4. Restaurants

The Original Sand Crab Tavern

2229 Micro Pl, Escondido, CA, 92029
  • (760) 480-2722
  • Store is closed

The Original Sand Crab Tavern Menu

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  • Ken U.

    I had heard the radio commercials for this place and my wife was really looking forward to a wonderful new england style meal. Being that her father is a commercial crab fisherman on the east coast, she is used to fresh seafood boiled up with the works and going to town at the table with the crackers and mallets. So we drove all the way from Coronado to this place on a monday evening to sample the eats. The restaurant itself was tucked away in the middle of a small industrial complex, and there were 3 other parties. The service was quick and the staff was friendly. We ordered a mac and cheese kids meal for my 3 year old. the waitress was nice enough to acknowledge that she mistakenly put two orders in, and gave us the other meal on the house for the older daughter. The mac and cheese was actually pretty decent, but for kids drinks, there was only choice of lemonade or soft drinks, Folks, something like apple or orange juice is a must. A half loaf of sourdough came out next with margarine, i have heard in other reviews that there was no butter, but having spent over 8 years in SF, I was salivating to bite into a good piece of sourdough. The bread itself tasted stale, dry, like it had been ordered a couple of days before. The crust was not crunchy and the margarine had to be coated on to give it a little moisture. I was able to crumble the soft part of the bread with hand into stuffing like bread crumbs. The sourness of the bread was a little too tart, I was surprised as good bread is the main starch component of most of their seafood platters. 1 out of 5 in terms of freshness and taste. My wife and I ordered the fishermans 2 person combo. The meal came out within 15 minutes and the waitress dumped the goods on the table. The sausage definitely had a good kick to it, but over half the food was the bits of sausage. Besides the sausage which had a decent bite of spiciness, the rest of the food really was pretty bland. There was a salt shaker with a mix of what seemed like old bay and salt but not as strong, and I was able to shake a bunch and dip my seafood in to give it some taste and flavor. Now I understand that some folks like their seafood without oversalting, but literally, besides the sausage, the other seafood was pretty tasteless. my wife liked the cocktail sauce, but all the seafood tasted from frozen, the crabs were all dried, especially the stone crabs and snow crabs and the slipper lobsters were simply unedible. Usually, with any good lobster tails, you can peel off the outer shell and get a piece of lobster tail meat that holds some shape and has some texture of meat. Literally, on two tails, the meat in between my fingers melted like lard or butter and I ended up with just slime and had to throw away two of the four pieces of slipper lobster. The shrimp were small and the heads once again melted off as I peeled them. the corn pieces (two) were completely overcooked and my daughters who love corn ate one bite and said it was no good. The best part of the seafood platter was the mussels, they tasted like they were fresh, held their own shape and had a slightly salty taste like the ocean. There was one clam in the whole bunch, which I lovingly gave to my wife as she likes molluscs, but with one piece, I can't say how it tasted. The price was decent but the quality was lacking. Recommendations: YOu don't have to change prices, for the menu, it was reasonable. 1. Fresh bread daily period. Even the bread at costco tasted fresher than what we had, and even if you don't sell it that day, it should be tossed and made fresh the next day. 2. For the type of restaurant, get butter, it can't be that expensive and for the prices that are charged, and the small cupful you provide in the meal, butter is a must. Yes, I have read that you can bring your own butter sticks, but please consider. 3. Fresh lemons should also be served with seafood. 4. The stone crabs, snow crabs, and shrimp should all be fresher and don't overcook. You can buy them frozen prior to being cooked, these tasted like already cooked and then reboiled, which only results in a super dessicated piece of crab meat. 5. The slipper lobsters arent worth the money you are spending if they are so unfresh, literallly, the two that turned to mush on my fingers, I could not even put in my mouth for fear that they were possibly spoiled. 6. Keep the sausages whole, they were sliced so thin and in small circles that boiling them dried them out. 7. Prices on the deserts were a little on the high side, no we did not get, but 5 bucks for a slice when clearly they looked purchased is a little steep after folks have spent average prices for your meal. The decor and concept is a good one and the place has so much potential to be a wonderful restaurant. But ultimately, restaurants are about the food, and the quality can be improved tremendously with some of the changes i put forth above

    (2)

  • Steven M.

    Great food and service. Very good brunch. Had lobster bisque . Jambalaya was very very good. Had a French vanilla sundae to finish and the ice cream was fantastic. Live music was nice and atmosphere of the place is very chill. Definitely would recommend this place.

    (4)

  • Lori A.

    Super disappointed! Ordered the nawlins noodles hoping that I would get fettuccine Noodles with jumbo shrimp, got spaghetti noodles with 5 tiny shrimp. Whatevs! Won't come back here!

    (2)

  • Cris D.

    My daughter and I came here one night, really pricey (for me) especially on a week night. Great place to eat for lunch specials but 20-25 bucks each at night is usually a special occasion thing. I wish they had weekly specials for locals but I do understand their cost Place is FUN though. Interesting. Lots to look at and the wait staff is always rad. I do miss the carrot cake lady

    (5)

  • Phillip B.

    I've been going here for years now. And I'm a bit ashamed that it came to the cliche having a bad experience to leave a review. My past experience is what boosts the stars. However, it seems there is new ownership and it shows. If I were to review on my last few visits, it would be one star. This last visit took the cake and probably sealed the decision not to return. The food is decent, but greatly over priced. The crab was meh. We, 2 people, bought the King and Dungeness crab for two AND mudbugs combo for one and still left hungry. The king crab shells were soft making it a pain to open. I'm glad this visit they had the crab forks back. But its ok, we only had to deal with a couple legs and a knuckle of Dungeness crab. $135 and 2 hours later we were looking for somewhere to eat more food. I really wish there were other options for good boils like this somewhere local.

    (3)

  • Franco F.

    This used to be one of our family favorites, and we had always been very happy with the foods quality and the portions of crab you received. So we decided to take some friends out last night, thinking nothing would be changed since our last visit and everything would be wonderful. Well, we were very wrong! It looks as though now that there's a new owner the quality of the food has tanked and is way over priced! All of the food tasted old and the portions seemed really small!! The coleslaw was browning and looked days old. Everyone said the food tasted old, that is except the potatoes, they were so fresh they were crunchy! They also had no crab forks, when we asked for them the server told us they were all stolen and now are on back order. Ok, I can understand that to a point...but it seems like utensils at a crab restaurant are pretty vital. So needless to say, we were a little embarrassed since we had told our friends how amazing this place is. I guess it's Joe's Crab Shack for us from now on. It's sad they are cutting corners to save money...because instead they are now assuring some long time patrons won't return. Maybe chef Ramsay can help?

    (2)

  • Jim H.

    We love this place. Great food. Awesome atmosphere. We have noticed the portions are getting smaller though. We love getting the seafood by the bucket, it used to feed us both to satisfaction, but now leaves something to be desired. Still wonderful food though. Beware of bringing in a coupon and hoping to use it. The last two times we have tried to house a buy one get one 50% off we have been denied for two different reasons. Last thing that must be said, the wait staff is not attentive at all. If you ask for something be prepared to wait. Especially if there are more than about 5 tables seated. I know the wait staff has been there a long time, but it seems they have gotten complacent. I will still be a customer as no one in North County can touch this seafood.

    (4)

  • Paul C.

    This place used to be great. New ownership has made obvious changes to the food and recipes. We've been coming here for years. Food was bland and overpriced. Sadly we won't return

    (2)

  • Beverly H.

    If your looking for fresh seafood, this is NOT the place!! We tried the Fisherman's bucket to try a little bit of everything and it was bland and tasted freezer burned. And not to mention over-cooked and over-priced. No air condition, it was 90 degrees outdoors and about 95 degrees indoors. Lookout for the overly aggressive hungry flies. We gave it 1 star because they were right about one thing... ice cold beer. Noah was wrong!!

    (1)

  • Evelyn R.

    The crab was really good. Calamari and clam strips were good. Everything else we got was mediocre at best: clam chowder was too thick, gumbo was too slimy, and the cole slaw was too dry. The salmon was a little oily.

    (3)

  • Johnny L.

    Food is good but a bit pricey and not a lot of options on the menu. The service there is good.

    (4)

  • Elmer A.

    Not sure which restaurant some Yelpers went to. I thought this place had some fresh seafood. Our waiter was Allan and he was very friendly and efficient. We started with the clam chowder which was rich and buttery. Nice amount of clams and just the right of amount potatoes. We ordered the Dungeness Crab for the two. The Andouille sausage was flavorful. The shrimp was very tasty and moist. Corn on the cob was excellent. The Dungeness Crab had plenty of meat and just slipped out of the shell. Very fresh and flavorful. They use just the right amount of seasoning. The Original Sand Crab Tavern lets the sea food flavor speak for itself. Not over powering or spicy like Crab Hut and other places like that. This cost us $54 for two people. Well worth the money for quality of seafood and quantity. The restaurant has a nautical theme in the inside and is located in a very industrial area.

    (5)

  • Matt J.

    Ok the food is good, not the greatest seafood, but good none the less. I did not think the prices were out of wack for the portions of seafood you get. My fiancee and I had the Fisherman's Platter for two. The crab was fine, however the lobster, shrimp, and crawdads were over cooked. That also happens at good old fashioned Shrimp Boils in LA. The beer prices are really a good deal in a seafood restaurant and you are not drinking wine at an old fashioned Shrimp Boil. Get the bucket of beer. I thought the service was good, but it wasn't super busy on Father's Day. I did have issue with them not taking a Restaurant.com certificate. It's not a coupon and I paid for it. I save the money any day and the certificate says it is good everyday, regardless it pissed me off. So, I probably won't be back for awhile, but I will be back, cause it was a good experience. Get your act together at the register Sand Crab!!! Stupid to make a customer angry over $4.

    (4)

  • Jen E.

    The BF and I are totally diggin on this place right now. I've actually been eating here since I was a baby since my Dad loved this place back in the day! It definitely has a Dive-y vibe to it, but that makes me like it even more. It's hard to find since it is in a business park but so worth the search! The food here has always been great, and they have my favorite calamari ever! The staff is always friendly and helpful! I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a fun place that isn't your typical Chili's or Applebees!

    (5)

  • Bridget P.

    I am not too sure why this place has such low reviews. We went tonight and the food wasn't anything less than amazing. So fresh, and spicy from the Cajun seasoning. We ordered a seafood bucket, and had a blast eating it. They provide you with a hammer to get all the meat out! They also do buckets of beer, which is a must have when eating seafood. Kind of pricey, but what do you expect? It's fresh seafood. I will be going back again.

    (5)

  • Berto L.

    The portions are great. Had the fisherman's bucket and fell short 2 potatoes, 3 pieces of sausage, and 2 shrimp. The lobster bisque was light and delicious. Wait staff was accommodating and pleasant. A bit on the pricier side but again the quality reflects the price. I'm never dissatisfied, although it is reserved for special occasions. Next time I think I'll venture out and try some of their other delicious looking items.

    (5)

  • TravelWorkPlayK B.

    I'm allergic to most seafood, and even I knew this place was a winner. My bf got the seafood gumbo, seafood omelette, and french vanilla sundae. He really liked the gumbo, although it had more meat than seafood. The omelette made him pause, roll his eyes back with pleasure, and say..."honey. omg." He NEVER has that reaction about any food, so that alone is worth the 4 stars. I got the lobster bisque, oysters benedict, and key lime pie. The bisque was AMAZING. Yes, I am a bisque fan and I love creamy & flavorful anything, but this was really really good. The oysters benedict was soooooo good. Buttery, creamy wonderfulness. I only had a bite because...yeah...I'm allergic. Whatever, don't judge me. I originally ordered the duck hash, but they were out of duck for the day. o_0 The shortage of duck + mediocre, store bought key lime pie + (whole lotta orange juice + a tiny bit of champagne mimosa) = -1 star Otherwise, I'd highly recommend it!

    (4)

  • Jessica W.

    Good for people who miss eating seafood the southern way. Food is poured onto the table (crab legs, shrimp, crawfish, potatoes, corn, whatever you ordered). You are givrn a mallet and a square stone thing for smashing open the seafood. This was a bit of culture shock 4 me bc Im not used to eating food with eyes intact. I was a bit traumatized by the crawfish bc the darn thing was cute, but very much dead for the eating. I insisted my boyfriend pull the shrimp heads and legs off for me. Also ordered a cup of gumbo (not for me- very peppery). Tried the lobster bisque & it wasn't bad. I'm giving this place 4 stars bc I'm not a seafood person but the ppl around me really seemed to enjoy it. -1 star bc they ran out of a few things. Be aware too: this place is SEAFOOD so for our party of 6, the bill came out to around $200 (including 2 ppl each drinking 2 bottles of beer).

    (4)

  • Chat M.

    my friend Alvin C took me there.... "I take you there.... help now...Boo Boo save your money and go to Long John Silver

    (1)

  • Jennifer F.

    I was so excited because the restaurant decor and set up was amazing and looked like a legitimate place to have delicious crabs. However the food was terrible. The crabs were tiny and soggy. The crab dip had no crab in it and the halibut fish and chips was tough and gross. Worst seafood iv ever had and much regretted spending $88 here. Very overpriced. Please don't waste your money like I did if you are a seafood lover.

    (1)

  • Kathe K.

    I shouldn't tell you this, because it's one of the best kept secrets in the San Diego area, but I LOVE this place! Sunday nights when they have live blues is the best time to go. I can't believe that this place doesn't have higher ratings. I mean come on people! Where else can you eat crab legs right off the table (I usually have mud bugs though). Eat with your hands!!!! (hint: don't go here for business) And the service is excellent! I can't have butter as I'm sensitive to dairy so I brought some coconut oil to dip my mud bugs in. Not only did the waitress heat up my oil for me, but she cleaned the container that I brought it in before she gave it back to me. Talk about service! I'm a fan!

    (5)

  • S A.

    Came here with a living social and was really excited to try it out! The server was very unfriendly (prob because of the living social deal) and tried to upcharge us for every little thing. It is just a bummer because I always tip 20% on the full value and to be treated bad because of having a living social deal isn't right.When I mean bad I mean being ignored and straight up rude. Anyways, the lobster bisque was yummy and the clam chowder was as well. I got the eggs benedict and it was pretty delish! Love the decor and the live jazz music is great! I would come back if it wasn't for the horrible service. Deals get people in the door that would have never have found your establishment otherwise (place is in an industrial building area), but its then your job to keep them coming back!!!

    (1)

  • Amanda T.

    My food was not good. My table mates thought theirs was decent. We were there for 3 hours because service was slow. The waitress forgot my order 3 times. We were charged for food we did not order. They automatically charged us a tip. Food is severly over priced. Bathrooms smelled terrible. Won't ever come back. Not sure how it has this many stars. Never have been to a worse restaurant.

    (1)

  • A H.

    It's interesting that another Yelper reviewed this place for Valentines Day - we also went for Valentine's Day. We didn't have a reservation, but they seated us right away in the enclosed patio. There was already another family seated in this room. After about 10 minutes, a waitress came to the other table and took their order, and my husband tried to wave her down but she ignored us. 10 more minutes passed and no one came to our table. No one brought water, the waitress that came actually glanced at us but didn't acknowledge my husband or return to take a drink order or anything. We finally got up and walked out after 25 minutes of being ignored. The owner looked shocked as we walked out, and we warned waiting customers that they may not receive the best service today. It was not overly busy - we've been going to this place for many years, but before it was acquired by new management. The old "Sand Crab Cafe" was far and away better than it is as the Tavern - where they came up with "original" I don't know, because it is NOT the "original" anymore. It's too bad, this place used to be the best place for casual dining, but now I'm not sure if we'll ever go back. It's tough to be ignored like that.

    (1)

  • Sherri S.

    So disappointing!! My family was in town from the east coast and wanted seafood gumbo. When the 4 bowls we ordered were delivered, NONE had more than 3-4 of the tiniest shrimp I've ever seen and no other seafood at all!! Had loads of andouille sausage which we don't eat and wasn't indicated in description...most seafood gumbo has 1 or 2 pieces - not 50!! The one cup of gumbo we kept, we had to beg for more tiny shrimp. Seafood salad sorely lacking in the seafood area as well. And oyster bar isn't open until 6p so none available at lunch. Will never go back.

    (1)

  • Michael F.

    Really good food, it reminded me of being back in Florida for some seafood boils, all your food gets dumped on your table and you dig in. A bit pricey and best to make reservations depending on the night, but food was good, not a good place for craft beer. They did rush us out towards the end of our meal.

    (3)

  • Carmen V.

    Friday night with a bunch of girlfriends. Strange location (industrial area), but easy to park. They have their own parking lot, plus tons of parking on the street. Nautical-maritime decoration and very spacious, yet that night was kind of empty and there was no music (I guess good for us as we were very talkative and in 'late Christmas gift exchange' mode, so the noise of other customers could have been annoying. We shared an appetizers consisting in many fried items and I found it too greasy and not too flavorful. I was hungry, though, so it was ok for me. Then each of us ordered something different, and none of the dishes was appealing enough for me to come back. My lobster bisque soup tasted good but it came almost cold, and I was in the action with my friends so did not bother in asking them to warm it up. Another girl commented the same, her soup was cold. Nice place for group gathering and I guess for locals.

    (3)

  • Katey S.

    My husband and I enjoy trying new places once in a while so we were flipping through the clipper to see if anything looked interesting. The Sand Crab popped out so off we went. The place itself was charming and smelled amazing so we sat to eat. The first issue was that the clipper said that lunch was served on Saturdays. However when we got there it turns out that lunch is Mon-Fri. There goes the light lunch idea. No problem we thought. It took our server a good long while to come back to take our order. When she did we ordered... A bowl of Lobster Bisque A Lobster roll And the salmon plate. The salmon came with your choice of a garden salad or coleslaw, and a cup of soup. He got the small salad with Italian dressing. The soups came out and were very good! I had asked for some crackers but they never came. soon after the main dishes came to the table. To my surprise the lobster was chopped very fine and mixed with mayo. But I thought don't knock it till ya try it. My husbands salmon came with coleslaw rather then his salad so the server brought him his salad... with ranch.. By this time I had tried my Lobster roll and all the mayo was so off putting I ended up just putting it back down and eating fries instead. It is such a crime to have a lobster roll and not taste any lobster. We then asked for the check since we were not impressed and just wanted to leave. The check took a long while to make it to us. We paid and the payment took some time as well. Overall we will never be back. The food was over priced and underwhelming. The service was also overly slow. (the server we had only had 5 tables including ours and one of them was finished and just talking) TLDR;; Overpriced food that is not great. Very slow service. Not worth the 50-70 bucks for a table of 2.

    (2)

  • Maura S.

    Ooooooo the voodoo shrimp keeps bringing me back! The atmosphere is fun and they have a Sunday brunch with live music.

    (4)

  • Jennifer M.

    I heard about this place a long time ago, and always wanted to stop in. I was up in North County and thought it was the perfect opportunity. Service was mediocre. Food was downright awful. We got crab for two. The crab itself was okay, but seemed a little scarce for the price. I don't mind paying a premium for a premium meal, but this did not meet that level. The shrimp were overcooked and rubbery. The sausage was lukewarm at best. The potatoes were undercooked an inedible. We stopped at a thai place AFTER a nearly $70 meal for two and split a pad thai since we left the Sand Crab hungry. You have been forewarned!

    (1)

  • Robert Z.

