Totally Barking up the right tree

The Crab is a worthy staycation if you aren’t able to get out of the city to get to the Cape

intoxiKATEd. Just because the summer share on Cape Cod wasn’t in the financial forecast this year doesn’t mean you can’t find that vacationing feeling closer to home. If you don’t mind taking a staycation amidst skyscrapers, then the scene at The Barking Crab should suit you. This shabby urban shanty serves to slake your thirst for seafood and suds.

So what if some of the fare —like the peel-n-eat shrimp —is served by the bucket? Seemingly, the clientele is at home in both a tourist trap and a lobster trap. This is food in the rough: your silverware is plastic (sorry, Al Gore); the tablecloth is strewn with rocks with which to smash your crabs; and your loud neighbor won’t be a stranger considering the communal picnic seating on the patio. I’m hot for their steamers drenched with drawn butter; they prove sometimes the best meal is the one that gets your hands dirty. Though casual dining is the name of the game here, I can promise you my Caesar salad was most certainly overdressed.

Don’t fear the MKT price on the menu: think of all you’re saving on gas, hotel room, and beach parking! But seriously, prices here can make you feel crabby. Make up for it by supersizing your pint and going for the pitcher instead. Both a dessert (fruit-filled) and drink, their strong sangria does double duty and is worth a sip or two.

With the ICA and Bank of America Pavilion mere steps down the road, this is one hot spot for alfresco fun. Their doors don’t slam shut at summer’s end. With indoor seating available year round, the spot still heats up with a little help from the wood-burning stove. But don’t fret, despite this cruel summer, we’re not there yet.

The Barking Crab
Fort Point Landing
88 Sleeper St., Boston
MBTA: Red or Silver Line to South Station
617-426-2722
www.barkingcrab.com