back. Rusty's surf and turf is a much better seafood restaurant... Go there instead. read more

This place was fantastic...and we're picky New Yorkers. The crab legs were great...Fish bites as an appetizer were great. The pesto mahi mahi was amazing...my mouth is watering just thinking about it! This place is more worth your money than most overpriced basic seafood places in this area. We will return to this restaurant if we come back, definitely. read more

Vacationing in Avon, NC and called for take out. Food was excellent! Scallops melted in my mouth, ahi tuna was great.

Awesome food in a laid back environment! We were seated immediately as a party of 2. Service was fast and on point the entire time. Crab cakes are a MUST! If you ever have a chance to try the crab stuffed potato skins, do it! They were on special the day we visited and I am so glad we tried them. We will definitely be back! read more

We just spent a fairly disappointing day in Ocracoke NC (jet ski place made us wait only to find out the boats were not working)? There were 6 of us, 4 Adults and two teenage boys who don't eat seafood. We heard about this place and the reviews looked good. As we drove in we were skeptical! The location looks a little sketchy from the road and sits back a bit. As we entered we were greeted by a very present hostess. The place was packed, appeared clean and had a nice vibe. We were quickly brought to our table and greeted warmly. The picnic table with crayons and a table "cloth" for doodling on was a nice touch. The food: hush puppies - fair. The wings - solid. Meaty, crispy and flavor packed. Chicken and rice. Good but could have used some sauce to spice it up. Chicken tenders. Solid. Ok now the seafood: King Crab legs with veggies. Excellent! Great big serving. Crab Cakes: a tiny bit too crispy but very, very good. Highly recommend this place! read more

My family and I went last night, our last night here. We got there a little after 7 and we were seated right away (9 adults, one child) our waitress, Jessica came right away and got our drink orders. One person ordered a mixed drink and was very disappointed (the only disappointment during our meal so we still felt like they deserved 5 stars) the tables cloths are paper so it's perfect for the kids(old too!) the food was amazing! You get your money's worth for sure, the batter is light and not heavy or greasy. We got my daughter the fish bites and she ate nearly all of it (she's a light eater) the seafood trio is so good! My husband got the mad crabber for one, he loved it! Even for the non seafood eater in our group, she loved the grilled chicken she ordered. We will definitely be back next year! read more

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When we arrived the place was packed, so we understood that there would be a wait which was fine. We simply sat by the bar and had a couple of beers while we waited. When we were ready to order, my girlfriend ordered the Blue Crab, listed on the menu at market price, when available. The blackboard listed the current market price for Blue Crab to be $17.99 for a half dozen, which she ordered, only to be told it was unavailable. She went ballistic, and asked to speak to the manager to complain about listing a market price on the blackboard for a menu item that wasn't available. The manager was dismissive and borderline rude to her, explaining the meaning of "market price" and "when available", both of which we totally understand. My girlfriend's point was that if an item isn't available, it shouldn't even be listed on the market price board. If there's no market for an item there can't possibly be a price. Listing it at all more than implies that the item *is* available. She ended up ordering the flounder, which she reported was clearly local, fresh caught, and delicious. Our other meals were good. I had the $29.99 seafood combo for one, and our companion ordered the snow crabs. In general everything was delicious, although the mussels on my combo platter were tough and overdone, and because the snow crabs are not a local product they are shipped in frozen, which negatively impacts the tenderness of the prepared food - but I knew that when I placed my order so that did not affect my review. Everything else was fine. The fish bites and hush puppies we ordered as appetizers were perfectly prepared and delicious. I would have given a 4 star review except for the market price issue, and the way we were treated by the manager. Someone needs a refresher course in customer service. All they needed to do was to erase the Blue Crab entry on the chalk board, since they did not have any available, and that would have been sufficient. I'd be curious to find out if others have this same experience after ours. read more

Ordered the crab, shrimp, scallops steamed and it was extremely over cooked. They gave 2 scallops 1 crab leg and 8 shrimp. I do tip my hat to the service. They seem understaffed and do a good job of servicing their customers. For the prices the food needs to be better prepared. read more

Excellent service by Jessie and excellent food. She was able to grab some fresh mint from the garden and make the best mojito (was not on the menu) We both had king crabs. They were filling and delicious. House made key lime pie was perfection. read more

Covid Confusion We have been to this restaurant every year we have visited Outer Banks. We love it! Well we didn't love it this time. First, after we sat at our seat (40 minutes later) we were told there would be a 5% fee for waste and added gratuity. The waste that I'm referring to is literally your food being served to you in Styrofoam to go containers. Secondly, the added gratuity was 18% and the server did not ask us one time if we needed anything. My husband purchased the king crab legs so adding my meal and our daughter the tip alone was $24 for terrible service. We completely understand that the virus has caused some changes (even though no other restaurant that we ate the entire time was this way) but this is an absolute disappointment. To walk out of a restaurant paying over $150 for food served in Styrofoam containers with literally terrible service makes me disgusted. It just really took away from the experience. Unfortunately we will not be back! read more

I'm my opinion the best seafood in Avon. The spicy steamed shrimp was cooked to perfection and you can get a pound for under $20. Always great service and fresh food. If you are staying in Avon and want good seafood, this is a must visit. read more

Great restaurant with a very cool vibe. Food was excellent and our waitress was very attentive to our party of 9. Highly recommend this place! read more

I'd probably leave 0 stars if I could. Rude staff , gross food. Wont return and will tell others as well ! Blec!

The sweet tea is a 7/10. Food was good. The waiter was amazing. But yes sweet tea 7/10.

