The exact origins of the dish are uncertain, but it is known that Crab Louie was being served in San Francisco, at Solari's, as early as 1914.

[3] A recipe for Crab Louie exists from this date in Bohemian San Francisco by Clarence E. Edwords,[4] and for a similar "Crabmeat a la Louise" salad in the 1910 edition of a cookbook by Victor Hirtzler,[5] head chef of the city's St. Francis Hotel.

[6] Another early recipe is found in The Neighborhood Cook Book, compiled by the Portland Council of Jewish Women in 1912.

[8] Other accounts place the salad's origin as The Davenport Hotel in Spokane, Washington; or the Olympic Club in Seattle.

A typical Crab Louie salad consists of:[10] Other ingredients such as olives and green onions have also been listed in some recipes.