We had the best waiter ever!!!!! The best waiter of all times Kenshiro. I mean he was outstanding!! I prefer this location over the one in St.Peter's because it is not as crowded during key hours. The caesar salad isn't good but everything else we ordered was. We had the TKO punch, shark bite and mudslide-which was classically delish. Thursday's are 1/2 price cocktails. The calamari was very good and the dipping sause wasn't marinara-thank goodness which I do not like with calamari. I ordered the queen crab bucket-garlic which was plentiful, hot and steaming with corn on the cob and new potatoes. I love how they stock the table with all your essential items needed for crab cracking in abundance and the manager walks around to check on your table.
(4)
Jennifer C.
I don't make it here often, primarily because it's no where near my house. Traveling back from a long drive, I decided to stop here because I remembered how awesome their Crab Dip was and today was no different. Yes, I ate the whole thing by my lonesome! Ha! I tried the Great Balls of Fire also and sorry to say, I didn't like these as much. Something with the flavor seemed off to me. Oh well, the crab dip was on point.
(3)
Libby S.
If your thinking about stopping by here for any meal do it! We're driving from Denver to Florida we feel like we stopped at our families house. We have been taken care of since the moment we arrived. Thank you Donavoan, Tasha & April all made us smile! The most friendly staff I have encountered in along time! Thank you ladies!!! Libby & Matt
(5)
Kori Y.
A good place to get some good seafood. I like the "steam pots" this is a great way to get the "East Cost" seafood experience.
(3)
Noe G.
Great place for the whole family. The service was great, quick refills and servant continue to check on us till we were done. Will continue to return
(5)
Tracie M.
Best food, best atmosphere! I will never pass by another Joe's Crab Shack! I could live on the Crazy Good Crab Dip. Servers are very good, hostess station is friendly upon arriving and leaving. Food came out in a timely manner and was delicious!
(5)
Little J.
Wait was forever.the waitress was even slower.omg!!flavor was good but overall very salty.pretty good portion and very slow service.we waited 20 minutes to be able to get a table and 20 minutes on a simple appitizer and waited almost 50 minutes to get our meal.went in before 7 and got out around 930.go figure.
(3)
Larry S.
Joe's Crab Shack is always fun! My MIL had never been to Joe's, but she loved the popcorn shrimp at Red Lobster. We thought she might like something different, so we took her to Joe's Crab Shack. And she really enjoyed Joe's popcorn shrimp. Oh well! My wife had a crab pot and I had lobster. Both were messy but absolutely delicious. I doubt we'll ever go back to this location, but we'll find one closer to home.
(4)
Dan A.
This is a review for the service. Always friendly as usual. Unfortunately there was a kitchen mixup and our crab dip appetizer came out late. Our server, Heather, was very apologetic as was the manager, Elise. The appetizer was comped and the rest of the evening was fine. I'm finding more and more places are not comping for mistakes, so it was a nice surprise.
(4)
Ray J.
With so much talk about Joe's Crab Shack I decided to try it. It was tough w/ no taste take my advice and stick w/ red lobster.
(5)
Julie L.
Peace, love and crabs! Joe's is the place to be! We had a large party and were seated immediately, which was great because the crowd seemed to appear the moment we sat down. Our server was friendly, ready to equip us with whatever we needed and refill the entire time. We ordered calamari as an appetizer and it was more than expected - larger than most establishments serve you and their breading was phenomenal. I ordered the fish & shrimp as my main entree and it was so tender. I am not a cole slaw fan, and they were supposed to have given double fries instead but they forgot that part of the order. We had brought a dessert in for the birthday we were celebrating and they were more than accommodating with plates and utensils to cut it. They sang to our guest of honor as well. The entire staff then did a signature dance for the crowd to get everyone moving and smiling. Its always a good time!
(4)
Davis J.
This place is a tourist trap. However it is an acceptable tourist trap. Being from Florida I have a taste for shellfish and seafood of all sorts. I went here while traveling with a coworker. It was decided that the price really doesn't equal the value or quality but when work pays for it... go for it!! I would NEVER go here on my own dime but I can easily look the other way when using a corporate card (LOL). The service was REALLY good and my hands were really greasy after eating all the stuff in my steam pot. I have to admit I was still a little hungry after eating everything but at least I was happy from all that crab, lobster and butta! ADVICE: Bring your own wet naps.
(3)
S R.
I have been reading different reviews on Yelp just to see what people have to say about different places. Yelp seems to be a place where anyone can say anything about every business. After reading some of the reviews just about Joes I am horrified. I have eaten here several times and loved the food and the service. Don't go to a place where the staff dance and sing if you don't like that sort of thing. That seems to be YOUR problem. Not Joes. The food is delicious and yes, the staff is made up of young people. Who do you expect to be waiting on you....your tax attorney? I have found everything delightful every time I have eaten here. I am sure I don't understand why the internet has become a place where anyone can just desparage any business for the most rediculous things. People go out of their way to leave lengthy reviews about business' ....on and on about every single detail....my god get a LIFE! Do you have nothing else to do? Seems today everything is a drama! Oh, I went to xyz...let me now destroy them on the internet when I get home. I love Joes Crab Shack and I will go back as often as possible. I did not find the prices to be outragious or the service bad....I think the place is fun and has great food. I am always happy to be able to have some down time and enjoy a good meal with my family and Joes is a favorite of mine. I pay little attention to the whinning. Just makes people look silly.
(5)
Kat V.
I love seafood especially crab legs. This place is quite loud like the previous reviews stated. The food is a lot better than Red Lobster & Landry's. They even have bibs for your when you order the steam pots. Yeah, great idea so that you don't dirty your nice clothes. Very embarrassing to say that the stains & smell came from eating crab legs. I kind of wish they had a tutorial of some sort to crack open those darned crab legs. Or maybe it's funny to watch people eat those things & screw up. Yes, don't watch me eat those tricky crab legs. I'll admit that I don't do a good job of getting the meat. In the midst of ordering & eating, there is a dance show of some sort put on by the wait staff. Think '80's music & maybe of recent. It would be funny if they did a rendition of Psy's Gangnam Style or even Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionaire. But then again I wouldn't be paying attention since I would be focusing on getting the crab meat out of those darned tricky crab legs. The food itself was a bit tooo salty by a smidge. Service was great.
(4)
Lesley S.
I'm a fan of Joe's. I've always had good service at this one and every location that I've been to. Price wise? Yeah, they are a little pricey, but so is Red Lobster. What do you expect when you go to a seafood type place. You don't go to the crab shack for a burger you know? Their calamari is good and not to greasy and I had the best virgin strawberry daiquiri. Yum! I wouldn't go here to watch sports though. Their TVs are like looking at a bug on a wall. You just can't tell who is doing what or anything like that. Every hour the servers dim the lights and start dancing around the restaurant. They encourage anyone who wants to join them to join in. Highlight of this last visit? An elderly gentleman in his Sunday best learning the Cupid Shuffle. You don't get better entertainment than that.
(4)
Austin G.
My family & I went to JCS for my birthday last Tuesday and had a fantastic time. The service was hands down the best (thank you Octavia), the food was awesome and the drinks were 5 star without a doubt. I can now say that was my first visit and you guys have a customer for life. I would highly recommend this place to anyone that hasn't been.
(5)
Marc M.
