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The Three Crabs Restaurant
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
17 reviews for The Three Crabs Restaurant
17 reviews in English
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Review from Victoria G.
Lakebay, WA
10/5/2011
We were a party of six and we dropped in for lunch back in August. On that day, the food was delicious and tasted so fresh. My husband very much enjoyed the fish and chips here, which says a lot: he's a picky Scotsman who doesn't think much of American food. The Captain's Platter was excellent, as was the clam chowder. We will definitely come back when we're in Sequim!
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Review from izzy w.
9/1/2011
If you're over 50 years old, watch out for the cocktails here. Awesome. And they come in pretty colors, too.
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Review from Patrick W.
University Heights, OH
6/13/2011
Really great clams and oysters!! Really bad crab cakes. Not a scent or taste of crab at all. DO NOT ORDER!
Great location - fantastic views. -
Review from Greg E.
Silverdale, WA
8/22/2011
Crab cakes were horrible, virtually zero crab, waitress didn't want to be there, and had zero personality. Didn't even introduce herself, just asked if we've decided. Clam chowder was Luke warm at best, but bread brought with it was very yummy. Best friends wife ordered a glass of milk, got 3/4 of a glass and was charged 2.00 for it! Peanut butter pie was very good, but for 80.00 bucks for two, good pie and bread is fail.
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Review from Charles J.
Woodinville, WA
5/31/2010
Comedian Ron White has said, "Dogs are lucky - they can lick their butt to get the taste out of their mouth."
We were not so lucky. (It took two dozen cinnamon-spice Gummy bears and a bag of wasabi chips to drown-out the taste from The Three Crabs)
There is definitely a problem with the water supply in this restaurant -- it has a very distinct sulphurous taste and odor. If you must eat here, avoid anything that might have been made with the restaurant water.
A French-Canadian couple sat across from us. It was very sad to see the man literally drop his spoon after taking a bite of the clam chowder. I did not understand what he said to his dinner companion, but judging from the look on his face and the tone of his voice, it was nothing very pleasant.
One of the locals told us that "The Three Crabs" was founded by "three old codgers" who humorously named the place after themselves. Back then, it is said, the food was pretty good. After the founders passed away, the restaurant was sold.
On the plus side, the place has a nice view of the lighthouse. It's a very beautiful location. (But if you get hungry, do try the Dungeness Country Store, just down the block. We got our Gummy Bears there!) -
Review from Kendra L.
Portland, OR
10/4/2008
I've given the Three Crabs two chances, I think that may be all I have in me. It's busy, the staff are disgruntled. The place is in a great location but hardly has a view.
Did I not mention the food? Mom always said if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. So: the pies are pretty, and some of them aren't too bad. -
Review from Fenom H.
Seattle, WA
5/19/2009
Went here after tooling around the Dungeness Spit. Sequim is the secret home to the Mervin Mfg Factory, where Lib Tech and GNU, two of the most innovative snowboard brands out there, make their unique lines of snowboards from scratch. But there is nothing innovative about the menu at 3 Crabs.
One star is for the view. And cuz you just HAVE to eat here when you're in Sequim.
I was with a vegetarian--normally i think veg-heads deserve whatever crap they choose to eat (god didn't give us canine teeth and incisors for chewing lettuce, people)--but there was nothing even remotely veg-friendly on the menu. So my friend got creative (like a Lib Tech Skate Banana) and ordered a grilled cheese sandwich--and they brought her an open-faced hamburger bun with what looked like a half-melted slice of kraft american cheese draped over one side. Yeah, that really happened.
On the plus side, where else can you get seafood at a place that sounds like an STD? -
Review from Aaron R.
Los Angeles, CA
2/3/2006
I have been here twice, once alone and once with family. Both time on road trips. Over-rated.
Jane and Michael Stern spoke highly of it in their book. I say Don't bother, find a better place for seafood. -
Review from jeff d.
9/23/2008
Walking into the Three Crabs makes me imagine what it would have been like to take an old fashioned family vacation on the New England seashore. Stained wood walls, beams and ceilings give the feel of 50's - 60's ambiance. Plus, what retro style family restaurant does not have the 6 foot tall spinning case of pies and cakes?
The food. It is what I would have thought it would be. Good, yet not memorable. The clam chowder was the high point although the crab cocktail has good taste (and fresh crab), biting into shell pieces was kind of a good feeling killer.
The spinning desert case was loaded with creme pies as well as traditional two crust pies. My blueberry hill was great for about the first three bites (of a generous slice) then it went down hill. I am not sure about the contents of the creme filling (it did not seem like whipped cream) - perhaps there was some kind of slimy tongue inducing substance involved. I dunno.
To recap, an ok dining experience. Don't expect too much and you will not be disappointed. -
Review from Colby C.
Los Angeles, CA
7/24/2009
Apparently this place is known for their crab, etc.
Their clam chowder was - eh - and I had a crab cake burger which was eh - okay too.
Overall, just eh.
The wait staff could be re-trained. The bus boy was the hardest worker and friendliest around. The cutlery wasn't the cleanest and our server wasn't concerned - she swung around and picked up one behind her from a vacant table. I asked for mustard and she brought mustard packets (which was fine) but one of the packets had a big crustie on it - just doesn't appear that there is too much pride taken in where they work.
...and TURN DOWN THE AIR CONDITIONING - I mean it's nice on a warm day but lord it was FREEZING ON THERE!!! -
Review from Honey Lee B.
