RED HOOK, BROOKLYN
Brooklyn Crab
A three-level crab shack on the Red Hook waterfront — come for the open-air deck and the harbor at sunset.
Brooklyn Crab opened in 2012 as Red Hook's answer to the Jersey Shore crab shack: three levels of decks stacked beside the water off Reed Street, with an open-air top floor looking out over the Upper Bay. Down in the yard there are games for kids and the overgrown kind; upstairs it is all harbor light.
Come for the setting more than for culinary revelation. The crab roll is the most-ordered dish, steamed blue crabs and crab cakes are the classic order, and there is a raw bar for oysters and clams. Reviews of the cooking are mixed, but on a warm late afternoon with the water turning gold, few people seem to mind.
Editor’s tip
Go on a clear afternoon, head straight for the top deck, and keep the order simple: crab roll and a bucket of steamed crabs.
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Editorial draft — core details last reviewed October 13, 2026. Confirm practical details with the official site before you go.