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Address and Contact Information
Address: 1355 Associates Dr, Dubuque, IA 52002
Phone: (563) 239-9588
Website: https://www.laughingcrab168.com/
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#LaughingCrabDubuque #SeafoodBoil #CajunSeafood #ComingSoon #SeafoodLovers #DubuqueIowa 1355 Associates Dr, Dubuque, IA 52002 ☎️ (563) 239-9588. May be an image …
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Reviews
Liz Martin
Tip: Arrive with your whole party and expect to wait a few minutes. Food comes out as it’s ready so don’t expect everything at once. Wear casual clothes—this is messy and a lot of fun.
Phenomenal group spot—happy hour before 5pm with $6 margs + 2-for-$5 beers. Drinks, appetizers, weekend special combo, and two fried meals fed our 6 adults + toddler for ~$180 pre-tip. Messy fun, highly recommend!
—
We went early at 4:30pm with 6 adults + 1 toddler. They won’t seat you until your entire party arrives—smart call. Sat right before 5pm and crushed happy hour. Ordered as a table to share, kept it light since early but everyone left satisfied.
Apps: Hush puppies and crab rangoon were piping hot and delicious.
Meals: Chicken tender baskets was typical. Fried combo basket with HUGE shrimp + soft shell crab were crowd pleasers! We also got “the weekend special” with medium spice and the house special seasoning – it was so buttery, garlicky and still mild enough for everyone to enjoy! The sausage is super tender and flavorful. (Fried combo says it includes hush puppies but we didn’t get any with baskets—not a huge deal.) The corn, potatoes and coleslaw were all very good and I would recommend anything we ordered again!
We will be back!
… morePhenomenal group spot—happy hour before 5pm with $6 margs + 2-for-$5 beers. Drinks, appetizers, weekend special combo, and two fried meals fed our 6 adults + toddler for ~$180 pre-tip. Messy fun, highly recommend!
—
We went early at 4:30pm with 6 adults + 1 toddler. They won’t seat you until your entire party arrives—smart call. Sat right before 5pm and crushed happy hour. Ordered as a table to share, kept it light since early but everyone left satisfied.
Apps: Hush puppies and crab rangoon were piping hot and delicious.
Meals: Chicken tender baskets was typical. Fried combo basket with HUGE shrimp + soft shell crab were crowd pleasers! We also got “the weekend special” with medium spice and the house special seasoning – it was so buttery, garlicky and still mild enough for everyone to enjoy! The sausage is super tender and flavorful. (Fried combo says it includes hush puppies but we didn’t get any with baskets—not a huge deal.) The corn, potatoes and coleslaw were all very good and I would recommend anything we ordered again!
We will be back!
Cody Spencer
I was actually pretty impressed with everything the crab Rangoon’s were really good onion rings as well I got the lent special pretty good sauce was good the only complaint I have was the corn was cold. We got in a decent time and we were waited on Fairly quick very respectful waitress
… moreSamantha Johnson
Went here for date night, I’ve really been wanting to try a seafood boil ! Jess was our server, she was very attentive & friendly. Food was good. My only complaints are the napkins are paper thin and you get one wet wipe at the end of the meal. This is really a messy meal and it just felt like there was lack of necessary supplies readily available.
… morePlantain Wind
Firstly, I really want a place like this to do well in Dubuque. I went here with my family January 31, 2026. Unfortunately, everything fell flat or was not done well.
Oysters on the half shell: the gulf oysters looked fresh but had an off putting metal/chemical aftertaste. I asked the server if the order comes with horseradish and she didn’t know what horseradish was. It does come with horseradish, and it also includes bland cocktail sauce and lemons. I love oysters on the half shell and have had tasty orders of gulf oysters from Missouri, Tennessee, and Louisiana, but these were not my favorite. Please find a new oyster supplier.
Seafood Boils: our table had a shrimp and green mussel boil and a lobster with shrimp boil. The shrimp and mussel boil with medium Cajun sauce was tasty! The medium heat level was in between medium and mild. I would try hot in the future and I’m not someone that can tolerate super spicy foods. That being said, if you think black pepper is spicy, you’ll probably want to stick with mild. Both boil bags had lukewarm food, but the food tasted good. It’s too bad the server doesn’t open the bag and dump it in front of you like at other seafood boil places. The temperature of the bags’ contents was disappointing with how quickly we got our food. Other places I’ve been to have a bag with steaming contents. The bags came somewhat warm but not hot. This makes me question the preparation.
