IFES Crab Cioppino Dinner

I can’t believe this! We’ve been waiting in line for 2 hours! This Blows! We have never had to wait this long for anything! I’ve seen babies come faster than this!

This was my first ever Crab Feed, but certainly not my last. I found out about this event from a friend.
I became such a big seafood lover since dating my now wife. She loves to eat crab and I knew this would be perfect to take her.
If you enjoy eating crab this event is for you. As of this review, the entrance was $ 50 per person. Kids are cheaper. Please check their website for the age span and more details. The nice thing is you can purchase your tickets online. They email your tickets in which you can print or simply keep on your phone. They use QR (bar codes) and scan you in at the line. Nice to see them use technology to keep things organized. There is a fee to purchase the ticket online, of about $ 3. I don’t know how else you can purchase it other than online though, so if you are caught up about the $ 3 you may want to email them.
Anyways, there are 2 seatings. One at 430PM and at 7PM. We went to the first seating, but let me tell you. DO NOT BE SCARED TO GO TO THE SECOND SEATING. I had this mentality thinking they would run out of crab or something, and definitely had to go to the first seating. Let me tell you, after about an hour and a half of stuffing yourself with crab non-​stop, you are almost done. It was timed perfectly. The place was packed at 430PM and come close to 7PM, there were only a few tables still there with people from the first sitting. I saw them bring out crab for the 2^nd seating, and it was still plentiful.
As for the crab? DELICIOUS! Definitely FRESH CRAB. You eat enough crab, and you can tell. They were big and semi detached at the body so you do get the meat from the body. No need to worry about the head as that is already disgarded. You sit in rows of tables. They bring out huge bowls of crabs in a cioppino broth. A few bowls per row so it is spread out for your section of table to share. DO NOT WORRY, THE BOWLS ARE HUGE AND THERE ARE PLENTY. The cioppino broth is GREAT! So flavorful and a nice compliment to dip the included garlic bread. I have witnessed people literally put broth in the cup and drink it straight. Salad is also provided too if you want to start eating that before the crab. You can make a special request for crab not in the cioppino sauce too. When you do, they bring out a plate full of fresh crab with a side of tar tar sauce and lemon wedge. It was good too. That is when I knew it was definitely fresh crab as you can taste the freshness without the cioppino sauce.
DID I MENTION. IT IS ALL YOU CAN EAT. Once the big bowl of crab in the cioppino broth was nearing empty, they would just take it and bring more! Finish the cold/​plain crab you asked for? No problem, ask for more and it will come right up.
BRING YOUR OWN CRACKERS. They were not at the table, nor did I ask if they had any because we brought our own. BRING YOUR OWN BUTTER, if you want butter. Again, I did not ask if they had some in house, but I did see people who brought their own butter and warmers. Bibs are included and plenty of paper towels because you know it will get messy. BEVERAGES ARE INCLUDED, which includes, water, coffee, and soda. You can purchase wine and alcoholic beverages which didn’t seem to cost much from what I saw. Desserts are available for purchase at around $ 2 – 4 each. Cheesecake, Mango Moose, brownies, and more.
The STAFF was great. Every staff member was so nice and helpful. It was a family atmosphere here. Although some may feel you get squished into each table with strangers, everybody is in a good mood ready to enjoy great food.
This is going to be an annual tradition from now on. I’m highly recommending it, and I hope things (and prices) continue to stay how they are.

Absolutely love the crab cioppino feast! It is always on point. They offer online ticket purchasing, which makes it so easy. The even scan your tickets at the door (so cool).
I would recommend to come for the 2^nd seating and to show up at 7:30 to avoid a line. And if you see someone selling the cupcake cheesecakes, get your hands on a least a dozen! Soooooo good!!!

If you haven’t gone to a crab feed before and you love yourself some crab, buy those tickets and mark your calendar for a good time.
There’s salad, garlic bread and plenty of wine that come with the purchase of your ticket and you can be sure to stuff yourself silly with as much crab as you can eat.
Just don’t forget to BYOB (bring your own butter) and candles to melt at the table for dippage.