We have lived in this area since 1998 and have never eaten here. We were going to try a new Italian restaurant in the same shopping center as Joe's, but they decided to be closed so we thought we'd give Joe's a try. We were amazed at the selections on the menu but since we weren't dying of hunger we stayed away from the steam pot entrees and decided to order the Crabcake Dinner, a Pasta-Laya, and a calamari appetizer. Other reviews call this place pricey and I would agree with that. I would also advise not ordering anything on the menu that is not crab or lobster in a pot because this location is very good at producing those items. The calamari was hot and crispy but it is served with a marinara sauce. We asked for and got some cocktail sauce which seemed to complement it better. The Pasta-Laya was a very large entree. The sausage and shrimp were very well-seasoned and flavorful but it just didn't have much "jambalaya-ness" to it. The Crabcake Dinner was a major disappointment. The skin-in fries were excellent. The creamy cole slaw was the restaurant-standard stuff. It was good and NOT watery. The crabcakes were a disaster. Having eaten crabcakes in a lot of restaurants, these were not crabcakes in the traditional sense. It was more like crab stuffing you would put in a Thanksgiving turkey but in no way were they cakes. The very nice manager said this was supposed to be 75% crab, but the entree was a medium brown color from the bread crumbs and peppers and very little white crab meat was apparent. I wanted to try these to get an idea of how their crab tasted but without much crab present, it was impossible to tell. The manager comped the crabcakes and gave us a coupon for a free appetizer on our next visit. We told her that wasn't necessary since I had eaten half of it, but she insisted. As we left, we noticed that there was a condensation leak from the air duct directly above our table. The drops were splashing us. We may give Joe's one more try.
(2)
Mark P.
I think this Joe's Crab Shack has become a finalist for my 2013 worst restaurant of the year award. My experience last night was easily one of the worst meals I've had this year. Did the kitchen actually think a customer would eat a completely blackened shrimp skewer that was overcooked to the point of being a charcoal briquette? Please see my photo if you think I'm exaggerating. Our waitress was very nice and gladly brought me a new one after asking; however the replacement was also overcooked, dry as beef jerky, and flavorless. My "Southern Coastal Catch" trio platter also included grilled mahi and crab cake. The crab cake wasn't bad, but the grilled mahi was also overcooked to the point of having no moisture or flavor to it. I honestly can't remember having such horrible shrimp and fish served to me in a restaurant. I have nothing against chain restaurants, but this particular one has some serious issues to work out. A big fat zero stars for the food, however our waitress was extremely nice and worthy of 5 stars, which makes this place average out to about 1.5 stars.
(1)
Stan G.
Because of the higher price tag on items, I have only eaten at Joe's on special occasions, so each time is always worthwhile and satisfying. There are only 2 locations of Joe's near my house and even both of those are 25-30 minutes away, so choose the one that is in another state over the one in the part of town I don't like to go, and each time my service is great and I always leave very satisfied. I order the Crab Daddy feast, cooked in their traditional BBQ seasonings which leave the crab tasting incredible! the pot also comes with some new potatoes and an ear of corn. you get 2 clusters of crab, one Dungenous crab, one snow crab, and one king crab leg. plenty to eat without being too much to eat, Joe's really satisfies, and tonight was no exception, it's nice to have a favorite place to go eat that you only use on occasions, and leave satisfied every single time.. they must be doing something right...
(5)
Tanya M.
I like going to Joes for the steampots. They are raising money for Autisim and I won a free appetizer. Pretty Darn Sweet!!!! Joes is like Red Lobsters obnoxious cousin. It is loud and the mood is to party!
(3)
Ry N.
I went here on a Wednesday evening, and it was dead, so I can't concur with the drunk people in there the OP commented on. It was a little chilly, but it wasn't unbearable in there. The food was a little pricey and wasn't all that good. We had the Crab Nachos, which really smelled like an armpit and didn't taste very well, either. Then we got a Joe's Steampot with a cluster of snow crab, a cluster of dungeness crab, boiled shrimp, boiled potatoes, corn and a smoked sausage all together in a pot of water. The crab was OK, but everything else was unsatisfactory. The steampot alone was $20 and is something I definitely won't get again. I wouldn't necessarily advise anyone to avoid the place, but for the price, it's just not very good.
(2)
Kathy C.
Was taken here once for my birthday. I'm not a chain restaurant go-er and don't really appreciate a loud obnoxious atmosphere of singing and dancing in the dining area every half hour. Food was barely edible and ridiculously overpriced. I couldn't imagine any reason to return here.
(1)
Allison B.
We did not start out wanting to go to Joe's, but finding ourselves in Fairview on Friday evening at 9:15 starving and every place else packed with a huge wait we decided to go to Joe's since we've never had to wait for a table there. We get seated right away and look over the new things on the menu since the last time we've been. We then find ourselves 10 minutes later waiting and waiting for a server to acknowledge us. We notice there are several groups of servers standing and talking to each other, so it's not that there was a lack of servers. I finally get fed up enough because I was dying of thirst and get up to ask the host who our server is. She looks at me right when I get up there and walks away. OK, great, she has an attitude. Then a server quickly notices me and comes over and short conversation goes something like this: server "Have you not been served yet?" me: "No, we sure haven't" server "We were just standing over there discussing whether or not someone had gotten your table yet. We'll get someone over to you right away" me "Thank you, but maybe you could have come and asked us instead of standing over there discussing it" Now, you would think that would prompt someone to come immediately. Not the case. We sat for a few more minutes, maybe 5 before our server finally comes to our table. I had not seen the guy who ended up being our server before he came to our table, so maybe he was in the restroom or something, I'm not sure, so I don't hold it against this poor guy as he was not one of them standing around talking, and this guy had no idea we had been waiting for a while to get served. I will say our server was very good. He was very attentive and polite. Shortly after we ordered the manager came to our table and apologized for our wait and said she would be taking half off of our bill. We felt that was fair enough, we hadn't even asked for a manager and had no intentions on getting anything free, we just wanted a server. Onto the food. It was just ok. I love the crab balls (I forget the actual name) but it's crab chunks w/ pepper cheese or something in a deep fried ball. Other than that, everything else they have just seems to be so so. Nothing is bad, we've just had better elsewhere. All in all, I guess the fact that on a Friday in Fairview when every place else still has a good 30 minute wait and you can walk right in to Joe's, you should get the hint that something isn't right with the place. I would say we will never go again, but I'm sure we will find ourselves stuck in fairview starving again and not wanting to wait elsewhere. Maybe I'll just work on avoiding Fairview. I will say after having a weekend full of mostly horrible chain experiences maybe I should go back to avoiding chains in general.
(2)
Mike W.
Went here for the 1st time on Saturday and I must say I truly liked it. I got the Paella Skillet and it was great. I also loved the Calamari very good and crispy. Yes I will go here again. Not a fan of the dancing though. It was a bit HOT inside and could have been from the triple digit temps we were having. I wish it would have been a bit cooler. I sweat all day at work and wasn't expecting to sweat during my meal.
(5)
Brandyll S.
I really love Joe's and the outdoor seating option is great for the summer. It makes me feel a little closer to the beach lol. I enjoy sitting outside sipping my tea and watching my son play in the sand while waiting for our meal. It is just a nice family experience. However, my son does not do well with the wait in the winter, because the music inside is kind of loud, and he tends to get bored.
(5)
Kent M.
I have eaten at other Joes Crab Shacks and they were much better. I had an apple crisp dessert first. It was ok. Main dish was a pasta of shrimp and sausage. Also...just ok. Shrimp were very small and the sausage was ok. The sauce was pretty good however. I ate at the bar and had good service. I probably would not go back.
(2)
Katie M.
Preface- I went here knowing that a) it's a chain and b) the staff sing and dance every 30 minutes. Ok, here it goes. Medicore service led by a staff of kids. Bunch of REALLY drunk folks at the bar and the temp inside was about 65 degrees- freezing. While I to give credit to the team that has to do the electric slide, carwash, and ymca a million times a day, this is a place for really big groups with kids. Crabs aren't something I'd search for in the Western part of Illionis- we were out for a quick drink and a snack. Place was so cold that after 2 drinks we were out of there. Price is a bit high for the area as well....
(2)
Terrence J.
It was my second time going to Joe's my first time being in San Diego. The Crab Legs were wonderful and the coconut shrimp were awesome also. The place was a bit dead but it was a bit chilly out and the ,idle of the week.
(5)
Katey R.
