The Fat crab in Harrow

Been here plenty of times and the food is divine especially the calamari and the portions are decent and staff are nice. Just wish it had a bigger venue!

The Fat Crab never fails to impress. We brought my cousin here for his birthday dinner and he said the Lobster with the whole shebang spice and lemon pepper fries was one of the best meals he's ever had. I agree! I'll be back soon! 🤤🦞🦐🍤

Really nice good amazing staff who are accommodating to your needs straight away thank you ! As well big thank you to Anda

Horrible customer service very rude and when I asked if they have a walk in service they said yes I drove all the way for 40 minutes and they said no sorry we are fully booked. Tiny restaurant with horrible staff.

I come here every now and then when I fancy crab and prawns, it has not changed much over the years, a couple of new items on the menu, the food is good and cooked well so no complaints ! but I have noticed the price has gone up considerably! I would recommend Fat Crab but be prepared to pay!

We had many varieties of carbs and all were very good and tasty. But expensive still value.

Had an absolutely fantastic experience at the Fat Crab in Harrow. We had the lobsters, snow crab, prawns and mussels which were all great quality. Highly recommend the Cajun sauce which was divine! Anda looked after us brilliantly, guiding us through the experience and taking special care to cater to the needs of our little one. Would definitely visit again!

Food was amazing. Being served again by Umy was even better! She is so knowledgable and passionate about food and seafood, she helped us with ordering and most importantly how to eat and get the most out of our order. Incredible service and food overall.

Amazing customer service from Umy who is always so friendly & polite & makes my partner & I feel so welcome & comfortable she most definitely deserves a raise! we have enjoyed sitting at the restaurant many times & the Seafood is so delicious we even order for takeout for collection only would be ideal if there was a delivery service also! Highly recommend Fat Crab & we will return there again Food is delicious & the atmosphere is great!

We've been eager to try this seafood boil spot for quite some time, and I must say, it lived up to our expectations. It's easily one of the best dining experiences I've had in a while. I'm already looking forward to going back, and my daughter and I can't stop raving about it. Seafood enthusiasts should definitely give it a try. The food was fresh, delightful, and the staff was incredibly friendly, especially our amazing waitress.

Easily the worst service and rudest staff you'll ever encounter. I didn't actually try the food because I left before getting my meal. I didn't feel welcome at all, it almost felt like I was going for a free meal and not a paid experience and that made me very uncomfortable. A tip for the management : service is equally as important as the quality of your food. It's either that staff are not qualified or they're just not happy working for you.

We arrived to the restaurant at 17:00 on a week day, there were three empty 4 seater tables and we were refused service because we have a baby(3 month old in a pram), they said they have one reservation but that would still leave empty tables. The excuse we were given is “safety” although the place is supposedly wheelchair accessible, and despite us agreeing to sit anywhere suitable they refused to seat us or offer alternatives. I have never been faced with such discrimination and lack of understanding, to think that we drove all the way from St. Albans for this. PS: if you have babies or use a wheelchair this is not the place for you, they will make sure to disrespect you and deny you service.

Fat crab is an excellent restaurant with great food. However, some of their take away clients have utterly appalling manners and disgusting behaviour. Leaving their bags littering the streets after eating their take away from the fat crab . It happens quite often and is a sad reflection of the lack of manners of some individuals.

Paid £34 for a lobster had me on the toilet all night

There are a variety of choices in crabs in addition to flavours. The quality and taste of the crab meat and prawn were sooo good and I loved the fried mussels. The price is very reasonable and I was very happy with the service.

Shrimp was really nice but mussels had sand and was gritty clearly wasn’t washed properly very off putting customer service was ok I can’t complain

Amazing staff, food was not as I expected. Something with sauce didn't sit right with me. Other then that all good.

