Best place for fresh king crab?

[LCW]

Vancouver, Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and anchorage on this cruise.  Where, in your opinion is the best restaurant for fresh king crab? 

[Glaciers]

Any king crab in an Alaskan restaurant will have been previously frozen. Since the king crab season was canceled in Alaska this fall/winter, most of the king crab in restaurants will probably be from Russia.

 

Annabell's in Ketchikan or Tracy's Crab Shack in Juneau get good reviews for crab.

[donaldsc]

56 minutes ago, Glaciers said:

Any king crab in an Alaskan restaurant will have been previously frozen. Since the king crab season was canceled in Alaska this fall/winter, most of the king crab in restaurants will probably be from Russia.

 

Annabell's in Ketchikan or Tracy's Crab Shack in Juneau get good reviews for crab.

 

That said is the frozen crab in AK any better than the frozen crab in a lower 48 restaurant except for the atmosphere.  Perhaps the OP might better off dining in a restaurant that serves fresh seafood or fish that is in season.  Check out this site  

 

chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/fishing/pdfs/commercial/commercial_season_2.pdf

 

or this one 

 

https://www.thespruceeats.com/a-guide-to-fish-and-seafood-seasons-5216116

 

DON

[rkacruiser]

26 minutes ago, donaldsc said:

Perhaps the OP might better off dining in a restaurant that serves fresh seafood or fish that is in season.  Check out this site  

 

Thank you for posting these sites.  Informative!

 

I agree with your suggestion that ordering fresh Alaskan seafood in season is one good reason for visiting our 49th State.  I'd recommend their Halibut.  But, the Salmon runs are, I think, starting and the Salmon is delicious as well.  

[martincath]

2 hours ago, LCW said:

Vancouver, Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and anchorage on this cruise.  Where, in your opinion is the best restaurant for fresh king crab? 

There's literally just one option in Cruise Season - Vancouver - and even here you need to order an entire crab 5o get it fresh.

 

Keeping things that can be over five feet across alive in tanks ain't cheap, so out of season pricing can be scary. Given the general bump in cost of all sorts of food, the only prices I've heard bandied about this year even in peak AKC season was around $800-1000 for the meal. The bulk of that cost is the crab itself - you get 'free' rice, veggies, soup etc. and 3 courses of crab preparation included for up to 10 people in most restos offering it, with extra cost for extra courses and a very modest reduction if you have just a small group so they don't have to make as much other food. Hire a small private room and add a Squab course at Sun Sui Wah, you could easily be looking at $1200.

 

Pre-Covid, you could find peak crab meals for more like $500-600. Still, the pricing is in CAD and if you have a group of 8-10 a hundred bucks a pop for a feast you will be able to talk about for the rest of your days isn't really that bad... the biggest problem is that once you've actually tasted legs that were actually cooked from raw with garlic stuffed inside, enabling the flavour to actually get into the meat, then dunking 'steamed at sea then frozen and reheated' legs into garlic butter just won't cut it any more ;-)

Edited May 16, 2022 by martincath

[Northern Aurora]

2 hours ago, LCW said:

Vancouver, Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and anchorage on this cruise.  Where, in your opinion is the best restaurant for fresh king crab? 

 

Since the king crab opening  is a winter fishery, all king crab served in Alaska during the cruise season will be frozen, even in the years in which the king crab season has been open.  I've been to Dutch Harbor/Unalaska and even there the king crab was frozen.  But I find it interesting in the wording some restaurants use as they "dance" around their menu descriptions.

[donaldsc]

3 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Thank you for posting these sites.  Informative!

 

I agree with your suggestion that ordering fresh Alaskan seafood in season is one good reason for visiting our 49th State.  I'd recommend their Halibut.  But, the Salmon runs are, I think, starting and the Salmon is delicious as well.  

 

My wife and I went on a halibut fishing trip once and we sent it home.  Including all costs it was the most expensive fish I have ever eaten but it was delicious.

 

DON

[xlxo]

A variation of martincath's response.... Vancouver's premium Chinese restaurants offers live crab.

• if it's not moving across your table, something is wrong.
• yes, you need a group of 6 or so
• pay attention as some are harvested in Russia vs Alaska.  Inquire when you pre-order.  Prices will vary week to week.
• please don't ask for boil 'n butter.  Chinese restaurants are famous for their "Vancouver Style" multi-presentations.

[rsldonk]

Tracy's crab shack in Juneau is the rare place that is super touristy but still excellent.  I love it and stop there every time in Juneau.  It's touristy, so sort of expensive, but I don't think I've had better crab anywhere.

[Gardyloo]

On 5/16/2022 at 11:57 AM, LCW said:

Vancouver, Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and anchorage on this cruise.  Where, in your opinion is the best restaurant for fresh king crab? 

If you change your request to Dungeness crab, you (and especially your wallet) will be much happier.