Wells Crab House Cafe in North Norfolk

Not just seriously amazing fish dishes but, Kelly, the owner, works so hard to make you feel welcome, relaxed and happy. A genuinely brilliant experience every time.

Sublime, possibly the best restaurant in Wells. Seasonal seafood with an ever changing menu. Kelly is amazing, so welcoming and knowledgeable. Our daughter is Coeliac and she ensures that her experience is as fabulous as everyone else’s. It’s always on our list for any trip to Wells.

fab, fab, fab, go there. The staff are very special, and treat you as such. If this was your last meal on earth, you will go out with a SMILE.

We ate in this excellent seafood restaurant on Halloween night and are so glad we did. After a disappointing meal elsewhere the night before we were looking forward to a lovely last evening in Wells. The welcome was warm and my Grandchildren were immediately at ease, we were offered samples of the Rosé as we couldn’t decide between the two options and nothing was too much trouble. The shared seafood platter was generous and tasty, the crab salad fresh and flavourful and both Grandchildren thoroughly enjoyed everything they ate. I thoroughly recommend this little gem

Wonderful fresh fish perfectly cooked. Not fussy & complicated just highest quality and generous portions. Great professional and friendly service .Also an extremely adventurous top quality and varied wine list from Lebanon, Greece to South Africa and France.. My favourite restaurant in Norfolk....second is Socius in Burnham Market. We will always return at the start and end of our holidays in Wells Next to Sea. Best restaurant by far. Long may they continue.

Amazing crab - just totally delicious and the accompanying salad was perfect size, filling but not heavy. Also staff were really polite and friendly. Just phoned up and picked up. Would strongly recommend.

Menu choices and execution were perfect. Thoughtful flavour combinations without being pretentious. Locally sourced ingredients. Staff were consummate professionals, we were taken care of from the moment we came through the door. Tasteful decor and relaxing vibe. Very fairly priced for the quality of the product. We will be back!

Fabulous food and wonderful friendly service

Superb fish restaurant - fresh oysters, delicious food, and a fab range of drinks Inc two pages of local gin. The service was exceptional and atmosphere low key but professional.

Great restaurant the staff very friendly and efficient the food just amazing ! I had a crab platter to die for my wife had the Salmon & chestnut salad delicious. Must do if in Wells

Brilliant small restaurant, famed for it's seafood, but they do have a few non-fish menu items. We ate there twice last week while staying in the area. You definitely need to book as the place is small,so they have 2 sessions.

Nice meal with good service and friendly staff

Seafood board to start was very tasty. Garlic lobster 🦞 lemon sole & the red snapper were all thoroughly enjoyed. A nice range of wines to accompany the food 😋

An absolute gem of a restaurant, the staff were 10/10 especially the young lady who saw I was suffering with a hot flush and discretely bought over some ice and told me to put on my wrists…. Absolute life changer for this 50+1 year old !!! If you know you know 😂 Can’t wait to pass on this info and also recommend this amazing restaurant to everyone I know 😍

All overwhelming bits of shell in crab shell . very little meat on lobster. The salad was thick slices of beetroot too much beetroot too much bread and 7 chips £5 a very expensive night out more than Victoria pub didn't feel I got £65 worth of an evening wine very expensive . Sorry

We got a takeaway which was superb. Even the packaging made it feel so luxurious. Food was divine. Highly recommended.

The place to go for fabulous seafood. Relaxed dining of the highest quality, with friendly, efficient staff make this an essential destination for fish lovers. Our crab rosti starters and lobster salad to follow were both fantastic. Highly recommended, we'll return when we're back in the area. Booking advised, as it's very popular, and deservedly so!

Our second visit. We stay in Norfolk every September and made this discovery last year. We make it a special occasion as it’s my birthday and our wedding anniversary both on the 3rd! We had the most superb meal and all the staff are so lovely and engaging. So knowledgeable and willing to share that with customers. The best oysters! My wife had the lobster…perfect too. My red snapper skewers were so tasty…deelish. Thanks so much for our greetings cards…a lovely touch. Can’t wait to return next year!

