The Surfing Crab
16723 Coastal Hwy, Lewes, DE, 19958
The Surfing Crab Menu
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Address :
16723 Coastal Hwy
Lewes, DE, 19958 - Phone (302) 644-4448
- Website https://thesurfingcrab.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :3:00 pm - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Jenna F.
It's a small place. The food is great! Everything is made fresh as you order it. This does result in a wait for your meal but it's worth it. The crabs are steamed as you order them. Try the mussels and ask for a second loaf of bread because the broth is the best part. The blackened chicken is the best I've ever tasted. Even the chicken fingers are fresh chicken they bread themselves.... nothing here is frozen. Very laid back place and laid back service.... in a good way
(4)Daniel H.
Crabs were fantastic. The crab cakes were also great. I wish we had a place like this at home.
(5)Bryan T.
Best crabs in DE period. Good idea too call ahead and get crab availability... size and prices so you know the deal up front. You can reserve your crabs too. Staff are cool and owners are good peeps!
(5)Nick M.
This place pretty much nails the roadside seafood shack thing. Go early if you want crabs, and wear an old shirt because you're definitely going to make a mess. I'm pretty sure that I ingested a week's worth of sodium, but it was definitely a fun experience.
(4)Mary H.
When our server brought out the crabs he thank us for our patience and said, "It will be worth it because these crabs were fresh caught from the Bay today" and he was right. These we're the freshest, heavy, full blue crabs we've had since Mr. Bill's Terrace Inn in Essex, MD (whose Louisiana crabs are untouchable). 5 stars on the crabs, but... Be warned that the place is very, very noisy. The seasoning is a little heavy for my tastes... We liked the fried oysters and coleslaw too.
(5)JR S.
We were looking for good local seafood being from the area and found this place. Its a gem. Off route 1 north of Lewes and away from traffic. They king crab legs were the best I've had. Shrimp were huge and very flavorful. Service was above average and the place was very clean for a crab house, We will surely be back for AYCE crabs this summer.
(5)Barb L.
YUM-O. Best crabs in town
(5)Clavius L.
dude - surf is up! best crabcakes in rehoboth, dewey, or lewes, or anywhere for that matter! staff is friendly and attentive, and those who pick crabs seem to love it too (i'm too lazy). the deviled eggs and potato salad are awesome too. can't go wrong here. this would be a 5star joint for me if prices were just a little lower - but i'm there every weekend now i go to the beach, so i guess i'm just a sucker for awesome crabs!
(4)Chris W.
All you can eat crabs for around $30, nice sized,well flavored, served to order. Don't fill up on fries first though, you want room for all the crab goodness. They were out of the softshell crabs which sucked for some of our guests, but hey, it happens. Delicious and I'll be back!
(5)Rev. Robert D.
Good crabs!! The clams are not little necks so that means lots of chewing
(3)Robert H.
Careful of the crab soup! My wife, son, daughter and I dropped in for dinner after a day at the beach. Service was okay and we enjoyed the food. However, within a couple hours, my wife and daughter were feeling nauseous and experiencing viscious cramps. The only common thing they ate was the crab soup.
(1)Lincoln W.
Wonderful experience. Staff (Eric) was extremely helpful and thoughtful in introducing us to the world of large crab dining. A remarkable place, with a very authentic and charming atmosphere...we highly recommend this spot if you are in the area. Thank you Surfing Crab!!!
(5)Dennis A.
Excellent food and Great service. Sure you sit on picnic tables and pound Maryland crabs, but you will feel like one of the family at the Surfing Crab!!
(5)Michael P.
Best crabs on the Eastern Shore!
(5)Michael K.
Crabs...just keep the piping hot and well seasoned crabs coming! The Surfing Crab is a hidden jewel located about two miles north of Five Points on the northbound side of Rt 1. Keep the speed under 65mph or you may just fly past it. We had spent the beautiful day swimming/fishing at nearby Cape Henlopen. What better way than to end the day eating steaming hot crabs. The service was outstanding and they were very quick to replace the eaten crabs and refill empty beer pitchers. All crabs sent to the table met or exceeded the large category (6" plus point to point). Give them a try. You won't be disappointed.
(4)P I.
This place is new in '09, and on Rt 1 north of the cut-off into Lewes. Open from noon until fairly late. Part of the restaurant is inside, and a big portion is on a porch, with long picnic tables where one sits with friends and strangers, too. It serves other items, but for me, the reason to come here is for the steamed crabs. The all-you-can eat choice is a pretty good deal, if you are a seasoned blue crab picker. If not, order a half-dozen and get some side dishes. When we were there in mid-July, the crabs were full and tasty. The service was quick and efficient, just what you want in at a crab restaurant. I saw quite a few locals, which is a recommendation in itself, in July. The waiter did tell us the crabs weren't local, which is a good thing, as it speaks to some integrity of the staff and/or owner. Crabs are hard to find in the mid-Atlantic, nowdays. This place was good! Written by a 5-year waitstaff veteran of The Crab Pot Restaurant (now inhabited by the original Dogfish Head. I just wish the new owners had kept the Jack Lewis bay mural in the upstairs dining area).
(4)Jade H.
