The Crab Shack Wellington occupies the southern end of the Shed 5 building on Queens Wharf, bringing a playful Cape Cod idea to the capital's waterfront. The room is designed for casual, energetic dining rather than hushed formality, and the menu openly encourages diners to get messy. Harbour surroundings reinforce the seafood focus, but the atmosphere is just as important: this is a place for a lively table, a family meal or a group gathering where sharing and conversation are expected parts of the experience.
Seafood begins in several formats before the main course. Shack chowder combines market fish and prawns with corn and potato, while salt and pepper calamari and a raw fish board offer fried and fresh contrasts. Tempura soft-shell crab appears on its own and in a taco, and Marlborough green-lipped mussels can be ordered by the scoop with either white wine, chilli and garlic cream or coconut curry laksa. Those choices let a table build a meal gradually instead of committing immediately to one large plate.
The larger dishes keep the maritime theme broad. Cajun-spiced catch of the day is cooked in the charcoal barrel, fish and chips stays close to a familiar Wellington pub classic, and seafood fettuccine and coconut lemongrass curry bring shellfish into richer sauces. Mud crab with chilli garlic butter is the hands-on centrepiece, while the seafood boil combines crab, prawns, mussels, squid, sausage and corn for the table. Beef, fried chicken, halloumi and mushroom choices ensure that a mixed group is not limited to seafood alone.
A separate children's menu makes the restaurant especially workable for families, covering fish and chips, a cheeseburger, chicken, macaroni and a playful range of sundaes. Adults can move from tap beer and New Zealand wine to cocktails and alcohol-free drinks, then finish with brownie, affogato or a boozy ice cream sundae. Bookings are available for everyday tables, with larger groups handled directly by the venue. That practical flexibility suits the Shack's central idea: generous waterfront seafood served with enough informality for everyone to join in.
Address: Southern end of Shed 5, 5 Queens Wharf, Wellington Central, Wellington 6011, New Zealand
Moved or closed? Tell us: Moved·Temporarily closed·Permanently closed
The Crab Shack Wellington Menu
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Hot Bread w butter
Shack Chowder
a Crab Shack classic w market fish, prawns, creamed corn & potato
‘Cheezy As’
garlic & cheese Cobb – pull apart hot & cheesy garlic bread
Hot Wings
1 pound of crispy chilli chicken wings w blue cheese & red pepper sauce – available either meek‘n’mild or “fire in the hole!”
Shack-spiced Calamari
lightly fried w aioli & lemon
Raw Fish board
market selection w lime, palm sugar & chilli dressing, coriander salad
Tempura Soft Shell Crab
w chilli, miso pickled ginger mayo
Fish
tempura market fish, jalapeno crème fraiche, iceberg & pickles
Halloumi
grilled Zany Zeus halloumi, roasted corn salsa, coriander, chilli & guacamole
Soft Shell Crab
tempura batter, chilli, spring onion & coriander, crispy shallots, pickled ginger miso mayo
Scoop of Mussels
500g of Marlborough green lip mussels; white wine, chilli & garlic cream; coconut curry laksa sauce
Shack Burgers
All burgers served w fries.
The Mooloo
Prime beef patty, smoked cheddar, McClures pickles, iceberg lettuce, shack BBQ sauce & aioli on an Aro milk burger bun w Makikihi fries
The Big Wet Welly
Tempura batter fish fillets, cheddar cheese, iceberg & tartare on an Aro milk burger bun w Makikihi fries
The Happy Hippy
roasted Portobello mushroom, Zany Zeus halloumi, caramelised onions, onion rings, tomato relish, shack-slaw & aioli
Sides
Honey Mustard Slaw
Makikihi Fries
Extra Baguette
Steamed Rice
Butter
Roti Bread
Rocket Manchego Salad
The Main Event
Cajun Catch of the Day
market fish grilled in the charcoal barrel w cajun spices, & served w potato rosti nuggets, green onion sour cream, honey-mustard slaw
Beer battered Fush ‘n’ Chups
market fish, Makikihi fries, honey mustard slaw & tartare
Surf & Turf
slow braised beef short rib, king prawns, mashed spuds, green peppercorn & garlic gravy
Seafood Fettucine
prawns, squid, mussels, olives, capers
Vegetable Fettucine
tomato pesto, roasted red onion, baby spinach, feta, olives and capers
Seafood Curry
fish, squid, prawns & mussels in a coconut & lemongrass curry w coriander & chilli; contains peanuts; + roti bread; + steamed jasmine rice
SEAFOOD BOIL UP!