Fried calamari and shrimp with fries: as others have noted the fries are from frozen and have no character. The calamari and shrimp have a thick breading that is not crispy. I would never order the fried foods from here – even if it was free.
Please train the servers better. We got no crab legs but were given crab cracking utensils. Basic utensils were not given with other dishes. We kept having to ask for utensils. Only one wet wipe was given at the end of the meal to a table of four. I know seafood is expensive, but the servers really need to try the non-fried foods so they know how to answer questions.
Also, what’s up with the layout? Is there a dance that happens later in the night? I don’t get it.
… moreOysters on the half shell: the gulf oysters looked fresh but had an off putting metal/chemical aftertaste. I asked the server if the order comes with horseradish and she didn’t know what horseradish was. It does come with horseradish, and it also includes bland cocktail sauce and lemons. I love oysters on the half shell and have had tasty orders of gulf oysters from Missouri, Tennessee, and Louisiana, but these were not my favorite. Please find a new oyster supplier.
Seafood Boils: our table had a shrimp and green mussel boil and a lobster with shrimp boil. The shrimp and mussel boil with medium Cajun sauce was tasty! The medium heat level was in between medium and mild. I would try hot in the future and I’m not someone that can tolerate super spicy foods. That being said, if you think black pepper is spicy, you’ll probably want to stick with mild. Both boil bags had lukewarm food, but the food tasted good. It’s too bad the server doesn’t open the bag and dump it in front of you like at other seafood boil places. The temperature of the bags’ contents was disappointing with how quickly we got our food. Other places I’ve been to have a bag with steaming contents. The bags came somewhat warm but not hot. This makes me question the preparation.
Fried calamari and shrimp with fries: as others have noted the fries are from frozen and have no character. The calamari and shrimp have a thick breading that is not crispy. I would never order the fried foods from here – even if it was free.
Please train the servers better. We got no crab legs but were given crab cracking utensils. Basic utensils were not given with other dishes. We kept having to ask for utensils. Only one wet wipe was given at the end of the meal to a table of four. I know seafood is expensive, but the servers really need to try the non-fried foods so they know how to answer questions.
Also, what’s up with the layout? Is there a dance that happens later in the night? I don’t get it.
Heather Morrill
We had Valentine’s dinner tonight at the Laughing Crab in Dubuque and it was absolutely amazing.
From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere felt warm and welcoming the perfect mix of cozy and lively for a date night.
The Valentine’s special was fantastic. The seafood was fresh, seasoned perfectly, and cooked just right. Everything came out hot, flavorful, and beautifully presented. No shortcuts just really good food.
What truly made the night stand out was the service. Our server was attentive, friendly, and genuinely kind. It felt easy and relaxed, not rushed. That kind of service makes all the difference.
We left full, happy, and already planning our next visit.
⸻
And one quick thing:
When restaurants are just opening, they’re still finding their rhythm training staff, adjusting timing, working out the flow. A rough start doesn’t define the whole story. Giving new places a little grace allows them the space to grow into something great.
Opening weeks are essentially live rehearsals. Even the best-run restaurants need time to fine-tune operations once real customers start coming in.
Early negative reviews can seriously hurt a business before they’ve had the chance to stabilize. A single bad night during training doesn’t represent what that restaurant will become, give them some grace! Dubuque really needs some new places! Let’s not be to harsh.!
… moreFrom the moment we walked in, the atmosphere felt warm and welcoming the perfect mix of cozy and lively for a date night.
The Valentine’s special was fantastic. The seafood was fresh, seasoned perfectly, and cooked just right. Everything came out hot, flavorful, and beautifully presented. No shortcuts just really good food.
What truly made the night stand out was the service. Our server was attentive, friendly, and genuinely kind. It felt easy and relaxed, not rushed. That kind of service makes all the difference.
We left full, happy, and already planning our next visit.
⸻
And one quick thing:
When restaurants are just opening, they’re still finding their rhythm training staff, adjusting timing, working out the flow. A rough start doesn’t define the whole story. Giving new places a little grace allows them the space to grow into something great.
