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Where To Eat Crab In Alaska: Satisfying Your Crabby Cravings

If you’re a seafood lover, then Alaska is the perfect destination to visit. The state is home to some of the best crab in the world, and there’s no shortage of restaurants to try it. Whether you’re looking for king crab, Dungeness crab, or snow crab, Alaska has it all.

We travel to Alaska multiple times a year and often savor the opportunity to feast on crab legs. We have taken some crab shore excursions and share our experiences dining on the delicacies.

Tracy’s King Crab Shack might be the best-known establishment, with two locations in Juneau. However, there are many others that serve crab.

King crab legs from Juneau

The Bridge Seafood Restaurant in Anchorage is one of the best places to enjoy crab in Alaska. Their king crab legs are a must-try. But if you’re feeling adventurous, go for their Alaskan King Crab Bisque with homemade pasta and ricotta.

The Pump House Restaurant is a must-visit in Fairbanks for those doing a cruise and land tour. Choose from crab cakes, crab Cobb salad, king crab dinner, or an Alaskan seafood sampler.

Understanding Alaska Crab

The 49th state is one of the best places in the world to find crustaceans. Three commercially harvested types of king crab are available: red, blue, and golden. Each species has a unique flavor and texture, making it worth trying.

  • Red King Crab: Red is the most famous type of crab in Alaska. It has a sweet, rich flavor and a tender texture. It is caught from October through January and is usually steamed or boiled.
  • Golden King Crab: Golden is the smallest of the three main species. It has a mild, delicate flavor and is often served as an appetizer or in soups.
  • Blue King Crab: This is the rarest of the species and has a slightly milder flavor than red king crab. It is typically caught from March through May and is often served in salads or pasta dishes.
King crab from Twisted Fish Company
King crab from Twisted Fish Company

King crab commands the highest prices, but many restaurants include Dungeness and snow crab on their menus. We’ve tried different crab species and agreed that the king is the best. No wonder it’s the most expensive.

Since crab fishing season happens in the winter, all king crab served in restaurants is frozen. However, since Dungeness and snow varieties are caught near coastal towns, it’s usually advertised as “fresh.”

Best Places To Eat Crab In Alaska

When cruising to Alaska, there is no shortage of places to indulge in this delicious seafood.  Here are some of our favorite places we’ve tried:

Ketchikan’s Top Crab Eateries

Ketchikan is known as the “Salmon Capital of the World,” but it’s also a great place to enjoy crab. Some of our favorite crab restaurants in Ketchikan include Alaska Fish House and Alaska King Crab Company.

Steamed Dungeness crab
Steamed Dungeness crab

Both restaurants serve fresh and delicious Dungeness crab, but the latter also serves king crab, crab wontons, and crab cakes.

Annabelle’s Keg and Chowder House is another top choice for chowder, crab legs, crab cakes, and crab wontons. Undecided about what to order? Go for the Annabelles King Crab Combo.

Ketchikan Crab & Go is the newest kid on the block. Serving both Dungeness and King, we found them the priciest and weren’t keen on the fact that they serve their crab chilled.

Juneau Crab Restaurants

Juneau is Alaska’s capital city and is home to some great crab restaurants. Tracy’s King Crab Shack is a must-visit for any crab lover.

They have two locations in Juneau: one at the port and the other at 300 Whittier Street. Don’t be put off by the queue; the line moves quickly.

Tracy's King crab bucket
Tracy’s King crab bucket

While most go for the legs, do try the bisque which we thought was the bomb! Tracy’s menu includes the largest variety of crab (Red king, Golden king, Dungeness, and snow) but the Golden was sold out when we last visited.

Tracy’s isn’t just about the food; it’s about the atmosphere, too. We enjoyed hearing the bell ring every time someone purchased a bucket, which they did often. However, we weren’t fond of the plastic shell cutters.

The Twisted Fish Company may cost a few dollars more a few blocks away, but it provides a quieter atmosphere. The king crab was just as good, and I liked that the restaurant offered proper tools to cut the shells.

Eating king crab at the Twisted Fish Company
Eating king crab at the Twisted Fish Company

Another great option is Salt, which offers a variety of crab dishes, including sweet & sour “crab,” crab chowder, and crab cakes.

Places To Eat Crab In Skagway

Skagway may be a small town, but it’s big on flavor when it comes to crab. If you’re in the mood for some seafood, be sure to check out Skagway Fish Company.

Located by the Railway dock, this restaurant is known for its fresh and tasty crab dishes, including crab cakes and legs. So, if guests docked here won’t need to go far to get their crab fix.

Skagway Fish Company
Skagway Fish Company

Woadie’s South East Seafood on Fourth and State Street is a hidden gem. Its king and Dungeness crab prices were some of the lowest we found, but don’t judge the quality by the price. Their king crab is blast-frozen, making it as close to fresh as you can get.

Icy Strait Point Crab Spot

At the Cannery Museum, the Crab House offers a variety of crab dishes, including Dungeness and locally harvested snow crab.

They also have a popular drink called the Alaska Crabby Bloody Mary, which is highly recommended. It may be more of a draw than the crab itself. It’s garnished with crab meat, shrimp, pickled Alaska asparagus, and a crab leg.

