CJ’s Crab Shack — Restaurant in Gadsden

I think this restaurant may be suffering from a lack of organization. So many fails on multiple levels The booths are ridiculously uncomfortable. They use metal park benches which would be fine, except the seat is tilted up so that it puts your legs in a raised position. I'm 5'4"so my legs dangled and trying to sit forward was really hard. Our server was sweet but she was scattered. First, she put the order in wrong, she never checked on us, someone else did but it took forever. She had no clue what kind of oysters were being served. Didn't even know if they were Gulf, East Coast, whatever. If you're going to be known for oysters, you absolutely need to prep your servers on this because a customer will ask. I had to ask for silverware, horseradish and hot sauce. Oysters were delivered with a PILE of crackers in wrapped packages literally heaped on top of my food. PUT THEM IN A BASKET PEOPLE! This is just not right. I had a soda delivered with a straw wrapper sitting on top of the ice. Gross. What else is hiding in your ice maker? The oysters were fresh, but the person who prepped them didn't scrub the outside and they weren't released from the joint. This is another point if you want to be known for oysters. Oysters Rockefeller ( which we didn't order, ordered the garlic ones, and the server admitted it was her fault but made no attempt to amend the bill. When they arrived, they came out cold and we're not cooked. Order took 45 mins to be served and during that time the server did not check on us one time. Now, about the gumbo Shrimp still had tails. Fail Two pieces of sausage slices. Gail Three pieces of shrimp. Fail No filé offered The color, vanilla. FAIL FAIL FAIL Chef, where did you learn to cook a roux? Happy to come there and teach you like my Cajun Aunt did

Overall thoughts not bon temp.

The one win, the Connecticut Lobster Roll was perfect and was loaded with lobster. It was served on the proper bun, but we had to ask for the side of coleslaw for both our lunch and our guest's lunch. No liquor license yet, but the bar was stocked and ready. My Suggestions Fix the bench seats Train your crew better Scrub those oysters please! The tips were black and got all over my hands. Just an idea, if you're going to be known as an oyster house, shuck them at my table on a prep cart. It's a great way to shine attention on the menu item. Learn how to make a proper roux or bottom line, don't serve gumbo. Like I said, you wanna make proper Louisiana gumbo, I'll...

My hubby and I spent Monday in Gadsden, AL together and before heading home we stopped and had dinner at C & J's Crabs. 1st time for us both!! They have steam pots w several items in each for mixing up the crab legs, shrimp, Lobster tail along w steamed veggies w\some andoulie sausage, corn on cob and boiled eggs, (never saw that one before) , I just gave mine to my hubby to eat! Our server was 20 s'thing and really didn't have much knowledge of the menu or answers about the menu items to any of my questions. No matter where we stop and eat I routinely ask the same things about my concerns I have about my food choices, what ingredients, garnishment, and seasonings come on or with my meal. I have food allergies and my order always has included substitutions, to replace or to add on items ie. extra sauces or to add a different vegetable, and I stress NO DAIRY product can touch my food!! I still want, what I want, when I want it even if it costs me more... and even if it's a familiar server that waits on us at places we eat in 3xs a month it's that 1 time they forgot to ask the kitchen staff for " No Cheese" and( it happens to me at times) , where either the server forgot or some times the kitchen will miss read the ticket and I end up having to send back food bc of a mistake. Of course my hubby gets his plate and eats while I'm waiting for my recooked meal and he's done b4 I even start!! I worked in the hospitality industry for over 30 years so I'm not expecting free drinks or discounts for food, but if it's done under my 😋 radarscope it's never a bad thing to pay less than full price for anyone else, especially me!! JUST SAYING I WAS FULL AND AWESOMELY DELIGHTED TO RUN INTO THE MANAGER, THOM , I opened up the Gadsden Applebee's back in October of 1992 when he was a line cook until I left in 1997 to move to Pensacola FL . I had no clue when I returned that he got a promotion to asst. manager when they rehired me in 2004... ...... Blast from the past and I was thrilled to catch up with him at C & J's the...

We chose this place over all others to make reservations to eat a wonderful seafood dinner with our cancer survivor mother. I don't know what on earth happened today, but it was a total catastrophe. We ordered the lobster bucket along with a few meals for our kids and added 3 clusters of snow crab claws. They were pitiful. They were the smallest snow crab clusters we have ever seen. Anywhere. Even smaller than the China buffet places any wise person would never eat. NONE were cooked properly, being rubbery and they were totally worthless. The lobster was not cooked properly, and was like rubber.. The server never asked to fill drinks, and was quite confused and all over the place. We had a gift certificate for a small portion of our meal that she did not deduct, and then lost the gift certificate. After we caught it, we asked her and she went and finally found the gift certificate and had to ring up our ticket again and have our card re ran. We had no silverware, and had to ask twice for it as our tiny crab legs got even colder. She did not bring us butter or cocktail sauce. The corn was undercooked. The kids salads were DROWNING in dressing, and we were not given crab claw crackers. Now, I am still sick to my stomach hours later and wish I could just shove my fingers in my mouth and get deliverance from this whole ordeal. We have eaten here at least 5 times and really want to support local business. Whatever happened today needs to be fixed, or this place will suffer the same fate as J C Garcia and the last 10 places that never...