The Cray Seafood & Grill Restaurant Rockingham — Restaurant in Rockingham

This is not a 5 star review.

We love food, to put it simply, and we are always on the lookout for extraordinary culinary experiences. Our recent visit to "The Cray" left us nothing short of utterly disappointed. While the staff's friendliness and the pleasant decor initially gave me hope for an exceptional dining affair, the subpar execution of the food shattered any expectation I had.

The first misstep occurred when my companions and I decided to indulge in the seafood platters, swayed by the restaurant's glowing reviews, and “quality” suggestive prices. Little did we know that we were about to embark on a culinary rollercoaster of regret. "The Cray," a name that evokes thoughts of simplicity and deliciousness, presented us instead with a tragic spectacle. Nestled in the middle of the platter was supposed to be a beautifully prepared crayfish, but what we found was a kilogram of cheese with the consistency of spray-on foam, obscuring any hope of enjoyment. To add insult to injury, the crayfish itself, once liberated from its gooey cheese prison, was cooked to perfection. It was as if the restaurant was more interested in pandering to those who are unsure about seafood than in showcasing its true potential.

Moving on to the fish, which was enveloped in an overly thick batter. After peeling away this culinary Armor, we finally discovered its saving grace: tender, flavourful fish. It was a shame that the kitchen had failed to strike the delicate balance between a crisp coating and the succulence of the fish within. Clearly, the chef's lack of finesse in executing this fundamental aspect of the dish is emblematic of the restaurant's overall approach.

To our dismay, this plate of seafood extravaganza was inundated with not one, not two, but three other creamy concoctions. Garlic Prawns, the Morten bay Bug and the blackened fish. All dishes that could have been a highlight but instead turned into a greasy cross bread mornay like nightmare. It felt as if we were force-fed a greasy carbonara from a local foreign deli, rather than a thoughtfully crafted seafood platter. It's baffling how a seafood establishment fails to comprehend that the ocean's bounty possesses inherent flavours that deserve to shine on their own, without being smothered in soapy chili mussel sauce, thick and uninspiring creamy garlic sauce, and an outright mornay disaster.

To add salt to the wound, "Cray" has the audacity to charge an exorbitant $159 premium for the privilege of having a crayfish on your plate. Perhaps they should take a humble trip to Catalano's in Baldivis, where a mere $55 seafood platter showcases the ocean's true potential without relying on gimmicks. A lesson can be learned from this modest establishment on how to harness the natural flavours of seafood and create an unforgettable dining experience.

Again, while the staff's friendliness and the pleasing decor may serve as a facade, the lacklustre and misguided execution of the food renders any positives,...

First time visit for dinner Friday PM. Restaurant maybe half full. Steady flow. Staff were busy, friendly and attentive.

Slightly lower overall rating for the food. We ordered the famous Cray Platter for Two. It came out piping hot within half an hour. Was a generous meal.

Moreton Bay bugs were extremely dry, as overcooked. Crayfish was fantastic. Very meaty. Had to request more mussels as some hadn't opened and several were empty.

Very small sized mussel meat. Waitress was super quick to sort. The second serve had actual chilli in the hot sauce, which was great for dipping the cheesey smothered crayfish in.

Kilpatrick (meaty sauce topped) oysters were nice, although sauce a little heavy. Natural probably better, and no extra charge added.

Prawn on skewers had a very margarine like taste and it looked like they were seated on a puddle of margarine to Shame .No garlicky flavour either. The prawn themselves were great. Plump and juicy.

Fish was small but fantastic flavour and texture. Crumbed and deep fried foods were very good. Especially the chips.

A small dipping bowl of garlicky butter and/or chilli tomato sauce ( spot the kiwi) would be perfect to accompany. And maybe a little crusty white bread to mop up the excess sauces to.

We had to take pepper and salt from another table as requests for them, were forgotten twice. However it was nice that food wasn't overly salty. Presentation was very nice.

The restaurant is lowkey but modern. Very relaxed. Staff were lovely, not overpowering at all. Allowed us to take excess home for the kids. Gave us plenty of good quality serviettes. The place was clean and easy to access. Plenty of parking to.

We enjoyed this rare date night out. Thank you. Will be a one off...

We have been wanting to try the Rockingham Cray Seafood restaurant for along time but like most finances are tight. I planned a birthday surprise meal/celebration, Earlier in the day I phoned the restaurant and I talked to Tiana and Wow she's brilliant, I took a nice bunch of a dozen red roses 🌹 and chocolates down to the restaurant. Then at about 5:45pm I took my beautiful unsuspecting partner/Susi down to the Rockingham Cray Seafood restaurant, when we arrived Tiana and a couple of the staff greeted us and wished Susi a happy birthday then Tiana escorted us to our table which they had all set up with the roses, chocolates and cards, along with a happy birthday card from Tiana and a card from the staff which was a nice surprise. Tiana and all off the staff were brilliant as was the service and food, THANK YOU TIANA you and all off your staff made the surprise, meal and Susi's birthday dinner soo much more special and Susi was genuinely surprised and she really enjoyed the whole evening, Tiana thank you soo much for helping me pull off this surprise for Susi with your help and your staffs help you really did make it easier for me and soo much more special. Oh also Tiana thank you for taking the photos of us standing under the sign, as Susi asked me earlier if she could get a photo off us both under that sign. We both highly recommend the Rockingham Cray Seafood restaurant and Tiana and the whole team, also a big thank you to the chef/chefs it was a beautiful meal, oh and we were very happy and impressed with the portion sizes considering it's Seafood we felt it was very good. FIVE STARS for everyone and everything, it was all soo much appreciated, we will be back. Thank you Tiana FIVE STARS Kind...