I absolutely love this place. I called earlier in the day to book for four people but was told they were fully booked however, I got a call back later in the day informing me thay had a cancellation which was amazing the fact they noted I made the request earlier. From the moment we sat down to when we finished, it was fantastic. The head waiter explained which dishes are which and goes with which flavour, he even showed how best to eat the crab, as one of my guests was a newbie. Well worth the money and experience. The lobster was extremely tasty and meaty, and the crab was plentyful with the legs, body and claws. We definitely will be coming back A+++

First time trying the American seafood boil . We ordered a lobster and a brown crab, with fries and sweet potato fries as sides + two drinks , which summed up as £85 in total for two person . Never thought it can rival the steamed Chinese mitten crab we eat in Hong Kong but dare I say , the portion, freshness and the juiciness of the seafood are unparalleled (even with our critical and picky Cantonese taste buds). Server is patient and amazing in explaining how the mains are cooked. Got a tap for you to wash your hands after handling the seafood.

My favourite treat! Shabang sauce is unreal - and so is the snow crab! I visit frequently and it’s 100% worth the hour drive!! The staff are always lovely and have strong knowledge of their produce and even help you if you’re a newbie to cracking shells!!!

We were the first to arrive that day and first to order. Other people came in and ordered after us. They got their food before us. We chased it with the only waiter after our food hadn’t arrived for 45 mins after ordering and he said it would be 5 to 6 minutes. It then took another 15 mins to arrive. So we waited 1 hour for 2 mains and 1 side despite being the first to order that day. It takes 15 mins to steam a crab. Not sure why it was so delayed. Food was nice though.

Great friendly staff. Very good service and food. 5 star would have been given if t was a little more spacious and I had a water bowl for my juicy fingers!!

Four of us went for dinner and it was absolutely wonderful, pefectly cooked in a bag that you simply open and eat as it is, but being shellfish you don't need anything else except the claw crackers. We had the crab, lobster, prawns and mussles, all were delicious. Fries on the side but the sweet potato ones were the best. Very basic decor but great service. About £50 a head including wine and service but great quality and large portions. Will definitely go again.

Very tasty recommend highly. Ume was able to fit us in on a Saturday. Thank you 😊

Incredibly overpriced cafe in odd location, parking terrible. Wouldn't kill them to offer a plate or finger bowl. Had to repeatedly ask for napkins to eat messy food by hand. Won't be returning

I was forced to come here as I’m not a fan of sea food, but omggg sooo glad I went! The seafood boil was delicious 🤤 would definitely recommend and the service was amazing from beautiful umi.

Been meaning to try the Fat Crab for about 2 years - had takeaway Lobster and Soft-shell Crab - both were excellent. Lemon pepper fries and sweet potato fries also very good. I collected the order, it was ready at the time suggested when I phoned the order in and well packaged up for drive home. Would definitely recommend for seafood lovers.

Saw the reviews and thought I just have to come down here but I have to admit, the food is quite average. We tried the crawfish, lobster, prawns, and blue swimmer crab with the whole shabang sauce, and the flavour just wasn’t it. The sauce was overpowered by the lemon skin and left a bitter after taste. The potatoes were slightly undercooked and quite hard to brake with hands. The shellfish itself wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t something to get me excited to come back for either. While the Cajun fries were absolutely fantastic, I was left quite underwhelmed by the overall flavours of the night - 5/10

Delicious, delicious, delicious 😋 😍

Amazing food!! .. had a lobster here, seasoning is great and the sauce is absolutely amazing !. Make sure to add some corn to the bag!! .. the price was very reasonable too, around £40 per person we paid, had a full lobster chips and prawns to share and a bottle of coke!!.

The food was amazing!!! Honestly, if I could eat out every day, I would definitely go here!! Wish it was bigger so you could take a little longer to chill and eat, but the vibe is amazing, food is fantastic!!

Amazing experience. Had the snow crab with the whole shebang and was absolutely delicious. Umei (hope I've spelt that correctly), our waitress gave us some tips on how to best eat the crab and was an absolute life saver! Great food, great service, great place. Highly recommend.

One of the great places in Rayners Lane with fantastic seafood, the atmosphere is amazing and a great restaurant to have a fresh meal. If you want to try the King Crab you've seen being caught on Discovery channel, this is the place in the area.

I will never go back again. I had to wait couple of minutes when I arrived after I wait for the food, come after 45 minutes and I ordered 2 beers on both they put the lemon with the hands and food come cold and without the taste!!!!

