Joanie’s Blue Crab Cafe
39395 Tamiami Trl E, Ochopee, FL, 34141
Joanie’s Blue Crab Cafe Menu
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Address :
39395 Tamiami Trl E
Ochopee, FL, 34141 - Phone (239) 695-2682
- Website https://joaniesbluecrabcafe.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :10:00 am - 5:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Jessica S.
After a tour in the Everglades hubby and I were hungry and there isn't a lot in the area in terms of choices and we didn't want to have to wait a while to get food. We stumbled upon this place and decided to give it a go. The atmosphere of the place is pretty cool, definitely unique. The service was wonderful! We got the crab cake sandwich and the gator... And it was good, but extremely overpriced! Honestly, I wouldn't come here again because of this - The food didn't blow my mind, the portions were tiny for the price. Which is unfortunate because the food, service and atmosphere are all good.
(3)Lindsay H.
Great atmosphere, great music, great food. A wonderful oasis in the Everglades. Truly authentic Florida feel.
(5)Kristie A.
Worst service ever! Food is good but have to wait for server forever and today after waiting 40 minutes was told kitchen was closed but gave another table an option. Will not come back.
(1)Jim B.
I had the great fortune of stopping in Joanie's a few days ago and it was a great adventure back in time. Joanie's reminds me of places I've been many years ago - a local swamp pub/restaurant with great food and art and atmosphere! The people that worked there were great! Friendly and helpful and the Gator Tail was the best I ever had! The Grilled shrimp served over home made salsa and fry bread was fantastic!!! The prices are a little high for a number of items - but being the place is full of artifacts and art and is a trip back in time - it makes it worth the price. I feel like I could spend a month going through the place and not see everything. The people that some in are interesting too - there were a few Park Rangers in for lunch and they were talking of Panther sightings and Bear sightings and othere interesting stories. I am looking forward to visiting again. (I hope soon). I wish it wasn't a 2 day trip to get there. Don't postpone joy - stop in for some grub and a cold one and look around at the visually stimulating, music filled, trip back in time. (I posted some of my images that I took here)
(4)B. T.
Such a cool spot in the middle of The Everglades. Great service, entertainment, beer selection and food. The Soft Shell Crab Sandwich was among the highlights of our trip. Can't wait to go back!
(5)Stephanie W.
Kind of sad, no blue crab available when I was there but the drinks were super cold, the hush puppies were yummy & the service & ambience were perfect!! I would recommend to anyone traveling through the Everglades!
(4)Alysia D.
Interesting stop. I definitely wouldn't drive out of my way to come here, but since we were driving by anyway, we decided to stop in. It was exactly what you would expect a roadside cafe to be. No air conditioning and bugs flying around all over the place because of the open doors. The decor was what I would describe as Americana on crack.... very cluttered, but interesting anyway. The beers were super cold. I went for the gator ribs basket because I had never tried gator ribs before. Can't say I would order them again. The meat was kind of tough, even though it was still juicy and there was just so much cartilage that it was hard to eat. The flavor wasn't bad though. I thought the prices were a little expensive for what we got. Two beers and two lunches came out to over $40 (including tip). Still, the experience was ok.
(3)MickeyBlue I.
Not bad at all. Try not to judge by the looks, this place served up some delicious fresh fish & chips and shrimp basket. The servers were all very friendly!
(3)Kim H.
We have tried to go here twice now... Once in June a year and a half ago and tonight, high season Friday night at 7:20.... Both times locked up tight. Are they closed for good?
(1)Lily L.
I love these hole-in-the-wall finds along the road. This shack is tucked away near the Shark Valley Bike Trail in the Everglades. By the time we got there around 4PM, they were out of crab. After a visible sigh, we ordered the peel and eat shrimp, red snapper sandwich, cucumber salad and grilled corn. Everything is made to order and soooo fresh. Portions here are huge and sandwiches come with fries, hush puppies and coleslaw. They have a great selection of beers as well. Definitely a must try if you're in this neck of the woods. They also have sauteed gator and frog legs but my stomach was feeling less than adventurous that day. But please try it and let me know how it is! Oh, and they have live folk music and outdoor porch to enjoy it!
(5)Alexis B.