If you love crab, you have to come. The price is high, so if you are a small eater or not hungry it’s a waste if money. The set up is cafeteria style, there is bottle of wine (red & white) placed in the middle of every 5 – 6 people. They have all you can eat salad & garlic bread too. If you ask they will give you lemon for your meal. We bring butter warmers, steam rice, and our tools to break open the crab legs. It’s fun to sit with people you know, or you can meet new people.

This was my first time at the I.F.E.S Crab Cioppino feed and let me just say it was WELL worth the $ 50. All you can eat salad, garlic bread and crab? Yes please!
We chose to do the first seating, which was 4:30. There was a bit of a line, but they started letting people in around 3:45. Once in, the guide you to a table based on the number in your party. This hall is huge! The tables are set up cafeteria style and there’s gotta be about 50 people per table. They give you rolls of paper towels and paper plates, and of course a bib. We sat for a bit and carafes of red and white wine were passed out. Then plates of garlic bread and big bowls of salad were brought out. Sodas and coffee were free. If you wanted beer or a mixed drink, there was a small bar there where you could purchase those.
We were chomping on our salads and all of a sudden people started clapping and cheering. The crab was coming! Gigantic bowls of steaming crab in a tomato based broth were put on the tables. The 4 of us had one huge bowl to ourselves. The broth had a little kick to it, and was so flavorful. I couldn’t stop sopping up all the broth with the garlic bread! And the crab… These were clusters of body and legs with claws. Most clusters were already cracked for you, so it was pretty easy to get to the meat. The meat was perfect… not salty or dry. We put away 2 of those big bowls of crab and left feeling full and content. There were desserts that you could buy, but we didn’t have room for it. We
were rushed out of there by 6:30, and that was because they had to get the tables ready for the 7:30 seating.
If you go, take note… They don’t provide any condiments or utensils (besides a plastic fork). If you want butter, cocktail sauce or tobasco, or even crab crackers or picks, you need to bring those yourself. And bring Wet Wipes. I’m definitely going again next year!

Went last night (1÷25÷2014) for the first time to this venue and it was so disappointing. The crab cioppino and cold crab were WAY TOO SALTY. Everyone (25) in our party agreed. Bread was dry, like it had been made the day before and reheated, salad was ok, could have had more dresssing, and the wine I hear was not drinkable. (I don’t partake). The soda was not on the tables; you had to get up to go get it or water.
My brother bought 2 cheesecake cupcakes @ $ 2 each from one of the ladies going around peddling those. He gave her a 5 dollar bill and she walked away and did not give him the change. Later in the evening, someone else from our table did that same and again no change was given. Was she pocketing the extra $ 1 for herself or what???
I have been going to crabfeeds for about 30 years, but at a different Portuguese venue, and hopefully I can return next year to that place that knows how to make cioppino correctly. I can’t believe that this one, at the IFES, is so popular. Maybe these people don’t know that it is not suppose to be so salty. I wish I could ask for my $ 50 back.

Second time partaking in this crab fest and I love it!!! All you can eat crab in a ciopinno sauce (tomato broth with spicy kick), garlic bread, salad and red or white wine, soda and water… all for $ 50. Such a great deal!
We’ve made it a family tradition. But you can tell others have done the same with friends and family and have made it a sat night event. Everyone dresses up in the crab outfits. I’ve seen crab ties, shirts, hats, bibs, pajama pants. It’s really funny and festive.
They set up the tables family style with big bowls of salad, plates of bread and carafes of wine. Then the cheers start when the crab is brought out. It gets quiet with everyone chowing down on the pre-​cracked crab. It’s a good idea to bring crab pickers I guess their called? They also have plain cold crab and people bring their own sauces to go with that. But I prefer the ciopinno crab. I put 2 – 3 pieces of bread on my plate then sauce on top with my crab. It’s soooooo good!!! The bread is delicious all sopped up with the sauce.
They also have raffles to help raise money for the Portuguese society which is where this event is held. And you can buy desserts which the kids make too.
They offer this event once a month during crab season and it’s best to buy your tickets in advance. Enjoy crab season while it’s here!!!