We stopped here for a quick bite before hitting the road back to NY and we're already making plans to drop here on the way BACK to Bethany beach next year. The place is just what you expect, simple no cheesy decor, no gimmicks....just great food. We had the hush puppies, deviled eggs, and the fried oysters and everything was perfect! We only stopped in for a snack but man the crab legs that everyone else was ordering were making us salivate. Our server was very sweet and attentive. We look forward to coming back!
(5)Bob L.
We had a very good meal, splitting the fried oysters and the fried fish tacos. Both were very good as was the server, Quinn. The food alone makes the 10 minute drive from downtown Lewes worth it. Add in good service and we will be back.
(4)Jeff M.
An unassuming Rt. 1 seafood joint with communal seating that will fill up super quickly on those busy weekend nights. If you want to get away from the Dewey and Rehobeth traffic and crowds, this will easily suit your needs. We knew the business from relatives nearby and got there about 4:45 PM to get started and ended up grabbing one of the last picnic tables available, the line snaked out the door after we were done so don't say I didn't warn you. The food itself was hyper-local and will suit any seafood lovers needs. The price of the all you can eat crabs was $41 that night and fluctuates with the time of year, I wanted to mention it so you knew before going in what to possibly expect. Nobody in our group got this as an option and we instead, wanted to sample more items. Hush puppies, white crab chowder, tuna stacks, fried oysters and crab cakes rounded out our order. Now, I love old bay but on this trip, I learned that there are different levels of spiciness attached to it. The tuna stack was full of veggies, everything from cabbage to brussel sprouts but HOLY COW WAS IT HOT. I was stupid enough to sprinkle more old bay on top, I don't know if that just put it over the level of necessary spiciness or what but again, I needed to warn more revelers. The flavors combined well and the fried wontons (I believe) on each level pulled the dish together with a nice crunch. The crab chowder was definitely the most disappointing of the night, it was rather bland, thin and not very hot. I thought to myself a few times I should mention to the owners that they should mind the temps of their soups but I never got around to it. Our waiter always seemed so hurried in the busy dining area and disappeared for lengthy bits of time. It wasn't cold enough to return but please TSC staff, watch your temps. The fried oysters were very much like the many I have had throughout New England. Meaty, salty and a bite of the ocean in each one. I'm not sure if they are harvested in these parts of DE or not but you can't go wrong with them. So a cold soup and spotty service (albeit extremely friendly) brought this review down a star. It is by no means to be avoided though and likely one of the best seafood restaurants in Lewes. Pro Tip: If you want to go all out BALLER status, you can get a dozen 7+ inch crabs for almost $140.
(4)Stella Z.
My boyfriend and I went there an hour before close and were told only $44/person all you can eat crabs were available. We decided to order snow crab legs instead, and a fried oyster platter. Fried oyster was okay, but snow crab legs were good, relatively fresh to many places we've been.
(4)Donna B.
Great food! Cream of crab soup amazingly tasty, broil crab cakes delicious and the snow crab great in size! Will come again!
(4)Kevin G.
If you are within 50 miles of The Surfing Crab and you are not on the way you will miss out on some of the best food. The Crabs were the best. They are fresh clean and steamed to perfection. The fried shrimp were delicious. French fries were delicious. We killed of the food!
(5)Joseph E.
If you want the authentic crab experience with great customer then come here. Was a little hot and stuffy in the main dining room but that's part of the experience. Will go again.
(5)Janet H.
Loved the communal tables. Beer garden style for crabs. Purpose built for consuming crabs--lots of cold beer, paper towels, Kraft paper on the tables, great selection of all size crabs, sink for cleaning up afterwards. Excellent and friendly service. Only disappointment was that the slaw side was very small considering the price. Do not roll tide, do not roll.
(5)Ashley S.
My boyfriend and I went for the crabs, and they were top notch and cooked perfectly. They will tell you that the 'all you can eat' is the best value--2 hours of crabs, cole slaw, hush puppies, etc. for $39 per person, but we didn't come to eat fillers and it took us 1.5 hours to thoroughly pick through 13, 5.5" crabs @ $65 to split. The lesson? If you're there to get "the best value" just make sure you have a plan in place to eat non-stop. Overall a great establishment and we got exactly what we came for!
(4)Kent B.
This place is awesome. Perfect no-frills, awesome-food restaurant. Over three nights in Rehoboth/Lewes, my wife and I ate dinner here twice. I had crabs both nights. She had the crab mac 'n' cheese the first night and the crab cakes the next evening. Both were amazing, and I think she'd have a hard time picking which was best, but she did say the crab cakes were among the best she had ever had. And we've had a lot of crab cakes. I have had blue crabs throughout much of the mid-Atlantic, and this is as good as any place I've been. Nice meaty crabs, well-seasoned and perfectly steamed. Like others have said, call and tell them in advance you'd like crabs. I didn't do that the first night and waited probably 30 minutes (after our 45-minute wait for a table) as they prepared the crabs. The next night, I called ahead and had six fat crabs lined up in front of me within 10 minutes. You eat on picnic tables, and there's probably going to be a wait during the high season, but man, it's worth it. It's not five-star dining, but we had a five-star experience. Just exactly what we were looking for when it comes to a beach seafood place. We loved this place.
