So, I was pleasantly surprised this visit. We had a great waitress, who was attentive & nice. We waited about 15 mins for our shrimp appetizer, but our entrees were out soon after we finished the shrimp. We got the pot for 2 & it was good. Not high quality by any means, but good. Plenty of food for 2 of us. We just popped in on a Saturday night & they weren't busy. Weird for this area, but we decided to chance it. So, will we come back, yes probably.
(4)
Al P.
Joe's Crab Shack in north Olathe has been a pretty big hit for a long time. Those employees with restaurant experience are probably long gone. What's left still isn't too bad but management needs to sweat the details. The biggest problem today was french fries that were McDonalds rejects. Management: Go out to your competition and check out the fries and compare them to yours. Yours are terrible. Fix this and then read the rest of these reviews or its curtains baby!
(2)
Vaughn E.
Not bad for a chain, although a bit expensive for what you get. Here in the Midwest you have to set expectations at the right level if you are going to eat seafood, especially at a chain. But our crablegs were pretty good last night. We had a combination of King, Queen and Snow crab legs. A couple of orders were steamed. Mine was boiled in spices - and really packed a punch! Another order at the table was the garlic special. We all enjoyed the meals. Service was OK. There was no wait on a Friday night... unusual for this area.
(4)
D Q.
Wow...OMG this has got to be the nastiest Joe's Crab Shack I've ever seen. The Manager saw me to the bar as in on travel this week and will be eating alone. He never bothered to notice there want a clean spot to sit at. One person at the bar sitting in the only clean spot. I turned and looked around only to find three tables near me all dirty. He asked am employee to try to get to me and she quickly informed him she was trying but it would be a while. He walked off like it was no longer his responsibility. For the next 5 minutes of my standing neat the bar waiting for a clean table area I watched the Manager do noting but walk around. So I went up to him and said I was leaving because of no clean area to eat my meal and I felt he should have stepped up and taken care of it. This is a shame. Monday eve 3/16 7:30 pm.
(1)
Chris W.
Awful. Okay, I admit that growing up on the East coast I am spoiled when it comes to sea food, but I have had good fish and shell fish in KC at several restaurants. But this place?! The butter drenched travesties that they claim are real "Steamers" and the nasty crab legs are a parody of good sea food. We took my son for a Birthday. When the wait staff found out, they made my kid ride a hobby horse from table to table wearing a sombrero and tossing dolls into a plastic shark's mouth. After he did all this, did he get a cupcake or anything to celebrate his birthday? Nope. I guess the humiliation of a 9 year old was enough. If I had known what was going to happen, I would have shut this silliness down. As it was, we were stunned and then angry. I will never go back to this place. I would rather starve. Even their silly TV ads with the "cool folk beach bums" annoy me.
(1)
David N.
The service was fair, however the food sub par red lobster is better serving a similar cuisine.
(2)
Lisa S.
First, my husband really enjoys Joe's, but I just don't really care for it. I guess if you like seafood pots this might be the place for you, but I don't. My favorite seafood is coconut shrimp. The coating isn't really anything special. My daughter eats popcorn shrimp but didn't like the coating on it either. The French fries aren't anything special either. I'll go there if someone else requests it, but I never will.
(2)
Beau G.
Service Server was so over the top he was annoying. I appreciate good service but don't need asked id "everything is still wonderful" every 3 mins. Food Crab stuffed mushrooms were not hot when they came out at all. The forgot my side salad but did provide it later free of charge. Crab pot was not bad. Post meal Both of us fighting over the bathroom for hours. Will never return
(1)
Missy B.
Went at 5:00 on a Saturday. Service was good. I have salmon often, so it's easy to tell when it's not cooked correctly; it was unfortunately rather dry. The broccoli was tasty though. Overall, the meal was not worth the $17.50. I cannot comment on any of their other options.
(2)
Kelly S.
Sorry...been once won't be back . Not fresh., nuff said.
(1)
Erica W.
If you like extremely loud music and bad seafood. This is your place. Could not even hear the people at our table it was so loud. We waited over an hour for our food. Would not recommend this place.
(1)
Ann O.
Unless you are fool with no sense of taste and have money to burn, do not bother coming here. Asked to wait when tables were available. When taken to our table, forced to maneuver around a table blocking foot traffic. Seated next to a door to the porch on a windy evening. Waiter was just okay....but could stand some retraining on customer service. Had blackened mahi tacos....flavorless. Thank goodness for Tabasco. BF had Ragin Cajun steam pot....it looked like someone beat the poor little mesh bag before they threw in the pot. Lacked flavor and I am sure All of Louisiana are rolling their eyes. Everyone got the picture....
(2)
Michael R.
This is kind of a tough review to write for me. I want to give it -382 stars, because we waited for about an hour. On the other hand, we went on a Saturday and didn't call ahead, so, really, this is my fault. I know this. I have to get past this. It's not their fault I am not a patient man. Sigh. Call ahead, is what I'm saying. Other than the wait, my most recent visit was okay. The server was pretty good--we saw him, and he got us drink refills--but he had a number of tables and so hopped a lot. The kitchen was a bit slow just because of sheer numbers of people, but, again, I went on a Saturday evening. All things considered, yes, it was pretty slow, but not half as slow as it by rights should have been. Food-wise, I had the 33-shrimp platter, which had coconut, beer-batter, and BBQ rub peel-and-eat shrimp. The beer batter and BBQ rub were my favorites; the coconut shrimp were good and I would recommend them if you like coconut shrimp, but it's not my favorite. However, my wife got the Crispy Catch platter, and calamari isn't her favorite, so we had a good trade going on. We also got a side of hush puppies, which were very good. And that's kind of why I give Joe's Crab Shack three stars, rather than four. It's good, but in my opinion their best things are shrimp, crab legs, fried fish, and fried sides. In other words, pretty basic seafood. I've heard their steam pots are fantastic, but I haven't tried them yet. Maybe when I do my opinion will change, but, really, I feel it's a decent chain rather than a real seafood place.
(3)
Jess J.
This location gets a lot of flack, and we did have a pretty lengthy wait, but it was a Saturday night, the place was, indeed, full (not sparsely populated as others have experienced), and everyone was pleasant...our server, especially. I'm inclined to be forgiving about the seafood...it's the Midwest, it's only gonna get so good, and you really can't hold a chain outpost in the middle of the country to the same standards as a coastal restaurant that gets the literal catch of the day. It is what it is. I think the entrees can be a tad overpriced, esp. the steampots, but the midrange priced platter entrees are pretty reasonable. I couldn't decide between fish or shrimp, so I got the Crispy Catch platter, which was a couple of breaded filets (only okay...smallish, at least, smaller than I was expecting), a pile of calamari (decent), fries (yum), and a handful of awesome, awesome butterflied shrimp stuffed with crab meat, cream cheese, and jalapeno. The shrimp were really, really great. Surprisingly great coleslaw. Husband had some kind of variety shrimp platter, and gave me most of his coconut shrimp, which were darned tasty. He also got a surprisingly well-mixed gin and tonic. Overall, the waits are not great, but everything else was perfectly pleasant. Server forgot to put in our order for a side of hushpuppies, so he ended up comping a nice, fresh hot batch for us. I'd go again, but not if I had a tight schedule.