This particular crab feed has been going on for generations. I attended my first one 20 years ago when it was only $ 35 per person!
Over the years I have been back once every few years and the prices have steadly increased (darn inflation!)
This is the true crab feed experience. They really know what they are doing here and the crab is fantastic! HUGE sections of dungeoness crab served in large serving bowls stationed strategically along cafeteria style seating. You grab the serving spoon and ladle yourself endless servings of crab in ciopinno broth. WOW I am daydreaming about it right now. They supply a italian dressed salad and garlic bread to accompany your meal but I dont really bother with this since I want to make room for as much crab as possible. Crab coma by the time I am done.
If you are in need of condiments such as butter, lemon, tobasco, etc please bring your own since they do not provide this.
People drive from all over the place to experience this particular crab feed, I dont blame them since it is so mind blowing if youre a dungeoness crab lover. They only host about 4 crab feeds a year so get it in before the last one happens and you have to wait till next year.
5 stars

The cioppino is off the hook! Non-​stop crab and «skrimp» — the service is on point. Timing is off, I think we had to wait an hour before we were finally seated — but there was a live band and free wine while we waited — so it wasn’t too bad. It was so worth the wait.

March 31, 2012
This is my 5^th year attending this wonderful event. The crab was the best this year I think and of course I stuffed myself. It’s a great time with friends and family, diggin in and getting your hands covered in the broth and crab. I recommend this to anyone, get there an hour early. I ordered my tickets and picked them up at the window this year, everything went smooth… cash or check, no credit cards I believe.
The kids sold their brownies, cheese cakes, cupcakes, and chocolate chip cookies. Everything was good. Go prepared:
Bring a bag
Pack your lemons, butter, butter warmers, tools to work on your crab, cloth bibs work best the plastic ones rip on you if you’re not careful.
Buy the Portuguese sweet bread.
We arrived at 3:30pm, an hour early, not too crowded but the line was already formed and we got in by 4:10pm. The crab came out by 4:30 and we were happy.
It’s a blast! Thank you IFES for the wonderful fund raiser.
See you next year IFES. Loved it.

I’ve never been to another crab ciopinno but this was awesome. Totally worth the $ 40 all you can eat salad, bread, crab, shrimp, wine, beer and soda! I smelled like crab for three days after and it was
totally worth it.

Crab dinner was not so fabulous this last time around – end of Jan 2011 seating. Well … let me clarify. The crab was fabulous. Actually better than I remember, it was warm, it was plentiful… it was perfectly seasoned.
However what was absolutely so NOT fabulous was the almost 2 hour wait we endured outside in winter weather. I have never had to wait that long for one of these things, but we got there at 5:30 and were not let into the place until 7:25. The crowd was practically ready to riot by the time we got in, there were even cops milling around outside. When we asked what happened, the story was along the lines of. .‘the first seating just took too long and we couldn’t tell them to leave.‘
REALLY? So we ALLLL paid the same $ 45 and you have a ridiculously fat long line of people snaking around the entire building and you can’t suck it up and get on the mic and appeal to the peeps gorging their faces for 2+ hours (started at 4pm) to finish up soon and head out? Or if that fails, just start kicking some peeps out?
In the olden days they used to have more strict seatings at 4pm, 6pm,…so if you got there around 5:30ish you’d be more than fine to not wait more than hour in line. Big fail this time around. When we finally got in we were fed hard, cold bread and mediocre salad for 20 min while we thought about stampeding the kitchen for crab.
Thank GOD that when it did arrive, it salvaged the evening with it’s seriously tasty goodness. However, we don’t think we’ll be rushing back anytime soon. Saw some pics from other friends’ crab fests the same night and let me just say it looked a little more high class and similarly priced. Time to shop around.
Five stars for the crazy religious company… LOVE making new friends while sharing solidified butter and paper towel rolls! Oh and bring your own crackers unless you have fingers of steel to get those difficult nooks and crannies.

