If Sebastian taught us anything about under the sea it's that, "The seaweed is always greener in somebody else's lake," and few places hold this so true as this particular Joe's Crab Shack. In fact, eating anywhere else whilst visiting Indiana would have been better and I'm still sore with regret from taking my mom to eat here for Mother's Day, even though she picked it. To say this place is terrible and that you should do everything in your power to avoid it is a disservice to abysmal pits elsewhere. Everything from the service to the setting and even the food never was more than mediocre and crawled to rock bottom from there. Let me break it down for you. We arrived and asked for a table for six to accommodate us and were told it'd be little more than a 20 minute wait. 40 minutes later, we had a table and our waitress, Brittany, introduced herself. She was initially quick on the drinks, but most of the hospitality stopped dead in the water shortly thereafter. We were rushed to not just put in our appetizers, but our meals as well. To add insult to injury, when my mom was trying to place her order, she wasn't sure what she wanted and our server's body language clearly reflected she was in a hurry to get it in. I'm fairly certain she rolled her eyes. At my mom. On freakin' Mother's Day. After waiting for some time, wondering where our food was, whether or not our drinks would be refilled and, after repeatedly glancing around the restaurant looking for her, the exact location of the person who was supposed to be bringing those things, the manager happened upon the table. He asked if he could get us anything, and we told him we'd been waiting on our appetizers, dinner and refills to which he replied he'd look into it. One eternity later, he returns with our appetizers that had long since become cold. Perhaps at one point they were warm and heading for our table, only to be deterred from their destination like a family traversing the Oregon Trail doomed to become wayward wanderers on their journey and consumed by the wilderness, however they arrived cold as a Nantucket harbor come winter. It was unsatisfying, but subscribing to the "any port in a storm" logic, my family dug in with languishing enthusiasm. Oh, and remember how our drinks hadn't been refilled? When those finally arrived, they were drinks that were supposed to go to another table. Wrong ship pulling into port if I ever saw it. When we notified the manager, we didn't get so much as an apology. However, he did come to our table and, using a patronizing tone that would have made a circus caller blush with envy, offered us a coupon for a Mother's Day dessert. That was good on our, wrongly assumed to occur, next visit during the next week. A Mother's Day coupon that isn't good on Mother's Day. Fancy that. When dinner arrived, my brother's chicken club was little more than a sad looking piece of breast meat, my sister-in-law's coconut shrimp had been given a Dante's Inferno interpretation of burnt, my mother's meal looked like slop out of Oliver Twist and my popcorn shrimp was as tasteless as a bad joke. These were the straws that shattered the camel's back in twain as my wife rose from her seat and commanded the hapless manager's attention. He said "he'd look into" possibly comping our appetizers. Settling the bill, we were disgusted with the experience as we left. I neglected to mention the dirty floors rife with chunks of food and bits of litter that were prone to stick to shoes as one traversed the place. I understand that Indiana isn't exactly known for it's seafood, but with a place like Joe's Crab Shack, I can see why. I've already put in a complaint with the company regarding the service and am yet to hear back, but otherwise, I cannot stress how much this place should be avoided like a shark-infested beach. If you enjoy seafood in any capacity whatsoever, you owe yourself far better than this tripe.
(1)
Jennifer N.
Dirty and crawling with morons. Listening to our server, Candra, be rude to the people behind us was hilarious. Bet she's glad she wrote her name on my napkin so I wouldn't forget :)
(1)
Dakota B.
Went here for lunch with a friend today and ordered one of their Steam Pots. I was more than slightly disappointed in the portions provided for the price. Make no mistake, I did NOT expect the overflowing bucket of seafood featured on the commercial. However, I also did not expect less than a dinner plate (REGULAR NOT RESTARAUNT SIZED DINNER PLATE) worth of seafood. I ordered Joes Classic Steam Pot which was supposed to feature dungeness crab legs, alaskan crab legs, shrimp, potatoes, corn and sausage. I ordered this item as it was the only Steam Pot without a listed seasoning or flavor. My order arrived in a large pot which had a small plate inside, resting on said small plate were 2 dungess crab legs (cluster things), 1 alaskan snow crab leg (cluster thing), one mini corn on the cob, three boiled red potatoes,one HUGE odd tasting sausage and about 6 unpeeled, vein in shrimp(UNCLEAN). I expect vein in shrimp on a an el cheapo bufffet. I do not expect unpeeled, vein in shrimp(UNCLEAN) from a seafood restaraunt, chain or not. The sausage was whole and had a strange taste. The entire order was COVERED in some sort of seasoning, which I imagine was Old Bay. This seasoning did NOT pair well with the whole sausage. The menu made no mention of seasoning everything with Old Bay and to the contrary seemed to indicate that this particular bucket was sans seasoning/flavorings. I personally find Old Bay overpowering, and inedible as was this seasoning. The menu also featured nice slim slices of sausage and not this jumbo mystery meat catoonish looking whole sausage link. The waitress immediately noticed my perplexed look and sent a manager over. I did NOT request this. The manager immediately grabbed my dish and began explaining options for its replacement. Again, this was without my asking (I opted for them to remake the dish sans the seasoning and sausage.) So for that they get the two stars given. They could have managed three stars but when the dish was returned to the table the food still had that oddball sausage-ey flavor which leads me to believe they simply plucked iit out of the dish and did god knows what to remove the seasoning, which could also still be tasted. Beyond that I feel that 20.00 for 3 crab clusters, unseasoned potatoes and uncleaned shrimp from a chain restaraunt a wee bit much. This item does not come with bread, salad or any side dishes but the boiled potatoes and corn. I left feeling moderately satiated, but in DESPERATE need of a vegatable of some sort.