(5)Michael B.
Went there on a Friday night to a packed crowd of crab fanatics. A college age gentleman was there to open the front door and greet us and we were seated right away. Many families with kids seated at blue picnic tables. If you don't mind the noise of kids pounding away with hammers to crack and play with crabs, then you'll be ok. We ordered the clams, fish n chips and a salad. Food came out on time but they forgot the utensils and disappeared for a bit. We also did crab takeout a week before and had some tasty crab...but not very meaty. If you like a bar like restaurant with a family atmosphere, then this is an ok place.
(3)Barbara D.
Big big big crabs. All you can eat option, fun little bar, two separate dining areas also. I recommend the mussels, the grilled shrimp and the bisque. The crab Mac and cheese is awesome and large enough to share. The wait staff work hard to please. If picking crabs is not your thing there is plenty of other delicious entrees. I had a rockfish with crab imperial special which was to die for. Call ahead to make sure the crab delivery is in before you go or you might have to wait.
(5)John M.
If I had one meal left to eat it would be from the Surfin Crab. It does not get more more authentic. This is the gold standard of crab houses. How God intended the consumption of Blue Crabs. The crabs are off the hook (spend the money for the extra large or jumbo). I will not ever order cream of crab soup from anywhere else. It's the best. The fried oysters, steamed shrimp and mussels are all perfect. Being from Baltimore it kills me to say the best crab house on the planet is in Lewes, Delaware.......thank God I spend most weekends there.
(5)Moses R.
Ate here with my family. None of us eat crabs/ we went for regular menu items. Service was great. And all of our food(burgers, mako special, other entrees were delicious. Highly recommend
(5)Stephie Z.
Delaware and Maryland are known for their crabs so that's what I had to get (even if crab is out of season and has to be flown in from places further away than the ATL, where I just came from). The servers were awesome here despite my newbie oohing and ahhing over platters piled high with crab. Not my own of course, because my "friend" told me we had to get back to DC and AYCE crabs take too long. She's no longer my friend by the way. Bitch, don't fuck with my food! Anywho we had the next best thing...broiled crab cake sandwiches. I was quite impressed; almost all meat, with very little filler. My no longer true buddy was a little less so, but she's a cynical B so there you have it. We also got the cream of crab soup which comes topped with another large spoonful of crab. It was quite good as well. High five to this joint. If I'm ever back in Delaware I will stop by and actually get a plate piled high with crab. Watch out! The only negative thing I can really say about this place is that they need better beers on the menu. I'm a bit of a beer snob though so take that for what it's worth.
(4)Chiklet G.
Service was quick and friendly. Food was fresh and very flavorful. The price was reasonable as well.
(4)Linda D.
I moved to Delaware from Maryland's Eastern Shore 15 years ago. By far, this is the best fresh seafood I have found and most compares to what I was accustomed to back in Maryland. Their all you can eat crabs are great. Sides of potatoe salad, cole slaw or french fries are all very good. Their steamed shrimp and side of potatoe salad is my favorite lunch! Just wish they opened before 3 pm during the week.
(5)Bethany W.
As a New Englander I'm used to a certain type of crab so I really wanted to try steamed crabs in this area. Read the reviews and went with the Surfing Crab and it didn't disappoint. Six crabs for $30 which is about the going rate in RI. The crabs were actually from Louisiana however according to our very good server. Wherever they were from they were very good. DH had tuna medium rare and DS got a burger. Had bites of each of their meals and they were each great. Both very pleased. Not much on atmosphere and nowhere near the water but highly recommend as a crab-lover.
(4)Anne O.
By far, THE BEST crab cake I have ever eaten and while I do not necessarily consider myself a connoisseur there are only certain places where I will order a crab cake. We came here early knowing that it fills up fast, grabbed two seats at the bar, had a couple of beers and the rest is just a fantastic culinary memory. My husband had the all you can eat crabs which he also raved about for days. We will be back!
(5)Lamar G.
Phenomenal experience at this place last night, with good service, and great blue crab. It's difficult to mess crab up, so I put that out there. However, their hush puppies and fries were good as well. We ended up waiting about 5 minutes before going in and the creams came about 10 minutes later. Recommended. .
(5)Jen D.
Very friendly staff and cheerful decor. They we're so friendly that we still ordered a few things for carry out even though they didn't have any blue crabs (the main reason we were there; delivery truck was delayed). Sadly, half of the food wasn't as stellar - steamer clams were gritty, spiced shrimp was ok but not as fresh as I'd hoped, crab dip was underwhelming. The fried oysters were good and the deviled eggs pretty straightforward. I really wanted to love this place. Perhaps we caught them at a bad time (shortly after opening) or day (thu) and I think there was a crazy crab shortage going on? Or maybe my expectations were a little too high (Live in NY now but grew up fishing & crabbing in MD). I'd give it another try though as I think it's better than some of the other places in Lewes.
(3)Jo M.
