Cangrejo Rojo — Restaurant in Puerto Natales

Cangrejo Rojo is severely underrated… I have traveled quite a bit, and believe that this restaurant has some of the BEST seafood. We ordered quite a bit, and everything was worth it, so here is my lengthy review…

The Spicy King Crab, Scallops, and Shrimp starter was the perfect balance of buttery and saltiness from the seafood. There is a small kick of heat from the red peppers as well that worked so well with the dish. The seafood was cooked well and tasted fresh. It’s so good, my dad even started drinking the butter by the spoonful!

The Pan Seared Southern Octopus on Tandori Masala Sautéed Vegetables was packed with that masala flavor which went perfectly with the octopus. The octopus had a nice char and absorbed much of the spices.

The Brothy Rice with Conger, Shellfish and Vegetables was such a comforting dish. The variety of seafood was all fresh, so you get that slight oceanic flavor. You are able to choose between three fishes, so we just tried the conger as recommended by our waitress. It was a great choice!

The Spicy King Crab on Chardonnay White Risotto was so rich from the cream in the risotto. Compared to the US, the cream has more of a buttery taste that shines throughout the dish. Additionally, the sheer amount of king crab that the dish came with is extremely generous. For 22.000 CLP, the risotto is definitely worth it.

As for drinks, we ordered the Calafate Sour which is just as good as people say. For one, it’s a beautiful cocktail. It also happens to be delicious and contains a good balance of Pisco and the juices. The raspberry juice and lemonade with ginger are also great non-alcoholic beverages. The raspberry juice is incredibly sweet though!

Finally, the service is immaculate and the servers were very attentive. Our waitress told us that all the food was made with love which was honestly very heartwarming to hear! The ambience is fun and inside decor is very eccentric as well. However, there were not many others in the restaurant which confuses me?? In my humble opinion, everyone who loves seafood should give Cangrejo Rojo a try. The prices are not too shabby (in comparison to seafood spots in the US) and they give you good portions. It might be a little far away from the main part of Puerto Natales, but it’s 100% worth...

Cangrejo Rojo was my favourite place to eat in Puerto Natales. The location is not the best if you are staying up towards the main street, but Puerto Natales is a small town so it is very quick to walk. The staff are incredibly friendly and the service is great (the chef will occasionally come out and personally speak to you, especially if it is not busy when you are eating). Service can be a bit slow if the restaurant is full, but the atmosphere and the food are totally worth the wait. With each meal you receive complementary bread with tomato salsa and a tuna dip. One of the mains I had was the lamb loin which was perfectly seasoned and incredibly soft, falling apart in my fork. I also had the Patagonian octopus with sauteed vegetables, which was cooked perfectly. All food I had was seasoned perfectly. If you can only stop for a quick afternoon tea or something, their pies/cakes are absolutely delicious and are definitely the highlight of this already...

The reviews are real. This place comes highly recommended. The atmosphere is cozy, I like how there is a stove out in the open. I had the King Crab Gratin. I'm not a huge Gratin guy, but this was fantastic. They give you some bread sides to dip into it as well. I ordered a Calafate sour and it was also very nice. The drinks are pretty strong, especially for the modest price. The dessert was a homemade berry crumble and it came with Calafate berry ice cream (upon request). Simply divine. It hit all the marks on taste and texture. Everything a dessert should be. The staff are super kind and friendly and are able to communicate a bit in English. Finally, the prices are a little bit higher than some other places but considering the quality of ingredients like King Crab, it's justified. A meal like this would have cost me over double back in Canada. Overall, a must try when in Puerto Natales, I would easily return should I pass...