(2)
Dawn M.
My Finance and I had a late dinner for our anniversary on June 24th at 11 pm. Neither of us had ever been to Joe's, but was exceedingly happy with service and food. Lisa, who is also the bartender, was so sweet and made sure that we were pleased with our food. The Lobster, snow crabs, and Key-lime pie were amazing and melted in you mouth. Although it was late in the evening we still felt welcomed, and didn't leave until 12:30 am with no question. Before you believe any poor reviews please experience Joe's for yourself and form your own opinion. I highly recommend this location.
(5)
Danyell P.
Food was good but the salmon they prepared was not fully cooked. The sweet tea is really good. Lobster with the old bay seasoning was ok.
(3)
Taylor T.
Today was my first time eating at Joe's Crab Shack and also my first time eating crab legs, I enjoyed the food and the service just as much. Andrea (the server) was informed that it was my first visit and she explained EVERYTHING, helped me make my selection and even helped me break down the legs. That's what you call excellent customer service, ill definitely be back to visit. Oh and i loved the food.
(5)
Audrey P.
Went here for my sons birthday at his request. We ordered calamari and stuffed mushrooms for appetizers. The mushrooms were delicious, but the calamari was over cooked and rubbery. Also got clam chowder and lobster bisque both very good. My son got a steam pot which he liked, and I got garlic crab legs which were pretty good. I got a shark bite cocktail which looked much cooler on the menu picture-when I dumped in the grenadine it immediately sank to the bottom instead of floating around the Sharks mouth for a minute so I could get a picture. Oh well, it was tasty. Overall it was pretty good. I'll probably go back again.
(3)
Nicole B.
I'm a seafood lover and have been here a couple times. My husband normally gets a fried platter which he is semi-happy with and I get the crab legs/red potatoes/corn. It's good & in all honesty it's hard to screw up boiling/steaming, but I will say restaurants somehow do it. Joe's does just fine on my order. Why only 3 stars? The price! We are a party of 6 and to eat in a place like this we have to practically take out a loan to do so. There's no way my meal is worth anywhere near what they charge including overhead. So I make mine at home. It's cheaper and I can make a lot more for my family. Even the little gift shop area is outrageous. Shirts are expensive and hardly worth it. Sorry you just don't measure up to a true seafood restaurant on the coast somewhere. Considering the crowds I see there when I pass by, they are taking it in.
(3)
Kristina G.
Terrible service and terrible food. Haven't been there in a long time and gave the place a shot and we won't be back anytime soon!
(1)
Sean T.
I understand if your service is bad... But ours was amazing... Super attentive and food didn't take long at all... I would just strongly recommend you try this place for yourself if you have never been... We ordered the red fish with lobster and crab rice... So good! Have we had better? Yes... I would even go as far as to recommend this seafood over red lobster. Also we shared the orleans steampotm. The seasoning was on point... Not too salty and great flavor... Unfortunately not the best crawfish
(5)
Jae K.
The atmosphere was that of a good one. There were a few birthdays and an anniversary & I like how they get the whole restaurant involved in the well-wishes. I felt like the portion sizes were filling & our waiter, Matt, was pretty chill !
(4)
Mohammed A.
I like the environment and the friendly staff the good is as always amazing and the music is just right, moderately priced and amazing taste I love this place
(5)
Teschia B.
Good! Good! Good! Strong drink and crab. Got a shared steam pot with my sister. It was great. Wish there was more crab, but my belly is full and I am satisfied. Wait staff and management are awesome. Will be coming back very soon.
(4)
Tanza B.
This was my first time at this restaurant, the service was good, but the food was terrible, the lobster was tough, the crab cakes and onion strings were burned. The manager was very accommodating, he took off 50% of the bill. Anyway I will not return to Joe's Crab Shack.
(1)
Kevin R.
