A Southern-style Combo ($44.99) with snow crab legs, mussels and shrimp.
If you want your next dining experience to really make a splash, head to Oahu’s premier seafood-boil destination, Raging Crab, where you can roll up your sleeves, strap on a bib and go all out with an overflowing feast of shrimp, crab, lobster and much more.
Before opening Raging Crab in 2012, co-owners JC “Moto” Chow and Steven Sean Saiki recognized a niche to fill within Hawaii’s seafood-restaurant market, sparking their decision to help kamaaina dive into an ocean-inspired treasure chest of flavors.
“My business partner and I both travel quite frequently to the mainland, mainly Las Vegas and California, and we noticed that every time we went to this type of (seafood-themed) restaurant, we would always run into people we knew from Hawaii,” explains Chow. “So we thought, ‘Hey, this would be a great idea to bring back home.'”
Beer Battered Mussels ($10 lunch special; only at Keeaumoku)
It turned out to be a winning concept indeed, as the original Raging Crab on Keeaumoku Street continues to fill up daily with locals and tourists alike. Just this past August, the business expanded with a second location in Aiea Town Square, which has been ideal for military families and Raging Crab’s loyal base of West Side customers who no longer have to drive into town to devour its signature Southern-style seafood.
At both of Raging Crab’s locales, the family-friendly atmosphere is made fun with nautical decor details and shell-cracking utensils placed at every table. The dining experience appeals to adults as much as keiki, all of whom love to throw on some gloves and crack open an array of plump crustacean meat.
Chowder Fries ($7)
“I’ve noticed a lot of customers love to take before and after photos, so they do one with their bibs all clean and then they do an ‘aftermath’ photo where the shells are everywhere and the leftovers are on the table,” Chow says with a smile.
All that enjoyment is met with mouthwatering flavors, as guests may order seafood a la carte by the pound, as well as whole Dungeness crabs and lobsters, or go for one of the popular sharable options.
Get away with playing with your food when you indulge in the Combo ($44.99), offering up a customizable selection of snow crab legs, crawfish, mussels, shrimp or clams.
“It’s meant to feed one to two people and you get to choose three seafoods out of the list of five,” describes Chow. “You can double up or triple up on any item, just any combination of three. And then it comes with six sausages, one corn, one Cajun fries and one rice.”
Soft shell crab sliders ($12)
If there are more than two diners in your party, another way to share a little bit of everything is to order The Captain’s Special. This seafood boil offers lobster ($75 or market price), king crab legs ($74 or market price) or Dungeness crab ($76.99 or market price) to go along with king crab and snow crab legs, mussels, shrimp and clams, as well as the classic Southern-style accompaniments.
When asked what sets Raging Crab apart from other seafood-boil establishments, Chow responds, “I’ve been told that it’s our sauce, especially ‘The Works’ sauce, which is a combination of all three of our sauces that we offer.”
Those crave-worthy sauces she is referring to are Garlic Butter, Lemon Pepper and Raging Cajun, so you can imagine how delicious a combo of all three would be. “The Works is very popular; our regulars always get that one, and we definitely recommend it for first-time customers,” adds Chow.
The Captain’s Special with lobster ($75 or market price) A. CONSILLIO PHOTO
Raging Crab also is home to a range of specials created to perfectly supplement any seafood boil. Soft Shell Crab Sliders ($12), for instance, delight with deep-fried crabs nestled within two taro buns and slathered in house-made aioli and coleslaw. Spiced-up Cajun fries come on the side — and you can also enjoy them in Chowder Fries ($7) topped with the creamiest of homemade chowders.
From the finger-lickin’ good sauces to the abundance of Cajun-inspired seafood, it’s no wonder Raging Crab continues to reel in so many Oahu patrons.
Raging Crab
HONOLULU
655 Keeaumoku St., No. 101, Honolulu
955-2722
Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday,11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
AIEA TOWN SQUARE
99-082 Kauhale St., Ste. B-10, Aiea
487-2722
Monday-Saturday, 5-9:30 p.m. Sunday, 5-9 p.m.
Last call 30 minutes prior to closing
ragingcrab.com
Aiea, HI 96701
Honolulu, HI 96814
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