From a memorable dinner with my wife to my first seafood boil, this Downtown Fullerton restaurant has given me plenty of reasons to return.
The first time Katie and I visited Kickin’ Crab in Downtown Fullerton, I made a food blogger’s mistake: I enjoyed the meal so much that I forgot to take a single picture.
We’d decided to try a few appetizers and plated dishes, saving the seafood boil for another visit. By the time we finished, I already knew I’d be coming back.
On my return, I followed through with my first seafood boil, tried crawfish for the first time, and had the opportunity to meet the owner. Between the two visits, I got a good introduction to what this location is building: flavorful food, creative cocktails, and a welcoming experience that starts with the people taking care of your table.
The Meal That Brought Me Back
Our first visit showed me how much there is to enjoy here even before you get to the seafood boils.
Katie and I started with Cajun edamame, which arrived piping hot and full of seasoning. We also tried clam chowder and gumbo. The chowder had a generous amount of clams, while the gumbo was filled with sausage and shrimp. Everything came out quickly and hot, something I appreciated on both visits.
Katie ordered the shrimp platter, served in garlic butter with rice and plenty of garlic chips on top. If you love garlic and don’t mind peeling your shrimp, that’s a plate worth considering.
My Cajun tilapia was the standout. It came with red rice and broccoli, and the fish had a crisp exterior, generous seasoning, and garlic butter that tied everything together. The rice was fluffy, and the fish was cooked beautifully.
I called it my favorite tilapia dish in my Yelp review, and I meant it. It was one of those meals you keep thinking about afterward.
Looking through the menu, I also noticed fried seafood, wings, soups, and other plated options. That makes it easy to bring a group with different appetites, whether everyone wants to share a boil or order something of their own.
Round Two: My First Seafood Boil
For my second visit, I came ready to get a little messy.
I ordered a seafood boil with crawfish, shrimp, and mussels in Cajun sauce. I started with mild to get a feel for the heat, then stepped up to medium. For my taste, medium was the sweet spot: enough kick to keep things interesting while letting the flavor come through.
The bag arrived piping hot, with plenty of that savory Cajun seasoning I was hoping for. This was my first time eating crawfish, and I’m hooked. It’s officially joining my regular rotation.
Even the corn deserves some credit. It held onto so much sauce that each bite became a little delivery system for all that flavor.
I also tried lobster in the lemon pepper sauce. It still had that Cajun character, with citrus notes that gave it a different personality from the sauce in my seafood bag. Trying both made the meal more interesting and gave me a reason to keep switching between bites.
Don’t Skip the Garlic Noodles
The garlic noodles deserve more than a passing mention.
They were absolutely delicious on their own, with enough garlic flavor to make them a side I’d happily order again. But the fun really started when I began adding Cajun sauce and pieces of seafood from the boil.
A little sauce, some shrimp or crawfish, another forkful of noodles, and suddenly I was putting together my own dish right at the table. You can change the balance as you go, adding more heat, more seafood, or keeping the next bite simple and garlicky.
That became one of my favorite parts of the meal. The noodles gave me another way to enjoy everything in the boil, and mixing my own combination made the whole experience even more hands-on.
My recommendation: order the garlic noodles and leave room to experiment.
I also got the cheese curds, which were crispy on the outside and warm and cheesy inside. They were great dipped in ranch, but dipping them into the Cajun sauce was another winning combination. I could easily see ordering those with a cocktail if I were stopping in for drinks and a snack.
Award-Winning Cocktails With a Fullerton Personality
The seafood may bring you through the door, but the cocktails deserve your attention, too.
According to the restaurant, Kickin’ Crab Downtown Fullerton received an Innovative Cocktails award from the California State Legislature, presented by Ron Scolesdang and Phillip Chen. It’s a proud achievement for a location putting real thought into its bar program.
My pick was the Bayou Praline Old Fashioned, made with Old Forester 86. As someone who enjoys bourbon, I was especially interested in this one, and it delivered.
It was a little sweeter than a traditional Old Fashioned, but the sweetness worked for me. I’d put it among the best Old Fashioneds I’ve had, and it gave me a firsthand appreciation for the creativity the restaurant is bringing to its drinks.
During our conversation, the owner explained that the team initially developed cocktails around soju while working toward a full liquor license. With that license now in place, there’s more room to explore bourbon, whiskey, tequila, vodka, gin, and other spirits.
The restaurant’s first-anniversary announcement also highlights its own branded beer and bourbon bottle, tasting events, and creative beverage presentations. There’s a clear effort to give this Fullerton location a personality of its own.
A Comfortable Place to Make a Night of It
Inside, exposed wood, brick, hanging lights, and ocean-themed touches give the dining room a warm, casual character. Large windows bring in natural light, while the paper-covered tables make it easy to settle into the seafood boil experience.
The music stood out to me, too. It added to the fun and helped make lunch feel like an outing.
I ate inside, but the patio caught my attention as a spot I’d consider for another visit. It’s easy to picture dinner outside, a casual date night, or cocktails and a snack before spending more time in Downtown Fullerton.
The Care Behind the Experience
Meeting the owner helped connect what I’d experienced as a guest with what she wants the restaurant to be.
Much of our conversation centered on hospitality: making people feel comfortable, helping them understand the food, and encouraging the staff to be involved in the experience. She wants a cozy, approachable place where people can enjoy themselves and ask questions.
That matters when you’re trying something unfamiliar. For my first seafood boil, a little guidance helped me relax and enjoy the process.
It also matched what I’d noticed before we ever sat down to talk. On my first visit with Katie, the staff was attentive, the food arrived quickly, and everything was piping hot. On my return, the service continued to stand out.
That consistency gives people a reason to come back.
A First Year Worth Celebrating
The independently owned and operated Downtown Fullerton location opened on October 10, 2025, and recently celebrated its first anniversary.
In its anniversary announcement, the restaurant shared praise from Kickin’ Crab founder Jan Nguyen for the team’s commitment to the original recipes, hospitality, cleanliness, and attention to detail. The announcement also noted a September 18, 2026 proclamation naming the date Official Kickin’ Crab Day in Fullerton, alongside a first year of community events and local collaborations.
For me, the most compelling part is how those ambitions show up during an actual meal: attentive service, food worth returning for, and an owner who cares about the experience people take home.
My first visit brought me back for a second. Now I have a few more favorites to order next time.
And if you go, take my advice: get the garlic noodles, try a specialty cocktail, and remember to take a picture before you dig in.