I love this place. When my husband first moved to Fairview Heights he wanted to try Joe's. I told him, that I tried it years ago and it was not good and kind of weird. So we ended up avoiding the place at all costs. Years later, some of our friends were going up there with their kids and wanted to see if we would go too. I reluctantly agreed. I just had one daughter age 2 at the time. We went there and she ended up loving it, because of the dancing. It was also nice, because she didn't have to use a major "inside voice" at Joe's. We ordered the crazy-good crab dip appetizer (free with a coupon) and it was really, really good. I thought, okay, maybe this place is not as bad as I remember. Then I got the Classic steampot with Old-Bay seasoning upon recommendation of the server. It was probably, to this day, the best crab I have ever eaten. It was amazing. Nothing like Red-Lobster. I really dislike Red-Lobster crab. I have had crab in Tampa and Alaska, but Joe's Crab Shack Crab is somehow better than any crab I have ever eaten. I think I really love the way they prepare their crab and it is so easy to crack open. I have probably been to this location 10 times since that experience and it is good every time. I really don't know how they do it. Now I have a 4 year old and 2 year old and they both love Joe's too. It is not cheap, but you get the entertainment with it. I used to think Joe's was kind of cheesy with the dancing, but my kids just love it. They have great food and it is family friendly, but still has nice drinks and atmosphere for adults. The bar area is great to sit at if we are on date night. If you haven't tried Joe's in years, give it another shot and hopefully you will be as pleased as I was...
(5)
S. W.
We had the best waiter ever!!!!! The best waiter of all times Kenshiro. I mean he was outstanding!! I prefer this location over the one in St.Peter's because it is not as crowded during key hours. The caesar salad isn't good but everything else we ordered was. We had the TKO punch, shark bite and mudslide-which was classically delish. Thursday's are 1/2 price cocktails. The calamari was very good and the dipping sause wasn't marinara-thank goodness which I do not like with calamari. I ordered the queen crab bucket-garlic which was plentiful, hot and steaming with corn on the cob and new potatoes. I love how they stock the table with all your essential items needed for crab cracking in abundance and the manager walks around to check on your table.
(4)
Jennifer C.
I don't make it here often, primarily because it's no where near my house. Traveling back from a long drive, I decided to stop here because I remembered how awesome their Crab Dip was and today was no different. Yes, I ate the whole thing by my lonesome! Ha! I tried the Great Balls of Fire also and sorry to say, I didn't like these as much. Something with the flavor seemed off to me. Oh well, the crab dip was on point.
(3)
Libby S.
If your thinking about stopping by here for any meal do it! We're driving from Denver to Florida we feel like we stopped at our families house. We have been taken care of since the moment we arrived. Thank you Donavoan, Tasha & April all made us smile! The most friendly staff I have encountered in along time! Thank you ladies!!! Libby & Matt
(5)
Kori Y.
A good place to get some good seafood. I like the "steam pots" this is a great way to get the "East Cost" seafood experience.
(3)
Noe G.
Great place for the whole family. The service was great, quick refills and servant continue to check on us till we were done. Will continue to return
(5)
Tracie M.
Best food, best atmosphere! I will never pass by another Joe's Crab Shack! I could live on the Crazy Good Crab Dip. Servers are very good, hostess station is friendly upon arriving and leaving. Food came out in a timely manner and was delicious!
(5)
Little J.
Wait was forever.the waitress was even slower.omg!!flavor was good but overall very salty.pretty good portion and very slow service.we waited 20 minutes to be able to get a table and 20 minutes on a simple appitizer and waited almost 50 minutes to get our meal.went in before 7 and got out around 930.go figure.
(3)
Larry S.
Joe's Crab Shack is always fun! My MIL had never been to Joe's, but she loved the popcorn shrimp at Red Lobster. We thought she might like something different, so we took her to Joe's Crab Shack. And she really enjoyed Joe's popcorn shrimp. Oh well! My wife had a crab pot and I had lobster. Both were messy but absolutely delicious. I doubt we'll ever go back to this location, but we'll find one closer to home.
(4)
Dan A.
This is a review for the service. Always friendly as usual. Unfortunately there was a kitchen mixup and our crab dip appetizer came out late. Our server, Heather, was very apologetic as was the manager, Elise. The appetizer was comped and the rest of the evening was fine. I'm finding more and more places are not comping for mistakes, so it was a nice surprise.
(4)
Ray J.
With so much talk about Joe's Crab Shack I decided to try it. It was tough w/ no taste take my advice and stick w/ red lobster.
(5)
Julie L.
Peace, love and crabs! Joe's is the place to be! We had a large party and were seated immediately, which was great because the crowd seemed to appear the moment we sat down. Our server was friendly, ready to equip us with whatever we needed and refill the entire time. We ordered calamari as an appetizer and it was more than expected - larger than most establishments serve you and their breading was phenomenal. I ordered the fish & shrimp as my main entree and it was so tender. I am not a cole slaw fan, and they were supposed to have given double fries instead but they forgot that part of the order. We had brought a dessert in for the birthday we were celebrating and they were more than accommodating with plates and utensils to cut it. They sang to our guest of honor as well. The entire staff then did a signature dance for the crowd to get everyone moving and smiling. Its always a good time!
(4)
Davis J.
This place is a tourist trap. However it is an acceptable tourist trap. Being from Florida I have a taste for shellfish and seafood of all sorts. I went here while traveling with a coworker. It was decided that the price really doesn't equal the value or quality but when work pays for it... go for it!! I would NEVER go here on my own dime but I can easily look the other way when using a corporate card (LOL). The service was REALLY good and my hands were really greasy after eating all the stuff in my steam pot. I have to admit I was still a little hungry after eating everything but at least I was happy from all that crab, lobster and butta! ADVICE: Bring your own wet naps.
(3)
Austin G.
My family & I went to JCS for my birthday last Tuesday and had a fantastic time. The service was hands down the best (thank you Octavia), the food was awesome and the drinks were 5 star without a doubt. I can now say that was my first visit and you guys have a customer for life. I would highly recommend this place to anyone that hasn't been.
(5)
Mark P.
I think this Joe's Crab Shack has become a finalist for my 2013 worst restaurant of the year award. My experience last night was easily one of the worst meals I've had this year. Did the kitchen actually think a customer would eat a completely blackened shrimp skewer that was overcooked to the point of being a charcoal briquette? Please see my photo if you think I'm exaggerating. Our waitress was very nice and gladly brought me a new one after asking; however the replacement was also overcooked, dry as beef jerky, and flavorless. My "Southern Coastal Catch" trio platter also included grilled mahi and crab cake. The crab cake wasn't bad, but the grilled mahi was also overcooked to the point of having no moisture or flavor to it. I honestly can't remember having such horrible shrimp and fish served to me in a restaurant. I have nothing against chain restaurants, but this particular one has some serious issues to work out. A big fat zero stars for the food, however our waitress was extremely nice and worthy of 5 stars, which makes this place average out to about 1.5 stars.
(1)
Stan G.
Because of the higher price tag on items, I have only eaten at Joe's on special occasions, so each time is always worthwhile and satisfying. There are only 2 locations of Joe's near my house and even both of those are 25-30 minutes away, so choose the one that is in another state over the one in the part of town I don't like to go, and each time my service is great and I always leave very satisfied. I order the Crab Daddy feast, cooked in their traditional BBQ seasonings which leave the crab tasting incredible! the pot also comes with some new potatoes and an ear of corn. you get 2 clusters of crab, one Dungenous crab, one snow crab, and one king crab leg. plenty to eat without being too much to eat, Joe's really satisfies, and tonight was no exception, it's nice to have a favorite place to go eat that you only use on occasions, and leave satisfied every single time.. they must be doing something right...
(5)
Tanya M.
I like going to Joes for the steampots. They are raising money for Autisim and I won a free appetizer. Pretty Darn Sweet!!!! Joes is like Red Lobsters obnoxious cousin. It is loud and the mood is to party!
