Crab Catcher Restaurant Reviews

This restaurant has an amazing view of the ocean, always try to ask if they can seat you by the window, they are very nice and will try to accommodate if possible. The food is ok, not the best I've had and the menu is pretty pricey. I've only been here when I purchase a groupon or livingsocial. These sites will often times have deals on this restaurant so if you see one of them I would buy them and check it out.

I've been for lunch and dinner and for the price, I think the lunch menu is better.

Looking at the menu online I figured buying the Groupon, probably add another $50 out the door wrong. just two of us and we shared the seafood platter for two, lobster king crab legs, and four tiger shrimp, upon our waiter's suggestion. $125 of so then we ordered Calamari, which was overcooked and tough. Then a total of 2 x long island ice teas and 3 glasses of house cabernet. The tip is auto added because I'm using Groupon, thought that a bit out of line. I'm a good tipper, but I don't like being made to pay anything. Took off the $100 Groupon, Balance $175 so total $275. I forgot to add, every piece of shellfish was overcooked, the toughest lobster I have had in years.
Last Week went to Valley View Casino, all you can eat Buffet including as much as you can eat lobster. Fresh steamed and melted in your mouth. Total for two on full price day with 4 cocktails $92 Total. Oh, right did not have a waiter, well food, I had a cocktail waiter, it's way too much money. Only a few tables actually have an ocean view, so good luck on that.
Needless to say, will not be going back, I do not gamble, but, for that heavenly Buffet I am coming, FYI mon - Thurs Only $20 Buffett all you can eat Lobster, Crab legs, and a million other delights.

Super good food with an amazing view of LA Jolla Cove and outside seating. Check groupon for deals also.

THE WORST FISH I HAVE EVER HAD. IT TOOK AN HOUR TO GET THE FOOD THAT WAS HORRIBLE.
HAD BETTER TASTING FISH AT LONG JOHN SILVERS.

THEN THEY ADD A 20 PRECENT TIP AND A 3 PRECENT SERVICE TAX.

I WAS TOLD THAT THE SERVICE TAX WAS A CITY TAX.
A TOTAL LIE THERE IS NO CITY 3 PERCENT SERVICE TAX!!! LAIRS
I LEFT NO TIP FOR THE HORRIBLE FOOD AND CRAPPY SERVICE.

GO ANYWHERE BUT THIS PLACE.

CRAPPY FOOD CRAPPY SERVICE

BIG WASTE OF MONEY

Price: yes it is expensive.
Environment: the restaurant itself is very nice, downstairs so far away from the noise street. We were early for dinner time so got a beautiful spot for ocean view. But to be honest, the location of the restaurant, in a corner, make it will not be the best for viewing the ocean.
Food: we tried the set of lobster, king crab leg and prawns. Very good actually, fresh and decent. It's enough for two of us. Price is ~$130. Think it is OK for a one time experience. Definitely better than the seafood in most all you can eat restaurants.

Oddly, we were both very excited by our tomato skies which were perfectly seasoned. The fillet was equally delicious. We had a fun attentive waitress. I definitely will go back if I am in our near La Jolla again.

Very expensive food that was not all that. Poor conditions inside thr resturant. Ok service.

Very good food, great service, but just needs a little updating on the interior. I was a little disappointed that seating did not start until 5:30pm (after sunset in December), but then realized that the windows don't face West anyway. We had drinks first in the next door Crab Catcher happy hour restaurant, but that was kind of weird. It was very outdated and small, and the tab couldn't transfer to the restaurant once our reservation was seated. A little clunky.

Had a table overlooking the La Jolla Cave. Beautiful location, cleanly, with extremely friendly staff (on the verge of too friendly sometimes, but I won't knock them for that). Surprisingly not as packed as I feel it could be.

Food was delicious. Fish was fresh and cooked well. I stayed away from the swordfish due to the waiter saying it was cooked "well-done". Usually that means the swordfish is overcooked. So not 100% sure about that one.

We recommend it to our casual seafood lovers. They like the food here so we will keep recommending it.

Nice service. Nice views very expensive extensive wine list.

A little bit spendy but the food is incredible and the views are absolutely unreal

Well for a man who loves seafood and hand catches his own lobsters in Maine in the summer's maybe I'm being a bit harsh but for the prices I didnt really feel that I got what I paid for. I should have just went to the sushi place, at least I couldnt jave cooked that meal better.

Love our visit to San Diego, dinner with an ocean view was par for the day. Food was great and we had a table overlooking the ocean. You can't go wrong eating at this restaurant.

Great service! Our drinks were never close to being empty. The menu had a nice selections.

Everything in this place was great, food, service ,and very nice and clean, my wife and I will be going back to the Crab Catcher! Thank you very much we enjoyed our self's.

I've been here several times, and I love the location. I never go at night time but during the day is gorgeous! Ask to seat by the window looking out the ocean the La Jollla Cove and you never regret the view. Beautiful! Foodwise, perfect! Love the fish nice and tender. For the servers, I'll give them an A. Friendly, nice, and they make sure you're content and enjoying your dining experiences. Plus this is plus side. They validate your parking ticket. Go and enjoy the food and the view!

