FlyerTalk Forums - Shaw's or Joe's Stone Crab?

My company held its Christmas party at Joe's Stone Crab and I must say that I am now a believer. The stone crab was very good, however it was difficult to handle the pre-cracked portions. Stone crab needs a bit more attention to remove the meat than king crab. The extra effort is rewarding, stone crab has a sweet and buttery flavor which is very good. You can order from a variety of sizes of stone crab, medium, select, large or jumbo. I recommed the large or jumbo size legs, you'll get the most meat with the least amount of work. I never bothered to dip the crab meat in the mustard sauce which accompanied the crab legs, instead opting to enjoy the delicacy.

For dinner I chose the 16 oz bone in filet, ordered medium-rare. The filet was phenomenal to say the least. Very juicy and extremely tender, the filet was no doubt the best steak I've ever eaten in Chicago. It was accompanied by traditional family style servings of creamed spinach and Jennie's potatoes. Jennie's potatoes are buttery mashed potatoes with a crunchy topping of toasted bread crumbs, presumably baked in a casserole.

For dessert, I opted for the peppermint ice cream and hot fudge sundae. The serving of ice cream was very large, equivalent to three traditional scoops. The ice cream had candy cane chips rolled into it, which added texture, a nice touch! The hot fudge was served on the side. It was very large, I finished about half before I gave up.

I truly enjoyed the service, the waiters are all very professional and well dressed. The bar was full and loud from when I arrived at 6:30pm until we left at around 11:00pm. The onyl drawback to Joe's is the that the dining room seemed cramped, the aisle leading from the front door to the banquet room was hardly large enough for two people, I had to wait for waiters to move to the side. Tables are spaced very close to each other and the atmosphere is a bit loud, as compared to the Chop House, etc. I heard that reservations at Joe's are neccessary at least two weeks in advance.

All in all, Joe's is a very good restaurant!