Now Open: Crab Spot

Crab Spot opened at 2:00pm and when I arrived shortly after, tables were already filling up.

You enter through a foyer that resembles a blue lagoon, and the brick walls are decorated by underwater murals. A decked-out Christmas tree sits behind the hostess stand. The tables are set with candles and personal metal buckets filled with bibs, wet naps, and utensils. The menu is wide-ranging and affordable: the showcase is really the seafood combo platters (which Crab Spot posted on their Twitter yesterday) which feature lobster and Dungeness, King, and Snow crabs, but it’s rounded out with chicken, beef, and pasta dishes.

I ordered the special: fresh Maryland blue crabs delivered to the restaurant not even an hour prior to my ordering ($15), along with a bowl of the soup of the day, broccoli cheddar ($3.75). I broke into a cold sweat after my server Allen walked away, as it hit me that I had never actually eaten crab before and that it seemed like quite a production. I quickly googled “how to eat crab” on my phone, but the results only made me more nervous.

Thank goodness for Allen. He emptied the necessary tools out of my bucket, helped me with the bib, and then walked me, very patiently, through the process of digging into the heaping plate.

And it was delicious! The crabs are prepared either with garlic or Old Bay seasoning. I went with garlic, and was pleased with the decision.

Service was friendly and attentive. Multiple people came by my table to see how I was doing, and the manager, Vlad, walked from table to table throughout my meal.

Vlad stopped and chatted with me for a bit about the restaurant. Right now they’re offering one free house drink with one adult entree. They’re open seven days a week, and will be open on Christmas. They don’t currently take reservations.

“It’s a family-style place,” Vlad said. “You come in, and we’ll find you a seat.”

I’m excited to return with a group.

Crab Spot, 833 Union Street between 6th & 7th Avenues, open 2:00pm-2:00am (kitchen closes at midnight), (718) 622-CRAB (2722)

Exterior photo via Brownstoner