The Crab Shed in South Hams

Everything about our meal was exceptional

We ate here as it was a special occasion. Made even more special by eating delicious well presented food. The Crabshed is popular and busy. We booked our table ages ago. The service we received from the super friendly staff was excellent. We had an enjoyable memorable evening. Made even more special by the busy chef thanking us as we left the restaurant. Thank you everyone.

Planned this visit as we all like good fish meal. Good job we booked in advance as it was very busy. The hot, cracked crab with garlic butter was the star of the show. Fresh, tasty, and plenty of meat. Other meals had were the crab linguine, tomato & mozzarella linguine, crab sandwich and the garlic & chilli prawns - all greatly enjoyed. Service was great despite how busy they were. Would definitely recommend.

Very helpful, friendly staff. Reasonable, good-sized, crab sandwich but the crab was a bit swamped by the dressing. View v good. Spoiled by group at next table having loud/unavoidable X-rated/pornographic conversation, which staff knew about but failed to address. Great suggestion for a post-prandial walk given by staff. I'd visit again, but with a little caution

One of the best seafood restaurants I have ever been to, the Crab & the pasta were exceptional and so was the service & atmosphere.

Great restaurant, good quality fresh seafood. Linguine with crab was divine.

Amazing little place in a gorgeous location. Great service and fantastic food. Highly recommend a visit but make sure you book, it's very popular!

A superb little place on the harbour with a brilliant menu. Crab done really tasty in both the sandwich and linguine.

Incredible. Beautifully cooked food, amazing atmosphere, service was impeccable. Would highly recommend.

Absolutely delicious and amazing! My youngest son loved eating his first Salcombe crab & it was delicious (couldn't help have some of his). But all the dishes we ate were fantastic which included the moules mariniere, the scallops, garlic prawns & the crab linguine. The scallops were particularly good. Staff were very friendly & helpful. Will definitely return on our next visit to Devon.

WOW, what an experience. Had the Fruits de Mer, shared with husband, who had already informed myself that he would only be eating the lobster and prawns as he doesn't like crab, clams and scallops and mussels. Which was great because I love she'll fish. After 10mins and 2 scallops left I reminded him he didn't like shell fish and as for the Crab, let's not go there. Service, atmosphere and food impeccable. Definitely going again and yes, hubby has been converted. Thank you guys, amazing.

Writing this while sitting eating one of the nicest meals we've ever had! Everyone went for something different and each dish was incredible. The fish stew bouillabaisse, crab linguine, crab sandwich were particular highlights!! Amazing place, view is beautiful. Definitely come if you're in Salcombe!

Way over priced for what it is. Nothing really that special but charging crazy prices with a service charge that it is really a rip off. Just trying to rip off tourists really. Wouldn’t recommend and wouldn’t go back.

Best seafood experience in the south-west. Booking is a must as the restaurant is small. Had the scallops, dressed crab, catch of the day and crabby fries, all superb. The local ice cream from the Salcombe Dairy was a lovely way to finish too. Lovely outside seating area as well, imagine it would be great to soak in the brilliant views of the estuary had it been a little warmer.

Was visiting Salcombe and wanted a crab sandwich, and although this place is out of the main area (in a car park) we managed to find it. This small place is quaint, only a few tables inside and some outside but rugs supplied for outside if wanted.. it over looks the sea & a small pontoon with several boats. Menu has purple crab options as well as other seafood dishes (might of had meat but tbh I didn’t notice), Had the crab sandwich (£18:00) with side of fries (£4:00). The sandwich was grain bread, lemon mayo & packed full of white & brown crab meat, garnished with small side salad -it was delicious. Great place to visit & have delicious food with a view

This is a lovely little restaurant with a choice of both indoor and outdoor dining in the picturesque village of Salcombe. The waiting staff were friendly and helpful in finding us a table for three during a busy lunchtime even though we hadn’t pre-booked, they were also very knowledgeable about their menu. The food arrived at our table quickly and was piping hot. The portions of fish and chips were a good size for the money and the Mornay daily special was delicious. The best dish though was The Crabby Fries that we all wished we had more of. All in all a great meal in friendly and busy restaurant.

What a wonderful dining experience. Nice to return, and despite the high expectations after our previous visit, we were blown away by the quality of our Easter Sunday lunch. Dog friendly so perfect for a post-walk lunch. The standard menu with a special starter and a catch of the day. Wonderful service from the off, pitched perfectly. We decided on a terrace table to enjoy the sea air as we ate. Food highlights included the special starter of the soft taco with breaded plaice with a beautiful offsetting salsa. The crab bisque is always a joy. Moules marinière was accompanied by the crabby fries. Possibly the best moules I've ever had. Nice to know also from where the various seafood has been sourced. All local of course. We couldn't manage pudding, despite the temptation of a sticky toffee pud. Espressos rounded off the meal, ready for the onward walk. Such a perfect place to enjoy some of the best seafood around. Cooked with great skill, and served by lovely people. Bravo.

