Editor’s Note:
Wes Hennings never met a meal he walked away from and is an opinionated eater! Each Thursday he shares the results of a business lunch he’s had with a colleague as a way to advise our business community on the good, bad, and tasty across the CSRA. He doesn’t let ABD or the restaurant know where he is going and his opinions are his own. He grades the restaurants he visits on a 1-5 scale with “5” being outstanding. We call this our “Real Business Lunch Review”.
Food Quality: 4
Service: 3
Business Meeting: 5
Value: 4
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5
It may just be me, but I feel like I see a crab joint pop up every few weeks in Augusta, mostly in old strip malls that seem a bit too suspect a location for quality seafood. So when a nice new building popped up in front of the Kroger on Washington Road, I decided to give it a go.
Sadly, I think the Rockin’ Crab may be a one-hit-wonder.
The beginning of our lunch was awkward, to say the least. There was a person at the host stand who never looked up from the computer when we arrived. After a few long seconds, they informed us the host was coming back soon, but never a hello or welcome.
The restaurant is still new and sparkly, only being open a couple of weeks, with a big bar and a large maze of booths for seating. There are also TVs scattered about.
When we sat down, that’s when things got weird.
A server took our drink order and then another server came and greeted us. Rockin’ Crab has the shtick where the servers write their name on the table. So server #2 wrote her name, and then the girl who took our drink order came back and informed her she was stealing her table. This is when my lunch pal and I begin to sit awkwardly and try to look anywhere else. Then, the second server had to ask the first girl her name, which offended her even more. I can forgive some hiccups at a new restaurant, but this felt like another level.
For lunch, there are basically two options I feel you choose from: a fried basket or a low country boil. I went for the basket with fried shrimp and tilapia. A catfish is also an option if you prefer. My companion for the day did the boil.
There is any number of spots to grab some good fried seafood in a basket for lunch so the competition is pretty steep, especially with an Augusta casual seafood icon just down the street. So in a sink or swim world, these fish went belly up. The shrimp was fine but certainly did not stand out in a crowded market.
With the seafood boil, you get to pick your meat and then you get one corn and one potato. That is clear on the menu. It’s delivered in a large boil bag, but honestly, one potato does not a low country boil make. Even with inflation, I would think a second spud would be doable for a $10-12 lunch.
Seems the flavor was fine, but again, achievable elsewhere. There was a decent amount of shrimp and seasoning, but a shrimpy amount of sides doesn’t give much of a palate cleanser and will leave you a little overwhelmed by the Cajun flavor. We also started with some hushpuppies, and those felt frozen as opposed to homemade.
Perhaps a better name for this new eatery is the Karaoke Crab. It’s a fun environment, the food is good enough and you won’t be sad you went. But it feels like a bit of a knockoff of the real thing, and some parts are more than a bit cringy. If you really want some rockin’ seafood, crank up the tunes and drive a little further down the road.
Rockin’ Crab Seafood and Bar
2807 Washington Road
https://rockincrabaugusta.com