(3)
Joley W.
My husband and I came here tonight for our anniversary and were VERY pleased. Seated quickly and out waiter was very attentive (forgot to get his name- brown hair, blue eyes, beard/goatee, glasses.). He was wonderful about checking up on us and answering our questions. We ordered the Great Balls of Fire as an app. In a word... Magical!! Highly recommend! My husband ordered the Sam Adams pot & I ordered the stuffed shrimp entree. Both were delicious and fresh. Not sure why this place has had any neg reviews. The food and service were top notch and the prices were reasonable. Place was packed for an early Sunday evening so they're doing something right.
(5)
Teri C.
Here's the pros and cons of my experience at THIS chain. Mind you its ok food and we have gone to several in various cities without issue. This one was just poor management. Pros were the food was decent and our waitress was wonderful and attentive. Cons were very hot inside as in 82 degrees! Also the manager just seemed ticked the whole night. He never came to check on any tables but rather complained to his hostess. I caught this several times before our family got seated. Yes there is a play area outside if it's not too hot and humid to enjoy while waiting. Final tip would be if you are a family of 5 like us with 2 adults and 3 kids I would tell the hostess this because she can seat you in a booth with smaller kids and you don't have to wait for a big table to open.
(3)
Kirk D.
Absolute garbage. Worst seafood I've ever had. How this chain managed to become successful is beyond my comprehension. Literally my meal looked like it had been scraped off someone's plate and refried.
(1)
Bryan H.
Expensive not worth the money. My wife nachos tasted like pure salt. Now I remember why I don't like coming here.
(1)
Brent B.
Sorry to say, this location and perhaps the other locations of this chain missed the memo that the years of this kind of 'Food-Kitsch' are long past. Don't get me wrong, there will always probably be a market for people wanting to have frozen seafood prepared and served to them surrounded by a fantasy of eating at a quasi-shore-side restaurant. The physical plant could use some updating as the outer area as you walk in looks it's age, and inside, if the threshold has a bump in the floor that needs to be called out to you as the hostess leads you to your table--why not fix that? The food was adequate, but they clearly are tuned into the money that can be made off their wine service. Our server was attentive but only spoke to us about the less expensive bottle choice after we'd each had a by the glass vino. We may visit again and re-assess, but in an area of such competition there are more alluring choices. Aging and going through the motions in my view.
(2)
Beverly B.
had lunch at joe's crab shack today. i was not impressed. they sit us back by the kitchen door which i looked over behind the bar by a trash can and saw some dirty rags and i can't even say what the other thing there on the floor was. the crab legs were more than i had just paid for a winter jacket so i did not get them. i ordered coconut shrimp which i love. it was burnt so they brought us some more it was ok but the slaw was not good at all.it was raining and i have emphysema and we had gone to the door off the patio and the woman said we could not of got in that door. she could of let us in that door so we had to go in the rain all the way over to the other door. the waiter was not rude i guess but no personality at all. it just left a bad taste in my mouth and my friend or i will not be going back there ever.
(1)
R M.
We got the Arctic Bay Steam Pot. This was our first time eating crab. The waiter was very friendly and knowledgeable. He showed us how to crack open the queen crab legs and also helped us with the lobster. The lobster and crabs were enjoyable. The shrimp and andouille sausage were also good. The corn on the cobb was cooked and seasoned to perfection. Steamed potatoes were well cooked. We also ordered lobster fritters as an appetizer and almost immediately regretted it. There was hardly any lobster in them and they tasted horrible and are obviously unhealthy. Stay away! . I would have given only 3 stars because of the horrible lobster fritters but the friendly service (the manager also dropped by to ask how the food was) and the excellent steam pot bumped up the rating to 4 stars.
(4)
Brian E.
What can I say? It's a chain. Their food is okay to good. Nothing tastes bad, but nothing tastes great either. As expected, this place is gimmicky with the decor and the bibs. The prices are okay, but you can get better food elsewhere for the same price.
(3)
Phon W.
I like coming here for lobster and crab....that's it. Well the old bay bloody mary is good too! I like getting the artic steam pot w/ the whole lobster or the lobster daddy w/ the ragin Cajun seasoning....even if I get a different seasoning I get the ragin Cajun on the side to put in my butter...Yum it's garlicy and spicy so delish! Anyways...I know what I like from here now so I get the same thing every time, the mussels and clams and shrimp and crawfish and scallops are always over cooked to the rubbery almost dried out point. for some reason though their corn is always on point. But this place is totally understaffed and I don't understand why. Every time we come here whether it be Monday or Saturday night it's not really that busy but it's always so slow. And you can't eat outside because they don't have the wait staff to go out there. I think that's weird for a chain restaurant.
(2)
Cozmella S.
We just had another fabulous time at the shack! Our family of 2 (with one in the way) went out to get our hands on some yummy seafood. Our server Brandon even personalized my crab bib to read "Baby Crab on Board"! Drinks were always full & we enjoyed both the family happy hour special dinner and the "twosday" appetizer deal (just $2 per app! ) I experienced my very first crayfish & LOVED it! We'll be sure to hurry back!
(5)
Mirinda S.
So my boyfriend and I went in about a week ago since we were going to see a movie and I wanted calamari. The only good thing was the mahi tacos and how nice our server was. When I say nice I don't mean attentive. I asked if they had coke or Pepsi and they had coke, I then asked if they had root beer and I was informed that it was IBC. So I said I'd take coke. Well she turned around to talk to a coworker as I told her what I wanted and she said so you want coke right. I said yes. 3 minutes later I ended up with an IBC that I took and drank bc I didn't want to complain. I then ordered the coke I originally wanted when I was finished. So food. I got the fried shrimp with fries. Fries were cold and the shrimp tasted like oil , like they weren't strained at all. We spent $50 for 2 people....in the future we will be going to red lobster for better sea food for cheaper prices.
(2)
Morgan G.
I greatly wish I read yelp before taking my family to Joe's. Albeit we knew it would be gimmicky but did not expect it to be terrible. We were ignored by our server and others when we realized we waited more than 20 minutes for food consisting of 4 appetizers and then Fish and Chips (not too complicated, correct?). Had our server managed our expectations or noticed our waving hands in the air or actually checked in with us our sentiment would have been minimized. Two dishes came out cold. One dish did not have all the identified items from the menu on the plate. Which we discussed, hunted down a menu to see if we were correct and then decided to ask about. Sent cold food back. Then later inquired about the missing items. The server checked with the kitchen and was told by the manager that he made it himself and knows they were on the plate. We asked to speak to him immediately. Upon which we explained our conundrum and questioned his audacity to send a server and to even suggest we were wrong about what was clearly not on our plate. What...they grew legs and walked off the plate? Only one of my party finished their entree and the rest finished part of the food that was being shared. I doubt in that peckish mode over mediocre food a whole table would outright lie about not receiving three great balls of fire on a sampler app. When the manager finally said he would make them we declined as an apology would have been more appropriate. It wasn't the fact of the food it was based on principal of needing to let a manager know that this is not acceptable hospitality. Horrible experience, Horrible interaction with management. Never again! Do not make the same mistake my family and I did. Choose to support another restaurant that actually cares about customer service and its patrons!