The ultimate seafood feast! Designed to Share. Mud crab, king prawns, mussels, squid, spicy sausage & corn on the cob, all simmered in tomato and garlic butter sauce! Comes with a choice of 4 sides to soak up the saucy goodness! – Baby Baguette, potato rosti nuggets, Steamed Rice, Makikihi Fries, Honey Mustard Slaw
Madagascan Mud Crab
500g served with ‘The Classic’ chilli garlic butter, finished w lemon and parsley
From The Crab Pots
Are you ready to get messy?
Madagascan Mud Crab
500g; Served with: ‘The Classic’ chilli garlic butter, finished w lemon and parsley
Seafood Boil Up
$199. The ultimate seafood feast! Designed to share. Madagascan Mud crab, king prawns, mussels, squid, spicy sausage & corn on the cob, all simmered in tomato & garlic butter sauce! Comes with a choice of 4 sides to soak up the saucy goodness!
baby baguette
potato rosti nuggets
steamed rice
Makikihi fries
honey mustard slaw
Little Crablings Menu
All $15.50
Mini Moo Moo
CHEESE BURGER | Homemade beef pattie, cheddar cheese, pickle, lettuce & mayo served with curly fries & ketchup
“THE BIG MAC” … & CHEESE
Macaroni with triple cheese sauce – cheddar, mozzarella & parmesan, with champagne ham off the bone or without for little vegetarians
Big Bird’s Buns
CHICKEN BURGER | Free range chicken breast crumbed in panko, cheddar cheese, lettuce & mayo, served with curly fries & ketchup
Little Piranha
FISH & CHIPS | Battered fish fillets, curly fries with ketchup, old school iceberg salad & ranch dressing
Katsu
chicky chicky wah wah in my belly; KATSU | Katsu free range chicken breast, steamed rice, shredded slaw, kewpie mayo, tonkatsu sauce & toasted sesame
Ice Cream Sundaes
All $10.00
Chocka Block
Chocolate ice cream, chocolate fish, chocolate maltesers, whipped cream, chocolate sauce
Welly Jelly in my belly
Traffic light jelly – lime, orange & raspberry, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream & jelly beans
Marshmallow Snowman
Vanilla ice cream, chocolate buttons, marshmallow & vanilla snow
Desserts
All Desserts are $13.50
Double chocolate fudge brownie
served hot w chocolate sauce, caramelized walnuts, cream & vanilla ice cream
Boozy Ice-Cream Sundaes – Jaffa
chocolate ice cream, Cointreau syrup, orange crisps, mandarin crumble & Jaffa’s
Affogato
vanilla ice cream, Immigrant Son espresso
Kids Dessert
All 10.00
I scream sundaes – Chockablock
chocolate ice cream, chocolate fish, chocolate maltesers, whipped cream, chocolate sauce
I scream sundaes – Welly Jelly in my belly
Traffic light jelly – lime, orange & raspberry, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream & jelly beans
Marshmallow snowman
Vanilla ice cream, chocolate buttons, marshmallow & vanilla snow
Soda Spider
Any fizzy drink with vanilla ice cream
Daily Deals
Available from 3pm – 6pm only. Dining must be complete and bill paid before 6.00pm.
Sharing is Caring Wednesday
Buy a jug of beer & get a free cheesy garlic cob loaf. Available from 3pm – 6pm only. Dining must be complete and bill paid before 6.00pm.
Squid Games Thursday
1/2 priced calamari. Available from 3pm – 6pm only. Dining must be complete and bill paid before 6.00pm.
Fush & Chups Friday
Buy 1 get 1 free. Available from 3pm – 6pm only. Dining must be complete and bill paid before 6.00pm.
Super Sunday Kids Dine Free*
*When accompanied by an adult before 6pm. Maximum 1 child per adult. Child must be under 10years. 1 kids menu per child with accompanying adult main. Dining is complete before 6pm.
Shell – ebration Saturday
Enjoy 1/2 priced mussels. *Available from 3pm -6pm only. Dining must be complete and bill paid before 6.00pm.
