Joe's Crab Shack — Restaurant in Myrtle Beach

Sad to say that my experience at Joe’s Crab Shack this time around left us feeling extremely disappointed to say the least. We make the trip to Myrtle beach every year for vacation, and plan and budget for our Joe’s Crab Shack dinner (as we understand the market price of seafood changes drastically sometimes.) With the quality Joe’s normally provides, we have no issue paying the prices for the food and experience. However, our most recent visit (being last night) we were left upset and disheartened wondering what had happened to the quality and care at Joe’s.

When arriving we were seated right away, and drink orders were taken in a timely manner. However after food and drink orders had been given, we did not see our server again for almost our whole meal. We saw our server more in the few minutes we were paying the bill than we did the entire meal, as she hovered near our table waiting to grab her tip. This alone made me feel extremely unvalued as a long term, dedicated customer. I am a career server back where I live, and was appalled at the service and quality we were provided.

When the food came out we were shocked at the little amount of food that was delivered in our steam pots. For example my partner and I ordered the Crab Daddy Feast, and received about half the amount of food we had received on our last visit. For the same price as last time as well. The seasonings were quite bland, and most of the shrimp we ordered was not cleaned properly (referencing the intestinal tracts most shrimp have that usually is cleaned out).

The most nerve wracking part of our night was realizing my sister has been given my steam pot, (we ordered the same thing but different seasonings). When we began eating I asked a server if the sunset fire grilled seasoning (the one I choose) had old bay in it as I wanted my sister to try it but she is allergic to Old Bay. They informed me that there was a certain type of Old Bay in it and advised me to play it safe which I appreciated. At the end of our meal was when we realized my sister had been given my steam pot, which meant we had to monitor her the entire night with an epipen. We did not realize she had mine until we saw the color of the sauce in the bottom of the steam pot, because again it was too bland to taste anything besides the melted butter we dipped the food in.

My family and I have loved Joe’s Crab Shack for the 17 years we’ve been coming here, and we’re so extremely upset and disappointed with our experience last night. Price is no issue to good customers when the quality of service/food and care of your customers is your first priority. And we sadly felt as though those priorities were not held to the standard...

This isn't the same Joe's Crab Shack - Broadway at the Beach pre-pandemic.

The service is now deplorable. When our group of 8 (4 adults, 4 kids) arrived, we were greeted with less than an enthusiastic attitude from the hostess. We were asked if we wanted to be seated outside, which meant we would be seated immediately, or seated inside, which would require a wait. We opted to be seated outside so that it would be less disruptive to our neurodiverse kids. After being seated, we waited for TWENTY MINUTES before a waitress (who admitted to assigning herself to our table since she saw we didn't have one) came to our table. We literally were 2 minutes away from walking out.

As we walked through the restaurant, we noticed LOTS of empty tables. We suspected the "10-minute wait for an inside table" was to sway families with children to outside seating, where there was a lovely playground area. However, we much prefer honesty and would've appreciated the hostess informing us of the outdoor play area (as we weren't aware of its existence) and letting us make the choice, instead of deciding it for us. Then again, it could've been a situation of low staffing that day (Easter weekend)...although we didn't notice any other tables receiving delayed service.

The food was practically inedible for 7 of the 8 of us. Two of us ordered the shrimp sampler, and every single piece of shrimp was bland, particularly the scampi, which should've been the most flavorful. It was submerged in oil and water, making it impossible to enjoy. The only edible thing on my plate was the "Jasmine" rice, although it tasted like plain long-grained rice (this is coming from born-and-bred Lowcountry gal). My husband's steak was THE worst either of us had ever tasted. It lacked seasoning (even a pinch of salt may have saved it), tasted like shoe leather, and was extremely dry. The kids' dishes just tasted awful; I tasted pieces from each just to make sure our kids weren't being picky - bland. The pina coladas weren't palatable, to say the least. They tasted like straight bottle mix, no freshness - heavy on the cream, non-existent pineapple. One guest seemed to enjoy the tiny crab legs, but she noted that the corn was extremely hard and inedible.

Our group tab was nearly $300, which we were happy to pay when we ordered our meals. But after we could barely stomach 85% of the food, we seriously overpaid and consider it money flushed directly down the toilet.

I don't know what happened to this place, and the service and food seemed to reflect many months - if not years -...

As a self-proclaimed seafood enthusiast and proud dad with a penchant for dad jokes, my family and I decided to pinch ourselves into the coastal vibes of Joe’s Crab Shack at Broadway at the Beach. Let me just say, this place is more than a catch; it’s a shell of a time!

1. Atmosphere (Score: 3/3 Claws): Upon entering, you're greeted by a playful, nautical decor that sets the stage for a fun dining experience. The music is upbeat, the staff is smiling, and there's an irresistible scent of seafood in the air. It’s like a beach vacation for your senses! With license plates adorning the walls and the fun, colorful ambiance, it's a shore thing you'll leave with a smile on your face. My sons, Jaxon and Lukas, were absolutely hooked by the sights and sounds!

2. Service (Score: 6/6 Claws): The service at Joe’s is absolutely top-notch! Our server, Tim, was a real catch—knowledgeable about the menu, attentive without being intrusive, and quick with a joke (my kind of guy!). He made sure our drinks were always full and even entertained my boys with some fishy jokes of his own. It’s always a pleasure when the service feels as warm and inviting as the ocean breeze.

3. Food (Score: 9/9 Claws): Now, onto the main event: the food! Let me tell you, the seafood here is nothing short of shell-tacular! We kicked things off with the Crab Nachos, which were piled high and overflowing with deliciousness. I ordered the Steampot and was thrilled by the feast before me—crab legs, shrimp, sausage, corn on the cob, and potatoes, all perfectly seasoned. It was like a seafood symphony playing on my taste buds!

For the kids, we ordered the Mini Beach Burgers, which Jaxon and Lukas devoured with glee, claiming they were “fin-tastic!” The cherry on top was the Key Lime Pie, which wrapped our meal up on a sweet note. It was so good I couldn’t kelp myself but to take an extra slice home for later!

Conclusion: In a nutshell, Joe’s Crab Shack at Broadway at the Beach is a must-visit. Whether you're a local or just passing through, make sure you reel in some time to enjoy the excellent service, mouth-watering food, and fun-filled atmosphere. Remember, life’s a beach, so take your family to Joe’s for a meal they’ll clam-or for again and again!

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