Joe’s Crab Shack
7051 Arundel Mills Blvd, Hanover, MD, 21076
Joe’s Crab Shack Menu
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Address :
7051 Arundel Mills Blvd
Hanover, MD, 21076 - Phone (410) 799-2155
- Website https://www.joescrabshack.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
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
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Abigail L.
I was very pleased with my experience this evening at Joe's Crab Shack ! My fiancé and I came because we were craving crabs and boy did we get exactly what we wanted! We both ordered Crab Daddy Feasts with double orders of broccoli instead of the hush puppies or corn....(we r dieting) the food was delicious and the crabs were very meaty/yummy plus our waitress (Holly) was very good! When asked for her opinion on a menu item, she gave us an honest answer, which we appreciated. Also, she was extremely attentive but didn't hover, which was great :) we will def be coming back!!
(5)Arnita B.
The food was average but I would come here again. Had a large party around 20 people didn't have to wait to be sited. Great experience. Thank you to the two young men who attended to my party. Very Professional !
(4)Richard Y.
The waiter had a nice attitude and the food was just ok not great. The inside dining room was so loud we asked to be seated outside on the porch. Bathroom was pretty gross...floor was wet everywhere like it flooded or something.
(3)Jasmin H.
My bf and I went here last Friday around 5 thinking we might just beat the dinner crowd (definitely wrong) for a quick seafood bite. Originally I wanted to do crabs but we just settled on East Coast Platter (for him), Crab Cake Sandwich (for me) and Fried Calamari as our appetizer. From the moment we walked in, our waitress albeit nice, was definitely on the forgetful side as she didn't give me a straw or refill. To her defense it looked like they were understaffed and later into our meal she did improve on being prompt. Also when our appetizer was brought out, we failed to receive plates/silverware and the guy was pretty indifferent when we mentioned this to him. We eventually started eating it while it took him a good 5 mins to fix this. With all this shady service, I was hoping the food would be a saving grace. While everything was hot as soon as it arrived to us, we we're so underwhelmed. My crab cake was just ok (didn't have super high hopes for it) with the sauce being the extra kick needed. My BF was ok with everything in his platter except for the fish saying it was 80% batter and 20% untasty fish. All in all we left full but super annoyed and the super high noise level, ok food and more miss than hit service. Even with no high expectations of the place granted it's a casual chain, we we're still left pretty disappointed and will stick to Red Lobster next time we need a quick seafood fix.
(2)Sarah B.
I haven't been here in ages and never really planned on coming back, but it was my dad's birthday and he wanted to dine here with the family. God knows why, but we went along with it! Overall, we had a pretty poor dining experience. I can't even begin to explain how ridiculously slow the service was. My dad ordered a Corona and our sever completely forgot about it. Over 15-20min later, I flagged down someone else to ask if he could go check the bar for a Corona. He comes back and says that it's not there so he would need to get the manager to ring it in. The manager does his thing and brings my dad a bottle finally. She comes back and still didn't acknowledge that she had forgotten the beer. She checked on our table once (at the end), not including the times she brought out the food. When we asked for the check, boxes, and bags, she comes back 10 minutes later with boxes, then disappears again for 10 minutes to bring us the check. Then a few minutes later, brings us bags. I don't think it's very difficult to be efficient and knock down two or more birds with one stone. We could've saved so much time. Oh and the food, everyone got a steam pot, but I wasn't really feeling it, so I decided to go with the Mahi tacos. My dish came out last and upon taking my first bite, I realized something was really cold. The cabbage/slaw that they put at the base was so cold, it was actually icy. I didn't even bother to tell the server and just took out the cabbage from all of the tacos. The music is way too loud and the disco ball is just cheesy. Overall, just a really bad dining experience. Thumbs down, won't be back.
(1)Tutti S.
I ordered the Ragin Cajun Steam Pot, and it was decently tasty. Not super spicy, so kids could enjoy too. I will say, they're wasting money on sausage in the steam pots. No one at our table ate their sausage. We looked around and the table next to us had discarded their sausages in their appetizer dishes. Get better tasting andouille sausage or leave them out altogether.
(3)Ty J.
Was in the mood for quick moderately priced seafood so Joe's it was! I feel like Joe's gets a bad wrap from a lot of people, but if you keep it in perspective it's a pretty decent place to get seafood. We sat at the bar which is always lively, games were on and the liquor was flowing! I ordered the Sunset fire grilled pot but was a bit surprised when it came out and I received not only the wrong order but a double pot of the wrong order! Now of course I wasn't sending it back and although my waitress was the one that brought it to my attention she just shrugged and said oh well I guess you get a double order. I missed the salty yumminess of the fire grilled pot, but who can complain when you get double the crab legs and shrimp...not me lol!! Joe's hit the spot this weekend!
(3)Justin h.
Mediocre at best. Just what you expect from a chain restaurant. Everything we ordered at the table left us underwhelmed. The biggest disappoint had to be the hush puppies. I always get excited when I see hush puppies on a menu but these were dense, bland, and salty. It wouldn't surprise me if everything in their kitchen was frozen at one point or came in a bag. Don't think I'll ever come back again but at least I crossed it off my bucket list.
(1)Kellie W.
Good was disgusting and not filing at all. Waitress forgot the beer and my hush puppies. The crab was yuck. I should have went to McDonalds.
(1)Sarah M.
I will preface this review by saying that I would have given this location of Joe's Crab Shack four stars, but they ran out of some key entrees and that was a bit unsettling to me (read: deeply upsetting because my friends and I were ravenously hungry). Let me start with some positive feedback. Our waiter, Mikey, was superb. He had a pleasant demeanor and just overall good vibe. He explained what food recommendations he had and honestly explained to us the portion sizes for different meals. My issue was less so with the service, and more so with the food options. Although we did go to this restaurant at 11:30 pm on a Saturday, the kitchen didn't close until 12:30 am. We ordered calamari and crab cakes, and they had run out of both options. Then when we ordered the stuff shrimp, it was very bland. The one dish that didn't disappoint was the queen crab legs. I hope to come back to this location to support Mikey. The next time around I hope the establishment's food is on par with their service.
(3)Oliver C.
REVIEW IS FOR HAPPY HOUR AND $2 TUESDAY One of the best Joe's Crab Shacks around. I love to come on Tuesdays for their $2 specials. They started this promotion about a year ago for Mardi Gras Fat Tuesday, and I guess it did so well they kept it going. They also have a daily happy hour where you can get any beer on draft (YES even Stella, Heineken, and Sam Adams) for $3. Can't beat that! The mainstays have been fried pickles (best I've had), fried crayfish, and fried shrimp. On this go-round, I got shorted on the shrimp, and the crayfish had a little too much bread on it, but that was the exception, not the norm. The bartenders and staff are competent and attentive. Definitely one of my favorites in the DC-BAL area.
(4)Gillom S.
Had our 21st anniversary dinner here. Our server/waitress was Sasha and she was very helpful. Tuesday is $2 appetizer on certain ones and we had the steam pot with ragin Cajun and my wife had the one with the whole Maine lobster, crabs legs, shrimp in buttery garlic sauce. Everything was delicious and too much to eat. A lot of people had birthdays and had to dance and party like a rock star for everyone.
(5)Steven F.
So decided to eat at Joe's this evening, and while walking to our table my pregnant wife slipped and almost fell. We immediately brought it to the attention of the host seating us, but he didn't even respond. Fast forward a half hour later, and a ten year old boy slipped and completely fell in the exact same spot my wife had slipped only a half hour prior. The manager did immediately approach and ask if everyone was okay and if there was anything she could do, but the boy was fine. After the boy and his father walked to their table we fully expected to see the manager instruct someone on her staff to mop up the mess, but nope. All she did was have them bring over one of the rubber slip-resistant mats and did nothing whatsoever about the moisture on the floor. And of course, as we're leaving my pregnant wife slips again and damn near falls a second time. Food was good, waiter was awesome (hence the two stars), but thanks to the manager and poor house-keeping we will not be returning.