(1)
Shawn T.
I have been here twice. First time was my 27th Birthday. Went there and spent 60 dollars between the 2 of us. Left hungry. The 2nd time I went there was for a mothers day meal. Both times the Crab itself tasted good. The 2nd time, half the problem was the Crab I received was less legs, and more the Nuckle or whatever you want to call the piece of the body that the Legs are attached to. The part that most people throw away or do not eat at all. The Quality Control at this place is not good enough for how much you pay. If you pay 30-35 a plate you want know that your crab legs are not Hollow, and that the lions share of your Crab is not in a knuckle. I don't remember the wait staff from my first visit, as it was over 10 years ago, however the last time, the server was sort of smug and rude.
(2)
Orlando M.
"That's it?! Fill up the pot!" Not enough food. Lobster was chewy, potatoes were undercooked, crab....it's Kansas but decent. Water was good. We got crab cutters though. I hope this place gets better.
(1)
Jason S.
The kids love playing on the playground and digging in the sand. We sit on the patio and enjoy food and drinks while they play. Be prepared to have kids covered in sand but well worth it.
(5)
Marcella C.
The last four times I've been here there has been an hour wait for an empty restaurant mostly due to lack of staff. As a former server that is unheard of. Tonight we went for the last time to be told their patio doesn't open until Mother's Day. Again the restaurant was almost empty and there were two other large parties waiting to be seated. I will also mention the time I was there with my family a few years ago and both my mother and I got food poisoning and threw up for days. Since then I have gotten over that one bad experience only to have several more. I think this location should pack it up and leave town now. I would give negative stars at this point.
(1)
Steve S.
I really love most Joe's and have been in their restaurants in many different states, some are really good, some, well not so much. I can't complain about our server, he really tried his best to do a good job while serving the overpriced barely alcoholic beverages and skimpy excuse for King crab legs. I think they get smaller legs every time we go there, these are by no means "legal" King crab legs. You can get another 1/2 pound of REAL King crab at that "other" well known seafood place for $5.00 less and the other place will actually put alcohol in their drinks. If it were not for their special seasonings (Old Bay) in the BBQ flavor, I would probably never darken the doorway again.
(2)
Leigh W.
Ehh, if I'm going to eat at a cookie cutter restaurant I should have gone to Texas Roadhouse. Took my sister here for her birthday dinner, they where out of the items to make their signature drink, we shared a pot for two food was good but almost $50 & crab legs didn't have much meat on them. Waitress was kind, bus boy was worried about a bug that landed by our table & made a big show about it, needless to say I was done eating. Drinks & dinner for two was $80 & was a dissapointment. Won't try it again.
(2)
Shannon E.
This was my first time coming here. I was pretty excited. So to start...the service was not all the great. I told the waitress that we had never been and she wasn't too helpful in recommending food to eat. Dishes piled up on our table. They don't put their drink prices in the menu so I was kinda bummed that I paid 9.00 for the shark bite. It was very good but expensive. The food wasn't hot when it came out so I was trying to figure out how fresh it was. The food was good. I'm from the west coast and it wasn't terrible but not the best and the fact that it wasn't warm bugged me. Their platters that they serve are meant for one person at aroundd 30. We shared one and it had an OK amount of stuff but I wasnt full when I left. Overall... It was an interesting first experience. I wouldn't say don't eat here but be warned that its extremely expensive. I believe that the person who waits on you can either make or break a good experience and this particular waitress broke it. Would I recommend it? Probably not but its worth a try.
(3)
Debbie S.
We stopped in on a Thursday at 6pm. There were 4 tables of people there so we're thinking wow we're going to get right in and eat! NOT... We had a 30 minute wait because they were under-staffed. An hour later we're finally getting our food. It was WAY overcooked and tasted old. I'm sure it won't take long and that'll be an empty building.
(1)
Ashley B.
ATTENTION PARENTS: The patio seating and enclosed playground are priceless! You can actually enjoy your meal while your kiddos play. We went for a weekday lunch right after school was back in session and it was totally empty. Enjoy it while the weather is still nice! Just bring a fly swatter ... they're aggressive little suckers. The food was pretty good! Great crab dip app and yummy mahi fish tacos. Having lived in the Caribbean for a handful of years, I'm spoiled to really fresh seafood. Otherwise my review would be 5 stars.
(4)
Heidi B.
Dear Joes, thank you for ruining my 8th anniversary with my boyfriend.... First off it took someone over ten minutes to clean off a booth, to which there was garbage under the table. The waitress who was training a total invalid ON A FRIDAY NIGHT, was a rude woman and the invalid should be fired. I got the alaskan steam pot which is lobster, shrimp, and crab. Three crab legs, a whole lobster, and five shrimp is pathetic for a $30 dish. The manager was nice enough to comp me a 1/2lb more of crab. The alcoholic drinks have no prices and you get that surprise is at the end on your bill. The place was air conditioned so heavily that my dinner was cold in 5 minutes. My boyfriend got the fried scallops, fried shrimp, and fried fish platter. The tartar sauce was off, the fish tasted bad as if it was about to turn. Even the waitstaff had little to no emotion when they had to dance. This place is awful and we will never go back. So again, thanks for ruining our anniversary. My boyfriend really liked vomiting last night.
(1)
Tony J.
The food was very good. The service was top notch and the manager came out to talk to the diners as they finished up their meals. Out server tonight was Mike and there were few times when he wasn't close at hand to take our order, refill our drinks, or answer the questions that we had. My wife grew up on the west coast eating fresh seafood, and she really enjoyed eating at Joe's. Thanks Mike and those others that prepared our meals.
(5)
Shawn B.
Went in for lunch at 1:30PM. The place was empty. Maybe had 2 tables with people. Hostess seated me, and I waited, and watched waitresses pass me by, and waited some more, more waitresses pass me by like 4 or 5 times without saying a word. After almost 10 minutes without being said a word to, I left. Won't be back.
(1)
Rebecca W.
Gluten free menu gave a lot of options. Enjoyed my crab pot. Server was great. We kept having questions and sending him away to fetch different things and he took care of it all with a smile. Four adults and a toddler were all happy when we left.
(4)
Tod S.
I had never eaten at a Joes before and I was shocked at the prices. I wish they would offer smaller lunch portions that are more affordable but oh well, lesson learned. This was not all it is cracked up to be, i was very disappointed.
(1)
Ronisha M.