Great place to eat been here a few times and allways loved it the fish is fresh and the sauce are amazing, only issue the restaurant is a bit small I believe 4 tables well worth the wait prices are slightly expensive but the quality is amazing look to spend around £70/100 for 2 people with drinks

Lovely food good menu you if you enjoy Messy eating it'll be for you🙂

Prices have gone up AGAIN, portions have reduced and the quality just isn't as fantastic as when the restaurant first opened. Average price per person is now upwards of £35/40, so it has to be a real treat to go. It's the same amount of food for the increased price, the calamari portion is smaller than usual despite being £2 more. The flavour wasn’t as good as usual either so that was very disappointing - the food tasted too garlicky instead of the spices it usually tastes of. We paid almost £4 each for a J20 that doesn’t even fit in the cup provided. We spent more time removing poo from the prawns than actually eating, which made it entirely laborious and unenjoyable. We got sat next to the fridge that staff were constantly in and out of and talking right over us as we dined - not an intimate dinner for 2 experience at all. Bins were left right next to our table as we were sat by the kitchen doors and they were being taken out - extremely off-putting to say the least. Just yuck. We are regular customers at Fat Crab and feel like never returning because of the price increases, lower standard and portions of food and the overall environment. It's a lot of money to spend for a treat meal only to experience overwhelming disappointment.

Was a bit hesitant after reading some reviews but it was an amazing experience!! The staff were so lovely, the food came out super quickly, I highly recommend having the garlic sauce (it was heaven!) and was very affordable. Will be 100% coming back!

God damn!! What a place if you love sea food. This is the only place you need to be. I've seen cooks like this in America but never here. Hot bags of seafood with dipping sauces. What more can you ask for. My fingers/hands were absolutely messy, but I enjoyed every bit of the place. Soft shell crab is a must.

The place is very cozy despite it is a small restaurant, food was very delicious, the service was superbe especially a lovely lady called Omima who has a warm welcome and she thaught me how to eat Crab. I highly recommend this restaurant

I don’t know with what to start first. The food I cannot say that it was bad, I liked it. But the service was horrible. If you want to be treated like unwelcome, you have my invitation to go to this restaurant. First, our table was busy and we had to wait few minute and after we got the table the serving was almost like I need to serve myself. They didn’t give us those plastic protection for dirt. We ordered the food and drinks and we had to ask for the drinks when the food arrived. Its a restaurant with max 6 tables we’re can be in 15 people. More like 3x4m. Instead of serving the clients the ladies preferred to stay on the phone. One was hidden in the closet with the door a little open, but you can see her clearly and the other one the same in a corner. Occasionally she remembered that she had to take some orders or payments. We ordered some fries and we didn’t received them. So my opinion cook at home, because on the prices they have you have better service at home and better food. So disappointing

Absolutely love this place! What flavours! Be prepared to get messy but that will only enhance your visit! Omi ( apologies if I spelt the name wrong) is lovely. Gives great recommendations and teaches you the easiest way to enjoy your crabs! 10/10 from us!

This was an awful experience with very poor customer service and communication. All our food was completely wrong. When we was almost finished we notice ants climbing up the table. I had to walk out as was almost sick. We complained we was not happy, and asked for money to be taken off our bill they refused this! I will not be going back here they are very rude. The toilets were messy and the whole place was not clean I will be putting in a formal complaint!

So much promise. Tucked away on an unassuming road in Harrow you’ll find The Fat Crab, one of three restaurants dotted in and around London. At first glance, it appears to be a clumsily put together restaurant in a small, dark space hosting no more than five tables. But once you sit down, you realise there’s a lot of thought behind the concept. Inspired by the vibrant flavours of Sri Lanka, The Fat Crab provides a relaxed atmosphere to indulge in some truly delicious seafood boil. While the lobster and mussels, served literally in the bag it’s been cooked in, were flavourful and succulent, not everything was perfect. We ordered jumbo scallops and fried baby rice crabs to start. These were both disappointing, the crabs were under seasoned and over cooked while the scallops were underdone and really didn’t need to be breaded. Although we added prawns to our bags, they arrived sans-prawn. The staff quickly rectified this and brought us a portion of prawns in a separate dish, however these had not been cooked in the bag with all the flavours so while they were certainly plump, they were unfortunately bland. We walked away pretty satisfied with our meal, however the experience didn’t end there. Myself and my dining companion both suffered upset stomachs through the night. We suspect the undercooked scallops may have been the culprit, but can’t be sure. All in all, definitely one to try, but I’d recommend sticking to the boil bags.

