When it comes to Hokkaido, crab is a must-try! 14 Top Crab Restaurants from Affordable All-You-Can-Eat to Luxury Dining

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Located about a 7-minute walk from Bus Center-mae Station in Sapporo, Kani Kui Dokoro Kani Kosen is a crab specialty restaurant operated by Sapporo Kani Hanbai Co., Ltd. With over 55 years of expertise devoted exclusively to crab, the restaurant offers a wide range of dishes—such as rice bowls, sashimi, and tempura—at reasonable prices.

The interior has a casual, cafeteria-style atmosphere with several tables arranged for dining.

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The rice bowls generously topped with crab are especially popular here. Options range from simple bowls featuring only crab to more luxurious versions with assorted sashimi and sea urchin.

Pictured is the "Gokai Kani Don," a hearty rice bowl topped with both flaked crab meat and succulent crab legs. The crab is known for its exceptional sweetness and outstanding flavor.

One of the highlights from the à la carte menu is the "Taraba Sashimi," known for its plump texture and natural sweetness.

The restaurant also offers a wide selection of crab dishes, including crab miso soup and crab zosui (rice porridge), making it the perfect place for those who want to enjoy crab prepared in a variety of ways.

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Located about a 3-minute walk from Susukino Station on Shinjuku-dori in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Kaiyotei is a popular seafood izakaya. The restaurant is known for offering live kegani (hairy crab) and squid, delivered directly from local producers, at attractive prices.

With over 100 seats, Kaiyotei features a spacious interior with both table and traditional tatami seating options.

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In addition to the classic kegani (horsehair crab), Kaiyotei offers a wide variety of crab including tarabagani (king crab), zuwaigani (snow crab), and hanasaki gani (hanasaki crab). Among their crab dishes, the signature "Crab Cream Croquette" is especially popular.

The croquette is generously filled with crab meat and rich cream, making it a satisfying and highly praised choice.

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This is another specialty of the restaurant: "Ika Odori-zukuri"—live squid sashimi. Prepared straight from the tank, the squid is served at peak freshness.

The crystal-clear appearance in the photo speaks to its quality. Expect a pleasantly firm texture and a naturally sweet flavor.

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Ebi Kani Gassen Sapporo Honten is a popular restaurant where you can enjoy all-you-can-eat boiled crab and a variety of crab dishes. Conveniently located about a 3-minute walk from Susukino Station, the restaurant sits along Tsukisamu-dori in Sapporo, Hokkaido.

Situated on the 12th floor of a building, the restaurant offers a wonderful view of the Susukino area through its windows.

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There are two types of all-you-can-eat menus: one featuring only boiled crab, and another that also includes a selection of side dishes.

You can enjoy unlimited servings of three types of boiled crab—hairy crab, snow crab, and king crab. After finishing your initial serving, you are free to order your preferred crab as many times as you like.

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The à la carte menu mainly features classic Japanese dishes such as tempura, nigiri sushi, and chawanmushi. The tempura, which receives high praise in customer reviews, is served freshly fried for a crisp and light texture.

Tempura ingredients include small shrimp as well as vegetables like green peppers and eggplant.

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Hokkaido Beer En is a spacious beer hall located about a 3-minute walk from Susukino Station, offering an all-you-can-eat selection of Hokkaido specialties, including Genghis Khan (grilled mutton).

The large interior features a variety of seating options, from open tables to private booths, ensuring a comfortable dining experience for all guests.

For a true taste of Hokkaido, we recommend the all-you-can-eat yakiniku and seafood grill plan, which includes an assorted platter of the region’s three most famous crabs.

The assorted crab platter features freshly boiled Taraba, Zuwaigani, and Kegani. Please note that the crab platter is served only as the first dish and is not part of the all-you-can-eat menu.

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Enjoy unlimited servings of Hokkaido beef and fresh, never-frozen lamb in the all-you-can-eat course. The lamb is especially tender and free of any gamey flavor, thanks to the use of unfrozen meat.

All meats are generously thick-cut, ensuring a hearty and satisfying dining experience.

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Just a one-minute walk from Hosui Susukino Station, Katsu Kani no Hanasaki is a premium crab restaurant located on Shinjuku-dori in Susukino, Sapporo. Guests can enjoy the excitement of live crab preparation and cooking right before their eyes.

The interior features a refined Japanese ambiance with natural wood finishes, and offers fully private rooms for a more exclusive dining experience.

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The highlight of the course menu is the "Full King Crab Performance," where expertly prepared king crab is served in a variety of styles, including grilled, boiled, and sashimi.