Always the Best! Seafood off the Chain, especially the Steampots! The Service is Outstanding. Gotta Love Joes Crab Shack, always come here when I make a Trip to KC
(5)
Cathy S.
I took some relatives to Joe's last weekend, the service was terrible, the food was cold and to make matters worse it made them sick later in the evening. I didn't find much on the menu that I cared for so I stuck with calamari and drinks. My nephew was so sick that he was prompted to call corporate office and complain. The manager called him back Sunday afternoon and took information, but my nephew said he wouldn't be returning to the restaurant any time soon. The only Joe's Crab Shack I have liked is the one in Corpus Christi, TX
(1)
Johnny C.
Can I give this place zero stars? Joe Crab shack in Independence = 4-5 stars.....Olathe's Joe's Crab Shack is pretty disappointing. My wife and I stopped in on a Thursday afternoon just before 5pm. Waited a minute to be seated, no big deal. There was only one other couple sitting when we showed up. We got seated and the clown show began. Possibly the worst customer service I've ever experienced....bottom line customer service was non-existent. Food was sub par for the price (yes, go to the nearest Long John Silver's and you won't be disappointed as other reviewers have pointed out). What revealed to poor management of this place was there was actually more employees than customers by the time we left but the staff was loitering and BSing on the far left section of the building rather than doing their job with friends and family that we're hanging out in the section. For the management/leadership of this Joe's location: Bottom line, your staff and their shenanigans suck big time and if you don't want your business to go down the tube you need to reeducate or hire in new, dedicated talent. Right now you're running a circus.
(1)
Surprise C.
We had a coupon for a free steam pot because of a donation we made. We went on New Years Eve. The wait staff was friendly, but did not refill our drinks regularly. It seemed as if they were understaffed as we heard some elderly ladies complaining about the delay in getting their alcoholic beverages. The food was really, really good but the delay threw us behind on our plans. We also asked for drinks to go as I left thirsty due to not one single refill on my beverage. Will probably not return to this Joe's unless we have a coupon and allot of time to kill.
(3)
Ernest M.
I don't know what happened with Joe's. My experience has always been the best. I was disappointed when I made my visit on August 14, 2013. Colleagues and I decided to have lunch here. There a few sitting at a table which I believe were employees. Our group had 8 people. It was not a busy lunch hour for them so we figured we'll be in and out. First, we didn't get our drinks until about 10 minutes later. We all looked over the menu and ordered quickly since we were limited on time. It almost took 45 minutes to get our order. Another colleague had to walk up to one of the servers and asked what was taking too long. We had to rush eating. My food was cold. I think that sums it up. Just expect that your waiter will more likely not check up on you.
(2)
Erin W.
Fun Loud and delicious. This place will keep you awake and feed you great food in the middle of waitresses and waiters dancing. Fun for the whole family
(4)
Sean G.
We had a party of 7 plus a child, it took over an hour to be seated, even though the dining room was half empty on a Sunday night. We were told they were understaffed. Originally they tried to seat us outside even though the sun was quickly setting and getting colder. They were also out of bibs and wet wipes. Food ranged from warm to overcooked. Server was very nice though. Overall a poor experience for a birthday party.
(2)
George H.
I had Joe's Crab Shack in Jacksonville so I tried this one. It's an embarrassment. Try Long John Silver's across the street.
(2)
Kelsey K.
Service was bad. Food was gross and greasy. Crab did not taste right. Fries and onion rings were cold. Something is wrong with management and in the kitchen. Do not waste your money!!
(1)
Chris H.
As a former server at this place, I was pretty disappointed. My lady and I came here for our 8 year anniversary. The food was cold, crab was overcooked, wait staff was, well, not rude. I wouldn't say rude. I'd say the staff was sad. Defeated even. Yes, dancing is part of the job. Yes, I know nobody wants to dance. But, you can't let the customers see that you hate it. That's just awkward. I tipped well, but I won't be back. The novelty has worn off, guys. and your sub par seafood isn't saving you. I spent less at red lobster, and got better seafood. Sad, huh?
(2)
Kit W.
I have been to two different location of JCB, and I have to say, excuse the crabby-ness, the preparations of the same dish at both are very different. I can only rate this one a 3 because although the seasonings are good and the nostalgia of handing me a bib, roll of paper towels, and serving my food in a pot is all fun and games - mine was actually overcooked and rubbery. I had the Boston Bake (2 lobsters, 1 lb of clams, shrimp). The first lobster I cracked into was about a 4 out of 5, and not quite as overcooked as the second lobster I cracked into. The second one was definately overcooked to the point that I was chewing lobster flavored gum. The meat was lacking in its natural buttery-ness, and some of the bites I actually had to stop chewing because it was just too much. The clams were good, but I only had 7 clams. Now I understand my hands are not scales, but I can tell you that 7 small clams do not equal a point. I also only had 6 shrimp. Although the shrimp had good flavor, again I only had 6. The service wasn't bad, not the best as things were forgotten and then brought to the table after everything else was gone.
(3)
Christine C.
OK, here is a laugh... my daughter & I went to JCS in December... right after flying in to the KS City Airport (we landed actually, didn't really fly INTO the building!) coming back from the San Francisco Bay Area! We had spent Christmas out there with family. There was so much going on during our trip that we never got a chance to have some fresh seafood at our usual places we like to go! My daughter had been wanting to try JCS so since we were there we decided to stop for dinner before driving back to the Wichita area. I had a salad ( I love my salads!) & we shared some fried calamari for an appetizer. The calamari was quite good and plenty of it! They had the tentacles, not just rings! We both ordered SteamPots, she got Snow Crab & I chose Dungeness (thats what is found in the SF Bay Area). They were absolutely delicious and we both enjoyed our meals very much! I had eaten there before & it was good then too. I was wondering though if the steampots were going to be over cooked & dry or too salty. Red Lobster can be like that sometimes. They weren't! Yes, yes.. these are chains I speak of but when you are living smack dab in the middle of the USA, there isn't a whole lot of choice for good seafood! I'd definitely go back!
(4)
A E.
Why? I let myself get talked into going. I hadn't been to a Joe's in over 5 years. There must have been a reason. Service. Slow. Inattentive. That simply sums up the service. He was a nice guy and polite, but rarely came back, and didn't remember requests from when he last came. If he figures out tips are a correlation to good service, he may change. Dirty. The table was sticky the chairs were dirty. I can live with that. IF the food is good and the server tries hard....the food can make up for the table and chairs. I love hole in the wall local joints and care less about decor if the food is GREAT. But then I made the mistake of going to the restroom. Whoa. It was only 5:50 pm -- so before any real rush on a Saturday. The restroom was a disaster. Looked like a dive bar at 12:30 a.m. Makes you wonder what the kitchen looks like. Food. Ok. Not great. Not worth going back to experience the poor service and wonder about how dirty the kitchen is. Here is the kicker. The manager. She stopped by just before the check came. I politely and quietly informed her about the dirty restroom. She commented she didn't have anyone at the moment to go take a look at it. (?) The was what appeared to be a male host who was not doing much the entire time we sat there. He was playing with his keys and chatting with the female hostess. Our waiter was hanging out by the server station - certainly not busy checking on his tables. Then she asked if everything else was ok. I again was trying to be polite and informed her that as polite as the server was, he was extremely slow and inattentive and could use some additional training. She looked at me, handed me a card and told me to let her know anything else I might have and to have a good evening. I never saw that coming. I had to smile as she walked away. As we were leaving (5 of us) 2 others commented that Old Chicago would have been a better choice and that they would not be returning. I will not return for at least another 5 years and then it will only be if someone else is paying, and it is the only place open, and mad cow disease is taking over the world.