(3)
Katie M.
Preface- I went here knowing that a) it's a chain and b) the staff sing and dance every 30 minutes. Ok, here it goes. Medicore service led by a staff of kids. Bunch of REALLY drunk folks at the bar and the temp inside was about 65 degrees- freezing. While I to give credit to the team that has to do the electric slide, carwash, and ymca a million times a day, this is a place for really big groups with kids. Crabs aren't something I'd search for in the Western part of Illionis- we were out for a quick drink and a snack. Place was so cold that after 2 drinks we were out of there. Price is a bit high for the area as well....
(2)
Terrence J.
It was my second time going to Joe's my first time being in San Diego. The Crab Legs were wonderful and the coconut shrimp were awesome also. The place was a bit dead but it was a bit chilly out and the ,idle of the week.
(5)
S R.
I have been reading different reviews on Yelp just to see what people have to say about different places. Yelp seems to be a place where anyone can say anything about every business. After reading some of the reviews just about Joes I am horrified. I have eaten here several times and loved the food and the service. Don't go to a place where the staff dance and sing if you don't like that sort of thing. That seems to be YOUR problem. Not Joes. The food is delicious and yes, the staff is made up of young people. Who do you expect to be waiting on you....your tax attorney? I have found everything delightful every time I have eaten here. I am sure I don't understand why the internet has become a place where anyone can just desparage any business for the most rediculous things. People go out of their way to leave lengthy reviews about business' ....on and on about every single detail....my god get a LIFE! Do you have nothing else to do? Seems today everything is a drama! Oh, I went to xyz...let me now destroy them on the internet when I get home. I love Joes Crab Shack and I will go back as often as possible. I did not find the prices to be outragious or the service bad....I think the place is fun and has great food. I am always happy to be able to have some down time and enjoy a good meal with my family and Joes is a favorite of mine. I pay little attention to the whinning. Just makes people look silly.
(5)
Kat V.
I love seafood especially crab legs. This place is quite loud like the previous reviews stated. The food is a lot better than Red Lobster & Landry's. They even have bibs for your when you order the steam pots. Yeah, great idea so that you don't dirty your nice clothes. Very embarrassing to say that the stains & smell came from eating crab legs. I kind of wish they had a tutorial of some sort to crack open those darned crab legs. Or maybe it's funny to watch people eat those things & screw up. Yes, don't watch me eat those tricky crab legs. I'll admit that I don't do a good job of getting the meat. In the midst of ordering & eating, there is a dance show of some sort put on by the wait staff. Think '80's music & maybe of recent. It would be funny if they did a rendition of Psy's Gangnam Style or even Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionaire. But then again I wouldn't be paying attention since I would be focusing on getting the crab meat out of those darned tricky crab legs. The food itself was a bit tooo salty by a smidge. Service was great.
(4)
Lesley S.
I'm a fan of Joe's. I've always had good service at this one and every location that I've been to. Price wise? Yeah, they are a little pricey, but so is Red Lobster. What do you expect when you go to a seafood type place. You don't go to the crab shack for a burger you know? Their calamari is good and not to greasy and I had the best virgin strawberry daiquiri. Yum! I wouldn't go here to watch sports though. Their TVs are like looking at a bug on a wall. You just can't tell who is doing what or anything like that. Every hour the servers dim the lights and start dancing around the restaurant. They encourage anyone who wants to join them to join in. Highlight of this last visit? An elderly gentleman in his Sunday best learning the Cupid Shuffle. You don't get better entertainment than that.
(4)
Marc M.
We have lived in this area since 1998 and have never eaten here. We were going to try a new Italian restaurant in the same shopping center as Joe's, but they decided to be closed so we thought we'd give Joe's a try. We were amazed at the selections on the menu but since we weren't dying of hunger we stayed away from the steam pot entrees and decided to order the Crabcake Dinner, a Pasta-Laya, and a calamari appetizer. Other reviews call this place pricey and I would agree with that. I would also advise not ordering anything on the menu that is not crab or lobster in a pot because this location is very good at producing those items. The calamari was hot and crispy but it is served with a marinara sauce. We asked for and got some cocktail sauce which seemed to complement it better. The Pasta-Laya was a very large entree. The sausage and shrimp were very well-seasoned and flavorful but it just didn't have much "jambalaya-ness" to it. The Crabcake Dinner was a major disappointment. The skin-in fries were excellent. The creamy cole slaw was the restaurant-standard stuff. It was good and NOT watery. The crabcakes were a disaster. Having eaten crabcakes in a lot of restaurants, these were not crabcakes in the traditional sense. It was more like crab stuffing you would put in a Thanksgiving turkey but in no way were they cakes. The very nice manager said this was supposed to be 75% crab, but the entree was a medium brown color from the bread crumbs and peppers and very little white crab meat was apparent. I wanted to try these to get an idea of how their crab tasted but without much crab present, it was impossible to tell. The manager comped the crabcakes and gave us a coupon for a free appetizer on our next visit. We told her that wasn't necessary since I had eaten half of it, but she insisted. As we left, we noticed that there was a condensation leak from the air duct directly above our table. The drops were splashing us. We may give Joe's one more try.
(2)
Mike W.
Went here for the 1st time on Saturday and I must say I truly liked it. I got the Paella Skillet and it was great. I also loved the Calamari very good and crispy. Yes I will go here again. Not a fan of the dancing though. It was a bit HOT inside and could have been from the triple digit temps we were having. I wish it would have been a bit cooler. I sweat all day at work and wasn't expecting to sweat during my meal.
(5)
Brandyll S.
I really love Joe's and the outdoor seating option is great for the summer. It makes me feel a little closer to the beach lol. I enjoy sitting outside sipping my tea and watching my son play in the sand while waiting for our meal. It is just a nice family experience. However, my son does not do well with the wait in the winter, because the music inside is kind of loud, and he tends to get bored.
(5)
Kent M.
I have eaten at other Joes Crab Shacks and they were much better. I had an apple crisp dessert first. It was ok. Main dish was a pasta of shrimp and sausage. Also...just ok. Shrimp were very small and the sausage was ok. The sauce was pretty good however. I ate at the bar and had good service. I probably would not go back.
(2)
Katey R.
I love this place. When my husband first moved to Fairview Heights he wanted to try Joe's. I told him, that I tried it years ago and it was not good and kind of weird. So we ended up avoiding the place at all costs. Years later, some of our friends were going up there with their kids and wanted to see if we would go too. I reluctantly agreed. I just had one daughter age 2 at the time. We went there and she ended up loving it, because of the dancing. It was also nice, because she didn't have to use a major "inside voice" at Joe's. We ordered the crazy-good crab dip appetizer (free with a coupon) and it was really, really good. I thought, okay, maybe this place is not as bad as I remember. Then I got the Classic steampot with Old-Bay seasoning upon recommendation of the server. It was probably, to this day, the best crab I have ever eaten. It was amazing. Nothing like Red-Lobster. I really dislike Red-Lobster crab. I have had crab in Tampa and Alaska, but Joe's Crab Shack Crab is somehow better than any crab I have ever eaten. I think I really love the way they prepare their crab and it is so easy to crack open. I have probably been to this location 10 times since that experience and it is good every time. I really don't know how they do it. Now I have a 4 year old and 2 year old and they both love Joe's too. It is not cheap, but you get the entertainment with it. I used to think Joe's was kind of cheesy with the dancing, but my kids just love it. They have great food and it is family friendly, but still has nice drinks and atmosphere for adults. The bar area is great to sit at if we are on date night. If you haven't tried Joe's in years, give it another shot and hopefully you will be as pleased as I was...
(5)
Kathy C.
Was taken here once for my birthday. I'm not a chain restaurant go-er and don't really appreciate a loud obnoxious atmosphere of singing and dancing in the dining area every half hour. Food was barely edible and ridiculously overpriced. I couldn't imagine any reason to return here.
