The Crab Cooker — Restaurant in Newport Beach

UPDATE Not one single manager or anybody from this establishment contacted me about the racism we experienced at this location. Their silence speaks volumes. We just went to the location in Tustin, not knowing they were connected. The manager kept coming into the room, where we were dining with our children, and kept looking at us. It almost looked like he was looking for a reason to speak to us. When our children, aged 4 and 1, got up and were running in circles near us (for literally only 2 minutes), he jumped to come in and talk to us. He was not kind. We left quickly after that. I will never return to either location again. The service was absolutely horrible, and I will never return to this location. I want to start off by saying I totally understand that a lot of places are short-staffed due to the pandemic. I have a lot of patience and understanding regarding the current climate of the service/restaurant industry. With that being said, this had nothing to do with being short-staffed. My husband and I are an interracial couple. The way I was treated was entirely horrible. Our waiter came up to our table and asked us what we would like to drink. My husband placed his order in. As I opened my mouth to speak, our waiter turned around and left. My husband and I thought that was odd, but we tried to let it go, as it was busy. He came back with my husband's drink, dropped it off to him, and walked away. He came back to check on my husband, but not once did he ask about my drink order. When he walked around checking in on others, I finally spoke up, a bit shocked from the treatment I was receiving. I told him I wanted to order a drink, too. He seemed irritated but took my order and walked away. I ordered a decaf coffee, and again, I understood that this was something that would not be immediately available. We finally ordered, and our food came out. Our food was wonderful! After about 15 minutes, I asked about the status of my drink. Again, no apologies or explanation. Just irritation. My coffee did not come with creamer as my husband's did. My husband was offered a refill, which was nice for him. I finally had my husband speak up for me and order more creamer so I could chug my coffee down. We asked for the bill and waited a while for that to come as well. I didn't get any offers for a refill on my water and definitely did not enjoy my coffee as I had intended to. The whole experience was very disappointing and discouraging, and to be completely honest, it felt a bit isolating. I noticed our waiter, though a bit overwhelmed, checked on our customers. He talked to them and treated them like equal human beings. I, however, could not even get a drink order in, let alone an apology for the treatment I received. I have already spoken to friends about the treatment I received, and they are discouraged about going there as well. Such a huge...

Last day of March, thank goodness they still had raw oysters. That was the best thing overall here. Dinner served on Paperplates should never be served in a dining room, unless for children or at an outdoor BBQ. Paperplates are so non-California, save the planet, less is more, reduce-reuse-recycle. Paperplates are not that cheap, do nothing to save the environment, participate in deforestation, and are just plain cheap for a nice restaurant. This restaurant would be way more classy if they used real ceramic plateware. Plastic cups for all drinks, except wine came in a small glass. Maybe the owner should go visit the landfill and see what they are causing...especially all the wind is just making the area trashy with all that blows away from garbage cans as well the dump. This is the west coast of the US. Where is the fresh wild west coast salmon? Not at this restaurant. Very disappointed that you do not offer the, true natural, five species of pacific salmon. Farmed Atlantic salmon is full of parasites and disease, not a healthy choice and is an invasion species if caught in the wild. Probably will be outlawed one day. As the side dish options, what about fresh steam vegetables, of any sort? There are so many year round farms to buy from locally, yet you "import fresh potatoes" and cook and mash them and add cheese and I don't know what else. How do we really know that these are fresh? The catch of the day was maybe a 4oz portion, Alaskan halibut, slightly overcooked. The mix seafood on a skewer was not enough food, especially for the cost. We truly expected 3 or more skewers of seafood of 3 different types...one scallop, really?!? Cheap cheap cheap. If we weren't totally starving when we arrived, we would have left. We will not recommend this place and will not be back again. Most definitely not worth the money spent. Our server was polite and nice, but it could have been a little more prompt. Also, please put on the menu the clam chowder is "Manhattan style". A table next to use was shocked when they received the red clam chowder and said nothing, just passed it around for their friends to try and didn't seem very satisfied with the red seafood chowder. This is a cheap seafood kabob restaurant with small portions, some small portions of steamed crab and deep fried crabcakes. No vegan options, no vegetarian options, no beef or...

I was not impressed. I had been looking forward to going here for quite some time. I've been walking past the building for years, on my morning walks, but am always back to Huntington Beach by the time they open. I loved the signage on the outside of the building, and the colors. However I decided to stick around this time, and go to lunch. I was excited for some crab! I walked in, and was greeted quickly with a nice smile, and seated at a table near the window. A bench seat on the window side, and a wooden chair opposite a small table near the neighboring diners. I chose to sit in the chair to face the window, as I was dining alone. I asked if they had out door seating, they said no. Which is a shame being across the street from the beach, and it was a beautiful day. Having been given a menu, I began to look through it. I had expected it to be expensive so the prices didn't surprise me. I knew I wanted crab, so the choice was either a one pd plate, or an A la carte. The waitress came over, asked if I wanted something to drink, I ordered a margarita, and the crab A la carte. The waitress said it would be two claws. No legs. I went with it. As I waited, I noticed there was no music. I really didn't like the room in general, I was looking out the window. People watched. The waitress brought my margarita in a glass, and my water in a plastic cup. I thought that was odd. The wait for my two crab claws was long. In fact, so long, that while I waited, at the table next to me was seated an elderly woman and a young man. They ordered, received their plates of salmon, rice ect, then notified the waitress the fish was burnt. Had the plates taken away and replaced, all before I got my two dinky crab claws and butter on a paper plate with plastic utensils. Oh, yes, did I mention they use paper plates, paper napkins, plastic knives and forks? The only thing on my table they needed to wash was my margarita glass, and the metal crab cracker. I really, just couldn't wait to pay the $75. 00 bill to get out of there and go back to the beach. I'll never go back there again. If only just to save the planet from all the extra plastic in...