A lovely restaurant, nicely themed though out. Primarily a seafood restaurant, with a good choice. Service was excellent, very friendly and professional.

Wasn’t too sure as wells is very touristy however this restaurant is very good 😀😀😀fresh fish and 8 have discovered delivered by plane evert day from billingsgate market in London Sofully fresh not as I assumed frozen !,,great staff and a friendliness which is helpful and supportive - would return if I could book whilst 8 am here - so popular cant !

We knew from experience it is far better to call well in advance to book a table. This time we were not in command of our timetable and had to take a chance on there being room for us. We were in luck! The Crab House was as light and airy, welcoming too, as we remembered it to be. Fran chose the Scallop starter while I went for the Butterflied Sardines. Respectively the Skate Wing and the Cornish Sole were our choices. Neither of us were disappointed, the fishes were beautifully cooked and presented, they were delicious. In truth the Sole was so large it took determination to eat all of it. The latter was not a hardship but left me unable to even consider ordering a dessert, it was probably the meatiest fish I have ever encountered. The last time we reviewed The Crab House it was under the title of "Going Back" and if we are back with time on our side of in the area again, that is exactly what we will do.

No qualms about giving five stars. We took a chance on Crab Shack having unbooked tables at lunchtime. Luck was with us and allowed us to appreciate beautifully cooked fish. The service was delightfully casual but very efficient and the atmosphere convivial. Thoroughly recommend Crab Shack - but rather than be disappointed, it is far better to call them and make a booking.

Amazing seafood restaurant. Thoroughly enjoyed the oysters (both natural and baked) and the lovely crab platter. Will definitely be back again soon for more delicious seafood! Wonderful front of house service as well as convenient parking.

Second time going to the Crab House Seafood Restaurant and this time we drove from Northampton and back just to do it!! Today was a celebration my husbands birthday and our wedding anniversary. When we arrived we had birthday and anniversary cards on our table settings which was so lovely and they decorated our dessert plates 😊 The food was just the best and the atmosphere and attention to detail from the staff second to none…..even more so we are back in April to celebrate my birthday….i feel a tradition starting 😊 Keep up the good work guys what your are doing is 100% best regards Janina and Steve

Make a reservation early! This is a really lovely small restaurant that serves great seafood and is usually quite full!

Gorgeous food, happy & helpful staff. Totally recommend

The restaurant couldn’t fit us in so we used their take away service - two dressed crab salads, sourdough bread and a portion of frites. Delicious and presented wonderfully: cutlery, seasoning, sauces, plates and serviettes. All thoroughly enjoyed, with a glass of wine al fresco, looking across the harbour and sandbanks at Wells by the Sea 🌞

I don’t normally leave negative reviews but this sort of behaviour is left unchecked all too often. By all accounts, the food here looks decent enough but unfortunately we didn’t get that far. Ok, we did waltz in, hoping for the best without a reservation, which is on us. But on entering this establishment as a mixed background couple (South Asian & Spanish), it appeared that our very presence had, in a moment, annihilated the reputation and atmosphere of this, erm, singularly exquisite fish bar. The waitress answered my questions with a tilted head and an acrid scowl, as if we’d been peeled off the sole of her shoe, and the English I was speaking were morse code. She made it pointedly clear that a later reservation was beyond our mortal reach. A few patrons held their forks in momentary suspension, as if frozen in time by the sight of these two extraterrestrial monstrosities! Hell had momentarily frozen over in the coastal village of Wells! In sum: a local crabby fish bar for local crabby people. 🦀🦀

Phenomenal meal. Second time we’ve been here (last time was in 2019). Oysters, crayfish tail, smoked eel, rollmop, fish and chips. And their Norfolk Wine flight was great!

Very nice food but quite expensive and I thought small meals for the money

Had crab salad and it came with pickled cucumber which I didn't feel went with it. Parking is very expensive around here but it's a nice walk to the beach or you can drive down to the beach and park there.