(2)Brook H.
I'm going to keep this short: Listen to all the negative reviews and try Red Lobster instead. Or, if you're a real Marylander, get some ~real~ crab from many of the local eateries. I was a bit worried when some family suggested we swing by here given the reviews. We showed up and it was dead empty, although it was a Thursday evening. Now, I'll give them credit because our server was ~awesome~. She kept constant attention on our 6-person party and kept us going. But she was one of the few highlights of the night. The calamari appetizer was the best tasting thing we had. Everything else was "meh" to "ugh". My "crabcake" tasted like some Florida dirt crab; I know you can't always have Maryland blue, but you can at least try to put something tasty in there. And what was that filler? Spinach? Who puts ~spinach~ in a crab cake?? The jalapeno crab stuffed shrimp were alright but the fried cod was just bland. Despite my warnings, several people ordered the steampots. The Queen Crab was nice and huge, but everyone else's King Crab was anything but royal. The shells were rubbery, either being cooked wrong or simply being frozen for too long. It's sad when the best thing in a seafood dish is the sausage. They also skimped on the legs, with several missing. Luckily management sent out more when the group complained. A couple in our party said they'd been to this location and had better service prior. Sadly, given all the other complaints on here, I think they got lucky. Next time you wanna buy overpriced frozen seafood, just go to Red Lobster. At least they've got those awesome cheddar biscuits.
(2)Buda E.
Everything was amazing from the ambiance, the platter sizes and most importantly the wonderful service we got from Shahim, our waiter. King crab was amazing, definitely recommend it to everyone in search of the best king crab in town!
(5)Bri H.
So like most people, I loveeee Joe's Crab Shack, but this has to be one of the best ones I have been to. From beginning to end, my experience here was great! Five out of five stars! So lets talk about the customer service, once we arrived, we were greeted by two twins who were so sweet and nice - they weren't annoyed at all with me being the billionth person to ask the most obvious question, "Are you twins?" Haha. We were seated right away and were greeted by our very funny and attentive waiter. I forgot his name, which I am mad at myself for, but he was fan-freakin-tastic!! We ordered Hurricanes for our drinks and the "GREAT BALLS OF FIRE" to start. The food was great .... per usual, but what I appreciated the most was the fact that our drinks came out very quickly. That will always add an extra dollar or two to your tip :D. For my entrée, I had the Ragin' Cajun. So freaking good! After we were finished with our food, our waiter came by and had a few laughs with us ending the meal on a great note! We transferred to the bar for a quick shot and "left the building"! All in all, it was a great time! This Joe's is very clean, well managed, and has amazing staff. I would definitely dine here again before going to the one closest to my house. Favs: Attentive & friendly staff. Fast service. Cleanliness. Would Change: Not a thing ... keep up the great work!!!
(5)Anthony H.
I went on a lunch date here recently. The food and service was just like I remembered, the first time I visited in 2013. If you want to dine in a friendly and casual atmosphere where the crab pots taste amazing, then look no further. I'll be coming back....
(4)Nikeita P.
First and foremost, I love Joe's Crab Shack! Typically, I would drive for hours to get to their locations but since they've recently expanded into the Baltimore Metropolitan Area, I don't have a long commute to get to good food! I've never ordered anything besides the classic steampot, but I have ordered it in two flavors; sunset fire grilled and herb and garlic. I often find that the sunset fire grilled is either flavored perfectly or it is WAYYYY to salty. There is never an in-between. To combat this, I tell them to use half the seasoning that they would typically use. The herb and garlic is typically bland so I would shy away from choosing that as your flavor. Overall, I love Joe's Crab Shack. They are much better than Red Lobster (with the exception of the biscuits) in terms of edible and good quality seafood for the price.
(4)Al D.
Fairly decent for a chain restaurant, wait staff was excellent. However, the wait for food was terrible, much too long. Tried the southern fried lobster, which was really decent and different. I would recommend this for anyone who likes fried food.
(4)Nicole T.
It's been a minute since we have visited Joes. This visit however was a special request from my daughter who wanted to have her birthday dinner there (she was turning 13). So I decided to give in and take her and 4 of her friends along with myself and my girlfriend. The great news was that there was no wait for seating at 630p on a Friday night (yay). Our server was Edward, I think he was new, I told Edward as soon as he greeted our table that we were celebrating my daughters 13th birthday and he said ok that's great. So with that tidbit of info I felt we should have had a more elevated experience than normal. I was wrong. Our order consisted of 2 orders of mozzarella sticks for the girls and an order of crab nachos for my friend and I. We also had 2 drinks along with the girls soft drinks. 2 entrees for the adults and a crab pot for 2 and a KJ steampot. Our apps were delivered. Then our food was brought out. We did not get the awesome bibs with the witty sayings something my daughter was looking forward too since she never gets a steam pot. We had to ask for the bibs and he just brought them to our table. Since we were seeing a movie at 815, I had to flag down another server to locate our server so we could begin to close up. It took another 10 mins or so for him to get the staff together for the "birthday" song which was done by another server ( he was great by the way). After that was over we just packed up and left. I really expected more for the amount of money we spent and the notice we have prior to service. Oh well, next time it will be someplace different.
(3)Christine A.
Went to Phillips Seafood in Baltimore last week, and it was definitely a less-than-stellar experience. Thank goodness Joe's Crab Shack made up for Phillips' shortfalls! We ordered a Sunset Fire steam pot for two and substituted the queen/king crab for Dungeness crab (+$8). Yes, we're Californians...and we have some sort of loyalty to these kinds of things. The dish itself was a little over-salted, but once you cracked the shells and dipped the crab and shrimp in butter and lemon --all was good! The service was better than most of their other locations. The hostess was very nice, and gave us the booth that we wanted, even when it was meant to be a table for 4+ and there were only two of us. That's what service is all about!! Our server was awesome! She was fast, very informative about the different options that were not on the new summer menu still available to order, and she was gracious enough to actually tell the kitchen that they only put 1/2 of a Dungeness crab in our steampot when we asked for a full one. Anddd brought us our 1/2 crab shortly after. The bottom line: if you must eat at a seafood franchise, your money is better spent here at this particular location. P.S. Great balls of fire!!!! Mmmm
(4)Jennifer B.
I went here for lunch the other day and was a bit disappointed with the service. I had fish tacos which were good but the waitress kept disappearing and never seemed to follow up to see if we needed anything. Even when we were trying to get the check the waitress was hard to find and then didn't apply the coupon we had given her to begin with which continued to slow our process down when we were trying to leave.
(3)Hua D.
Check the receipt when you are ready to pay. They overcharge me for 1lb crab which I did not order. I don't know it is on purpose or not. But this makes me feel so bad and seems to be treated differently as a foreigner. Besides, the boil crab is extremely expensive. $28 for half the crab! OMG! Never order it. The stream pot is so salt. I love Boiling Crab, and this is totally different. Feel so bad. Never come back again!
(2)Yeong M.
