My husband and I are making our first trip to Boston and I would like to know if anyone has been to the Barking Crab and what they thought about it?

I actually own a tshirt from the Barking Crab! If memory serves me well the BC is a very casual, informal seafood joint where you can sit outside at picnic tables on a body of water. I remember the food being quite good, with the menu running the N.E. seafood gamut. I seem to remember someone telling me that before BC, the place was known as Venus in the Rough.

Let us know how it is.

Is this the restaurant that was closed down by the department of health--unfairly in some minds--last year?

Don't know anything about the Board of Health but you can find lots of information about this place by doing a web search or looking on www.boston.citysearch.com.

The allegations from City of Boston was that they were recirculating Boston Harbor water into lobster tanks and that intake for this water was near raw discharge from their bathrooms. There was a lengthy followup story where the owner said this was not true and that inspection people were out to get him because they had connections with people who owned the land and wanted to shut him down.

Don't know the truth - I think it was 2 summers ago and I have heard good things about this place but never eaten there.

Thanks Al-------I am planning on getting a T-shirt too! I really like seafood places with cute names like that. I am from Indiana and the only seafood places that I know of are "CHAIN" restaurants! My husband and I love our seafood! Hey our name is Fischer!

Feff,

If you're into cool T shirts, check out Fanuel Hall. I don't know if it's still there, but several years ago I got a neat one from the Walrus and the Carpenter Oyster Bar, it read:
"Eat it Raw at the Walrus and the Carpenter"
Had to put it away when the kids reached puberty...

We had dinner at The Barking Crab just ahead of a concert at the Pavillion a couple of weeks ago. The food is just fine, the prices are not outrageous, portions are generous, service is acceptable, and the "views" all around are nice-enough. Note that the city of Boston and the entire state of Massachusetts is fraught with rumors, inaccurate newspaper reports, and otherwise ridiculous "reviews" of everything imaginable. If one were to seriously believe everything or even anything they hear and/or read in Boston, NO ONE would live there or visit. On the other hand, many do and stay. Go figure. Having visited there many, many times over the past 40 years, I would tell you that most of what you hear and read is utter nonsense in all directions. What is WITH those people?

The health issue was real and made headlines in the local media. Earned the restaurant the nickname the Barking Cr*p.

Allegations true or false? Whay would you bother to even go when Boston has fabulous restuarants everywhere who have never been accused of such things? Try the North End especially. And, Newbury Street, too. Can't go wrong with a burger at Joe's on the patio. Have fun. And, make sure to get a beer at the Sevens in Beacon Hill.

Okay that was funny, but this is a serious post, so I would appriciate if you would take your scarcasim elesewhere. I am trying to plan a nice day for my husband and I in Boston!

uh-oh, i sense a storm cloud on the horizon.

Al Rokker look alike----no storm! I just did not like the post and that all.

My last post deffinatly did not soud to great what I ment and should have said is, that I just did not apriciate the post to my serious question, I really want to know more about this restaurant. I don't believe this is a joke sight. So Mr. Roker there is no storm brewing, I am just letting it go and now I am done with it.

Feff- not sure what joke you are referring to but I can assure you that allegations against the restuarant aren't a joke. I believe it was inconclusive as to whether they were true or not but the restaurant was indeed shut down because the intake water pipe for the lobster tank was adjacent to the discharge from the bathrooms. Now the owner claimed the inspector was wrong and didn't understand the plumbing situation. The restaurant was eventually reopened. The nickname has stuck.

If you have any doubts go to another restaurant. Jasper White's Summer Shack gets good reviews as does Kingfish Hall. Daily Catch is another good one.

I second Summer Shack (in Cambridge across from Alewife MBTA stop). Never eaten at Kingfish but now there are all sorts of negative business allegations against Todd English by his ex-business partner about illegal doings (but no sewage in the food!). Article in 6/21 Boston Globe in business section.

Jasper White's place got good reviews on www.phantomgourmet, but the readers of that site went crazy disagreeing with him/her/it.

Bennie,
The joke had nothing to do with the allegations about the restaurant. Someone has removed the post and left me looking like and IDIOT! The joke was refering a personal health issue.

I’ve been to the Barking Crab several times, and it’s fine. The stories about being shut down ARE true, but that was a while ago, and I’m sure the problem is fixed now.

Jasper White’s Summer Shack is a huge rip-off. The food is okay, no better than a million other seafood places in New England, but the prices are outrageous! The service is horrible and it’s loud.

For great seafood, you can’t go wrong with Legal Seafood. It’s a little pricey, but worth it. There are several locations.
Another old favorite of mine is The No-Name Restaurant. It’s on the water, toward where the old convention center used to be. Just ask around and people should be able to give you directions.

There are also several good seafood places in Fanuil Hall.

Hope you have a great time. I’ve lived in Boston my whole life, and wouldn’t settle anywhere else.

- Alice

The Barking Crab was great, I was just there recently. It's easy to get to from downtown, the portions were big, the food was good. And yes, it was the same place that was shut down last year.