(1)
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Address :51 Ludwig Dr.
Fairview Heights, IL, 62208
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
S. W.
We had the best waiter ever!!!!! The best waiter of all times Kenshiro. I mean he was outstanding!! I prefer this location over the one in St.Peter's because it is not as crowded during key hours. The caesar salad isn't good but everything else we ordered was. We had the TKO punch, shark bite and mudslide-which was classically delish. Thursday's are 1/2 price cocktails. The calamari was very good and the dipping sause wasn't marinara-thank goodness which I do not like with calamari. I ordered the queen crab bucket-garlic which was plentiful, hot and steaming with corn on the cob and new potatoes. I love how they stock the table with all your essential items needed for crab cracking in abundance and the manager walks around to check on your table.
(4)Jennifer C.
I don't make it here often, primarily because it's no where near my house. Traveling back from a long drive, I decided to stop here because I remembered how awesome their Crab Dip was and today was no different. Yes, I ate the whole thing by my lonesome! Ha! I tried the Great Balls of Fire also and sorry to say, I didn't like these as much. Something with the flavor seemed off to me. Oh well, the crab dip was on point.
(3)Libby S.
If your thinking about stopping by here for any meal do it! We're driving from Denver to Florida we feel like we stopped at our families house. We have been taken care of since the moment we arrived. Thank you Donavoan, Tasha & April all made us smile! The most friendly staff I have encountered in along time! Thank you ladies!!! Libby & Matt
(5)Kori Y.
A good place to get some good seafood. I like the "steam pots" this is a great way to get the "East Cost" seafood experience.
(3)Noe G.
Great place for the whole family. The service was great, quick refills and servant continue to check on us till we were done. Will continue to return
(5)Tracie M.
Best food, best atmosphere! I will never pass by another Joe's Crab Shack! I could live on the Crazy Good Crab Dip. Servers are very good, hostess station is friendly upon arriving and leaving. Food came out in a timely manner and was delicious!
(5)Little J.
Wait was forever.the waitress was even slower.omg!!flavor was good but overall very salty.pretty good portion and very slow service.we waited 20 minutes to be able to get a table and 20 minutes on a simple appitizer and waited almost 50 minutes to get our meal.went in before 7 and got out around 930.go figure.
(3)Larry S.
Joe's Crab Shack is always fun! My MIL had never been to Joe's, but she loved the popcorn shrimp at Red Lobster. We thought she might like something different, so we took her to Joe's Crab Shack. And she really enjoyed Joe's popcorn shrimp. Oh well! My wife had a crab pot and I had lobster. Both were messy but absolutely delicious. I doubt we'll ever go back to this location, but we'll find one closer to home.
(4)Dan A.
This is a review for the service. Always friendly as usual. Unfortunately there was a kitchen mixup and our crab dip appetizer came out late. Our server, Heather, was very apologetic as was the manager, Elise. The appetizer was comped and the rest of the evening was fine. I'm finding more and more places are not comping for mistakes, so it was a nice surprise.
(4)Ray J.
With so much talk about Joe's Crab Shack I decided to try it. It was tough w/ no taste take my advice and stick w/ red lobster.
(5)Julie L.
Peace, love and crabs! Joe's is the place to be! We had a large party and were seated immediately, which was great because the crowd seemed to appear the moment we sat down. Our server was friendly, ready to equip us with whatever we needed and refill the entire time. We ordered calamari as an appetizer and it was more than expected - larger than most establishments serve you and their breading was phenomenal. I ordered the fish & shrimp as my main entree and it was so tender. I am not a cole slaw fan, and they were supposed to have given double fries instead but they forgot that part of the order. We had brought a dessert in for the birthday we were celebrating and they were more than accommodating with plates and utensils to cut it. They sang to our guest of honor as well. The entire staff then did a signature dance for the crowd to get everyone moving and smiling. Its always a good time!
(4)Davis J.
This place is a tourist trap. However it is an acceptable tourist trap. Being from Florida I have a taste for shellfish and seafood of all sorts. I went here while traveling with a coworker. It was decided that the price really doesn't equal the value or quality but when work pays for it... go for it!! I would NEVER go here on my own dime but I can easily look the other way when using a corporate card (LOL). The service was REALLY good and my hands were really greasy after eating all the stuff in my steam pot. I have to admit I was still a little hungry after eating everything but at least I was happy from all that crab, lobster and butta! ADVICE: Bring your own wet naps.
(3)S R.
I have been reading different reviews on Yelp just to see what people have to say about different places. Yelp seems to be a place where anyone can say anything about every business. After reading some of the reviews just about Joes I am horrified. I have eaten here several times and loved the food and the service. Don't go to a place where the staff dance and sing if you don't like that sort of thing. That seems to be YOUR problem. Not Joes. The food is delicious and yes, the staff is made up of young people. Who do you expect to be waiting on you....your tax attorney? I have found everything delightful every time I have eaten here. I am sure I don't understand why the internet has become a place where anyone can just desparage any business for the most rediculous things. People go out of their way to leave lengthy reviews about business' ....on and on about every single detail....my god get a LIFE! Do you have nothing else to do? Seems today everything is a drama! Oh, I went to xyz...let me now destroy them on the internet when I get home. I love Joes Crab Shack and I will go back as often as possible. I did not find the prices to be outragious or the service bad....I think the place is fun and has great food. I am always happy to be able to have some down time and enjoy a good meal with my family and Joes is a favorite of mine. I pay little attention to the whinning. Just makes people look silly.
(5)Kat V.
I love seafood especially crab legs. This place is quite loud like the previous reviews stated. The food is a lot better than Red Lobster & Landry's. They even have bibs for your when you order the steam pots. Yeah, great idea so that you don't dirty your nice clothes. Very embarrassing to say that the stains & smell came from eating crab legs. I kind of wish they had a tutorial of some sort to crack open those darned crab legs. Or maybe it's funny to watch people eat those things & screw up. Yes, don't watch me eat those tricky crab legs. I'll admit that I don't do a good job of getting the meat. In the midst of ordering & eating, there is a dance show of some sort put on by the wait staff. Think '80's music & maybe of recent. It would be funny if they did a rendition of Psy's Gangnam Style or even Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionaire. But then again I wouldn't be paying attention since I would be focusing on getting the crab meat out of those darned tricky crab legs. The food itself was a bit tooo salty by a smidge. Service was great.
(4)Lesley S.
I'm a fan of Joe's. I've always had good service at this one and every location that I've been to. Price wise? Yeah, they are a little pricey, but so is Red Lobster. What do you expect when you go to a seafood type place. You don't go to the crab shack for a burger you know? Their calamari is good and not to greasy and I had the best virgin strawberry daiquiri. Yum! I wouldn't go here to watch sports though. Their TVs are like looking at a bug on a wall. You just can't tell who is doing what or anything like that. Every hour the servers dim the lights and start dancing around the restaurant. They encourage anyone who wants to join them to join in. Highlight of this last visit? An elderly gentleman in his Sunday best learning the Cupid Shuffle. You don't get better entertainment than that.
(4)Austin G.
My family & I went to JCS for my birthday last Tuesday and had a fantastic time. The service was hands down the best (thank you Octavia), the food was awesome and the drinks were 5 star without a doubt. I can now say that was my first visit and you guys have a customer for life. I would highly recommend this place to anyone that hasn't been.
(5)Marc M.