My favorite restaurant to go to each time I'm in San Diego! Great food, and overlooks the ocean.

This is a great location with a good view of the cove if you can get a window seat but the rest of the restaurant is very outdated. We tried to stop in here for happy hour and it was busy so we thought it must be good. I have come to conclusion though that these are not repeat customers. The service was horrible, the martinis made with cheap liquor, and the place smelled like old fish. Never going again and would not recommend.

Great food - 2$ margaritas on Sundays great service beautiful view

Wonderful service. Large menu choices. Gorgeous view.

Spent three days in La Jolla. This was our only bad experience. For 168.00 we received warm oysters and a small plate of king crab legs. The server was great though. To top it off, we received another person's food in our doggie bag. We do not recommend this restaurant. And for the price, one would expect higher quality of food.

I had the crab wontons and Strawberry Bliss for appetizers. The crab blt sandwich for an entree, and the paradise pie for dessert. Everything was delicious!

Had two terrific dinners here. Great view, great service and of course great food. One day we had happy hour menu which had almost a full dinner serving. In La Jolla this is a place to go.

Great views. This place is for adults. Strong drinks.

I can't believe I am giving my favorite restaurant only two stars. This was always our "go to" place for every special occasion but our last visit was extremely disappointing. The lobster bisque was different and bland from previous times and the lobster pasta was bland and lukewarm. Hopefully just an off night for them.

Amazing view. Seated by the window. Great service. Food was mostly good.

Oh my goodness! The view, the view, the view! The server we had (Jordan) did an outstanding job! The crab cake and the crab stuffed fish were perfect. Outstanding restaurant! A+.

Service was excellent. Unfortunately the prices did not reflect in the quality of food we ordered. Some was a bit bland, unremarkable tastes for the price.

BEST seafood in the area with great ocean views as well!

We got to the restaurant about 3:30 p.m. touring the day at La Jolla so I was very dry and needing food. A great craft beer, shrimp cocktail, oyster shooters, cheese fries and spare rib sliders with a special dish of Brussel sprouts... we left the Place full, so needing some exercise we walked down to the the water-side over the cave.
This can easily be seen from The Crab Catcher. What a spectacular view from there. Unfortunately we didn't stick around but sunsets must be amazing from the restaurant's view.

The king crab is amazing here ! Also baked oysters are a must as well!

Food is Very good, wedge salad, shrimp enchiladas, truffle fries and mango jalapeno margarita. Yummy. Would have had 5 stars but service was sloooooow.

Food was delicious, view was amazing, staff were friendly and attentive. Think they have a elevator but I took the stairs its a bit of a walk to get down. It's not super easy to spot from the street.

Absolutely wonderful! I will go every chance I get. The food is beautiful to look at and even better to eat!

Service was good, Food was delicious but a bit pricey for the amount.

Great views from window seating and service very professional. We chose the 1 1/2 pound lobster plus 1 1/2 pound king crab legs plus shrimp and vegetable special for $125 to share. Add a couple of cocktails and two modest glasses of wine and we closed the evening at $200 plus tip. The food was quite delicious and the ambience warm without being casual. Would we go again? Probably not but only because the prices are outside our usual budget.

My wife and I came here for our 1 yr anniversary. We ordered the 1lb King Crab and Filet Mignon steak combo and was by far one of the best dinners I have had. A must try dining experience with a stunning ocean view.

The service was slow and indifferent. The food was good at half the price. There was no feeling of personality in the restaurant to the point that I doubt there are many repeat customers.

Great views and good food. Pricey, but we had a Groupon, which made it more affordable.

Would recommend coming here. The views from the table are amazing. I do believe to have a table on the balcony you must make a reservation but it is worth it. Came here for lunch when I was on vacation in California and enjoyed the food.

Our favorite place for a dinner date. Groupon usually has a deal

Such a precious date with my bride. The food was absolutely divine. If I ever make it back to SD I'm coming here again.

Beautiful views and location. Good service, food was m-e-h. Desserts were attractively presented. Despite a Groupon deal, overpriced - especially considering an additional 3.9% surcharge! Parking garage validation was a plus.

Poor service , our server forgots to bring somethings we had asked for and rarely came back by to check on us to fix the situation. People that were sat after us got their food before us and we didn't ask for anything special that could have or would have taken longer to prepare. Drinks were never refilled. And, food wasn't that tasty. Not sure what those that created the meals was thinking but the combination of flavors didn't work for me.

The taste is nice and solid.
But also a special price, it is difficult to expect.

Great views, atmosphere, food and service! Enjoyed my birthday luncheon!

I got the filet. I asked for medium and it was burnt on the edges. Not much flavor. The server took forever to check on our party and give us our check.

This place is older but it consistently delivers as a delcious and beautiful place to eat by the ocean.

Their "Fire Shrimp and Grits" was delicious!! The waiters were both professional and friendly.