Fantastic restaurant, we had the lobster platter with crab. There was an great selection of seafood on the platter, all excellent. The service from the staff was also excellent, all were really friendly and attentive

Fantastic meal with amazing staff. Highly recommended.

We really enjoyed our evening at Wells Crab House. The cold starters of crayfish and cockles were delicious and there was a lot of meat for £5. The squid starter was enjoyable but could have had more flavour. We both had the swordfish main and loved it - a big piece of fish, seared perfectly with interestingly spiced vegetables. What stood out too was the really friendly service.

We loved our lunch. The decor was so unique and different. The owner, Kelly, and waitstaff were marvellous. Very kind and professional. The food was delicious and served promptly. What a wonderful experience. We will definitely come again!!!

A lovely dining room , fabulous seafood, excellent service at a reasonable price.

I really don't get the 5 star reviews. Maybe from folks who don't normally frequent fish restaurants. My plaice was bland - not seasoned and dare I say it perhaps frozen as it was watery and tasteless. The swordfish was seasoned with with some strange seeds and tasted weird. And at a price. Why can't English sea food restaurants cook simple dishes? Grill to plate.

Absolutely fantastic, the food was amazing, the staff were all gluten free aware, we can't wait to go back again, thank you for a great afternoon. Rod and Ann-Marie Thorn

Service was excellent and our waitress sold us the swordfish and it did not disappoint. Could taste every ingredient it was so delicious that I ignored the ‘I am so full’ signs! Highly recommended.

Beautiful restaurant, staff very attentive and helpful. Food delicious and plentiful. Great wine list too. A lovely treat at the end of our week in north Norfolk. Highly recommend a visit but you must book well in advance.

We are regular visitors at the Crab House and can honestly say that we have never been disappointed. The food and service are both of a consistently very high standard. Tonight I had the Sri Lankan Red Snapper curry from the specials menu and was blown away by the beautiful fish and incredible curry. Scott does amazing curries and this might just have been my favourite (so far anyway......). Just to mention that the pudding menu is also fantastic, really creative, thoughtful dishes and the 'In house' pineapple sorbet was stunning - the best sorbet I have ever tasted. Thank you Kelly, Scott and all the team for the amazing work you do

Just got back ...250 mile round trip to this wonderful gem of a restaurant...had to say the food was outstanding ...the staff lovely ..would recommend all day long !

My husband and I visited Wells Crab House last year during our honeymoon and it was amazing so we were really looking forward to another visit. Unfortunately all was not as good this time round. As per our last visit we were promptly informed that there was no crab left, for an 7.30pm booking (hardly late in the evening!) this feels like poor kitchen ordering and is really, really disappointing given it’s the specialty of the restaurant. We ordered a starter of scallops and found it to be gritty….the kitchen said this was the ground almonds and apologised if it ‘wasn’t to our taste’. I use a lot of ground almonds in my cooking and I am 99% sure this was not the reason for the grittiness. However they did kindly replace it with an alternative (whitebait) which was good. We ordered a salmon and a red snapper dish for mains. My husband’s salmon was absolutely excellent but the snapper was extremely over cooked, so much so as to be difficult to cut through. I didn’t want to complain as we had already had an issue with the starter but it was inedible so I felt I really had to. The owner dealt with it extremely well, providing a replacement which was excellent and cooked beautifully. However I cannot understand how such a very overcooked piece of fish could be allowed to leave a kitchen that is otherwise producing fantastic food. All in all pretty disappointing given we were there for a celebration meal, however it was dealt with extremely well and the two dishes taken off the bill and a couple of complementary glasses of wine, which we appreciated.

We had a lovely meal here. The food was great, we had a seafood platter which is not to be missed. The service was also really good, even down to offering to crack open the lobster claws. If you like seafood then this place is well worth a visit. It's a good idea to book in advance because it is (unsurprisingly) busy.

Visited last night on the 1st sitting at 5.30pm. We chose the crab platter which was delicious. We also had a side of sweet potato fries each. We also chose a dessert each. Could not fault the food,nor the service, which was top notch. A fabulous meal with great service, not much more I can add.