Just like red lobster. The food is lacking. They can't give you a decent quality or quantity of seafood for the money they charge. Lots of veggies and hardly any seafood. Goodness sake their fish and chips is tilapia. I almost puked. That's the fish I hate most. What happened to the cod or flounder. You know ocean fish not the cheap fresh water farmed fish. You won't believe the disappointed looks on the customers faces. Most look like they were dragged there for a birthday. If you want decent seafood in baltimore for a decent price go to a crab house and pick some bluecrabs while they're still affordable. Going to a place like joes and expecting great seafood is but a pipe dream. Unless you spend )$75 to $150 at a fancy steak joint for a big fat lobster you're going to be disappointed with the chain restaurants version of lobster. You will end up with a big shrimp--2 bites and all done
(2)Sandy H.
One of my favorite seafood spots in Maryland. I truly love the weekly specials they have of course my favorite being the huge drinks with the 2 limit purchases. This place is always a good place to start the night off right. So far, everytime I come here I receive great service and the staff has always been friendly and very helpful in giving you suggestions on what to order.
(4)Mike F.
Hands down Appetite upppppppppp this place food and drinks are amazing. Staff Alaina is great, when the disco light come on get ready to party, the staff will get to dancing. I definetly will be back, Meal- Pineapple Pina Colada, Bananaberry Smoothie, Red Fish/w crabmeat on top with Broccoli and Dirty Rice. Wifey- Queen Crab Pot Cajun Style!!!!!!!!!!!!! Awesome
(5)Thomas J.
I have been here 3 straight Tuesdays for lunch. Not busy. Staff are friendly know about the menu atmosphere is great. Make me feel I am on the water or on an old boat. The clam chowder is good with nice pieces of clam not huge blocks of potatoes. The fried craw fish was good I didn't like the crab fritters not enough crab I have had the steam pots all were extremely good. Overall I like it here I will come back
(4)Stephanie A.
I sat at the bar and ordered rail/regular drinks - hush puppies and shared the classic steampot for 2. This is my second time here and the staff is really great - most seem like they enjoy coming to work! Rail drinks were strong for the price! And the regular drinks we ordered were good also. I enjoy lots of crab - being from MD and this was good for me! Potatoes and other items were cooked well. Hush puppies were a little dense - this seems like how they just are so you can skip these. Also ordered some strange spicy crab app and the flavor was good - just a little messy I suppose. You can skip that too. The steampot actually had more food than we expected. We left stuffed. The place was not very full for a Friday night I suppose - we got our food on time and the bartenders were helpful and nice! Yes this is a chain, but the food seems fresher to me than say Red Lobster and the atmosphere is fun and casual. Its difficult to find better seafood for the same price and same sit down fun atmosphere.
(5)Elaine H.
Not good... Everything tastes,frozen, water logged and not fresh at all. I've been here 2 tines and both times were disappointing.
(1)Olivia M.
This place is basic. You'll pay $100 for two entrees and drinks and leave feeling unimpressed. We ordered the lobster tail basket with corn on the cob (overboiled) and red potatoes (zero flavor). The lobster tail was basic and we had to ask for the drawn butter on the side (thought that was a normal side) However this place really made my night with its manager! An African American gentleman went above and beyond. I never had lobster tail before and it came with red caviar looking things up it's back after the shell was removed. This shocked and disgusted me. I mentioned it to my waiter who brought over the manager. He explained it was a female and this was normal. He saw that I was still disgusted so he brought another one cleaned and freshly steamed with drawn butter. He made my night. Even though it wasn't a restaurant issue he delivered an awesome experience. This place has long wait times at peak hours. Fun picnic outdoor type seating during the warmer months.
(3)Stephanie M.
We went to Joe's Crab Shack on Saturday night for dinner. We called ahead but were told reservations weren't needed before 7pm. When we arrived around 5pm we couldn't find a parking space so we drove back to our hotel to park and take a hotel shuttle back to the restaurant. The wait was about 30 minutes - although that was reasonable we should have ignored their advice and made reservations. Once inside, the host seemed overwhelmed -but in his defense there was a crowd. Our server, however, was great. Very friendly and enthusiastic. The menu was incredible and we had trouble choosing from so many great items. We had crab dip for an appetizer that was amazing. We both opted for the East Coast Sampler which was very good as well. The only drawback in my opinion was the noise level. The music was loud and it made it very difficult to have a conversation with my dinner partner. I will admit that since we were over 40, we may have been the only ones who minded the noise level. Most people looked like they were have a great time in the festive atmosphere. Servers even spontaneously started dancing to the music several times during our visit and they were really fun to watch. Overall, the food was great, the restaurant was clean and service was excellent. The only drawbacks were the parking and noise level. I would go back again though just for the food - and maybe a littler earlier in the day to avoid the rush.
(4)Michael M.
Friendly staff and drinks good. Clam chowder came out cold. Sent it back and it was microwaved to 275 degrees. Burned my lips off. Really you microwave your soup? Ordered king crab pot. It was not too fresh the shell just bended. The fish and shrimp was ok. Typical chain restaurant cooks most likely. They don't understand how to treat there ingredients. Very disappointing overall.
(2)Pete H.
The food was fair but the bartender was awesome. Heavy handed free pour and she even bought a round. There were lots of tv's but no sound. The atmosphere was okay and the place looked brand new.
(3)Ma-e M.
Joe's does not cook the best of paella. If you want closed to authentic paella that is good, try Bahama Breeze. Joe's theme is beachy feel like Cheeseburger in Paradise. Joe's theme restaurant thrives to have a relax dining. I don't like crab legs so I did not order any but if you like crab legs, this could be the place to go. Joe's calamari is definitely way better than Carrabba's calamari. Coconut shrimp is not the best here, but it's alright.
(3)Nikki V.
We checked out the joes crab shack...and as usually it was great. We ordered the steam pot for two, I believe. It was great. We will definitely have to come back through. The food was great but looked like it was missing something. I felt like the portions have gotten smaller or something, but we still ate up. Old bay style!!!
(3)Kenneth L.
One of the worst dining experiences I have ever experienced. I will never go back to this location. From top to bottom, management does not care for the needs of the customer. Framed me for buying a fake gift card, when in fact there was 100 dollars on the card when I called there gift card verification line. Argued for about 90 minutes. Food is very expensive and don't get much of it. Terrible Terrible Terrible.
(1)Crystal B.
I haven't been to this location in a while, so I am hoping my experience last night was a fluke. Walking in the door, there were at least 5 parties of 2-3 that needed to be seated, no hostess to welcome us, and more the 80% of their tables were open. After 5 minutes we were greeted by a server who said, "I can't help you because I don't know what's going on" and proceeded to walk away. We continued to wait another 2-3 minutes for the hostess to arrive and not greet us but take someone back. Still shocked at the poor customer service we were receiving and by this time 2 more parties walked in the door and were waiting to be greeted and their names be written down as well. Finally, we were greeted by a hostess after 10 minutes, she told us there was a 20-minute wait. By this time we had already invested 10 minutes, so we waited as we saw several open tables and didn't think it would take that long. We got seated, our server was great which is the only reason I gave this place 2 stars. She was attentive and got us taken care of. My next concern is the steam pots, I got the largest crab pot that was $32. Quite an expensive meal, but I was excited about eating 3 different types of crab legs. Unfortunately, when my pot came out it was lacking and looked awful. I asked the server where the rest of the crab legs were and she replied by saying, I get that question a lot. For $32 I got 2 single claws and 1 snow crab cluster that was missing two legs. Really? This is was $32 gets me. We ate and left, wouldn't come back after this experience. Red Lobster has better customer service and better portions by far!
(2)Steve R.
Visited here 2 weeks ago after a movie at the Cinemark. Enjoyed a steamed feast for two. Crab legs and corn were delicious! The sausage was a bit bland. My son and I ordered the dinner for two which came with hush puppies but were disappointed with the tiny dish they presented us. No offer for refills? Is that possible? Overall not a bad deal but nothing exceptional. Definitely room for improvement.
