The details
King Crab Co fills the marina-fronting gap left by restaurant and bar Pier (the original Saks location), with the tiered venue seating around 165 seafood lovers, as well as a handful more across the umbrella-topped picnic tables dotted on the outside boardwalk. The opening of the Gold Coast venue marks a slight shift in the culinary direction of King Crab Co – while Louisianan-style ‘crab in a bag’ will still be the hero, newly appointed head chef Jason Anderson has introduced a welcome series of light and fresh seasonally driven dishes to sit alongside the moreish classics. Be prepared to get stuck in with your hands, make some mess (the table cloths are paper, so go nuts) and have a bit of fun.
The food
The menu covers smaller snack-style plates, burgers and rolls, char-grilled meats and fish, a fresh-oyster selection, as well as the king – the mighty crab – with a wide variety on offer from Alaskan snow crabs to Fraser Island spanner crabs. Alongside the eatery’s signature boiled and bagged crab, which is served hot, Jason has introduced a chilled crab offering, which is served on ice with clarified butters, sauces and crab-cracking utensils. Sharing is a good way to work through plates like the Dirty Fries topped with blue swimmer crab and lashings of chipotle crema and lime caviar, and the crab hush puppies with chimichurri mayonnaise, but definitely keep moreish eats like the soft-shell crab roll or the katsu market-fish sandwich with pickled onion and tartare to yourself. Non-seafood eaters will find options aplenty, from the charred wagyu striploin to the fried buttermilk chicken burger, and the Northern Rivers beef short rib with smoked sour cream. Make sure you throw on sides from the chippery section (the beer-battered fries with dehydrated vinegar and sea salt will do) and finish with pumpkin ice-cream topped with powdered popcorn.
Everything else
King Crab Co is certainly at home amongst the super yachts and fishing trawlers, with all seats in the house offering glimpses of the pristine waterways of Marina Mirage. While the red and blue neon signs catch your eye, the bar area is the highlight of King Crab Co’s upper level. The bar, dotted with high tables and stools for sipping and snacking with a view, is loaded with tap beers and Australian wines, and will serve a vibrant array of summer-inspired cocktails and wine spritzes by the carafe.
Ready to go? Head to our Stumble Guide for opening hours, location and contact details.