We have lived in this area since 1998 and have never eaten here. We were going to try a new Italian restaurant in the same shopping center as Joe's, but they decided to be closed so we thought we'd give Joe's a try. We were amazed at the selections on the menu but since we weren't dying of hunger we stayed away from the steam pot entrees and decided to order the Crabcake Dinner, a Pasta-Laya, and a calamari appetizer. Other reviews call this place pricey and I would agree with that. I would also advise not ordering anything on the menu that is not crab or lobster in a pot because this location is very good at producing those items. The calamari was hot and crispy but it is served with a marinara sauce. We asked for and got some cocktail sauce which seemed to complement it better. The Pasta-Laya was a very large entree. The sausage and shrimp were very well-seasoned and flavorful but it just didn't have much "jambalaya-ness" to it. The Crabcake Dinner was a major disappointment. The skin-in fries were excellent. The creamy cole slaw was the restaurant-standard stuff. It was good and NOT watery. The crabcakes were a disaster. Having eaten crabcakes in a lot of restaurants, these were not crabcakes in the traditional sense. It was more like crab stuffing you would put in a Thanksgiving turkey but in no way were they cakes. The very nice manager said this was supposed to be 75% crab, but the entree was a medium brown color from the bread crumbs and peppers and very little white crab meat was apparent. I wanted to try these to get an idea of how their crab tasted but without much crab present, it was impossible to tell. The manager comped the crabcakes and gave us a coupon for a free appetizer on our next visit. We told her that wasn't necessary since I had eaten half of it, but she insisted. As we left, we noticed that there was a condensation leak from the air duct directly above our table. The drops were splashing us. We may give Joe's one more try.
(2)Mark P.
I think this Joe's Crab Shack has become a finalist for my 2013 worst restaurant of the year award. My experience last night was easily one of the worst meals I've had this year. Did the kitchen actually think a customer would eat a completely blackened shrimp skewer that was overcooked to the point of being a charcoal briquette? Please see my photo if you think I'm exaggerating. Our waitress was very nice and gladly brought me a new one after asking; however the replacement was also overcooked, dry as beef jerky, and flavorless. My "Southern Coastal Catch" trio platter also included grilled mahi and crab cake. The crab cake wasn't bad, but the grilled mahi was also overcooked to the point of having no moisture or flavor to it. I honestly can't remember having such horrible shrimp and fish served to me in a restaurant. I have nothing against chain restaurants, but this particular one has some serious issues to work out. A big fat zero stars for the food, however our waitress was extremely nice and worthy of 5 stars, which makes this place average out to about 1.5 stars.
(1)Stan G.
Because of the higher price tag on items, I have only eaten at Joe's on special occasions, so each time is always worthwhile and satisfying. There are only 2 locations of Joe's near my house and even both of those are 25-30 minutes away, so choose the one that is in another state over the one in the part of town I don't like to go, and each time my service is great and I always leave very satisfied. I order the Crab Daddy feast, cooked in their traditional BBQ seasonings which leave the crab tasting incredible! the pot also comes with some new potatoes and an ear of corn. you get 2 clusters of crab, one Dungenous crab, one snow crab, and one king crab leg. plenty to eat without being too much to eat, Joe's really satisfies, and tonight was no exception, it's nice to have a favorite place to go eat that you only use on occasions, and leave satisfied every single time.. they must be doing something right...
(5)Tanya M.
I like going to Joes for the steampots. They are raising money for Autisim and I won a free appetizer. Pretty Darn Sweet!!!! Joes is like Red Lobsters obnoxious cousin. It is loud and the mood is to party!
(3)Ry N.
I went here on a Wednesday evening, and it was dead, so I can't concur with the drunk people in there the OP commented on. It was a little chilly, but it wasn't unbearable in there. The food was a little pricey and wasn't all that good. We had the Crab Nachos, which really smelled like an armpit and didn't taste very well, either. Then we got a Joe's Steampot with a cluster of snow crab, a cluster of dungeness crab, boiled shrimp, boiled potatoes, corn and a smoked sausage all together in a pot of water. The crab was OK, but everything else was unsatisfactory. The steampot alone was $20 and is something I definitely won't get again. I wouldn't necessarily advise anyone to avoid the place, but for the price, it's just not very good.
(2)Kathy C.
Was taken here once for my birthday. I'm not a chain restaurant go-er and don't really appreciate a loud obnoxious atmosphere of singing and dancing in the dining area every half hour. Food was barely edible and ridiculously overpriced. I couldn't imagine any reason to return here.
(1)Allison B.
We did not start out wanting to go to Joe's, but finding ourselves in Fairview on Friday evening at 9:15 starving and every place else packed with a huge wait we decided to go to Joe's since we've never had to wait for a table there. We get seated right away and look over the new things on the menu since the last time we've been. We then find ourselves 10 minutes later waiting and waiting for a server to acknowledge us. We notice there are several groups of servers standing and talking to each other, so it's not that there was a lack of servers. I finally get fed up enough because I was dying of thirst and get up to ask the host who our server is. She looks at me right when I get up there and walks away. OK, great, she has an attitude. Then a server quickly notices me and comes over and short conversation goes something like this: server "Have you not been served yet?" me: "No, we sure haven't" server "We were just standing over there discussing whether or not someone had gotten your table yet. We'll get someone over to you right away" me "Thank you, but maybe you could have come and asked us instead of standing over there discussing it" Now, you would think that would prompt someone to come immediately. Not the case. We sat for a few more minutes, maybe 5 before our server finally comes to our table. I had not seen the guy who ended up being our server before he came to our table, so maybe he was in the restroom or something, I'm not sure, so I don't hold it against this poor guy as he was not one of them standing around talking, and this guy had no idea we had been waiting for a while to get served. I will say our server was very good. He was very attentive and polite. Shortly after we ordered the manager came to our table and apologized for our wait and said she would be taking half off of our bill. We felt that was fair enough, we hadn't even asked for a manager and had no intentions on getting anything free, we just wanted a server. Onto the food. It was just ok. I love the crab balls (I forget the actual name) but it's crab chunks w/ pepper cheese or something in a deep fried ball. Other than that, everything else they have just seems to be so so. Nothing is bad, we've just had better elsewhere. All in all, I guess the fact that on a Friday in Fairview when every place else still has a good 30 minute wait and you can walk right in to Joe's, you should get the hint that something isn't right with the place. I would say we will never go again, but I'm sure we will find ourselves stuck in fairview starving again and not wanting to wait elsewhere. Maybe I'll just work on avoiding Fairview. I will say after having a weekend full of mostly horrible chain experiences maybe I should go back to avoiding chains in general.
(2)Mike W.
Went here for the 1st time on Saturday and I must say I truly liked it. I got the Paella Skillet and it was great. I also loved the Calamari very good and crispy. Yes I will go here again. Not a fan of the dancing though. It was a bit HOT inside and could have been from the triple digit temps we were having. I wish it would have been a bit cooler. I sweat all day at work and wasn't expecting to sweat during my meal.
(5)Brandyll S.
I really love Joe's and the outdoor seating option is great for the summer. It makes me feel a little closer to the beach lol. I enjoy sitting outside sipping my tea and watching my son play in the sand while waiting for our meal. It is just a nice family experience. However, my son does not do well with the wait in the winter, because the music inside is kind of loud, and he tends to get bored.
(5)Kent M.
I have eaten at other Joes Crab Shacks and they were much better. I had an apple crisp dessert first. It was ok. Main dish was a pasta of shrimp and sausage. Also...just ok. Shrimp were very small and the sausage was ok. The sauce was pretty good however. I ate at the bar and had good service. I probably would not go back.
(2)Katie M.
Preface- I went here knowing that a) it's a chain and b) the staff sing and dance every 30 minutes. Ok, here it goes. Medicore service led by a staff of kids. Bunch of REALLY drunk folks at the bar and the temp inside was about 65 degrees- freezing. While I to give credit to the team that has to do the electric slide, carwash, and ymca a million times a day, this is a place for really big groups with kids. Crabs aren't something I'd search for in the Western part of Illionis- we were out for a quick drink and a snack. Place was so cold that after 2 drinks we were out of there. Price is a bit high for the area as well....
(2)Terrence J.
It was my second time going to Joe's my first time being in San Diego. The Crab Legs were wonderful and the coconut shrimp were awesome also. The place was a bit dead but it was a bit chilly out and the ,idle of the week.