(1)
Kev L.
When will the day arrive that people will realize that this type of seafood establishment is just wrong? I mean really, if you want Joe's Crab-shack style food, you're really more apt to get it by the dock of some city ON THE COAST. I understand people's aficionado with crustaceans, but this is nothing you can't fix with a jack of Zatarains crab boil and two lbs of shrimp from the grocery store. The quality of the shrimp here is disappointing. Call me a snob but when you're born in Cajun Country you can't help but smash the crap out of inferior food. Did I also mention how limited the lunch menu is?
(2)
Al S.
Well this Joe's wasn't all it could be. Went on a Saturday afternoon at 1pm. What annoyed me most was the fact that it took over 30 minutes to get our food. The restaurant wasn't crowded but when I looked around I noticed that a lot of the other tables didn't have their food either. I was really peeved me most was when tables that were seated after us got their food quickly. There I was with my family waiting for our food still. When the food came the salmon my wife had ordered was over cooked and also cold. My son's lunch also came out with French fries and not the corn on the cob as ordered. The manager did stop by and apologize for the long wait and offered to send out another salmon. We were just frustrated and didn't want to wait any longer. I appreciate the waitress's efforts and that the manager paid for the meal. I would be very hesitant to recommend this restaurant if this is how it is on a slow Saturday afternoon. I would assume it would be worse when it is busy.
(1)
Julia F.
Normally I would not give a review that denotes any excitement over a chain restaurant, but sometimes a person has an itch that can only be scratched by a bucket full of crustaceans. I enjoy the primal experience of ripping through a crab leg with my bare hands and that little yellow "zipper." I mean, really, it's good food and good food. Not a good first-date place (some people are quite scary when elbow deep in crab meat and butter), but for good friends its even an amusing show! I like the snow crab bucket Chesapeake style, which is deliciously flavorful and quite affordable, all things considered. I don't mind paying twenty dollars for a meal if the value is good and the food delicious. I left quite satisfied. No complaints. I even lucked out to arrive right AFTER the wait staff finished dancing among the tables (which is only painful due to the uncomfortable decibel level to which they turn the music).
(4)
Kay L.
It's a seafood chain that does one thing & does it pretty well -- love those steampots. Joe's tries hard to push the friendly & super-casual vibe; our server relied heavily on the "you guys" mode of address ("You guys need another minute to decide?" "Anything else I can get you guys?") which I always find a bit annoying, but that's a pretty minor gripe. The steampots were delicious, plentiful, & served quickly. A warning: Joe's goes WAY over the top on the silly birthday routines, so if you're shy or easily embarrassed by garrulous waitstaff drawing attention to you, don't fess up to your natal day here.
(3)
M D.
Awesome place with awesome food atmosphere for a fun loud night
(5)
Destiny S.
Delicious! My first time eating at Joe's and I had a wonderful experience. The environment was very casual. The music was AWESOME! I had lobster and crab legs and it was the best I have ever had. I also had some of the cinnamon ice cream and I thought I was in heaven. The hand written bibs were hilarious. Going back ASAP!
(5)
Dan F.
Pretty bad overall. Slow service, food took 45 mins to come out, when it did come out one meal not cooked - one cold. Manager stopped by once to say sorry for slow food and it still took 15 mins to get the food out after the visit. Then she stopped by again when the food went back. One meal was discounted but given the total experience not sure we would have been satisfied if the entire meal was free. We had not been to this location before and had been to one many years ago. There are tons of better choices for this price with better service and food. No way would we go back to this or any location. Long Johns Silver may be a better choice.....
(1)
Rusty U.
I used to really like this place but last night we went in with friends and were told we had a half hour wait no big deal we had som drinks from the bar the place was busy but not more than normal so whatever. An hour later we were asking when we were going to be seated and were told there were people that had call ahead seating that were in front of us now and at this time the dining room has no less than eight empty tables just setting there and still twenty or so people standing waiting to be seated. We decided to go elsewhere because the food isn't that great for the price I mean I understand crabs come from the bearing sea but $30 for four legs is just stupid expensive but it is the fun of cracking them and trying to get the tiny bit of meat out of them. Before we left we asked why people were not being seated and were told the kitchen was backed up and the manager told them not to seat anyone till the kitchen was caught up. Well I will not be returning to this chain of incompetence if they can't keep up on a weekend they should look for better management and staff. The funny thing is they have a room that opens up that could have seated everyone waiting and had empty tables and I have been there when that was open and packed and waited less than a half hour to be seated so it has to be the management and staff of this particular restaurant. Avoid this place there are several better options all around it.
(1)
Michael R.
Joe's is okay for what it is: a chain seafood restaurant. Its a step above Red Lobster. I probably won't be back though. The seafood was decent at least. I'm sure if I was closer to an ocean, could probably get something better. Obviously, it was reheated frozen crabs. By the time I got through one crab cluster, it was cold. Our waitress was great. No complaints with her. The place was way too noisy though. They still did the macarena tonight. Probably should have eaten outside where we at least avoid most of the noise.
(2)
Clarissa H.
Food was mediocre. Customer service was horrible. We waited for literally one hour for our food to get here. Table of four... Do not go here
(2)
L S.
I've been to JCS 4x now. (This one twice) Loud is an understatement. We couldn't even talk across the table. The Maui Mahi was dry, I'm glad it had the mango salsa on top...It helped a little. The bucket of shrimp we ordered came AFTER our food came. My daughter never finished her crab stuffed shrimp. She said it was VERY fishy tasting. Service was 'ok'
(1)
Chris D.
I was caught at a moment of weakness. A painfully hungry stomach combined with a sudden overwhelming craving for seafood led to a snap decision to stop in at Joe's for lunch. Although I live approximately half a mile away, I hadn't been to Joe's in years. Sadly it cost me $50 to be reminded why. Subpar chain restaurant seafood. That's really the only description necessary. My plate of fried seafood was no better than what could have been purchased at the Long John Silvers across the street for less than half the price. I ordered a side Caesar salad and it came out with iceberg lettuce instead of romaine. Seriously? You can't even keep a 2nd kind of lettuce on hand in order to properly make a ceasar salad? I know we are in the Midwest, but come on! Can't someone open a halfway decent casual seafood place around here? I wish I could tell you of a better place to go when a seafood craving hits, but other than hopping a plane to the coast I simply don't have a clue.