    This is a well seasoned seafood joint. The kind of place you would see on Dinners, Drive-ends, and Dives. It's a very dated place in an industrial park by the train station. The bar tender will also be your waitress witch isn't a bad thing. The food was tasty and a fair sized and plentiful. Sadly it's quite overpriced for most compared to other crab shacks in San Diego County. The dinner shown was $69.00 for two not counting drinks, tip and tax. Tac on an appetizer and your looking at over $90.00 for two people. Yes the food was good, but not $90.00 dollars good. All in all service and food was good so that's why three stars. Would I eat here again, Yes only trying something like the $24.00 fish and chips. :))))))))

    (3)

  • Kendra B.

    Wow this place is amazing, atmosphere is fun, and the king crab and clam chowder are on point definitely coming back when I have my yoga pants on.

    (5)

  • Mike B.

    Every time I eat here the food is great the portions are large. The place has fun ambiance and the servers are alway friendly. Some evenings I've shown up and there was live music. I heard that they recently got a new chef.

    (5)

  • Emily R.

    I'll start by saying I really don't like seafood at all. I like the occasional crab legs and popcorn shrimp, but it's just not my favorite. But the one thing I have to comment about is the service. Oh, and not to mention the adorable band thst plays on weekends (a guy who's identical to Willie Nelson). We've been several times and not only is the food cooked right and usually is pretty good according to my gf, the waitress we get almost every time is beyond amazing. She's a little older, and has the best personality. You can tell she's been there for a long time and it seems a lot of people know her. She's quick, efficient and just so genuinely nice and friendly it's hard to leave without a smile on your face. Really cool looking place, too, as awkwardly placed and small as the location may be.

    (3)

  • Dai M.

    I went there the first time since the owner was changed. The same atmosphere, the same style and maybe the same menu. But the food looked less fresh or being too much boiled. Not expecting so much on fresh seafoods, it's a great place to bring friends who want to experience something unique.

    (3)

  • Marie M.

    Wow, has this place gone downhill. I used to love it here.. Could get. Lobster on the side and some amazing crab legs, but nowadays everything is overlooked and the wait staff VERY pushy to get your order. It makes me sad that it was sold and the new owners haven't kept the quality the same. Boo

    (3)

  • Jim F.

    What do expect from a seafood place in an industrial area? Slow service, bland seafood and can you believe they ran out of oysters on a weeknight? Jim F.

    (2)

  • Holly H.

    Could not have been more pleasantly surprised by the charming atmosphere! Really didn't know what to expect in the industrial area but was pleased to see several large families cracking crab, as well as couples and groups. That said, the service was a bit slow-it seemed like they were understaffed! The lobster bisque was absolutely excellent, but overall the menu is very crab oriented, and if I go back it will be for crab. I would have liked to see more fresh options on the menu to lighten it up, but maybe that's just my inner Californian among all the southern/east coast fried foods and meat.

    (4)

  • Rob L.

    I was in the mood for a casual no frills seafood dinner that I have come to miss on the East Coast so found this on a google search and we figured we would give it a shot. Found a nice little gem tucked away in an industrial park. Don't let the dive appearance fool you. We both enjoyed the lobster bisque, my gf had the jumbalaya and I had the fishermans platter. We shared the apple burrito for dessert. Service was excellent the waitress kept asking if we needed anything. Some of these reviews caught me offguard I guess we were there on a good night. But we will be definitely be heading back there. FYI if any former east coasters read this and know of any casual seafood restuarants we are accustomed to @ the Jersey shore, Ocean city MD, etc please let me know. They are so difficult to find here.

    (4)

  • Ryan H.

    Not a great experience. The lobster was tough, the crawdads were tough. They put little to no seasoning on their food, and they only had tabsco sauce when I requested hot sauce. Super pricey, but I'm not even factoring that into the single star. I don't mind paying for sea food cooked correctly. I'm not sure if they overcooked the food or if it was just old.

    (1)

  • Wendy H.

    was a cute little out of the way place with good service and good food. Atmosphere was nice and has a lot of history. I had the gumbo in a bread bowl and it was delicious! love that they have a heart for local musicians as you will find out from their menu. so the three stars is because unless the prices drop I can not afford to eat there with t he family very often.

    (3)

  • Cyndi J.

    Ok people, my friend was performing here so I came. Little did I know what a gem this place is!!! I had oysters on the half shell, grilled oysters , hot crab dip with fresh chips, and lobster bisque. We shared ( 4 of us) It was all FRESh AND SO DELISH!!!! It's small but mighty in quality. Guy Fieri woułd love this place! Here's a tip on this place. My understanding is friday and Saturday is when the fresh seafood comes in, go there on those days.

    (5)

  • Pam B.

    just had the most disappointing meal that i have had in a long time we have always love this place especially when the original owners had it but it has gone so down hill we used to leave full and maybe some left overs but know you barely get anything in your tummy Stuffer and the service was awful she was so unfriendly and the price is unreal can't wait to find another place that can hold up to the old Sand Crab Tavern miss you Sandy

    (1)

  • Summer A.

    My boyfriend and I visited here last night. I found a coupon in a circular, so we checked it being new to SD. We love the dive bar feel. Very homey without being dirty. The craft beer buckets are an excellent price - 5 bottles for the price of 4. The seafood was also excellent! The crab and shrimp from my Alaskan Crab Combo was fresh and tasty. My boyfriend had the fish and ships, there was a very healthy portion. I found the prices to be in line with other quality seafood restaurants with great portion sizes. We will be back for sure.

    (5)

  • Rebecca L.

    Took a good friend and my son on Saturday night. The food was fresh, plentiful, delicious (you have to try the Shrimp and Cheesy Grits appetizer) and fun to eat. This is a relaxed, casual environment where everyone was smiling and chowing down! They had a fantastic blues band playing that was great - no cover charge. Our service was great and the place was packed - that speaks for itself. Be sure to make reservations. We'll definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Scott R.

    Had a great time. Food was awesome. Service was great. This place is a hidden treasure. Lots of options for children. Will definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Stephen T.

    Fabulous place. We had the Fisherman's Sampler for two. Crab, shrimp, mussels clams, slipper tails and crawfish with potatoes corm and sausage. More than we could eat and all excellent and fresh. Not a fancy place. Just a good one hidden in the Escondido industrial area.

    (5)

  • J C.

    Ok(not great) service, mediocre food. Beer was tepid, I can let beer warm to my liking, but I can't make it colder.

    (2)

  • Tram P.

    Got a craving for crab?!?! First off, before I continue, I did read the yelp reviews before coming here....and boy, I was really on the fence. I really really love steamed crab and any other crustacean so ultimately my stomach made the decision for me!!! My boyfriend and I ordered the Dungeness and King crab combo: both types of crab, peel and eat shrimp, Louisiana sausage, corn, potatoes, and a few sauces on the side. Bread optional. For 2, it was $69. The king crab was flavorful but tasted a little dry and was probably frozen before it was recooked. Sausage and shrimp were also both equally dry and sub-par. Wah wah! The Dungeness was actually pretty good! If the service at this place wasn't so bizarre, they might have been bumped up a star! When we got our steamer, we had no Dungeness. We then got one cluster...I was baffled and thought, wait $69 and we get pretty much got half a Dungeness for 2 people?? So I asked the server/servers (we had the two going back and forth) if that was all the Dungeness we would get and she said well its all weighed out, so yes. Ok whatever we will deal and share. Then she comes by with 2 more clusters out of nowhere and says these are for you. So confused but ok cool. They were completely packed and running around just the two of them. Seemed frazzled. I wouldn't say the service was horrible, just spotty. All in all a little pricey but I would come back just for the Dungeness a la carte....no combos.

    (3)

  • Starla B.

    Right as you walk in you are not greeted. The server told us to "sit down at this table" and walked away. She then came over and said what do you want to drink? She brought our drinks with her thumb in both. 2 stars for the food quality. Very poor service

    (2)

  • Lando T.

    I usually try to be a, " glass half full" kind of person. Unfortunately my glass remained empty, for an hour... 1st impression: -dive bar kinda feel. -After waiting a bit for a waitress to take a dump, found the bathroom dirty. (One toilet per gender) -Over priced ($19 lb peel & eat shrimp) -lacking of refills Lasting Impression: -Upset stomach -Still thirsty Final Verdict: -I'll stay coastal

    (1)

  • Robert J.

    The food was bland, tasteless, and expensive. I had the calm chowder with hardly any clams and it tasted more like butter. The Gumbo soup was ok, not my thing. The jambalaya was more like hospital food. The cheeseburger was tasteless, the fish, shrimp, and chips well let's say the chips were awesome... I will look for a better seafood place without a doubt...

    (1)

  • Ann B.

    We heard about this place on TV and wanted to give it a try. Very disappointing! The seafood is definitely NOT fresh at all. The crab cocktail was still frozen. We ordered the King crab leg feast. The crab legs were very mediocre, the shrimp was pretty small and the potatoes were rock hard. Waitress was nice but that was about it. Very disappointing and will not be returning.

    (1)

  • Shaun A.

    This place is a fun date night location. Good beer and wine selection, great food, great ambiance, and the seafood bucket items are delicious and fun! However, the location is strange and easy to miss. Also, try to go on the week days. The weekends get packed and the staff are stretched a little thin. Overall, great restaurant.

    (4)

  • Laura D.

    My friend George told me about this place, because we were discussing fried oysters. Whenever his sister comes here from Ohio, she insist on eating here at least 3 times. So Jackie and I paid a visit on Friday night. It was about 6.30 and the place was quite full but not packed. What was packed was the oyster bar, where Rich the owner was shuckin' them a plate at a time. Our server came over immediately, she was very friendly, as was everyone in the place. We were seated in one of the booths along the corridor, and behind us in the back room was some funky live music, which we really enjoyed. They were playing 50s and 60s music. The crowd was very mixed, lots of 20 somethings, so I was surprised at the older music, though maybe that's what Rich enjoyed as a teen. I mentioned I had a friend with a band who sounded like Neil Young and she said, "Who's that?" We started with the everything plate. All of it was deep fried: calamari sticks, fried chicken, onion rings, sweet potato fries, mozzarella sticks. I am not a super fan of deep fried, but I enjoyed the calamari and fried chicken. Jackie loved all of it and took what was left home for another time. Then we both had what we came there for: the fried oysters. Just the oysters alone would bring me back here. Rich prepares them himself. The breading was a little thick but it wasn't greasy at all and had a good flavor and was very crisp. I really enjoyed them and almost ordered another plate, but decided not to tempt fate. Also had the cole slaw which was delicious. This place defines the word "funky" but it's really fun and low key. Make sure you have GPS or get a Google map because it is really hidden. At night it's quite an abandoned area and at first seems a little creepy, until you round the corner and there are a million cars parked near the restaurant. PS: Although we didn't order them, George says the cajun fries are kickin' !!!

    (4)

  • Hannah U.

    Well these people are total dishonest thieves. We had my little cousin's birthday party here and he put his birthday cards, birthday money, and a gift card in an envelope and accidentally left it behind. His mom went back to the restaurant today and had to DIG THROUGH THEIR DUMPSTERS and found the envelope and cards but the money and gift card were gone, of course. No one at the restaurant owned up to the situation or offered to do anything to resolve it. I guess they are ok with employing dishonest scumbags. Think about the type of people you give your business to. These people steal birthday presents from 11-year-olds. Not to mention, the food is way too expensive for what you actually get.

    (1)

  • Susie B.

    I've been here two more times since writing my original review, and I feel like updating to five stars. Everybody in my family loves this place!

    (5)

  • Tamara L.

    Ordered a lobster on Friday and it was amazing and perfectly cooked. I would have liked to have had a pair a "crackers" to help get into the claws cause the hammer makes a crazy mess. I love the clam chowder cause it's nice, light and creamy. It doesn't have that thick overwhelming flour taste that you can sometimes get with some chowders. Voodoo shrimp are another favorite that we always have to order in addition to either the Deadliest Catch or the Fisherman's Sampler. If you have a large crowd you should definitely order the crab dip to start off your meal. Staff are always super friendly and eating here is always a good experience!

    (4)

  • Hillary H.

    Gross and overpriced. 40$ for king crab legs. 3 legs with little meat. Popcorn shrimp tiny and very breaded. French fries disgusting. Deff frozen and taste terrible. Will not ever come back. Crab legs drenched in crab water , the taste was horrible. What a let down. Oh also buttery is watery. I know what melted butter taste like. When I asked the waitress if we could have diff butter she looked at me like I was crazy and said its the only butter she has. When I went to restroom there are holes in the walls. They filled them with paper towels instead of patching them the right way. So horrible

    (1)

  • Erica M.

    Best! A little on the pricey side but totally worth it. Crab legs and clam chowder amazing! Good beer selection. Seafood gem!

    (5)

  • Catie C.

    ***** 5 stars! ***** My most favorite seafood joint in San Diego! Hands down. The Sand Crab Tavern is most certainly the mecca of fresh seafood!!

    (5)

  • William C.

    Wow, what a waste of a hundred bucks. If we weren't with friends we would have sent back all the food, except for the crab poppers. The slam bakes are supposed to be their specialty, but they were completely tasteless and overcooked. We ordered three separate meals and they combined all of them into one meal, which they didn't even ask. There was three orders of king crab legs, and there was a total of 6 crab legs. Everything is even more pricey and they ran out of lobster. This place needs some serious attention and a cook that knows how to do a clam bake.

    (1)

  • Super M.

    Great place to indulge in fresh seafood. My partner wanted lobster & I did not want to drive far, so I found this spot online. We were all happy. Our son picked out a live lobster out of the tank & they cooked it for them. Friendly service.

    (4)

  • Jessica S.

    This is my first time posting a review. This place urged me to write in hopes of saving those who want to come here & in hopes that the management/bartender will change their attitudes! When we first arrived we walked in and were stared at for a lengthy amount of time.. Awkward!! Then a friendly waitress rescued us and seated us (although she forgot my booster seat for my child). We ordered the popcorn shrimp & carb dip appetizers which were both delicious; however our 'Fisherman's combo bucket' was extremely disappointing!! The crawfish & shrimps were very dirty, the sausage was dried out & the amount of food was absurd for the price!? You have to actually 'ask upon request' for bread??? Our bill came to nauseating $100 for two adults & a toddler and we left still hungry? All in all, I have always wanted to do a bucket experience. I researched this place in hopes of going above the franchises of Joe's crabshack for a more authentic experience. I only gave two stars based on service and the appetizers which I think is a very deserving review. If I could take it all back, I would've just gone to Joe's! My parting last words are for the management and the bartender, you are not better than your customers, or your servers! Remember, as it is easy to do, you would have nothing without us. I suggest you be more welcoming to the people that are keeping this place still standing

    (2)

  • D Christopher L.

    Here is a email thread that expresses my last visit to Sand Crab between my family and the owner. My mother: My son loves your restaurant more than anywhere else. He is living in Utah now and the first thing he does is goes to Sand Crab. Last Wednesday night, July 9th, he brought a group of his work associates in. The waitress told him they close at 9:00. It was 8:20 and they assured her they would hurry. She was not pleasant at all and acted like they were an imposition. And that there ruining her plans for after work. We usually have the same waitress and she is great. I don't remember her name but she is older and always remembers us. Never have we had bad service. I am a waitress and we stay open to 5 min before closing time. If 8:20 is too late than I think you should say closing time is 8:30. I only am writing this for your benefit so it doesn't happen to others. Especially someone that loves your place as much as he does. The Owner: Hello Sue - Thank you for contacting me about your son's recent visit to the Sand Crab. I appreciate his passion for my little place. It's loyal customers like you folks who've made it possible for us to keep this ship afloat for over 26 years now. I spoke to the Server who was working last Wednesday evening. She remembers your son and his work associates well. It sounds like they all had a pretty good time. Some if them may have indulged in a few beers before their arrival at the Sand Crab. And that's fine; we sell lots of beer here, and we encourage our customers to enjoy themselves and have a good time - so long as there's a designated driver. I believe your son was the DD that night. Tracy, the Server, said he was polite. Some of his friends were a little more vocal or boisterous; again, not a problem. Tracy's a cute gal, early thirties, and she's had plenty of guys behave flirtatiously or obnoxiously (some young men are better at flirting than others). Bottom line, she said she served them well considering it was the end of the night, they arrived at 8:20, our kitchen closes at 8:30 (as she explained), we close at 9:00, and we try to be cleaned up and have the books balanced by 9:30. Could Tracy have been more patient? Absolutely. And I spoke to her about that. Could your son's colleagues have behaved better? From some of the comments regarding their "porn convention" attendance and other not-so-gentlemanly questions and comments, it was probably a draw. All-in-all, I think she was a good sport. She took their group photo, she served them their food and drinks and she did her best to remain at least cordial. Let me know your son's mailing address in Utah. I'll send him a gift certificate for a free dinner at the Sand Crab Tavern. Hopefully he'll have a better experience on his next visit. My response: Thank you for your email to my mom. I asked that she not send it because I know everyone has a bad night here and there and hoped next time would be better. Since the email has been sent, I will share my frustrations directly. When we arrived at 8:20, Tracy did her best to send us away. She mentioned that we would cause her to stay late and seem very displeased. We were staying in downtown, so didn't want the trip to be wasted so I asked her if we could make it work. She reluctantly said yes (which is weird because we were still there 40 minutes before closing). She walked us to the table. I ordered for the whole table before she walked away. We were trying to be courteous and aware of her time. She brought the bill out with our food and we paid instantly so she could close out her register. We also tipped her well for the poor service received. On our way out, I gave her a sincere thank you and acknowledged that your food was the highlight of my trip and thanked her for making it work. She just said she better be able to get home to her babysitter who was off at 10:00. This was at 9:15 as we were walking out. That is all fine. She was obviously stressed and that can be overlooked. I think what bothers me the most is her attack on my group and then you including that in a response to customer feedback. If you want to be better, say thank you and take what is meaningful. Being defensive and challenging the conversations of your customers seems odd. To clarify, the other members of my group have all abstained from alcohol their entire lives. We did not attempt to order alcohol and there was never talk of a designated driver due to the fact that no one was drinking. As for the conversations had with Tracy, they were brief. Tracy, "You are getting here really late", "You need to order right now", "I need you to pay right now", "I better get home to pick up my child" We had time to order, eat, and ask for a picture. I am sorry if a few Mormon guys ending a day at the beach were offensive to her. I feel sad that when I told my colleagues, my friends, that Sand Crab was my favorite place, that it disappointed us all.

    (2)

  • Bob S.

    It's hard to be near this place and not stop for some gumbo lunch. Something great and inexpensive. For some reason, ladies in my life think this place is alright, but to me it's perfect. I get to drink beer, eat great Cajun food, watch ESPN, drink more beer, talk about sports and not drink wine.

    (5)

  • Shannon T.

    What a Great place, I can's say enough about the service and food. The Sunday Brunch was great, and to top it off the Blues music made it so relaxing and fun. Shelly

    (5)

  • Chris K.

    Party of four for Friday night. The place was packed Great oysters. ( blue points and fanny bays) Service was good but not exactly speedy. Voodo shrimp was yummy, but not New Orleans acme co. By any means. I was still hungry after grinding them. Soft shell crab po boy was ok. Couple buckets of micro brews and we were good. Overall the blue point oysters won out the night. They are succulent . The bill was high, a tad over priced, in my opinion, but I knew this coming in. Three stars.

    (3)

  • Elizabeth I.