This is a place to be seen - if it weren't in the middle of nowhere in swampsville! LOVED the fact that this restaurant has its own resident croc and pheasant (or was it a peacock? who cares - it was awesome!). And the live music playing in the background just set the scene... it was a kind of honky tonk blues and it made me feel like had been transported to a different place and time. The food was pretty decent, but honestly, that's not what made this place. It was the atmosphere. And what an atmosphere at that! Honestly, if you find yourself driving across southern Florida, you HAVE to stop into this place and say hello to Joanie - you'll be glad you did.
(4)Wendy O.
Happened upon Joanie's on the way to Naples. Cute funky decor, wonderful staff, like family, and they treat you the same. We had burgers, charbroiled...one of the best I've ever had. We liked the place so much we stopped in again the next day on our way back! Highly recommended.
(5)Natalia E.
Great swamp food! Hubby and I tried the gator with fry bread- yummy and totally unexpected. The gator wasn't your run-of-the-mill fried unidentifiable meat nugget! It was cut into strips with no breading and sauteed in garlic-yumminess! We also had fried green tomatoes - a little on the greasy side, but still delicious! Great atmosphere! Guy strumming his guitar and singing classic Americana was really cool. The place is clean and service is friendly. There were quite a few families, so I guess this is a good place for kids too. Oh, really cool feature: grab your own beer from coolers or fridge- it makes you feel even more at home at this down home place!
(5)Chuck M.
Another place and another time...... Joanies is it. You have been to many places before but not like this. Driving a long lonely road punctuated with an occaisional indian owned farm surrounded by chain link fencing dug into the earth so the gators can not get in is NOT your typical route to good food; but that is Joanies. The staff could not be nicer, the music is friendly and the 'honor system' beer is cold. Strangers just chat with each other. Be prepared to tell where your from, where your headed and what you ordered for food; it's that kind of place. I stumbled on it years ago on a trip down from Boston and now seek it out whenever I am in south FL. You should too. Bon apetit' Chuck from Boston
(4)ISA V.
Like the sign says " if you want a cheese burger go thirty miles either way". When you first step into the house style restaurant you are first struck with the vast quntity of assorted decorations from the erea. Then you are told to have a seat, anywhere and help your self to a drink from the two huge friffges. The way you pay for your drinks is by the bottle caps left on the table. Now the menue is original, the selection is frorm Frog legs, to gator to blue crab. I don't remember seeing any type of burger on the menue. This is a place strikly for the adventurer. Personaly it is worth the ride. Oh. Alos on Saturday nights they have live music.
(5)Bill C.
Afun place for lunch. The food is regular but the atmosphere is the best. Great friendly service. Be sure to talk to Joanie. Guitar player has terrific charisma and was an excellent addition to lunch in he Everglades. Go out of your way to stop at this place if you can.
(4)John M.
My girlfriend and I were on our way back to Sarasota from Miami and we decided to drive through the Everglades in hopes of seeing some Florida wildlife, we were both starved when I drove past Joanies Blue crab Cafe I had a hunch about this place and quickly made a U turn. We started out with some peel and eat shrimp which were really tasty & fresh and also had some some fried green tomatoes which were outstanding & by far the best I ever had we ordered a crab cake sandwich which we split considering it was huge and it was sooo sooo good and filling. The staff were very friendly and the Owner Joanie stopped by our table to see if everything met our standards which it exceeded I can't wait until we move to the Sunshine state so we can visit Joanies again & again & again.
(5)Gary M.
Food is good, but the atmosphere makes it. There was a great guitar player singing country western songs and occasionally cussing humorously. Great place for a beer and some peace of mind.
(4)Laura L.
We discovered this wonderful funky roadside gem while driving on the Tamami. Since it was holiday week traffic was a bit busy. We stopped for lunch and we were so surprised how happening it was! We grabbed a table on the inside porch enjoying the delightful sounds from the band. Service was very good. Loved the grouper sandwich I would skip the Fry Bread save room for the peanut butter yummy!!
(4)A. D.