What a great evening… All the way from the socializing in line, seeing old faces that are regulars every year, to meeting new fellow crab lovers. This is not for mamby pamby ones that want a quiet evening dinning over a seafood plate, this is about getting together with a big bunch of strangers and friends, and eating all the salad, garlic bread, outstanding crab, and wine.
I helped our small group go through 8 large bowls of crab, bought lots of cupcakes and deserts to help out the youth and picked up some yummy bread on the way out. We were at the early feed, and right behind us was the 6:00 PM crowed waiting their turn.
Very well organized, things move very well, no issues or problems, good security and a festive atmosphere.
It’s a fund raiser, good time, and fun.
Loved it and will be back again for the next one.

First time attending last month. Get a group of crab-​eating friends together and head here for the night. Wear clothes you can just toss into the wash and bring an empty stomach. I would pass on the salad and garlic bread and just dive right into the crab. There are 2 kinds: cold and then the hot in the cioppino sauce version. I liked the latter better. It wasn’t spicy hot but it did have flavor. I would have brought some extra lemon wedges and some crab crackers though cause sometimes, they weren’t cracked too well and I LOVE lemon. I think I ate 3 whole crabs to myself. I had to lie down when I got home but it was cause I stuffed myself too much, but it was all so yummy! So next time it’s around, grab some friends, tickets, and have a good time.

I’ve experienced this amazing Crab Fest once. and I’ll definitely be back next year for this…
I loooove looove the Crab Cioppino! And the shrimp! omg. to die for!
I’ve never seen my hands get all wrinkly from one sit down dinner just trying to stuff myself with so much crab…
It’s amazing how crab lovers actually prepare for this. Some of our friends
brought some tea light candle holders for melting their butter (as they don’t provide this) and bottles of wine… Just awesome!
The garlic bread was off the hook too. perfect with the cioppino.
I definitely recommend this to crab and shrimp lovers and gout-​less fans…

This is definitely a «Woohoo! As good as it gets!»
I am obsessed with this crab feed. I’ve only been twice but you can believe I will be going MUCH MUCH MORE! I am a huge crab lover and the first time I came here, I was nervous the crab would be similar to Boiling Crab– where a bunch of crap was just thrown in to make it flavored. $ 40 bucks was pricey but ALL YOU CAN EAT CRAB, shrimp, garlic bread, salad and wine (the cheap red and white wines in those large glass jugs). It is actually cheap if you are seriously going to grub on all the crab your stomach can humanly allow.
The hardest thing is waiting. They call you in by group number and you are brought inside a large hall with long long tables, and you are seated and you wait until the hall is filled. Then out comes the salad and garlic bread. The first time I went, I almost got tricked by these clever fillers but I realized I needed to save room for the crab. But the salad and bread are definitely yummy. The salad has a light tasty dressing and the garlic bread is so buttery and yum. They also bring out little bowls of VERY GOOD shrimp. It is cooked in something mildly spicy but it is just the right amount of kick.
The crab. ohhhh the crab. You smell it before you actually see it. They bring large bowls of these steaming hot crab soaked in whatever they cooked it in and it is UH-​MAZING. I couldn’t get enough. Luckily, the folks I went with had been there before and had their own melted butter and crab crackers with them, otherwise I would have been up a stream without a paddle. You don’t really need the butter, the crab is great alone, but they also bring out cold crab which isnt as tasty as the hot hot hot ones. Here’s my secret tip I’ll share: I use the sauces and juices from the shrimp bowl, pour a little into my own little personal bowl, put some melted butter in it, and squeeze some lime that they provide you with into the mixture. ohhh it is delightful!
This place is PACKED. People come and just have a blast. Some people drink outside and it looks like people tailgating. It just all in all is a good time. I havent had trouble ever getting a ticket because we go with a family who automatically counts us in, but we’ve heard it can be REALLY tough so get your tickets early! and enjoy!

I.F.E.S. 27^th Annual Crab Cioppino Feast
One word: GHETTO.
Arrived at 3:53PM and there was a ghetto fab line into the parking lot. HOT. Got our tickets and around 4:30PM, we sat down in a large hall (yes it reminds me of BINGO).
$ 45 includes soggy salads, crispy garlic bread, average all you can eat crab, and wine/​beverages. Not bad, right?
I didn’t like the food. The salad was meh, the bread was meh, and the crabs were meh. The Cioppino sauce was warm but the crabs seemed cold. WTF. Apparently, they heated the sauce and dumped the cold crab into the sauce. GHETTO.
There were NO condiments. People brought in their own butter. There were lemons, but what good are they without basic salt and pepper? GHETTO.
Yeah, yeah, it’s no Los Gatos Lobster Fest (which is still my favorite seafood feast), but if you don’t mind the ambiance, it might be worth it.
But personally, I’d rather save the $ 90 (went with a date) and make myself some lemon grass coconut crab at home. Now, that is my worthy cause!