(1)
Collin F.
I have to say that prior to this most recent visit, I would have agreed with the overall 2.5 star rating for this place. We had not been here for at least 3 years, and with good reason. The last 2 times we were here were less than spectacular. The service was just okay, but the food even less so. I am happy to say that when I took my wife for a birthday dinner here last Saturday, Joe's Crab Shack had managed to turn these around (at least of us for that 1 evening). We started off with some boiled hot shrimp, which were okay. I had a margherita for a drink which was darn near perfect. For the main entree, we went with a bucket of snow crab legs and shared some calamari. The calamari was excellent and plentiful. The snow crab was also quite good (kind of hard to screw that up, especially if your name has "Crab" in it). Unfortunately, seafood is not all that filling, so we still found ourselves hungry. Rather than go for dessert, we opted for another appetizer. We chose the Double Dip with dishes of crab dip and artichoke dip, with tortilla chips for the dipping. The artichoke dip was excellent; the crab dip, a little less so (maybe too much sherry), but it was all good. And I have to say, I liked Joe's tortilla chips better than the ones we get for free at Mo's Southwestern Grill, which are a little stale as opposed to nice and crisp like these. I guess you do get what you pay for. All of that with tax for under $60. A little pricey, maybe, but again, it's seafood flown in to the middle of the country, so you need to take that into consideration. The noise level is very loud, though, so either bring some earplugs or be prepared for tinnitus when you leave. Oh, and the service from James was spot on. Not pushy, not hovering, but there when we needed him. So maybe we'll be back sooner than 3+ years. Way to go, Joe's!
(4)
Estebam F.
The food was ok and the service was ok. I was not wowed.
(3)
Crystal M.
Horrible service as usual! The waiter actually snapped at me when I asked twice for items missing from my meal "I can only do one thing at a time!" Our table agreed "Then why is he a waiter???" I would have given this place one star but the crab legs were decent. Also have to agree with Charles R the fish smell inside is very overpowering. I love seafood and the smell was a little much even for me.
(2)
Elizabeth D.
I don't think you go to JCB for the food as much as the fun, lively, upbeat ambiance. The servers periodically gather around the room and sing/dance which was a big hit with the kids at our table. Food was ok--good sized portions. Be prepared to get messy!
(3)
Charles R.
Gah. The restaurant smells like fish that has gone past its prime. Skinny crab legs with no meat inside, a shrimp and sausage pasta containing a tablespoon of each meat, waiting for drinks while the waitstaff dances the Macarena, for a total bill of $150 for a party of four. Save your money.
(1)
Shana S.
Yes, I realize that I would be getting better seafood if I went to the coast, but unfortunately, the ticket there costs more than $30. $30 CAN get me some pretty decent seafood. We don't come here if we want some high class seafood, go to someplace else like McCormick & Schmick's for that (also great food). We do, however, come here when we just want to stuff our faces with crab legs. I've honestly not ever had anything else. I've only gotten the crab feasts and the steampots. Incredibly satisfying. Sometimes I don't like to pretend that the bite of lobster I get in an appetizer is totally fulfilling. Sometimes I just want to make myself sick on seafood. this place is GREAT for that. I've never had a real issue with service. People have always been friendly and helpful. There is always a wait when we go, which tells you that apparently some people really do enjoy it despite the negative reviews. Yes there's always a wait. Yes, it's obnoxiously loud. But honestly, my biggest complaint is that I cannot shovel my crab down fast enough that some of it isn't as warm by the time I get to it. When that's my biggest complaint, I will continue to go whenever the mood strikes me to go on a seafood binge. Just know when you should come and when you shouldn't.
(4)
Scott T.
I am really surprised with the prior reviews. Joe's was actually my Fathers Day gift yesterday, and we drove up from Wichita, just to eat here. The ambiance is a shack, which is really cool. It is a fun young hip place to go that the kids can have fun at also. The menu is huge. Everything from the standard seafood fair of Crabs, Lobster and Fish all the way down to Crawfish (my personal favorite). We have always had wait staff who is very helpful in choosing a meal, which is nice. I will say that our waitress yesterday was odd. She came to us very pumped and ready to serve, but every time after that she seemed down. I almost wondered if she either had a bad customer or was having a rough day with a co-worker, as it was such a turn around. We were so full when we were done, we could not finish the entire meal. Definitely worth the drive. My only con: OK, disco lights kick on music plays and the wait staff abandons everyone to go dance. My wife & I were amazed the place was packed and literally NO ONE was paying attention. I thought this gimmick died a slow death with singing happy birthday to customers in the Nineties! I would say it is time to put it to rest at Joes!
(5)
Kathy D.
Went there on a Thursday evening for my birthday with my family. Was not crowded, there was no wait and we got our food relatively quickly. Seafood restaurants in KC are either moderately expensive and crappy (Dead Lobster) or really high end Plaza fare. Honestly we were very pleased with our meals (3 steampots). The drinks were weak (not unusual) and I could have lived without the Jimmy Buffet serenade by the not quite enthusiastic wait staff but all in all I had a great time. Definitely will plan return trips.
(4)
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Address :11965 S. Strang Line Rd.
Olathe, KS, 66062
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Very Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Amanda F.
So, I was pleasantly surprised this visit. We had a great waitress, who was attentive & nice. We waited about 15 mins for our shrimp appetizer, but our entrees were out soon after we finished the shrimp. We got the pot for 2 & it was good. Not high quality by any means, but good. Plenty of food for 2 of us. We just popped in on a Saturday night & they weren't busy. Weird for this area, but we decided to chance it. So, will we come back, yes probably.
(4)Al P.
Joe's Crab Shack in north Olathe has been a pretty big hit for a long time. Those employees with restaurant experience are probably long gone. What's left still isn't too bad but management needs to sweat the details. The biggest problem today was french fries that were McDonalds rejects. Management: Go out to your competition and check out the fries and compare them to yours. Yours are terrible. Fix this and then read the rest of these reviews or its curtains baby!
(2)Vaughn E.
Not bad for a chain, although a bit expensive for what you get. Here in the Midwest you have to set expectations at the right level if you are going to eat seafood, especially at a chain. But our crablegs were pretty good last night. We had a combination of King, Queen and Snow crab legs. A couple of orders were steamed. Mine was boiled in spices - and really packed a punch! Another order at the table was the garlic special. We all enjoyed the meals. Service was OK. There was no wait on a Friday night... unusual for this area.
(4)D Q.
Wow...OMG this has got to be the nastiest Joe's Crab Shack I've ever seen. The Manager saw me to the bar as in on travel this week and will be eating alone. He never bothered to notice there want a clean spot to sit at. One person at the bar sitting in the only clean spot. I turned and looked around only to find three tables near me all dirty. He asked am employee to try to get to me and she quickly informed him she was trying but it would be a while. He walked off like it was no longer his responsibility. For the next 5 minutes of my standing neat the bar waiting for a clean table area I watched the Manager do noting but walk around. So I went up to him and said I was leaving because of no clean area to eat my meal and I felt he should have stepped up and taken care of it. This is a shame. Monday eve 3/16 7:30 pm.