Lovely trip into Salcombe, had a lovely time and great service from all the staff, made a lovely walk even better. A must visit.

Very nice linguine on a sunny day by the harbour. Good service, I can highly recommend it.

We had a lovely lunch at the Crab Shed. Lucky to get a place sitting outside looking over the harbour. We both went for the special which was seafood risotto . It was not cheap but worth every penny. A lovely glass of pinot grigio to accompany a great meal. The waiting staff were also top class.

This was the most sublime seafood I have eaten in years. We had the fish of the day which was Hake on bed of new potatoes with lemon and garlic. Other main course was Crab Linguine which had a massive amount of crab meat. Totally delicious and I reckon best restaurant in Salcombe.

Celebrated my son’s 30th at this fantastic sea food restaurant. The staff took great care of us and seafood is some of the best we’ve had. Reasonably priced as well

Amazing as always, best restaurant in Salcombe!

Oh yes , what a jem ! So glad we found them 😃 A must visit , wonderful 🥂

Fabulous fish restaurant. Wonderful fresh ingredients beautifully cooked and presented in good size portions. Not cheap, but worth every penny.

We visited The Crab Shed for an early dinner on Mother’s Day and managed to get a table outside on the terrace in the sun. Service was great, great choice of wine and all of our food was delicious, highly recommend the crab topped fries! Can’t wait to visit again when we’re next in the area.

Delicious lunch here with my toddler and fiancé. Potted crab was so delicious as was the fish and chips and the server was lovely and very attentive especially with our little boy

Had a couple of meals over the past year at the Crabshed , all have been superb . Recently celebrated my birthday here with my first lunchtime meal , food was excellent , service friendly and quick can 100% recommend this marvellous place

This is an amazing restaurant. We had scallops grown all of 300 metres from the restaurant. They were sweet and delicious. The crab was amazing. This is such a one off restaurant sitting in the middle of the boat yard. What a find!

We have the most delicious lunch at the Crab Shed. We had scallops, king prawns, the Crab Bisque which were all very tasty. The fish of the day, crab linguine, bouillabaisse, fish and chips and Dressed Crab were exceptional main courses. My two children really enjoyed their meals, the portions for all were great and nobody was left disappointed. I would highly recommend a lunch or Dinner at the Crab shed in Salcombe.

Just faultless....the "serving" team were a perfect mix of knowledge and fun and the chefs turned out food that was exceptional. A must visit if you are anywhere near Salcombe

Great experience for the Wife’s birthday. The fruit de Mer was so fantastic. My wife had never tried most of the things in the dish but loved every bit of it. Cannot recommend highly enough

Fantastic place to eat. The starter of prawns was the best tasting I’ve ever had and the cracked crab was delicious. Might be the best seafood restaurant I’ve ever been to and the cosy atmosphere is superb. Will definitely be back.

Amazing food Highly recommend mussels, prawns, crab & fish and chips. Loved it so much we’ve booked already for our next visit in July.

Had the crab and tomato bisque and a portion of fries . Really delicious soup . Good wine and attentive service.

We had a lovely meal here last week. Fresh seafood with delicious flavours and the staff really have knowledge of the menu

Visited for dinner on a cold night in Feb Had crab, scallops and mussels. Faultless. Absolutely delicious On point service too from very friendly and well informed staff Loved everything about it

We had a delicious dinner here last night. Despite being a wintery, cold January evening the welcome and atmosphere was warm and inviting. Starters included mussels, scallops and prawns which were all delicious. Mains were the fish of the day, crab linguine and mussels. Again, all delicious - the only comment would be that the fish was slightly overcooked but had excellent flavours and was still enjoyed. We were very well looked after and the attention to detail was excellent. Thoroughly recommend and definitely book at busier times of year as there aren't many tables. Thank you for an excellent dinner.

The best line caught bass that I have had in a long time food fresh and full of flavour.bread really good and service fabulous you must book as only small place but in the summer loads of outdoor seating. Thanks you James for you very help with the booking your a star ⭐

Yum! Scallops were divine (I keep thinking about them they were that good!!!) Crab was delicious. Chips were done right. Bread rolls nice and doughy. Malbec was smooth. Atmosphere and aesthetics were calm and warming. 10/10 will go again. I am dairy-free so the staff very kindly accommodated and cooked my meals with oil instead of butter. My partner had the prawns for starter and he said the sauce was incredible, and then the special for main - sea bass with boiled potatoes.