Fresh, very tasty and beautifully presented.

Expensive but my dish was stunning. I had crab wrapped in halibut in a delicious sauce. A friend said the dressed crab wasn't so impressive, however.

Excellent service, fantastic food

Staff very thoughtful and welcoming. They made my birthday meal very special. Our meal was outstanding.

First visit and not my last, always wanted to eat here it was brilliant from start to finish,staff 1st class to match the food and wine. Well done to all .

I had a fabulous birthday lunch yesterday. We enjoyed a beautiful seafood platter with chips & salad. The Crab house is beautifully decorated with a lovely atmosphere. Service was excellent- they even gave me a birthday card. Already looking forward to going again. Thank you Team Crab House for making my birthday even more special.

You will. Not find a place better than this, not cheap but we'll worth the money, seafood at its best is the recipe for the wells crab house, don't take my word for it, try it, believe me I'm very to please, but this place is on another level, book early it you don't want to be disappointed

We were expecting a lot from this restaurant as the reviews have been so positive. We left much poorer and quite deflated. I have never eaten an oyster on a glowing white shell that looked like it had been put through a dishwasher. Clearly the oyster and shell were not from the same origin. Very strange. The food was bland and very expensive. The atmosphere of the place felt odd too - the waitresses worked hard but talked to us in a rather patronising manner. We have eaten at much much better seafood restaurants than this.

Staff are very helpful and friendly ,food excellent, would go back

Absolutely lovely meal as long as you are a fishy person. But the clue is in the name. Fabulous array of wine, beer and spirits. Service excellent and a lovely atmosphere. Air conditioning was a bit powerful though. Been again, it’s got better. Even the AC is improved, cooler day though. Love the stuffed halibut.

Visited today for lunch. Food was delicious, friendly fast service and very pleasant surroundings.

Last night my wife and I enjoyed a truly splendid seafood platter accompanied by a lovely bottle of Lebanese white wine followed by a delicious crumble and a scrummy cheesecake. A real treat for the senses in a clean, relaxed, friendly environment. And it didn't break the bank. One of only a few really impressive restaurants on our favourites list. We will return...

Fantastic food with excellent staff

Very good moment and nice service. We are in marriage anniversary and they prepare this card for us :) ❤️

A great little fish restaurant. Good menu (only if you like fish!) and and wine list. It’s not cheap, but it is very good and good value The lemon sole, and my wife’s plaice fillets, were both excellent. Starters and deserts were just as good. Booking is essential, and we booked for a second visit during our week in Wells.

Brilliant experience. Definitely recommend a visit to this friendly, relaxed seafood restaurant!! Food outstanding, beautifully cooked and presented! Our family of 10, also with five young grandchildren were welcomed by Kelly and her team. We absolutely loved our meal made even better by the welcome and attention to detail and service which was first class!

Visited for the first time and what a wonderful find! From start to finish, everything was faultless. Brilliant service and the crab platter was outstanding! We ordered the platter for 2 and couldn't finish it, even the box to take away was beautifully presented!

Excellent food and great service. Obviously the crab is fantastic but the sweet potato fries were AMAZING.

Good restaurant, good food, good service. I was expecting an exceptional restaurant though, with regards to a restaurant which was fully booked, you have only 1 hour and a half, you need to book using your bank card, you need to respect the time …. Etc. Basically, you’re explained, warned etc but in the end it’s just a fish restaurant with good food, that’s it. Anyway, my sole was very good, my wife’s crab salade was alright but had nothing special. I had a fig/blueberry crumble well made but I didn’t taste the fig, maybe not yet in season. My comments sound harsh but they’re just blunt, …. and I’d comeback.

We went for lunch the food, staff and the decor was all lovely... We had a lobster platter it was so filling we didn't have room for dessert, but they looked delicious....We shall be visiting again.... Thank you for a lovely lunch... Xxx

One word - phenomenal! As always the team at Wells Crab come up trumps. From the wait staff and Kelly buzzing about to the kitchen with the most amazing flavours and skills. Thank you all for a most memorable meal. As a dairy free (yes one of the awkward ones) there is always a menu of incredible choices.