(5)Katey R.
I love this place. When my husband first moved to Fairview Heights he wanted to try Joe's. I told him, that I tried it years ago and it was not good and kind of weird. So we ended up avoiding the place at all costs. Years later, some of our friends were going up there with their kids and wanted to see if we would go too. I reluctantly agreed. I just had one daughter age 2 at the time. We went there and she ended up loving it, because of the dancing. It was also nice, because she didn't have to use a major "inside voice" at Joe's. We ordered the crazy-good crab dip appetizer (free with a coupon) and it was really, really good. I thought, okay, maybe this place is not as bad as I remember. Then I got the Classic steampot with Old-Bay seasoning upon recommendation of the server. It was probably, to this day, the best crab I have ever eaten. It was amazing. Nothing like Red-Lobster. I really dislike Red-Lobster crab. I have had crab in Tampa and Alaska, but Joe's Crab Shack Crab is somehow better than any crab I have ever eaten. I think I really love the way they prepare their crab and it is so easy to crack open. I have probably been to this location 10 times since that experience and it is good every time. I really don't know how they do it. Now I have a 4 year old and 2 year old and they both love Joe's too. It is not cheap, but you get the entertainment with it. I used to think Joe's was kind of cheesy with the dancing, but my kids just love it. They have great food and it is family friendly, but still has nice drinks and atmosphere for adults. The bar area is great to sit at if we are on date night. If you haven't tried Joe's in years, give it another shot and hopefully you will be as pleased as I was...
(5)S. W.
We had the best waiter ever!!!!! The best waiter of all times Kenshiro. I mean he was outstanding!! I prefer this location over the one in St.Peter's because it is not as crowded during key hours. The caesar salad isn't good but everything else we ordered was. We had the TKO punch, shark bite and mudslide-which was classically delish. Thursday's are 1/2 price cocktails. The calamari was very good and the dipping sause wasn't marinara-thank goodness which I do not like with calamari. I ordered the queen crab bucket-garlic which was plentiful, hot and steaming with corn on the cob and new potatoes. I love how they stock the table with all your essential items needed for crab cracking in abundance and the manager walks around to check on your table.
(4)Jennifer C.
I don't make it here often, primarily because it's no where near my house. Traveling back from a long drive, I decided to stop here because I remembered how awesome their Crab Dip was and today was no different. Yes, I ate the whole thing by my lonesome! Ha! I tried the Great Balls of Fire also and sorry to say, I didn't like these as much. Something with the flavor seemed off to me. Oh well, the crab dip was on point.
(3)Libby S.
If your thinking about stopping by here for any meal do it! We're driving from Denver to Florida we feel like we stopped at our families house. We have been taken care of since the moment we arrived. Thank you Donavoan, Tasha & April all made us smile! The most friendly staff I have encountered in along time! Thank you ladies!!! Libby & Matt
(5)Kori Y.
A good place to get some good seafood. I like the "steam pots" this is a great way to get the "East Cost" seafood experience.
(3)Noe G.
Great place for the whole family. The service was great, quick refills and servant continue to check on us till we were done. Will continue to return
(5)Tracie M.
Best food, best atmosphere! I will never pass by another Joe's Crab Shack! I could live on the Crazy Good Crab Dip. Servers are very good, hostess station is friendly upon arriving and leaving. Food came out in a timely manner and was delicious!
(5)Little J.
Wait was forever.the waitress was even slower.omg!!flavor was good but overall very salty.pretty good portion and very slow service.we waited 20 minutes to be able to get a table and 20 minutes on a simple appitizer and waited almost 50 minutes to get our meal.went in before 7 and got out around 930.go figure.
(3)Larry S.
Joe's Crab Shack is always fun! My MIL had never been to Joe's, but she loved the popcorn shrimp at Red Lobster. We thought she might like something different, so we took her to Joe's Crab Shack. And she really enjoyed Joe's popcorn shrimp. Oh well! My wife had a crab pot and I had lobster. Both were messy but absolutely delicious. I doubt we'll ever go back to this location, but we'll find one closer to home.
(4)Dan A.
This is a review for the service. Always friendly as usual. Unfortunately there was a kitchen mixup and our crab dip appetizer came out late. Our server, Heather, was very apologetic as was the manager, Elise. The appetizer was comped and the rest of the evening was fine. I'm finding more and more places are not comping for mistakes, so it was a nice surprise.
(4)Ray J.
With so much talk about Joe's Crab Shack I decided to try it. It was tough w/ no taste take my advice and stick w/ red lobster.
(5)Julie L.
Peace, love and crabs! Joe's is the place to be! We had a large party and were seated immediately, which was great because the crowd seemed to appear the moment we sat down. Our server was friendly, ready to equip us with whatever we needed and refill the entire time. We ordered calamari as an appetizer and it was more than expected - larger than most establishments serve you and their breading was phenomenal. I ordered the fish & shrimp as my main entree and it was so tender. I am not a cole slaw fan, and they were supposed to have given double fries instead but they forgot that part of the order. We had brought a dessert in for the birthday we were celebrating and they were more than accommodating with plates and utensils to cut it. They sang to our guest of honor as well. The entire staff then did a signature dance for the crowd to get everyone moving and smiling. Its always a good time!
(4)Davis J.
This place is a tourist trap. However it is an acceptable tourist trap. Being from Florida I have a taste for shellfish and seafood of all sorts. I went here while traveling with a coworker. It was decided that the price really doesn't equal the value or quality but when work pays for it... go for it!! I would NEVER go here on my own dime but I can easily look the other way when using a corporate card (LOL). The service was REALLY good and my hands were really greasy after eating all the stuff in my steam pot. I have to admit I was still a little hungry after eating everything but at least I was happy from all that crab, lobster and butta! ADVICE: Bring your own wet naps.
(3)Austin G.
My family & I went to JCS for my birthday last Tuesday and had a fantastic time. The service was hands down the best (thank you Octavia), the food was awesome and the drinks were 5 star without a doubt. I can now say that was my first visit and you guys have a customer for life. I would highly recommend this place to anyone that hasn't been.
(5)Mark P.
I think this Joe's Crab Shack has become a finalist for my 2013 worst restaurant of the year award. My experience last night was easily one of the worst meals I've had this year. Did the kitchen actually think a customer would eat a completely blackened shrimp skewer that was overcooked to the point of being a charcoal briquette? Please see my photo if you think I'm exaggerating. Our waitress was very nice and gladly brought me a new one after asking; however the replacement was also overcooked, dry as beef jerky, and flavorless. My "Southern Coastal Catch" trio platter also included grilled mahi and crab cake. The crab cake wasn't bad, but the grilled mahi was also overcooked to the point of having no moisture or flavor to it. I honestly can't remember having such horrible shrimp and fish served to me in a restaurant. I have nothing against chain restaurants, but this particular one has some serious issues to work out. A big fat zero stars for the food, however our waitress was extremely nice and worthy of 5 stars, which makes this place average out to about 1.5 stars.
(1)Stan G.
Because of the higher price tag on items, I have only eaten at Joe's on special occasions, so each time is always worthwhile and satisfying. There are only 2 locations of Joe's near my house and even both of those are 25-30 minutes away, so choose the one that is in another state over the one in the part of town I don't like to go, and each time my service is great and I always leave very satisfied. I order the Crab Daddy feast, cooked in their traditional BBQ seasonings which leave the crab tasting incredible! the pot also comes with some new potatoes and an ear of corn. you get 2 clusters of crab, one Dungenous crab, one snow crab, and one king crab leg. plenty to eat without being too much to eat, Joe's really satisfies, and tonight was no exception, it's nice to have a favorite place to go eat that you only use on occasions, and leave satisfied every single time.. they must be doing something right...
(5)Tanya M.
I like going to Joes for the steampots. They are raising money for Autisim and I won a free appetizer. Pretty Darn Sweet!!!! Joes is like Red Lobsters obnoxious cousin. It is loud and the mood is to party!