Milkshakes
Boozy 20 / Not Boozy 15
Golden Pash
Mango, Passionfruit, White Chocolate, Mango & White chocolate liqueurs
Choccy Lamington
Chocolate, Coconut, Malibu & Chocolate liqueurs
Feijoa Crumble
Feijoa Sorbet, Cinnamon, Fireball Whiskey
Banana Split
Banana, Vanilla, Hazelnut & Banana liqueurs
Non-Alcoholic
Pete’s Natural Soda
Feijoa Lemonade; Lime-o-nade; Currant Crush
Curious AF G&T’s
Pink Grapefruit; Apero Spritz
Six Barrel Soda
Raspberry & Lemon
Little City Kombucha
Green Apple; Orange & Turmeric; Lemon & Ginger
Wine by the Glass
Glass | Bottle
Mumm Grand Cordon NV
Reims
Montelvini Master Prosecco
Italy
Vilarnau Cava
Spain
Nautilus Brut
Marlborough
Brancott Letter Series O 2024
Marlborough
Church Road McDonald Series 2024
Hawkes Bay
Mt Beautiful 2023
Nth Canterbury
Te Kairanga 2025
Martinborough
Mt Beautiful 2022
Nth Canterbury
Grove Mill 2025
Marlborough
Te Kairanga 2025
Martinborough
Roaring Meg 2025
Central Otago
Settimo Miglio 2024
Veneto
Church Road Gwen 2024
Hawkes Bay
Church Road Gwen 2025
Hawkes Bay
Saddleback 2025
Central Otago
Te Kairanga 2025
Martinborough
Te Kairanga 2025
Martinborough
Vavasour 2023
Marlborough
Roaring Meg 2024
Central Otago
Te Tera 2023
Martinborough
Church Road McDonald Series 2022
Hawkes Bay
Jim Barry Cover Drive 2021
Clare Valley
Bodegas Beronia Crianza 2021
Rioja
Rutini Trumpeter Malbec 2024
Mendoza
Grant Burge Miamba 2023
Barossa
Clearview Cape Kidnappers 2024
Hawkes Bay
Plus Minus Prosecco
Australia
Plus Minus Pinot Gris
Plus Minus Rose
Plus Minus Shiraz
Dessert Wine
Gls / Btl
Wet Jacket Sticky Savvy 2022
Central Otago
Cocktails
Beach Bum
Malibu, Bacardi, Pineapple, Cranberry & a splash of lemon
Berry Happy
Vodka, Peach schnapps, Prosecco, Berries & Cranberry
Santiago
Passionfruit Vodka, Gin, Orgeat, Green Tea Syrup, Shiraz Float
No Smoke Without Fire
Chilli-infused Mezcal, Lime, Pomegranate, Triple Sec
Mai Tai
Appleton Estate Rum, Clement Rhum Blanc, Grand Marnier, Orgeat & lime
Espresso Martini
Vodka, Kahlua & Immigrant’s Son espresso
Siracusa Coast
Aperol, Bacardi 8, Yellow Chartreuse, Lime, Coconut & Orange Bitters
Lemon Sherbet
Malfy Rosa Gin, Lemon, Sugar Syrup, Triple Sec
Turtle Bay
1800 Coconut Tequila, Campari, Lime, Grapefruit, Cinnamon, Egg White
Paris to Tokyo
Clement Rhum Blanc, Kwai Feh, Lime, Chartreuse, Raspberry Cordial, Yuzu Sherbert
Beer
Mac’s Gold 4.0%
Zeffer Crisp Apple Cider 5.0%
Panhead Supercharger APA 5.7%
Panhead Sandman Hazy 5.2%
Speights Summit Ultra 4.2%
Parrotdog Sundog Pilsner 5.2%
Corona
Steinlager Classic, Steinlager Pure, Mac’s Black
Steinlager Light 2%
Steinlager Zero 0%, Corona 0%
More
Gls / Btl
Martell VSOP
COGNAC
Ardberg 10yr
WHISKEY
Glenfiddich 12yr
WHISKEY
Glenkinchie 12yr
WHISKEY
Laphroaig 10yr
WHISKEY
Balvenie 14yr
WHISKEY
Pallini Limoncello
DIGESTIVE
Stones Ginger Wine
DIGESTIVE
Graham’s Fine Tawny
PORT
Taylor’s Fine Ruby
PORT
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