(3)Tisha S.
came here for a lunch date. 1st the bartender took forever to take our orders and fix our drinks. we were at the table for 10 mins before they came. though it was empty looking things were slow at first. the food was good and the server was in good spirits too. i had fun with my date so it was all good.
(3)Joe P.
I went there with a friend to try something new and different, we had a wonderful experience. "EM" was our server as she was also training "Kelly" at the time. They were both wonderful young ladies that had an eye for attention. Not once did we have to wait for anything that we needed or may have wanted. They were on top of all our needs at all times. Will definitely return again.
(5)Sylvia B.
Food was plentiful and good! Got seated right away which is a plus.pinacolada was yummy. I ordered the whole lobster which came with bacon scallops and bacon shrimp. It was very tasty indeed. I had the garlic mussels for the appetizer ummm ummm good!
(4)Travis H.
Our food took a long time to get to our table and when it did it was barely warm. We could tell it had been sitting on line waiting for the server to deliver it to us. After we sent it back, it was returned but missing prices of the meal that are normally included. The manager offered us a 10% discount but that's like a slap in the face when we were ordering well over $100 worth of food. This is also after it took 15 min to get a beer on tap (had to ask 3 times for it). They had a decent amount of people in the restaurant but not enough to slow a waiter down that much. Maybe if they weren't dancing at random times to the music they had blasting they could have gotten our orders correct.
(1)Dash S.
I have been a fan of Joe's Crab Shack ever since I lived in Montgomery County, MD and used to go to the Joe's in the Rio almost on a weekly basis. This Joe's is right about a year old and we have been in there maybe once every month or 2 since it opened. It is rather hit or miss. We chalked a few of our not as pleasant experiences to being a new restaurant. (Like our appetizer and food getting to the table at the same time.) It seems for the most part we have been getting a lot of the steam pots, the last time we were there though I got one of the fried seafood platters, I just didn't feel like picking crab legs. It seemed like it was over cooked. I picked at it and barley ate it all. My kids always have a great time there and in 3 out of 5 visits we really enjoy ourselves. Bottom line: Joe's will always be in the go to top 5 rotation. Always.
(3)Rianna D.
Had the Queen Crab Chesapeake Style Bucket, I order it every time I'm here. Crab was delicious (I haven't been dissapointed yet!) Sometimes I get the Snow which is flakier but still good! Now the negative...we ordered the Calamari but it was so rubbery we couldn't eat it. The manager was really nice and understanding, took it off our bill. My husband ordered a chicken sandwich and the bun was stale and fell apart as he tried to eat it. But other than that, I enjoy coming here, staff has always been great!
(4)Kennie M.
1st time to Joe's Crab Shack and now I wish I had gone sooner. The service was great. Peter was our waiter and he was friendly and personable. We didn't even wait all that long to get our food. We will go back.
(4)Sam H.
Staff is friendly and competent. The wait can be very long but they have a good system for letting you know when your table is ready and you can go to the mall while waiting. We had one new food item that we didn't like but it was more of a personal taste issue than there being a problem with how it was made
(4)Kayla S.
Awesome experience last night! The hubby and I went out for a casual date night. The host actually showed us where the bathroom and crab stations were at (something that no one has ever done at a restaurant, much less another Joe's!). Our server was very prompt and our food came out fast and tasted delicious. The food isn't cheap, but you also get what you pay for. We went home with plenty of leftovers, so I don't mind paying a little extra.
(4)Alex S.
I have been here twice as a guest and based on my visit I would give Joe's 2.5. I know, my heritage is Russian and the Russian judges are always mean with the points so today I am being generous. So first, the service is hit or miss, accept that and be happy if you get a good server and hey, if your service was bad try again, it might be better next time. The food - first off the crab cake should be called cake, cake, some more cake, and a bit of crab crabcake. Aside from being all filler it was pretty bland at that. It was supposed to come with a sauce which was totally left off and waiting ten minutes to get sauce may not have been so bad if I had a heat lamp for my food, but no, everything went cold. I did wait patiently and drank my tea which was a mistake since it was never refilled. Several of us ordered deserts but were forgotten totally and in the end the only sweetness we had was the bill. So in short one total disaster... But all is not lost, you can get a pretty fun time here if you are lucky. The seafood pots are not the best seafood you will get in MD but that's not the point. It's the gimmick and show of the place, the buckets on the tables, the brown paper table cloths, the dancing wait staff. When it works, it works rather ok and you can have a good time just too bad it's inconsistent. The seafood pots are alright but a bit pricey. BTW, if you want a real Maryland Seafood experience go to Bottom of the Bay in Laurel just down the road. Joe's is all show, Bottom of the Bay is all authentic but may be a bit rough around the edges for some.
(3)Grecia O.
I've been to other crab shacks in California and in Texas and this one does not live up to the others. The food took forever to make and they had us waiting for a very long time to get seated. We eventually got sat outside and when we asked if we could sit inside they said there wasn't any spaces left. I looked inside and about half the tables were available they were just all dirty and the server cleaning seemed to be taking his time. This was a year ago, my husband and I refuse to go again.
(2)Pamela B.
Visited on a Friday night. Service was great but that's where the good experience ended. Had the Queen crab pot. Crab was overcooked, as were the potatoes and corn. Women's bathroom was gross. I'll be heading to another Joe's location next time.
(1)Virginia H.
I'm speaking from the experience of their Blue Crabs, they taste as if though the crabs were frozen. Also, they were not really meaty.
(1)Mesa Jade W.
If I could give this place no stars I would. The service was awful. Having been seated for 20 mins without being asked if I would like a glass of water was out right disrespectful and unprofessional. After speaking on the subject as I walked out the door the manger stood and looked without saying a word. Not until I was in my car. I will never go to the establishment again & wouldn't not recommended it to anyone.
(1)Peaches P.
I love Joes Crab Shack but this one sucked big time. My friend and I arrived for a birthday dinner and were the first of the guests to show up. We were seated at a table for eight after just a couple of minutes. Although we were the first guests to arrive, we were not greeted nor were we asked did we need any drinks. Usually I am the impatient and intolerant one but my friend was beyond pissed after nearly 25 minutes of zero service. Once we finally flagged someone down they told us they would send "J", our waiter for the evening over immediately---they said this several times by the way. Immediately never came. I mean could we have at least gotten some water, a slice of lemon...something??? After a few more minutes a different waitress did come over and ask for our drink orders with a slight attitude. Finally, we asked to speak to the manager. She came over and was very accommodating and hospitable. She mentioned she was in the process of reducing hours and changing the schedules of her staff, as she had noticed the lack of attention given to customers herself. We were given free appetizers for our pain and endurance with the lack of service, lol. Oh, ironically "J" arrived as soon as he saw the manager at our table. How thoughtful!
(2)Ria H.
NEVER AGAIN!! The service was good but you don't get any food. I got 1 cluster of dungenous and 1 cluster of bony snow crab legs, 8 shrimp and a sausage for $25. My husband had 2 clusters of snow crab legs, 5 mussels and 3 super small scallops for the same price! Next time, I'm going to Crab Galley in Bowie. We bought 5 pounds of big snow crab legs (they gave extra) and 80 shrimp for less than $60. My mother in law and son loved that their fried food was not greasy. We should of gotten that because they had decent portions and it was cheaper. Overall, we paid almost $100 for appetizers. When we left, my mother in law asked how we liked our food...we both looked at each other and said, we're gonna go home and cook. NEVER AGAIN!!!
(2)Nora B.
