Is Joe's Crab Shack Worth the Time and Money?

Robert Casey

English 1A

March 14, 2013

Essay 2

Is Joe’s Crab Shack Worth the Time and Money?

            March 5, 2013 we were invited to spend the evening with our granddaughter’s family to celebrate her 16^th birthday at Joe’s Crab Shack in Old Sacramento. Excited to spend the evening with Dana and the family we were skeptical about the choice of restaurant. We had heard that Joe’s Crab Shack was very expensive, lacked quality food, and was short on service and atmosphere.

            Approaching the entrance to the restaurant you come upon a gentleman entertaining patrons with balloon animals and art. He keeps the children laughing and engaged while waiting. As you come to the entrance a smiling greeter opens the door inviting you inside and pointing out the reservation desk. Requesting a table for twelve, we are told to expect a wait of about 35 to 45 minutes; not bad for such a large party. The receptionist takes our cellphone number and will text us when the table is ready. It was only 25 minutes when we were called for seating.

            You enter the dining area and immediately see that all tables offer a view of the Sacramento River, Tower Bridge, and the West Sacramento River parkway. Several big screen TV’s offer views of various sporting events. An area near the front is set up with tee shirts, hats, toys and other souvenir items available for purchase.  Nautical themed décor is seen throughout the restaurant including a 15 foot Great White Shark hanging menacingly overhead. Contemporary rock music plays on the sound system loud enough to be heard, but not obnoxious.

            Two waitresses greeted our party and introduced themselves as our wait team. Each of us had a large bib with cute sayings hand written on them put on by the waitresses. A highchair was requested for the 18 month old in our group and arrived about 10 minutes later. Drink orders arrived about 10 to 15 minutes after placing the order. The coffee did not taste fresh, but more like instant coffee. The waitress quickly exchanged my coffee for a new cup and traded my wife’s coffee for iced tea without question. Our food orders were taken after receiving drinks. It took about 45 minutes for food to arrive. We did notice that tables seated well after our group received their meals much faster. We were told that this was due to the size of our group.

            A very large selection of appetizers is available. We chose for our appetizers clam chowder, deep fried mozzarella sticks, and crispy calamari. The clam chowder was loaded with clam chunks and very flavorful. The calamari and mozzarella sticks were cooked perfectly and not at all greasy.

            For the main course my wife and I chose to share the Artic Bay Steam pot containing crab, lobster, sausage, new potatoes, and corn on the cob seasoned with Old Bay Seasoning. Our grandson ordered the Skillet Paella; a combination of clams, shrimp, muscles, scallops, and sausage cooked in a tomato basil sauce over a bed of rice and crispy calamari. Others in the group had crab buckets, lobster buckets, and seafood platters. Steam pots and buckets can be prepared in five different seasoning and preparation choices.

            All food was prepared to perfection. The steam pots and buckets contain all their fresh ingredients contained in one mesh bag. The shellfish was not over cooked and seasoned excellently; very hard to do with all ingredients cooked together. The other dishes served at our table had been prepared with the same care and excellence. Fried dishes contained no excess grease and were very crispy.

            Food costs are very reasonable given the quality and quantity of the meal provided. Appetizers are priced from $3.79 to $12.99, lunches start at $7.99, dinners start at just $10.19 for single item plates and $15.49 for multi item plates and platters. Steam pots range from $20.99 for single servings to $42.99 for meals for two. We found the regular steam pot to contain enough food for the two of us. The pot for two contains an extra ¾ pound of crab, an additional lobster, and double the potatoes and corn.

            The entire establishment was very clean with no unpleasant odors of old seafood or spilled drinks at the bar. The windows, window sills, tables, chairs, hand rails, door handles, counters, and floors were clean and not greasy feeling. Work areas behind the bar and beverage service area were clean and free of spills. Restrooms are clean, clutter and odor free. Restaurant team members were observed cleaning areas frequently and with great care.

            The atmosphere is family friendly, fun and conversation is expected and encouraged. At one point a dance tune played and the wait staff started dancing throughout the restaurant. They encouraged guest to participate and our 18 month old grandson joined them in their dancing. Birthdays are celebrated by the entire restaurant singing happy birthday and birthday guests are treated like royalty. If you are expecting a quiet and uneventful evening this is probably not the place to patronize.

For a Tuesday night the restaurant was surprisingly busy. The entire staff was very friendly and accommodating. Our entire party felt welcome and appreciated that we spent our evening here. The family friendly and at many times very loud atmosphere was a lot of fun and if you don’t mind the noise you should have fun too. This is great place to enjoy an evening. Plan on spending some time here because this is no fast food joint, they are busy and it takes time to prepare the quality meal you will be presented. If you are looking for a fun filled family evening with magnificent food, a great riverfront view, and fun atmosphere; I encourage you to try an evening at Joe’s Crab Shack. You may also enjoy a nice stroll around Old Sacramento after your meal.