Cathy’s Place in Darwin

I just want to know how much the scezuan spicy Crab price

If theres one place Im going to recommend in Darwin its Cathys Place.There arent many place that do mud crabs up here but this was so good. Fresh caught wild live mud crabs.Pick and choose on the spot which one you want and theyll whip it up in the kitchen. Large selection of styles. These two crabs were 2.5kg total. You get a small hammer to smash the shells so dont come in your finest.Make sure to get some bread or Fried rice to eat with the left over sauce.Can byo crabs if you catch them yourselves but make sure to call ahead to make a reservation otherwise they may close early.

Limited food choice: only mud crab or trout with chips (weird combo). We picked Singaporean sauce for the crab and it was nice. we picked a female crab so lots of roe. The trout with chips wasn’t my cup of tea but 2 big slices of trout. You need to buy drinks separately at the bar/front counter. Don’t expect service to be great. Also u need to pick ur own crab. And must spray aeroguard I got bitten by something and my feet swelled like elephant for 4 days and it went up to the calf area and it hurt for 4 days every weird.

What a place! We were recommended by a friend and this place did not disappoint. The food is fantastic and the service is terrible but it’s all part of the experience. 5/5 highly recommended

Cathys place BEST mud crabs cooked in your favourite sauce . AMAZING !!! Cathy herself best host . We will definitely come again ! Thanks Cathy

Been to Kathys Place many times before and was very happy, but this time our Chilli Crab was disappointing not the taste or quality, but the amount of meat in it, it was just about hollow considering we paid $148 for it and was still hungry after eating it was very poor and I reckon there was a few legs missing, it definitely had all its legs when I picked it out but only had a few when served up, make sure you check its all there when it comes out to the table because its all hidden under the shell.

What a feast for the eye and tummy! Fantastic. Will visit again when back in NT. We just got into NT and following a few recommendations went to Cathys Place to sample her delectable crabs and words fail us in telling you just how delicious her garlic and ginger crab was. Sensational!

If you are in Darwin and looking for freshy, fleshy and muddy crabby, Cathys the Place! One of the best experience ever!

Booked table for 5 before flying to Darwin. Our table was No. 1. Waited a while but nobody serving us. Checked with the owner and she said she will come to us. After long waiting till many tables finished and left. Checked with boss again and she said she forgot and why we didnt tell her earlier?Crab was Ok but noodles sticked together. Price was expensive too, 3x crabs plus noodle $470.30. I dont recommend it. Later we tried Seafood on Cullen - much better and all you can eat.

Cathy might seem to be abrupt but if you establish a little rapport you discover a lovely person with a great sense of humour.More importantly, the crab is superb, masterfully cooked, flavoured to your choice, if you know how to eat crab with a hammer and your hands, you will be delighted.Would I come back ? Yes, probably tomorrow !!

Wanted Chilli NT mud craps and got it. Was delicious and fresh. Its pretty much a one lady show - you guessed it, Cathy.Dining here is an "experience"...its like those restaurants where you pay top dollar to be intentionally be insulted. Except this is how it is at this place. Cathy mellows down a bit after but certainly a big contrast to your fine dining restaurants. Great place for those who have big egos and need some "grounding". Youll have a great laugh if you know what to expect, otherwise the customer service would appear initially as confronting. Remember youre here for the NT mud crabs.Due to staff shortages (i wonder why), shes serving mud crabs and fish only.

Called in for Lunch, or make a reservation if couldnt get in. Met at door and made very unwelcome. Wanted to taste mudcrab while in Darwin, will notbe going here, Rude

Excellent mud crab - easily one of the best in Australia. We had the Singaporean Chilli version and it was delicious. The warm bun to soak up the curry sauce was also very tasty. Cathy was the perfect host. It was late Saturday afternoon and was a great way to celebrate after our long road trip from Katherine. Highly recommend

It is a lovely place for crabs. The crabs are big and fresh. My friends and I tried two flavors. They are both wonderful. The price is a little bit expensive but definitely worth it. I will visit this lovely restaurant in the future.