All dishes are prepared by the staff, allowing guests to fully relax and focus on enjoying their meal.

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In addition to their renowned crab dishes, the seven assorted appetizers are also exceptional. Featuring delicacies such as oysters, Hokkaido sweet shrimp, and herring roe from Atsuta, the menu is a true showcase of Hokkaido’s finest seafood.

Each ingredient is of such high quality that the appetizers alone could be considered main courses, offering both variety and generous portions.

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A renowned crab restaurant with locations across regions such as Tohoku and Tokai, Sapporo Kani Honke is especially popular among seafood lovers. The Sapporo branch is conveniently located just a one-minute walk from Exit 13 of Sapporo Station, on Nishi 3-chome Street.

The interior is reminiscent of a luxury Japanese inn, featuring a tranquil atmosphere enhanced by the use of fine wood throughout the space.

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One of the restaurant’s signature dishes is whole crab, carefully boiled and beautifully cut for serving. This impressive presentation allows you to enjoy the natural flavors of the crab in their purest form.

The dish features generous portions of succulent leg meat, along with the shell filled with rich crab miso for an indulgent experience. The pictured "Boiled Whole Hair Crab" is known for its delicate sweetness and exceptional taste.

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Another signature dish here is the "Hokkai Dai-ryo Mori," an impressive assorted platter featuring sashimi of king crab, snow crab, and botan shrimp.

The crab sashimi is known for its tender, jelly-like texture and remarkable sweetness.

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Located about a 2-minute walk from the west exit of Hakodate Station, Hakodate Dining Gaya is an izakaya specializing in seafood dishes that showcase the flavors of Hokkaido.

The restaurant features a spacious counter area as well as fully private rooms. The subdued lighting creates a calm and inviting atmosphere.

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Enjoy a variety of crab dishes at reasonable prices, including whole-boiled crab, crab tempura, and crab rice bowls. Pictured is the "Gaya Don," featuring generous portions of shredded crab meat in the center.

In addition to crab, the menu offers other luxurious ingredients such as uni (sea urchin) and ikura (salmon roe).

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This restaurant is known for its delicious "Crab Cream Croquette," which is generously filled with crab meat. The croquette has a distinctive elongated shape and is packed with plenty of crab and creamy filling.

Many guests say it contains even more crab meat than cream, making it especially satisfying.

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Located just a one-minute walk from Hakodate Station on Kaiko-dori, Asaichi Oshokujidokoro Yamasan Michishita Shoten is situated inside the Hakodate Asaichi Donburi Yokocho Market. Established in 1955, this long-standing restaurant is known for its kaisendon (seafood rice bowls) and set meals, featuring generous servings of fresh seafood.

The restaurant has two floors, with both table seating and traditional raised tatami seating available on the first floor.

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The restaurant is known for its seafood rice bowls, which offer a delicious way to enjoy crab at a reasonable price. Among the most popular choices is the "Michishita Don," featured in the photo.

This vibrant rice bowl is topped with crab meat, scallops, salmon roe, and sea urchin, creating a dish reminiscent of a treasure box. Every ingredient is exceptionally fresh, and the crab meat is said to be especially flavorful, with its rich taste concentrated in each bite.

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The "Crab Cream Croquette" is said to be generously packed with crab meat—so much so that nearly 90% of the filling is pure crab. This allows you to fully savor the rich flavor of crab in every bite.

These croquettes are highly praised for being delicious no matter how many times you enjoy them.

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Hakodate Asaichi Sakaeya Shokudo is a casual eatery where you can enjoy all-you-can-eat "Gangan-yaki" crab. Conveniently located about a 5-minute walk from Hakodate Station, the restaurant is situated inside the Hakodate Morning Market.

A selection of fresh seafood is available for purchase at the front of the restaurant, while dining tables are set up further inside for guests to enjoy their meal.

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The "All-You-Can-Eat Steamed Crab" course lets you enjoy as much steamed crab, including king crab and snow crab, as you like within a 100-minute time limit.

In addition to the three major types of crab, unlimited servings of cod roe and spicy pollock roe are also included, making for an especially satisfying dining experience.

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From early summer to autumn, when the local squid fishing season is at its peak, Hakodate Asaichi Sakaeya Shokudo offers a limited-time squid fishing experience.

Guests can enjoy their freshly caught squid prepared as sashimi or ika-somen (thinly sliced squid noodles) right on the spot. The live squid ensures exceptional freshness and a delightfully crisp texture.