Have dined at this place twice. First time was thoroughly impressed with the food, service, cleanliness. Second time, our waitress had an attitude, sat down at our table to talk to us & take our order. Made snide comments to us a few times & just never smiled, and didn't really check on us. Oh wait, she was finally polite to us, & smiled when she handed us the check. Lol....ohhh NOW she realizes we are supposed to tip her. We did of course, but not our usual 20%. Needless to say, we won't be returning.
(2)Tim H.
Normally I would give this place a good rating but I can't give this location a very good rating due to the fact that our food was served cold and it took about an hour and a half for us to get our dinners. We went to this place with a co worker of mine and his wife. They'd never been to a Joe's before and we were telling them that we loved the steam pots and the food a lot. We were somewhat disappointed in our evening here. Perhaps it is because it is a relatively new location. Perhaps they were short on staff. I don't know what the reasons were for the food being cold but I do know that it shouldn't have come out that way, especially since we had asked a manager to check on our entrees due to the amount of time it was taking. Don't get me wrong, I still like Joe's but I will most likely visit other locations until this one gets its act together. Good food, even though it was somewhat cold, and disappointing this time around. Thanks for reading my review. This review is based off of my personal experience and opinion.
(2)Jonathan G.
The place is brand-new and in this location and is always very busy. I had my meal at the bar which is always great if you want to eat in a busy restaurant. After looking over the menu and noticing that everything is over $12 I decided to order the Skillet Paella. The dish was $17 dollars and full of shell fish. The dish has smoked sausage, shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams, and fried calamari over yellow rice with green and red peppers. The dish taste great, flavorful, and amazing with that smoked sausage. The problems that I had were the pricing and the care of the cook. This dish was great but what made it bad was the fact that the cook broke some of the shells of the mussels into the rice and when I mentioned it to my bartender she didn't call her manager over to take the dish and replace it. This is a serious issue because if I would have swallowed the shells, the restaurant would have been shut down just as fast as it was built. As I continued to eat I noticed that I kept finding more pieces of shells in the rice and then I noticed that a floor manager passed me by. That's when I realized the bartender had lied to me. At that moment I wasn't happy. So I finished my meal and left two star tip on an $18 dollar bill. My health and safety is more important than not informing a manager that the cook is not paying attention to what he or she is doing. To sum it all up, the food is good, just be very careful what you eat and watch for the shells. And if you have a problem make sure to speak with a manager instead of waiting for someone to do it for you.
(3)Sha T.
I went on a Sunday evening. The restaurant was mostly full and bustling. As we perused the menu we were informed that every time the disco ball was twirling and lit up the servers were about to dance. And dance they did... although some of the servers were clearly into it and others weren't, I thought the idea was great. *hint: please leave the underwhelmed servers out of these routines...they kill the upbeat vibe* After a few moments wait we ordered appetizers and drinks. If you order one of their drinks that come in a mason jar, you can take the mason jar home. The server will even give you a new clean one if you don't want to take the one you were drinking out of. I ended up ordering the Arctic Bay Steampot. Everything was tender and savory, save for the shrimp. Which were tasteless and missed out on seasoning. I wish they did ala carte adds to some pots. Such as a steamed clam were not in every pot but, would've been a tasty added addition for say 5 bucks more. It's a great idea for a great location. I had a few questions bubbling in my head during my visit...such as...when did PBR become the same price as say a Yuengling(6 bucks) and I wonder if they have a crabby hr(happy hr). Overall my service was great and expeditious. I'd visit again.
(4)Brain Z.
Where do I start? Went to Joe's Crab Shack for a company lunch meeting. There were 13 of us, but the restaurant was fairly empty during lunch. The restaurant has a great decor and atmosphere, but that is about it. Service was terrible! I felt like the waitress new she was going to get the 18% gratuity so she took her sweet time. I ordered the salmon, which was a signature chosen dish on the menu. Terrible....veggies were undercooked and cold, they also never brought me out my potatoes. My other co-workers complained about some of there lunch entrees as well. Will never go back. This place is just a glorified Sizzler / Red Lobster without the buffet.
(1)Nina U.
All right giving this place a second chance. My work crew loves it. It's clean and more modern than some of the other Joe's Crab Shacks around. The staff was nice on this day too. They were on their best behavior because the big bosses were visiting and checking the place out. We were quickly seated and had the best waitress. I think her name was Michelle. If you ever have a bad waitress then tell them to come take notes from Michelle. She worked our table of 20 by herself. We never had an empty glass and all orders were correct. She was super friendly and totally supportive of giving us separate checks, no questions asked. I split the SKILLET PAELLA under the Shore to Please menu section. Don't look it over so quickly- there is no picture and easy to miss. It's enough for 2- 3 people depending on how hungry you feel. It was surprisingly good! Love the fried calamari on top, mussels and andouille sausage with the rice. So yummy. I dug around the shrimp and scallops and clams. They still do the dumb dance around the restaurant every hour and most of the staff is not even all into it. They could also be serving us our food before they start dancing instead of letting it sit. I still won't pick this place on my own but at least I have something I can enjoy eating with good company if some other fools want to eat here again :-)
(3)Valarie J.
Rec'd a text that all I had to do was make a reservation for the weekend 6/28-7/1/12 to receive free food and drinks (not adult juice- that would have been awesome). I'm glad I responded back, when entering the building was greeting with all smiles and a friendly staff. The building is decorated with bright colors, netting gear, and few crabs. Nice open space with tables, booths, and a section with picnic benches. They only asked that each member of the party to order different menu items, as this was a training session for them. We were happy to oblige, I ordered the Whiskey Smoked Ribs the meat was falling off the bones and the sauce was finger licking good. My hubby ordered the KJ Steampot which included snow crab legs, mussels, clams, and corn on the cob did not hear a peep out of him. The server did an awesome job with any requests and very knowledgeable with the menu items even make some suggestions. The overall feel of the place is live, the servers do a music dance that draws you out of your seat. I will be adding this in rotation Food was good. Opening day is 7/3/12 at 11am the first 100 people will rec'd free crabs for a year(read flier for more details on their website)
(4)Amy C.
I'll admit, I only wanted to try this place because of the commercials. The waitress was really helpful, but couldn't give me a mallet when the claw-cracker wasn't strong enough. I know it's a chain, but the franchisees should know better than to open a seafood place in MD unless it's top notch. I will not be returning, and would not recommend.
(1)Carolyn J.
I have been to the location in Gaithersburg several years ago, and it was a 5 star experience. Came to A. Mills location a little over a year ago and the food and service was great. 4 star... I don't know what happened to either location? Came here last night and was disappointed which I was afraid of after reading the reviews but since I came before, didn't think it would've been a problem. Our server started off great but then got slower through the meal. There were 6 of us for a birthday dinner. None of us got steampots. Stuffed shrimp was not bad, the jumbo fried shrimp should've been cooked a little longer. The other entries, they said they liked them but could've been saying that to be nice since it was my bday dinner. When it was time to bring out the cake that was brought in & put in their refrigerator, it took quite some time for that to come out. Our waitress was nice but slowed down during our meal, not sure if she had too many tables or what was going on. And they do dance from time to time so the music gets turned up. If you don't like loud music while eating, I wouldn't come. I'll have to think about returning & giving the steam pot another try. But we'll see.
(2)Tee B.
I visited Joe's Crab Shack on my last night in MD before returning to VA. It was my mom's first time and from the moment we were seated, our server made us feel so welcome. She was tending bar and taking orders at the same time, but she let us know what she was doing so that was fine with me. Everyone was very friendly, and they even did a few line dances, which as funny. My mom started to get up and dance, but changed her mind. Our food came out promptly and everything was delicious. The shrimp was perfectly cooked and the fries were hot. I ordered a pina colada which came out in a frozen pineapple core and it was delicious. I have never thought of doing that, and it's a great idea. Overall, it was a good place for our last meal.