Hi I stopped into Joe's for 4 pounds of Crawfish it was good but the was outstanding waitress she was very halpful but anyway if you like Crawfish and come to this Joe's make shore to get the fired grill seasoning on it
(3)
Micah A.
Slow service, food took forever and the hot my steak wrong....twice. I wanted rare and it came out medium well both times. Bathroom was dirty, and missing toilet paper. Table was sticky and there was some food in my glass of water. If you like bleh food and dirty tables come here! Going to red lobster next time...
(2)
Kimmie R.
The food is "okay". The menu is full of fresh tasty dishes that are nothing extra special, but they get the job done. Joe's Crab Shack is a chain restaurant, so you can't expect much from it. The food isn't seasoned too heavily it's bland yet, very fresh so if you aren't into a bunch of different seasonings then this place is great! The food is appropriate to be served to a child and the atmosphere of this establishment is very upbeat and friendly. On the other hand this is not the place to go if you are picky about the flavor of your food or seeking an adult atmosphere. The drinks that are served are generally watered down, but pleasing to the eye. These mildly flavored dishes do not come cheap either, so a bland dish here will set you back for the same amount as a nicer restaurant elsewhere. It is a family restaurant so screaming toddlers trying to escape their parents is hardly the place for romantic conversation, but it's a good place to grab some fresh fish if you have limited options.
(2)
Jonathan S.
Fun atmosphere and really good food and drinks. Minor hiccups occurred such as sitting near/under a suddenly leaking fire sprinkler ... which was immediately resolved with a new table. All of the wait staff was friendly and helpful. Made sure to accommodate drinks with citrus allergies at my table. Wait time to be seated was less than 10 minutes on a crowded Fri night. Was not rushed to finish with my table towards the end of the night. Stayed over an hour.
(5)
Steven M.
The place looks like a shack after Hurricane Katrina. The place had about 10 people in it. And It still took more than 10 minutes for our waitress to bring us 2 iced teas. Which is funny because the machine with all the sodas was behind our booth. We did see her on the other side of the restaurant yaking it up with some other people. And then when she did come back, she made light of the fact that she was gone for so long. Oh!. And then she made fun of the way I said shrimp Po Boy. Umm. I know I should have left then. My sandwich was really good. The onion strings were not. I would not come back.
(2)
Mary B.
When we come here we usually order the coconut shrimp, it's our favorite. I've tried some other dishes but wasn't impressed. The decor is cutesy and it's a little overpriced but it's a chain, oh well.
(2)
Toney S.
Food so so. Service great. We ordered the Fire grill shrimp didn't like the flavor they immediately replaced it. Checked on us regularly super friendly, thanked us when we were leaving. Really mass us feel welcomed as a quest.
(3)
Jeri R.
Loud atmosphere, disturbingly cheery wait staff with creepy shirts, the horrid dancing, the ..the ..the everything! The seafood is somehow worse than red lobsters. I remember this place not being as gross and tasteless years ago but alas, chain seafood, what should I expect of ye.
(1)
J B.
Been here once. That was enough. It's chain seafood, I know I shouldn't expect much.
(1)
Mark M.
Expensive!!! After having the king crab steam pot which is $29.99 I was still hungry. The food was alright the service was decent. For the money you can find way better.
(2)
B P.
My guy and I went and the food service was horrible. We waited over 45 min for our dinner and his plate arrived before mine. My plate arrived 10 minutes later with part of the dish cold, Luke warm and hot all on one plate! The manager discounted our bill but the food is greatly over rated with poor food prep. The waiter did the best he could given the circumstances.
(1)
Mirna C.
I went there recently and it was really good...I ate the steampot seafood...service was great too...place I will be returning again.
(4)
Walter S.
Very disappointed !!!! First time to a Joes Crabshack. Took my wife and 2 kids out. First we were waited on by what I assume was the hostess . After waiting 10 minutes we had drink order taken . We ordered mozzarella sticks which never got put in . The only thing that showed up hot was the mozz sticks and the Mac and cheese. I order king crab legs . They showed up luke warm at best . My daughter orders the snow crab and it came to table cold and the shells were so soft they would just bend instead of crack . The manager didnt come to the table willingly, we had to ask for him. When he came he really didnt even address the problem or correct it at all. My wife ate at one with the kids in Florida and it was good but I can say we will never eat at this crab shack again.
(1)
Chelsea A.
I will never return again. Service was terrible. Food was below average. I'd rather eat Red Lobster.
(1)
Mickey H.
Remarkably slow service for not being that busy. Food was ok. Overall sub-par.
(1)
Shawn C.
I was going to give this revierw 4 stars because my son loves the playground and the food has been great. Plus the entertainment on the weekends is fun, but outside of the weekend it slows down and the staff is not as delightful.