Superb food, excellent staff and Kelly is a really lovely host

This restaurant is in a very nice setting and it’s well finished, it’s quite small and cosy inside. The food was tasty and the portions were generous. The staff were very friendly and helpful!

Beautiful fresh seafood, we shared a crab platter for 2, and it didn't disappoint. Lots of local seafood, sides available but not needed.

Our first trip to Wells & looked at getting lunch there, this restaurant stood out & we were lucky enough to get a table! The staff & atmosphere was incredible but the food…just wow. Absolutely delicious & above expectations. Would highly recommend

Had such a wonderful meal for my boyfriend's birthday! We ordered oysters to start then the Lobster platter, all the food was amazing and so fresh. All the staff were so kind and knowledgable. They even got a birthday card for my boyfriend and gave him a lemon squeezer that was obsessed with. They really went above and beyond, highly recommend! We will definitely be back! Thank you so much for a really memorable meal.

Unbelievable ! Eaten here three times, the food is outstanding, good wine list, attentive knowledgeable staff.

Undoubtedly, the best place to eat in Wells. Booking here is a must. If you can't get a late booking, book one for 5.30, but you must be clear for approx 7pm. The food is wonderful, as are the staff. Prices are exceptionally fare, considering the quality of the meals and professionalism of the waiting staff. Make sure you eat here.

Our first time here today, for my birthday. It was absolutely amazing. Service was impeccable. Food absolutely delicious. Lovely environment, intimate, clean and tasteful. The owner was there to welcome us, the lovliest lady who had a birthday card ready for me. The young waiter was so good, discussing the food with us and asking us if we needed anything. I really cannot fault this place. We will most certainly be back. Great value for money, fresh fish, expertly cooked. Fabulous menu. Spot on, well done 👏

Everytime we go we have the best time. Kelly, Scott and the Team provide excellent seafood, service and I generally cant praise this place enough! Award winning and RIGHTLY so! If you haven't booked, what are you doing?

Amazing food, great service. The “big” platter with lobster was fantastic

Had lunch there today and had a really good meal. Excellent food and good service. We’ll done

Gorgeous lunch. Fantastic restaurant

Food was beautiful and service was amazing.

Excellent choice of seafood on the menu. Good, efficient service

We had a beautiful lunch here. My husband loved the sea food platter and my plaice fillet was cooked to perfection. The side salad was absolutely beautiful with home style beetroot . The best wine list I have seen during our Norfolk holiday so far with almost all options available by glass as well as by bottle. Terrific service. They accommodated my rather restrictive dietary requirements (gluten and dairy free) offering alternative options like it was no trouble at all! They took my husband's nut allergy very seriously and made my 7-month old daughter feel very welcome. We will definitely be coming back next time!

Absolutely brilliant experience. Food, service and atmosphere all spot on. And new cheesecake dessert is to die for 😃

Great service and food, would highly recommend

Absolutely lovely restaurant. Staff were very helpful and attentive. Food was absolutely delicious, can't recommend this restaurant enough. Thoroughly wonderful experience.

Was not expecting such good quality Intimate and just plain very good.

Incredible food, wonderful service!

We had a lovely meal here. Our waitress was very attentive and helpful. My sister has an unusual allergy, and as she'd booked online and informed them, they were completely up to speed on our arrival. The chef even came out to discuss options with her that weren't even on the menu. And they were busy! The food was delicious and there were some interesting wines on the list. Finished off with an excellent coffee.