Just came in and took them 5 minutes to ask if my partner was ok whilst waiting at the bar for serviceMy partner and I just came in to have a few drink, chillout and maybe some crabWas asked by the older lady "you ok", my partner said were staying for a few drinks first and asked for a Burbon and coke and a beer.the older lady said "no bar tender" after organising another groups drinks.No option but to walk to the next place for at least a smile and a beviCustomer service is shocking!

Lovely atmosphere for a sea food restaurant. Enjoyed the NT chilli crabs. A must to experience for seafood lovers.

Crab was expensive but delicious. Lovely spot on the water. Restaurant original.

Cathy is a character… and can come across as rude.She told us they were understaffed n had a limited menu.You have to go inside n buy your drinks. Can get a bit annoying.Chilli mud crabs were full of flesh and was tasty.

Look, the crab is very tasty. Service is terrible, waited almost 1 1/2 hours to get meal and then messed up orders (cause you pick the crab and weight itso have us other tables order but wanted to charge me for the additional weight of the other tables crabs. Sure this is a little trick does every so often to make extra money. Need to make sure doesn’t do the shifty on you and charge you extra.

Was our third trip to Cathys Place over three years for our yearly fishing trip to Darwin. First time the total bill was $500 ( Four Blokes Second time it was $600 (Four Blokes )and then Third time ( Five Blokes she wanted over $1500. Absolute rip off no way 5 Fellows can spend that much in two hours with one crab each . Turned into a circus with police called and we came to a compromise on the bill . Great food, untrustworthy host, you roll the dice if you go there

Like a terrible episode of Gordon Ramsey, dont ask to sit inside because Cathy is going to save money on aircon and say "its unprepared" (the table).Ridiculous prices, we had to get our own ice basket for a BYO bottle, toilet is disgusting, the toilet hand soap has been so far diluted with water youd be better off washing off your hands with crab juice.Basically just boiled crab with a splash of sauce. 5 star prices with 1 star service.If Gordon ever comes to Australia he should check this place out.Oh and the receipts are under-declared for tax. We paid nearly $200, receipt said $85. Professional.

Sadly I have to said ,it’s too expensive this place.I bought 1 crab over kg,(1kg is $119 and only 1 crab in itwe end -up paid over $160 because we did order 1 bowl of rice and brought own wine!—Restaurant from the outside look like street warung (mean will be fair price !)but wasn’t ,you should have a search from the reviews or ask from the owner before you decide to book.—service not good— Too expensive price over 4*restaurant just for the fresh crab!—Not many other option too order!—We not come back full stop.

One of the best mud crabs and prawns I ever had. Definitely coming back to Cathay’s.

First time there, should have read the reviews. Cathys Place is unhygienic, cutlery is not clean, dirt on the forks, had the grab and some small dishes, the dumplings were semi frozen tasted like vomit and was super overpriced. The rice was cold, Cathy was rude and abrupt, the whole experience felt like we had to write this review (first time ever writing a review).

Unhygienic, overpriced. Cathy was rude. Got the grab and a few other dishes, the dumplings were semi frozen and not cooked well, the rice was cold probably old rice, the chopstick she gave us was dusty and had dirt on it. Not worth the money, Cathy has a very dusting attitude.If shes rude to you than shes rude to employees. Horrible person to work under.

Our friends at another table ordered a $50/head banquet, and my table did the same. Plates of crab were brought out without any communication about the price, and we were surprised after the meal with a $116/head bill for crab and bread rolls. My concern isn’t the cost of crab, which apparently was delicious, it’s that we were never advised of the additional cost so were shocked. The vegetarian options I requested weren’t available, only a bowl of noodles with some veg. That was overpriced at $25. As other reviews mentioned, we had to get our own menus, drinks etc as it’s relaxed/intermittent table service. Toilets in poor condition with no paper, no light, door locks broken... Positive elements: $5 beers! And apparently sometimes karaoke.