(3)
Shamika V.
Loved this place! My fiance and I went for Valentine's Day last night because we had never been and we love trying new places! I only have great things to say about this place! The initial greetings were very nice and welcoming for such a busy night. We had called in advance to put our name on the list and we didn't even wait five minutes before we were called to be seated after we arrived. We were sat at a big table and approached by one of the best waitresses (Mary) I've ever had! She was very attentive and caring! It was such a busy night but she still came by to keep checking on us and making sure everything was great! With me being such an indecisive person I always ask the employees for suggestions, who would know better than them. Mary made some great suggestions and I was nothing but pleased with my meal! Everything was clean and the food was nice, warm, & fresh! We had the classic sampler platter as an appetizer it was hot and delish! I had the Sam Adams steam pot for my main course and OMG great balls of flavor! I couldn't stop eating it. My fiance had the Ragin' Cajun steam pot but with him being a Louisiana native it wasn't hot enough for him. He thought it was very tasty just not spicy enough. We also had some mixed drinks; he had the Mardi Gras Punch & I had some type of "porch punch" (sorry I can't remember the actual name); which were tasty and I got a free mason jar with mine! Who doesn't love anything free!? My fiance was so impressed with our waitress and our treatment that he asked to speak with the manager to inform her of the great service! The manager, Lindsey, came right over and was very delighted to hear positive feedback! She thanked us for being rare consumers who actually acknowledge when service is great! She was very refreshing as well as all the other staff we came in contact with! We will definitely be visiting again. S.N. I was going to pass on this place after reading the reviews on here but I'm glad my fiance convinced me that he heard different.
(5)
Drew G.
Very sad to say that I think Joe's is slipping. They used to be a solid 4 or 5 stars but now I think they are just trying to skate by on their old reputation. The food selection has gone down and they just want to shove the over priced steam pots down your throat. Food is decent but hit or miss depending on what night you go. The only thing that is consistently great are the Great Balls of Fire app. It hurts writing this review...
(2)
Ken P.
Ordered the crab cake sandwich. Very fishy taste. Not good fish but bad fish. Sent it back and got shrimp. Rubber! Flavorless! Good french fries. Poor wait staff. Overpriced. Had me wishing for Long John Silver's.
(1)
Shay H.
I'm kinda in love with this place being red lobster now sucks and their plates got smaller
(4)
Scott M.
Greasy, Flavorless, altogether sucky-and you get to pay a premium price for this crap.
(1)
Howard L.
We came back and had the steamed crab and seafood pots. An ok meal, and Joe's Crab Shack has been reliable for us on both occasions. No waiting to eat, and we've found the service to be adequate. In Merrillville area, this is our go-to place for seafood.
(3)
Carmen C.
How do you run out of crab at Joe's crabshack? I've been here twice, one really great experience, one not so good - which averages to a 3 star. On my birthday, our crab dip appetizer arrived piping hot, fresh and tasty, our Steam Pot was, well steaming. Delicious, fresh and hot, and I also got appropriately EMBARASSED for my b-day, and a free little dessert. A week ago, my SO and I went with his daughter to dinner. After waiting 20 minutes a waiter asks us if we've been helped, then comes back and says he's going to serve us. After we got our appetizer fairly quickly - 40 minutes later we've got no steampots. Apparently the kitchen was running behind or something like that. Then, when we got the pot, the extra ear of corn we ordered was missing. Ok, got that. Then we realized there was no potatos. Had to get that too. But the manager gaves us the appetizer free, free dessert and a discount off dinner so all in all, it was ok. Would I go back? I won't lie, I love seafood so yes. But i'll be prepared for a chance of a loooooooooong wait.
(3)
Rich M.
So during my last visit home, and after a rousing afternoon in Merrillville trying to find last minute Halloween costumes, the gf and I decide to give Joe's a shot for an early dinner. Upon entering, it is the same as I remember from my youth, decked to the ceiling in kitschy nautical decorations and no more then perhaps two other customers (how DOES this place stay in business?) Drinks were first, I ordered my standby, an Arnold Palmer, which was among the worst I've ever had, the taste resembling glass cleaner. For an appetizer, we tried playing it safe and ordering calamari. Dry and tasteless is too kind a description. Finally, after we'd all but completely regretted our decision, our meals....hers, the fish and chips, something that by all accounts at a SEAFOOD restaurant, should be their specialty, was, in my humble opinion, the WORST cut of fish ever put on a plate. Like sandpaper, wrapped around driftwood. We sent it back. My crab cakes tasted like they were fresh removed from a can that had been sitting in someone's cellar for the past decade. In short, please, save your $40 (yeah, it was that much) and go somewhere, anywhere else. I mean, what...there's only like 30 other places on Rt. 30....
