Ernie's Original Crab House

Ernie’s Crab House in Alexandria is conveniently located near the King St Metro Station. It’s one open dining space with large tables and a small bar towards the back. They’re known for their crabs, of course, but definitely order some French fries and onion rings and fried calamari to go with your meal. This place is good for large groups, because of how the tables are situated. You get a good amount of seafood for the price. There’s also a jukebox near the entrance with a lot of songs from throughout the decades. Get messy, eat your fill, and enjoy!

This Mom and Pop shop was a delight. I came here for dinner on a cold and snowy night in January, and I was the only customer there for the duration of my meal. Which is a shame, because their food is excellent. I ordered a fisherman's platter and was very impressed with the quantity and quality of food. I was able to order the shrimp boiled instead of fried, and due to the various fishing tchotchkes on the wall, I was able to identify their size as "extra jumbo." The crab cake was the real deal; very little breading and large chunks of crab. The fried fish was either cod or halibut and was fine, but the tartar sauce had a nice zest that I hadn't tasted before. The price of my meal was considerable; if I wasn't on business travel I probably wouldn't have ordered the platter. But considering the prime location on King Street near the metro, Ernie and his wife probably have some major overhead costs. I hope they survive; crab cakes such as theirs are unobtainable where I'm from.

Wanted crabs but didn't want to get them ride home and eat so I found this place that you could eat in. Nothing fancy not crowded. My BFF and I ordered a dozen med crabs. They were big meaty hot and great. Other customers stopped by our table to check out the crabs and took pictures. Could not believe the size. Will definitely keep this on my go to place for crabs. It's a must try.

Breathtakingly expensive for what amounted to food court fare. Also, as you can see in the picture, not too tidy. If this is what they show the customers, I can only wonder what the kitchen looks like. I'm torn because so many reviewers love this restaurant and note it's longstanding place in the community. And the older couple who appear to run it seem so sweet! AND our party did not get any blue crab, which is us the one thing the five star reviews all rave over. But, I have to be honest. My kid said the fried shrimp was "creamy." Uhhh.. The fish and shrimp dishes were all at around microwave quality - nothing was crispy or hot. The two of them just don't have the capacity to handle a larger order quickly. Salad was wilted and came with a bag of dressing, like you'd get with a meal from a gas station. Our condiments came in movie theater popcorn bags...? The baked crabcake sandwich, on the other hand, looked exceptional. I'm talking pure lump crabmeat in a thick, seasoned puck. And the hush puppies were yummy, too! Frosted mugs for your beer while you wait is a nice touch, long forsaken by many places. I don't know who Ernie is, but I got the feeling that he wasn't either of the couple behind the counter. This is more like a brand, if not franchise that they bought, and it appears to be succeeding on the backs of a few really good dishes like fresh blue crab that bring the repeat customers. The rest of the menu was not as well prepared or tasty as the price led me to believe it should be, and the front of the house presentation conveyed concerns about freshness and cleanliness. If you go, then plan to dine in. Reviewers who dined in seemed to have had a better experience than the take out crowd. And get just the crab and hush puppies. They are the stars of the show here.