Best crab legs in Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway?

DH has his heart set on crab legs in at least one of our ports (Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway) and a client told him about a place where she got a huge bucket of crab legs that were to die for but she doesn't remember where or the name of the restaurant (just that it was nothing fancy). Said her bill was close to $150 in the end:eek:

Looking around the web, it appears that maybe she ate at Tracy's in Juneau but are there any other hole-in-a-wall places in either of these three ports that offer crabs like this? We are in Juneau from 9 a.m. - 10 p.m. and have a whale excursion from 3-6:30 with Orca Enterprises so I'm thinking we'll tour Juneau in the morning, come back to the ship for lunch/rest and then go out with OE. Looks like Tracy's is conveniently located between OE and the cruise terminal so maybe it would make for a great dinner?

Would love to hear recommendations and thoughts in regards to all the ports and great seafood restaurants and Tracy's, in particular. Thanks!

Thoughts....

• some cruise lines offer Tracy's product in the MDR
  
• Tracy gets the biggest reputation. Expect it to be busy with so much publicity across all those ships in port for the day.
  http://kingcrabshack.com/
  http://kingcrabshack.com/Crab%20Menu%202013%20rev1.pdf
  Looks like they got the 3lb bucket.
  
• Tracy moved in 2014 to a permanent building next door. If you see a wooden shack at the dock.... it's NOT tracy
  
• are you going past Vancouver?
  
• do you want frozen or live crab?
  
• are you tired of boil 'n butter?
  
• wanna try ginger? garlic? baked? fried? spiced? all of the above in a combo?
  
• is there 8 to 10 of you?
  

http://www.followmefoodie.com/2014/04/dynasty-seafood-restaurant-alaskan-king-crab-dinner-vancouver/

Most cruise lines offer a crab feast in Ketchikan that is usually accompanied by a fly-in or catamaran trip. The feast is preceded by smoked salmon appetizers, open bar, and some crab cracking tips. You can eat Dungeness crab, caught the same day, for about one hour. Large bowls are continually filled with hot crab and then used to fill each request for "more crab, please." The record is 11 halves but I could only manage five. The feast ends with a large slice of cheesecake for those still able to eat more.

Here is a photograph just before the feasting started:

The crab legs you get in AK are the same as you get at home. Crab season is not during cruise season, so all the crab legs that you eat will have been caught and frozen the previous season. In other words, they are all pretty much the same.

The crab legs you get in AK are the same as you get at home. Crab season is not during cruise season, so all the crab legs that you eat will have been caught and frozen the previous season. In other words, they are all pretty much the same.

and as much as people oh and ah over king crab legs that is reason I really don't much care for them, crab is one of those products that doesn't freeze well, its really the novelty of having them. You set a plate of fresh Dungeness crab like that pictured above and a plate of Alaska King crab legs in front of me in July and I'll take the Dungeness every time.

Thoughts....

• some cruise lines offer Tracy's product in the MDR
  
• Tracy gets the biggest reputation. Expect it to be busy with so much publicity across all those ships in port for the day.
  http://kingcrabshack.com/
  http://kingcrabshack.com/Crab%20Menu%202013%20rev1.pdf
  Looks like they got the 3lb bucket.
  
• Tracy moved in 2014 to a permanent building next door. If you see a wooden shack at the dock.... it's NOT tracy
  
• are you going past Vancouver?
  
• do you want frozen or live crab?
  
• are you tired of boil 'n butter?
  
• wanna try ginger? garlic? baked? fried? spiced? all of the above in a combo?
  
• is there 8 to 10 of you?
  

http://www.followmefoodie.com/2014/04/dynasty-seafood-restaurant-alaskan-king-crab-dinner-vancouver/

LOL...I don't eat crab but DH really likes the boil 'n butter kind. Just him eating it.

The crab legs you get in AK are the same as you get at home. Crab season is not during cruise season, so all the crab legs that you eat will have been caught and frozen the previous season. In other words, they are all pretty much the same.

Good to know.....however, DH LOVES seafood, especially crab legs, on vacation anywhere we go, fresh or previously frozen. It's his splurge :)

Most cruise lines offer a crab feast in Ketchikan that is usually accompanied by a fly-in or catamaran trip. The feast is preceded by smoked salmon appetizers, open bar, and some crab cracking tips. You can eat Dungeness crab, caught the same day, for about one hour. Large bowls are continually filled with hot crab and then used to fill each request for "more crab, please." The record is 11 halves but I could only manage five. The feast ends with a large slice of cheesecake for those still able to eat more.