Do NOT order a shrimp salad from this place, BIGGEST RIP OFF! $21 for a measly shrimp caesar salad! Sure, the shrimp was good, but for that price? They listed the salad as 8.95 and "make it a meal, add shrimp $12", which we assumed was the total price of the salad with shrimp, NOT 8.95+12 for a salad!!! Biggest waste. The ambiance wasn't great, beyond casual, which is fine, but not for a salad at that price! We are from NYC and are used to surged restaurant pricing, but never have we seen a small shrimp salad at that price! You can drive a little further down and go to the Big Fish Grill, which is much nicer, and get the same exact salad (actually better!) for $15!!
(1)Diane C.
This review is for those who AREN'T looking for a review on the blue crabs( which did look yummy!!) but.... We came here for a late night dinner, and were just as pleased as the last time we've eaten here. I got the snow crab legs, and ate every incredible bite!!! They were awesome!!! My boyfriend had the mahi( fish of the day) and his plate could've been put back in the cabinet it was so cleaned off! This place is simple, no frills but the food was fresh and service was excellent.. (our waiter was Casey , and he was great) although all the staff we encountered were very pleasant. We like other places in the area for dinner, but this is unpretentious, good food, good time type of place!! Looking forward to our next trip back!!!
(5)Melissa B.
The crabs were perfect, the kids meals were "meh", and the waitstaff was pretty good. The entire atmosphere is a little rough around the edges and while our children were accommodated, it felt like kids were an afterthought. The other patrons were strictly adults, and quite boisterous. Overall we liked it, and would definitely go again, but maybe without the kids.
(4)Molly T.
Very concerned with the food safety of this establishment. Watched a gloved employee apply a temporary tattoo inches from an open sore with the rag used to wipe down surfaces in the kitchen. Employee returned directly to work touching fries and shrimp without changing gloves.
(1)Annie S.
Freaking awesome place!! I found this place with a couple girlfriends after a beach day. All we wanted were good crabs and we find this gem of a crab house! I'm a big fan of MD blue crabs and am usually disappointed by the size and quality but this place is AWESOME! The crabs were meaty and fresh, delivered daily! Their jumbo lump mac'n'cheese was the bomb!! It's a must try.
(5)John G.
These people, by far, are the experts in crabs, and they are the best all you can eat crabs on the Delmarva Peninsula. I have no complaints whatsoever. Their prices aren't too bad, and the service can't be beat. There serving staff was hysterical and light-hearted. We really appreciated this. Their crabs are easily the largest I've ever eaten in my life. We did the all-you-can-eat deal, and probably ate $300 worth of the finest crabs you could get your hands on. We stayed until late in the night, close to an hour after they closed, and they were so kind and patient. They didn't seem to mind in the least. I recommend this place without any reservations whatsoever. We'll definitely be coming back. AVOID The Crab House in Rehoboth. They're terrible. The Surfing Crab has permanently earned our business.
(5)Jyll F.
Totally unbelievable little place off Route 1, great variety of crabby food available and they even have a kids menu! Prices are good, service is great and atmosphere is really relaxed. :-)
(4)Christy B.
First time visiting Delaware, and we wanted to try the blue crabs, as it is a local favorite. This place came highly recommended on Yelp. We called ahead, just as recommended, since they can't guarantee the crab, as they do sell out. Not a bad thing, obviously, as this is fresh delivered crab you're getting! We had ordered devil eggs to start, and they were good, but nothing to be amazed by. I also ordered a house salad to start, and everything was fresh and tasty! I ended up chickening out and got the snow crab legs instead of the blue crab, as I could not bring myself to break apart the entire crab, removing the lungs, etc, during the necessary process to get the meat. My boyfriend ordered a half dozen of the blue crabs, which are made with a nice coating of old bay, and served with a side of drawn butter. Being first timers, the waitstaff, as well as the locals were more than willing to show us the ropes, and even demonstrated their ways. After his lessons, my boyfriend was on his way to enjoying some pretty delicious and flavorful blue crab meat. He is typically very slow at breaking open snow crab legs, so you can imagine the time it took for him to get through 6 whole blue crabs. Haha. But it was a great experience. My snow crab legs were very meaty and the flavor was amazing. It was a fun experience and everyone was very welcoming. Although, I think the payoff of all that hard work to get the blue crab meat is not as worth it as the snow crab legs, the experience was wonderful, and I am glad we (or my boyfriend in this case) got to experience and try the blue crab sensation. This place does not disappoint!
(4)Virginia D.
This was the first time I have done a real crab fest, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. We had a dozen crabs, kids' meals, and the jumbo lump with Mac and cheese. Very nice, quick service.
(4)Kelly C.
I cannot speak to the food but the service was absolutely horrendous. My party and I decided to go to the Surfing Crab, due to its amazing Yelp reviews. We arrived to the restaurant and we are waiting for a table. While we were waiting, I had the displeasure of meeting the owner of Surfing Crab (or so that's who he said he was) and it was the epitome of horrible customer treatment. He was completely unprofessional. He said that the restaurant was not open for another half hour. At the end of his soliloquy, he told me that this was his property and he demanded that we leave. He hovered over my party, kept making remarks, and watched as we drove away. I would not recommend this restaurant.
(1)Madeline Q.
Great food and service. We ordered the crab feast and it was well worth it. Friendly atmosphere.
(5)John F.