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Touristy Noise Level : Very Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Andrew G.
If Sebastian taught us anything about under the sea it's that, "The seaweed is always greener in somebody else's lake," and few places hold this so true as this particular Joe's Crab Shack. In fact, eating anywhere else whilst visiting Indiana would have been better and I'm still sore with regret from taking my mom to eat here for Mother's Day, even though she picked it. To say this place is terrible and that you should do everything in your power to avoid it is a disservice to abysmal pits elsewhere. Everything from the service to the setting and even the food never was more than mediocre and crawled to rock bottom from there. Let me break it down for you. We arrived and asked for a table for six to accommodate us and were told it'd be little more than a 20 minute wait. 40 minutes later, we had a table and our waitress, Brittany, introduced herself. She was initially quick on the drinks, but most of the hospitality stopped dead in the water shortly thereafter. We were rushed to not just put in our appetizers, but our meals as well. To add insult to injury, when my mom was trying to place her order, she wasn't sure what she wanted and our server's body language clearly reflected she was in a hurry to get it in. I'm fairly certain she rolled her eyes. At my mom. On freakin' Mother's Day. After waiting for some time, wondering where our food was, whether or not our drinks would be refilled and, after repeatedly glancing around the restaurant looking for her, the exact location of the person who was supposed to be bringing those things, the manager happened upon the table. He asked if he could get us anything, and we told him we'd been waiting on our appetizers, dinner and refills to which he replied he'd look into it. One eternity later, he returns with our appetizers that had long since become cold. Perhaps at one point they were warm and heading for our table, only to be deterred from their destination like a family traversing the Oregon Trail doomed to become wayward wanderers on their journey and consumed by the wilderness, however they arrived cold as a Nantucket harbor come winter. It was unsatisfying, but subscribing to the "any port in a storm" logic, my family dug in with languishing enthusiasm. Oh, and remember how our drinks hadn't been refilled? When those finally arrived, they were drinks that were supposed to go to another table. Wrong ship pulling into port if I ever saw it. When we notified the manager, we didn't get so much as an apology. However, he did come to our table and, using a patronizing tone that would have made a circus caller blush with envy, offered us a coupon for a Mother's Day dessert. That was good on our, wrongly assumed to occur, next visit during the next week. A Mother's Day coupon that isn't good on Mother's Day. Fancy that. When dinner arrived, my brother's chicken club was little more than a sad looking piece of breast meat, my sister-in-law's coconut shrimp had been given a Dante's Inferno interpretation of burnt, my mother's meal looked like slop out of Oliver Twist and my popcorn shrimp was as tasteless as a bad joke. These were the straws that shattered the camel's back in twain as my wife rose from her seat and commanded the hapless manager's attention. He said "he'd look into" possibly comping our appetizers. Settling the bill, we were disgusted with the experience as we left. I neglected to mention the dirty floors rife with chunks of food and bits of litter that were prone to stick to shoes as one traversed the place. I understand that Indiana isn't exactly known for it's seafood, but with a place like Joe's Crab Shack, I can see why. I've already put in a complaint with the company regarding the service and am yet to hear back, but otherwise, I cannot stress how much this place should be avoided like a shark-infested beach. If you enjoy seafood in any capacity whatsoever, you owe yourself far better than this tripe.
(1)Jennifer N.
Dirty and crawling with morons. Listening to our server, Candra, be rude to the people behind us was hilarious. Bet she's glad she wrote her name on my napkin so I wouldn't forget :)
(1)Dakota B.
Went here for lunch with a friend today and ordered one of their Steam Pots. I was more than slightly disappointed in the portions provided for the price. Make no mistake, I did NOT expect the overflowing bucket of seafood featured on the commercial. However, I also did not expect less than a dinner plate (REGULAR NOT RESTARAUNT SIZED DINNER PLATE) worth of seafood. I ordered Joes Classic Steam Pot which was supposed to feature dungeness crab legs, alaskan crab legs, shrimp, potatoes, corn and sausage. I ordered this item as it was the only Steam Pot without a listed seasoning or flavor. My order arrived in a large pot which had a small plate inside, resting on said small plate were 2 dungess crab legs (cluster things), 1 alaskan snow crab leg (cluster thing), one mini corn on the cob, three boiled red potatoes,one HUGE odd tasting sausage and about 6 unpeeled, vein in shrimp(UNCLEAN). I expect vein in shrimp on a an el cheapo bufffet. I do not expect unpeeled, vein in shrimp(UNCLEAN) from a seafood restaraunt, chain or not. The sausage was whole and had a strange taste. The entire order was COVERED in some sort of seasoning, which I imagine was Old Bay. This seasoning did NOT pair well with the whole sausage. The menu made no mention of seasoning everything with Old Bay and to the contrary seemed to indicate that this particular bucket was sans seasoning/flavorings. I personally find Old Bay overpowering, and inedible as was this seasoning. The menu also featured nice slim slices of sausage and not this jumbo mystery meat catoonish looking whole sausage link. The waitress immediately noticed my perplexed look and sent a manager over. I did NOT request this. The manager immediately grabbed my dish and began explaining options for its replacement. Again, this was without my asking (I opted for them to remake the dish sans the seasoning and sausage.) So for that they get the two stars given. They could have managed three stars but when the dish was returned to the table the food still had that oddball sausage-ey flavor which leads me to believe they simply plucked iit out of the dish and did god knows what to remove the seasoning, which could also still be tasted. Beyond that I feel that 20.00 for 3 crab clusters, unseasoned potatoes and uncleaned shrimp from a chain restaraunt a wee bit much. This item does not come with bread, salad or any side dishes but the boiled potatoes and corn. I left feeling moderately satiated, but in DESPERATE need of a vegatable of some sort.