    I love this place! I'm 32 and had my 18th birthday here. It's just as good now as it was then. We always get the bucket 'o' delicious boiled seafood and I go to town on the crab. I will keep coming here!

    (5)

  • Eric T.

    I had the pleasure of coming here earlier tonight, and by pleasure I'm being very sarcastic. I found a coupon in my local mailer and decided to try this place. I am starting a 28 day cleanse tomorrow and wanted a last good meal. We found the place located in a business park in san marcos/escondido, walked in and were immediately greeted and seated. got the drink order in. Looking over the menu was interesting, they had a pretty small selection and the price was quite high for the the item's; i mean 24 for a 14$ and fish and chips is only 14$ at even a high price establishment, in their defense it is fried halibut. so i digress,we ask if we can use our coupon on the fisherman's sampler and are told no because that is one meal so we order the voodoo shrimp and the scallops. we are informed they are out of scallops. so we switch to oysters and are informed they are not available either. Finally i order the crab cake dinner and once again am informed that they are also unavailable. after much deliberation we are told that we can use our coupon on the fisherman's sampler if we order the plate for two people. i blankly looked at the woman who had previously told me that was not an option. Why would i order it for one if there were two of us. anyways we ordered it and added a bowl of clam chowder and a house salad, which came out quite quickly. clam chowder was awesome but the house salad was just ok. The food came and was dumped on the table in very common fashion, we dug in and I was really impressed by the stone crab claws. next i dug in to the peel and eat shrimp which was also good. Snow crab was also great as well but that's where it stopped. sausage was dry and bland, corn tasted like steamed corn should taste and potatoes as well. mussels and clams were the usual steamed taste I have grown accustomed to over the years, nothing fancy though.Overall the meal was average, I would expect the same if I had gone to Joe's crab shack. After our meal I washed my hands and the check came, the waitress informed me that i would be receiving 8.50$ off of a 53$ plate. I was quite speechless, when i asked why she informed that We would subtract the difference of one person meal from the two person meal and then split it. I guess I kind of understand that logic but wouldn't it make more sense to split the two person price and then split that? either way she gave me the impression that I was being cheap for using a coupon. I came there to try a new restaurant and had high expectations but was sorely disappointed. I can see why after reading all the reviews in addition to mine. Crappy way to be treated and belittled by our server, I feel like i was bullied out of a coupon and I couldn't order what I wanted because they were missing so much of the menu. So in a nutshell; bad service, mediocre food, lack of availability on items on the menu without being told in advance of what is not available, and an overwhelming sense of insult when we told our server we were using a coupon. Will not go back and I would warn anyone interested to try don't waste your money or time. Better bet is King's fish house in Carlsbad or KOKO beach.

    (1)

  • Chelly B.

    Slow service and over priced dinner items. Plus, terrible location in a business park.

    (2)

  • Danielle E.

    I was looking through Yelp for places to go to on Valentines day. I came across this restaurant and I was able to make reservations through the click of the button on Yelp. When we arrived I told the lady at the bar that we had reservations that we had made through Yelp. It didn't seem to phase her as my hubby and I say down at the bar and waited for some type of interaction. Finally I asked if we order drinks from her? She looked flustered and finally managed to get my hubby a beer and me a "specialty drink". I wasn't sure if she was an owner or girlfriend of the owner? It was just strange. We finally say down to our table and it took 9 minutes for someone to come over and finally say hello. It took way to long to get out order in, get our food and get out of there. The staff was unfriendly and looked miserable. It had a serious bad vibe going on. I used to come here years ago and back then it was good. Sad to see that it has fallen to this level.

    (1)

  • Eva E.

    I thought it was okay. The service was pretty lousy and the food was decent. Probably wouldn't go out of my way to eat here.

    (3)

  • Jessica B.

    The layout inside was very confusing. Service was great here. Our server brought us the food we ordered right away. Cocktail sauce in the oyster shooters was not cocktail sauce. It was more like tomato paste mixed with ketchup. However, you get the bang for your buck on the oysters. The calamari was not seasoned well and the jalapeño poppers did not taste like jalapeño. The oyster po-boy was good, but not great. I couldn't finish it and had a piece that was too chewy to be edible. At the end of the day, I would not go back.

    (2)

  • Alex G.

    Great service and good food. Wait staff was always around to make sure we had what we needed and was prompt in bringing it to us.

    (5)

  • Ken C.

    Great service today. Ordered a $36 lunch but we split it and it was more than we could eat. I thought some of the crab was overcooked, but some was good. I won't go back.

    (3)

  • Rick S.

    I agree with the other reviews, but the only thing I need to say is that for $36 I ordered the King Crab combo, and it ain't no King Crab. This is the smallest crab legs I ever seen, and look more like Dungeness. I do't know why they would want to charge so much for a bunch of drek thrown on the table. It will be along time before I ever, if ever, go back. I don't like being served tiny crab legs when you order the King. Their prices are way too high for what you get.

    (2)

  • Heather M.

    It's all about the Voodoo Shrimp!! For that alone, you must go here. Now. Trust me, you won't regret it! My sister took me here today after talking non-stop about the fact that the shrimp here were as good as the shrimp she used to get down in New Orleans, where she lived for many years. I have to say, I didn't believe her at first... until I took my first bite! We came here in the early afternoon, so we ordered the lunch version. They also have a dinner version, which comes with several more shrimp. However, the portion we got was perfect. The gulf shrimp themselves were cooked perfectly! They were big, sweet, and easy to peel. But it's the sauce that makes the dish! It is SO good that you could put it on a tire and it would still be one of the best things you've ever tasted! I don't know what seasonings they put in the butter/oil blend, but I'd gladly buy it and put it on everything if I could. Not only did we saturate the shrimp in it, but we ordered an extra piece of bread each so we could savor every last drop!! Unlike some people, we didn't have any issues with the service. Our waitress was friendly and attentive. All in all, I definitely think this people should go check this place out! Especially for the shrimp!!

    (4)

  • Andy C.

    Totally come and have an amazing time! You must love seafood when coming here because majority of the stuff here is, well, from the oceans!!! Order you food and it comes to you ON YOUR TABLE! Yep... the servers here give you a little mallet and a block and then your food pours out onto your table! Wear your short sleeve tshirts and be ready to get messy!! Try the oyster shooters! They are really nice in size and only $1.50! Prices are a little high here for the meals, but you get a lot of delicious seafood.

    (4)

  • Jennifer R.

    Don't recommend coming for the Sunday brunch. The menu is over priced and not that good. They only had one server on and everything took forever. They ran out of soup so we waited, they ran out of bread so we waited, and ended up at the end of our meal. Half our party got their food and by time they finished the rest of the party got their food. We went to celebrate two birthdays and the dessert came an hour later. Just really disappointed over all.

    (1)

  • Glenn M.

    Probably the most overpriced restaurant in the north county. How can they charge $26 for fish and chips? That is just crazy. Across the board the prices are nuts. A crab dinner for one is almost $50. We walked out before ordering because we knew it would be over $300 for the four of us. Based on other reviews, we aren't the only ones that think the prices are ridiculous.

    (1)

  • Louis R.

    We were worried after seeing several negative comments, but we had a great time. Good service, quick seating, good soup, good beer selection served with a frosted mug, good scallops, and I loved banging on the dungenous crab. Lots of crab meat in the shells. big shrimp, corn and potatoes and sausage. (Even took some potatoes and sausage home for breakfast with eggs.) A fun time with good food.

    (4)

  • Antonisha P.

    The service was poor ad the lobster was sour. I wouldn't recommend especially with the outrageous prices. Not up to par.

    (2)

  • Christine J.

    4 stars. This was my first experience at The Sand Crab Tavern, but my boyfriend and his family had gone several times before.. and for a good reason! The seafood was fresh and prepared just right. We ordered: -clam chowder which I always add extra black pepper and tabasco which they provide -1 dozen of there fresh raw oysters -king crab -shrimp, sausage, potatoes, and corn on the cob They brought out the soup then the oysters and finally they dumped a big bowl of steaming hot seafood onto our table. We all were prepared with our hammers to break into our king crab legs! I think the hammers add a nice touch to the whole eat-off-the-table aspect of the restaurant. Pros: -Great service. Always asking if we needed anything else and to check up -Great decor. -Delicious food. Cons: -if you are vacationing in San Diego, the location of the restaurant is a little further than I would like to drive -parking was tight, but expected All in all, I would go back next summer when we are back on vacation!

    (4)

  • Amy Y.

    Love that I don't have to drive to either of the "Mesa's" for some great seafood boil. And this cool joint kicks their little Asian arses. I refuse to believe that a Louisiana seafood boil place run by a bunch of Asian kids is original. Not to mention parking is waaaaay better here and drivers waaaay more considerate. (Flag me if you want, but I'm Asian.) Although this place doesn't have the special sauces like the others, I'm okay with that. It's better for you anyway. Maybe I'll just bring some homemade Thai seafood condiments if that's alright with them. Huge fan of live music so I was happy just sitting there, watching my little ninja dancing away in his little corner, my Pinoy and I staring into each others glossed eyes over a bucket of cold beers, and listening to the live music of Bill Magee (imagine: Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, Jimi Hendrix and BB King), I was a happy fricken camper. Lobster bisque to die for. Fresh Maine lobster you can see, sherry and butter you can taste, and the cutest puff pastry on top. Perfection. Oh and the oysters. THE OYSTERS! Rick's Black Pearl Oyster Bar is what they call it. The oysters are shucked to order by Big Daddy Cap'n Rick and his Big Mamma (I'm guessing). They always feature 3 different oysters. You can order them infividually or by the dozen. You know me. My Pinoy and I put away those oysters faster than you can say... FRESHEST OYSTERS I'VE EVER HAD!!! And they know they have the freshest oysters. The dozen wasn't even served with horseradish or mignonette; that's confidence right there. I could've had 3 more dozens, but that would've just been overkill. Looking forward to going back next time I need a seafood fix. Hopefully sooner than later. Note: I docked one star because we had to wait a while for our dinner. A while. I will assume that was because it was super busy, which it was. So I'm looking forward to putting that 5th star in it's rightful place after my next visit. OYSTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    (4)

  • Kimberly G.

    Was here recently for the first time. Not a bad dinner, but pricey. I had the salmon dinner which came with a little salad and a little cup of gumbo. For the price, I expected something a bit more spectacular. I could easily eat at Kings and get a little more.

    (4)

  • Erika P.

    At best 2 stars... called we had a party of 6 on a wed night.... they said to come in very early to avoid a large party... ok. we came in at 4:45, 15 min before the "large" party was showing. we were the only ones there. the guy asked if we had reservations I said, " I called", he snuffed a bit and sat us. upon receiving our food, which was tolerable but not tasty, the combo app was good... all fired food. The calamari strips were probably the best. We had salmon salad. Fishy... even for a fish place. We left 45 min later and no big party arrived. sure we got dinner over with earlier, should we have had we rushed there to miss the big rush... no... not sure about the reviews of 5 stars.. i obviously missed something. Unfortunately i guess i always will here.

    (2)

  • Michael B.

    Actually bad food. Not bad as in, not flavorful or lacking depth, I mean actually Bad. The mimosas were boring and weak, they were out of two separate items on their menu, when our table of 6 finally got our food, there was not one person enjoyed the meal. There was shell in the seafood omelet, not to mention the flavor was so bad that I looked forward to getting home so I could throw up what food I had forced myself to eat. This item was also what the waitress recommended. the mawmaws breakfast was incredibly bland and to say that about a cajun food restaurant should be enough, but no, there's more. The only spices in the whole place was tobasco. The soup was canned progresso, the clam chowder was the same. The Belgian waffle for $10 was just that, a Belgian waffle. Dry, no toppings, no powdered sugar, just a waffle with syrup on the side. The gumbo was the tastiest thing at the table, and a few of us remarked that it was lacking both depth and spice. The only good reviews are from before the change in ownership. Do yourself a favor, even if you are curious, even if you want to find a place near you, steer clear of here. Lastly, it is woefully overpriced.

    (1)

  • Ryan G.

    I've read the bad reviews, I get it. I've only ever really had the fried fish, oysters, and shrimp here. I like all of those things a lot. The Shrimp were only OK and the general impression I get is that the crab boils are a rip off. However. The Oyster shooters and fish and chips are quite good and not a terrible deal. I also like the saturday night raw oyster bar. That is fanstasic, especially being a NW native seeing a lot of good fresh NW product on the menu even if its not cheap. But if your looking for cheap fresh oysters, you might want to get a shovel and move to Lincoln City OR. I love the fresh oyster bar and the every day oyster shooters are the best deal in town. This is the kind of place where you can accidentially overspend but a couple of great oyster shooters and fish and chips at lunch wont drastically set you back.

    (4)

  • M H.

    I don't know why I don't come here more often. It's been a few years since I have been to the Sand Crab and it was excellent! This place is a whole in the wall, dive, with character, style, great music & some of the best prepared shellfish your going to find on North County San Diego. Forget Joes Crab Shack, Rockin Baja or Red Lobster. Come for family style, messy, mildly Louisiana style food.

    (5)

  • Sisenando P.

    The overall atmosphere reminds me of New Orleans. It greatly reflects the theme of the restaurant with all the trinkets that's displayed throughout the establishment. Being raised by my mom from new orleans, I've been craving southern style seafood and the Sandcrab satisfies my cravings. I try to go there periodically to try all of the amazing dishes that's offered there. The restaurant is very laid back and the owner is a great guy as well. I'm extremely glad he chose to open a restaurant here in San Diego(its in San Marcos, lol). And the food, can't stop thinking about the fish and chips. Special shout out to the waitresses Anna & Catie for continually recommending awesome meals and drink pairings to go with it. I will recommend this place to all seafood lovers and those who want to kick back and relax with a drink.

    (5)

  • Rebekah Y.

    Horrible service. We had great food but our server was rude and clearly irritated from the beginning. We asked for a split check and she said they don't do that here but she would make an exception. We said fine we would do one check. We had a 50% coupon and she wouldn't apply it even though it was completely valid. We were very polite and nice the whole time. I have worked as a server for 7 years so I asked to speak to a manager. She said there wasn't one on the premises. Long story short do not come to this place.

    (1)

  • Fnukn L.

    Reported my complaint of their failure to provide a receipt to the San Diego BBB, however, The Original Sand Crab Tavern FAILED to respond to their inquiries!

    (1)

  • Carol G.

    Great seafood, try some oysters! Friendly casual atmosphere with great food! Get messy!

    (5)

  • Deborah B.

    Unfortunately, this place was awful and it was our second attempt. The first time was decent but not worth the money. We had a restaurant.com coupon and thought we'd give it another try since it is close to home and we love seafood. I'm sorry to report the second time was worse than the first. We had the lobster bisque, clam chowder bowl, and life boat appetizer. The bisque was completely watered down without one piece of lobster. The chowder was mediocre at best. A lot of clams but little flavor. The life boat appetizer was gross! Chicken wings undercooked, rings were soft and greasy, calamari was limp and rubbery and the crab poppers were cold. VERY POOR QUALITY! The only reason they got one star was our server Kim! She was a class act and very friendly and genuinely concerned about our experience. She did her best to make things right including having our bill taken care. Even with our coupon returned to us for future use, we likely won't go back.

    (1)

  • Scott H.

    I wanted to love this place, since I miss New Orleans dishes and Cajun seafood, but it ultimately ended up being an average experience. The good: Nice, divey ambiance. The food is good enough. The live blues/jazz music is fantastic. Owners seemed nice. The bad: No Louisiana beers (Abita?). No liquor license, which misses one out on having a Sazerac, Pimms Cup, Hurricane, etc. And finally--extremely pricey. I used to see restaurant certs for $25 and that would have worked, but without a deal it is not worth it. The food is good, not great. I would come back for the music, but it didn't appear you can really enjoy it without being seated for dinner, and I cannot fathom listening to it with a local beer or a glass of wine. If they reboot the rest certs, then I will try it again, otherwise it will be a one and done for us.

    (3)

  • Marcus F.

    Looks like the place has taken a major dive over the past year. From 4 stars reviews to a steady stream of 2 stars. There was a sign on the door stating a pending ownership change. Hopefully the new owners inject some life into the place. Lunch. There isn't a lunch menu, everything is at dinner prices. This is a great opportunity missed. If you want fish and chips you're going to have to shell out 17 bucks. That's about the cheapest thing on the menu. Well we did order it and it was delicious but it was two large fillets. My wife could only eat one, the other was packaged up and ultimately never eaten. 17 bucks...Give me just one fillet for 10.. yelp.com/biz_photos/CZZO… The bag of fish options. The bag that was dropped on my table looks like something that was trawled up from the bottom of San Diego Bay. It was mostly sausage and potato.. Few shrimp and half a small dungeness crab. yelp.com/biz_photos/CZZO… The fries were okay, but you could tell the oil was old. The bill was a killer. 60 bucks for lunch...not worth it. If they revamped the menu and had cheaper lunch options I'd try it again. - Signed pictures of Hank Bauer on the wall. - The side salad was actually the best thing here. yelp.com/biz_photos/CZZO…

    (2)

  • Sean C.

    Service with a smile, food is worth the price and the atmosphere is great for this hidden treasure (and it is hidden) Only complaint is i would've liked to have been seated faster, but they made it up with a fast pace to get dinner to us.

    (4)

  • SEAN L.

    A gem of a Hole-in-the-Wall seafood joint. Great snow crab legs. Excellent Oyster shooters. Fish and chips were decent and filling. Always looking forward to coming back. The waitresses were attentive, service excellent. The restroom was clean. Restaurant has a cool vibe to it. Highly recommended!

    (5)

  • Dan R.

    You can taste the stale frozen flavor in most of the seafood, not quality ingredients. This place should be dirt cheap because thats how it tastes. 2 of the people in our party of 4 had stomach aches after the meal. Good service but nasty tasting food, find someplace else for your seafood fix.

    (1)

  • Sue W.

    The old Sand Crab Cafe was always our family favorite. We just went back to the Sand Crab Tavern when the family was visiting from out of town, and it did not disappoint. The king and snow crabs were tasty and succulent, and everyone had a lot of fun diving into the food with their hands and mallets. We agreed to make it a regular again and come back when they have live music.

    (5)

  • G H.

    Definitely excellent food and the servings were plentiful as you can see by the pics. Not fine dining, but a fun family and friend type of atmosphere! The homemade chips are to die for. Halibut Fish and Chips were perfect. Coating on it is not to thick and not to thin, just right. Don't let the location scare you off. It's worth it!

    (5)

  • Dean K.

    Never fail to eat here when I'm in the area. Love the crab and the experience with the hammer! LOL

    (5)

  • James A.

    Got the king crab break for two. Pricey but just enough for two good eaters. It was great. Good beer selection and even tried an oyster which I didn't care for very much. Blues was live and perfect for this place but don't expect to have any kind of unlively conversation, you won't be heard.

    (4)

  • Scott P.

    I would love to review the food, but I can't as they were not serving food today at 2pm. It would've been nice to know when I checked the website, but the hours stated noon to 9pm. Apparently they have a brunch, but that's also not listed on the website. Would love to have used my living social coupon on them. Oh well. Might be a good idea to update the hours on the door and the website.

    (1)

  • B B.

    Bad service, older waitress smells like cigarette smoke and food is way overpriced for what you get. You get better quality at Kings Fish House in Carlsbad and professional service.