This is a top quality seafood restaurant providing excellent food, attentive service and decent value for money. I love an owner managed business because the passion for what they provide oozes out of every detail. The Crab house is run by a husband and wife team. Whilst the husband is contouring up some wonderful delights in the kitchen, his wife is building a friendly rapport with the customers. I have eaten here a few times. And always enjoy the experience. The baked oysters are a must, and I also highly recommend the dressed crab. There are a number of staples on the menu (like the dressed crab for instance) but the menu is updated every month. Thats a good thing. You can go regularly and never get bored. The wine list shouldn’t go unmentioned either. It’s a very wide selection and there should be something for any pallet. Importantly, ALL the wines (apart from the Champaign I think) can be ordered by the glass, or by the Carafe.

Such a great experience at Wells Crab House. A small seafood restaurant in Wells Next the Sea with fantastic food and great service. We were drawn in to the restaurant for the seafood platters but the restaurant also has an incredible menu of other amazing dishes. We struggled to know what to pick! We went for the crab platter for 2 and added half a lobster. The platter had a huge array of delicious seafood including crab, crayfish, smoked trout, cockles and prawns. There's also a fabulous drinks selection of local gins, cocktails and wines (including some delicious Norfolk wines). The restaurant is modern with a quirky nautical theme. The service was fantastic. And we thought the prices were very reasonable for such high quality fish and seafood. Highly recommend!

We stayed in Wells next the sea , specifically to come to wells crab house and it was marvellous we were served quickly and efficiently and the food was awesome , we had so many laughs it really made the evening too, Thankyou so much for a wonderful time

Staff were extremely friendly and helpful with food selection

Amazing seafood. So good we ate here twice on our break. Over the two nights we enjoyed oysters, mussels, a fabulous seafood linguine, cod and the fresh catch of the day. Followed by Sussex Pond pudding. Dessert is not to be missed! Fantastic wine selection. And great locally sourced spirits. The staff were attentive and polite. A fantastic find. If you’re going to Wells, make sure you eat here

If you want the best seafood experience in North Norfolk, this is the place! We ordered oysters, whitebait, lobster salad and the crab 🦀 platter for 2 - every bit was delicious and the service took it to another level 😁 My dessert (espresso parfait) was the perfect ending to a perfect meal. Make sure you make your reservation if you're in Wells!

Lovely place for a treat once in a while. If you love shell & sea food this is the place for you.

Excellent food, superb service and atmosphere

Having returned from NZ for Christmas I took my mother for the most amazing lunch . I hadn’t been over excited with some of the pub and restaurant food I had been getting compared to our amazing food and service we get in NZ . However the Crab house took the cake ! Brilliant welcome from staff and continued with being helpful and smiles and recommendations all the way through . The menu is extensive ! With specials too ! I really don’t think it matters what you choose as I looked around at various plates by all in the restaurant … just impeccable servings and absolutely delicious .! Well priced . And great to have on our doorstep . It’s a must to go ! I will be back when I return again . Thankyou Crab House

Superb fish and seafood along with the BEST customer service. This really is a wonderful restaurant and I've visited many times over the years, including on my birthday this year and also a few days ago. I've enjoyed bowls of garlicky French Bourride, crispy beer battered haddock, juicy prawns, sweet briny oysters and platters filled with an array of local seafood. It's a lovely place to eat in too balancing a friendly and relaxed atmosphere with pristine table settings. I recommend it endlessly to friends visiting the East Coast as I know it delivers every time. Thank you to the brilliant team at Wells Crab House, enjoy your Winter break and see you in the Spring!

We had a fantastic experience at the Wells Crab House. The quality of the fresh fish and seafood was wonderful- we have been before and know what to expect but it was great again. We had the seafood crab platter which is a meal by itself and a very good deal. My partner is coeliac and the restaurant made every effort to make sure that she was catered for- including providing some really tasty gluten free bread. The waiting staff could not be more helpful too: for example, we were not experienced with lobster and a waitress spotted we were struggling, came over and helped us out with it. As others have said, you need to book ahead to get in but its worth it. In general, this is a fantastic seafood restaurant with helpful staff and a tasty menu: what more could anyone want.

Some excellent sea food on offer here with wine recommendations sold by the glass for each dish. Lots of local products available.

Fresh Sea food and wonderful staff. Book in advance on their website for a table.