Excellent crabs, service, and sides. Our favorite place for crabs at the Delaware shore. And beyond.
(4)Laura J.
Friendly staff, ICE cold beer, fat, heavy crabs w/perfect amount of Old Bay. Prices were reasonable, parking was good, restaurant was clean. Can't ask for more!
(5)Kimberly T.
This was our first visit here. It was a Saturday night at 8pm. The place was wall to wall with people and a lot if hammering and laughter going on. Almost everyone had ordered the All You Can Eat Crabs which was $40. The "rules" were that it was per person (no sharing), you had to eat all of the crab (no wasting), and each order took 20-30 minutes. I, nor my husband, have ever eaten whole crabs and after a long day of driving we decided to order a little differently. For a starter we shared a bowl of crab soup. It was thick, creamy, and had a huge pile of crab in the middle. We would have been satisfied with just the soup however my hubby ordered a bowl of steamed mussels. They brought out a huge bowl of them and it smelled like heaven. There was lots of garlic, butter and white wine. Plus there was literally a small loaf of bread to go with it. I ordered Alaskan King Crab Legs. I thought they were a bit pricey until they brought out my platter. They were delicious. The down side to our visit was the service was slow. It was difficult to get refills on our drinks or even get our bill. And if I'm paying $40 for crab legs I don't want to be sitting elbow to elbow at picnic tables with people I don't know. If I was with a group it might have been fun, but not as a couple.
(4)Jane M.
What a hidden gem! Great crabs!! So meaty and delicious!! They only had certain crabs by the time we rolled in at 8:00 on the fourth of July. But I'd rather have what's good than what they got to fill the menu. Excellent service. Super attentive and fast! Will definitely be coming back and bringing a crowd!!
(5)B B.
I have been going to the Surfing Crab since it opened. At first it was one of the best place to get seafood, now three years later it seems that that have gone down and prices have gone up. I can say that the loud mouth owners have not been there. If you want crabs, then this is where to go, but anything else, be prepared to spend money. My daughter just tonight ordered the crab cake, was not impressed, she said they used to be so much better, not enough crab and mostly filling.
(3)Don W.
I want to say HATS OFF to Donny and Dawn for another great season of crabs!! The crabs are the best on the entire peninsula and I have been everywhere for crabs. Get them by the 1/2 or whole dozen and you will not be disappointed! Besides them being so friendly they truly have one of the best wait staffs in the business. I also want to thank them for their commitment to Home of The Brave, to which at great expense to themselves, they through an awesome fund raiser for! I was there and it was a blast!! If you want crabs, there is no better place than The Surfin Crab!!!
(5)T H.
This place is an unbelieveable find in the Rehobeth beach area. I went here around my birthday in August, but have been meaning to write a review. The crabs were huge and seasoned to perfection - some of the best I've ever tasted. Which is saying a lot bc I am an avid crab cooker and eater- from San Fran to South Carolina. Our server was attentive and made us feel welcomed and appreciated. I've been dying to take the 3 hour drive out there again from NYC since I went cannot wait go back! Hopefully very soon!
(5)Adrian B.
I would give it five stars if it was a little bit less expensive and I actually ate crab. My wife and father in law though attested to the quality of the crabs so it gets the four stars. I had some pretty awesome hush puppies. The fried oyster seemed to be good as well. My fish and chips was good - could have been bigger pieces of fish IMHO. The chips were also nothing special. So come here for the crab - which would make sense considering the name. Also this place is good if you are not wanting to be in the Lewes-Rehoboth behemoth.
(4)Jersey G.
I've been meaning to review this place for the last couple of months. The service is outstanding and the food is even better. We (about 20 of us) came to the restaurant Thursday on Labor Day weekend with no reservations. We were a hot mess: toddlers, old people, distracted bride to be...the whole 9. We waited under a half hour (very reasonable considering we had no reservations) and they managed to get is all seated together. Everyone enjoyed their meal and the price was great. This is a spot you can't miss.
(5)Ni C.
Great place - although we went during a lull - they were out of crabs :( However, they more than made up for it with their other dishes - the fish and chips and the shrimp platters were great. Service was pretty quick and they were very helpful in giving directions. Its not cheap, but its very tasty - and kid friendly. Recommend!
(4)Kate L.
The crabs were absolutely delicious but the entire evening was ruined by the drunk and belligerent "owner" who said he would "drag me out by my hair" because he was overworked and apparently needed to go home and sleep off the copious amount of bud light he had ingested. The staff (apart from this a$$hole) were friendly and attentive. They even tried to make apologies for this jerk. One waiter told me "yeah, we just try to keep our heads down towards closing." Talk about a hostile work environment. As we were leaving (and we were only a table of 3 and the last table to leave by about 10 minutes) I went to the bathroom to wash my hands of the crab spice and heard him yell to his staff "oh great, now she's got to go to the shtter, wtf". He spent a very awkward 5 minutes at our table (which is an eternity) talking sh$t about how hard his life is and how he hadn't had a day off in 5 months. "I bet none of you have ever worked like that in your LIVES". Actually, a$$hole, I have and still do work 18 hour days for weeks and months on end. Somehow I manage to stay professional without alienating my colleagues and clients. Three of us just spent $200 in his restaurant. Instead of pleasantly checking in with us and politely telling us his restaurant was closing, he threatened us. This guy is a total douchebag. Wanna go home? Go home already. I bet the staff and customers would benefit from you NOT being there. He's kinda tall with wavy sandy blond hair. Probably has a beer bottle in his hand. If you see him, turn around and go somewhere else. Oh, and he also said "go ahead and write me a bad review. I don't give a F." Done.