    (1)

  • Kim P.

    what an awesome classy dive sort of time!! they have live blues music every sunday around 11am-2pm and the sunday brunch menu is the best! you pick an app, entree, and dessert for 25 dollars, prix fixe. so good!! worth it if its out of your way. great for a slow chill sunday with your friend or significant other

    (5)

  • Jimmy D.

    Was supper excited to eat here !! But it was crazy expensive , Service was good, atmosphere was nautical lol . We had a seafood boil The King Crab Boil , crab legs , potatoes , corn , shrimp. It was smaller than i thought it would be and i ended up being hungry when i was done . Sadly it was nothing special . Our friend had a lobster roll, he said it was okay but it was over $20 , its not like it had 2 lobster tails on it, it had some lobster chunks and mayo on a roll, $20 kinda crazy .

    (1)

  • Laura V.

    My mom and I went to a Drs. appt. nearby and came out hungry, so we asked Siri where we could get local fish and chips and 'she' suggested this place. They were shutting lunch down (it was 3:30) and setting up dinner, so instead of fish and chips we ended up with fried halibut and fries with a $23 price tag, but it came with soup or salad or slaw, so we split the meal. It was worth it! Superb fish, the fries were amazing (yes, I used that word for french fries), although the clam chowder could have used more clam, less chowder it was good, and they have fresh-brewed ice tea. If we go back (Ramona's a long haul from Escondido), we'll have to stop in again.

    (4)

  • N B.

    Yes this place is a tad pricey but its crab and shrimp and yumminess! Just went yesterday for my bday and the staff was amazing the food was amazing and my bday was amazing!

    (5)

  • Kitty E.

    This was my first visit to the Sand Crab, but I have several friends that have loved it for years. I was a little worried after reading the reviews, but it was a great experience. We went at around 1:00 on a Sunday and they were nearing the end of the brunch service. I didn't want brunch, I came for crab and I was not disappointed. I liked the old bar feel right away. The server greeted us at the bar and seated us right away. Another server took our drink order within minutes. The food service was quick and friendly. My husband and I shared the king crab combo for $53 and it was excellent. The portion size is actually quite large. We had at least six very large crab legs and a couple of good size claws, as well as a bunch of shrimp, corn, potatoes and sausage. Everything was good, except the sausage. In their defense, I don't normally like any sausage, but it seemed a bit dry. I was a little disappointed that they did not have the coconut cake that was on the menu, but it was probably just as well. This place also has live music on Sundays, so that was a plus. Overall, a very good experience and will be going back.

    (4)

  • Seth G.

    This place earns four stars for -very good seafood -a great menu (if you like seafood) -doing things (like dessert) from scratch -fast and friendly service The atmosphere is fairly clean seafood dive. They have a lot of offerings on the menu, have happy hour and Sunday brunch stuff, lots of beer, so lots to try on different days and times of day. Prices are fair. Really excited to have this place, will just have to run more! 5 stars would be if the location/atmosphere and food were more crazy amazing, but for what it is I think it's fantastic. If you are on the fence or checked Yelp before trying, definitely try!

    (4)

  • Kat S.

    Think the best thing to get here is the various crab boils. Lots of food, and the seafood is good. I tried the Voodoo shrimp which apparently is the reason this place exists and was not very impressed... it wasn't bad, just wouldn't order again. My boyfriend ordered the fisherman's sampler boil, and I kept wishing I had gotten that. The crab, lobster, crawfish, and sausage in his were really good. The homemade potato chips were pretty good too.

    (3)

  • Matt O.

    gawd awful. period. I ate thre for the first time last Wednesday and it will be my last. I thought it was going to be a good meal... because I love seafood. But was i surprised and in a bad way... I got sicker than a f-ing dog with a 102 fever after eating there and it's taken 5 days until i got better. I blame the clam chowder... i should have sent it back. It was lukewarm and had an off taste. the fried food tasted fine... but immediately after returning from lunch i felt crappy and it only got worse. the next three days were a living hell. The "Hershey squirts" for five days is NO FUN AT ALL. Avoid this typhoid mary of a dive. please do your stomach and guts a favor and stay away from this place. if yelp would let me i would rate it a zero. No sh!t... pun intended.

    (1)

  • Tara Z.

    Awful!!! We have been eating here for a few years and it has gone to garbage!!! Used to be cool but since they started doing internet coupon deals they've become terrible. Bad service, over priced, over cooked, previously frozen crap!! Don't waste your money.

    (1)

  • J B.

    We've come here many times over the past few years. It's much cleaner since the new owners took over. Nice place to come if you like lots of simply prepared shellfish with a casual atmosphere.

    (3)

  • Chuck L.

    My family has been coming here since I was 10. 20 years later it's still the same. Good food, decent prices, and a fun atmosphere. Nuff said.

    (4)

  • Howard M.

    We had dinner at the restaurant. The service was professional and friendly. We were seated quickly, provided with the menus and asked about drink orders. The server came back a few times, asked if we had any questions about the menu, and prompted provided answers. She was knowledgeable of the menu and the ingredients. While we were deciding I ordered oysters. The fresh oysters were plump, cold, and tasty. We both ordered soup and an entree. The two soups arrived hot and were excellent. After soup was finished the two entrees arrived. On mine the coleslaw was properly chilled, the French Fries were hot and crispy with the right amount of salt, and the two crab cakes were grilled correctly. My friend had the lobster salad which arrived in a large taco shell shell. The bed of lettuce was cold and crisp, as was the other salad ingredients. There was an appropriate amount of large lobster tail and claw meat. After dinner were split a huge apple burrito with vanilla ice cream sprinkled with cinnamon. The food was tasty and enjoyable. The restaurant is located in an industrial park and unless you know the area or have a map the a little hard to find but was worth the trip.

    (4)

  • Erika W.

    Amazing seafood!! Had a blast with the dinner! Pound away! Salmon was wonderful... Will be back for sure.

    (5)

  • Liz K.

    I used to dread that these words would come out of my husband's mouth "Let's go to the Sand Crab". He loved the place. Being Celiac and having to eat gluten free, it was a challenge, at best, to eat there. The choices were: battered, deep-fried which was out for me, or dump a bucket o-food on your table. I'm not really an eat off the table kinda gal. So, my husband gave up asking because it just wasn't an enjoyable event. He'd feel guilty, and I'd struggle through a table full of food while he devoured his favorite fish and chips. Several years passed with nary a visit to the Sand Crab. I heard that Sandy Crabbe was trying to sell the place, so when a "Let's go to the Sand Crab" request popped up recently, I was willing to give it a try just to see what was up with the place. Am I glad I did! Sandy Crabbe did indeed sell the place. And while the old "favorites" (not MY favorites obviously, but maybe yours?) are still there, but the menu has been changed and updated with some MAHvelous additions. When I mentioned that I had Celiac disease and needed to know if there was anything safe for me, the server knew all about my needs and what would work. She even confirmed with the Chef. I had the most amazing Voodoo Shrimp. My husband had his glorious Fish and Chips and stability has now been restored to the universe. I will no longer cringe worrying that he may ask to come here. In fact, I am looking forward to future visits now. While there, we noticed they have what looks to be an INCREDIBLE Sunday Brunch. It's a Prix Fixe menu for $25. Haven't tried that yet, but there are three courses and it looks like there is something I could order from each course. I cannot wait to visit for the Brunch and again for any other meal!

    (4)

  • N. L.

    Maybe the Friday and Saturday Oyster bar is better...but last week on a weekeday early evening there was one waitress running her head off. She tried her best but should have had help. The Seafood mix tossed on the table had overcooked crab and 2 small pieces of corn. For $50 it just was not up to par. The shrimp was good but only 3 pieces...They did not have the correct implements to get the crab out of the claws so gave up; they need small tiny forks. We would not go back again because there are other places with better service and this is NOT an inexpensive place.

    (2)

  • Sarah K.

    AAARRRR...you ready for an awesome seafood experience? We go straight for the kill - no appetizers necessary. The order usually goes something like this: Sand Crab or the King Crab for 2 which includes plenty of legs, shrimp, corn on the cob, sausages, potatoes & plenty of sauce to go 'round. Get ready to dig in & get a little dirty - this is a hands-on experience! It seems every time we go back, it gets better. It isn't like the portions are so small you're looking for a snack afterward; I've never even been able to try their cheesecake because I'm so full! This is our go-to seafood joint. The drinks are cold, the food is hot & the friendliness is flowing.... We are asked how everything was on our way out every time, never fails. I am in love.

    (5)

  • Barbara S.

    Over my life span of 54 years, hundreds of seafood restaurant visits [up & down east & west coasts & Alaska], I have NEVER had such bad, freezer burned, crab. I ordered the "Deadliest Catch". Yeah, it was dead alright,dried up, over-salted, crap.....er, I mean crab. When I complained to the waitress, she, in a bored, offish manner said "I'll get the owner". 20 minutes later the owner came. We complained. He said "What do you want me to do about it"? I said that I wish we could do it all over again and offered to pay, but get a credit to come back another nite. He said "I'm not gonna comp you". So finally, because of his overbearing aggressive manner, I suggested he only charge us half. He agreed. When the check came HE ONLY TOOK OFF $10 !!!! This is the first negative review I have ever written on any site!! DO NOT GO HERE. FOOD HAS FREEZER BURN. TOO SALTY. Blech. Went to Red Lobster the next day. The bill was $64.00, the food was fresh, the service great and I left a 20% tip! I do not tip bad service nor surly waiters/waitresses. Also brought home leftovers. What I was served at the Sand Crab I wouldn't give to my dog, cat, or pet rat. We cracked open the stone crabs to show the consistent freezer burn. There was no edible crab inside to have eaten. All my king crab was left in front of me in dried up, uneaten, salty shreds on the paper. Left untouched was most of the snow crab, sausage, corn, potatoes and the cracked open freezer burned stone crab.

    (1)

  • Jennifer D.

    This place is right across from hubby's work, and he frequents here for lunch and is always bragging about how good it is. We stopped in last week just for a bowl of clam chowder, and it was fantastic. Used the $50 for $75 yelp deal and went back on a Friday night for dinner. We had the crab poppers which were great and a nice variation of the original. Also had the fresh shucked oysters on the half shell. It is presented very nicely on a tray of ice with a basket of all the condiments you need to build your own oyster shooter. For dinner, we shared the deadliest catch combo. The only thing I wasn't crazy about was the peel and eat shrimp, they were overcooked. Overall, food was fresh and service was good. I will be back.

    (4)

  • Kandra Z.

    Just got finished eatin here. I ordered the clam chowder in a bread bowl, had a gravy taste to it and the sourdough wasnt even sour. Ordered fish and chips for my daughter, the fish was over cooked. Fries were on the cold side. My husband ordered a hamburger, they got it wrong and put cheese, fixed that but my husband said it was 'ok'. We left all the plates with half of the food. Only thing that we liked was the spicy chicken wings. Wont be coming here again.

    (1)

  • Dawn A.

    I used the Groupon for the brunch. Place was clean and welcoming. Service, however, was horrible. We finally left after an hour and a half of waiting, waiting and waiting. Food could have been good had it not been served cold. We ordered dessert to go since we were tired of waiting. Dessert was wrong order. This was in addition to one of our breakfast orders being wrong too. Place has potential but they need to focus on service.

    (2)

  • Kelly M.

    I had been to the Sand Crab several years ago and had a fantastic experience. My good friends had their rehearsal dinner there and I thought it was a great idea. The food was delicious and the service was great. For some reason, I didn't go back. Then, a few months ago, I saw a Living Social deal come through for the Sand Crab so I bought it. I was very excited to take my fiance there because I thought it would be a place that he'd really like. We were seated and the waitress was pretty nice. Not overly friendly but nice. We looked at the appetizers and thought The Trawler sounded delicious (Potato skins smothered in melted cheeses and topped with crab, shrimp and scallions. Sour cream and ranch dressing on the side). When we got it, it was not at all what we were expecting. It was pretty much a baked potato with a bunch of stuff dumped on top with little flavor. After the appetizer, I was a littler nervous about what the main course would be like. Unfortunately, it was equally as disappointing as the appetizer. We ordered the Fisherman's Sampler which had Snow Crab Legs, Shrimp, Clams, Mussels, Crawfish, Slipper Lobster Tails. Everything was over cooked and smelled awful. We ate a couple of bites, paid our bill and decided that we wouldn't be going back. For the amount of money we spent and to have a meal that was bad is always a disappointment. Both my fiance and I love sea food and have had some amazing meals at various restaurants. It is very unfortunate that The Sand Crab has slipped so much with the quality of their food. It would be nice to have a place in North County that is like the Sand Crab...just with better food.

    (1)

  • Jess C.

    After getting a comment from one of the servers/owner about how it was my fault I did not ask what was wrong with my order (um...standards my friends...follow your own standards it IS NOT MY BUSINESS...it's yours...) I have decided (and yes I revisited over 6 times) that this place is done. Waste of time in San Diego North County. Kind of a shame if the seafood had been fresh and the owner not so volatile.

    (1)

  • Alexander L.

    Awful! Frozen fish + rip off prices for small portions possibly heated in microwave / avoid this hole in the wall -

    (1)

  • Jessica M.

    Went here to celebrate two birthdays in the family. I am not a big seafood fan, and from previous experience dinning here I knew I was not going to be thrilled to pick a meal. However the combos seemed to be a great deal. Lots of food, and they chowed it down. I had ordered the Salmon, and should've went with the burger instead. It was overcooked, and most likely was from a frozen batch. The salad was wilted, and not cool. This restaurant is strictly for seafood lovers of shellfish. I most likely wont be joining on another dine here. Again I am not a seafood fan...but i do enjoy a good and FRESH salmon or yellowtail.

    (2)

  • dawn w.

    Love the food here. Love this place. Love the music. Love the servers. Love the look and feel. Love everything about this place. Will definately continue to come back/forth for the rest of my life or until the place is in business.

    (5)

  • Camila T.

    I got a Groupon for my husband and I and we were so excited to check this place as it is so close to our house. First it was so hard to find this "restaurant", the GPS went crazy and it took us to an industrial area and there it was... the Restaurant.. we got there for an early dinner on a Saturday, so the place wasn't so crowded. The waitress was very nice to introduce herself, but when she saw we had a Groupon the service went DOWN. The shrimp risotto was very nice, but the Shrimp, Clams Combo had no seasoning at all, very blend and she put all at once right on the table, which was fun in the beginning, but after 10min everything got COLD, that we didn't want to finish anymore. If you want some quick decent seafood that's the place, but it's just not GREAT as I wanted it to be!!

    (3)

  • Ruthie S.

    I had heard mixed reviews about this place. The night I went in there was a jazz band playing in the back room. The food was good and so was the service even though it was busy. I would definitely go back again.

    (4)

  • Stephanie G.

    I was really excited about coming to this place and then I got here! First of all the service was bad. The staff was too busy sitting at the bar having a beer rather than worrying about my daughter and I. I was close enough to the kitchen to see inside and could see when the food was sat on top for the staff to bring to my table. Needless to say it sat up there minutes before we would get it. When we did get it we had needed refills which I'm still waiting for by the way. The food...... Their trying to go for new Orleans style food which isn't even close!!! The food that was fried tasted like oil and had no flavor what so ever. There was only one other car in the lot and I see why, drive away from this place too expensive and the quality and quantity is poor. A mcfish from McDonald's is more seafood than this whole in the wall.

    (1)

  • Gingoux A.

    Hospitality, good food, great music! Makings of a wonderful evening out, for Mardi Gras celebration; music was great,unfortunately, food was mediocre, pricey, and hospitality, NON-EXISTENT! No one greeted us, got in line, not acknowledged. A man was seating guests; the wait was long and the "VIBE" was weird, no smiles from workers; no eye contact; scanning for a friendly face, none, only chaos, shuffling people and food. Got to front of line, we're asked if we are the party of 5, " no, we are 2". Are we supposed to be here, didn't feel like it. Man asked if we'd share table with a couple, since we're here to see the band, as well, eat. That would be fine and turns out to be 1 of 2 highlights of short evening out, the band, and our new, table friends. Waiter took order, gave us a smile, thank you, finally. After a long wait, was served a thimble of seafood gumbo, containing 1 small shrimp (not lying), with no critters identifiable, except vegetables. I, regularly, make REAL cajun gumbo, myself, being a transplant from bayou territory. Wanted a margarita, told they don't serve alcohol, except beer, but had a special "Hurricane" drink for the Mardi Gras celebration, a juice glass with an over-concentrated fruit punch, $8.50 a glass(no alcohol). My Shrimp Po' Boy sandwich ($15) was slight on shrimp and taste, with no spices or remoulade sauce, whole pieces or lettuce instead of shredded, and not on crusty, french bread; NOT A REAL PO'BOY, just a plain, shrimp sandwich! French fries were good. Had eaten there several years before this new owner, and had the crab bucket (overcooked, overpriced, not fresh ), but staff was friendly, then. Waiter asked if we'd like anything else, we didn't think we would. Friend got a container for leftovers, went to put in the car, to return a quick, phone call, and a bathroom break. Check came, the MAN who seated us came, after a few minutes, picked up the check, leaned in, asked me if everything was alright, said, yes, he walked away. Couple of minutes, later, returned, told me he needed the table, and I told him I was waiting on my friend. Other couple, were still eating, so don't believe he would be able to seat other people 'til they finished. Informed them, they weren't happy; they, also, had come to see the band. The MAN came back the third time to ask,"Where did your friend go"? "I DON'T KNOW ... TO THE BATHROOM ... TO THE CAR, TO PUT THE LEFTOVERS!!!!!" I was PO'd, insulted, my first instinct was correct, weird vibes, we shouldn't have been there, we were only welcome to spend our money, quickly, and get out. My friend returned, informed, we had been asked to leave. The band had not taken their first break. We got there before 6:00, wait was about 30 minutes of standing, our food came several songs after the band started at 6:30, probably took 30 minutes to eat, and we're home in Oceanside by 7:30. Hospitality is the most important thing offered in an restaurant and after reading others' low ratings of The Sand Crab Tavern, see that mine is not an isolated case. Same complaints, different day. Wish I'd read reviews, first, instead of after. Hope to save others from a disappointing, expensive meal at the Sand Crab Tavern, with a jerk, owner, counting the minutes you're taking up space in his eatery. You can serve up crappy food with a nice attitude and be forgiven, but great food (if it had been) served up with a crappy attitude, NOT ACCEPTABLE! The MAN, I found, is the new owner, since 2010, his attitude, sets the mood for the joint's BAD VIBE. Looks like an unhappy place to work, judging from employees' faces, and his nasty attitude for customers, would hate to see how he treats hired help. When friend returned to pay the check, was so bumfuzzled by our premature ejection that no tip was left for our waiter, poor guy, didn't realize 'til we were home. Not intentional slight for him, but collateral damage, caused by boss' crappy attitude. He was a competent waiter, sorry. We left unhappy, should have loudly wished everyone a happy Mardi Gras and told them all to order coffee, sip slowly, so they don't get thrown out, like us. Understandable if an owner wants to make $$$$$, and, had he offered us chairs to sit against a wall so that others could be served, that would have been acceptable, we could have enjoyed the band we came to see. The band is what brought the customers, as we heard others around us say they came for the band. Mardi Gras celebration is all about a good time ... not at Sand Crab Tavern; cajun/creole food ... not even close; fresh seafood ... NOT! Ambience ... a dusty, mess of old, dirty, rusty, nautical stuff, hanging over your head! Not a germ nut, did cross my mind, while eating, that biological entities may be diving into my gumbo. Most of all, the owner, not a people person, would do better to hire a friendly face to greet, tell his wait staff to smile and stay home to count his $money$ , alone, with his bad attitude.