(4)Bugsy B.
Tried this Joe's out and I liked it. Sat at the bar and ate with a couple friends. The bartender was nice and very helpful. I had the classic sampler and ordered garlic mussels appetizer. My first time eating mussels...it was ok, but I probably won't get it next time. But I enjoyed the sampler plate. The crab balls were hot and delicious along with the sauces they serve. I'll be back to try out some more of what they have.
(4)Mike A.
Great seafood, great service, at a fair price. This location is the place you want to go. The food was great, very delicious and very balanced. The service was outstanding. Peter the waiter did a great job taking care of everything from making sure that you have everything to timely drink refills. The atmosphere was very fun and energetic. Overall a great experience!
(5)D W.
Lobster was a bit rough but the fire balls were great. French fries too salty also. The venue is nice and spacious and the waiting staff was very good.
(3)Nick L.
If you are looking for great seafood please use your common sense and don't go to a chain. There are plenty of great seafood restaurants in the area that cost the same. With that said I went here on a whim and wasn't expecting much but the food was decent. As I said its a chain so nothing is fresh. Now my 2 star review is strictly on the service. This place is one of the slowest restaurants I've ever been to. The service is terrible and not by the fault of the wait staff. It is totally the Management. They are completely understaffed at all times trying to save a buck at your expense. I really feel bad for the employees. We sat at the bar and for the whole restaurant there were only two bartenders who were getting drinks for everyone, restocking the bar, waiting on the people eating at the bar and about 10-15 more tables with no help. No bar backs, no other waiters helping out and no manager lending a hand. I heard him state they were out of something probably ten times to other people so it's obviously not inventoried very well either. So if you go there just know what you are getting in to, or my suggestion is to NOT Eat at Joe's.
(2)Kimberly S.
People I know who've been to Joe's Crab Shack swear by their experience. They went in expecting some decent seafood, and came out with tales of stellar seafood, seeing unicorns and butterflies and servers who like to do the Cupid Shuffle. It sounded like a utopian society where the tooth fairy, the Easter Bunny and the best seafood co-existed in harmony. I went there this evening expecting at the very least to have some fantastic seafood and perhaps a lively Cupid Shuffle dance. I got nothing. Not even a dancing unicorn. The crab legs I ordered were starter legs, not very meaty at all. I wondered if the menu description mentioned something about hollow crab legs that I might have missed. And don't get me started on the "butter". I love butter. I live for butter. But what Joe's served was NOT butter. At best it was clarified margarine. At worst, movie theater popcorn butter. My mom raved over her salmon dinner and my nephew approved of his Surf n' Turf burger. But I could not say the same about my Bucket of Crab. The service was spotty at best. We waited so long for our food I wondered if I should have Cupid Shuffled my way to the kitchen to get it myself. If only Joe's servers had hit that dance floor, or if they trotted out the tooth fairy or perhaps a unicorn, it might have cancelled out my disappointment with the lackluster food and earned them a 3-star review.
(2)WILL A.
The crab meat nachos were a delicious! I could have eaten it as an entre if I didn't share it with the table. The steam pot once again sent me home stuffed and happy.
(5)Erica C.
They have the best crab nachos. The service was very good as well. This location had plenty of seating. I wish they had more basic grilled fish options. Then again...its called the crab shack not fish shack! We ended up sharing a big platter of fried seafood goodness. I loved the coconut shrimp and sweet dipping sauce.
(4)Gregory B.
I enjoyed my experience, but I have to dock a few points. Overall, the place is okay and the food tastes good. I went here for lunch on a Friday. We stood at the kiosk in the front for about 3 minutes (eternity) before being acknowledged. The store wasn't crowded at all, and I know at least 3 or 4 employees saw us before someone greeted us. This was my biggest gripe. I'd like to hope that this is a freak occurrence and it doesn't happen often, but I have no authority to make that assumption My appetizer was about a C. I got the "great balls of fire," which were supposed to be spicy with jalapenos, but they weren't spicy at all. It just tasted like fried food; not particularly flavorful at all. The entree' was great! I got the KJ steam pot. It had muscles, crab legs, oysters, two roasted potatoes, and a corn stalk. The flavor was really good...like a sweet spicy, but not over the top. I was surprised I finished this after having my appetizer. Also, my server was excellent, so apparently, once they get you in the door, they're okay. That first step is a challenge though (lol). FOR SEAFOOD, it's not expensive...but seafood is expensive, so...
(3)Joi R.
It's very rare that I write a review but after such a horrible meal at Joe's I was compelled. The food was so salty that I felt like I need to get my cholesterol takern. It was one of the worst meals that I have ever eaten in my life. At least the drinks and service were good. Not good enough to warrant another visit or a recommendation to go to the bar, but decent enough for me to mention them.
(1)Courtney C.
You don't go to Joe's Crab Shack expecting excellently prepared, fresh seafood. Just like you don't go to the Olive Garden expecting made fresh pasta and sauces. For what it is, Joe's is good. I went with The Classic and it was what I expected. I ate my way through crab legs, under seasoned potatoes, and corn. The best part of the whole meal was the paint your own crab rice crispy treat. My son didn't eat a single bite, but was highly entertained. I would come back if asked too. Otherwise, I'll go more for fresh and local seafood for the same price.
(3)Jonathan H.
Service was slow to non-existent, empty glasses were never cleared, orders were incorrect and arrived randomly over a 30 minute period, bill was incorrect, fries were room temperature, and I was shocked to discover you CAN actually ruin crab legs in too much butter. The hurricanes were strong and cheap at $2 each, but I'll never be back.
(1)Andres M.
I had the pot (not sure of the name) that had sausage, dungeness crabs, queen crabs, corn and shrimp. It was great! I could've used a bigger portion of crab but I really appreciated the flavor. My wife had the pot with snow crab, sausage and lobster. She also liked her meal. We both had drinks. I had a drink called something punch that had Southern Comfort. It was very strong but pretty good. My wife had a drink that had some vodka flavored tea that she really liked. Service was good. Restaurant was pretty packed at 8pm on a Friday but we didn't have to wait long. I'm guessing this was because of the pouring rain. My wife already said she wants to go back for her birthday. I'm betting we'll be back before then though ;-)
(4)Vannessa S.
My husband and I went on a Friday evening and had to wait about 30 minutes to be seated (not bad for an Arundel Mills retaurant location!). We had an awesome server, her name was Crystal (I think) and she was great at what she did. The food however, was disappointing. We both ordered steam pots with lobster, shrimp, corn, potatoes and sausage, and the only things that were decent were the potatoes and sausage. The lobster was so overcooked that it was hard to chew. The six shrimp in the pot were also overcooked, and the corn tasted as if it had been in a tank of water for days. My husband and I both laughed because we loved the sausage more than the seafood. The atmosphere was noisy, but that was expected. The restaurant also has a disco ball in the center of it and when it lights up, that lets everyone know that it's time to dance. The kids in the restaurant loved it and were dancing up and down the aisles, but the adults were more interested in gobbling up their overcooked seafood to notice. For $35 a pot, we expected better prepared food. Probably won't be back.
(2)Ms B.
It was the commercials I tell you that did it. Looking at those steamy pots on my television forced me to leave my home and travel from Columbia. Was it worth it? I wasn't impressed. To me it was blah. I've had better. Waitress was nice and there was no wait for my table. It was way too cold in there. It's hard to enjoy anything when my bones were frozen. I'm willing to try another visit since I did not have the steam pot. My hush puppies were ok and the steam shrimp need to be drenched in old bay in the steamer, not at my table. After my meal I just felt blah. My breakfast was more fulfilling than this meal. It was a disappointment.