Cathys place was recommended to us by a friend and boy it did not disappoint! One of the best mud crabs we have eaten in Australia! Cathy provided us with an unique dining experience from the minute we walked in I felt like Cathy was a friend of ours and we were eating at her home! We got the Singapore chilli crab and NT crab they were both delicious! We would highly recommend Cathys place for those who are open to an homely experience and ready to get their hands dirty! 😬

Always a pleasure visiting this joint. Cathy actually runs this place near single handedly giving you that curated hostess experience. It feels more like you are in her lounge about to get cooked for rather than a restaurant, which is a very warm feeling. The crabs are live and you can choose more than 10 sauces for them to be cooked in which is great. Comes with a good Ps: no vegetarian options

Mixed feelings about this place. If you love Singaporean chilli mud crab, then this is the place for you! Husband loved the crab and the whole experience. Crabs priced per kilo, was $119 per kg when we visited. Just don’t expect “normal” customer service. Expect a surly woman (owner Cathywith curt comments and abrupt directives. I do empathise, she was the only waiter due to Covid I imagine, with no seasonal workers and backpackers. Cathy, take a holiday yourself love, you look like you need one! Delegate customer service to a few enthusiastic lively youngins when the borders open up again!

Very rude owner. If you dont order the mud crab you arent worth serving. Asian customers are given priority service. You are charged an extra $20 for cooked mud crab. Sauce/spices etc are not worth that much. Greedy owner. Darwin people are easily pleased.

Bit of a wait for dinner but the mud crabs worth the wait. One crab for two people is adequate. Only need the dinner rolls to soak up the awesome sauce. Also will cook your fish you catch on a fishing charter.

Delicious food and a good experience, just make sure you set your expectations first. Not the best customer service I’ve had in terms of friendly or welcoming, but we had heard this was the best crab in Darwin and Cathy’s place delivered. We got to choose the crab we wanted cooked, a flavour sauce(out of about 6 choiceswe went with black bean and garlic which came with a side of bread roll and steamed greens. Very delicious and moorish and was very satisfying having sauce all over our hands…and face.Would 100% recommend you visit, just make sure it’s for the crab/meal and not just the service.

Had whole crab myself, very tasty and firm meat, cooked in ginger sauce to enhance the freshness of crab meat. Miles better than the crab I had the night before at The Crustacean. And much cheaper weight wise.

The best Crab in Darwin we had the Crab and Singapore sauce and it was the Best. Plus beers and wine are so cheap $5 to $9. Plus a great out look. Thank you Cathy for a Wonderful dining experience. Oh only a $12 taxi ride from Darwin and for seniors from across OZ the bus service is free!

If you want the best Crab & a dining experience youve never had, Cathys is the place to go. A locals favourite & also partially due to the cheap Beer & Wine - ofcourse you have to go inside to be served from the fridge & pay at the counter each time. Bookings are required for dinner especially...Arrive through the back entrance & wait for Cathy to show you to your seat, theres only one menu so be sure to ask for it if you havent been before. You then need to see Cathy & go pick out your crab from the tank & place your order. We ordered the Crab with Singapore Chilli sauce (nice & not spicy& the Seasoned Dew Fish (a bit spicy but very tasty), I recommend ordering the dinner rolls to soak up all the sauce too 😎

Absolute guarantee on freshness of your mud crab which Cathy invites you to choose which is then cooked with your selected sauce flavour. Cathy makes you feel at home. The chef was friendly and served us as well. Would be useful to have adult sized bibs and hand held crab breakers plies as the wood hammer gets very messy on your clothes. Price was ok to us, overall impression good

Make sure you book before going. We sat outside but no lights over the head, had to use a torch to see the menu. The place was understaffed on the night and the owner wasnt that friendly as she was under a lot of pressure. We were asked to get the crabs out ourselves from the tank! Luckily the food was very yummy, and we were quite satisfied.

For the food I would give 4 stars, but considering the service I would give 3 stars.The mud crab was fresh, they cooked it with a lots of chilli. I can tell their 🌶 are very clean, were not imported from overseas. As I normally would have strong reactions for imported chilli( they coated with chemicals to look very fresh).The owner looked stressed and a couple of regular guests tried to cheer her up. At the beginning she was a bit rude, was yelling at everyone. And also told us the only dish we can order is mud crab. Otherwise she can’t let us sit down, as it’s already fully booked! We agreed to order one dish only - the mud crab then she changed her tone after she served the food on the table.I’d like to mention if you want to order steam rice, please check the price before you order it. We didn’t ask for the price, and assumed in Australia $2-$3 for a bowl of rice is common. When we were going to pay for our bill, she told us one rice was $10. It was a surprise to us, in the recent 20 years I have not paid any rice over $5 in a restaurant with this level. Luckily, we were going to pay by card. Then she offered us $10 discount for cash payment. So at the end, we paid $108 for one mud crab and one steam rice.