 

Here is a photograph just before the feasting started:

 

Wow! 11 halves is a lot of crab :) The cheesecake sounds delicious to me! I think we are going salmon fishing in Ketchikan, though, and with a relatively short port time, the crab feast excursion seems like we wouldn't have enough time to do both :(

In Ketchikan, the Cape Fox Lodge (above Creek Street) has a restaurant called the Heen Kahidi Dining Room.They have excellent King Crab, but a spectacular view of all of Ketchikan. It's quite an experience.

The crab legs you get in AK are the same as you get at home. Crab season is not during cruise season, so all the crab legs that you eat will have been caught and frozen the previous season. In other words, they are all pretty much the same.

no

they aren't

dungeness season opened june 15

and putterdude is correct, a dungeness kicks king crab up one side of the street and down the other.

 

a dungeness kicks king crab up one side of the street and down the other.

 

and late at night at intimate gatherings you will hear whispering " I like cod over halibut" " that halibut was dry, wish i had cod" "what's there to eat other than this halibut"

if you have the choice halibut and chips vs pacific cod and chips or a halibut burger vs a true pacific cod burger. don't gamble, go with the cod.

and if you have an offering of smoked black cod (really not a cod but sable fish ) and red potatoes ...................... you'll come back for thirds

Taste is very subjective. We get fresh Dungeness crab where I live, often caught the same day as the traps are pulled up (friend of a friend). I love it but like King crab even more. We ate at Tracy's in mid-June and thoroughly enjoyed it. Quite a few ships were in port but we ate about mid-afternoon and we ordered and were served with only a minimal wait. On Princess, Tracy's crab legs were served in the MDR on that same night in Juneau.

Looking around the web, it appears that maybe she ate at Tracy's in Juneau but are there any other hole-in-a-wall places in either of these three ports that offer crabs like this?

Don't screw around. Tracy's deserves every bit of its hype. Ate there when it was really nothing but a shack. Also ate there after they moved to the new place. I got nothing but praise for it.

They have a combination for under $35 that includes bisque, crab cakes and a large leg. And while it is a bit pricey, if your friend paid $150, there must have been several of them, or they ordered WAY more food than they could eat. We took some friends last trip and each of us ordered a combo. Plenty of food for most, but one guy wanted another leg so he plopped down another $25. He ended up sharing it... :)

Yes it is crowded, but if there is a crowd when you first get there, come back in a few. When we were there last time (the new location) the ordering system made the line move really quickly.

We are going back to Alaska in September and I guarantee that we will be eating at Tracy's. And after we eat, I will head to the Red Dog Saloon for some awesome music and crazy fun.

As for Dungeness crab, yes, I love it. But we get it all the time in California. When I go to Alaska I want locally caught King crab. YUM!!!

Bob

Tracy's Crab Shack was phenomenal! Best crab I have ever had. Shared the special with the wife.... which was 3lb. of crab legs with slaw & garlic rolls for $80.00. Well worth it in my opinion. Enjoy your cruise.:)

PS - The Alaskan Summer beer is pretty tasty also :D.

Tracy's had the best crab legs I've ever had. We are going back next summer and are excited to go back. The 3 lb. bucket was more than enough food for my daughter and I.

Yup, I agree with everbody here, Tracy's is very good. Ain't much or anything fancy, but it'll do.:) Was there in Sept and will be going back in June.

Another VOTE for Tracey's King Crab Shack, the BEST. NOTE: The crab bisque is too die for, SO MUCH SO, that last summer we had it for lunch and dinner while off the ship in Juneau!!! :D:D

Going back this September and looking forward to eating their yummy delicious food again!!!!!:p

Tracy's has a new location so you may care to check out the link. Alaska King Crab is frozen during the cruise season and the fishery only runs from about October thru January. However, it follows that AKC is frozen wherever you have it in Alaska from May thru September. For my money I will always choose the freshly caught Dungeness crab, IMO its a vastly superior product.

http://www.kingcrabshack.com/

Question -- can you order both kinds of crabs at Tracy's? We are a family of five who love crab, so my thinking is that we'd just order some of each and try them both...

Question -- can you order both kinds of crabs at Tracy's? We are a family of five who love crab, so my thinking is that we'd just order some of each and try them both...

Their menu says fresh Dungeness crab starts in June :)

Their menu says fresh Dungeness crab starts in June :)

I hadn't noticed that on the menu, however that is likely because Dungeness crab molt in the spring and while there new shells are soft the isn't much meat and what there is not very tasty.

Voting for my husband.........Tracey's Crab Shack, yum!

We'll be back in August and this will be the highlight of the whole trip for him.

Does anyone know if Celebrity will serve crab in their dining room?

We ate at Tracy's on our last Alaska cruise...when it was still a shack. It was great and I'm looking forward to visiting again and seeing the new place. I did review the cruise, and post #32 talks about our visit to Tracy's and there are a few photos. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1442527

I just had fresh Dungeness the other night and it was great, but it had me thinking about Juneau and visiting Tracy's. :D