Seafood was NOT FRESH and HIGHLY overpriced. Tiny portions, terrible value. The water tasted like it came from the bay. Service was mediocre. I could have made a better scallops meal at home. I frequent seafood restaurants along the east coast and if you think this place is good you've never had decent seafood. We felt sick when we left. Stick to Red Lobster folks. read more

Loud, over priced, and dark. Why am I paying these prices for seafood right next to the water? I pay this much up in Northern Virginia! The food was very fresh and tasted good. I was just disappointed in the ambiance and prices. read more

We really liked this place - friendly service and the food was really good. We liked the hush puppies, raw oysters and crab cakes. The only thing I didn't like was the butter that they served with the crab legs - it didn't really have any flavor which was weird. The king crab legs were ok and I know these aren't local, so I will try something different next time! We definitely recommend this place! read more

We had great expectations; unfortunately it was just so so. The location is great and atmosphere is also pretty cool. We ordered calamari as an appetizer; our daughter said it perfectly, Carrabba's calamari is better. Also quoted from our daughter, for an 85 dollar meal the food should have been outstanding, not less than adequate. Overall it wasn't terrible but should have been much better for the price and the crowd's build up. read more

Went here tonight for dinner and it was delicious! I got the soft shelled crab and my fiancé got the popcorn shrimp. Good was very fresh and yummy! We also got the jalapeño poppers as an appetizer, perfect size and good taste! Loved all of it. Must try if you're in the area. Prices aren't too bad as well. read more

I got the Mad Crabber Platter. Best decision I've ever made in my entire life. There was so much seafood. I shed a tear of joy. I ate the whole thing. I'm still surprised that I ate the whole thing. I'm a seventeen year old girl in high school. That really says a lot about how much I love seafood. You can also draw and write on the table with crayons. That was really fun. The staff was awesome and super nice. 11/10 would highly freaking recommend. read more

The Mad Crabber - My bomb ass diner - Seafood Near Me - Avon, North Carolina

My family and I went to Mad Crabbers, looking forward to a seafood feast. When we arrived, they had a 10 cent per shrimp happy hour special on. While cheap, the shrimp lacked much flavour and half were overcooked. Also, you had to shell the, but that is to be expected given the price. For my meal, I ordered the Dungeness crab, which I love! I've had it hear before and it was good, but this week, one of my crab clusters was extremely salty, which made it practically inedible. Given the price, this was very disappointing. Despite the disappointing food, the service was very good and the people were very friendly. Given the selection in this area, we likely won't return here in the future. read more

Very accommodating and caring wait staff. I had the crab cakes and my partner had the spicy shrimp. Both were delicious! Corn on the Cobb was tender and steamed inside the husk. Baked Potato was melt in your mouth. Really glad we came here. Appreciated the wait staff's accommodations and attentiveness during such a busy time. Looking forward to going back. read more

Cool place friendly atmosphere. Good bar, wine & beer. The raw oysters were standard but their homemade cocktail sauce made them much better. The calamari was overcooked (I tend to be pickier than most w/ my calamari, I'm Italian). The biggest folly they had was when our group chose this place we all pretty much wanted crab legs. My friends were going to get the Snow & Shrimp combo and 1.5lbs of snow crab legs. My beau & I were going to get the platter for 2 (was about $58). Then we were informed they were out of Snow Crab legs. Our platter was supposed to come w/ snow crab legs but they did allow us to do King Crab in place but for an upcharge of $5each. We did & it was good-ish. The crab was great as were the scallops. The corn was mushy and the other steamed foods were bland. I did however sample some others foods. Crab dip was very good but in a 3" ramakin. The fish bit app was very very good and I'm not s fried fish person. The Mahi Mahi fish tacos were awesome as well as the pan seared Asian style scallop entree. The hush puppies were good too but pricey (guess I'm used to free pups at most places). read more

The Mad Crabber - Seafood Near Me - Avon, North Carolina

My favorite restaurant in all of OBX! Food is always delicious (especially the steamed seafood that they serve on a pizza pan) and the staff is super friendly. Good selection of beers as well. I can't wait to visit again in August! read more

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We went to the mad crabber for lunch after visiting the Hatteras Lighthouse. It wasn't very busy but it was a sunny day so I figure everyone was at the beach. I loved the paper covered tables with crayons for my youngest and we liked everything we had. The staff was very nice. read more

The Mad Crabber - Kid Friendly - Seafood Near Me - Avon, North Carolina

On vaca this week and our first stop was here. My lady loves crab legs so we were excited. We got the platter for2. Everything was good except the snow crab legs! They looked beautiful with long fingers, but strangely had 1/3 the meat you'd expect in a long leg. Normally with a long, well developed finger, u expect a long, thick sliver of delicious crab meat to savor, but NONE of the clusters had this!! To make matters worse, they were over cooked; they had no "pop" to them!! The shells were watered down and soft making the diminutive amount of meat so much harder to get to. Never have I been so completely disappointed. I called the manager over to make her aware and surprisingly, she was aware of the substandard crab legs and blamed it on them being from Canada vs Alaska. She went on apologizing and offering us other stuff but refused to alter our bill; thus forcing us to pay premium price for worse than grocery store quality snow crab legs!!! As a business, I'd pull these and stop selling them; they were that bad! I explained that staff should make customers aware of this if she knows they are not up to par; we could've ordered something else had we been told, but she wouldn't budge! I'd gave 1 star b/c the establishment name is Mad Crabber and we ended up being just that!! read more

Are you better off going and catching your own crab and making crabcakes? Obviously. Would you be better served to hit up the seafood shack and get a bushel? Quite so. Bit for those of a less harsy stock that want their lump meat on a silver platter and not following a fierce hand to hand battle, this will do quite nicely. read more