(1)Jackie G.
I was there 2 weeks ago...and the crabs were excellent! The meat was so sweet, crabs were fresh out of the steamer. I thought their old bay seasoning was a bit salty, but tasty...make sure you brush off excess. Service was great and well tested...when we eat crabs its "marathon eating". Got a side of hushpuppies...also excellent. I will be back next time I'm in the area.
(5)Heather H.
Stopped here on our way out of town. Impressed with everything. Crab cakes were great. Cream of crab soup was flavored well and had a ton of lump crab meat. Even the sides were great - fresh green beans and potato salad (which I never really expect anything from) with all fresh ingredients. Cost was as expected, not cheap but not overly expensive. I'm willing to pay for good quality fresh food. Would def stop back here when in DE.
(5)Alyson O.
What a difference a year makes. We looked forward all Winter to return to The Surfing Crab. We were so disappointed with our meal tonight that we won't be back. First of all you go to The Surfing Crab for what? Crabs! We couldn't order crabs by the dozen but were told it was "all you can eat" or nothing. We only wanted 6. They wouldn't serve us 6. We ordered the peel and eat shrimp for an appetizer. The shrimp had a funny ammonia taste, a taste of old seafood. We ordered the crab cakes and it was the same ammonia taste. Everything tasted like it was left over from the weekend and we were there in Tuesday. We won't be back any time soon and it is a shame because we went twice in one week last year.
(1)Bill L.
Have been eating MD crabs for 40 years and this place is legit. Fat crabs great service and cold beer. Plus they have a sink on the wall in the dining room like any true crabhouse should!
(5)Todd C.
Waited 1 hour for a seat on a Wednesday night! Looking to have a half dozen crabs and a beer but was sadly disappointed when the rude waitress told us that there all sold out of dozen/half dozen crabs only to be shown that they have unlimited all you can eat crabs being brought out all night!!! Will never eat there again!
(2)Nikolaj M.
Best seafood place! Every time I'm in the Rehoboth area I try to eat here at least once. The seafood is so fresh and it's always a great atmosphere. I love the picnic style seating and it's a welcoming place with really friendly staff. I've been here a total of 4 times and it's been amazing every time. I definitely plan to be back, and when I first stumbled upon this place, I was so pleasantly surprised with the experience that I had to come back the next day just to see if I hit a lucky day or if this place truly was THAT good. It turns out, it is. I love their shrimp appetizer and their snow crab legs are plentiful and delicious. The price is reasonable and it's just an overall positive experience. You can never go wrong with the Surfing Crab and I would strongly recommend this place to anyone. You won't be disappointed, just go.
(5)Terence B.
Off the beaten path and worth the trip. Fresh Blue crab served the way it should be served. Picnic benches, buckets to toss your shells,plenty of paper towel and cold draft beer. Wear a dirty tee shirt, you will be glad you did and you will fit right in ! Perfect big family meal we will remember
(5)Jenny C.
Outstanding!! Superb!! Delicious all-you-can-eat hardshell crabs. Delicious malt vinegar, cole slaw, Mandarin Orange Smith Island Cake, crab seasoning and ketchup. Perfectly prepared. Great staff and owner. This is the same family that owns Bethesda Crab House. The room was a little warm from the kitchen. I can't wait to go back and try more!! This made an already great day fantastic!!
(5)Drew L.
Great crabs! Perfectly seasoned. I'm not a big crab guy, but I went back for a second time this summer because they are so good. Plus, the staff is very friendly. Definitely recommended to those who love crabs!
(5)Nicholas N.
Great crab and seafood even in the offseason (and one of the few that is open in the off season!). The staff was friendly and the outdoor fireplace was a nice touch. The food was really good. We had everything from clams, to hush puppies, to crabs. Loved the hush puppies!
(5)Becky P.
Amazing service & food. Love the tuna appetizer, the Mac and cheese for kids, the Crab Mac and cheese for adults, the soft shelled crabs, the crab cakes and the crabs of course!!!!!! My husband even ordered king crab legs which were steamed to perfection they just about slid out of the shells. Everything was wonderful including deserts. We will be visiting again next time we are in town. Thanks for a great night out! Yummmmm all the way around.
(5)Michael D.
When you want good crab you could care less about decor. You just want good quality product. This is the place. Brown paper for 'linen tops', bar trays to serve up the boiled crab and all the tools to break into the succulent morsels. They have a $40 all you can eat in 2hrs. They ship in the best blue crabs from Louisianna daily because MD shore can't supply even local needs. Best in area.
(5)Sacha C.