We are unhappy with the service; we made visit twice and both time we got no luck although we had made booking and everything was confirmed. We were really looking forward to try this place but now you have lost us. I believe we could have been treated better.

Loved the fat crab! We ordered mussels, the snow crab and prawns with chips as a side and it was super tasty! The shabang sauce is so delicious. The concept of eating with your hands and making a mess is perfect, loved it! The actual restaurant is very tiny so it’s important to book in advance but it’s definitely worth going. Will definitely be back.

Great food all around. Very good sauces, fresh sea food and the lemongrass chips are just absolutely amazing. I wish the place was bigger since it's a bit small and crowded but definetly an amazing place to dine.

Not what I expected, literally no frills restaurant small and intimate but the food was delicious. Had Prawns to start lovely, and then a mini crab thingy which was OK not my cup of tea though. The main event was a lobster in a bag of buttery sauce and a side of cajun fries. Yum 😋 sooooo good, will be back. Book first, it's a very small dining area!

5 stars,all is great,delicious food 😍😍😍

One of the best places for crabs and lobster and other crustaceans in the area. Great spices from mild to hot Cajun suits everyone needs great friendly place must visit

An experience although very expensive for a modest amount of food. The snow crab legs were going but the brown crab, said to be the meatiest, was almost empty. I doubt that we'll go back.

Very helpful staff and food was decent. Wasn't aware of the amount of work needed to get to the meat and with hindsight its not really my cup of tea, however its worth a try if you've haven't been before. More of an experience than an everyday thing.

Great food. Prices significantly different to website, which was a disappointing start to the meal.

Absolutely love it here!! I loved the service from Sangeet & Rue they are so attentive, friendly and kind. I always feel really welcomed and they are always happy to serve you! I had a proper craving for the crawfish, and the only place I could find without venturing into town was the Harrow branch. What I recommend is the 1 kg crawfish 🦞 medium spicy corn and sweet potato with shabang sauce in the bag!!! Omg what a delight. It was the tastiest crawfish I ever had, the whole bag mix was tasty and I recommend peeling the crawfish then setting it at the bottom of the bag so it retains the juices !!! Love it so much here and it’s become my new favourite restaurant 😍

Great food, quick service. Very small, about 5 tables. Do take away too.

felt discriminated, poor customer service, not sure about fish experience but definetely it was an experience, will not even bother to come back and will not replace again Burguer and lobster

THLis is the second Fat Crab I have been to! The food was amazing, good value for money and service was good!

A really interesting restaurant. Seafood served in a big plastic bag....loved it! Had the lobster and it was delicious. Also, quite a healthy meal in my opinion.

The food was great and the customer service was excellent. Would highly recommend this place :)

A really lovely cosy restaurant. The food was really flavoursome. We ordered the blue Sri Lankan crab, 18 medium prawns, and fries. Everything was really yummy. The service was great, and the staff were really attentive. If I could say one thing, that would be I hope in the near future they can make the restaurant a little bigger as it can feel a little congestive when in full service. Other than that, amazing restaurant and food. Definitely going there again.

Delicious seafood and friendly customer service.

Overall food is good! Service was a major let down due to lack of training

We visited this restaurant recommended by my friend and it was a 10/10 experience. Best customer service by chanuka he even taught me how to eat crab . We lovely atmosphere.

Amazing customer service by Chanuka the food was delicious definitely go for the whole shabang flavour 10/10

I called to reserve a seat and they told me the place was fully booked and I went there in person to order for pick up and saw free empty seats, it’s really sad for regular clients. Good place in general, staffs should just stop lying.