Excellent food and location overlooking the harbour in the Crab, themed restaurant. Not very big can be busy so booking, even for a lunchtime out of holiday season recommended.

Love love love this restaurant. Superb food, reasonably priced and always attentive staff that care and want to enhance your “meal out”. We’ve been several times over the years. Each time we come away feeling like we’ve just had the best time. Simple set up, overlooking the estuary. Definitely worth a visit. Summer obvs brighter than winter, but winter offers a cosiness and experience you’ll never forget!

Our first time visiting the Crab Shed and definitely not the last. Lovely potted crab and crab bruschetta for starters followed by a whole crab (to share). Fabulous tasting food, lovely location on the waters edge and excellent, friendly service from Nicola(?). Highly recommended

Had a fabulous lunch today, 2/12/24. We enjoyed the amazing bouillabaisse and crab sandwiches, chips and pinot grigio rose. Highly recommended with very attentive staff, who made the eating experience fantastic.

A lovely evening meal at the Crab Shack, wonderful fresh tasty food, fabulous local scallops followed by locally caught crab. Excellent friendly service, a great goodie experience. If you like all things crab then this is the plaice(!) for you!

Fantastic restaurant. Locally caught crab and scallops were amazing. The service was pitched perfectly - a super friendly and attentive team! All Round lovely evening and meal. A Must try when in Salcombe! 10/10

A unique spot excellent value. Crab available in different ways from full DIY to dressed. My DIY crab was just under 2kilos,my choice, and excellent. Service was good. Booking essential, It's not a big place.

We drove down from chudleigh for some seafood 🦞 We usually go to the crab shack in teignmouth, but last year we were a little disappointed, and decided to try somewhere different. The service was welcoming and friendly. We ordered the fruits de mer (for 2), which usually includes lobster, but sadly they had run out 😭 We came for the lobster, but the staff were so apologetic and made up for the lack of lobster with extra crab, scallops, prawns and mussels. It was a feast for the eyes and the belly. We went away satisfied, and would definitely go back again. 🙏🏽

I don’t want to write this but feel i need to. We have probably had 30 lunch and dinners here over the past ten years however my recent visits have all suffered from the same issues which isn’t the food… Food has always been good or excellent however the service has started to make me feel like I am doing them a favour turning up. Each of the last four or five visits without fail I have made a dinner booking weeks or months in advance and been made to wait outside for 10-20 minutes for our table. To the point where it became no longer just coincidence, it seems like the ethos is to get as many covers in the allotted time slot as is humanly possible. This last occasion we booked for 7.30 but had an email before we arrived asking if we wouldn’t mind coming at 7.45 or 8. Knowing the form we said yes 8pm was fine if it meant we were not waiting. However although the table was ready for 8pm this time, we had to wait an hour for our starter to arrive and having tables who came in after us eating before us. I feel that the Crab Shed has been given a bit of a free pass with regards to competition in the past years but with Rockfish imminent that may change.

My wife and I went here whilst on our honeymoon last week. We cannot wait to bring some of our family back again soon to enjoy more of the delicious seafood! Service was amazing. Crab Shed was the highlight to our stay in Salcombe!

Excellent welcome at the door, we were early but they were able to accommodate. Starters were amazing, I had Moules Mariniere which were plump and juicy and my partner had the potted crab, which I did taste. It was delicious. Both had mains of the crab linguine which had chunks of crab & plenty of it. It was luscious. We both very satisfied & happy with our visit. It is an absolute must if you visit Salcombe.

Amazing food! Have the muscles and the crab sandwich! Lovely people as well. Come here, you won’t regret it?

So good we came twice in one week. Lovely service, great food and so welcoming.

Delicious crab linguine and scallops. Very welcoming staff today with efficient service.

The food was absolutely mouthwatering, especially the Catalan fish stew. The staff were incredibly friendly and attentive, and the stunning view perfectly complemented the meal.

Great meal. Enjoyed the crab sandwich with a salad and some fries. Delicious. Staff were very friendly and polite. Lovely setting as we sat outside on the deck and enjoyed the view. Highly recommended.

Early booking for my wife, 4 month old and I after strong recommendations. Lovely spot, real nice inside. Maitre D was fabulous all evening - steering my wife away from “messy” dishes that wouldn’t be ideal with a 4 month old in her hands!! Food was fab, the best bit if bass I’ve ever eaten. Service could be a little sharper - I had to ask for more drinks and chase my fries that arrived halfway through the meal. That aside, great evening. Call ahead to book for sure.