    (1)

  • Michael C.

    Friendly but slow service. We were seated before the table next to us. They were served before us. The crab was alright but definitely not worth the cost. The waitress didn't bring me a slab to crack the crab on so I had to go get one off another table. It really isn't my eating style with all the food all over the table. It's family style. I don't plan on coming back in the future and couldn't recommend the place to friends.

    (2)

  • Giovanni J.

    I was really excitted to try this place and I am extremely disappointed with their service. We were told to seat our selves and then an older waitress said she would be right with us. 10 minutes later she goes to another table that had just showed up and then walks right past us without saying a word. We got up and left. What kind of service is that?

    (1)

  • Daniel M.

    I haven't been there in awhile, and after tonight I remembered why. I took my wife and sons in for the Fisherman's Sampler which was an assortment of overcooked and dried up shell fish. It also had a suspicious smell and taste. The Oyster shooters were awesome, and so were the salads. We also liked our appetizer called the Trawler, which was potato wedges with crab, shrimp, and melted cheese; served with ranch and sour cream. I hate leaving a bad review! The service was awesome, and the owner seems genuinely likable. Unfortunately, after spending a hundred dollars my wife and I are having to stay close to the bathroom all night after eating there.

    (2)

  • Guy B.

    Finally caved and drove all the way inland to check out this seafood joint... Why isn't there something like this in Oceanside Harbor...? The fish fry is ten times better than the Harbor Fish and Chips in Oceanside, or the Harbor Fish Cafe in Carlsbad... - A thirty year Sailor, I really dug on the nautical decoration. All kinds of knot boards and rope work, ship models, signal flag posters, and the like. A bit cliche, but I appreciated it. Don't change a bit... - The Halibut fish and chips is a couple good sized pieces of fish breaded and fried better than anything I've found outside the Midwest... - The boils are huge portions and a blast to eat. Dumped right on the table , you'll have enough to eat and then some. Dungeness crab, shrimp, crawdads, lobster, sausage (a bit spicy...). taters, corn on the cob... A great meal. - I guess if I had a con it would be a complaint on the beer. These days you need to have some good craft beers on tap, not just bottled beer. There are too many good local micro brews to not have them available.

    (4)

  • M W.

    Went on a Friday night. band wad good, food not so good. Split the king crab boil for 2 with my wife and neither one of us were impressed. The few pieces of crab we got were overcooked and the sausage was dry and tasteless. Even with small portion we only ate half of it. Prices were higher than expected and the service was lacking. Tried to get our server a few times but was told she'd be right back. I understand it was busy due to the band that night, but it took 24 minutes before she came to take our order ( I timed it) . Place needs a good cleaning. Went to the restroom and the kitchen didn't look all that clean and the wall decor had a thick layer of crud/ dust on it. Won't be back- not worth it.

    (2)

  • Sue D.

    I'm still going. New owner and the menu selection is even better, plus the Sunday brunch was great.

    (5)

  • Paige D.

    I love this place! Owner is sweet as pie. Our first time there was very fun and exciting. We purchased the groupon or living social awhile back and ever since have fallen in love. Great! Family, Friends and Fun atmosphere they have going on. The buckets o' beer and food on the table is such a fun way to enjoy the evening. I would recommend this to all whos down to earth and ready to get their hands dirty ;) P.S. dont miss out on the fresh oyster bar fri and sats. Im on my way as we speak

    (5)

  • Susan B.

    Very disappointed to order sourdough bread ($3.00) and then it came to the table cold and looked like it came from a plastic bag from the super market that has a 2 week shelf life. At that point, I knew they really didn't care about the food they served. Never been to a seafood place that did this. I seriously doubt you could convince me to ever go back. The only reason I gave it 2 stars is because the clam chowder was excellent. The rest was large portions of greasy food with little flavor that left me feeling queezy. The decor looks like it could use a face lift also

    (2)

  • Leon M.

    Yeahhhhhhh baby! New place to get down and just enjoy great food

    (4)

  • Rebecca L.

    Have wanted to visit for a while now and finally got a chance recently. Never again...the food was ok, not great. Clam strips were a little overdone, fries were decent, crab cakes were ok, and the clam chowder was really good. Prices were really high for the quality of food leaving the kitchen, but ultimately, it was the service (or lack there of) that lost me for good...I'd like to say it was just our server, but unfortunately it was the atmosphere of the staff and restaurant that will keep me away...almost no guests and it took forever to get anything, menus, drinks, food, and especially the check.

    (1)

  • April J.

    My fav crab spot. I'm willing to drive all the way up here for their seafood. Random spot in industrial area, but again super yum! Ill take this place any day over crab shack in clairemont or downtown.

    (4)

  • Ryan A.

    My girlfriend and I came here on a Friday night to experience the oyster bar and it was awesome! We ate here 4 days earlier on Monday for her birthday and our server (Kyle) informed us of their oyster bar they have every Friday and Saturday after we had devoured about a dozen oyster shooters. Awesome service, friendly fun atmosphere and they have 5 beers in a bucket for the price of four... Hello people! Also! Get the crab jalapeño poppers, they are delectable!

    (5)

  • Robert W.

    Although this is a bit over our family budget, the food and the experience was worth it for this one time. We got a couple of the Fishermen Sampler and the King Crab family meals and after spreading it all over the table for us, we knew we ordered enough for our party of 9. The kids loved the hand-only eating and the adults loved the variety and flavor. Again, we felt it was a little pricey, but for the occasion, we felt it was warranted for the experience.

    (4)

  • Deanna C.

    Wow, I'm surprised at some of these reviews! I've lived in San Marcos for 7 or 8 years now and never knew this place existed! I'm not a huge seafood fan but, I can usually find something on a menu that I'll try. I'm usually up for trying fried shrimp. A friend that has been going here for the past 3 years 2 -3 times a week for lunch invited me to join him. The owners and staff were all excited to see him and even teased him he was 7 hours late for lunch! We sat on the back patio which was enclosed and there was live entertainment. The guy sang some great songs and helped enhance our dining experience. Definitely NOT a fancy place but, a fun place to come. We got a bucket -o-beer- He was happy with Stone Pail Ale and I had corona- They also have Rolling rock, widmer hef, Stone IPA, Bud and can't remember what else! I ordered a Cesar salad and really enjoyed it. I initially started taking off the croutons because I thought they looked like lil hard ones and then I tasted them and they were so yummy. I could definitely tell they make them there. The salad could have toned down the dressing a little but, I still enjoyed it. My fried shrimp was REALLY good. I was full off of the shrimp and 1/3 of my salad. My friend got steamed crab, shrimp and sausage. I thought adding sausage was a lil weird. I tasted it... and wasn't really into it. They serve it with a bunch of lil cups of butter, sauce for you to give your food the flavor you want. I'd much rather go here then some chain.

    (4)

  • Kelsey B.

    My boyfriend and I came here the other night on the advice of a friend. We LOVED it. We started with some tasty clam chowder and then the Fisherman's platter. It was messy, fun, and delicious. Service was great too.

    (5)

  • Jeff A.

    Let me start off by saying I really wanted to like this place. A crab shack tucked away from the beaten path a couple minutes away gave this place a leg up heading in. But then we went. You walk in in through the bar, which looks like a bar in some guy's house, where a few locals were getting their drunk on. The decor in the restaurant is neat, looks like a place by the water. But that's where the fun ended. We were the only people in there at dinner time on a Friday night, and the waitress made it seem like it was an inconvenience making her have to do some work. The food was bad and overpriced. I split one of the "crab for 2" meals and was shocked at how little food came with a meal designed for 2 people for like $40. Not only was the quantity bad, but so was the quality. The crabs had no flavor. The sausage that everyone raves about was bland. My son commented that the fish in his fish and chips tasted like chicken fingers from Jack in the Box. That says it all right there. After dropping $30/person on this meal, I was looking for a snack an hour after leaving here. A member of my party asked for a Stone IPA when we were seated, and was informed they were out. As we were leaving an hour later, I saw a couple guys drinking them at the bar. Ridiculous. I am all for supporting local businesses over chain restaurants, but you're better off heading to Joe's Crab Shack than coming here. They do offer 2-for-1 deals on their Voodoo shrimp in the coupon magazines, and maybe I'll give them another chance someday... but not for a while.

    (1)

  • Evelyn P.

    i really had high hopes for this place because my hubster and i are huge huge HUGE fans of a good seafood boil. heck, when we were in NOLA a few years ago that was a MUST, and we braved a really bad part of town to make absolutely SURE we had the real order-at-the-counter-and-chow-out-of-giant-­plastic-bags n'awlins experience. before it closed, auggie's house of crab in leucadia was our go-to since it was only a couple miles from our house. we've since moved further north, and as one of the other reviewers implied.. it's been a real pain in the butt to drive all the way down to convoy when we get a hankering for spicy boiled crustaceans. SO when these guys popped up on groupon recently we jumped at the chance to check it out. headed over on a SUPER crowded saturday night but managed to grab a table on the back patio. every other space in the joint was full and there was a line of folks who arrived right after us that were patiently hanging out up front. again.. totally understand it was a crazy crazy night.. but service ended up being excruciatingly slow. took about 20 minutes for a waitress to actually bring us the regular menu, and to take our order. i guess i can chalk it up to the fact that the groupon was prix fixe. still, why assume we weren't going to spend MORE money and add to the mix (we added king crab to our boil and my husband upgraded his beer selection.. even though he practically had to chase the waitress down again to get them). when the food came out, the jambalaya appetizer was fantastic. the actual boil though left a little to be desired.. definitely fresh and chock full of crawfish, shrimp, sausage and potatoes + our crab, but disappointingly not nearly as spicy or flavorful as we were hoping. (if they market themselves as a louisiana style seafood joint.. where's the spice??) definitely boiled seafood, with a faint something extra.. but that was pretty much it. still we finished every bite, and then wrapped up the meal with their bananas foster which was surprisingly simple yet the perfect sweet ending. again.. we really had high hopes for this.. and maybe our expectations were a little too high. but between the service and the boil itself.. i just couldn't give it more than three stars given our other experiences around town. (we've even begrudgingly headed to joes crab shack in oside to save gas money... it ended up being a great meal.. but we've always preferred supporting local businesses when possible). who knows.. we'll probably give it another shot in the future. but for now, if we want a serious knock-em-dead boil.. convoy it is.

    (3)

  • Jay F.

    Growing up in VA Beach, right on the Chesapeake Bay, the Sand Crab made me feel like I'm at home. This isn't a hole in the wall or some dive bar, it's the real deal! If you're not used to an authentic shellfish kind of restaurant...look elsewhere! Initially from what I've heard and from other's feedback, I thought I'd arrive and run for the hills but my partner and I felt like anyone else looking for amazing snow crab/shellfish and fabulous service. We love this place and can't wait for our next visit.

    (4)

  • Eric V.

    Dark, uninviting interior. Bad location. I went in looking for lunch, only to be informed that lunch had just ended half an hour ago. Upon looking at their menu, I saw that the prices were outrageous, given the size of the portions described by the server that ignored me for 5-10 minutes upon entering this empty eatery. They lost my potential sale, and I went elsewhere for lunch. I won't be coming back.

    (1)

  • Princesa L.

    I really enjoyed this place and will be back to try the dinner and Oyster Shacking as well as Brunch on Sundays. My bf ordered the owner's shrimp I think it is called Voo Doo and this is the recipe that the owner felt was so fabulous that he had to open this restaurant up! My bf really enjoyed his food, but he is not as picky as me. I felt for this dish, what made it really sing was the sauce. I felt like the shrimp tasted good but as soon as you swallowed the sauce off the shrimp, the shrimp didn't have much flavor. But if you continue to dip the shrimp into the sauce then everything is delicious. This dish came with 6-8 shrimp pieces and since it is a main meal/entry I felt like there should be a minimum of 12 shrimp pieces. I may be asking for too much since I just love seafood though and I know everyone needs to make a profit. Moving on, I also feel like the sauce should be served as a side sauce condiment because it is just truly delicious. The bread that comes with the Voo Doo dish is good and served hot and is scrumptious when dipped in the sauce, which the waitress advised. My bf tried the gumbo and it was really good. He is used to eating this cuisine so he had something to compare it to while I did not. I had the clam chowder bowl and I thought it was delicious. Nice and creamy with a ton of pepper. Since Red Lobster is my true love (probably since I have been going there since I was about 2 years old and I am now 25 years old) I compared the 2 clam chowders and they are both really good. Just Red Lobster doesn't seem to have as much pepper or would I say, taste a bit more traditional. But I would still order this clam chowder from the Sand Tavern when I return. I also ordered the Skipper's Meal I think. It had bay scallops, fish, and shrimp- all fried. It was delicious. I didn't have that much shrimp though. Only 3-4 shrimp pieces came on my plate. I think there should at least be a minimum of 6 shrimp pieces though. There were 2 fish filets and a ton of scallops in my dish. The scallops were great as well as the fish. The batter they use on the food is super light which I loved. The atmosphere is nice. I didn't expect the place to be Louisiana cuisine. And everything inside was marine like with fish and boats. The price is decent, they have their own small parking lot. I wish the Oyster Shucking was everyday but I can wait for Friday and Saturdays and that starts at 6pm. Oh, I did not see much dessert choices nor cocktail choices. I think there was mostly wine and beer and I do not care for either of the two. Overall, I give this place a 4 out of 5 stars because when my bf and I walked in there was no one in the front to see you and seat you. You had to walk a little further back since they were all in the kitchen and then they saw you and told you, you could sit anywhere you'd like.

    (4)

  • Tim P.

    My wife and i normally go to Joes Crab Shack but one of our friends told us to try this place. I could not have been more dissapointed. The service was unfreindly and poor. we ordered the "Deadliest Catch" which is a bucket of different crab. The crab was either FROZEN FOR MONTHS OR TERRIBLY OVER COOKED. The meat came out VERY STRINGY looking like pulled pork but it was crab meat. Wasted $80 on crap. we only ate a little and left. I WILL NEVER GO HERE AGAIN AND I STONGLY RECOMEND FOR YOU TO NOT TRY IT!

    (1)

  • R T.

    I started coming to this restaurant 18 years ago. Back when Sandie and Rita ran the place. Back then I used to bring friends there all the time for a guaranteed night of fun. When family flew in from Arizona we went from the airport to the Sandcrab cafe. Back then you had leftovers to walk out with that were usually eaten the same night. Then things changed... The shell fish buckets are bland and dried out now. The servers hardly dump anything on your table compared to what they used to. Speaking of servers, somebody should teach them etiquette. They have poor attitudes and could care less about polite complaints. If I could give it half a star, for the decor only, I would. What a shame this place has come to this. This place gets one more try before I draw a line through the name instead of under it. UPDATE I am happy to say the new ownership has brought this place great changes...that is...more like it used to be. I went back because of a Groupon special and I had heard it had been sold. By the way it is now the Sand Crab Tavern. Decor, the same. Music, the same. Service, wow, what a difference. The good servers of years past are still there and some great new ones. And the food? Back to like it used to be. Fresh, right from the steamer, juicy, tasty, and best of all LOTS of it gets dumped on the table. The take home back was quite heavy. Thanks Rick from bringing this place back from the edge.

    (4)

  • Jennifer T.

    I worked there. The food is not kept at proper temperatures and when I got sick from my shift meal and told the owner what I thought happened, I was fired. Hmmm...I have since heard the same story from many past patrons. Do NOT eat the 1000 Island dressing! Trust me!

    (1)

  • Richard L.

    Worst service ever. Waited over an hour for our food & when we got it, it was cold! Waitress then just rolled her eyes.....were is the owner? Overpriced, less food. This place has gone down hill. Stay away!!!

    (1)

  • Jasmine Z.

    The food was ok. Oyster shooters were pretty fresh and tasty. The sausage was tasy as well. But that is about it. The bread was cold. Crab cake has way too much breading in it. Clam Chowder was too salty. The snow crabs were cold as well. I am not crazy about the food here but it is only couple minutes from my house. So I will go again if I want close-by fix for seafood craving. The price is not very cheap by the way. Very similar to Joe's Crab Shack.

    (3)

  • Jason A.

    Everything was dry!! No point in going here when all they do is serve you overcooked tasteless shellfish when you can go to a store and cook better yourself. My gf and I got the fisherman's sampler. Had a little bit of everything... crawfish, shrimp, snow-crab, "lobster"... nothing seemed fresh. The only thing actually good was their sausage. Down $50 and left with fairly empty stomachs... meh. I'd seriously rather go to Red Lobster...

    (2)

  • Chris N.

    Fun place to eat. good food.

    (4)

  • Amy H.

    My job as a web developer lets me meet some unique North San Diego County businesses. In the case of The Original Sand Crab Tavern in Escondido, CA this tavern is not only unique but also delicious!!! In building the website I had to look at photos of the Seafood Boil, Fish n Chips and Voodoo Shrimp every day. Just looking at them made me so hungry! So I stopped in for lunch yesterday and had the Fish, Shrimp n Chips. OMG!!! They were sooo good! The breading was light like tempura breading, but it was crisper. Even though my 3 pieces of fish and 4 shrimps were deep fried they weren't greasy at all. (I was so surprised, because I laid a piece of fish on paper towel to see how much grease the towel accumulated and there was hardly any grease at all!) I soaked my fish with vinegar... yum! and the breading didn't get all mushy and fall off. I finished every morsel on my plate and was soo full! But it was soo good I couldn't resist. The cool part about this place is that it reminded me of the small BBQ joints that I've visited in Memphis... Paper towels on the table and a box filled will condiments and extra utensils on the table. Dark decor with a nautical theme. The walls are covered with some funny pics, artwork and some just interesting historical pics. My waitress Kim was very nice and we chatted a little while. But she was working steadily the entire time I was there. I can't wait to go back and take my husband for a date. If your looking for a down to earth place to eat great seafood... This is the place!

    (5)

  • Dave E.

    If you like seafood, then you need to visit the Sand Crab Cafe. Like most of my favorite restaurants, it's not fancy. They put butcher paper on the tables, rolls of paper towels to use, and offer everyone bibs to wear. But the food. Oh, the food. I've not ordered anything here that I didn't like. Most of the time it comes in a bucket that they dump on your table (and then the bucket is used for discarding shells). Prices are decent. Service is good. Food is great.

    (4)

  • Kurt L.

    Whole lobster, dungeoness crab boil, 10 oyster shooters and 3 beers later.... yeah, it was a great visit and the oysters rocked my world. I think I had a sea-gasm! Go, just go and eat an oyster shooter and plan on staying a lonnnnnng time! On the half shell or shooter style, the quality is second to none. The lobsters were fan-frickintabulous. The crab was good but the portioned seemed smaller than our last visit, though the server assured us that was the proper portion... the sausage and corn and cold bread I can do without. The shrimp was cooked perfectly though I think I will sneak in some old bay to dip them in!

    (4)

  • Ashlee F.

    This placeis such a fun experience! and yes, an EXPERIENCE! Its a seafood joint thats tucked away in the industrial part of esco. What a good find! They bring you buckets of seafood, sweet sausages, corn, etc...and then DUMP it on the table right in front of you with a little tray of dipping sauces. The sausages are KILLER with the honey mustard sauce. This place is such a cool little spot to take a friend and fade away into one of the back booths and grub on some awesome seafood! GET MESSY!!!!! :)

    (5)

  • Ruggy J.

