WILMINGTON — It was kismet for Victor Nguyen and his wife to come upon an open restaurant space in Anderson Square a few months ago. Turns out, when the couple landed in town during the Covid-19 pandemic, they had been looking at the same location to open their first Red’s Crab Shack.
READ MORE: Popular sandwich shop expanding near Wrightsville Beach hits Yelp’s Best 100
“But it didn’t work out at the time,” Nguyen said, instead sending the couple to launch first in Jacksonville, North Carolina.
However, their goal was always to get to Wilmington.
As fate would have it, that same restaurant space from 2021 suddenly opened last year after Panacea founders Artie and Robin Hill sold to a new owner, Ayomilekan Adeloye, in December 2024. By April 2025, it suddenly closed and was on the market again.
“The first time when we reached the parking lot, I told my wife: ‘Man, this would be a perfect space,’” Nguyens recalled.
Next month, the Nguyens hope to have their second seafood restaurant launched at 4107 Oleander Drive.
Red’s Crab Shack centers on the famed Southern seafood boil, with pots filled with snow crab, shrimp, dungeness crab, clams, green mussels, lobster tail, scallops and crawfish when in season. There are also combo boils, which include one, two or three seafood items with sausage, corn and potatoes, cooked in a choice of homemade sauces or rubs. For instance, there are varied garlic varieties, Cajun, lemon pepper, and Old Bay.
“You can select any spice level and any type of sauce you like,” Nguyen said. “You can mix the sauces, too.”
While the boils are the signature dish, the restaurant also has varied starters like calamari, gumbo, hush puppies, steamed oysters, wings and coconut shrimp. Plus, they serve seafood po’boys and baskets — flounder, catfish, oysters, crab cakes, shrimp, etc. — quesadillas and pho.
The latter is a new addition to the menu. Nguyen said the goal was to add something more approachable for lunch without bringing standard sandwiches or burgers.
Drinks include Boba or milk tea, as well smoothies. There also will be a full bar, at first only serving beer and wine but by the end of fall, a signature cocktail menu will be available, along with all spirits under the full ABC permit.
Nguyen entered the Texas restaurant business in 2019 after spending his career working in computers and IT. He paired up with business partner Lap (Ryan) Duong, who had industry experience and landed on the seafood boil idea. Known as Louisiana Crab Shack, they opened eight restaurants in and around the Austin area. However, when the pandemic hit, the Nguyen family began traveling to visit friends in Virginia and North Carolina.
They loved the Tar Heel State so much, it prompted their move. The Nguyens sold their shares of the Texas restaurants and decided to relocate.
The Jacksonville location, embracing a mariner vibe with fishing poles and surf boards hanging on the walls, has been well-received since opening in 2022, Nguyen said. While it attracts a family-oriented and military crowd, he expects Wilmington to draw in younger faces and has plans to launch comedy nights and even live music.
“A baby grand and guitars will be set up on the stage,” he said, welcoming guests to perform on them when live music isn’t being played on weekends by more seasoned musicians.
The restaurant industry is a nice change of pace from his Nguyen’s former job, which had him sitting at a desk all day and staring at a screen.
“I wanted to venture out and see what else there is, to bring more enjoyment to life,” Nguyen said, noting customer feedback and excitement has been a nice change of pace. “We are very detail-oriented and care about the food that’s coming out to the table.”
He and his wife remain hands-on in their ventures and operate all facets of the business; they expect to hire around 25 people to help with both front- and back-of-the-house in Wilmington. The family has been renovating the restaurant in recent months, which will have around 120 seats. The goal is to open by mid-September and prices range from $5 appetizers, to $14 entrees to $140 boils that feed four or so people.
Want to read more from PCD? Subscribe now and then sign up for our morning newsletter, Wilmington Wire, and get the headlines delivered to your inbox every morning.