Absolutely divine, amazing flavours. The best chilli mud crabs and prawns. If you are in Darwin, I highly recommend you visit Cathy. Beautiful service.💞🙏💞

We had Chilli Mud Crab, Crispy Banana Prawns and the Wagu steak, while sitting on the outside deck, watching the fish swimming below us on a beautiful Darwin evening. The food is amazing here, well worth the experience. Cathy is friendly and hospitable and take great care of you. Massive compliments to the Chef and Cathy. We were so full we asked for a container to take our leftovers because we could not bare wasting such good food.

Delishish, 😍🦐🍸🦞 had the hot Chile prawn and Lobster arived late and were very welcomed by Cath with cheap drinks and a beautiful out look over the marina

Best food here !! Cant recommend this enough. So fresh and absolutely delicious. Cathy really cooks from the heart she is amazing! Everything was perfect, the pork belly, the fish, the dumplings. I cant wait to have her oysters and mud crab next time they are on the menu.

We arrived with no booking and Cathy was more than happy to seat us and cook her special mudcrab! The Singapore chilli sauce was incredible with lovely lemongrass flavours. We had friend egg fried rice on the side with a deep fried dinner roll which was incredible! Beers are all $5 and Cathy is friendly, sassy and a wonderful host! Great experience.

We went searching for the best crab in Darwin and we were certainly not disappointed. The crab is well priced and extremely fresh with lots of meat throughout. I recommend the NT chilli sauce which comes with Kakadu plums. Cathy’s place is located in a picturesque corner where you can enjoy your food with views of Cullen Bay. Cathy was very friendly and made our visit memorable. If you’re still in the fence about visiting, consider supporting this local business during the current quiet tourist season as it would be a shame to see them go.

The crab very good and fish very nicely done. Good food and service

Absolutely the best chilli crab I have eaten outside of Singapore. Fried rice was simple but awesome. Little place, not five start looking but five start quality in the food you eat.....

Love the food and service an experience not to be missed, a nice selection of beers at $5, try the chefs speciality chilli mud crab but pre-order, we will defiantly be back.

This place is an experience more than just a dinner. Sorry about the long review but there is a lot to say!Firstly, I’m not sure whether they serve much other than crab as the hostess basically just offered us mudcrab. Now this is not a complaint as it was bloody fantastic. I had the Singapore Chilli Crab (drooland my wife the Salt n Pepper Crab (also drool). We selected the crabs ourselves which left us feeling a little like Homer eating Pinchy but the sadness of eating the crab I interacted with was fast replaced by the joy of tasting its tender, sweet flesh.Service here is the experience. The hostess is a friendly woman with a very assertive, direct approach to communication. It’s a bit comical and mostly helpful. My crab bit her, made her angry so she quickly went and killed it in front of us. I felt like I was in a movie watching all this happen. She otherwise provided exceptional service!The restaurant is very basic. It’s on a deck over the marina with a really nice view. Their decor looks like it was put together by someone very high on acid but is complemented well by funky soul music to which you enjoy your dinner. I have included a pic of a painting which should give you an idea.Drinks are super cheap also and there is a fair selection of beers. I don’t drink much wine so couldn’t comment.I gave it 4 stars as the place is a actually pretty basic and with two mud crabs you end up paying around $200 for dinner ($89/kg for crab). Objectively one would expect more for that kind of money. Having said that I would not miss this place if visiting Darwin, definitely my favourite spot so far!

Excellent food, comfortable atmosphere. Cathy is super friendly and she’s a star. The outside seating with the bay view is more casual and good for chill out moodThe indoor functional area are good for business situation. We ordered mud crab, beef and some small plates (Dim Sum/ Yum Chaat the outside in the sea breeze . All dishes are very good. The crab is most delicious (but careful they can be messy on hands for formal situation). I will say the mud crab is a local signature indeed. Strongly recommend this jewel at Cullen Bay.

Best mud crab in Darwin. Also my best birthday dinner ever. Love the freshest of local mud crab and exquisite fish. Cathy is the most friendly and free owner of the restaurant.