We frequent the Everglades several times a year and have gone to Joanies at least three times. Sadly all three visits were not good experiences and we will not return. Unfortunate, because the inside of this cafe has so much character and swampy charm! The wait staff is painfully slow and borders on just ignoring customers in favor of chatting it up in the kitchen. The prices are absurd for the quality of food they offer. I got a 1/2 lb of peel and eat shrimp($11.95) thinking it would be hard to go wrong with such a simple dish, however it came to me having been steamed,frozen,and then steamed again. Essentially they were mush and very small. Husband got the famous crab cake sandwich ($13.95) which wasn't cooked all the way through and had more filler than crab and had zero crab taste. Also ordered the fry bread with salsa (5.95). Salsa consisted of big chunks of squash, zucchini, tomato and onion which wasn't conducive to eating on the flavorless bread. After visiting Joanie's three times and having a similar experience each time I believe this review is more than fair and it's not that we just caught them on an off day. For better food and service (albeit less charm) visit Everglades City.
(1)Naty K.
What an interesting little joint! If, like me, you enjoy the cozy, grungy type of places where you can dress down and let loose without getting snotty looks and enjoy some classic rock tunes while relaxing and shooting the breeze, then this is your place. From the outside, it looks like a quaint establishment that could have been a store or trading post many moons ago. Painted in red, with a front porch, it looks very welcoming. Standing outside was a friendly woman with a raspy voice that welcomed me and my friend inside. This looks like it'd be a fun biker hangout (they even have biker parking signs out front), and probably THE place to be at night, since Ochopee's not exactly known for its nightlife. We were immediately given a menu to browse. As we browsed and I sang along to some Bon Jovi and Aerosmith tunes, she came back and offered to show me their gator out in the back yard. Now how cool is that? How many restaurants do you know that house a gator in their back pond? She even went through her cellphone photo gallery to show me some shots of the gator sunning itself on the grass. Service, as you can see, was very friendly, welcoming, and with a smile (I just wish I knew her name, so I can give her credit...she had an American flag bandanna on her forehead, if that helps). The menu is not too big, but it's big enough, and has everything from alligator to seafood to meat. I know, I know, it's kind of cruel to put your own pet on the menu, but hey, plenty of folks like gator, and they're not exactly extinct anymore. I ended up choosing a Cajun chicken salad. It had a very homey look to it -- pretty minimalist with lettuce, some extremely sweet tomatoes, squashes, and a light citrus vinaigrette. I am trying to lose weight, so this was perfect because it wasn't full of calorie-ridden condiments and dressings. It was also very refreshing and delicious. The chicken was flavorful and tasted great when dipped in the lime vinaigrette. My friend got pork and enjoyed it as well. Prices are not really that cheap. The salad was about $13, so that was our only complaint. Why the Miami prices in a remote location? While that might have been enough to deduct a star, the stellar service, the gator in the back, and the simplicity of my meal was enough to make me decide they're worthy of a 4-star rating.
(4)Troy S.
I was shocked to see that so many Yelpers had shown Joanie some love out here in the Everglades. They definitely deserve their 4 shiny stars! Now, this the glades. It's not fancy and there is no AC, but you are going to get great food and real nice people taking care of you. In fact, everything you order is fresh and made to order, and they are proud of it. When you come in, they've got fans to keep you cool but all you really need is an ice cold beer. The way this works is you go over to the cooler, grab your beverage of choice and have a seat. Lisa will take phenomenal care of you. You will quickly see that she is such a dear and she just wants to make anyone that walks in that door happy. We had my 10 year old nephew with us. Lisa came over to him and told him he had to come look and see their "pet" alligator Gertrude that always hangs around out back. Lisa showed us the way and boy oh boy, Gertrude was the largest gator we saw all day! She is huge! We came back in and placed our order. I took some pics of the menu. They are known for their gator and crabcakes. The prices were slightly more than I expected, but you have to keep in mind, you are out here in the glades and they are all about fresh to order. They have salads, sandwiches, apps, and more. We went for the appetizer sampler, a large basket of gator bites, fries, 2 crabcakes, frog legs, fried bread, and a delicious squash "salsa". This was perfect for sharing. I have eaten a fair amount of gator and they do a nice job on those. The frog legs were juicy and fall-off-the-little-bones tender. They were probably the best frog legs I have ever had. As I come from the home of the Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab, I am always skeptical of crabcakes outside of VA/MD. Well I'll be darn! Joanie's, in the middle of the glades, hole in the wall watering hole, knows her crabcakes. If you are looking for a real life fun day, go to Mitch's for the airboat tour, then head down to Skunk Ape and hold a bunch of cool exotic animals, and then stop by Joanie's. What a day! Thank you Lisa for taking such good care of us!