(1)Chris W.
Awful. Okay, I admit that growing up on the East coast I am spoiled when it comes to sea food, but I have had good fish and shell fish in KC at several restaurants. But this place?! The butter drenched travesties that they claim are real "Steamers" and the nasty crab legs are a parody of good sea food. We took my son for a Birthday. When the wait staff found out, they made my kid ride a hobby horse from table to table wearing a sombrero and tossing dolls into a plastic shark's mouth. After he did all this, did he get a cupcake or anything to celebrate his birthday? Nope. I guess the humiliation of a 9 year old was enough. If I had known what was going to happen, I would have shut this silliness down. As it was, we were stunned and then angry. I will never go back to this place. I would rather starve. Even their silly TV ads with the "cool folk beach bums" annoy me.
(1)David N.
The service was fair, however the food sub par red lobster is better serving a similar cuisine.
(2)Lisa S.
First, my husband really enjoys Joe's, but I just don't really care for it. I guess if you like seafood pots this might be the place for you, but I don't. My favorite seafood is coconut shrimp. The coating isn't really anything special. My daughter eats popcorn shrimp but didn't like the coating on it either. The French fries aren't anything special either. I'll go there if someone else requests it, but I never will.
(2)Beau G.
Service Server was so over the top he was annoying. I appreciate good service but don't need asked id "everything is still wonderful" every 3 mins. Food Crab stuffed mushrooms were not hot when they came out at all. The forgot my side salad but did provide it later free of charge. Crab pot was not bad. Post meal Both of us fighting over the bathroom for hours. Will never return
(1)Missy B.
Went at 5:00 on a Saturday. Service was good. I have salmon often, so it's easy to tell when it's not cooked correctly; it was unfortunately rather dry. The broccoli was tasty though. Overall, the meal was not worth the $17.50. I cannot comment on any of their other options.
(2)Kelly S.
Sorry...been once won't be back . Not fresh., nuff said.
(1)Erica W.
If you like extremely loud music and bad seafood. This is your place. Could not even hear the people at our table it was so loud. We waited over an hour for our food. Would not recommend this place.
(1)Ann O.
Unless you are fool with no sense of taste and have money to burn, do not bother coming here. Asked to wait when tables were available. When taken to our table, forced to maneuver around a table blocking foot traffic. Seated next to a door to the porch on a windy evening. Waiter was just okay....but could stand some retraining on customer service. Had blackened mahi tacos....flavorless. Thank goodness for Tabasco. BF had Ragin Cajun steam pot....it looked like someone beat the poor little mesh bag before they threw in the pot. Lacked flavor and I am sure All of Louisiana are rolling their eyes. Everyone got the picture....
(2)Michael R.
This is kind of a tough review to write for me. I want to give it -382 stars, because we waited for about an hour. On the other hand, we went on a Saturday and didn't call ahead, so, really, this is my fault. I know this. I have to get past this. It's not their fault I am not a patient man. Sigh. Call ahead, is what I'm saying. Other than the wait, my most recent visit was okay. The server was pretty good--we saw him, and he got us drink refills--but he had a number of tables and so hopped a lot. The kitchen was a bit slow just because of sheer numbers of people, but, again, I went on a Saturday evening. All things considered, yes, it was pretty slow, but not half as slow as it by rights should have been. Food-wise, I had the 33-shrimp platter, which had coconut, beer-batter, and BBQ rub peel-and-eat shrimp. The beer batter and BBQ rub were my favorites; the coconut shrimp were good and I would recommend them if you like coconut shrimp, but it's not my favorite. However, my wife got the Crispy Catch platter, and calamari isn't her favorite, so we had a good trade going on. We also got a side of hush puppies, which were very good. And that's kind of why I give Joe's Crab Shack three stars, rather than four. It's good, but in my opinion their best things are shrimp, crab legs, fried fish, and fried sides. In other words, pretty basic seafood. I've heard their steam pots are fantastic, but I haven't tried them yet. Maybe when I do my opinion will change, but, really, I feel it's a decent chain rather than a real seafood place.
(3)Jess J.
This location gets a lot of flack, and we did have a pretty lengthy wait, but it was a Saturday night, the place was, indeed, full (not sparsely populated as others have experienced), and everyone was pleasant...our server, especially. I'm inclined to be forgiving about the seafood...it's the Midwest, it's only gonna get so good, and you really can't hold a chain outpost in the middle of the country to the same standards as a coastal restaurant that gets the literal catch of the day. It is what it is. I think the entrees can be a tad overpriced, esp. the steampots, but the midrange priced platter entrees are pretty reasonable. I couldn't decide between fish or shrimp, so I got the Crispy Catch platter, which was a couple of breaded filets (only okay...smallish, at least, smaller than I was expecting), a pile of calamari (decent), fries (yum), and a handful of awesome, awesome butterflied shrimp stuffed with crab meat, cream cheese, and jalapeno. The shrimp were really, really great. Surprisingly great coleslaw. Husband had some kind of variety shrimp platter, and gave me most of his coconut shrimp, which were darned tasty. He also got a surprisingly well-mixed gin and tonic. Overall, the waits are not great, but everything else was perfectly pleasant. Server forgot to put in our order for a side of hushpuppies, so he ended up comping a nice, fresh hot batch for us. I'd go again, but not if I had a tight schedule.
(3)Joley W.
My husband and I came here tonight for our anniversary and were VERY pleased. Seated quickly and out waiter was very attentive (forgot to get his name- brown hair, blue eyes, beard/goatee, glasses.). He was wonderful about checking up on us and answering our questions. We ordered the Great Balls of Fire as an app. In a word... Magical!! Highly recommend! My husband ordered the Sam Adams pot & I ordered the stuffed shrimp entree. Both were delicious and fresh. Not sure why this place has had any neg reviews. The food and service were top notch and the prices were reasonable. Place was packed for an early Sunday evening so they're doing something right.
(5)Teri C.
Here's the pros and cons of my experience at THIS chain. Mind you its ok food and we have gone to several in various cities without issue. This one was just poor management. Pros were the food was decent and our waitress was wonderful and attentive. Cons were very hot inside as in 82 degrees! Also the manager just seemed ticked the whole night. He never came to check on any tables but rather complained to his hostess. I caught this several times before our family got seated. Yes there is a play area outside if it's not too hot and humid to enjoy while waiting. Final tip would be if you are a family of 5 like us with 2 adults and 3 kids I would tell the hostess this because she can seat you in a booth with smaller kids and you don't have to wait for a big table to open.
(3)Kirk D.
Absolute garbage. Worst seafood I've ever had. How this chain managed to become successful is beyond my comprehension. Literally my meal looked like it had been scraped off someone's plate and refried.
(1)Bryan H.
Expensive not worth the money. My wife nachos tasted like pure salt. Now I remember why I don't like coming here.
