Matt & Cat's Isle of Wight eating out guide - Latest comments on Crab Inn, Shanklin

In response to: Crab Inn, Shanklin

JanFran — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 17:59:15 +0000

We have been visting the island for longer than I care to remember and we always refer the The Crab as The Crabless. Nuff said.

In response to: Crab Inn, Shanklin

G.Reavill. — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 11:09:53 +0000

Its a shame about the old crab inn, I walked in there some years ago and walked out again, never to return, so I can't comment on the service or food, however, I have fond memories of the crab inn when it was a real old Shanklin pub,the place to go to day or night for a fantanstic welcome, alas this was long ago in the last century ( the 60's & 70's). The Crab inn deserves better ,perhaps one day this historical pub will find its way back to its roots as a fine old Shanklin inn,(corporate free).

In response to: Crab Inn, Shanklin

KJ — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 23:11:24 +0000

At least its only a short trip( across the road) to a decent pub

In response to: Crab Inn, Shanklin

KJ — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 23:10:09 +0000

Having worked for them...I can only agree.

The only brewry/pubco worth looking at these days is Fullers (yes..I worked for them too) who a realistic view of what alocalpub is and what it can do.

In response to: Crab Inn, Shanklin

Bushy — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:03:31 +0000

How sad thst the Greene King name, which in the 1960s was associated with a proper old-fashioned brewery renowned for its real ales and which had many traditional pubs in the East Anglian area, should now epitomise the bland face of what has become known as the 'hospitality' industry. The legislation that sought to increase customer choice by loosening the ties between breweries and pubs has a lot to answer for - not least the creation of these giant pub companies that are doing their best to kill off some of our most successful hostelries either by imposing their corporate will on menus etc. or by changing exorbitant rents (e.g. the Pointer at Newchurch).

In response to: Crab Inn, Shanklin

Fay Woodford — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 17:01:33 +0000

We went to the Crab the Tuesday after Mothering Sunday. Of the 4 meals we ordered, they only had 2 in stock (how can a pub called "the Crab" with a boards everywhere advertising crab possibly run out of this very dish?!) and the third one was promptly added to an "items unavailable" board as soon as we ordered it.
What we finally ended up with was very nice but it was disappointing.
A table behind us took 3 attempts to end up with 3 plates of cod and chips, which were huge but it wasn't quite what they went in there for.