    Yesterday, I met my pops for a little post-Christmas lunch. He lives in the friendly village of Fallbrook, and I live down here in University Heights, so Sandcrab was roughly half-way for the two of us. He'd been there plenty of times previously, but this was my Sandcrab deflowering. I've been to a couple of similar restaurants in my day, and they're always a blast! Essentially, it's the kind of restaurant you'd find in the south in N'awlins. TONS of seafood, all steamed whole (eyes, guts and all) and dumped on your table with complete disregard of anything Miss Manners has tried to teach us over the years. We went with the fisherman's sampler. It had slipper lobster, king crab legs, snow crab legs, craw fish, peel-it-yourself shrimp, new red potatoes and corn on the cobb. Talk about a meal! We were sitting there, hammering, sucking, squeezing, pounding and smashing for a good 45 minutes. Of course, with food like this, utensils are unnecessary... so you gotta dive in with your hands and get dirrrrrrrrty. Talk about fun! They have plenty of great other seafood items, if that kind of culinary experience ain't your bag. They have seafood soups, crab cakes, sandwiches and more. If you're a seafood fan, they'll probably have exactly what you're looking for. To top it off, they have a nice selection of bottled beers, including Stone. Word! If you're looking to have FUN while you eat and you're not concerned with smelling like a fishery when you stroll outta there, you should put Snowcrab on your radar. It's in a funky location, so be sure to Google map that shitz before you roll.

    (4)

  • Barry L.

    Very weird location, in an industrial area, however, it's been there for 25 plus years. Just bottle beer, so this means owner is struggling to make it. Malt juice for the fries comes in a teeny tiny cup, which also means owner is watching his overhead. Salt/pepper shakers hidden away from view. And prices are way up there for a dive joint. We won't be back, not our style. Noisy with all the shell pounding etc. And cramped. Present owner bought it in 2010. I think previous owner reeled in a fish, so to speak !

    (2)

  • dawn e.

    Okay just want to make one thing clear i came here about 3 years ago so it may be better now and i do plan to return because i have heard their are new owners and i love seafood! Anyway based on 3 years ago i didnt like it. The service was ok. Not too friendly and everything was just so-so. We were the only customers there and that should have told me to leave! Oh well heres to next time.

    (2)

  • Chelsea L.

    I've been here a few times with friends and my husband and I've always enjoyed the crab. My husband is from Florida and used to work in a seafood restaurant before he became a Marine and he was pleasantly surprised, since he's usually so picky about seafood. The only issue I have with this place is the waitresses aren't always that friendly. Maybe smile and act like the customers are the ones who make your paychecks possible?

    (3)

  • mike s.

    I heard about this place for a few different people, so my wife and I went in to give it a try on a Saturday night. We walked in at about 8:45 and we were greeted and seated quickly. We had the crab cakes appetizer, and before we finished our appetizer our server was pushing it aside to give us our meal. Then a quarter way thru our meal the server comes out and says if we want any desert we need to order it now before the kitchen closes. We wanted to, so we ordered the fried ice cream and apple burrito. Before we knew it the desert was sitting on our table as well. A few moments later the server comes out and brings us our check and says "you haven't even touched your desert yet." I looked at her strangely and said, "nope, still eating my appetizer too". It was only a couple of moments later that the server began putting all the chairs up on the tables surrounding us and closing the entire restaurant. I worked in restaurants for 10 years or so, which means I can appreciate that the people working there don't especially like it when people come in at the last minute. But their website says they close at 10, so I just kept eating. Needless to say, at this point we have our appetizer, main courses, deserts and check on the table; I'm feeling very rushed, like if they could they would just grab me by my ear and pull me out of there. I would love to give this place a good review, but I left kinda pissed off about the way I was being treated - especially after dropping $125 on a meal for two people. Food: Crab Cakes - meh, ok. fell apart on us and very bland Fisherman's sampler (crab, lobster, crayfish, mussels, clams, potatoes, corn) - good, but could use more heat Bacon wrapped scallops - good, overcooked, but probably because it was served early and continued cooking while we finished our appetizer. Fried ice cream - Awesome! Apple burrito - surprisingly good! If the price wasn't so high, and we didn't get pushed out the door, this place would be a five star joint - as it is, we wont be going back.

    (2)

  • Darrkk S.

    What professional establishment will not separate checks upon request from a party of 10 plus? This place will not with an attitude. What place makes you share ur Crab leg dinner with complete strangers? This place will by dumping the bucket between strangers and forcing u to gobble the sparse crab before the strangers do. What place rolls their eyes at u for wanting to be civilized and eat with utensils? This place does with a waiting staff that doesn't realize that their job is because of ur patronage. Do yourself the favor of steaming crab in a pot with old bays in the backyard with ur guests. Open ur eyes to ur policies and procedures that are driving...... away ur sales crabby shack. Good reduced butter for the crab tho.

    (2)

  • Dyane P.

    Came here with the bf and his parents and we all shared a crab pot that came with crab, shrimp, potatoes, crawfish, corn, and sausage. I never like the sausage in crab pots but the crawfish was a first for me and also not my favorite. The servings were plentiful for four people. We also drank A LOT of beer - 5 beers in a bucket that were decently priced. We were lucky and came here on a night where there was a yelp deal that was $50 for $75 so that made it even better. I think for four people we probably spent about $175 (but again, a lot of beer was had).

    (3)

  • Just M.

    Word to the wise-avoid the SHRIMP TACOS as if your life depended on it. Four out of five of us had them last Wednesday on the recommendation of the waitress. Only my 83 year old mother held out and ordered the fish and chips. Thank god because that could have been really bad. The rest of us all suffered for our choice. Within the hour the effects of food poisoning started hitting us one by one. I won't get into the gory details. We all know what food poisoning is. Not pretty. The next day I did call just to let the owner know. He was surprisingly defensive and told me he had eaten the shrimp tacos just like he does every Wednesday and did not get sick. Okay, so? Maybe he is used to them. The point is everyone in my party that had the shrimp tacos got violently ill. Other than being defensive I am afraid he offered no resolution. Not sure what I was expecting as I will not ever go back. Too bad!

    (1)

  • Terry H.

    Food: Had the Skippers Platter with extra calamari - a fried seafood platter. Too much food for lunch - plenty for 2. Excellent quality on everything. Fries were crispy - fish fillets, oysters, scallops & shrimp all nicely done with a unique batter. The calamari strips were very nice and perfectly prepared. My only regret was not being their when the oyster bar was open... Service was good but not great. I ordered water no ice & got ice. As a southern boy, the fried fare far outweighed the service. I never have to hit Red Lobster again. UPDATE - 2011/10/18: I had the VooDoo Shrimp. One word Outstanding. I thought it would be spicier but I found the flavors rich, robust and perfect for slurping up the sauce with the baguette. My only warning is that the dish is 5-star messy so don't wear white.

    (5)

  • Lori J.

    Tried the Sand Crab Tavern for the first time today for lunch. Verdict-delicious! My husband had the Lobster Roll and he thoroughly enjoyed it. The lobster was sweet and tender, although for $24 he thought there should have been more lobster. I had the fish and shrimp combo. The batter was crunchy and flavorful and the plate came with excellent batter dipped fries. We also had the clam chowder and gumbo. Both were excellent. The service was friendly, the atmosphere was corny fish shack and we liked it. We will definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Chris D.

    Great spot for straight up real sea food. Small place located in an industrial area of Escondido. Don't let the location or out side appearance fool you. Anything from pasta to fish and chips or just grab a big bucket of random seafood and grab your hammers. I recommend just popping in for a beer and a couple oyster shooters.

    (4)

  • Michael B.

    My wife and I had dinner for the first time here, and it was very enjoyable. The atmosphere is what it is supposed to be. Nautical with a lot of sea decorations. The food was great and so was the service. We definitely will be coming back. It is a great place for any meal...

    (5)

  • Michael W.

    Oh, this hurts to write, but I must....... In the time that I left and moved back to SD, this place has gone under new ownership. Unfortunately, any and all changes made by the new owner are NOT for the better. I've eaten here 3 times since the restaurant changed hands hoping that perhaps the problems were either a fluke or that the new owner would get adjusted and right the ship (pun intended), but no. 1st Trip: We get seated back on the patio, but apparently NO ONE let our waiter know. 15 minutes later, we have to send someone inside to find a waitress. She makes mention that the new owner sat us and is still trying to figure out the system. OK, no big deal. The rest of the meal goes just fine. 2nd Trip: We come for lunch on a Sunday when the place is just opening. Food is great, service is great, all is well.........until it comes time to pay the bill. Actually, slightly after. We were chased down in the parking lot by the owner who insisted there was a mishap on the bill and that we needed to come back in to rectify it. The member of my party whom had paid went in to get it all sorted out, but came back out pretty steamed. I'm not sure HOW much more he had to pay, but he insists it was WAY over but he didn't want to stay and argue it out. At this point the rest of the folks I was with (also longtime regulars of Sand Crab) all agreed the place had gone downhill and this was the final straw. 3rd Trip: I get invited to go with some other folks who had not been since the new owner took over. They make a reservation, and when we arrive our table is ready with a 'reserved' sign on it (again, we were sat by the owner). OK, great. 15 minutes later, NO ONE has come to serve us. We finally get the attention of a waitress coming to check on a table next to us. The poor woman was clearly running a mile a minute trying to keep up with all her tables, but she takes our order and the rest of the meal goes well enough. Interestingly, though, we noticed the owner glad-handing a good number of the patrons near us, but never came up to ask how we were doing or perhaps to apologize. So, sadly, this place has gone from one of my absolute San Diego favorites to a place I refuse to return to and could not recommend to friends and family. It's a shame because the food is still the same, but it's clear this place has lost its way. I will give the new owner credit for cleaning the place up a bit and doing a good deal of advertising to get the word out, but perhaps some of that money should go to hiring a few extra servers.

    (1)

  • Rae O.

    A hidden gem, lemme tell ya.. The food is always excellent especially if youre in the mood for no nonsense Seafood grub. clam chowder and raw oysters? um, hell yea... and dont even get me started about their Fried ice cream. They have every right to put "the best fried ice cream in san diego" on their menu. Well deserved!

    (5)

  • B C.

    Just finished dinner. Fish & Chips good, clam chowder good. The Special Boil bad. Very dry and no taste. Way over priced for what you get. Service was good but doesn't make up for the quality of food.

    (2)

  • Don W.

    It is an interesting restaurant for ONE visit. The seafood selections are expensive and below average in taste. The bucket of seafood with the corn, shrimp, crab, crawfish and sausage looks good but has little taste. The shrimp is bland, the crab is difficult to eat, the small corn cob is a joke (mushy and no taste), nothing special with the potatoes but what is good is the sausage with the honey mustard dipping sauce. I have eaten here 5-6 times and my opinion never changes. Most of the time it was because I had a visitor from out-of-town and wanted a different meal and hoped they didn't know much about seafood. The service is at best average and not that friendly. The restaurant is being sold and who knows if the next owner will focus on some of these issues.

    (2)

  • Josh T.

    I have been to this place a half of a dozen times after the new owner took over, it has changed just a little, prices are getting higher now i need to try out their new oyster bar i saw three different types ! I like the Double Bacon Cheese Burger And also their Fri's very good very good !

    (4)

  • Vicki A.

    Best Seafood Experience Yet! The Great - The Crab The Good - The Service The Bad - The Drive The Ugly - The Tight Seating But the latter two above are small prices to pay to eat! I've only had the crab and chowder but that's what I go there for. The decor is pretty awesome. It's borderline too much - but I don't notice while I'm shoving crab, potatoes, corn and shrimp down my throat. THE Vodoo shrimp is as good as they say it is. If there's 4 of you order 2!

    (5)

  • David M.

    Great place, great atmosphere, great staff, and most of all great food. Love the crab and shrimp. Kid friendly. Reasonably priced. Lots of fun!!!! It has become a family favorite for us. Live music is also a plus. Love the vibe this place has, especially for the industrial area where it is located. Highly recommend this place to all!!!

    (5)

  • Michelle D.

    This place is not to me what everyone has raved about. The voodoo shrimp over cooked. The for 2 crab boil was ok, not much to it.Hubby felt it was overcooked as well. Very bland. What was good...Gumbo. I normally hate all gumbos. The crab dip was good but a lil bland as well. The service was like this,we saw our waitress. 2 times in 2hrs but she was nice while there.She said she was new so i guess that made poor service ok...yeah right.I was super excited to go. Big disappointment. Will try to fiNd another place that does it RIGHT. ITS REALLY SAD WHEN OYSTER BAR IN VEGAS CASINO IS 1000 X'S BETTER THEN ONE BY THE OCEAN.

    (2)

  • Mikey P.

    Good place but nothing special. Went on a Saturday afternoon and their was only maybe 10 other patrons. I started out with a hot bowl of clam chowder on a rainy day. The clam chowder was good. We ordered the King Crab Combo with some fat tyres to wash it down. A sourdough Mini Loaf came to the table as we waited. Considering their was not too many customers in the restaurant the wait was rather long. The king crab combo is made to serve two but as others have stated the portions were almost enough for three. The king crab combo comes with Shrimp u peel, Louisiana Sausage, Potatoes, and Corn on the Cob. The crab was slightly overcooked. The other items were ok but again nothing great. If you haven't eaten right off the table like this (no plates) I guess I could recommend it for the experience. However in my opinion the service and food are just "ok". I took some pics of the place check them out.

    (3)

  • Gabrielle P.

    This place was horrific. The first bad sign was that we went at 6:40 and were the ONLY customers there. We should have turned around and gone somewhere else. Then the waitress proceeded to tell us about all the food we shouldn't have on the menu. She asked us "you guys ever been to Hometown Buffet? THEIR roast beef is better than ours". Ouch. We ordered the dungeness crab boil, stone crab claws, crawfish, mussels, and clams. The crab was OK. crawfish So so. Mussels so so. Shrimp had just had Thanksgiving dinner, which I could overlook, but they were rubbery and overcooked. just like the clams. Stone Crab claws tasted like ammonia. When we told the waitress, she said they were from Mexico and that was how they were supposed to taste. Uh Hello??? I don't think so! The only things that were better? The corn dogs and crab cakes. I wish I was kidding. The crappy kid's menu out shined what is supposed to be their specialty. I am utterly amazed that anyone has given this place 5 stars. i suggest they head to the ocean (hell, even red lobster) to taste better seafood. If you're thinking of going here. Don't. Just DON'T. Just plain awful.

    (1)

  • Steven C.

    OK, here goes. I love seafood...especially crawfish, shrimp, scallops, oysters, salmon...well, i guess just about anything! I had been to the Sand Crab several times 10+ years ago and recall that I liked the food. We had a groupon for a seafood boil for $39. We ordered that and a lobster for $24. Our waitress was outstanding, cordial, attentive and happy. She was the best part of the whole experience. The food was very disappointing. The crawfish were plentiful, very small, and I would bet were left over from last night or even the day before that. They were dry, small and next to flavorless. The shrimp were very good, though. They were plentiful, probably U-15 and had their heads on. The sausage was also good as was the potatoes...but the crawfish were very, very disappointing. The Lobster was as disappointing as the crawfish...tough and dry. Major Market does a much better job of steaming them at a much lower price. it amazes me that seafood in San Diego is so hard to come by. I would like to go back and try the oyster bar on the weekend but I am sure it wouldn't even come close to Swan's Oyster Depot in San Francisco...now, that is the best place on the planet for oysters and seafood...no, they don't serve crawfish.

    (2)

  • Michelle Q.

    I'm sure you get an idea of how the food is served here. They dump shellfish on your table and everyone goes to town. For some reason though, one of the three sauces they give you is often said to be honey mustard. I believe it's actually honey butter, because there's nothing mustardy about it. I could be wrong, but my husband and I only went there every Friday for five weeks! Everyone we have brought to the Sand Crab Cafe has loved it. It's a great place to meet up, whether its two people or eight.. but if you plan on having eight, be sure to make reservations. It's a dive and hard to find, but that makes it the coolest place to share with other people. The back patio kind of smells like bleach though, be prepared if you need those large tables. We always get a dozen oyster shooters (it's only around 10 bucks, a great price) and they are our favorite part. Our first time there we tried the Fishermans Sampler that included the stone crab claws and slipper lobster tails. Stone crab claws a great for the whole "banging apart the shell" experience because the shells are thick and break easily with the mallet, but the flesh is a little tougher and not as flavorful as king crab. The slipper lobster tails are pretty useless. They look like little fans and the meat is not similar to regular lobster tail, if that's you're looking for. The combo we get every time is the king crab combo. Nothing beats the challenge of pulling out that leg meat in one whole piece. The "crab zippers" they give you to open them are very effective. We even bought some to take home. Hell, I got my husband a Sand Crab t-shirt too because he loves that place so much. Our waiter once didn't charge us for our oysters because we frequent it so often. Sometime, even though we are with another couple that gets the King Crab combo for too, the big dumping of the seafood boil is very anti-climactic. I always imagine it to be so much more, but it's probably because we've had a party of ten and the table was just COVERED. The glutton in you really comes out after they dump that food, it reminds me of how people throw chunks of raw meat in the water for sharks. The last time we were there, on a Friday night, it was very crowded and it seemed like the shrimp, potatoes and sausage that accompanies our crab was less than ever. And each time before that it appeared to be less. And the thing that bugs me is that they put everyone's order together, so you don't know how much you can eat or if you're even eating something from someone else's order. Goodbye fifth star for that. The staff is still very friendly everytime we go. We had a chat with the owner's son at the bar once, whose father is actually named Sandy Crabbe (Sandy is a nickname he earned in the military). If you don't finish all the beers in your bucket, they give you a paper bag to take them home. I wish they sold the little sailor outfits that the waitresses wear, I'd buy one. Haha. Needless to say, I'd highly recommend this place. Someone always leaves with crab on their shirts or in their hair. Fun.

    (4)

  • Amanda S.

    The clam chowder with the bread bowl was really good. And for a seafood restaurant, the fried ice cream was spectacular.

    (4)

  • Chiefs Wife S.

    I had to update my rating, only because the owner went the extra mile to insult my intelligence. He went on and on how I assume their seafood isn't as good as it is in downtown San Diego. First of all I made no comparison. I complimented it based on "my experience" and soley that. What he fails to recognize is that whether you're in Escondido or downtown SD, it's still FROZEN seafood which doesn't taste like it's fresh.. if you can't figure that out I dont know what to tell you. There was no reason to send me a very defensive email. Secondly, if you've noticed that since it changed ownership there is a multitude of negative feedback. If I were the owner, I would accept the negative as constructive criticism and attempt to bring in more patrons instead of attacking everyone. Shame on you, let someone else handle your marketing idiot! ... and now I will never go back

    (2)

  • Kirsten K.

    It has been years since I have eaten here, but it was a friends birthday and they had a coupon on restaurant.com so even after looking at the reviews on here we went anyway. WOW! It was terrific!! There were 3 of us and after reading the reviews on Yelp, I was concerned that there wouldn't be enough food, as someone commented they left hungry. We ended up OVER ordering, we ordered one of the boils for 2 and another for 1 and we had literally 3 lbs of food to take home. Granted, a lot of it was sausage, however, there was still plenty of seafood in that take home bag. I wasn't sure after reading the reviews, however, I am glad we took a chance. We had a fun time and a great meal with enough for the following night as well. I'd recommend this place to anyone that is wanting something out of the ordinary, but it's expensive, but worth every penny and calorie. Looking forward to going back!

