Joe's Crab Shack Review - Comparing Franchised Locations

Joe's Crab Shack is one of the better known seafood locations, and with reason. They advertise a lot, put their 'fun' commercials on the national spots, and promote the local franchises from the corporate level. As with any big franchise or chain, you get a lot of commercialized expense that doesn't necessarily equate to good food or service.

Prior to vacationing in the Houston / Galveston area, I had never gone to a Joe's Crab Shack before. I live in an area of Texas where the only bodies of water are over a two hour drive from where I live, and even then, they are small lakes. Ocean? What's that?

Coming to vacation in the Galveston Bay area of Texas, I knew I would really enjoy the seafood restaurants, and I told my friend who lives in this area that I wanted to go to a Joe's Crab Shack since I'd seen advertisements for them, but had never been to one. She grinned, shook her head, and dubiously said, "Uh, okay."

"What?" I asked.

"Oh, there's just better places to eat seafood here than that," she replied.

Well, I knew that, but I was still determined to be able to go back home and say, "I went to a Joe's Crab Shack, finally." I guess I was expecting something like what I'd seen on some television shows where they bring the crab out, toss it on the table and give you mallets to beat it.

Joe's Crab Shack Review - Pricey

That's not quite what I received. What I ended up with was an ugly plastic bib tied around my neck and a $150 dollar meal ticket, for only two people. That was at the Galveston Seawall Joe's Crab Shack location. At the Kemah Boardwalk Joe's Crab Shack location, I managed to make it out cheaper at $110 bucks for three people, but we didn't order drinks on that ticket.

Joe's Crab Shack Comparison - Entertainment

Of the two Joe's Crab Shack locations, the Galveston Seawall Joe's Crab Shack had better service, better waitresses, less wait time, a better dining room, and more interaction with the staff. One of the things Joe's Crab Shack is known for is the 'entertainment' provided by the staff, such as the dancing jigs they perform, and the disco-like music, disco dancing lights, and fun atmosphere inside.

The staff didn't do much entertainment at the Kemah location, but did more at the Galveston Seawall location.

Joe's Crab Shack Comparison - The Food

The Galveston Seawall Joe's Crab Shack had the best steampots of the two locations. The Kemah location didn't use a real steam pot to serve, the food wasn't spiced as well as the Seawall location, and the food just plain didn't taste as good as the Joe's Crab Shack along the Galveston Seawall.

Of the two, when it comes to food, the Galveston Seawall location wins hands down.

Joe's Crab Shack Comparison - Drinks

The Galveston Seawall location had special Mojito drink specials, including a wonderful pomegranate Mojito, along with margaritas and other customary drinks. When I tried to order a Mojito at the Kemah Joe's Crab Shack location, the waitress took my order and then came back 20 minutes later to tell me the bar didn't have Mojitos.

Joe's Crab Shack Comparison - Handicapped Accessibility

The Joe's Crab Shack location at the Galveston Seawall has excellent handicapped wheelchair accessibility. The tables are spaced out well enough for maneuverability for a wheelchair as well, at least in the front dining area.

The Kemah Boardwalk Joe's Crab Shack has horrible wheelchair and handicapped accessibility. In fact, the night we dined there, the elevators to the restaurant (up on stilts due to being on the lake/bay) were broken. Once inside, the wheelchair had difficulty maneuvering around the tables. While there were ramps inside instead of steps, the tables were so close together, moving was simply not easy or comfortable in a wheelchair.

Joe's Crab Shack Comparison - Conclusion

The new steampots are good, and for the price, they have a decent amount of food. There are, however, better seafood restaurants in the Houston / Galveston area than Joe's Crab Shack. Unless you're like me and have simply never been to a Joe's Crab Shack, I'd highly recommend finding a small ma and pop type seafood restaurant instead, or perhaps take the drive out to Stingaree Restaurant on the Bolivar Peninsula at Crystal Beach, Texas (see my review on them on my profile here).

If you do decide to go to a Joe's Crab Shack on your Houston / Galveston vacation, I'd highly recommend taking a drive along the Seawall in Galveston and going to the one there. It's not that the Joe's in Kemah is bad, but if you're going to the Kemah Boardwalk, there are much better places to eat than that Joe's Crab Shack.

You can visit Joe's Crab Shack's website here: http://www.joescrabshack.com/