Crab's Claw Oceanfront Caribbean Seafood Restaurant

We knew this was going to be hit or miss based on the reviews. We had a reservation at 7pm, we were seated by 7:30pm (mainly because my wife kept inquiring, otherwise, we would have been forgotten). While waiting, I observed their kitchen - it looked like a high stress environment. The waiting area was very crowded, and the hostess was stressed out and barely managing. So already not a great start.

We sat down and ordered food. We waited for our drinks (classic margaritas). They arrived 20 min later and did not taste or look like margaritas. Extremely sweet and some fruit punch added. Ordered coconut shrimp, crab cake sandwich and snapper. We didn't get our food until 9pm! Coconut shrimp was ok but I could tell the oil was used for many other items, so could taste other flavors in the batter. Snapper came extremely salty and oversauced, I couldn't tell what was what in my bowl. The crab was also salty. We couldn't eat our food and both main dishes were barely touched and left to waste.

This is a place with a lot of potential given its location. Typical situation where the restaurant becomes lazy because tourists will still come. We felt bad for the staff. It wasn't their fault. Its a poorly managed place with no one in charge of food preparation quality.

I highly recommend trying places outside of the beach area.

I have never left a review at a restaurant, this place was so bad it is impossible for me not to. The service was extremely slow, with order items being forgotten and taking an extra 20 minutes to come out. The special, which is a surf and turf, was abysmal. For the price of 50 dollars I ordered a medium rare steak with my lobster. I got a well done steak, which was tough and chewy, and the lobster had bad taste and worse texture. Worst lobster I've ever had.

The server was extremely nice, but the long wait time to get seated, paired with the extremely long wait time for subpar overpriced food and flat drinks ruined this dinner for me.
Would not recommend.

The views are great, Atlanta Ocean for miles, lots of beachgoers. The service was slow and forgetful but very gracious and outgoing. The food was interesting

Gorgeous seating on the top deck however it was quite windy ans when our food came had to deter the gulls. The food was great, monitors are amazing

I don’t like giving negative reviews but in fairness to others who may be considering Crabs Claw - it was awful. The food is way over priced. The service was terrible. We had to catch other waiters/waitresses to bring drink refills. Staff was much less than friendly. But most of all, the food was not good. It was a disaster of a meal. One SMALL alcoholic beverage was $14. I ordered shrimp and it was not fresh - more like pre-breaded frozen.
Leaving such a bad review feels wrong - but I do not recommend Crabs Claw.

Been there meany times last night suck for a 125. Was the baddest food I have eaten I want be back

Went there a year ago. Loved it so much we made sure to get a place within walking distance this year. We have dogs and they welcomed us all. My son loves their grits (now called something else). I love their crab legs and their drinks are delicious! Hope to be able to stop here every year!

My wife and I have come here a few times when we come to Atlantic Beach, and the food has always been good. I tried the oxtail stew, which had just been added to the menu. Our server said I was the first to order. It was delicious. Keep it on the menu ?

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 4

The quality of food is not worth the price. We got the boil and it was mediocre at best. They didn’t devein the shrimp. The coconut shrimp was pretty good. Crème brûlée was also pudding like. We have had better boils in South Dakota.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 3

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Coconut Shrimp

Was our first time.. Dined in. Sat upstairs, but inside because it was a bit chilly. View was still amazing. Food was so delicious. Staff was very friendly. Everyone was very friendly. We talked with other patrons who recommended certain dishes and their experience with coming here for years.
Great dining experience

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Fish

My family and I were very disappointed when we came in the other night and was told Karen no longer worked there. Our first visit to the crabs claw was her second day waitressing for the restaurant and ended up being the only server working both the upstairs and downstairs dining as apparently you were very short staffed. She was very attentive and made sure we had everything we needed for our meals before we even needed it. You could definitely tell she had serving experience and a great personality and sense of urgency to go along with it. I, of course inquired with a server whom I shall not mention but was told that she was let go of because someone told some lies on her and then she harassed and belittled when the lies told on her were just that. Lies. We ended up with Kelly as our server, who also made it a point to tell us she was also the manager when we came in and was disappointed by the lack of service we got. She kept sniffing her nose and wiping at it at the table which was unappealing and made me second guess eating from the plates that she touched. She was very unprofessional and stayed behind the bar most of the time flirting with one guy and giving him drinks she had overmade for other tables. That's no manager I would want to claim. When my family and I come in we usually bring 5 to 8 people and spend hundreds at a time in your restaurant and we always requested Karen as our server. We also have had Rylie and he was also exceptional, but Karen always made our dining experience fantastic. I can't say that we will be back with how disappointing our last visit was and I wish I had a way to get ahold of Karen to offer her a job with my family business. You don't get hard workers like her everyday. You let go of a good one when you probably needed her from what i can tell more than you realize, As your serving staff doesn't seem up to par with what you would expect from an oceanfront dining experience spending hundreds on food. They all seem to be new hires and scatter brained and without knowledge of the menu that they sell to us customers.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 4

Service: 1

Recommended dishes: Tuna, Salad, Seafood

Our visit to Crab’s Claw last night was nothing short of exceptional. the Caribbean grouper with plantains, for one was outstanding—perfectly seasoned and cooked to perfection. The sunset surrounding the restaurant elevated our experience, making it feel truly special. What impressed us most was the dedication of our server—she was not only handling table service with ease but also bartending with impressive skill. Despite the bustling Saturday night crowd, her attentiveness and professionalism never wavered. This level of service, combined with exquisite cuisine, makes Crab’s Claw a must-visit destination. We look forward to our next visit!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

The Crab’s Claw is a fantastic spot for a meal with a view! Their shrimp and grits are a must-try—creamy, flavorful, and perfectly seasoned, with fresh shrimp that makes it truly memorable. The outdoor seating area offers a beautiful beach view, and if you time it right, you’ll get to enjoy a breathtaking sunset while you dine. It’s the perfect blend of good food and a relaxed coastal atmosphere. Highly recommend for anyone looking to enjoy quality seafood with a view you won’t forget!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Tuna, Seafood, Lobster

Not sure if we just caught this place at a bad time, as the service could have been better. The food was actually really good, and the setting was right on the beach.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 4

Service: 2

Recommended dishes: Fish

Literally one of the best burgers I have ever eaten in my entire life. 5 stars for their crab dip and surf n turf bison burger. Fantastic, you all deserve it!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Seafood, Sandwich