Tucson, AZ
6/28/2005
The best is clam chowder and coleslaw - other
than that, well....it's an old-timer or tourist spot. -
Review from Yasuo S.
Oakland, CA
7/5/2009
When I read other Yelpers' reviews, often times I feel that the forum gives too much credibility (and power) for those who simply gives out a one-star review without any regards to a family-owned businesses. Even for jerks like Michael Bauer (famous food critic who never ran any of his restaurants, and he is NOT a yelper so I can freely insult him, right?) would eat at any restaurant he reviews at least three times. So, while I agree with many Yelpers for this restaurant, I believe it is fair to give them a three-star review for my first visit. With few changes, I am confident this restaurant can get better (and if I were local, I would talk to the owners and offer some suggestions- I hope they do read this review and modify their signature dish...) Let me explain.
First of all, they are in a little town of Sequim (pronounced "Squim") which is famous for lavender. Second of all, this restaurant is located oceanside on a street called Three Crabs Road, and lastly, it is called Three Crabs Restaurant. It also has history-it's been open since 1958.
We were jonesing for fresh local sea food, coming from California (Oakland/San Francisco to be exact) which suffered two years of not having fresh salmon and dungness crabs.
We naturally ordered their signature dish, "Taste of dungness" which contained 1/4 of Dungness crab, clams, oysters (fresh and local), prawns, cod and scallops. When this dish arrived, we were in heaven- nice arrangement and it smells good. Crab was fresh, scallops were yummy, cod was decent, but overall, clams were cooked to death and the worst part of it was that the broth was not edible. Granted, we showed up around 3pm, this type of dish should be cooked as follows:
Get stock from the seafood, use decent white wine (the menu says it has beer- I'm not sure what kind, it just did not taste good at all), season it with leek, etc. to give it a flavor, and separately, you flash steam all the ingredients (clams don't need much cooking, you steam them until they pop open. crabs can be pre-steamed, other ingredients just don't need to be cooked in the broth that long or they will get overcooked and get nasty-rubbery)
Again, I will not be a jerk like others and criticize this restaurant on just one vist and also eating one dish. That is not fair.
It has great hope and the next time we visit Sequim, we will hope that they fixed their signature dish. -
Review from a s.
Redmond, WA
3/24/2011
I've eaten there 5x now, and every meal was wonderful! The sauted oysters, Shrimp Louie salad is the best, open faced crab melt. Yummm! The crab cake was okay, a little on the bland side. The last time I was there, they had vegan coconut cream pie- out of this world! And a treat I thought my no-dairy loving self would have to give up forever.
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Review from Amelia R.
Port Angeles, WA
Much better than most of the reviews let on. Not as fancy as I remember 20 years ago, though. Someone was complaining of the smell outside, but that's seaweed at low tide. This is right on the beach in the sleepy hamlet of Dungeness - not raised up on a pier in Seattle. Right across the bay from the Dungeness lighthouse, but difficult to see across the sea grass while dining. Walk the beach before or after your meal for the amazing scenery.
Someone also commented poorly about the drinking water - the taste is that of well water. Again, not something to which the city palate will be accustomed - the taste of local minerals that have not been stripped out of the water - it's actually good for you.
I try to be vegan most of the time, but fish sounded really good today. Had the cod fish & chips. Batter was light and only lightly seasoned so the fresh cod flavour could stand out on its own. Cod moist & flaky like it should be.
Nice beer & wine list. I put the lemon wedge from my meal in my ice water, but my companion enjoyed his Fishtail Ale organic IPA.
The homemade pie selection is wonderful. He had pecan pie; I had the strawberry-rhubarb.
Fast service. Only had to wait a couple of minutes for a table. Meals served hot, fresh, & fast - within about 10 minutes of ordering. -
Review from Martine M.
San Francisco, CA
10/10/2009
This is a great spot in the Port Angeles area for seafood. I go there for their crab and consistently good service! Yummy!!
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Review from Tiffany S.
Seattle, WA
8/7/2006
Every year we bitch about having to go here, and yet we still do because it was my grandfather's favorite restaurant and there is a photo of our relative on the wall. This year we had lowered our expectations so much that we ended up having a pretty decent meal. Fish and chips were moist and delicious and the clam-eaters in the family were well-satisfied with big steamy bowls of them. My brother (one of two non-seafood eaters at the table of 9) ordered chicken strips and a caesar salad. I tasted the strips and thought they were gross, but he didn't mind them since he has a 7 year-old and has acquired a processed chicken strip palate. The service was slow but the restaurant was packed and we did have a large party. On the way to dinner we vowed this would be our last time, but after our meal I think we're going to have a hard time convincing the sentimentalists that it's not worth it.
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Review from Jim D.
Mesa, AZ
7/24/2009
Keep in mind that the restaurant was not busy when we arrived at about 5:00pm on July 18, yet it took a few minutes to be seated. It took too long to place our order and that is after we sent back two water glasses that had lipstick residue left on them from a previous patron... The service was all around poor and everybody working there appeared unhappy.
I was braced for a bad meal based on my initial impression, but my cod and the accompanying slaw were pretty good. Also their tartar sauce tasted homemade and was good.
Message to the owner(s): Spruce up the place! The artificial flowers on our table looked like they had been there since the 70's.
Would I go back? Probably not, but I can say that I have eaten there, because it is considered something of a local landmark.