Top notch, reception, service & food. This without doubt is a treat not to be missed. The staff, food & ambience is just superb. Great experience from booking, reception, service, chef & the whole team. We loved it! Get in there & enjoy, a real pleasure. Thank you. 🙏🏻 😁👏💯

Excellent cracked crab. A bit of effort, but well worth it. The dressed crab looked good too if you want something a little easier. Great service.

Fabulous dinner and great service

This is a real gem of a place. Dont miss out the opportunity. We had the best cooked battered fish and crab salad you could experience. Superb. Great staff, young, enthusiastic and hard working to ensure your experience is complete. Sat by the waters edge at the lovely town of Salcombe.

A must must try in Salcombe. Really friendly staff and great food.

Great food, fresh and good size portions. Lovely location too

Superb food. Fish of the day presentation was amazing. Just wish we lived closer

I had the bruschetta to start and cracked crab in butter sauce for my main, it was delicious! My first time picking crab and it was super fun and rewarding because it was so tasty!

I've only eaten there once and my experience was very positive. The staff were very warm and welcoming. The restaurant is very busy and it's advisable to book well in advance. We just managed to get a table outside. Luckily the weather stayed dry. There was 6 of us and 4 of us had their daily special which lucky for us was freshly caught that day "Hake". Perfectly seasoned on a bed of crushed new potatoes with a crab and tomato bisque. My youngest granddaughter had a crab linguine that tasted devine. My grandson not being adventurous had battered haddock and fries with pea puree and tartar sauce. The over all experience was excellent and to all dog owners they are pet friendly. If I venture to Salcombe again I will definitely pay another visit to the crab shed.

How do you like your Crab ?? Served in hot garlic butter !!!! Great place, over looking the estuary.

We had some lovely crab here, but the catch of the day special was lovely. Seabass with bombay potatoes and crab korma.

A fantastic restaurant located just out of town in Salcombe. I ordered the catch of the day which was curried monk fish. An unbelievable dish. So fresh and tasty. My wife ordered the fish and chips which was also very tasty. Definitely have to try this place if you are near by. You will need to call ahead and book!

Staying here with friends, had a late lunch here. Beautiful food, served by cheery staff. Potted crab (had by two of us)was excellent, as were the scallops had by the other two. Three then had the local catch of the day - hake, with crushed new pots, beans, I had the Crab Shed bouillabaise. The food was really very good. Well cooked & presented. The bouillabaise was full of fish, mussels, clams, hake, mackerel, prawns, in a wonderful broth, plenty of bread. Highly recommended. Bill for 4, inclusive of wine was just about £250, which I thought was reasonable for what we had.

Refreshing the to be served by staff who engage and enjoy humour. Had a lovely afternoon. Would recommend the mussels for starters and carb for main.

Really casual atmosphere, with exceptionally high food quality!

We had lunch at the Crab Shed with our 2 young children. Our youngest aged 10 had been excited to try a crab for the very first time. We ordered a crab linguine, fish and chips and the whole crab. We were so impressed with the food and service. The lovely owner took the time to teach our son how to best tackle the crab as this was a first time experience for him. We can’t thank you enough for the whole experience.

We had a great lunch here, the food and service were brilliant.

Can’t recommend the Crab Shed enough! I’d easily say it’s the best food I’ve had in Salcombe.

I liked it, as did the rest of the family. Great location and we had a fantastic table outside in the sun. Warning though, as it can get a bit breezy, so take a jumper and possibly a waterproof. Service was ok, a little slow to take drinks order. Food was good without being excellent. My paella had I little too much saffron in it, so had started to get that slightly ‘medicinal’ taste.

Fantastic lunch at the Crab Shed. Brilliant food and wine.

A gorgeous place, informal and relaxed atmosphere. The food was beautifully cooked, would highly recommend!

Great food party of ten all fully fed and enjoyed all meals

Fantastic place to enjoy the freshest crab in Salcombe. Very attentive service, only a short wait for food to arrive despite restaurant being full. Potted crab starter and crabby fries with our mains were absolutely divine! Fairly expensive, but good food normally is, and this was worth every penny. Overall we couldn’t fault the place (although did suggest some outside patio heaters just to take the chill off the evening air). Well done CrabShed. 👏👏

Great place for crab and fish dishes, well worth a visit.

Crab sandwich and crabby fries . What’s not to like . Oh to add a great estuary vista . Friendly service . Loved visiting this busy place and getting lucky with a walk-in.

Amazing food, fresh and well presented. Staff are all great! Friendly and warm. Knowledgeable about the menu and about my gluten free (coeliac) diet. Drinks were great, good champagne. Look forward to going back!