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A casual eatery located about a 6-minute drive from Nishi-Wada Station, Daihachi Shokudo sits at Hanasaki Port in Nemuro, Hokkaido. The restaurant is known for serving dishes made with "Hanasaki Crab" freshly caught at the port, including their popular crab ramen and crab fried rice.

The welcoming atmosphere is reminiscent of a classic neighborhood diner, making it a comfortable spot for everyone.

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The "Hanasaki Crab" displayed at the front of the restaurant is freshly boiled and can be enjoyed on the spot. Guests can look forward to generous portions of crab that offer exceptional value and satisfaction.

Each shell is packed with succulent meat. The crab is perfectly boiled and seasoned, resulting in a rich, flavorful taste.

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The restaurant's most popular dish, the "Crab Ramen," is a must-try. Topped with generous portions of Hanasaki Crab meat, the soup is infused with the rich flavor of crab.

The salt-based broth, known for its fresh scent of the ocean, is highly praised for its delicious taste.

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Located just a one-minute walk from Nemuro Station on Ekimae Street, Kani no Shoya specializes in stone-oven baked Hanasaki crab.

Known for offering Hanasaki crab at prices lower than the market average, it's an excellent choice for those looking to enjoy crab in a casual setting.

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Only live Hanasaki crab is served at Kani no Shoya—frozen crab is never used.

Prices vary by size, with the most affordable options starting from just over JPY 1,000, making it an excellent value.

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When dining at the restaurant, the crab is freshly boiled and served with kitchen shears, allowing you to cut and enjoy it at your own pace.

The "Hanasakigani" (horsehair crab) is known for its dense, flavorful meat that fills your mouth with rich taste.

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Kinu Hon Ten is a renowned Japanese restaurant offering a seasonal menu, with specialties including live crab dishes. Located in the bustling entertainment district near Nusamai Bridge, it is about a 14-minute walk from Kushiro Station.

The restaurant features fully private rooms with doors, making it a popular choice for business meetings and formal gatherings.

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Enjoy Hokkaido's prized crab varieties, such as kegani (hairy crab) and tarabagani (king crab), prepared in a variety of ways including boiled, sashimi-style, or shabu-shabu. Crabs can be ordered whole, and each part is cooked using the method that best highlights its flavor and texture.

The photo shows a boiled kegani, known for its generous amount of meat and exceptional taste—both highly praised by guests.

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The restaurant also serves whale meat, offering a variety of homemade dishes such as whale bacon and Harihari Hot Pot.

One of the most popular options is the "Assorted Whale Sashimi Platter." The vibrant slices of whale sashimi are known for their mild flavor and lack of any strong odor, making them light and easy to enjoy.

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Located about a 2-minute drive from Abashiri Station in Abashiri, Hokkaido, Okhotsk Sanchoku Ichiba Kaniya is a seafood restaurant where you can enjoy fresh seafood caught in the Sea of Okhotsk.

The restaurant is attached to a seafood market and offers an intimate, cozy setting like that of a clean, welcoming local diner.

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Enjoy freshly caught Okhotsk hairy crab served in a set meal style. The main dish features hairy crab accompanied by side dishes, miso soup, and pickles.

The live hairy crab, prepared just before serving, has firm, succulent meat for an exceptional dining experience.

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This specialty dish is the "Jumbo Crab Shumai." Wrapped in a spring roll-like skin, each dumpling bursts with juicy filling reminiscent of xiaolongbao.

The menu also features ramen, hokke set meals, and other options, so you can enjoy a variety of dishes beyond just crab.

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A popular seafood restaurant known for serving fresh catches from the Sea of Okhotsk, expertly prepared robata-style over an open grill. Operated by Marukaichi Suisan, the restaurant is located in Shinkocho, Monbetsu City, Hokkaido.

The spacious dining area can accommodate up to 145 guests, with rows of tables equipped with gas grills for robata grilling right at your seat.

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There are three different robatayaki set menus available. The appeal is that you can grill the ingredients yourself and enjoy them just the way you like.

You can also bring in crab purchased directly from the market and grill it on-site. In addition to crab, there are other seafood options such as hokke (Atka mackerel) and shrimp, allowing you to fully savor the flavors of the sea.

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Seafood rice bowls start from just over JPY 1,000, allowing you to enjoy generous portions of crab on top.

For those who want to savor crab as the main feature, the "Kani-meshi" is highly recommended. This luxurious dish includes flaked crab meat, crab legs, and a crab shell filled with shoulder meat and rich crab miso.