Not open for lunch except weekends. Went back at dinner and waited 30 min for a table. When we finally sat down, our waiter informed us that crabs must be pre-ordered. If the hostess had mentioned that we could have pre-ordered, but she didn't. And this policy is not written on the menu, nor appears anywhere on the premises, such as the big white board listing the prices of the crabs. Our only option was to do all you can eat, which was $36 per person so we passed. We ate a very mediocre meal of fish and chips, grilled mahi sandwich, and crab cake sandwich while everyone around us ate crabs. This makes no sense to me- they can give you all you can eat, but not a single tray unless you order ahead. Sounds like pure greed to me. Not likely to return.
(1)Tough C.
Even if they're not from the Chesapeake these crabs are yum! Call ahead to reserve the number and size you want. I ate 4 bug ones!
(4)Corey M.
Very good food. Insider tip: while waiting for a table order a pitcher of beer and enjoy in the parking lot. I had the Mahi dinner entree blackened. Very good and fresh. Kids enjoyed the atmosphere.
(4)James B.
Wonderful crab cakes, sandwiches, entrees, and salads. The entree comes with two sides. I like the coleslaw and the potato salad. They have a fair selection of beers including some local ones. The salads are fresh and crispy with dressing available on the side. They usually have a couple of Smith Island cakes available for dessert. Their crabs are excellent, but personally I find whole crabs to be too much work. The restaurant is closed during winter. They open for weekends in mid Spring but are open most days during the summer. I also like their crab mac & cheese, although the cheese sauce is not as great as the crab cakes.
(4)Trevor C.
As a life long resident of Lewes/Rehoboth beach I have to say that this is the best crab house in the area. They almost always have large and jumbo crabs(hint: not all do). On memorial day weekend a few friends and I purchased a dozen crabs from several crab houses in the area and the surfing crab crabs were significantly better than the others. Enormous jumbo crabs that were the freshest and sweetest of all the blue crabs we purchased. Giant clumps of meat were plentiful on almost every crab. The Location is horrible. That spot has been a trainwreck for businesses the last ten years or so. Surfing crab has finally broken the barrier and come through as a truly great destination crab house. Look forward to eating hot, fat crabs here for a long time.
(5)Jessica W.
OMG this place is now my new favorite place at the beach. Staff was great but the all you can eat Crabs were over the top!!! Going back soon !!
(5)Michelle Kei T.
Just go! So good! This is my new favorite seafood place in Rehoboth! It is absolutely worth the drive for the crab cakes alone - practically no filler and broiled to perfection. You can have them fried if you want, but trust me, you want them broiled. I'm not a big fan of mussels, but my husband got them last time we were there. They cook them in this delicious white wine garlic butter sauce that was amazing and they give you a small baguette to soak it up. I even ate a few of the mussels and I thought they were pretty good - not chewy, like most places. Next time, I'm getting the soft shells! I didn't have room for them this time, but there will be a next time very soon!
(5)Rebecca E.
Came back two years later with a group of 9 this time. The service was rude, arrogant and these people don't deserve anyone's money. We had to wait half an hour for our table which is totally understandable for a Saturday night in August. After we were seated we waited a little while and a server finally came. Scott was friendly and took our drink order. When after 15 minutes he hadn't come back we told another waiter and he finally came. When we complained he told us he was busy with other tables, added that we were impolite and that if we weren't happy we could just get up and leave. Wow. We actually made him repeat since we weren't sure he had actually said that. We were stunned but placed our order. After another ten minutes the owner came. We never really got to say what happened before he went into this his whole diatribe about how we had been confrontational and how our waiter had been in Baltimore all day. He was unbelievably rude! I mentioned that his response would cause me to edit the positive Yelp review. He said he didn't care and that he had so much business the Yelp reviews didn't matter. We sat in total disbelief and ended up deciding to pay for our drinks and leave. We were starving after a long day at the beach but there was no way we were going to give our hard earned money to these people.
(1)Bill M.
Read about this place on Yelp and figured I'd try it last night. So we all loaded into the car and went there last night. Wow!! The Food was Great! The staff was attentive and had a great family atmosphere. This place now goes on my list as a favorite place to go in Lewes, Tip: get there just before 5pm to get a table...the place fills up fast.
(5)Jeanie J.
This is the third time we've been here. Every time we arrive with a large party (10 or more) and seating is never a problem. The staff is always nice and they all seem to work together as everyone seems happy to assist in whatever we need. The food is consistently good. I can't complain about a place where you can hit your food with a hammer. If you have some pent up aggression, this might be a good place to go as well.
(4)Robert T.
GO HERE!!! Until I find better seafood in Rehoboth Beach, I'll be making the drive up to this little crab shack whenever I want fresh-as-you-can-get-it-without-catching-it-Âyourself seafood. The mussels were the best I've ever had - cooked perfectly in a white wine garlic butter sauce (with a loaf of bread for sopping up the sauce!!!). The crab cakes were amazing!!! Very little filler and great flavor. Try them broiled! You won't be sorry. There's so much more that I want to try, and I'll definitely be back to sample as much as I can. I need to learn to crack crabs so I can try the all-you-can-eat fresh crabs! Love it!!!
(5)Rich L.