(3)Daniel C.
I have eaten at other Joe's Crab Shack locations, and while my wife loves them they usually leave me underwhelmed. This location is nestled in the overdeveloped Arundel Mills parking lot, and we were able to find a reasonable parking space arriving early for dinner on a weeknight. The inside is very roomy, and there is outdoor "deck" seating available. We lucked into a great table just inside the entrance in a nook in front of the outside entrance. With my back to the deck door, I was completely cut off from the view of the rest of the restaurant so I was spared watching the employees' regular dance of shame (to be fair, I'm sure young children must find it very entertaining.) There is a well-appointed bar right up front as you walk in, and it was tempting to sit there. My main issue with this restaurant is that almost everything is steamed, and steaming is something that can be easily overdone, especially on a mass production assembly line. We ordered a bucket of garlic mussels as an appetizer, and they were tasty and scrumptious but with an unfortunate number of broken shells. Their selection of steam pots is their main stock in trade, and they have a variety of themes to choose from (many include sausage and/or potatoes which I have never really figured out.) We opted for a Spicy Citrus Steampot and I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised. All the shellfish was cooked properly and the spiciness and citrus aroma was great. I really enjoyed my meal, and I'm pretty sure we will be back before too long.
(4)A C.
You have to be fair - this place is a chain seafood restaurant. You're not going to get the best and freshest seafood right out of the ocean. It's just not going to happen. You will, however, pay for your experience. The crab legs are pretty decent, if you wake up and feel like some crab legs, by all means go! For the amount of food you get in your pot, I think it's worth the price. You're also paying for the atmosphere, which can be cheesy, but like I said - it's a chain. I come here every once and while if I have an itch for some seafood. I really like the crab dip appetizer too. The service was just ok, good enough I guess. We got our food in a timely manner. The waitress wasn't really that friendly though and she didn't write on our bibs. Not a requirement I guess, but still sufficient.
(4)Enette R.
Yum. Great food clean, nice servers and the wait wasn't to bad considering it was packed. They did a little dance to "Ride the Train" which was cute and fun.
(4)David I.
Went here for a birthday dinner with a few other people. The wait staff was extremely nice and had our food to us rather quickly. Why then did I decide 3 stars instead of 5? Some of the dishes were rather disappointing. The fish and chips, which should be a staple in any seafood joint, were extremely bland. Even the tartar sauce didn't taste like much, which was quite the disappointment. It tasted like dipping bland food in bland sauce. Someone else at our table ordered them and came to the same conclusion. The great balls of fire were probably the highlight, although they could have been stuffed with more jalapenos. No big deal, they were greatly enjoyed by all. Great facility, quick service, and wonderful wait staff. The food needs some improvement though.
(3)Steve Y.
I don't know where to start. We went to the JCS. What a BIG mistake! The portions were small....very small.......tiny? We ordered Classic Sampler and Joes Classic Steampot for two and all I can say is " where's the seafood?" The picture on the menu is nothing like what I got. Yeah, I felt like I could of went to SAFEWAY and bought snow crab legs and got more bang for buck. The service was GREAT, the waitress was awesome. And now I realize service is important, but the food is MORE important. After my $70 bil, I walk out sadly knowing I will never come back to this place again. I don't think this chain realize they are in Maryland. There are many seafood options here. You have to bring it or you gonna lose it. They lost me.
(2)Dan S.
Our Starters Crab Stuffed Mushroom were really good and Crab Nachos were awesome, Bucket of Crabs was OK not lots flavor in it, overall was satisfied will go back if i crave for Crabs.....
(3)John D.
Had eaten at a Joe's some years back in Vegas but had no memory of it. there was a little bit of a wait but plenty of empty tables. once seated we got a appetizer of hush puppies, large tasty hush puppies with peppers inside, yum. my garden salad good but not spectacular. i had the "Raging Cajun" crab pot which included Dungeness Crab, Queen Crab, shrimp, and andouille sausage. The pot also had an ear of corn and a couple of red potatoes. The crab was great the andouille sausage even better. the shrimp though was a disappointment, rather pedestrian and small. Margi got the "Classic" steampot which had Dungeness Crab, Snow Crab, the aforementioned disappointing shrimp, and a smoked sausage. Our server J. R., was attentive but a slightly forgetful as a couple of times we had to request a second time things such as napkins, drinks, ect. all in all a nice evening
(4)R F.
Hated the Fish and Chips. The smallish uninteresting pieces were overcooked and flavorless. The best thing on the plate was the ketchup...and fries, which was pretty paltry. As well, presentation of that messy, unappetizing-looking plate was a big fat FAIL. The place was NOT busy in the early afternoon yet the service was horrible. First I sat there for about 10+ minutes before anyone even acknowledged me. Then I had to ask another server about my drink order -- how long does it take to bring a stupid root beer bottle? That 2nd server brought an IBC bottle inside of one minute, which made me wonder what the 1st server's problem was. The apple crumble dessert was 1.5 out of 5. Tasted OK, but was kinda gloppy. The picture was completely better than the real thing. Worst $25 meal almost ever. Why I left even the $3 tip escapes me right now, except that I believe in tips in principle. I might go back since it was my first time and give them another chance...maybe try the Maui Mahi. The Fish and Chips again? Not just no, but HECK no. Don't know when that next time will be because of today's unpleasant visit.
(1)Ryuko S.
2 stars because the food was pretty good, albiet a bit pricey. Service is like molasses. No offers to refill our drinks. She forgot 3 items we ordered, despite using a notepad. As I draft this review, I'm still waiting for the waitress to pick up my check. It's been 15 mins since she dropped it off. Yeah she's getting a very small tip.
(2)Diana D.
No complaints about Joe's! We went for a team work lunch and we were the first ones in for the day. The staff was attentive and friendly. Make sure to sign up for the emails and you get a coupon for a free appetizer. All the food was fresh and tasted good.
(4)Garland C.
Cannot recommend. Let's start with the food... Lobster was over cooked. Potatoes were undercooked? The best part of the seafood dinner was the sausage? Now the service. When you check in they take your cell number to text you that your table is ready. We waited ten minutes and got a text. When we went to the hostess, who looked all of 17, she said, "oh that's weird, I paged you a while ago". Did I mention we were sitting right in front of her? Then when we got to our table, we received three more texts letting is know our table was ready. (All from different phone numbers by the way). Now the service... Bloody Awful. Our waitress was named "Jenn". It should be Copperfield, because once the food hit the table, she disappeared. (I jokingly thought she was out back smoking a cigarette.) Ironically as i was checking in to Yelp, i was reading other reviews about the wait staff vanishing. We had to ask another waitress for butter. Who serves crab, lobster and corn on the Cobb with no butter??? After "Jenn" dropped off the check, she again vanished. As we walked to our car out back, yup... Jenn and two other employees were sitting out back on a curb smoking a cigarette. Not going back to Joe's Crab Shack.
(1)Ron N.
This is a late review but I'm sure it hasn't changed. What isn't overcooked to death is cold and soggy. I had to send my order back twice and first a stream pot then a simple crab order. Its sad that the best thing about this place was the shark drink. I admit it isn't a place for an anniversary but I have children who need to eat too. The corn my son got looked like it was dipped in warm water, dropped on the ground, and rolled in butter.......
(2)Clare E.
Food was ok. Way more butter and grease than necessary. Place is very dirty, shoes stick to floor, tables not wiped well between occupants. 2 stars go for staff attentiveness and quality of service excepting cleanliness of the place.