(3)Katie M.
Preface- I went here knowing that a) it's a chain and b) the staff sing and dance every 30 minutes. Ok, here it goes. Medicore service led by a staff of kids. Bunch of REALLY drunk folks at the bar and the temp inside was about 65 degrees- freezing. While I to give credit to the team that has to do the electric slide, carwash, and ymca a million times a day, this is a place for really big groups with kids. Crabs aren't something I'd search for in the Western part of Illionis- we were out for a quick drink and a snack. Place was so cold that after 2 drinks we were out of there. Price is a bit high for the area as well....
(2)Terrence J.
It was my second time going to Joe's my first time being in San Diego. The Crab Legs were wonderful and the coconut shrimp were awesome also. The place was a bit dead but it was a bit chilly out and the ,idle of the week.
(5)S R.
I have been reading different reviews on Yelp just to see what people have to say about different places. Yelp seems to be a place where anyone can say anything about every business. After reading some of the reviews just about Joes I am horrified. I have eaten here several times and loved the food and the service. Don't go to a place where the staff dance and sing if you don't like that sort of thing. That seems to be YOUR problem. Not Joes. The food is delicious and yes, the staff is made up of young people. Who do you expect to be waiting on you....your tax attorney? I have found everything delightful every time I have eaten here. I am sure I don't understand why the internet has become a place where anyone can just desparage any business for the most rediculous things. People go out of their way to leave lengthy reviews about business' ....on and on about every single detail....my god get a LIFE! Do you have nothing else to do? Seems today everything is a drama! Oh, I went to xyz...let me now destroy them on the internet when I get home. I love Joes Crab Shack and I will go back as often as possible. I did not find the prices to be outragious or the service bad....I think the place is fun and has great food. I am always happy to be able to have some down time and enjoy a good meal with my family and Joes is a favorite of mine. I pay little attention to the whinning. Just makes people look silly.
(5)Kat V.
I love seafood especially crab legs. This place is quite loud like the previous reviews stated. The food is a lot better than Red Lobster & Landry's. They even have bibs for your when you order the steam pots. Yeah, great idea so that you don't dirty your nice clothes. Very embarrassing to say that the stains & smell came from eating crab legs. I kind of wish they had a tutorial of some sort to crack open those darned crab legs. Or maybe it's funny to watch people eat those things & screw up. Yes, don't watch me eat those tricky crab legs. I'll admit that I don't do a good job of getting the meat. In the midst of ordering & eating, there is a dance show of some sort put on by the wait staff. Think '80's music & maybe of recent. It would be funny if they did a rendition of Psy's Gangnam Style or even Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionaire. But then again I wouldn't be paying attention since I would be focusing on getting the crab meat out of those darned tricky crab legs. The food itself was a bit tooo salty by a smidge. Service was great.
(4)Lesley S.
I'm a fan of Joe's. I've always had good service at this one and every location that I've been to. Price wise? Yeah, they are a little pricey, but so is Red Lobster. What do you expect when you go to a seafood type place. You don't go to the crab shack for a burger you know? Their calamari is good and not to greasy and I had the best virgin strawberry daiquiri. Yum! I wouldn't go here to watch sports though. Their TVs are like looking at a bug on a wall. You just can't tell who is doing what or anything like that. Every hour the servers dim the lights and start dancing around the restaurant. They encourage anyone who wants to join them to join in. Highlight of this last visit? An elderly gentleman in his Sunday best learning the Cupid Shuffle. You don't get better entertainment than that.
(4)Marc M.
We have lived in this area since 1998 and have never eaten here. We were going to try a new Italian restaurant in the same shopping center as Joe's, but they decided to be closed so we thought we'd give Joe's a try. We were amazed at the selections on the menu but since we weren't dying of hunger we stayed away from the steam pot entrees and decided to order the Crabcake Dinner, a Pasta-Laya, and a calamari appetizer. Other reviews call this place pricey and I would agree with that. I would also advise not ordering anything on the menu that is not crab or lobster in a pot because this location is very good at producing those items. The calamari was hot and crispy but it is served with a marinara sauce. We asked for and got some cocktail sauce which seemed to complement it better. The Pasta-Laya was a very large entree. The sausage and shrimp were very well-seasoned and flavorful but it just didn't have much "jambalaya-ness" to it. The Crabcake Dinner was a major disappointment. The skin-in fries were excellent. The creamy cole slaw was the restaurant-standard stuff. It was good and NOT watery. The crabcakes were a disaster. Having eaten crabcakes in a lot of restaurants, these were not crabcakes in the traditional sense. It was more like crab stuffing you would put in a Thanksgiving turkey but in no way were they cakes. The very nice manager said this was supposed to be 75% crab, but the entree was a medium brown color from the bread crumbs and peppers and very little white crab meat was apparent. I wanted to try these to get an idea of how their crab tasted but without much crab present, it was impossible to tell. The manager comped the crabcakes and gave us a coupon for a free appetizer on our next visit. We told her that wasn't necessary since I had eaten half of it, but she insisted. As we left, we noticed that there was a condensation leak from the air duct directly above our table. The drops were splashing us. We may give Joe's one more try.
(2)Mike W.
Went here for the 1st time on Saturday and I must say I truly liked it. I got the Paella Skillet and it was great. I also loved the Calamari very good and crispy. Yes I will go here again. Not a fan of the dancing though. It was a bit HOT inside and could have been from the triple digit temps we were having. I wish it would have been a bit cooler. I sweat all day at work and wasn't expecting to sweat during my meal.
(5)Brandyll S.
I really love Joe's and the outdoor seating option is great for the summer. It makes me feel a little closer to the beach lol. I enjoy sitting outside sipping my tea and watching my son play in the sand while waiting for our meal. It is just a nice family experience. However, my son does not do well with the wait in the winter, because the music inside is kind of loud, and he tends to get bored.
(5)Kent M.
I have eaten at other Joes Crab Shacks and they were much better. I had an apple crisp dessert first. It was ok. Main dish was a pasta of shrimp and sausage. Also...just ok. Shrimp were very small and the sausage was ok. The sauce was pretty good however. I ate at the bar and had good service. I probably would not go back.
(2)Katey R.
I love this place. When my husband first moved to Fairview Heights he wanted to try Joe's. I told him, that I tried it years ago and it was not good and kind of weird. So we ended up avoiding the place at all costs. Years later, some of our friends were going up there with their kids and wanted to see if we would go too. I reluctantly agreed. I just had one daughter age 2 at the time. We went there and she ended up loving it, because of the dancing. It was also nice, because she didn't have to use a major "inside voice" at Joe's. We ordered the crazy-good crab dip appetizer (free with a coupon) and it was really, really good. I thought, okay, maybe this place is not as bad as I remember. Then I got the Classic steampot with Old-Bay seasoning upon recommendation of the server. It was probably, to this day, the best crab I have ever eaten. It was amazing. Nothing like Red-Lobster. I really dislike Red-Lobster crab. I have had crab in Tampa and Alaska, but Joe's Crab Shack Crab is somehow better than any crab I have ever eaten. I think I really love the way they prepare their crab and it is so easy to crack open. I have probably been to this location 10 times since that experience and it is good every time. I really don't know how they do it. Now I have a 4 year old and 2 year old and they both love Joe's too. It is not cheap, but you get the entertainment with it. I used to think Joe's was kind of cheesy with the dancing, but my kids just love it. They have great food and it is family friendly, but still has nice drinks and atmosphere for adults. The bar area is great to sit at if we are on date night. If you haven't tried Joe's in years, give it another shot and hopefully you will be as pleased as I was...
(5)Kathy C.
Was taken here once for my birthday. I'm not a chain restaurant go-er and don't really appreciate a loud obnoxious atmosphere of singing and dancing in the dining area every half hour. Food was barely edible and ridiculously overpriced. I couldn't imagine any reason to return here.
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