Very friendly staff, who made sure we had everything we needed, as it was a bit messy! The Lemon and Pepper sauce is amazing!!! Highly reccommend!

So the food is still pretty good, but not as good as it was when it first opened. The sauce is a little thinner, the mayo bottle has disappeared, replaced by little packets, not rolls of tissue paper..etc. small little cut backs.....shame really.

I ordered 18 prawns to collect and I only received 11. Very disappointing!!! A phone call was made and it was said the kitchen don’t have any record. Will be finding another restaurant instead of The fat crab

Dinner in a plastic bag, 😁, one of those unique culinary experiences you must try. No cutlery needed just hands and about an hour to get through all the crab and lobster. Enjoy 😋

Best ever joint! Everything was spectacular I went last night n has the snow crab n it was by far worth every penny. We had the sauce the whole Shabang n it was spiceeeeyyy! Good thought!

Just love the food every time I have it I enjoy it to the max

Go to place for shellfish fish delicacies. Dine in place is bit crowded and would recommend booking in advance to save the disappointment. We tried crabs, prawns and mussels in different flavours available with them with was new experience.

My friend and I got the brown crab bag and the 1/2 lb of mussels bag with everything in it (both in the shabang sauce, medium heat) and it was delicious and not too spicy! The chef had already helpfully cracked most of the crab and the staff were also helpful in giving tips on how to use the tools to get to all the good stuff. I would recommend visiting for both the excellent food and the great service. Try to call ahead to ensure you have a booking because it seems to be popular!

Avoid. I would give 0 stars if Google reviews allowed it. We were a group of 3, booked in advance for 6pm - however, to this ‘establishment’s’ credit, we did arrive 20 minutes late and given the small number of available tables (restaurant is very small) one can understand why this could impose booking restrictions. However, and as numerous other reviewers already indicated, we were (un)welcomed by the utmost rude and impolite manager (think Basil from Fawlty Towers) who basically told us, you are over 10 mins late, we need the table for the next diners who are arriving at 19:30 (cooking the food takes 30 mins according to the manager). He didn’t offer any alternative nor even new booking. My friend even suggested that we could start eating there and once the new guests arrive, we are more than happy to pack the leftovers as takeaway - to which this manager simply said NO. Never in my life have I experienced such as an appalling and dreadful service. There are many better alternatives for nice seafood and we will be looking to pursue this elsewhere.

Best place in london to have delicious variety of crabs🦀

Always friendly. Always tasty. Our top eat in/takeaway resto in London.

Love this place. Happy it's so busy and have to book in advance or my partner and I would be there every other day.

Amazing seafood with lots of different species levels. I use it mainly as a takeout since the place is not big enough for families. The prices are also reasonable compared to other similar plates in other locations.

We had to park the car along a near by road since the place doesnt have a dedicated parking space. The food is amazing. We tried different types of crab and all tasted very good. You have be ready to get messy if you want to try good crab meat. It is recommended to call and make a reservation since there was limited seating. Would definitely go again.

We booked a table for 7pm They stated when we booked there’s a 10 minute window before the booking is cancelled which is normal this was fine We were running late due to traffic on the M1 I rang and told them I would be only 5 mins late as maps were showing we’d arrive at 7:15pm The man on the phone told me if I come later than 7:10 he would cancel my booking and I’d have to take a takeaway. I travelled over an hour to get to this place and he told me if I’m later than 7:10 I wouldn’t be able to be seated. He said I should’ve checked the maps before travelling which I did. I can’t help the traffic on the motorway but the staff didn’t want to appreciate this. After arriving at the place at 7:15 the whole restaurant was empty and even in the hour that we were sat in the place only 1 table was sat. When I walked in the chefs were next to the tables out of the kitchen and they laughed at each other after realising I had actually turned up for my booking. The man I spoke to on the phone was hiding in the kitchen the entire time I was there; staring at us over the swinging doors The way the staff were acting was as if it was so busy and they couldn’t sit us if we were late - but all the tables were empty? The behaviour of the staff put me off enjoying my experience here which is a shame because the food itself wasn’t half bad I can see there’s loads of other customers that have been in a similar position so I know this wasn’t just a one off bad day; this is actually the manner in how they run their place I’m a food blogger and will be honest to people that follow me. I will not be recommending this branch to anyone.

