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The Crab at Bournemouth, Bournemouth, Dorset

The Crab at Bournemouth

4.4 (1670)
£26 to £40
Seafood
Exeter Road, Bournemouth, Dorset BH2 5AJ

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2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 7 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
  • Great for fine wines
The Crab at Bournemouth is one of Dorset's finest, AA rated 2 rosette seafood restaurant.
Situated directly opposite the Bournemouth International Center and just moments from Bournemouth Pier.
Our passionate chefs create an array of delicious dishes sourced from fresh, local produce. Our contemporary surroundings have friendly and personable staff that will make you feel most welcome.
A lovely, relaxing atmosphere with an open balcony when weather permits.

A £5 per person deposit fee is required to make a restaurant booking to confirm and secure the reservation.

Dress Code of Smart Casual (No sportswear, fleeces, sliders, flip flops or beachwear) enforced from 5:30pm. You will be refused entry if not dressed in smart casual attire.

Children aged 8 and under may dine in the restaurant on tables booked with adults between 5:30pm-7:30pm, children's menu is also available. If you are more than 15 minutes late to a booking, there is a possibility your table my no longer be available.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Price
    £26 to £40
  • Cuisines
    Seafood, Modern European, Contemporary British
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Daily 12:00 pm–3:45 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 5:30 pm–9:30 pm Fri, Sat 5:30 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Private party facilities
    We can cater for birthday parties, anniversaries and Christmas parties
  • Neighborhood
    Bournemouth
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Entertainment
    Live music from our resident pianist some Friday and Saturday evenings.
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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What 1,670 people are saying

The Crab at Bournemouth reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.4
4.4 based on recent ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.4Service
  • 4.3Ambience
  • 4.1Value

NoiseEnergetic

Loved For

  • Dorset

    Good for business meals

  • Dorset

    Gluten-free-friendly

  • Dorset

    Great for creative cocktails

  • Dorset

    Great for fine wines

  • Dorset

    Romantic

  • Bournemouth

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Crab in Bournemouth is renowned for its "excellent food" and "superb seafood," offering dishes like Tempura prawns and Beef carpaccio. Guests praise the "outstanding service" and "friendly staff." The ambiance is warm, making it a "must-visit" for seafood lovers. Reservations are recommended for a delightful dining experience.
1,670 Reviews
  1. julian

    Berkshire4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent value catch of the day - delicious sea bream

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  2. Mike

    Worcestershire2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Excellent food , excellent service … Table cloths would make it special , but I except that it’s holiday makers with kids are there clientele, but will certainly go again …

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  3. Luisa

    Oxford/Oxfordshire1 review

    5.0

    Dined on July 20, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had an excellent experience at the Crab; the service was outstanding, the staff was friendly and very helpful and attentive. And the food really was an experience; a great variety of seafood, brilliantly presented and absolutely delicious!! We had an outstanding night and the Crab is already on our list the next time we visit the wonderful beaches of Bournemouth. Thanks for giving us such a good night!

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  4. Catherine

    Greater Boston1 review

    2.0

    Dined on July 19, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    I was looking forward to some local seafood but there was no evidence that anything was sourced locally. The staff were quite brusque and anytime you wanted their attention for drinks or the bill I ended up having to practically stand up. Wouldn’t return or recommend it.

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  5. Nicola

    London1 review

    1.0

    Dined on July 13, 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    Cutlery dirty asked for chilli oil told there was none then asked again and they brought us some Chips not cooked tables sticky

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  6. Gezar

    London2 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on July 5, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Rang the restaurant direct was told no availability, looked on OpenTable and voila! Time slots available for our required time! If it wasn’t for this fact would have given 5 stars overall ! Food delicious and well presented. The Tempura prawns were sublime, very fresh snd very tasty, the Beef carpaccio was equally as delicious. For main course my wife chose the day catch Sea bass, a large and beautifully cooked fish from the grill. My seafood linguine was full of fresh prawns, mussels, baby squid and calamari, which, strangely was offered with Parmesan! No self- respecting Italian chef would offer seafood pasta with Parmesan! I naturally declined the Parmesan!! Overall, a lovely fresh seafood restaurant. Well worth the visit and do be put off by being told no availability, check OpenTable!

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  7. Leigh

    Worcestershire1 review

    4.0

    Dined on July 5, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Excellent food for the starters and mains, the seafood was superbly done. And the gnocchi was incredible. Very happy with the service. The dessert was mixed, the Mille feuille was like cement and a chainsaw would not have been enough to penetrate it let alone the blunt spoon I was offered. Disappointingly we had to haggle over the removing it from the bill and compensating us. They also did not honour the discount we should have received for staying at the Park Central hotel. I would highly recommend but cannot give 5 stars due to the dessert.

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  8. Robert

    Dorset7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 23, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Had a lovely time at the crab. The dishes were immaculate and service was second to none.

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  9. Lisa

    Northampton/Northamptonshire1 review

    3.0

    Dined on June 22, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 4
    We've been coming here for years. The food is excellent if you are a seafood lover. But the service was terrible on our last visit. Also when I booked, I noted we were celebrating a birthday. In past years, they might bring out a decorated plate saying Happy Birthday but it wasn't even mentioned.

    1 person found this helpful

  10. Francina

    Dorset2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 21, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food and ambience. Staff were friendly and helpful always there to see to our needs. Really enjoyed the food, this was the first time we dined at The Crab. Will definitely recommend for sure!

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FAQs

The Crab at Bournemouth is rated 4.4 stars by 1670 OpenTable diners.

The Crab at Bournemouth does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United Kingdom
  3. Dorset
  4. Bournemouth
  5. Bournemouth

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 7 times today
Google Map for The Crab at Bournemouth

Exeter Road, Bournemouth, Dorset BH2 5AJ

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Bournemouth
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Daily 12:00 pm–3:45 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 5:30 pm–9:30 pm Fri, Sat 5:30 pm–10:00 pm
  • Price
    £26 to £40
  • Cuisines
    Seafood, Modern European, Contemporary British
  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Entertainment
    Live music from our resident pianist some Friday and Saturday evenings.
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine
Gift card

Gift card

Send gift cards instantly by email or print to present in person.

Send a gift card
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