Claw Shack

Since moving to the South Bay from New Orleans, I've been on the hunt for the seafood boil spot that reminds me the most of NOLA (my fave out there is Big EZ), and this is the place!! Like most seafood boil spots in CA, claw shack does Asian/cajun fusion style seafood, which is exactly what I was looking for. My go-to order is a pound of crawfish with the shambalang sauce, corn, and a side of garlic fries with extra garlic. - crawfish - usually frozen during the times I've ordered which is fine. The crawfish are a good size and don't taste overly frozen. Not mushy and have a nice bounce/chew while also not being too dry. - shambalang sauce - sooooo good. Perfect mix of savory and tangy with a hint of acidity. This sauce is what reminds me of Big EZ back in NOLA. So flavorful! - garlic fries - also soooo good, and another South Bay dupe for my fave seafood boil garlic fries in NOLA haha. The fries are so crispy yet also so perfectly seasoned. I like to save the sauce after I finish up my crawfish and dip my fries in them--this elevates the garlic fry experience so much. The restaurant itself is a bit small, but wait times usually aren't bad. A lot of times I'll skip that too and just order to-go online or through their app. Still tastes the same even after the drive home!

Claw Shack has always been one of my top seafood boil places to visit here in the Bay. There isn't a lot of seating here but usually when we come there isn't a wait. Claw Shack has one of the best sauces in my opinion which is called the Shambalang. The seafood here tastes pretty fresh and paired perfectly with their sauces. Shambalang is my favorite because it's similar to the Boiling Crab sauce expect it is more tangy. The Shackie's sauce is pretty good as well but it is pretty sweet. Medium spice was also perfect for us. The only downside to this place is the service. Every single visit you have to either flag a server down or come around the corner to the register to get service. The servers here are not attentive but the food will come out fast.

My all-time favorite spot for seafood boil! I keep coming back because the shrimp is always big, never mushy, and the sauce is consistently delicious. I prefer the Shackie sauce with crawfish and a side of rice. The Shackie sauce is thicker and more flavorful compared to the Shambalang, which is lighter. The garlic noodles are also a must! - Soft, chow mein-style perfection.I love coming here for dates or with friends. The area has a nice, cozy vibe, parking is easy, and it's perfect for dinner. The service is great too, they're always quick to refill waters.

Some friends recommended that I try the crab at this restaurant, and I happened to be nearby. It's a small restaurant, but this is expected for a cozy crab shack. The service was quick and friendly. I ordered the snow crab with the bread roll and potato. The crab was tasty with their signature Shakie house sauce. The bread was also light and fluffy and the potato was delicious. A great meal if you have a hankering for seafood.

We ordered the seafood sampler, clam chowder, and two pounds of crawfish with two flavors at medium spicy (Shackie's and Shambalang). The staff was very friendly and explained their two popular sauces and the flavor profile to us. The clam chowder was rich and creamy, maybe even a bit buttery, the clam was also pretty tender. (4/5)The seafood sampler was pretty standard, came with tarter sauce and cocktail sauce. The batter was really crispy but didn't give it much flavor most of the flavors came from the two sauce. The cocktail sauce was good, it is on the sweeter side with a hint of horseradish, which was a nice touch (3.5/5). The tarter sauce was pretty standard, just tasted like mayo and a little hint of lemon juice and relish.The crawfish was cooked well. Better than some places I been to, where it was over cooked and a bit mushy. Both flavors were pretty decent, but I wished they added a bit more sauce. (3/5)

I had an amazing experience at Claw Shack! The food was absolutely delicious, especially the seafood boil, which was fresh, flavorful, and perfectly seasoned. The staff was attentive, friendly, and made sure we had everything we needed. The food came out extremely fast and The ambiance was warm and inviting, with a fun and casual vibe that made the meal even more enjoyable. Everything from the service to the food exceeded my expectations. I highly recommend this spot for anyone craving great seafood.

So excited to try Claw Shack again after a few years! We had a great first experience years ago but just never found ourselves back in the area. Service was exceptional, explained the menu options and was so welcoming. I love the garlic noodles so much and the chicken wings with garlic honey flavor-- garlic galooore. The boiled entree of shrimp and mussels is our go to order, with the shackie's special house blend sauce. Good parking lot with availability. Overall great casual spot to enjoy seafood boil.

Claw Shack is located in a small strip mall next to X Tea. Parking can be challenging during peak hours.Inside and outside patio seating available.The service is pretty friendly and attentive.Shrimp Gumbo: fresh, home-style soup with deep brown roux and onions, bell peppers, okra, chicken, smoked sausages, and shrimp (3/5). I was hoping for a richer, thicker gumbo. It was ok.Garlic Noodles (4/5). Very flavorful. Potent garlicky with a bite of black pepper. Fried Fish Fillets (with fries): deep-fried hand breaded, funeral corn flour fish fillets with a house Special blend of cajun spices served with crispy and crunchy seasoned fries and tarter sauce (4/5).

Claw Shack is STILL my favorite place for seafood boil! I've been going here for the past 10 years and they STAY consistent compared to other restaurants in the Bay.I always get shrimp, crawfish, or clams + shackies medium sauce and add $6 to make it a combo! Shackies is the best sauce IMO but I still have to try shambalang sauce! They also put a decent amount of sauce compared to other places! I also LOVE the garlic noodles here because you can actually taste the garlic. It's also on the sweeter side.The service is always the best here as well! I'll definitely be back when I'm craving seafood boil!

I've been here so many times. This is my favorite Viet Cajun crab spot. Way better than Boiling Crab, Kickin Crab and all the other spots in San Jose. My go to is Dungeness crab when they have it. If not, then I get the snow crab which comes with a French bread. For the sauce, I always order the shackies sauce since it's the thickest one. I like how all the garlic bits and sauce clings to the crab. I also like the sauce because it's not too lemony. A lot of sauces I've tried at all these Cajun crab places put way too much lemon and all you taste is tart. The garlic noodles here are also really good. The texture of the noodles is perfect and there is lots of garlic flavor.