Spicy crab is headed for Dallas' Lake Highlands with the arrival of Shell Shack, the local shellfish restaurant chain which is opening a location at the Creekside Shopping Mall at the intersection of Skillman Street and Abrams Road.

A spokesperson confirmed that the restaurant will open later in 2022 in the same center as the Alamo Drafthouse, specifically at 6770 Abrams Rd. #180, the space previously occupied by sports bar Yogi's Home Plate, which closed in 2021.

Shell Shack is known for its seafood boils, especially crab which it offers in varieties such as king crab, snow crab, Bairdi, and Dungeness.

They come in flavors such as Cajun, garlic, lemon pepper, and kitchen sink, and in a variety of heat levels extending from hot to no heat, to which you can add on corn, boiled potato, sausage, broccoli, or butter & eggs.

In addition to crab, they also have shrimp, crawfish, and lobster.

Much of the appeal comes from the casual presentation in which the food is shaken from a bag onto a platter atop butcher paper-covered tables, to be eaten communally.

Starters include calamari, alligator tenders, crab-stuffed tater tots, wings, onion rings, and fried pickles.

They're also noted for their vibrant interior, eye-catching colors, chalkboard walls, and full bar.

The chain was founded by Dallas Hale and Matt Saba in 2013, who opened their first location on McKinney Avenue in Uptown; that original relocated to Henderson Avenue in 2018. Their other locations are in Plano, Arlington, Mesquite, Fort Worth, Tyler, and Houston.

The concept was acquired in December 2021 by TriSpan Partners, a New York-based investment company that owns a variety of concepts including Yardbird Southern Table & Bar. This is the first Shell Shack to open under their guidance, and they have plans to open more locations in 2023.

"Since TriSpan acquired Shell Shack in 2021, it has been a goal to expand the concept into more areas and we have found another great location in Dallas," says Monte Batson, CEO of Shell Shack. "We are eager to bring the Shell Shack experience to a new area and showcase our seafood and signature boils to become a neighborhood favorite."