(4)Dee Dee B.
Visiting from Texas...Crab cake sandwich and crab cake salad was delicious....key lime pie perfect ending. Cold beer, great waitress and live acoustic guitar.... What more could you ask for on a Saturday???
(5)Jose S.
Best destination on the Tamiami Trail! What I thought would be just a pit stop on our motorcycle jaunt to Naples ended up being one of the highlights of our trip. The first thing I noticed was how friendly and hospitable the staff is. Inviting us to help ourselves to a cold beer from the cooler. We felt like we where at a good friends house enjoying a couple cold beers on the rear open terrace. The food was excellent and had a real home made feel. I was impressed at how clean the restaurant and even the bathrooms where. We even returned late in the afternoon on the ride back only to find Joanie's had closed for the day. Surprisingly they invited us back in for a beer after seeing us in the parking lot. It doesn't get friendlier or more hospitable than that in my opinion. Joanie's is definetly going to be a regular destination for me whenever riding up the Trail.
(5)Michael y.
Friendly service, I arrived late in the afternoon, just coming out if the big cypress all muddy from taking the enduro bike into the swamp!! Had the swamp combo, Lipton ice tea and gator chilli ! Very satisfying. Pricey, but I can't blame them for being out in the middle of nowhere! As MacArthur put it" I shall return"! The bathrooms and restaurant is very clean!
(4)R D.
We visited the Skunk Ape Research Center and were asking where was a good place to eat. We were directed to Joanies's and it was fabulous. Somewhat pricey, but we had salads with blackened grouper and it was the best blackened grouper we ever had. Will definitely stop there again.
(5)Greg B.
It's Better than it looks! And is worth the stop. Staff was nice and helpful and the food was fine. The Gator was crispy and good, pulled pork sandwich excellent, Cajun chix sandwich very good and crab cakes tasty but a little mushy. Only down side is that for 3 sandwiches. 1 order of gator nuggets and 4 sodas, it was $78.00 including tip! That is a little excessive when you have to get your own drinks from the cooler!
(3)Paul C.
We spotted Joanie's a year ago on our annual Florida vacation. Yesterday we returned, and glad we did. We were there for a late lunch. They were serving 35 people on a tour bus plus almost every table had customers. They even had some musical entertainment. The music was a bit loud for us because we wanted to be able to talk to each other, so we took a table on the porch. Wife had gator salad; I had shrimp with avocado. We shared fried tomatoes, and we had some Key West Ale. All was good, and considering the number of people they were serving we were amazed that they did it so well. We also enjoyed the photo exhibits in the hall and rest rooms! I would not give it one "$" rating, however. "$$" at least, but worth it. We'll make it a regular stop on future trips to that area.
(4)Mel M.
Terrible food. This is a tourist trap. They charge 10 dollars for a hot dog. Catfish was watery and mush. At least they did not charge us for it. I had the 17 dollar crab cake sandwich. French fries were good but crab cake was soft mushy and gross. Keep on driving by. Waitress spent the whole time eating and yakking with another restaurant worker. She was chomping on her food when she came over to ask us if everything was ok. As we were leaving I told some people who just pulled up this was a tourist trap. I hope they took my advice not to stay.
(1)Chrissy L.
On a long drive through the Everglades, we started to get hungry. If you've been down Highway 41, you'll know that there is a lot at either end and not a ton in the middle. Boyfriend turned into the parking lot of this little red building and before I knew it, we were inside. We wanted something quick so we could continue on our way, and the waitress assured us that the hot dogs would be the best we'd ever eaten. We took that with a grain of salt, but as I sat there across from the World's Pickiest Eater and watched him take a bite, I knew it had to be true. "This is an awesome hot dog." And it was! Also, the key lime pie was wonderful! Just the right amount of tart. We have to head back north today, but last night over dinner, Boyfriend was already conspiring to get back to Joanie's! "If we come back down here, we could go see the Everglades again, and we have to find a way to get there for lunch..." He's determined to try the gator nuggets.
(5)Tu P.
Good place. Comfortable and with music. Good food and reasonable. Waitress was great. Visit them along the way. Won't be disappointed.
(5)Jorge V.
