The Crab Shack (Auckland CBD, Auckland, New Zealand)

I have been wanting to dine in at this place for a long time but we don’t have a reason to go to the city during dinner times up until now. We got a chance a couple of weeks ago when our daughter had dinner with her friends after a long time, they haven’t seen each other, not that I don’t want to let her join us for dinner but we just want to go out too since there was no reason to cook anyways as there was only two of us dining at home.

It was a Friday when we dined out and it was an easy option because during this time we were abstaining from meat due to the Lenten season, so our only option during those times is either a vegetarian or seafood restaurant. After a quick Google search, I found an article on the top 5 Auckland seafood restaurants and “The Crab Shack” was there and it reminded me that it was on my to-try list.

The Crab Shack, this coastal themed casual dining and drinking experience serves mainly seafood, from Crabs, fish, mussels, tuatuas and much more. Located in the Auckland Central waterfront, the spot is as prime as it could be. The setting is quite relaxed and informal, even if it was in the centre of Auckland CBD surprisingly what they have on offer was quite reasonable.

We started with some Clams by the Bucket (NZ$20.00) on a Garlic Herb and Butter Sauce which we paired with some Cheesy Garlic Bread (NZ$11.00) to soak it in all that saucy goodness.

Then for mains we had some Classic Crayfish and Prawn Roll (NZ$27.00) prepared with buttered roll, old bay spice and chipotle mayo.

We also had this Seafood Linguine (NZ$30.00) served with shrimp, clams, tomato, chilli and oregano.

And to top it all off, our choice for drinks was the Sangria (NZ$20.00), prepared with Pinot Noir mixed with seasonal fruit, juices & soda served on a 500ml carafe.

Overall, everything was great, the only thing not so good was the potato chips served with the rolls, it was too salty but it got replaced with a non-salty one after we let them know. Our favourite was the linguine, the pasta was perfect, the sauce was so tasty. The rolls were good too, it was a dream on every bite, creamy, sweet and meaty, it was a mess to eat but I don’t care because that thing was amazing. The clam bucket was perfect too, they were the tuatua variety which means these clams are packed with flavours, be sure to order some bread to grab all those flavours from the bucket. As for the service, it was spot on, the waiter that served us was friendly, always served with a smile, he even offered to take a photo of us after he saw me struggling with my selfie stance. Definitely, this place is highly recommended, located in a prime spot, with good food and good service, with a reasonable price, what more can you ask for.

The Crab Shack
Address: Shed 22 Princes Wharf, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
Phone: +649 972 1599
Website: https://www.crabshack.co.nz/