(2)Jason M.
Eh... I came here two nights in a row and sat at the bar both nights..... The food was really good both times, however the service was almost inexcusable. The first evening was just ok. It took a couple minutes after my appetizer was served to get silverware. The second night, after I placed my drink and appetizer order, I wasn't approached by the bartender ( I think his name was Jason ) until I placed my credit card on the counter to close the tab and leave. No silverware, no second drink, no checking to see how my food was... I ordered the classic combo... Which came out with out any sauces for dipping the calamari and stuffed jalapeños. I'm in the BWI area at least once a month ( I'm back next week ) and doubt ill be going back.
(2)Michael C.
Food good. Menu advertises like kfc so don't imagine your pot over-flowing... Service is the worst. I thought I might ask for a manager. But then I saw one spill a drink on the booth next to us.
(2)Jamie D.
We came here with friends, having high expectations from a visit we had at there Bell Air location. Wow what a big disappointment! The service was quick, fast and easy, but the food was not worth what we paid for it. We were still hungry after eating what we ordered. May try this place again, but was disappointed with this location.
(2)chris R.
Today was my first visit at this place and my last. Working in the area I always like to try all the new places opening up to see what promising places they are. This was not promising at all. When we told the host how many people in our party, it took one manager and 4 hosts to get us seated, with every one of them asking if we had been helped yet. Seriously? Our bar drinks took almost twenty minutes to get and was probably one of the worst margaritas I have ever had. Tasted like they made it with Roses Lime. Then our food took almost 40 minutes to be received and by that time had that look and dry taste of food sitting in a window for a long time. We got a salmon dish, the east coast platter and king crab legs. Luckily, my crab legs were delicious. Everything else tasted like second rate seafood. The two positive things I can say is our server Rannaya I believe was very apologetic and nice and the crab legs were tasty. Hopefully they try to get better in the coming months.
(1)Jacqueline K.
Kandace she's awesome, great service and she really fast. We love their food and my friends from Qatar and Vancouver enjoyed the food and the service. Surely we will always come back there. Thank you Joe's Crab Shack
(5)Nicole W.
Can I give no stars?!?!?! Where to start...the service is beyond terrible! Our waiter (Whitney...if you get her request a new waiter asap) As I waited for the rest of my party to come, she asked what I would like to drink...I placed my order and she did not return with my drink until 20mins after I ordered it! (after she took the orders of the rest of my party that had showed up 15mins after I originally ordered) Whitney was extremely rude when taking our order....she yelled and continuously reached over the table....so RUDE! Waitressing 101! She was rude to her co-workers who were helping her by filling in where she failed. She took too long to bring back little things....condiments, utensils, refills. After Whitney slammed the bucket of utensils on our table that was our final straw...we asked for the manager. The manager....heard my complaints and excuse her behavior by saying it was because she came from a slower store....UNEXCEPTABLE! As a former manager, she should have offered a comp or discount on the bill as a show of good customer service. If I wanted to be treated like crap while I dined out, I would have gone to Dick's Last Resort....but I didn't so you can bet that this is my first and last time I give Joe's Crab Shack in Hanover, MD my business!
(1)Rob A.
Food was hot and served promptly. Staff was not in my face. I enjoyed it. Tip go early before the mall and casino get jumping. No wait and not crowded.
(5)J A.
My fiance and I were very excited to try Joe's Crab Shack when it came to our area. It was not super-busy and we were greeted promptly and seated. One server came by, introduced herself, and took our drink order. Then another brought us our drinks and said she was taking over because the other server was leaving. We had the sampler appetizer which was just okay. It was served VERY hot (temperature, not spicy) and we both burned our tongues on the crab and artichoke dip, but it was tasty. I had the Original Steampot and my fiance had the KJ Steampot. We both decided they were just okay and nothing spectacular or better than we could do ourselves at home so we won't be returning anytime soon. The employees stop every once in a while do to a choreographed dance such as the Cupid Shuffle, and patrons can join in which is fun.
(3)Lawrence S.
We got there right at opening so perhaps the staff was settling in...but... We ordered a Classic and a Classic for two - had a bad crab in the classic for 2 - the ammonia was enough to knock you over. When the waitress came, I'm not sure she understood and only took my plate that had half of the crab - she left the other half in the steamer pot...She never did bring my plate back but I did get the same half a crab, warmed up, back....I sent the whole crab back and requested a new crab....by the time we got it back, our table of 4 was done and we had to rush to put two of our party on a flight. I will not bother visiting here again.
(2)Maria F.
Stay Away!!!!! One of the worst dining experiences ever!!!!! After first being brought the wrong order, I was told to believe that the second order she brought was correct. Even though it clearly was not garlic and herb, I was told by the manager that the parsley flakes dictated which dish it was. My "steampot" was warm at best!! The manager didn't care, and did absolutely nothing to show any type of guest recovery or retention!!!! I won't be going back, and don't recommend anyone else who cares about food quality or service to even try it.
(1)Antoine R.
My wife & I live 5 minutes from JCS in Garden Grove, CA and go so often we use the same server almost very time (his name is Austin). So when my in laws said they had just opened a JCS down the street and they hadn't been before I convienced them it's a must go. This location just opened so we expected a learning curve. When we got there it was busy so we were told it would be a 45 minute wait and we agreed. An hour later we were seated. Our server Jessica was awesome and really attended to the needs of our party of 4 from the beginning. The same could not be said for the manager on duty Joe. After ordering our food and drinks we then went on to wait 20-25 minutes for the appetizers to show. The sampler was good and the family was happy with the suggestion. The wait for the main corse wasn't as long maybe 5-10 minutes perfect timing after the pre meal snack was taken. However, when I got my order it was immediately clear it was incorrect. I'd ordered the Stonella Steam pot with the spicy boil plus an extra corn on the cob & sausage. When I got my food the extra corn & sausage was seasoned with the spicy boil but none of the steam pot was. I spoke with Jessica about the fact I'd requested the spicy boil and got a classic boil. I offered to eat it but without charge. She stated she'd get the manager Joe to make sure this was ok. He came over and I explained the story to him he said if I wanted to wait for another order I could do that but otherwise I was paying for what I had in front of me if I ate it. I declined both options since we'd been there for almost 2 hours half of which was spent waiting on food so he took my plate from in front of me and left. A few minutes later Jessica came back and asked if everything was taken care of. I told her the story and she was flabbergasted that I was just going to forgo a meal and convienced me to give them 8 minutes to fix the problem. I reluctantly agreed. A short time later my new order arrived perfectly. I enjoyed what I had. Finally when the bill came my father in law looked and stated that my order was still on the bill and had not been compted as we'd expected after the hassle. We asked Jessica about it and she stated he manager Joe told her I ate the food I was paying for it. As I had just spend the better part of a day flying from southern Califonia and it was now almost 11pm I agreed to pay just to get out if the establishment. After this experience I'd doubt if my inlaws will be going back anytime soon if at all. I probably won't I'll stick with the one I normally go to in Garden Grove, CA.
(2)Kathy B.
Just celebrated my daughters 22nd birthday at Joe's and had great service and great food. If you can, ask for Jasmine. She was great! Drinks came right out, and so did the appetizer. She had a great attitude and was very pleasant. When the table next to us got their food before we did, she came and told us she was checking, and immediately came out with our food. The manager stopped by several times to make sure things were good and to make sure we didn't need anything. We had a great discussion with her. The only thing I would suggest that they could improve would be to bring out the melted butter WITH the crab legs. I'm betting 9 out of 10 people will want it. I say give them another chance - they are trying to get better and look like they are going to be a great place to have a great meal.
(5)