(2)Dawn M.
My Finance and I had a late dinner for our anniversary on June 24th at 11 pm. Neither of us had ever been to Joe's, but was exceedingly happy with service and food. Lisa, who is also the bartender, was so sweet and made sure that we were pleased with our food. The Lobster, snow crabs, and Key-lime pie were amazing and melted in you mouth. Although it was late in the evening we still felt welcomed, and didn't leave until 12:30 am with no question. Before you believe any poor reviews please experience Joe's for yourself and form your own opinion. I highly recommend this location.
(5)Danyell P.
Food was good but the salmon they prepared was not fully cooked. The sweet tea is really good. Lobster with the old bay seasoning was ok.
(3)Taylor T.
Today was my first time eating at Joe's Crab Shack and also my first time eating crab legs, I enjoyed the food and the service just as much. Andrea (the server) was informed that it was my first visit and she explained EVERYTHING, helped me make my selection and even helped me break down the legs. That's what you call excellent customer service, ill definitely be back to visit. Oh and i loved the food.
(5)Audrey P.
Went here for my sons birthday at his request. We ordered calamari and stuffed mushrooms for appetizers. The mushrooms were delicious, but the calamari was over cooked and rubbery. Also got clam chowder and lobster bisque both very good. My son got a steam pot which he liked, and I got garlic crab legs which were pretty good. I got a shark bite cocktail which looked much cooler on the menu picture-when I dumped in the grenadine it immediately sank to the bottom instead of floating around the Sharks mouth for a minute so I could get a picture. Oh well, it was tasty. Overall it was pretty good. I'll probably go back again.
(3)Nicole B.
I'm a seafood lover and have been here a couple times. My husband normally gets a fried platter which he is semi-happy with and I get the crab legs/red potatoes/corn. It's good & in all honesty it's hard to screw up boiling/steaming, but I will say restaurants somehow do it. Joe's does just fine on my order. Why only 3 stars? The price! We are a party of 6 and to eat in a place like this we have to practically take out a loan to do so. There's no way my meal is worth anywhere near what they charge including overhead. So I make mine at home. It's cheaper and I can make a lot more for my family. Even the little gift shop area is outrageous. Shirts are expensive and hardly worth it. Sorry you just don't measure up to a true seafood restaurant on the coast somewhere. Considering the crowds I see there when I pass by, they are taking it in.
(3)Kristina G.
Terrible service and terrible food. Haven't been there in a long time and gave the place a shot and we won't be back anytime soon!
(1)Sean T.
I understand if your service is bad... But ours was amazing... Super attentive and food didn't take long at all... I would just strongly recommend you try this place for yourself if you have never been... We ordered the red fish with lobster and crab rice... So good! Have we had better? Yes... I would even go as far as to recommend this seafood over red lobster. Also we shared the orleans steampotm. The seasoning was on point... Not too salty and great flavor... Unfortunately not the best crawfish
(5)Jae K.
The atmosphere was that of a good one. There were a few birthdays and an anniversary & I like how they get the whole restaurant involved in the well-wishes. I felt like the portion sizes were filling & our waiter, Matt, was pretty chill !
(4)Mohammed A.
I like the environment and the friendly staff the good is as always amazing and the music is just right, moderately priced and amazing taste I love this place
(5)Teschia B.
Good! Good! Good! Strong drink and crab. Got a shared steam pot with my sister. It was great. Wish there was more crab, but my belly is full and I am satisfied. Wait staff and management are awesome. Will be coming back very soon.
(4)Tanza B.
This was my first time at this restaurant, the service was good, but the food was terrible, the lobster was tough, the crab cakes and onion strings were burned. The manager was very accommodating, he took off 50% of the bill. Anyway I will not return to Joe's Crab Shack.