Poor little innocent crabs did not know what they were getting into or what was coming to them… when they jumped in their «steam bath.»
Funny how things work out… I had bookmarked this event long before I even met Mara T. Funny that it was Deb N who originally inspired my quest for a CRAB FEAST. Even funnier, my whole family attended this even way back in the day when I was like 12!
So it’s not ironic that I show up on Saturday night, hungry and ready to eat my most favorite thing-​CRAB. And not just 1 or 2 crabs… but bowls and bowls of CRAB. Move over salad and bread, get me my cheap wine and CRAB! I met up with bone merrraaawwww and her Geoff, Tabitha’s mom and dad, and my 2 other friends hippity bopity. Just getting seated was an ordeal… but I did not mind… I was just happy to be there. We frowned at the idea of getting seated at the front, as we would then be tasked with conversing next to the speakers of the band and announcer. Imagine a woman shouting «DO YOU WANT RAFFLE TICKETS» in your ear all night long. Not so much.
No matter, assertive girl puts on her hat, moves to the back, flashes a nice smile, and gets our party of 7 seated. Picture a high school gymnasium, plastic table cloths, plates, bibs, forks, and wine carafes. All we needed was the disco ball and dim lights, I mean we had the cheesy band. Either way, all these elements made for a FUN night. Anticipation was killing me, and I could smell the crab. Once I took a look toward my right, and saw the men coming with the silver bowls… I knew… IT WAS TIME. It was like revving up for a pie eating contest.
After a quick toast, we all shouted in joyful glee at the beautiful feast we were about to consume.
Crunch Crunch Splash Splash Juice in my eye, hair, YIKES!
I prefer my crab simple, dressed in lemon. I did not know I had to bring my own lemons. PEOPLE-​BRING YOUR LEMONS TO THIS THING! Note to all like me, they do serve plates of cold crab not in ciippino broth. I was in heaven! I must have consumed like 3 crabs or something. WOW!
Once the night was over, I knew I had to shower in lemon juice. I mean, I could still smell the stench on my arms and clothes. Funny thing is… I did not mind… if you notice my last meal on earth… you’ll know what I mean.
Thanks bone merrrraaawww for introducing me to CRABS and inviting me to come on such a stinky, dirty, night. $ 45 bucks does go a long way, and you can even bring your own wine!

Wax coated paper cup, you hold that 2 buck chuck so well.
Ginormous metal bowls of cioppino placed on your table (on circles made of magic marker. in case they couldn’t find the spot?) over and over until you say, slowly, slurring your words through your 2 for a dollar cupcake, ‘shhtop. wur dun. no, no really. dun. mmhmmph. cupcakesrgudtho… mmmm’
This was fun. Our neighbors were prepared. Badass. They wrapped paper towels around their wrists to stop the juice from running down their arms… AND they brought sliced oranges to wash their hands with apres meal. A wise choice. Crab stinks.
But BOY IS IT YUMMY! This was Olive Garden endless bowl meets the Elks Lodge meets the school bake sale meets star 101.3 music meets an itsy bitsy taste of east coast lobstah fest. Me likey!
I walked in and could not believe the sheer amount of people. I think that some people only go out of their house once a year for this event as witnessed two tables over by the langers gentleman who was rubbing ladies chests or helping with their bib or… whatever. This event is good people watching.
Lick your fingers good. And free coffee. with Coffeemate creamer. Who can resist?
Price tag is a bit high, but then again if you go to the wharf (sorry just threw up in my mouth a little at the thought) you’d pay about $ 25 at the least for a freshly cooked crab, and you wouldn’t have the wine in a plastic jug on the house, OR the school lunch style garlic bread, OR the drunkard two tables over.