Opening weeks are essentially live rehearsals. Even the best-run restaurants need time to fine-tune operations once real customers start coming in.
Early negative reviews can seriously hurt a business before they’ve had the chance to stabilize. A single bad night during training doesn’t represent what that restaurant will become, give them some grace! Dubuque really needs some new places! Let’s not be to harsh.!
Ch en Myron
Just tried and it did not disappoint. The seafood deluxe was fantastic— lobster and king crab were cooked perfectly, and the sauce was flavorful but not overpowering. Everything tasted very fresh.
The restaurant was clean and tidy, which made the experience even better. Service was prompt and friendly.
… moreThe restaurant was clean and tidy, which made the experience even better. Service was prompt and friendly.
Frank P
Came here for dinner last night and got the family platter and raw oysters. I’ve had Cajun seafood plenty of times in Louisiana, so I’m pretty picky and this place delivered. The Cajun flavor was spot on. I like that you can eat straight out of the bag or dump it on a plate. I skip the gloves — real seafood is meant to be eaten with your hands. Had a great time and will definitely be back. 100% recommend
… moreBrian
We brought a large group to Laughing Crab Restaurant for dinner on a busy Saturday night, and I’m happy to say—not a single person was disappointed. Everyone ordered something different, and across the board the food was outstanding.
The crawfish is an absolute must—seriously delicious and full of flavor. A few people in our party ordered the weekend special, and it was more than enough to share and still have leftovers. The scallops were exquisite, and honestly, everything was seasoned to perfection.
And let’s be real—if you don’t leave with a dirty shirt, did you even eat at Laughing Crab Seafood? That’s part of the experience!
We will absolutely be back. This is a fantastic addition to Dubuque’s dining scene, and we were definitely in need of something like this.
One small suggestion: for the corn that’s offered, you might consider reaching out to Fincel’s Sweet Corn. There could be an opportunity for a great local partnership—maybe even freezing some when the season ends. Just something to look into.
All in all, an amazing experience. Highly recommend!
… moreThe crawfish is an absolute must—seriously delicious and full of flavor. A few people in our party ordered the weekend special, and it was more than enough to share and still have leftovers. The scallops were exquisite, and honestly, everything was seasoned to perfection.
And let’s be real—if you don’t leave with a dirty shirt, did you even eat at Laughing Crab Seafood? That’s part of the experience!
We will absolutely be back. This is a fantastic addition to Dubuque’s dining scene, and we were definitely in need of something like this.
One small suggestion: for the corn that’s offered, you might consider reaching out to Fincel’s Sweet Corn. There could be an opportunity for a great local partnership—maybe even freezing some when the season ends. Just something to look into.
All in all, an amazing experience. Highly recommend!
Kayla Kephart
Got sat quickly. Waitress was subpar- didn’t check in often, spilled water while she was walking by and didn’t offer a towel to clean it up, argued after she brought the wrong food. Food was good- hush puppies 10/10, scallop boil with garlic butter (mild) 8/10. Wasn’t very warm.
… moreJoann Koeller
Went there on February 23. Food was great.
We were finishing up and laid our $120 gift card on the table to be used when the waitress brought the receipt, didn’t show us, she just took the gift card and said she would take up front to pay the bill. She returned with the gift card and a receipt showing how much was deducted from the card and showing the balance. Looking at the receipt for what we were charged I left a 20% tip in cash on the table.
After we were on our way home I told my husband that I thought the bill seemed pretty high, but too late then. So we went back today and ordered exact same meal.
This time we waited for the bill. The bill was for what we thought it should be. So, low and behold our waitress from last week got a 40% tip.
I wished she would have been working today.
Lesson learned, wait for bill before giving the gift card.
… moreWe were finishing up and laid our $120 gift card on the table to be used when the waitress brought the receipt, didn’t show us, she just took the gift card and said she would take up front to pay the bill. She returned with the gift card and a receipt showing how much was deducted from the card and showing the balance. Looking at the receipt for what we were charged I left a 20% tip in cash on the table.
After we were on our way home I told my husband that I thought the bill seemed pretty high, but too late then. So we went back today and ordered exact same meal.
This time we waited for the bill. The bill was for what we thought it should be. So, low and behold our waitress from last week got a 40% tip.
I wished she would have been working today.
Lesson learned, wait for bill before giving the gift card.