Wicker's Crab Pot - Chesapeake, VA
Summary
Wicker’s Crab Pot is a fantastic, family-run seafood restaurant in Chesapeake, VA. They feature fresh caught seafood from the Chesapeake Bay and local ingredients in their dishes. It is known as one of the best seafood joints in Hampton Roads. I stopped by to try the lunch special!
Food Overall
Service
Atmosphere
Location
Value for Money
Overall
What I Ordered
Crab Balls
$15
Besides the unappealing name, the crab balls are fantastic! They are basically battered and fried, small round crab cakes. The crab is fresh, sweet and delicious. Additionally, the crab cake mixture is entirely crab and seasoning. It didn’t taste like there was any filler. They were perfectly fried, light, fluffy, crispy and not greasy at all. The serving size was pretty large. Also, the crab balls were served with a side of cocktail sauce, lemon, and micro green kohlrabi.
Lunch Special
$13
The lunch special came with half of a poboy sandwich, chips, and soup.
Half Shrimp Poboy Sandwich
Even though it was half a sandwich it was huge! This sandwich was composed of fried shrimp, lettuce, tomato, and a chipotle mayo on a bun. The shrimp were huge, plump, fresh, and delicious. I thought the shrimp were cooked perfectly. However, it was a very bready sandwich. It was difficult to get lettuce, tomato, and shrimp all in one bite because there was so much bread. I think they could have benefited from a smaller bun. Moreover, the chipotle mayo was great! It added a zippy kick to the sandwich that complimented the shrimp very well.
She-Crab Soup
Wickers is known for their she-crab soup. It was very creamy, smooth, and rich. The crab is evenly distributed in the soup, not in big chunks. Also, the crab was delicious, fresh, and sweet. Overall, it was a very decadent soup but a little on the bland side.
Kettle Chips
The lunch combo comes with kettle chips. They look like they are made in house. The chips are large, salty, thick cut chips. I found the chips were pleasant but it was hard to eat a lot of them on their own. I think they would be much better with a dip or dipped in soup.
Overall Food
Wicker’s Crab Pot offers an extensive seafood menu. There are steam pots, platters, dinners, and sandwiches available. They have a very affordable lunch special which I tried during my visit. All of the seafood is very fresh. It is caught by the store owners out on the Chesapeake Bay. The serving sizes are pretty large. I thought all of the fried foods were cooked perfectly and had a tasty batter. Overall, I think Wicker’s Crab Pot has fantastic food if you are a seafood lover.
Service
Wicker’s Crab Pot has fantastic staff. They are very nice and friendly with that neighborhood, family restaurant, welcoming aspect. Our server offered great suggestions and was very efficient. She checked back the perfect amount to see if everything was alright. I was impressed by how they address a mishap with one of the dishes. Apparently, a couple of the crab balls had not cooked perfectly. So, instead of serving us a couple less (which I would not have even known), they made several more that were even bigger and better than the others and brought them out a few minutes later. Then on the way out the owner himself was bringing in fresh caught shellfish and asked us how are meal was! The honesty, care to detail, and pride in their food really impressed me.
Atmosphere
Size
Wicker’s Crab Pot is actually quite large. They have two indoor dining sections. One is about 10 tables and cozier, the other is about twenty tables and more open. Each dining room has a bar. In the warmer months, there is a very large outdoor dining area and bar with about 30 tables. Additionally, there is a to-go window where you can pick up food.
Who Goes Here?
Anyone who likes seafood! I have seen families, groups of friends, couples, and groups of colleagues.
Overall Atmosphere
Wicker’s Crab Pot is a restaurant made from a huge old farmhouse. The smaller dining room is the first floor of the house. Meanwhile, the larger dining areas are added on. Overall, the atmosphere is very cozy and homey with comfortable seating. The décor is rustic Chesapeake Bay and Nautical theme. Though the home has a lot of character, everything is clean and well cared.
Location
Wicker’s Crab Pot is not in a very good location. It is right on a busy street corner in a residential area. There is no street light so it can be difficult to get in and out. Additionally, the parking lot is tiny because it is the homes backyard. There is additional parking available, but you have to walk down the street. Also, the area it is in does not have any other shops or entertainment, and nothing within walking distance.
Interested in finding places to eat near Chesapeake, VA?
Value for money
I think Wicker’s Crab Pot is a great value for your money. They have high-quality fresh seafood at reasonable prices. Not to mention the serving sizes are very generous and their crab cakes are ALL crab. Additionally, everything is cooked perfectly and they have very tasty recipes. Also, it is a really great deal if you go for one of their lunch specials or daily specials.
Overall
Overall, I really enjoyed my time at Wicker’s Crab Pot. All the food was delicious and a great value. The service was amazing and they have a cozy, family-run charm that makes the experience more enjoyable. If you like seafood I would recommend stopping by. Try the crab balls!
