Joe's Crab Shack

Joe’s crab shack - the right place to eat seafood at

I love seafood. In fact, it is one of my two favourite types of food. The other one is Mexican food. But the problem is that you can get decent Mexican food literally almost everywhere, but getting some decent seafood in Ohio can be a big problem. Of course, there are quite a few seafood restaurants in the great state of Ohio, but most of them are chains and the food quality is not the best.

Also, since there is no sea nearby, all the seafood that is served in Ohio, has to be frozen and transported here, and then defrosted and prepared, meaning it is never fresh. Sounds good? Not at all. So, during my New Year’s vacation in Florida, I tried out quite a few seafood restaurants, just because I heard they have a really good seafood. And one of the restaurants stood out among the others. I am talking about a place, called Joe’s Crab Shack, and in this entry, I will tell you more about it.

The ambient and decoration of Joe's crab shack

The lobby of Joe's crab shack has dimmed lights and exhibits a lot of surf decor.

I usually do not pay a lot of attention to a restaurant’s decor. After all, I am there for the food, not for the pictures on the walls. But Joe’s crab shack’s decoration really captured my attention. The entrance and the lobby are themed as a surf shop, with a lot of sharks and surf boards, and it is actually perfect since you are in Florida. It would be a little bit stranger in Ohio!

As you can see on the pictures, the dining area looks like a giant warehouse, but it is intentionally made that way. And the employees are wearing colourful shirts, and some of them were wearing floral necklaces. I loved it!

And Joe’s crab shack also has its very own gift shop, where you can buy those exact same shirts, or other funky souvenirs that will remind you of this place.

In Ohio, where I currently live, it is extremely unusual that restaurants have their own gift shop. Well, I guess Florida is different. Joe's crab shack has one and I loved the colourful shirts that they are selling.

What to order?

Joe's crab shack offers quite an extensive menu, and I found it really hard to decide what I want to order.

For an appetizer, me and my two friends decided to order garlic bread, since there was three of us, and the order included three slices of garlic bread. And I have to say that this was one of the best garlic bread versions I have ever tried. What made it so different, was the fact that it was very generously seasoned (almost too generously), which gave it a very special flavour.

Since I love (almost) any dish that involves shrimp, and I love the taste of coconut, I decided to order a dish, called the coconut shrimp. How is it made? The shrimp is, instead of being covered in bread crumbs, covered in coconut flakes. The sweet, coconut - y taste, that mixes with a lightly seasoned shrimp and the combination is so divine that you will have a feeling the shrimp is melting in your mouth as you are eating it.

When I received my order, I was very surprised about its size. I got twelve big shrimps. But I was hungry enough to be able to finish them all, and even sample my friends’ foods. So no tonly the food at Joe's crab shack is good, you also get generous portions.

The coconut shrimp somehow looks like chicken nuggets.

My friend ordered the mahi mahi (a type of fish), and she said it was not very good. My other friend ordered lobster rolls, and, according to him, they were delicious. Each dish comes with a side of french fries, resting on a bed of lettuce and tomatoes.

And if you drink alcohol, do not skip their signature drinks! Me and my two friends ordered their signature drinks. I ordered a cocktail, called Junk yard punch, which comes in a funny, trash can souvenir glass, that you can keep. The drink is generously loaded with alcohol - Rum and Whisky, and flavoured with a mix of pomergrenade and pineapple flavour.

My friends ordered The shark bite and The spiked lemonade. Personally, I liked The shark bite the most. That drink includes a mix of five different alcohol types, which is usually a receipt for a terribly tasting drink, but not in this case. The drink is very strong, so do not attempt to drive afterwards. The spiked lemonade is basically a regular lemonade with added vodka, and the combination is pretty amazing.

How expensive is it?

Do not worry, eating at Joe’s crab shack will not break the bank. On the contrary, you will be happy about the amount of money you saved by eating there. Most dishes, including main courses, will cost you between ten and twenty dollars, and all the drinks will cost you less than fifteen dollars.

If you want to make your meal at Joe’s crab shack even cheaper, you should consider joining their e - mailing list. Once you join, you will get a free appetizer, and they will frequently send you discounts and promotions in your mailbox.

A few words for the end…

I am glad I decided to give Joe’s crab shack a try. On the outside, the place really does not look very special, but once you step inside, you will understand why so many people love it. Delicious food, low prices and friendly staff made my first (and definitely not last) visit to the Joe’s crab shack more than memorable.