Amazing ambiance, food, and service... They even are pet friendly and brought out a bowl for our dog to have a drink. I would highly recommend the catfish sandwhich and the sampler that has a healthy portion of everything! Cold beer, good people, great food!
(5)Lauren S.
Stopped by here before going to the alligator park. Was a great little place with fun live music, an awesome server, and delicious food. They were also welcoming of the child in our party, but warned it might not be the best place for children. We had no problems with that! They were also accommodating when we came in half an hour before closing. Our party tried the fried gator, fried shrimp, and crab cake sandwich all of which we thoroughly enjoyed. The only reason for the 4 stars is the $20 average price point per person, which may have been a little high.
(4)Donna D.
Fishy tasting crab cakes that maybe didn't have any crab in them, ridiculously high prices, and lukewarm grilled corn swimming in "butter". I would not recommend this place, but the decor is adorable. If you wonder why your 12 year old son keeps going to the bathroom, it's because of the naked photos of women on the walls. And we're not talking the artsy type of photos either.
(1)Jessica R.
Very cool, unique place. After our airboat tour, we were hungry and there was not much around. Joanie's was nearby and recommended. The crab cake sandwich and the Cajun chicken sandwich were both very good. Delicious fries! The ambiance was good with a singer providing the entertainment. The only problem was the price. $92.96 for 5 people before the tip!
(3)Sherri J.
Cool place with cold beer, live music, and high prices. Had the she crab soup today...in a large mug with 2 saltine crackers... $9. Pink broth, random veggies and some shreds of crab. Somewhat tasty but way overpriced. I would stick with a $5 bottle of beer next time, it was more filling than the soup.
(2)Julia I.
There isn't much to add to the reviews posted before mine. This was an oasis after a dry stretch of hunger and thirst. The atmosphere was friendly, relaxed, and welcoming. We ordered crab cakes (their specialty, incredible) and a burger. Both were perfect, served with a side of crunchy fries and southern sweet coleslaw. I wish this restaurant was nearer my house!
(5)daniel r.
This place gets an extra star for being an unusual slice of Americana. This entire Everglades area has an unusual "Old Florida" feel to it. Even though we were told that Joanie has retired....this restaurant serves up intriquing fare in a very interesting environment. Gator,frog legs and crab soup highlight the menu. we split a delicious grouper sandwich which came with tasty crispy French fries and cole slaw. prices seem high especially at lunch time.(($15.99 for a sandwich). at 1Pm we had live entertainment from a guitar playing "cowboy" who was excellent. waitress was extremely friendly...atmosphere very positive.....food surprisingly good. Do not pass this middle of nowhere spot. stop in for a beer even if you aren't hungry.
(4)Jeanette M.
The husband and I were out driving on our vacation and came across Joanies. Wonderful gator and shrimp. And a very delicious homemade key lime pie.
(4)Paige S.
Food was okay but what sold me was the atmosphere and service. Live music and warm southern hospitality - doesn't get much better.
(4)J F.
Podunk restaurant at big city prices Tried fried alligator bites just to do it. Kinda gross Softshell crab sandwich was unimpressive Seafood combo $20 didn't have that much food on it. People were nice but I'd try a different place next time I'm in the area
(2)Alison M.
I am rating Joanie's 5 stars because it is just what we were looking for. Try the Gator tail and fried bread you'll love it. Cold, cold beer! And while you're waiting to eat the freshest grouper sandwich around look around at all the fun decor and pictures on the wall. We went here after Wooten's airboat ride which we also enjoyed. Fun day in the real Florida!
(5)James G.
This is definitely a solid choice along 491. Probably one of the only choices, but solid nonetheless. I had the crabcake sandwich, Indian flatbread and hushpuppies. The flatbread was made out of corn and came with a nice vegetable salsa; it was my favorite part of the meal. The crabcake had a decent meat-breadcrumb ratio (but not great) and was tasty. It wasn't as crispy as I would have liked. The hushpuppies were slightly sweet and really crispy. The service was a bit lacking and the prices were high for what it was. Across the street is the US's smallest post office, so check that out!
(4)Whiterock R.
the prices are stratospheric for the below average food they sell. Would not go again. Also, the rest rooms have completely naked pictures of older local women (or biker chicks) i presume! I am not making that up. Not for kids.
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