(1)Kevin R.
Hi I stopped into Joe's for 4 pounds of Crawfish it was good but the was outstanding waitress she was very halpful but anyway if you like Crawfish and come to this Joe's make shore to get the fired grill seasoning on it
(3)Micah A.
Slow service, food took forever and the hot my steak wrong....twice. I wanted rare and it came out medium well both times. Bathroom was dirty, and missing toilet paper. Table was sticky and there was some food in my glass of water. If you like bleh food and dirty tables come here! Going to red lobster next time...
(2)Kimmie R.
The food is "okay". The menu is full of fresh tasty dishes that are nothing extra special, but they get the job done. Joe's Crab Shack is a chain restaurant, so you can't expect much from it. The food isn't seasoned too heavily it's bland yet, very fresh so if you aren't into a bunch of different seasonings then this place is great! The food is appropriate to be served to a child and the atmosphere of this establishment is very upbeat and friendly. On the other hand this is not the place to go if you are picky about the flavor of your food or seeking an adult atmosphere. The drinks that are served are generally watered down, but pleasing to the eye. These mildly flavored dishes do not come cheap either, so a bland dish here will set you back for the same amount as a nicer restaurant elsewhere. It is a family restaurant so screaming toddlers trying to escape their parents is hardly the place for romantic conversation, but it's a good place to grab some fresh fish if you have limited options.
(2)Jonathan S.
Fun atmosphere and really good food and drinks. Minor hiccups occurred such as sitting near/under a suddenly leaking fire sprinkler ... which was immediately resolved with a new table. All of the wait staff was friendly and helpful. Made sure to accommodate drinks with citrus allergies at my table. Wait time to be seated was less than 10 minutes on a crowded Fri night. Was not rushed to finish with my table towards the end of the night. Stayed over an hour.
(5)Steven M.
The place looks like a shack after Hurricane Katrina. The place had about 10 people in it. And It still took more than 10 minutes for our waitress to bring us 2 iced teas. Which is funny because the machine with all the sodas was behind our booth. We did see her on the other side of the restaurant yaking it up with some other people. And then when she did come back, she made light of the fact that she was gone for so long. Oh!. And then she made fun of the way I said shrimp Po Boy. Umm. I know I should have left then. My sandwich was really good. The onion strings were not. I would not come back.
(2)Mary B.
When we come here we usually order the coconut shrimp, it's our favorite. I've tried some other dishes but wasn't impressed. The decor is cutesy and it's a little overpriced but it's a chain, oh well.
(2)Toney S.
Food so so. Service great. We ordered the Fire grill shrimp didn't like the flavor they immediately replaced it. Checked on us regularly super friendly, thanked us when we were leaving. Really mass us feel welcomed as a quest.
(3)Jeri R.
Loud atmosphere, disturbingly cheery wait staff with creepy shirts, the horrid dancing, the ..the ..the everything! The seafood is somehow worse than red lobsters. I remember this place not being as gross and tasteless years ago but alas, chain seafood, what should I expect of ye.
(1)J B.
Been here once. That was enough. It's chain seafood, I know I shouldn't expect much.
(1)Mark M.
Expensive!!! After having the king crab steam pot which is $29.99 I was still hungry. The food was alright the service was decent. For the money you can find way better.
(2)B P.
My guy and I went and the food service was horrible. We waited over 45 min for our dinner and his plate arrived before mine. My plate arrived 10 minutes later with part of the dish cold, Luke warm and hot all on one plate! The manager discounted our bill but the food is greatly over rated with poor food prep. The waiter did the best he could given the circumstances.
(1)Mirna C.
I went there recently and it was really good...I ate the steampot seafood...service was great too...place I will be returning again.
(4)Walter S.
Very disappointed !!!! First time to a Joes Crabshack. Took my wife and 2 kids out. First we were waited on by what I assume was the hostess . After waiting 10 minutes we had drink order taken . We ordered mozzarella sticks which never got put in . The only thing that showed up hot was the mozz sticks and the Mac and cheese. I order king crab legs . They showed up luke warm at best . My daughter orders the snow crab and it came to table cold and the shells were so soft they would just bend instead of crack . The manager didnt come to the table willingly, we had to ask for him. When he came he really didnt even address the problem or correct it at all. My wife ate at one with the kids in Florida and it was good but I can say we will never eat at this crab shack again.
(1)Chelsea A.
I will never return again. Service was terrible. Food was below average. I'd rather eat Red Lobster.
(1)Mickey H.
Remarkably slow service for not being that busy. Food was ok. Overall sub-par.
(1)Shawn C.
I was going to give this revierw 4 stars because my son loves the playground and the food has been great. Plus the entertainment on the weekends is fun, but outside of the weekend it slows down and the staff is not as delightful.
