The Boil Shack — Restaurant in Town of Colonie

Ordered food to go back at the end of March. We were told 15 minutes, I waited an hour. We ordered shrimp and crab boil with no spice. Went home to eat and it was so spicy we literally each took one bite and didn’t eat anymore. I called immediately only to be told the manager was too busy and he would call back. I called for almost three months before I could get a manager on the phone let alone get one to call back. I spoke to so many staff members that PROMISED they would have the manager call back but never did. I asked if I should come in and speak to a manager several times only to be told the managers weren’t there or that it would be pointless as I needed to speak to the manager on the phone first. I finally spoke to Wendy this past Thursday explained my situation and she was rude and argumentative. THREE MONTHS OF CALLING WITH NO CALL BACK OR ACKNOWLEDGMENT FOR $70 WASTED IS INEXCUSABLE, PERIOD. She told me to come in for a refund. When I got there yesterday she tried to say they would only give me half back I said absolutely not. She said I should have come in, I told her I would have if her staff did not advise me I would be wasting my time and that SHE should have returned a phone call from one of the thirty I left in three months. After going back and forth she finally gave me my full refund. She was so rude and the fact that they can’t address customer issues with their disgusting overpriced food and want to essentially steal money instead of trying to make things right shows the morale, or lack thereof, of this place. These people don’t belong in the restaurant business. They will fail and close down soon, I’ll bet my life on it! Please save your time and money and go elsewhere. I will NEVER go back and will advise all my clients to stay away from...

This place is great for shellfish lovers. They have various types of crab, shrimp, crawfish and even lobster. I don't actually like seafood much myself but they have a delmonico steak that was better than you typically find at a place that is so focused on seafood. They don't offer much that doesn't come from the sea but what they do have, they seem to try to treat right. The prices seem very reasonable, though you might find it a little pricey compared to the coastal regions that such dishes come from. They were apparently unexpectedly busy on a monday night from a party of 30 and a few parties of 8-10 but despite being a little understaffed from the situation, we never felt forgotten.

I can see how reviews could be mixed here, though. The restaurant isn't very well defined. If you put kraft paper on the table and hung a fishing net across the wall, it would probably get more good reviews. If you put the servers in dress shirts rather than the matching cheesy design tshirts, they would probably get more bad reviews. This place doesn't seem to have quite decided what it really wants to be. It gives off a bit of a finer dining vibe from the aesthetics that isn't matched by the reality of what it is. Combine this with the confusion of marking things at 'market price', which most people don't really understand (it has nothing to do with the price you saw it for at the grocery store recently), and you are bound to have a lot of misplaced expectations. I would also argue against getting this as take-out. A seafood boil definitely has a sweetspot to be eaten. If you miss that because of travel time, it won't be as good.

All of that said, again, we had a good experience so our review is...

WOW! If you love Cajun and great service like I do, then you hit the mother load here!! Seriously generous portions across the board, amazing flavour and exceptional service!! I was anxious to try this restaurant for some time and so happy I finally did. I had my "dinner" at the bar. Brie is an incredible bartender who patiently explained the broils and listened carefully as I told her what I was feeling food wise, really hungry but not too much. She recommended the Grilled Head On Shrimp but headless (appetizer) and a side of white rice. She anlso recommended and brought me a little side of "Explosion Sauce". OMG!! The presentation could not have been better! The grilled shrimp arrived on that checkered paper on a wide flat aluminum cake pan plate. This was a large, gorgeous pile of midsized (lol) spicy and slightly sweet, grilled to perfection, juicy crunch in every freakishly savory bite shrimp. I could not decide which sauce was more outstanding, but I will say do NOT miss out on the Explosion Sauce. Brie also makes you feel like a longtime friend, warm and professional and actually cares about her work and her customers.. she made me feel like the only patron in the house on a busy Saturday night. What a fantastic experience and dinner!! Thank you for lovely experience!! And I am...