Crab Shell - Stamford

Kid-friendliness: It's not a place for kids. Parking: The venue is located in the middle of a parking lot. Wheelchair accessibility: Yes.

I have been going to the crab shell since the 1990s when I lived closer to the restaurant. For Labor day weekend I met friends for lunch. We had a nice meal inside the restaurant and decided to later sit outside for a bit. The bartender was lovely. My friends wanted to order another drink. We were rudely told by the Manager Terry that we could not take a table unless we were going to order more food. We told him we had just eaten and wanted to order beverages. He was very nasty to us and my friend ordered additional food so we all could spend more time together. I was shocked at the lack of customer service and kindness. We had spent upwards of $150.00 in the restaurant and yet people coming in with their dogs were welcomed at tables. I will say the Server Ben was very gracious and kind and provided great service. We appreciated him. Very nice young man. Later we spoke with the owner who was also very nice. The wait staff should not have to apologize for the behavior of a Manager. I have always loved the Crab Shell and will not let a crabby manager ruin it. Still a good place, but they may want to reevaluate who represents them to the public.

This was hands down the worst restaurant experience I've ever had. The food was overpriced, not particularly tasty, and the portions were quite small. I ordered the seafood au gratin, which came with just two shrimp, one scallop, and a tiny bit of crab meat—all for $33! Another person in our group got a hamburger that had a strange taste, but didn't feel comfortable returning it, so it went uneaten. On the positive side, the service was attentive and friendly. While I might expect to pay a premium for the view, the loud, rowdy patrons at the outdoor bar really detracted from it. We even witnessed a drunken woman staggering down the dock to vomit over the railing. To top it off, the bill included tip calculations based on the total amount including tax, which is not how it should be done; tips should be calculated based on the pre-tax total. Overall, I definitely cannot recommend this place.

My wife and I arrived 30 minutes early, and they kindly let us sit at our table and brought us ice water without us even asking. The service was exceptional, and our food arrived promptly. It was delicious—definitely the best pasta I've ever had, and my wife enjoyed hers just as much. The view by the water is stunning. I highly recommend this wonderful restaurant!

My comment goes to the food ?. I sat at the Bar. Fresh, delicious ?, and the drinks ? was great . The female Bar Tender seemed very distracted on her phone ? and didn’t seem like I was a bother. Everything else, was goodFood: 5/5