Crackin Crab Review
Hello! My name is Lester Racca and this is my blow. In this blog, I will review the local seafood restaurant that originated here in Albuquerque, Crackin’ Crab.
This is the entrance to Crackin’ Crab. There is a big picture of some customer. I am not sure if they are popular or regulars but it seems they are held in high regard since they have a big picture.
This place is the area you see when you first walk in. This is the main dining hall where most of the guests eat. It can seat around 40-50 people at max. You can also see pictures on the wall. These pictures consist of customers that celebrated their birthday at Crackin’ Crab. There are hundreds, if not a thousand or two thousand pictures on the wall. There are also decorations to set the mood to a more seaside restaurant.
This is the bar. This is right across the main dining area. I am under 18 so unfortunately I was not able to try this place out, but I believe it is mainly for adults who may want a drink after their meal or even just a drink with friends. It is not a huge bar since the overall place is small, however it is still an alternate option for those who may not be feeling seafood at that certain time.
This is just another point of view of the main dining area. There are even more pictures of customers eating at Crackin’ Crab. I was not able to see this one that well so I am not entirely sure that they are pictures of people who celebrated their birthday at Crackin’ Crab, but I am pretty sure it is. There are also small flat screen TVs for people who are in need of a little entertainment during their meal.
Although the restaurant is fairly small, they do have an upstairs area where people can also eat. When I went there to take pictures, there were surprisingly more people upstairs than in the main dining area. This is a good change of scenery so that may be a reason of why more people might prefer to eat here.
My Personal Review
I am going to mainly talk about 3 things. I want to talk about the food, the location, as well as the customer service. I only picked a couple reviews because typing out all of the reviews would make the blog a bit long. So I only included 3 reviews in total.
First off, the food was amazing. The only thing I can compare it to is Down N’ Dirty on Wyoming and Montgomery. Although Down N’ Dirty is good, I may have to give it to Crackin’ Crab. The sauce tastes better and personally, I am not super fond of spicy food and Crackin’ Crab was more to my taste. It is slightly spicy but not too spicy. The crab shell was super soft and it was very easy to break. I did not need the shell cracker except for the claws which were the hardest part of the crab. The shrimp was also really juicy and delicious. It was cooked well and the process of peeling the skin was so smooth. I usually dread having to peel the skin before eating shrimp but it was so smooth of a process in Crackin’ Crab that I did not mind at all. We also got scallops and this sausage that I forgot the name of. The scallops and sausage were really good. I got the meal with rice and combining the rice with the seafood boil sauce is heavenly.
Moving on, the atmosphere. I have less to comment about this than the food, but it was definitely great. When I think about seafood, I usually think about fancy restaurants that are able to serve lobsters, pasta with scallops, etc., however Crackin’ Crab is definitely a casual-friendly place. When I was eating with my friends and family, I was casually having fun and eating messily. I found it very pleasant that I can enjoy a delicacy such as seafood casually.
Lastly, the customer service was amazing. There was actually another filipino that works there and they were our server. I believe they treated us a bit nicer because we were both filipino, however I looked around and the service was amazing everywhere. It is a small place, so waiters/waitresses could constantly help you if you need it. You can quickly make another order, or ask for the check within seconds of raising your hand or signaling a waiter/waitress.
Krystal’s Review
Krystal is the girlfriend of my brother. They go to Crackin Crab a lot so I prioritized their reviews over most of my other family members.
Krystal: My favorite food is the crab. I have loved crab since I was a child in the Philippines and this restaurant allowed me to enjoy it again after moving to Albuquerque. However, the shell of the crab is sometimes a bit too soft, making it harder to crack open and get the crab meat out. I often cut myself whenever the shell of the crab is too soft. I pair that with rice and the Crackin’ Crab sauce. The sauce is rich in flavor and is a great compliment to the crab and seafood in general.
Krystal: Crackin’ Crab is nearby my work, so I can easily head there for lunch, have an amazing seafood meal, and then head back to work. I also like that it is nearby a lot of other restaurants and a movie theater so a friends’ night out can be full of fun after eating at the Crackin’ Crab. There is also a Cold Stone nearby this location, allowing for a delicious desert after a scrumptious meal.
Krystal: My boyfriend and I go there a lot so the employees are familiar with us. Every time we go there, the customer service is always exceptional. We are served our food at a very fast pace and we never have to wait very long for the check or any extra orders. I have been and will continue going to that location to enjoy seafood when I want to.
Latrell’s Review
Latrell is my brother and goes to this location many times with Krystal.
Latrell: The favorite thing that I like to order from Crackin’ Crab is their shrimp. Mostly because my girlfriend likes to eat the crab and she does not like to share. The headless shrimp is very easy to peel and the shrimp also absorbs the flavor of the Crackin’ Crab sauce, so when you take a bite, it is as if a seafood explosion bursts in your mouth. I also like the rice and the sauce combined, because it pairs well with the already delicious shrimp.
Latrell: The location is really far from my house so the drive is a bit longer than I would like whenever we decide to eat at the Crackin’ Crab. Other than that, I really like that location. There are a lot of other entertainment places close by, such as Century Rio 24 movie theatre, as well as Main Event. I really like that they have a wall of pictures of birthdays celebrated at Crackin’ Crab. It really shows that they care about their customers and their enjoyment.
Latrell: The staff at the Crackin’ Crab are always helpful. When my girlfriend and I first went there, they were patient and really helped us decide what we would like to eat. They would give us recommendations or even customer favorites.
Crackin' Crab Review 