Cap'n Jack's Crab Shack - Charleston

The seafood here is incredibly fresh and expertly prepared. The coleslaw, enhanced with cranberries, is absolutely delightful.

Authentic. The seafood here is genuinely impressive. It bursts with flavor, the fish tastes incredibly fresh, and the portion sizes are generous.

The crab cakes here are fantastic! You can purchase them either frozen or cooked. Just a heads up—don't expect Captain Jack to be friendly after around 2 PM (if you catch my drift). When I asked him for the best cooking method for his crab cakes, he made a comment about my size and said, "If you enjoy eating, you’ll figure it out." That pretty much sums up the vibe of this little town—drunk and gloomy. Still, the crab cakes are truly excellent!

We decided to stop by this restaurant based on its 4.5-star rating on Yelp, hoping for an excellent meal. However, our experience began on a sour note when the lady behind the counter greeted us unfriendly, immediately stating that they were out of season for crab before even saying hello. I ordered oysters and a shrimp taco, while my girlfriend opted for the tuna melt with chowder. As frequent diners who appreciate fresh food, we were both quite disappointed with our selections. The chowder was surprisingly tasteless, feeling as if it had come from a can, which was odd for a restaurant situated right by the water. The coleslaw and beans also tasted like they were from a can—I used to work in the restaurant industry, so I could tell right away. The fried oysters were decent, and my girlfriend enjoyed her tuna melt, but overall, I wouldn’t recommend this place. We'll be looking for another option next time.

Liked this small seafood place. Friendly quick service. Had a monster fresh crab cocktail, and chowder. Really good. Lots of seafood on menu. Highly recommend.