Sitka Crab Restaurants

Sitka was the first place we tried crab; it was our favorite overall. The Halibut Point Crab and Chowder is located at the Sitka Sound Cruise Terminal.

King crab from Halibut Point Crab and Chowder
King crab from Halibut Point Crab and Chowder

We ordered both the Dungeness and king but preferred the latter by a long shot. Although many locals find Dungeness sweeter, we liked the flavor and ease of removing the meat from the king instead. The small, curved scissors they provided were the best for obtaining the meat.

Sitka’s Burger & Crab Shack offers dine-in and take-out. Their menu has various options, from two types of crab, lobster, and a Big Seafood Box (King, Dungeness, Halibut, and fries).

Anchorage Crab Dining

Anchorage may be the largest city in Alaska, but it’s still a great place to enjoy crab. The Bridge Seafood Restaurant, which sits on a 1920s-old railway bridge, is a local favorite.

Another great option is the 49th State Brewing Company. Their menu includes a variety of crab dishes, including a King Crabby Grilled Cheese sandwich.

No matter where we are in Alaska, we always find some delicious crab. Further inland, we found it more challenging to find king crab, although dishes with crab were common.

Alaska crab omelet from the King Salmon restaurant in Denali
Alaska crab omelet from the King Salmon in Denali

One morning, I had an Alaska Crab Newburg Omelet for breakfast at the King Salmon in the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge. It was delicious, and filled with an abundance of crab meat.

Also, the Grizzly Burger Restaurant at the Princess Lodge has a crab cake sandwich served with house-remoulade sauce.

Guided Crab Tours And Experiences

Alaska is home to some of the best crab fishing in the world, and several companies offer guided crab fishing trips. These tours will take guests on a boat to catch fresh crab straight from the ocean.

We have taken two such excursions in Ketchikan. They are:

  • The Bering Sea Crab Fishermen’s Tour
  • Crab Wilderness Exploration & Crab Feast

The Bering Sea Crab Fishermen’s Excursion provides a tour on the Aleutian Ballad, a fishing vessel featured on Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch. We learned about life in the Bering Sea as fishermen and got to hold different types of crabs.

The VIP package for this tour includes 1/2lb of king crab, a drink, and priority seating.

Enjoying the all-you-can-eat Dungeness crab feast
Enjoying the Dungeness crab feast

Alternatively, the Crab Wilderness Exploration & Crab Feast combines an informational session on crab fishing with a crab feast. We traveled into the fjord on a smaller boat and saw a crab pot pulled up. It contained four Dungeness crabs of various sizes.

The crab feast was the highlight of the excursion. The Dungeness was incredibly fresh and tasted much better than our earlier tasting session in Sitka. Its fresh and meat quality made it exceptionally good.

Culinary Crab Adventures

For those more interested in eating crab than catching it, a culinary crab adventure might be preferable. Numerous restaurants in Alaska feature fresh caught Dungeness, but one popular spot offers an all-you-can-eat meal.

The World-Famous George Inlet Lodge Crab Feast includes transportation to the lodge, a 1.5-hour mealtime, and transportation back to the dock. Guests can purchase just the meal or opt to do the Crab Wilderness Exploration & Crab Feast as we did.

The meal includes salad, beverages, blueberry cheesecake, and lots of Dungeness. I liked that they provided both a crab cracker and a long two-prong fork to open the tough shells. During the peak summer season, they cook up to 800 lbs. of crab daily.

Dungeness from George Inlet Lodge
Dungeness from George Inlet Lodge

The lodge offers lovely waterfront views and a chance to get a selfie with a giant crab.

Eating Crab On A Budget

Eating crab can be expensive, especially if you love the king variety as we do. Here are some tips for indulging without emptying your wallet.

  1. Try Dungeness instead, as it can cost as little as USD 30 a pound. That’s a significant saving from the King, which sells for USD 70 to 90 a pound.
  2. The George Inlet Lodge Crab Feast is a fantastic deal for those with large appetites. The feast cost USD 89.95. Although we weren’t that hungry during our visit, we ate about eight pounds of crab, along with salad, cheesecake, and drinks.
  3. Tracy’s King Crab Shack in Juneau: Tracy’s is a popular spot for tourists, and for a good reason. Their prices are reasonable. Instead of ordering a giant bucket, split one pound and add bisque, coleslaw, and crab cakes for a filling meal.
Tracy's King Crab Bisque with garlic rolls
Tracy’s King Crab Bisque with garlic rolls

Understanding Sustainability Practices

Sustainability practices in Alaska’s crab fisheries include careful management of crab populations, protection of habitat, and setting strict quotas.

Due to diminished counts, the Bering Sea was closed to king crab fishing for two years. So, how did this affect restaurants selling crab? Local eateries still sold local Dungeness, but king crab was purchased from other countries.

Oh, Crab! Final Thoughts

Many restaurants in Alaska pride themselves on serving locally caught crab, so be sure to ask about the origin of the crab on the menu.

If there are lower limits on king crab, the catch is likely from another part of the world. During the shutdown in the Bering Sea, one popular restaurant was sourcing its ingredients from Russia.

Whether you’re a fan of king crab, snow crab, or Dungeness crab, we hope we’ve paved the way to satisfy your seafood cravings in Alaska.

Eating King crab legs in Alaska

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