    (5)

  • RadHaz I.

    The seafood is fresh, the ambiance is great and the prices are very competitive. This is a great place for shellfish inland/North County that I have no hesitations recommending to my friends. I've been here several times over the past year and when the service is good its good but when the service is bad it's almost unbearable but I think it has a lot to do with the night you go.

    (3)

  • Marilyn L.

    I appreciate the place. A bucket of fresh seafood, potatoes and sausage.A great deal much more wonderful food than you can get at somewhere like Red Lobster along with the prices are reasonable. The service is really a bit inconsistent, but it has by no means been horrible. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. I guess I know where I'm eating tonight.

    (4)

  • Ruth F.

    A major disappointment. We had shrimp and crawfish boil...the shrimp were way overdone (dried out and rubbery,) not to mention they leave the heads on, which is a big turn off for me. The crawfish were just blah. I've had lots of crawfish (and shrimp) in my day and these fell way below par. When the server asked, "how's your food," I couldn't help but behonest. They were nice and offered something else to replace the shrimp. So, they brought dungeness crab. Again, it was just ok, but not great. The Louisiana sausage in the boil was really good. The red potatoes were ok and the corn was terrible. The service was quite good. Save your money and go elsewhere.

    (2)

  • Chris T.

    The family and I went here this past Saturday night. We were celebrating a birthday so we made reservations for 8 people a couple days before. I've been here 2-3 times before for lunch and was not impressed at all but hell, it was lunch, maybe dinner was different? When we got there they put us in this "back room" that was actually an addition to the restaurant that was very poorly constructed. I mean you wonder how they got this permitted or even if they bothered to get construction permits to build this particle board-lined, no window, shed! We couldn't believe they even HAD this section let along put us out there. We were so cold we ate our dinner in our jackets..no kidding! We repeatedly asked for them to turn on the heaters they had out there but they, finally, said they were empty. After I continued, by saying even the customers in the main dining room were asking (and the wait staff complied) to have the door to this shed closed (leaving us out there), they finally said someone was going to the store to buy propane for the heaters! The whole meal they were opening a door directly next to our seating area and taking out the trash! If this wasn't bothersome enough the rush of cold air from keeping it propped open while they were out there was freezing! I asked them to stop finally (feeling guilty about complaining to them about the heaters) and they did but by then we were just about done with our meal. During all this, the management came out to ask how we were doing (I told him about the door and he had them stop) but NEVER acknowledged our situation or offered to move us. In the end we were charged FULLY for the meal and we all agreed the food was horrible! This place is a dump, dirty throughout and poorly managed. If you bring your family here or anyone you care about you're gonna feel like I do right now.

    (1)

  • Robin L.

    My crab-pictured plastic bib is donned. I have a mallet in my right hand, and a shell cracker in the left. A marble slab sits in front of me, and in front of it, a magnanimous display of crab, lobster, potatoes and corn. I wipe the drool off my chin with a butter-covered finger. I leave the glistening tear on my cheek. Sand Crab owns a special place in my heart (and believe me, those don't come cheap). I have spent many birthdays feasting on shellfish and Snickers cheesecake, laughing at each time a chunk of lobster meat smacked my brother in the face. The nostalgia alone is worth 5 stars. But don't expect the most amazing and fresh seafood - because though it is quite tasty, you can probably get better. Instead, expect a casual but lively evening with the fortuitous fact that you will have relinquished any anger from your body onto the poor scattered remains of what once vaguely resembled a crab leg. So I love this place. Some may scoff at it's complete lack of hoity-toityness but I revel in its tacky nautical theme. Some may say the seafood isn't as good as it is at the Marine Room or Some-Expensive-Lobster-Restaurant, but I love the paper table cloths and crab-meat covered bib. This place is MY KIND OF PLACE. It is a little pricey, but worth it. Plus, it's a lot cheaper than your therapist and a lot more delicious than a trip to a Smash Shack. Mallet? Check. Crab and/or Lobster? Check. Bib tied securely around neck? Double check. *cue violently delicious eating session*

    (5)

  • Neko C.

    I F-CKING LOVE THIS PLACE!!! For me, this restaurant isn't just about the yummy food- it's the whole f-cking experience! When you get to a table, you are immediately bombarded with ceiling to floor nautical decor! So much nautical crap! Seriously, how did they fit it all?? It's like they played tetris with decorations! The table you will be at is covered in butcher paper with a metal pile and paper towel roll at the end- good indicator that this isn't your fine, fancy-shancy restaurant. Depending on what you order, you should get a mallet and slab in which to beat your food into submission (thus causing them to open)- clearly this is a good place for those with anger issues to come let off some steam. You use to also get an awesome bib that said CRAB above a large picture of a crab, but now you have to request to get one- I HIGHLY RECOMMEND GETTING THE BIB! With all the pounding and beating, sh-t is bound to fly everywhere and unless you want to be wearing bits of your meal, you gunna want some protection. Now here's where it really gets exciting! Most likely, the meal you have ordered will be brought to you in a nice large bowl...and then prompted dumped smack dab in the middle of your butcher paper tabletop. Now all bets are off and it is time to dig in, literally! Using your mallet and crab zipper, you pry your meal from its shell confines and enjoy the deliciousness! My favorite thing to get is the Fisherman's Sampler, which comes with crab, peel-em shrimp, crayfish, some other shellfish like mussels, corn-on-the-cob, Louisiana sausages, and potatoes. Everything in the sampler is f-cking amazing- I especially love their Louisiana sausages cuz they got a nice kick to em! Pow pow!! This meal comes with 3 dipping sauce (pretty sure all their meals come with these)- cocktail, melted butter and honey mustard, which is particularly scrumptious on their potatoes. And the best part about digging into all this wonderful deliciousness- no plates, no utensils (other than mallet and zipper ... and maybe a fork for you lame people), just grab with your hands and devour! AWESOME!!!!

    (5)

  • Earl L.

    Great spot for a classic crab boil experience. Choose your feast, involving king crab legs, snow, dungeness, claws, clusters, etc. and they'll bring the pot out to your table with corn, sausage chunks, potatoes, and shrimp. They are fairly generous with the crab and when they say a combo feeds 2 people, it actually will. They also offer a variety of simpler entrees, mostly seafood fare, but I've never tried them - sticking with the crab boil combos. Prices used to be very attractive here ($30-$60 per feast), but I'm sad to say that, as of my most recent visit (Dec 2012), the combo prices have been raised dramatically. Maybe more in line with market prices now and still a decent deal, I suppose, but be prepared to drop at least $50 per person if doing a crab boil, which feels like a pricey meal considering the ambiance of the restaurant, which is casual at best. The location is a bit tough to find, in an industrial park on the eastern edge of Escondido, but has ample parking. Would've rated 4 stars for the quality and quantity of crab served, but the high price shaved a star off of my rating. Pretty simple decor, with a heavy nautical and blue-collar feel. They supply a plastic zipper and wooden mallet for opening the crab. Paper towels for napkins, but you expect that when doing a crab boil. Worth the effort to find it and come hungry for crab meat, but be sure to have a thick wallet when you visit.

    (3)

  • Kaitlyn C.

    I got totally lost, even with my gps on my driod....BUT once we got there I was so excited. I had heard of this place from a friend of mine. Now being from LA, I LOVE trying new places. The crab boil was amazing! I wish the seasoning had been a little more prominent but the back story was sweet and the servers were awesome. I will definitely be back for the voodoo shrimp!!!

    (4)

  • Norita H.

    I'm very satisfied with this place. All of our food was good. There are a few things that would have been better and would have got a 5 star rating but I don't have any complaints. The bread would be much better if it was warm when served. Also, I am a huge fan of spicy so I would have loved for the seafood to be steamed/boiled with something more spicy! Overall it was a good meal with good service and I will defenitly be back again!

    (4)

  • anna a.

    I only go there when I have a severe craving for seafood. Old place, the owner is a sweet old lady but sometimes the girls who work their are useless, depends on the day. Last time i went there, there was a specific time where the crabs smelled like ammonia, the waitress said it's the winter season when that usually happens and changed them out for me and it was still too horrific smelling to eat. They basically dump out a pot of crabs, clams, mussels, sausage, corn, and potatoes, and whatever mix of stuff you like. For about 2 people it's usually $70 or so. Pricey but a good seafood fix. If it's a slow night they will close early without any notice, so call ahead.

    (3)

  • Katinka C.

    This gets five stars for doing what they do perfectly. It's not a posh fine dinning seafood restaurant and it's not a sterile chain. It's a campy amusing place straight out of a movie set for a road side attraction. The crab is done to perfection and served with a sauce trio. Prices are great considering you get a ton of tasty crab. Go for the king crab, the blue is kinda boring.

    (5)

  • Corbin N.

    Two words....voodoo shrimp...I would baptize my first born in that sauce...two more words...go there

    (5)

  • Donald M.

    Dinner was outstanding, loved the decor (n'awlins) and the owner and wait staff are friendly and informative. We shared the Dungeness Crab Combo and added their fabulous clam chowder and coleslaw to round it out. This was the best chowder I've ever eaten and the slaw was just like Mom's. If you want a fun evening and great food with A+ service you can't beat the Sand Crab Tavern. Look for a post card in your mail for discounts and order big or go home!!! Rich is the owner since 2010, great stories and his recipes can't be beat.

    (5)

  • Huy H.

    Eh it's okay, 2lbs of stone crab didn't seem like alot. Stone crab is okay the shrimp could have been better. But decor is fun

    (2)

  • Clover W.

    We've been going to the SandCrab for more than a decade. The owners changed recently and frankly it's an improvement. Great beer selection, i'd never sat at the bar before Rich took over. He's friendly as are the rest of the staff. We've gone in there , been the only couple, 30 minutes later the place is packed with bib wearing, mallet banging, crab eating happy folk. The combo dinner with crab, shrimp, potato, sausage and corn is more than enough for two and fairly priced....and delicious.

    (4)

  • Troy S.

    First time find, late lunch at 3pm on a Wednesday, place was empty preparing for a big dinner evening, some of the best gumbo, creamy chowder and mixed seafood platter, fried and great! Old school obscure place, great service, great lunch...

    (4)

  • Haley S.

    Though the location is small and not ideal... this place is a real treasure! The service was great and the owner is very passionate about his business. You start with delicious fresh baked bread warm out of the oven! When your food comes out it is served in a unique family style. The vodoo shrimp is his specialty and was definitely the highlight of our experience!!! There were tons of left overs and everyone had plenty to eat! Sandwiches and french fries are to die for. The environment is clean and decorated to match the food! REALLY LOVE THE OWNERS HEART FOR HIS BUSINESS. It has been his dream to own this restaurant for 20 years and it is exciting to see him make his dream come true! You have to try this place.

    (5)

  • Brandon B.

    The worst seafood I have ever had, as in I would rather eat gas station hot dogs then pay a ridiculous amount of money for the stuff they serve. It looks like it's name implies on the inside, which is kind of cool and they have a bitchin patio AND it's in walking distance from my work so I really wish this place didn't suck. Too bad. My advice to the owners, buy fresh seafood and don't boil it in old dishwater.

    (1)

  • Purple E.

    The only thing thst will save this place is Robert Irvine from Restaurant Impossible. Ignore those daily special signs on Barham Road!

    (1)

  • Jerel Mark T.

    Environment & Food & price is decent (3/5), but the service is really bad (0/5)! Our waitress knew it was our first time and she did not recommend anything, nor helped, and stood there quietly acting like we were dumb and wanted to get through the day. The apparent owner seemed nice, but the hospitality was just not there. We were one of a few tables on a Sunday and our refills never came in unless we waived for her and asked. I have a lot of patience with these types of small restaurants but i have not been this disappointed with this kind of service before! Sad face!

    (2)

  • Laura H.

    The food was not good. It was such poor quality. There was no one in the resteraunt and the waitress was so slow and unfriendly. When we ordered dessert she said that she would not remove the pile of shells and plates from the table. This was nothing like Shrimply Delicious in Encinitas - miss that place!

    (1)

  • Dennis S.

    Sand Crab appropriately named. Ordered Deadliest catch a crab lover's delight. Not! Over cooked and dry as the desert sand and salty as a salt flat. Bread cold and dry. Stone crab claws dry and freezer burned like we were when we brought it to the owner's attention. The owner dismissed the dry issue with it's a dry crab and although he asked us what we would like to be done, he did not offer to comp our meal or allow us to try another night when it might be better. He clearly had no intention of having a repeat customer. If I had read reviews like this one, we would not have ventured there to have this disappointing meal. In and Out afterwards was more satisfying.

    (1)

  • Michael R.

    What a great little spot. Eclectic and feels like a New Orleans spot. Great for dates. Took my kids there also and they really enjoyed the food and all of the things to look at. Waitress was awesome. Fridays and Saturdays - fresh oyster bar. Owners name is Rich - he shucked our oysters and explained all. Fried calamari was awesome too.

    (5)

  • Just A Guy J.

    It was good. Old style food piled on the table and butter that slows your blood. Was quite the night we went in, but see how it could hop on a nice day.

    (3)

  • katherine m.

    my husband and i went last night this place is in an industrial area. someplace you would not think of a seafood resteraunt to be. Walked in and the place smelled good, no fish odor at all.My ex is a seafood importer so Im pretty picky on my fish and how a place smells. i have to say was very impressed with the fish. Ohh and weekends starting after 6pm on Friday they do 3 types of raw oysters. they cost 1.80 each. A single platter of fish n chips is enough for 2 people. 2 large pieces of lightly battered, not oily moist haiibut fish. the coleslaw was also refreshing can tell it was homemade. you can get a bucket of 5 beers for 15.00 not bad if you break that down its 3.00 a beer. we will most definately be going back here.

    (5)

  • Stephani R.

    This is the third and final time for trying this place. The place was dead and the service sucked. We had the fishermans platter which is a little of everything. It was over cooked and bland. We had the crab dip as an appetizer and that was ok but not worth coming back for. For 2 adults and 1 child the bill was almost $100. For the service and quality of food it was definitely overpriced and i feel there are many other better options for dining out. I'll just chalk it up as a learning experience and won't be going back.

    (1)

  • Christine J.

    Maybe I wasn't in the mood. . .to have a bucket of everything dumped on the table top. Corn on the cob (over done), sausage, different kind of crab, little lobster. . .what else was in there!! To me the concoction tasted like everything melded into an "Old Bay Seasoning" kinda flavor. Every person for themselves as the mound in front of you gets picked over first for the crab legs and then the other items are left. The food items seemed all over-cooked and mushy. The couple we were with loved smashing the claws with the mallets and doing a "Tom Jones" kinda dinner. To each their own. . .Me No Likey!!

    (2)

  • Joseph Y.

    Taste: 4 Value: 4 Service: 4 A solid gem in the Escondido and San Marcos area. It's a bit hard to get to, but you'll be happy you made the trip. It's a family style seafood restaurant where they focus on steaming/boiling their seafood by the pound. Several items (such as rock crab claws, clams, and more) sell for $1 on the second pound and allow mixing and matching. We had a bowl of chowder and 12 oyster shooters as appetizers. The oysters were large and creamy, but didn't have much sweetness. The chowder was tasty, but not the best I've ever had. The king and snow crab were delicious. Fresh and firm. The staff provides you with some good accessories to help work through the shells and pick out the meat. Be prepared to leave the place smelling like shellfish.

    (4)

  • dave p.

    Was there this week with my parent's. The waitress was very unpleasant. She served us then when it came to pay for our check. She didn't wait on us so we had to get another waiter to bring us the check. If I was not there I would have talk totnhr owner or manager about this. Very unprofessional. Good food. Very poor customer service. This place get half of. Star.

    (1)

  • Nichole H.

    I've been eating at the Sand Crab Cafe for 10-15 years. This is my birthday dinner choice every year. I love everything about this place - the staff, the kitschy decorations, and the food is awesome. I highly recommend the snickers pie for dessert. EVIL. This place can get really spendy for a large hungry group tho - be warned!

    (5)

  • Mj V.

    Enjoyed dinner with my friends here. Their King crab is very good!! They only take reservation if you have more than 6 people in your group. My only complaint is the 22% tip. A little too much. Will come back again soon.

    (4)

  • Emmylou C.

    One of the best dining experience I've had. The staff are very nice, welcoming, and friendly with their sailor outfits! The place is full of navy/sailor memorabilia dating back, well way back in the days. Your pounds of seafood is carried in a silver bucket and then tossed on your table ready to enjoy! They also serve your seafood with a variety of sauce, and the bucket comes with corn, sausages, and red potatoes! There are big wooden walls up to the ceiling if you're looking for privacy in your booth. The food taste wonderful and the experience was definitely fun! The only thing is, it might be difficult to find at night because it looks as if it's behind a building and is not very easy to find since it is small. However, when you get there you'll forget you even got lost or the parking lot was too small.

    (5)

  • Stanley C.

    So after hitting the San Diego Wild Park Zoo, not to be confused with San Diego Zoo, the birthday girl decided to eat at this location. It was pretty difficult to find, so make sure to have their phone number handy in case you get lost. The food here is very good for the price you pay and fresh as ever. We first started off with some clam chowder, which was just average, since it was a bit salty. The bread they bring out is not warm. Besides those minor bumps, the seafood there is fantastic. The majority of the group (15 of us) ordered under the Capitan's Favorite Combo: King Crab combo - King Crab, sausages, corn, shrimp-u-peel-um, and potatoes. The service is attentive and welcoming, very mom/pop shop feel, and you get mallets to bash your crustaceans. Go eat there with friends since they'll dump the food you order on your table and it's first come first serve.

    (4)

  • Felicia G.

    So your at home watching another food network of diner and dives showcasing great eats from everywhere, and you see a seafood place that serves their food straight from a bucket onto the table and you ask yourself I want to eat at a place like that well if this is you then you need to go try this place!! Its a tad bit small inside but its great fun for groups. I can't wait to go back and have some seafood. Maybe ill try the fish n chips this time????

    (4)

  • Armando G.

    If you like seafood and its ina unexpected spot then you will like this small but fun spot. It is located in a industrial area of san marcos and from my understanding it has been in the community for decades. We had stummbeled on to this place by the SD Reader and were excited after we left dinner. At first walk in its a small bar and then opens up a little bit to a resturant. We sat down and were taken care of by or waitress all night. She suggested to us the coranados for the appitizer and we got our crab and potatoes and shrimp dummped on our table. We were givin a little slab of marble and a small mallet to break open the crab. It was a fun night and brought back a bunch of our friends a few more times. I heard if you go in and order an "arghhh maty arghhh" then you will get a extra few legs of crab.

    (4)

  • Trish L.

    4 stars for the fried clams which are impossible to find anywhere and the small details. The menu is definitely fried food heavy so if that's not what you want, don't go. I went for the fried clams and they were good. Fries were good. Fried scallops and onion rings just ok. The prices are really good, $8 for clams, fries, and a side. I got a salad and while it was not packed with toppings, I really appreciated the house made croutons and Italian dressing which were great. They had pretty good looking burgers as well.

    (4)

  • Jason J.

    literally a hidden GEM!! it looks dingy on the ouside, but its truly a great place if you're not a snob looking to score a dressy restaurant. theres lots of old-timers that come here. i havent been here for a while and need to. They have a bucket of food you can order, with corn, sausage, potatoes, crab claws, shrimp, crawfish, etc. They toss it on the table and you go at it. I love all the eyecandy on the wall. its all weird memorabilia from the ocean. beers are fairly cheap if you need one.

