Former Tilted Kilt in South Portland Has Become New Cajun Seafood Restaurant

More than six years ago, there was a lot of excitement when the national restaurant chain Tilted Kilt decided to open their first Maine location near the Maine Mall. However, after a tumultuous four years in business, the restaurant chain closed their South Portland permanently in May of 2020. For nearly two years, the property has sat vacant with people wondering what would end up in the space. After all, the former Bugaboo Creek restaurant next door eventually became a plasma business. Good news, food fans, the former Tilted Kilt will continue being a restaurant with a far different concept than its predecessor.

The former Tilted Kilt has become a new Cajun seafood restaurant called Shaking Crab. It doesn't appear to be under the same umbrella, as the Shaking Crab chain is no secret in New England, with several locations Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire.

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So what is this Shaking Crab all about? Their seafood boils are a southern staple. Boils are a multistep process where you choose your seafood (crab, shrimp, lobster, mussels, more) then you choose your sauce (lemon pepper, garlic butter, etc) and finally wrap it up with how spicy you want it all to be. You can order individual dishes or combine them.

Seafood restaurants have had a difficult time catching on in the Maine Mall area. Maine's first Red Lobster location opened in South Portland in 1991 before closing its doors permanently six years later. Weathervane restaurant also struggled to catch on. Shaking Crab may just have the right unique hook to make it a destination amongst other well-known chains. Shaking Crab is currently open.