Great service when dining in, ordered take away end of the evening to have the next day (1/2 LB prawns, 1 portion of of corn and 2 portion of potatoes) - only to find 5 prawns and 1 portion of potatoes when opening it to have at home 💀 #stillhungry Check your takeaway once received

My daughter visited this so called restaurant yesterday drove an hour and half from Stevenage got stuck in traffic as a road was closed nearby rang to inform them that they would be late, got there at 8 and the booking was for 7.30 till 9. Once she got there they would not still not let her sit in to eat her food although the restaurant was empty. Disgusting service don’t visit if you expect a decent service and above all manors.

What I can say ? Very amazing restaurant, the lobster is tasty and amazing, the service is good and the manager welcome us everytime in the best way with our baby, god bless her. We didn't find better Cajun lobster than in this Franchise. See you !

Lovely experience Lovely food Lovely service On the pricier side, but seafood normally is! No regrets 😁 Cons: Harrow branch is very small, so book in advance to avoid dissapointment Expensive as per item has its own price

Crab, Crab and more Crab. Some of the best savoury seafood ever. This is probably my favourite restaurant. Excellent seafood and service. No frills or thrills, just great food.

Phenomenal. The Peel 'n' Eat King Prawns with the Whole Shabang sauce, coupled with the Cajun fries, stand as one of the greatest meals I have ever had.

Food was amazing and the service was 10/10! Defo would recommend

The food was brilliant! The chips are some of the best I’ve had in quite some time. We tried muscles, lobster and prawns. Its not quite the up market experience most maybe used to but it’s brilliant in a very unique way. The only downside is the mess. Regardless, I can see this being a place we frequently visit.

I love this place! It’s a small and cosy restaurant, I would defo recommend booking ahead! One of my favourite spots for good food

Normally I go to the Surrey branch I went to Harrow branch today worst server today. He rushed us to get up from our table and worst part is we weren’t even finished eating. It was one of my sister’s birthday it made her birthday terrible. He was huffing even sighing and just staring at us for us to leave. He said there was a booking for this table but there was 2 tables empty and the the party wasn’t even there. We came 15mins later after we left and still the party guest weren’t there. So didn’t really know why he rushed us. It didn’t even feel like worth of money. Never visiting this branch again. He was very rude. Never coming back!!!

Good food. Place is cramped. Service is rude. So 1 for the overall experience. Tables are timed. U better finish before it finishes, or else the manager will kick u out lol

My family and I come here at least once a year - the food is incredible, fresh, and succulent. The flavours they offer for sauces are unmatched and the experience overall is fantastic. Staff are attentive and friendly, and price is very fair for the quality and breadth of seafood on offer. Cannot recommend this place enough - prepare to get messy!

£95 for three of us for 2 crabs some awful prawns and chips went home hungry. The crab didn’t even taste of crab. One of the worst meals I’ve ever had.

I had the blue swimmer crab with a portion of corn and potatoes in the whole shebang sauce.-absolutely amazing. Loved it!!

Fat crab is the best. Quality food and super chilled vibes. Me and my partner have been here numerous times and they’ve never let us down. Staff are always so nice especially Umy. She pretty much knows our order now. We can’t stop going. The whole shebang sauce is amazing with both the crab and prawns and the lemon pepper fries are perfect. Literally can’t fault it!!

I have always loved a good seafood boil but last week it wasn’t that good.

Food is brilliant, service is terrible.

Fantastic food and very reasonably priced

The team are always sooo friendly. I haven't done eat in yet but always do take out. The food is always so delicious and well prepared.

Thank you to all of the very friendly and welcoming staff at The Fat Crab in Harrow for making our dining experience very enjoyable. Seafood and other treats steamed in a bag with a choice of delicious flavourings and level of spicyness is genius. Eating the yummy treats straight out of the bag with fingers while wearing a giant bib makes the experience all the more fun.