There’s no better place to enjoy fresh Dungeness Crab than on the shores of Puget Sound. These incredible crustaceans are found in the waters along the West Coast from Alaska to California and Puget Sound.
With crab making up 20% of all marine crustaceans and over 1.5 million tons eaten annually, we do our best in the Pacific Northwest to enjoy the bounties our local waters provide. Washington State fishermen can typically catch fresh crab from October through December.
You don’t have to brave the cold to enjoy fresh local crab. Some fabulous restaurants all over the Puget Sound region serve Dungeness in some delightfully creative ways.
The list below details some popular local spots and suggestions from locals who have lived in the area for decades and know their way around fresh crab. Take a road trip and visit as many as possible!
Harbor Lights – Tacoma
Crab Cocktail
Harbor Lights is on the Tacoma waterfront. The entire restaurant sits on top of the Puget Sound on a pier. Beautiful views of the sound and local wildlife are what you are treated to when you sit in one of the many water-side tables.
Owned by the famous “Anthony’s” brand of restaurants, Harbor Lights sets itself apart with a unique menu. The owner began Anthony’s farm-to-table concept 50 years ago by bringing Dungeness crab to farmers in Eastern Washington in exchange for hunting privileges on their farms. They still work with those farmers today to source produce for the restaurants.
While crab is featured heavily on their menu with their crab dinner and crab toast, it is an off-menu item that tops my list.
The crab cocktail isn’t anywhere on the menu but is available year-round and features Dungeness Crab from Coos Bay, Oregon, on a bed of celery and cabbage and a dollop of their house-made Louie sauce. You get a heap of crab on top, with fresh lemon for a bright squeeze, and this crab cocktail is as decadent as it is beautiful.
If you want to have an entire crab feast, order their Dungeness Crab Legs. They come pre-cracked in a mound with sides and drawn butter.
Tiny’s House Of Crab – Bremerton, WA
Dungeness Crab Platter
With the famous Dungeness Crab platter, you get a whole Dungeness Crab in a low-country boil, complete with an egg, corn on the cob, and plenty of tender potatoes. You can get the garlic sauce, which they refer to as “liquid gold,” or their house seafood seasoning. Both options are delicious, so it just depends on what you’re in the mood for.
Take home your leftovers and make a homemade crab bisque!
Seabird – Bainbridge Island, WA
Anything Dungeness on the menu
Seabird is a local legend, serving small plates with locally sourced ingredients that routinely have the chefs suiting up in their favorite dry suits to harvest directly out of the waters of Puget Sound.
So many creative uses of seafood, seaweed, and kelp happen between courses; you may not quite identify a flavor before the dish is gone, and you’re left wanting more. Thankfully, more is soon to come, as the next course arrives quickly.
Their menu changes daily based on what’s available, but often, they’ll have the most delicate Dungeness Crab dish that features apple, browned butter, braised kale, and a sunchoke soup. You will want a vat to take home, but a few bites will have to do. After all, you must leave room for their world-class fresh oysters with homemade hot sauce and mignonette.
Taylor Shellfish – Multiple Puget Sound Locations
Salish Sea Sampler with Dungeness added
What you are looking at here is the Salish Sampler, which is much more than just crab; the crab is the star of the show. It is steamed and served with the tamale in the shell with bread for dipping. With multiple locations in and around Seattle, including famous concert and sporting venues, you’re never too far away from some incredible crab, oysters, and all the local seafood offerings.
Market – Edmonds, WA
Crab Roll
Market has locations in both Seattle and Edmonds and always comes up in the conversation if you ask locals where to get the best Dungeness crab. Their Crab Roll is served hot, with Dungeness crab meat, red rock crab meat, aioli, Old Bay, and brown butter, on a toasted brioche roll with fries on the side.
Take the ferry from Edmonds to Kingston and explore the local waterfront in Kingston, where there are shops, restaurants, coffee, and live entertainment on the weekends.
Want to make a crab roll? Make this Dungeness Crab Roll lobster roll style. It is simple to make and is delicious!
Moto Pizza – Edmonds, West Seattle, Belltown
Crab Pizza
Moto Pizza is quickly becoming a local legend, selling out months in advance and featuring a fusion of pizza styles with people talking and raving about their unique flavor combinations.
Their Crab! Pizza has Dungeness, MOTO cheese, parmesan, butter, dill, lemon zest, lemon juice, and thyme.
Owner Lee Kindell says, “The Crab is my love letter to the Great PNW. I grew up here fishing the Puget Sound and had to have a seafood pizza, and what better topping than the delicious Dungeness crab? To highlight the crab flavor, we kept it simple with butter, dill, and lemon, inspired by the East Coast lobster roll.”