We called around for jumbo crabs early in the day. When I connected with The Surfing Crab they were very cordial and accommodating. I was told that they only had XL crabs, but based on the vibe I got, I decided they were the right place. We arrived as a party of 8...the fella I spoke with on the phone greeted us and told us exactly what sizes they had received late in the day. We felt at home and were quickly seated. The place was full, which was a good sign. The dining area is exactly what a crab place is supposed to be. Screened in, temperate (they have AC blasting if necessary), and situated to accommodate large families. Now to the crabs...excellent. We got the XL crabs which were very tasty and heavy. It turns out they had some jumbos, so we got those as well. Truth is, they could have told me the XL's were jumbo and I would have accepted that. They all tasted great and were plenty big. We ordered shrimp and plenty of other accoutrements, all brought out promptly with a smile. We all left full and very satisfied with the quality of the crabs and service. It seemed they truly cared about our experience. As an aside, on the way out I spoke to the owners... It turns out I knew one of them many years ago when they were my favorite bartender. They are good people and I wish them much success with this establishment. The DE beach area needed a fresh quality crab house and this is it! Give it a shot and it might just become your go to place, hopefully for many years to come.
(5)Stacey F.
Love the food...and waitress is is great! Everytime me & my husband go their to eat everything is awesome.
(5)Corrina S.
Freshest Blue Crab I have ever had! And I had some native experts with me to back up this bold statement. We ordered a dozen of the large sized crabs and 3 of us easily devoured these with some beer. Even though the place was busy, the service was still great. It's a really laid-back place, and I wouldn't recommend wearing anything "nice" or that you fear getting messy. I only wish we had this over on the West Coast....
(5)Mark T.
Out of crabs by 5pm on a Saturday... not a great way to run a crab house. A quick look at the menu revealed a number of overpriced alternatives... no thanks.
(1)Joanne B.
The most awesome Maryland blue shell crab cakes anywhere! You get 2 4.5 ounce crab cakes with 2 sides (the coleslaw is so yummy) with no breadcrumb fillers for $28.00. The lumps of crabmeat were bigger than my thumbnail! Broiled to perfection! I also ordered the cream of crab soup that was to die for. We went on 11/30 and 12/1 (the day they closed for the season) The staff recognized us and asked "weren't you here last night"? If I lived there I would be there almost every night. I plan on visiting my family again right around March 15th when they will be re-opening again for the season. I also have to mention the staff was the best! Very helpful and courteous.
(5)J P.
Been going since opened........... There is NO other place on the shore that cooks like Donny. Best crabs ever........ and his spice shrimp is always the bomb..............
(5)Ula C.
Awesome crabs, awesome mussels, awesome fried shrimp! The crabs were fresh and delicious. The mussels was drenched with garlic butter and heavenly. The shrimp was jumbo sized and juicy. Most satisfying meal I had in awhile! Too bad I don't go to the beaches too much to pass by this place.
(5)Sandra K.
Okay. It's donnie from bethesda crab house! Don and dawn are the sweetest just like their service and the sweet crabs they serve! The chicken fingers are fresh served with hot fries for your kid and its delish! The Angus burger was "exceptional" and perfectly cooked according to the hubby. The crabs come out fresh each batch as well as homemade sides of coleslaw and potato salad. Skip the others and go to surfing crab. You will leave tummy full and happy.
(4)James H.
The real deal. Great crabs. HUGE shrimp. Great service. Cold beer. Good fries. Loved it. I'll be back.
(5)Terry H.
Stopped in for a first visit. Great crabs, perfect corn on the cob and French fries to die for. There was not one dissatisfied person in the group. I will go back again. The service was attentive in a good way.
(5)Melissa L.
Best Crabs Ever!! Haven't eaten blue crabs in 25 years and boy did this place bring back memories. My friend was a blue crab "virgin" so we got a large order. The crabs were very large and very tasty! The staff were so great and funny. We got a "how to eat a blue crab 101" lesson from the manager and the waiter was supercool. we sat there for a couple of hours eating and goofing with them. If I'm ever up that way again the Surfing Crab is my destination for awesome crab, cold beer and great wait staff!!
(5)Mark G.
Excellent crab sandwich.
(5)Free B.
In Rehoboth, Lewes, and Dewey there are quite a few good places to get blue crab. This is one of the best places. Crabs are cooked perfectly. Staff is friendly. We ordered a 1/2 bushel of 6 - 6 1/2 inch crabs and none were disappointing. Seasoning is awesome. The Surfing Crab doesn't have a wide menu. They just specialize on one thing. Crabs are expensive no matter where you go.
(4)Chris M.
This is the very best of the best if you like Eastern shore crab shacks. This place has hands down (I'M NOT KIDDING) the biggest tastiest hardshell crabs and the best prepared fried oysters (and I typically don't even like fried oysters) that I've ever had...EVER! We got the X-tra large crabs and they produced chunks of meat the size of jawbreakers. The friend oysters are dipped in a tempura-like batter and flash fried to remain tender and juicy. The fish dish specials are really inventive, about one notch below gourmet, and the prices are not over the top either. Atmosphere is non-existent but authentic...picnic benches, loud, boisterous, a bit warm in hot weather. Absolutely we try to go here at least once during every trip to the DE beaches and have turned many friends on to this place. Really awesome food!
(5)