Get over here for your next date night - what a great spot to be sure. The cove views are excellent. Happy hour worth checking out, and Taco Tuesday~! Great friendly staff. We had a great time and will go back soon.

Always our fav place to visit in San Diego, fresh seafood, and the Baked Oysters are awesome. Great ocean view to La Jolla cove

The food is a bit old fashioned but the views are spectacular

This place has an unbeatable ocean view, especially for around sunset time. The food was delicious and fresh, and our waiter was kind, attentive, and very helpful. We loved the truffle fries as an appetizer! The shrimp pasta was to die for, the shrimp were delicious. I also love a place that mentions its strides to sustainability.

My only qualm is that the children s menu is lacking. The burger that was ordered was small and cooked to a sad, flat pancake. Our waiter kindly swapped it out for spaghetti, which was still not quite up to par. For a seafood restaurant, offering fish and chips on a kids menu should be standard however this was not on the dinner menu. Additionally, pasta should be cooked al dente, and crab catcher over cooked both pasta dishes served.

This is a very cute restaurant right on the water. The entrance is a bit hidden and down two levels from the street, but the views from the table were breathtaking. We were in a little nook next to a window that looked out on the ocean and a rock that had a bunch of birds on it.

The food was excellent but expensive. The tiramisu was the best I've ever had.

Great view on La Jolla cove and the food is pretty good

Beautiful view from our table. I noted it was our one year anniversary and we would appreciate a table on the patio when I booked. With a short wait we were seated at an amazing table. So kind of them to make it happen. Friendly and quick More

Excellent restaurant overlooking La Jolla Bay. The crab and lobster first. The neighborhood is one of the most luxurious in San Diego.

Great food and atmosphere...great views of the ocean

We were extremely excited to take our friends here after purchasing a $100 gift certificate from Fox 5 news channel. The food looked delicious on the news segment and I thought well it's in La Jolla? It must be great! However this was not the case once we sat down. Our friends salad never arrived, our dinners were extremely overcooked,and the waitress lacked customer service and frankly a personality. When she read us the specials it took her two seconds followed by a "uh yeah i think thats it", while the table behind us had a waitress reading off all kinds of things. We still ended up paying $160 on top of the gift certificate, for the price I would have expected a better menu and better service. The only highlight of the night was the adorably sweet hostess. Would not recommend this place to anyone, you can find way better food and service elsewhere.

We were very excited to try this restaurant, as it always looked nice from the outside. We got there at about 2:30pm on a Thursday, the restaurant was not busy at all, and we were seated right away and given water. We waited at our table for about 15 minutes without our server approaching us at all. When we were finally asked by somebody if we wanted anything, it was by somebody who said he was not our server and our server was taking another order... Keep in mind, there was a total of about 6 other parties dining in the restaurant.

We left after about 20 minutes without even placing a drink order. We won t be coming back.

Great views and great food! Try to get here for a sunset.

Great seafood. Even more spectacular views. I wanted to take away a star for the ridiculous prices but I'm new to fine dining so I'm not sure how normal these prices are. Drinks are amazing, make sure you order one of their specialty cocktails

One of my absolute favorite seafood places in Southern California ! Love it

A beautiful setting, a window seat overlooking the water outstanding service and a meal second to none. I had the Maine Lobster which was sweet and moist with fresh vegetables it was delightful as well as delicious. My guest had crab and couldn't have been more pleased also with fresh vegetables. The waiter was very attentive, the service all around was just outstanding. Would recommend it to anyone who wanted to have a special night. I recommend a walk along the beach after dinner.

Hello..we had dinner Saturday night and the food was. Luke warm and so wasbthe service. I was disappointed.

View during day is spectacular, if you are lucky to get a table on patio at window side. The cost of your entree pays for the pricey view. The ambience is romantic. Good place for a special date.

Great Service and Food! Richard gave exceptional care to us. Collin, the Manager, was also very nice and cares about making sure the expectations of the customers are met. We highly recommend this place and will return!

The view and service were wonderful. Ordered the shrimp pasta. It was absolutely fantastic!!

The food was way over priced for what it was. Spent over 600 on our meal and it was so not worth it. Waited over an hour for food and it was cold. Would not recommend it unless you want to spend a ton of money on something that is very mediocre

Inserted in a commercial complex facing the sea, this restaurant enjoys a priceless view! The staff was very courteous, even too much, the dishes excellent but a little lacking (except the desserts). I got a delicious Crab Wonton and a Key Lime pie.
The only flaw: the stench. That day the seagulls did not give peace, especially with the guano. Intractable.
Impeccable bathrooms.
Small note in favor of the waiter: sitting next to it was a strange character, who judged all the dishes that arrived unsuitable. Fresh oysters "taste too much salt", berry ice cream "too cold" (are we kidding?), Bread with butter "too old" ... But the waiter, always very professional, apologized saying he would said to the cook, and substituting the only dish that was perhaps worth it: bread. In other places I don't know how long it would last. In the end he even complained about the bill!