(3)Shamika V.
Loved this place! My fiance and I went for Valentine's Day last night because we had never been and we love trying new places! I only have great things to say about this place! The initial greetings were very nice and welcoming for such a busy night. We had called in advance to put our name on the list and we didn't even wait five minutes before we were called to be seated after we arrived. We were sat at a big table and approached by one of the best waitresses (Mary) I've ever had! She was very attentive and caring! It was such a busy night but she still came by to keep checking on us and making sure everything was great! With me being such an indecisive person I always ask the employees for suggestions, who would know better than them. Mary made some great suggestions and I was nothing but pleased with my meal! Everything was clean and the food was nice, warm, & fresh! We had the classic sampler platter as an appetizer it was hot and delish! I had the Sam Adams steam pot for my main course and OMG great balls of flavor! I couldn't stop eating it. My fiance had the Ragin' Cajun steam pot but with him being a Louisiana native it wasn't hot enough for him. He thought it was very tasty just not spicy enough. We also had some mixed drinks; he had the Mardi Gras Punch & I had some type of "porch punch" (sorry I can't remember the actual name); which were tasty and I got a free mason jar with mine! Who doesn't love anything free!? My fiance was so impressed with our waitress and our treatment that he asked to speak with the manager to inform her of the great service! The manager, Lindsey, came right over and was very delighted to hear positive feedback! She thanked us for being rare consumers who actually acknowledge when service is great! She was very refreshing as well as all the other staff we came in contact with! We will definitely be visiting again. S.N. I was going to pass on this place after reading the reviews on here but I'm glad my fiance convinced me that he heard different.
(5)Drew G.
Very sad to say that I think Joe's is slipping. They used to be a solid 4 or 5 stars but now I think they are just trying to skate by on their old reputation. The food selection has gone down and they just want to shove the over priced steam pots down your throat. Food is decent but hit or miss depending on what night you go. The only thing that is consistently great are the Great Balls of Fire app. It hurts writing this review...
(2)Ken P.
Ordered the crab cake sandwich. Very fishy taste. Not good fish but bad fish. Sent it back and got shrimp. Rubber! Flavorless! Good french fries. Poor wait staff. Overpriced. Had me wishing for Long John Silver's.
(1)Shay H.
I'm kinda in love with this place being red lobster now sucks and their plates got smaller
(4)Scott M.
Greasy, Flavorless, altogether sucky-and you get to pay a premium price for this crap.
(1)Howard L.
We came back and had the steamed crab and seafood pots. An ok meal, and Joe's Crab Shack has been reliable for us on both occasions. No waiting to eat, and we've found the service to be adequate. In Merrillville area, this is our go-to place for seafood.
(3)Carmen C.
How do you run out of crab at Joe's crabshack? I've been here twice, one really great experience, one not so good - which averages to a 3 star. On my birthday, our crab dip appetizer arrived piping hot, fresh and tasty, our Steam Pot was, well steaming. Delicious, fresh and hot, and I also got appropriately EMBARASSED for my b-day, and a free little dessert. A week ago, my SO and I went with his daughter to dinner. After waiting 20 minutes a waiter asks us if we've been helped, then comes back and says he's going to serve us. After we got our appetizer fairly quickly - 40 minutes later we've got no steampots. Apparently the kitchen was running behind or something like that. Then, when we got the pot, the extra ear of corn we ordered was missing. Ok, got that. Then we realized there was no potatos. Had to get that too. But the manager gaves us the appetizer free, free dessert and a discount off dinner so all in all, it was ok. Would I go back? I won't lie, I love seafood so yes. But i'll be prepared for a chance of a loooooooooong wait.
(3)Rich M.
So during my last visit home, and after a rousing afternoon in Merrillville trying to find last minute Halloween costumes, the gf and I decide to give Joe's a shot for an early dinner. Upon entering, it is the same as I remember from my youth, decked to the ceiling in kitschy nautical decorations and no more then perhaps two other customers (how DOES this place stay in business?) Drinks were first, I ordered my standby, an Arnold Palmer, which was among the worst I've ever had, the taste resembling glass cleaner. For an appetizer, we tried playing it safe and ordering calamari. Dry and tasteless is too kind a description. Finally, after we'd all but completely regretted our decision, our meals....hers, the fish and chips, something that by all accounts at a SEAFOOD restaurant, should be their specialty, was, in my humble opinion, the WORST cut of fish ever put on a plate. Like sandpaper, wrapped around driftwood. We sent it back. My crab cakes tasted like they were fresh removed from a can that had been sitting in someone's cellar for the past decade. In short, please, save your $40 (yeah, it was that much) and go somewhere, anywhere else. I mean, what...there's only like 30 other places on Rt. 30....
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