Restaurant Review: Crab House at Pier 39 in San Francisco, CA

Pier 39 is, admittedly, a tourist trap. The best thing about Pier 39 is the chance to see free Sea Lions. Other than that, Pier 39 is designed for tourists to spend money on wares that indicate they've been to San Francisco. Yet a diamond in the rough of Pier 39 is the Crab House. If you want to eat and get something close to your money's worth- believe me, many restaurants here are overpriced- the Crab House at Pier 39 is worth the trip.

We actually budgeted to eat at The Crab House at Pier 39 (located on 203 C Pier 39 in San Francisco; phone: 415.434.2722). My birthday was coming up and I wanted to splurge big on crab legs since I didn't want to eat any at a chain restaurant. After looking at the menu prices I knew it was going to cost a pretty penny for our small family to enjoy this experience. So if you're a tourist on a budget, prepare to cough up a few extra dollars.

We arrived at The Crab House relatively early because we wanted to beat any crowds; we also knew there was a chance to get a window view before sunset since it was winter. Our calculations were correct: we showed up at 5:30 and were promptly seated by a large window with no obstructions and a wonderful view of the San Francisco Bay.

Our servers continued their promptness and attention to detail. All of our silverware was in place (a blessing in many restaurants here). She even put plastic bibs on everyone as we prepared for our order. I ordered the iron skillet dungeness crab legs with shrimp and muscles for $40. My kids split a fish and chips order ($24). My wife ordered crab alfredo ($17).

As we waited we took notice of The Crab House at Pier 39's decorations. There were some very creative crab shell decorations, each with a different theme from patriotic to mermaid. A pub-style table with a mini-fireplace was also available for couples that wanted an extra warm dining experience. It can get cold in the Bay Area, so my wife and I made note of this for our impending return. There was plenty of space for a large party to dine in should you choose to bring the entire family or company.

Our food arrived relatively quickly- about 10 minutes after order. We're not sure if this was because we were here early or if they were efficient cooks. Either way, it was quick and I couldn't wait to dive in.

My steaming skillet plate was only impressive in smell at first. Everything was piping hot as the server poured a finishing touch of garlic butter on top of the legs and mussels. The fish and chips order was larger than expected and included the Crab House's famous garlic fries. My wife's Alfred order seemed like it had standard egg noodles mixed in with fresh crab meat.

Once I took a bite into the crab legs, I knew why people loved this place. The meat was extremely tender and took well to the garlic butter flavoring. The mussels were plentiful, almost overwhelming the plate. And although there were only a handful of shrimp, they were among the best shrimp I've ever tasted. Each bite was a multi-textured moment of ecstasy, given the seasoning and shell-on coating.

The fish and chips were also impressive. My wife didn't particularly enjoy her crab alfredo because it just wasn't her typical meal but she dove into the fish and chips, raving about the garlic fries. Even the tartar sauce they provided was beyond the norm. We could taste topinod mixed into it. The fish was beyond standard whiting you normally find in what I consider the "hamburger" order of seafood restaurants; we suspect it was cod.

I took the last bites of my meal the next day. We took home all the extra mussels and the pasta meal, which wasn't bad. I swear everything tasted just as good the next day, which is usually a sign of good cooking to me. Again, this was not an inexpensive meal. There is no lunch menu and you should consider making reservations if you have a large party. But you are guaranteed to enjoy every bite. If you absolutely have to eat at Pier 39 and don't want to settle for a bowl of clam chowder, make the Crab House at Pier 39 your stop.