Amazing crab and seafood. The outdoor seating overlooks the water which is perfect especially on a beautiful sunny day.

Fantastic food and service! I had the whole crab (the house special) which is amazing. Huge. But… very messy! Be prepared! My husband had the monkfish special which was delicious. Staff were super friendly and helpful. Our only improvement would be some background music and slight mood (less bright) lighting in the evening to give it a bit more atmosphere. Will 100% be back - looking forward to a sunny day and enjoying the “Fruits de mer” platter on the terrace with a bottle of rose!

We strolled over to the restaurant without a reservation. Luckily we were able to snag some seats, near the entrance. Emma took care of us. Suggested a few choices that we all agreed on. Fruits de Mer ; Included a whole crab, Salcombe lobster, mussels, clams, scallops and prawns served with garlic and herb butter. Classic Fish and Chips Crab Shed Bisque As some guests had left, Emma moved us indoors. The first dish served was the Crab Shed Bisque, which was delightful—creamy, rich and bursting with crab flavour in every spoonful. It was truly authentic! Following that was the fish and chips which I found to be decent but not outstanding. The Fruits de Mer looked quite impressive with an array of seafood on display. The lobster was expertly prepared with a balanced flavour that I particularly enjoyed. However the South Devon crab didn't quite meet my expectations; it had a drier texture. Personally, I prefer the tender and juicy meat of tropical mud crabs compared to the crab meat from colder waters. Despite this I remained unfazed. I savoured the cooking and ambience by the sea. Salcombe crab shed is truly a place that I adore. I'm already looking forward to returning next year.

I had an amazingly good whole lobster. Cooked to perfection with simple garlic butter. Beautiful.

Great spot at the far end of Salcombe. Sitting outside looking across the water is ideal. Team could not be more pleasant or helpful. Prompt service. Food solid performance if not standout.

Quite simply - THE BEST seafood meal I've ever had. From the effort they made to squeeze us in when calling to book, to the meal itself - an all round first class experience. Every mouthful of our food was utterly delicious. Even the side salad was a thing of delight. We were seated next to the semi-open kitchen and had some good banter with the chefs too. Cant wait to come back! Thank you for running such a fabulous place.

Welcomed like a prison door, perhaps because we are French!! Lots of free tables outside and we are told that everything is reserved even for a drink!! Ahahahha good joke!

Fab place for seafood- great portions of fresh, great quality fish and shellfish. Staff were lovely too.

Staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. Definitely a highlight for us

Lovely food. Waitresses were very helpful and smiley. Location is lovely overlooking the water. Can highly recommend

We booked here to celebrate my wife's birthday. We live locally and are lucky to have a wide choice of excellent venues. I am an ex Hotel and Food Inspector so I like to feel I know what I am looking at! This venue is quirky in the grand scheme of things, so if you like different, you like good fresh seafood, and a choice of something to wash it down with, then get yourselves booked in. Booking is essential!! The staff are superb. The young lady serving our table is called Catherine. Good food knowledge, combined with a superb personality made our evening. My wife chose Prosecco, Potted crab and beautifully presented scallops. ( a slice of lime on top would have completed the presentation)...but superbly cooked. I went down the route of Salcombe Brewery IPA, Potted Crab and a Crab Linguini. The food was amazing , the evening sun warming and the view stupendous. It was one of the best meals ever, in a location that you could not buy. Our bill including service was a shade over £100. With food, I am an avid believer that you get what you pay for. I really wish this establishment, and their fantastic staff well for the future in an ever more competitive market. Thank you all for a memorable evening.

Always such a fantastic experience! Always worth a visit! Delicious!

Best fish and chips I’ve had in a long time. Salads were also amazing. Great wine, and right on the water with beautiful views. Dog friendly too

Fabulous food and reasonably priced….. booked for another visit ❤️

Sadly didn’t get to eat here. Pre-booked online via their website and had a prompt to save to my iPhone calendar which I did. However, when I presented on the day at the time I thought I had booked there was no reservation? Strangely though having never been to the Crab Shed before it had my name and mobile number in its system? Staff member kept asking if I’d had email confirmation. Well no but please explain why you have my name and number if I hadn’t made some sort of connection via your online booking portal. Clearly a glitch but was made to feel like it was my fault! Would I rush back? No, went to Ferry Inn much nicer views and friendlier staff.

Lovely meal in the Shed, nice atmosphere throughout. Crab was delicious. Worth visiting.

Sitting outside for lunch by the muddy because of the low tide time wasn’t great. Otherwise great!