Cracked Crab

PISMO BEACH. This shabby-looking crab shack, located right on Pismo Beach's main drag, doesn't gain its high marks for an elegant, candle-lit setting. Indeed, old wooden tables and a few nautically themed pictures are about the extent of it – then again, considering that buckets of Dungeness or Alaskan King crabs are thrown across the tables, white linens probably aren't very utilitarian. While crab dinners are the place's forte, the menu does contain such options as filet mignon or char-grilled chicken for those who don't dig the crustacean. Reservations are not accepted.