Miss Katie's Chicken Shack Collingwood

I had a mixed experience at this restaurant, as there are a lot of differing reviews. Upon arriving without a reservation, the waitress greeted us warmly and seated us. We tried the crab boil, which was okay, with not much meat in the crab but flavorful broth that the potatoes absorbed well. Adding additional seafood would enhance the dish. The highlight for me was the mussels in chili jam, with large, juicy mussels in a tasty salsa with coriander and onion. The fries were well-seasoned and crisp, while the fried chicken, though not to my taste, had a crispy batter and juicy meat. The lemonade was refreshingly sour. I look forward to returning to try the boil again with prawns and other menu items.

I finally visited Katie's last night after craving a crab boil for a while. We thought it would be crowded since it's well reviewed, but being there for a 8:30pm dinner meant many tables were empty. The waitress was friendly and explained the specials to us, and her energy was great. We ordered the crab boil with an extra crab and 2 prawns, along with 2 oysters, prawn cocktail, and 3 pieces of chicken. The crab boil was amazing, with fresh crab that was juicy and plentiful. The sides were also delicious. My husband, a big fan of fried chicken, loved the 3-piece chicken, and even though I'm not a fan of fried food, I enjoyed it too. The prawn cocktail was decent and the oysters were fresh. The prawns were the only letdown. Overall, it was a great experience that even made me ignore my wine during dinner.

Our dinner started with a dozen very fresh oysters and a large bowl of thin-cut fries for the two of us. We then enjoyed the crab boil (despite its misleading name, it was swimming in butter and lemon, served with potatoes, corn, and sausage - absolutely delicious) and chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy on the other side of the table, which received high praise. With a bottle of very drinkable Shiraz priced at $45, the total bill of around $150 was quite reasonable.

The crab boil was excellent. Atmosphere bustling on a Monday night. Good service, prompt and professional! Will be back again!

I have been here a few times to fix my craving for cajun food. Not many restaurants in Melbourne serving quality cajun seafood dishes. The must-try from Miss Katie's Crab Shack is seafood boil. I ordered 1 portion with add-on option like prawns and mussels and they were absolutely delicious.