Joe's Stone Crab Question

[valerie]

We are visiting this week and staying in the West Palm Beach area. Considering driving down to Joe's Stone Crab on Monday night since my husband has always wanted to go there. Does anyone have any idea how long the wait usually is on a Monday night? We don't mind the drive, but dont want to shlep down there and then have to wait for 2 hours for a table. I am guessing we would arrive around 6:30-7:00. Thanks for any info....

[valerie]

So we had dinner at Truluck's last night. My husband had the ayce stone crab deal. They were indeed medium sized and the price was $59.

After splitting appetizers of bbq shrimp and a crab cake, my husband had the crab and corn chowder and I had the wedge salad (those were both part of the ayce deal). He loved the bbq shrimp and I loved the crab cake (it had lots of dill and I love dill). Soup was just ok, but the wedge salad was very tasty. Then he had 14 crab claws (they start off with a plate of 8, then they bring them in increments of 3) and I had the fettucine alfredo with with king crab. Fettucine alfredo is not really my thing but my husband loves it and wanted to try it so I agreed to order it. It was insanely rich....and that is even an understatement! We were too stuffed to have dessert.

Overall it was a good dinner (though I would not order the fettucine again) and the bill for the 2 of us, before tip, was $128, really not bad at all. Today we flew back to NY and won't be back to FL until the summer when the crabs are out of season. But I would guess that my husband will want to go again for the crab deal next year...

[LargeLife]

For that $128 you would have done well at Joe's.....Two orders of mediums or selects......hash browns....spinach.....chopped salads.....the bread.....And their cheapest bottle of white wine.....Plus the excellent service.....And you could have told your friends you actually ate at Joe's.....And you might have actually seen someone famous.....Happens all the time there.....Met Billy Joel there not long ago......

EMac
Ft. Pierce, FL

[Alfred G]

You might want to save yourself a trip and go to Billy's Stone Crab in Hollywood. Most excellent stones. Also, the Truluck mediums are surprisingly good.

[netmover]

I ate 34 at Trulucks Brickell AYCA///they were impressed! They had told me large, and most were. 69$

[tpigeon]

I wouldn't do that. I would go to joes way before billy's . Drive included.

[valerie]

Thanks all. We can't get there at opening time or for lunch since we have young kids with us and won't have babysitting until around 5:30 (don't want to drag the kids along!). Turns out I made a reservation at Truluck's in Boca and coincidentally they have an all you can eat deal on stone crabs on Mondays. Maybe we will make it to Joe's next time around...

[CJT]

What is Truluck's charging for AYCE stone crabs?

[Veggo]

I just called - $59. Worth considering, unless they are all medium. I didn't ask that part.
EDIT: I called back. Medium. With unlimited soup, salad, and sides.
There's nothin' like jumbo- I would hold out for jumbo. (And then there's colossal...)

[tpigeon]

Selects are better. I did a taste test after being challenged on this exact subject.

[Veggo]

Those are the lil' fellas. Like eating pistachios. How are they better? I like a big bite, but I'll listen. Thanks.

[tpigeon]

They are sweeter and they are between medium and large.

[valerie]

I don't have much experience with stone crabs. On Truluck's menu, I see medium, large and jumbo. Where do select fit in?

[Veggo]

smaller than mediums

[tpigeon]

incorrect, see my post above.

[Frodnesor]

"Selects" I think may be mostly a Joe's thing, and they are between medium and large. They're also my favorites, best ratio of sweetness & texture to work. As you work your way up to larger sizes I find the meat is stringier and less flavorful.

[LargeLife]

Selects work for me as well.......

I once at 100 of them at Monty's and set their "house record".......

That was a long, long time ago.....

EMac
Ft. Pierce, FL

[tpigeon]

For the record, Frod was the one who enlightened me years ago on this subject.

[sunshine842]

If you're not all that fussed about eating in the restaurant itself, you could go round to the Takeout and order with their counter service.

[croissantkelly]

Can you go for lunch? We usually arrive right around opening time and there is never a wait.

Have fun.

[shekamoo]

is same menu available for lunch and dinner? could not find a dining room lunch menu online. thanks!

[dlgc]

No, the lunch menu is a little different, but the stones are always available.

[shekamoo]

awesome, thanks!

[LargeLife]

Difficult question to answer......If I were you I would schlep down their and be there when they open....and there will be little to no wait at all......The SoBe Wine & Food Festival was this past weekend and there could be folks still in town and headed to Joe's and that could mean a line....But I'm thinking that 6:30 to 7:00 for a table for two won't be too awfully bad.....and on a Monday night.....

EMac
Ft, Pierce, FL