    (4)

  • Jay S.

    I truly had a wonderful time at the Sand Crab Cafe. How cute are those sailor uniforms! Though it may be in a business park area, it is all the more charming because parking is easier to manage. I love the ambience of all the decorative memorabilia. The service and atmosphere was so fun that I had no problem with eating off the table. Whoever does not have a 30-second rule (when no one is looking) definitely should stop reading here. Or call me next time you make shellfish and drop it on the table, I'll be glad to take care of that (smile). It's such a cool unique place I'm going to just say it was a fun time. I do think some of the seafood would have retained more moisture if it was put in a bowl. Just a thought, but for the price and the sweet service, I have no complaints. It's truly a great place to indulge. I would definitely recommend it to friends. P.S. The snickers cheesecake is a slice of heaven.

    (4)

  • Nelson C.

    Cool little hidden seafood spot in the middle of an industrial park. I recommend the "Clam Chowder" soup...

    (3)

  • Dee L.

    We love this place. Have been here four times since February, always have the snow crab and shrimp, and been very satisfied. Twice the corn was good, but the other times must have been out of season. Their clam chowder is excellent. I really like whatever seasoning they are using on the shrimp. If the crab legs were consistently larger, I'd give it a 5, but the last time they were all skimpier. I agree with another reviewer that hot toasty bread would be great. They are generous with butter. Our service has always been prompt and cheerful, even when they were so busy on a holiday we had to wait for mallets!

    (4)

  • Alan Q.

    I've been going there for years. I walked in there tonight and the waitress just ignored us. It was sort of rude since she was getting something behind the bar for a few minutes and we were standing right in front of her. After 15 minutes she came back and said something. We decided to go somewhere else. Nothing like this ever happened under the old owners. Please greet your customers and let them know what is going on.

    (1)

  • Miles C.

    The foods pretty good but way OVERPRICED.

    (2)

  • mark s.

    gumbo was tasty. had fried fish, shrimp and scallops. fish and shrimp was good but the scallops were a little greasy. overall pretty tasty.

    (4)

  • Chris P.

    I took some people from work here after a big project. I was horrified at the quality of the food. The snow crab was rubbery and hard to break, the lobster, I hope it was lobster had an odd and unpleasant texture, grainy and it fell apart in your hand. I was not pleased with the staff. The tacked on a 22% tip to the total that seemed a little outrageous, to add insult to injury he did his math after the tax was added. If this place burnt to the ground I would probably go back to dance a jig on the ashes.

    (1)

  • Jeff M.

    Cost: $120 not including tip. Two non alcohol ice teas, Sampler order for two $41, and Deadliest Catch for two $47. Our group consisted of four adults and one child. Orders combined consisted of a couple small King Crab legs, Blue Crab, shrimp with shells, craw fish, quartered potatoes, and cut up little pieces of sausage. No leftovers. Restaurant has an old nautical look, small in size, and service was good. I thought the amount of seafood was small for the price. I think there should have been more King crab legs and shrimp. I wouldn't recommend this restaurant to seafood lovers who expect more crab for their money.

    (1)

  • John R.

    Our first visit, on a cold Sunday night, was just great. Service was OK (some miscommunication between the servers, but their upbeat and friendly attitude saved the day). Food was plentiful, flavorful and just as advertised. We'll be back.

    (4)

  • Mike k.

    who ever rated this place higher than 1 star must be liaring their ass off . Don't try it. You are already been warned. You will regret it. Hahaha

    (1)

  • brandy l.

    I have been here two times. The first time it was a group of us and i ordered the gumbo. Its was very good but the steamed blue crabs were not as good as i would have liked. However, its one of very few places in southern cali that serve blue crab steamed. Now this time I ordered the crab platter. It consist of serveral types of crab and it was much better. The crabs tasted fresher and it was seasoned well. Calamari was good, and the gumbo was still delicious.

    (3)

  • Alvin C.

    Armed with wooden mallets and bib donned get ready to pig out when the shell fish is dumped on your table. This kitchy place could be a fun place for groups if you weren't looking for anything fancy. It's very casual with mariner decor. The food was okay, nothing really stood out for me aside from the cute uniforms the waitresses wore. Service was good and the staff are friendly. I don't think I'd ever come back on my own volition.

    (3)

  • Ken T.

    freakin' love this place - i mean you always hear about those crab shacks that literally DUMP the crabs out onto the table (A FEW GOOD MEN style) but you never actually realize how fun eating can be when you get to poud away at your own pound of crab!! great atmosphere, great service, and just a great nite out!

    (5)

  • Kelly R.

    I was sadly disappointed by this place. I reallllly wanted to like this restaurant because my boyfriend and I love seafood but it was just ok. The service was friendly but slow, even on a not so busy night. Sourdough bread was average and cold. We had the fisherman's sampler with a bunch of different seafood and we really liked the crab and mussel, but everything else was so-so. Too expensive for average seafood so we won't be making a second trip.

    (2)

  • Paul C.

    It is definitely a trek to get to the Sand Crab. And it's not that easy to find. I had to knock a star off for the location. But I think it's worth the hassle. From the menu you get to order different types of seafood. They have different types of crab (king, dungeness, stone), shrimp, slipper lobster tails. There are possibly more, I can't recall at the moment. They have them in combos and you order by the person. For example, the dungeness crab combo for two. The combo includes corn on the cob, sausage, and potatoes. I think they boil it all in a big pot, and when it comes out, the waitress has it in a big bowl and pours it all on your table. You are provided mallets and dipping sauces (cocktail, butter, honey mustard). You have to specifically ask for the bibs now. From my experience the combos for two people is enough for three. They have good clam chowder as well. And of course you have to end the meal with a slice of their key lime pie. Dinner there is a fun time and you'll enjoy the experience. If you have a need to let out some aggression on some poor crab, this is your place.

    (4)

  • Jonny C.

    Unless you know where this place is, it is HARD TO FIND!!! It's tucked into an industrial area (weird place for a restaurant). The Sand Crab is a great place to bring a group of friend for seafood. The tables are covered in butcher paper.. they give you mallets, bibs and 3 sauces (butter, honey mustard and cocktail). The seafood is cooked in a broth and poured onto your table. They also have regular plated dishes (sandwiches, soups). The staff here is very friendly... and the service is great.

    (5)

  • Barb H.

    Ate here for our daughter's birthday..#31.......had the bucket, crab, shrimp, delicious sausage....hot crab dip......wonderful coleslaw. It served on paper on the table Cajun style! The waitress, atmosphere were great and was so pleased we got 15% off our bill for customer appreciation day.......

    (5)

  • Romney S.

    If you want fancy, you aren't going to get it here. If you want awesome seafood, and a good time, this is the place for you. They'll dump your dinner before you, give you a mallet and tell you to go at it...and really, who could ask for more?

    (5)

  • coleen m.

    A group of us went for lunch, a friend recommended this place for seafood. We were all very disappointed, service was terrible, food was not good and everyone left hungry even though 3 people ordered 7 lbs of seafood (it could not have been that much). The waitress kept apologizing as she walked by serving everyone around us food even though we called ahead (we had 8 people) and were seated over an hour before we got any food. I will not go back nor will any of the friends we had lunch with. Very disappointing.

    (1)

  • Gayle C.

    I am giving this place one star, and that is strictly for concept and decor. The seafood is horribly overcooked, corn mushy, potatoes dry, sausage rubbery. And to top it all off when you ask for butter for your shellfish, they bring you margarine of all things. I am sorry, there are few things to remember with good seafood, buy it fresh, cook it fast, and serve it with lemon and butter, not some butter substitite. You can get a much better meal at Red Lobster, and if you really want a good seafood dinner, go to the Fish Market in San Diego or Del Mar.

    (1)

  • Pancho Julio Chico R.

    Ate in here again Saturday. The Fish and Chips were great and the oyster shooters were pretty good too. If you don't order a bucket, the waitress is told to take the paper off the table. Seems maybe they shouldn't put in on until you order one.

    (4)

  • L K.

    My husband and I had been searching for some good seafood in the Escondido area and went to Yelp for help. We were skeptical based on the location but persevered and went on in. We are so glad we did- fun ambiance, our server was fantastic and the food was great (we had the appetizer sampler and the seafood buckets). Only slight off note was that the crab in the bucket had that ammonia taste that seafood sometimes gets. Meal for 2 with wine was around $60.

    (4)

  • Paul C.

    We went in a group of 8 and made reservations. Table was waiting for us when we arrived. We all ordered and chatted while we drank our beers and when the food arrived. We had ordered 2 lbs of clams, and the order had all of 7 or 8 clams in it. Far from 2 lbs. When we mention this to the server, they go, it's mixed in with the rest of the food. Well we know that, but there isn't 2lbs of clams here. We pointed out that it wasn't close to 2 lbs and the server didn't seem to get it the 2nd time around. Finally we explain it again and he apologizes and goes to bring out 2 lbs of clams. Food was ok, price was reasonable. The experience of smashing shellfish can be better experienced at Joes Crab shack in Mission Valley. They also have more drinks.

    (3)

  • Shalina G.

    LOVE this place! I've been going to this place for more than a decade, and last time I went was when I took my husband for his bday dinner w/ his friends this month. However, I only gave a 4 out of 5 stars... because it seems that, over the years, their food portions have gotten smaller.... or maybe it's just that when I was younger, I thought everything was sooo big, but not anymore now that I'm older? Oh well, still awesome place to hang! Recommend the "DEADLIEST CATCH" combo, and their oysters!

    (4)

  • Linda R.

    This place is ok. Nothing to write home about. The food is mediocre at best. I should of listened to all the bad reviews since for the most part they were true. The boyfriend and I ordered the Lifeboat appetizer for $15. Included was chicken wings, onion rings, clam strips, calamari and zucchini strips. For the price they should of gave more food then they did. We also got the King Crab Combo for two. It came with about 6 crab legs, maybe a handful of peel-um shrimp, sausage, 2 corns and a couple pieces of potato. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't great for the price we paid. The bill was about 60 something. If you are looking for quality seafood this is NOT the place to go.

    (3)

  • Brian G.

    Sand Crab is the only place my wife and I think of when we're in the mood for crab. The cravings get even worse when the Discovery Channel airs new episodes of Deadliest Catch. The service is always amazing. Right when you walk in the door, you're welcomed and seated by the owners, sourdough bread follows quickly. The servers are always helpful in helping you find just what your craving. Although, we're quite stuck on the King Crab Combo for Two. Lots of huge, delicious King Crag legs, peel-n-eat shrimp, corn, potatoes, and sausage....and lots of sauce accompaniments. My only knock on the Sand Crab is I wish they had a wider variety of Stone beers, which is just up the road (as of 2/10/08, Pale Ale only).

    (5)

  • Steve M.

    We used to go here when we lived in North County and I wish someone would open a place like this closer to town. Awesome experience. They steam the seafood that you order and dump it on the table. Yummy. Reminds me of crab shacks back east. We need more of these in San Diego.!!!

    (4)

  • Ryan C.

    After all the talk of crabs yesterday I decided to drive up and give this place a go last night..Take heed as its in the middle of friggin nowhere in an industrial park and they close fairly early (9pm..at least during the week). Right off the bat which I thought was cool was that if you chose to order 1lb of any type of crab or shellfish you can get a 2nd lb for only $1. Also our server was dressed up as a sailor and said "welcome aboard" as he seated us. Pretty funny, but interesting touch. He told us the place has been in business for 20 years!! They need to advertise more. Anyway on with the review: We ordered the crab combo for two which came with a number of different types of crab as well as sausage, potato and corn. You are given the following to season: melted butter, honey mustard, cocktail sauce, lemon, garlic powder. Unfortunately they didn't have Old Bay seasoning..but I guess thats just an east coast thing. I complemented the meal with several Fat Tires (yes they have a beer/wine license which is key for a crab place...nothing goes better with crab than beer)! I also ordered 1lb of crawfish..When the crab combo came they dumped the huge platter out right on the table and handed us each a wooden mallet to get to business. When we were elbow deep in crab our server came over and warned us the kitchen would be closing and asked if we wanted the extra 1lb for $1.. This is a no brainer, obviously, and I ordered 1lb of green mussels, which were fantastic!! They don't overseason the crab here like they do at most places; the seasoning is extremely light so you can actually TASTE the seafood. Its a bit of a drive for me from SD just for dinner but next time the crab urge sets in I'd do it again..

    (4)

  • Kimberly W.

    The New owner has done an amazing job! The Shrimp in the boils are much larger, the boils have flavor, and the oysters in the half shell are fantastic! I noticed people complaining about the crab being dry and freezer burn???? Certain times of the seasons, crab may be drier than other times of the year! And living in California, i am sure not all is flown in daily fresh! Come on people this isn't the east coast. I have never experienced freezer burn here EVER! There isn't any restaurant in S.D. that doesn't have frozen fish or crab, it would be costly to ship fresh. They flash freeze everything that is brought in from Alaska etc. I should know my sister lives in Alaska! Another gripe I have to all you yelpers, be careful of what you comment, because it affects the business and employees tremendously! If you don't like a restaurant, just do not return! Why complain and hurt their reputation???? Yelp is hurting companys and I feel sorry for them. Didn't your mother teach you, " If you do not have something good to say, don't say it." Thats my answer. Anyway, give this crab diner a chance, they have a great staff, and atmosphere, the owner has done a wonderful job, keep up the good work! I will definately be back! Thank you

    (5)

  • iso b.

    Sandcrab cafe is yummy. Can use a some reburbishing of the outside of the restaraunt for better appeal. But reason why you come to this place is for the food. We ordered a king crab special. Different how the food is served here. they give you a mallet and a bucket full of crab legs, corn, potatos, and sausage. They pour the bucket on your table and you go to town with no silverware. staff is very friendly. Recommend this place if your willing to get down and dirty and grub some bomb seafood. Food is excellent. food may be a little pricey but the servings are big =)

    (3)

  • Shawn D.

    The seafood here is excellent! I had the fried Bay Scallops with french fries and a cup of Clam Chowder. I recommend this restaurant highly. The place looks like a hole in the wall, but serves up some of the best seafood around. The prices are very easy on the wallet too. I also recommend the crab salad sandwich there too. The staff are very attentive and friendly.

    (5)

  • scott w.

    This place is a find! I'm from new england, and this is how seafood is done. It's delicious, and perfectly priced! You'll see from the location, they don't have to cover for their lease! Great place though.

    (5)

  • darrin a.

    went for lunch the other day,first time since new ownership.Had Halibut and chips,it was OK,nothing like having fresh,but we arent in Alaska.It is for sure better with the new owners,but it would be cool if they actually ramped up the "Fresh" seafood angle,and maybe had some grilled tuna,Fresh Seabass,or things like that.

    (3)

  • Trent M.

    This has been my favorite place to eat for 5 years now. Its different so keep an open mind. If you love seafood, you'll love this place. Its unique because its not a trendy seafood place. They steam it, and dump it on your table. I would highly recommend you give it a try if you want a different dining experience.

    (5)

  • Chris E.

    I dined at The Sand Crab for the first time today with my father who was visiting from Texas and had been saving my first trip there for that occasion. We love oysters on the half shell and i figured this would be the test as to whether I ever returned to the restaurant for a second time. It was a Saturday afternoon around 1:00 pm and we came to find out from our server that the oysters are only served on Fridays and Saturdays from 5:00 pm until the oysters run out. Rich the owner over heard our request and said he would be glad to make an exception to our request. There were 3 different varieties of oysters each with different characteristics and all from Pacific waters. Rich took our order which included a mixture of the options, put on his shucking glove and knife and shucked 2 dozen oysters right in front of us. These were the meatiest and tastiest oysters I have had in a LONG time! In fact, I'm pretty sure I was getting used to pasteurized oysters that were slapped on to a reused oyster shell that I was able to dress up satisfactorily with considerable portions of hot sauce, horseradish and cocktail sauce. These were absolutely incredible. I feel lucky to have not waited in line for these on a Friday or Saturday night but I know I will have to do just that to enjoy those fine oysters again. The beer was super cold and I can't wait to begin my conquest of indulging upon the other items on the menu. The Voodoo shrimp sounds awesome. Rich is a passionate owner and knows quality seafood. To Redlobster and Joe's crabshack fans...expand your horizons and make the trip. To real seafood connoisseurs, you are in for a real treat. I thought I would have had to make a trip to Newport Coast for this!!!

    (5)

  • jimmy f.

    Don't bother - the seafood is marginal, the sausage just okay, the corn overdone, the lobster resembles dried leaves. The decor is interesting and it is too bad that the food is not better - the food stinks and the sauces are unrecognizable.

    (1)

  • elizabeth e.

    the place is kinda outta the way. service was not great and the food couldve been better. we got the bucket of seafood that had a few crab claws a handful of shrimp some dried up looking potatoes 2 pieces of mushy corn and rubbery sausage. everything tasted really fishy to me the potatoes had no flavor neither did the shrimp and everything just tasted kinda old and reheated. server was not the least bit friendly we have 2 toddlers and she seemed annoyed at them even though they were actually behaving. i got a bowl of clam chowder and that was problably the best part of my meal. all in all it was a pretty pricey lunch for not a whole lot i walked out unsatisfied i doubt ill be going back

    (1)

  • d r.

    love how they just pour all the food on the middle of the table. love the atmosphere and the price is verrry reasonable. i had a great time w/ my friends and family there. the staff are all very nice and the decor is cute. however, it is a noticeably old establishment and needs to be upgraded. i had to take my potty trained toddler in the bathroom and it was nasty. defintely needs a remodel. the other things that need improvement: the potatoes and corn were just boiled w/out any seasonings and very bland. the sausages were cut into tiny slivers which i would've preferred whole or only cut in half. would i go back there? YES because the seafood was ultimately what i was there for and was great, the atmosphere was definitely a fun one, and the price is good.

    (4)

  • J M.

    I haven't seen many seafood places like this. The way they dump a mound of seafood on the table is quite fun and unique. I would recommend it to someone who loves seafood in general. The staff is also very friendly. The downside is that I think they need to add just a few touches to their menu. They have no butter only margarine for dipping which was disappointing. They should warm or toast their bread. Also, whole sausage instead of sliced would be so much nicer. I think just those few touches would make the experience more enjoyable would really bring in more customers.

    (3)

  • Stanley T.

    The servings of crab, though over-priced, are generous. However, no matter how many different orders are placed by individuals, they are dumped together on the table. Good luck finding what you ordered. But the real reasons for my negative review are two. First, when we got the bill, there was no way to figure out what they were charging. The numbers didn't add up. I have never seen a bill presented that was so indecipherable. Second, we were a small party of 6, two boys, parents, and grandparents, celebrating one of the boy's birthday. Without being told in advance or labeled as such on the bill, a 20% "gratuity" was added. That's not a gratuity, then, it's part of the cost. So a $40 order of crab really costs $48. And the server offered to bring us what was left in the margarita blender. But we were charged the same price as a full, fresh margarita. In other words, what appeared as a nicety was just a way to add two more drinks to the bill, again with gratuity built-in as part of the price. All-in-all, we did not feel we were treated with respect. And a gratuity should be left to the customer.

    (1)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Tue

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : Free
    Has TV : No
    Dogs Allowed : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

The Original Sand Crab Tavern

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