(1)Brent B.
Sorry to say, this location and perhaps the other locations of this chain missed the memo that the years of this kind of 'Food-Kitsch' are long past. Don't get me wrong, there will always probably be a market for people wanting to have frozen seafood prepared and served to them surrounded by a fantasy of eating at a quasi-shore-side restaurant. The physical plant could use some updating as the outer area as you walk in looks it's age, and inside, if the threshold has a bump in the floor that needs to be called out to you as the hostess leads you to your table--why not fix that? The food was adequate, but they clearly are tuned into the money that can be made off their wine service. Our server was attentive but only spoke to us about the less expensive bottle choice after we'd each had a by the glass vino. We may visit again and re-assess, but in an area of such competition there are more alluring choices. Aging and going through the motions in my view.
(2)Beverly B.
had lunch at joe's crab shack today. i was not impressed. they sit us back by the kitchen door which i looked over behind the bar by a trash can and saw some dirty rags and i can't even say what the other thing there on the floor was. the crab legs were more than i had just paid for a winter jacket so i did not get them. i ordered coconut shrimp which i love. it was burnt so they brought us some more it was ok but the slaw was not good at all.it was raining and i have emphysema and we had gone to the door off the patio and the woman said we could not of got in that door. she could of let us in that door so we had to go in the rain all the way over to the other door. the waiter was not rude i guess but no personality at all. it just left a bad taste in my mouth and my friend or i will not be going back there ever.
(1)R M.
We got the Arctic Bay Steam Pot. This was our first time eating crab. The waiter was very friendly and knowledgeable. He showed us how to crack open the queen crab legs and also helped us with the lobster. The lobster and crabs were enjoyable. The shrimp and andouille sausage were also good. The corn on the cobb was cooked and seasoned to perfection. Steamed potatoes were well cooked. We also ordered lobster fritters as an appetizer and almost immediately regretted it. There was hardly any lobster in them and they tasted horrible and are obviously unhealthy. Stay away! . I would have given only 3 stars because of the horrible lobster fritters but the friendly service (the manager also dropped by to ask how the food was) and the excellent steam pot bumped up the rating to 4 stars.
(4)Brian E.
What can I say? It's a chain. Their food is okay to good. Nothing tastes bad, but nothing tastes great either. As expected, this place is gimmicky with the decor and the bibs. The prices are okay, but you can get better food elsewhere for the same price.
(3)Phon W.
I like coming here for lobster and crab....that's it. Well the old bay bloody mary is good too! I like getting the artic steam pot w/ the whole lobster or the lobster daddy w/ the ragin Cajun seasoning....even if I get a different seasoning I get the ragin Cajun on the side to put in my butter...Yum it's garlicy and spicy so delish! Anyways...I know what I like from here now so I get the same thing every time, the mussels and clams and shrimp and crawfish and scallops are always over cooked to the rubbery almost dried out point. for some reason though their corn is always on point. But this place is totally understaffed and I don't understand why. Every time we come here whether it be Monday or Saturday night it's not really that busy but it's always so slow. And you can't eat outside because they don't have the wait staff to go out there. I think that's weird for a chain restaurant.
(2)Cozmella S.
We just had another fabulous time at the shack! Our family of 2 (with one in the way) went out to get our hands on some yummy seafood. Our server Brandon even personalized my crab bib to read "Baby Crab on Board"! Drinks were always full & we enjoyed both the family happy hour special dinner and the "twosday" appetizer deal (just $2 per app! ) I experienced my very first crayfish & LOVED it! We'll be sure to hurry back!
(5)Mirinda S.
So my boyfriend and I went in about a week ago since we were going to see a movie and I wanted calamari. The only good thing was the mahi tacos and how nice our server was. When I say nice I don't mean attentive. I asked if they had coke or Pepsi and they had coke, I then asked if they had root beer and I was informed that it was IBC. So I said I'd take coke. Well she turned around to talk to a coworker as I told her what I wanted and she said so you want coke right. I said yes. 3 minutes later I ended up with an IBC that I took and drank bc I didn't want to complain. I then ordered the coke I originally wanted when I was finished. So food. I got the fried shrimp with fries. Fries were cold and the shrimp tasted like oil , like they weren't strained at all. We spent $50 for 2 people....in the future we will be going to red lobster for better sea food for cheaper prices.
(2)Morgan G.
I greatly wish I read yelp before taking my family to Joe's. Albeit we knew it would be gimmicky but did not expect it to be terrible. We were ignored by our server and others when we realized we waited more than 20 minutes for food consisting of 4 appetizers and then Fish and Chips (not too complicated, correct?). Had our server managed our expectations or noticed our waving hands in the air or actually checked in with us our sentiment would have been minimized. Two dishes came out cold. One dish did not have all the identified items from the menu on the plate. Which we discussed, hunted down a menu to see if we were correct and then decided to ask about. Sent cold food back. Then later inquired about the missing items. The server checked with the kitchen and was told by the manager that he made it himself and knows they were on the plate. We asked to speak to him immediately. Upon which we explained our conundrum and questioned his audacity to send a server and to even suggest we were wrong about what was clearly not on our plate. What...they grew legs and walked off the plate? Only one of my party finished their entree and the rest finished part of the food that was being shared. I doubt in that peckish mode over mediocre food a whole table would outright lie about not receiving three great balls of fire on a sampler app. When the manager finally said he would make them we declined as an apology would have been more appropriate. It wasn't the fact of the food it was based on principal of needing to let a manager know that this is not acceptable hospitality. Horrible experience, Horrible interaction with management. Never again! Do not make the same mistake my family and I did. Choose to support another restaurant that actually cares about customer service and its patrons!
(1)Shawn T.
I have been here twice. First time was my 27th Birthday. Went there and spent 60 dollars between the 2 of us. Left hungry. The 2nd time I went there was for a mothers day meal. Both times the Crab itself tasted good. The 2nd time, half the problem was the Crab I received was less legs, and more the Nuckle or whatever you want to call the piece of the body that the Legs are attached to. The part that most people throw away or do not eat at all. The Quality Control at this place is not good enough for how much you pay. If you pay 30-35 a plate you want know that your crab legs are not Hollow, and that the lions share of your Crab is not in a knuckle. I don't remember the wait staff from my first visit, as it was over 10 years ago, however the last time, the server was sort of smug and rude.
(2)Orlando M.
"That's it?! Fill up the pot!" Not enough food. Lobster was chewy, potatoes were undercooked, crab....it's Kansas but decent. Water was good. We got crab cutters though. I hope this place gets better.
(1)Jason S.
The kids love playing on the playground and digging in the sand. We sit on the patio and enjoy food and drinks while they play. Be prepared to have kids covered in sand but well worth it.
(5)Marcella C.
The last four times I've been here there has been an hour wait for an empty restaurant mostly due to lack of staff. As a former server that is unheard of. Tonight we went for the last time to be told their patio doesn't open until Mother's Day. Again the restaurant was almost empty and there were two other large parties waiting to be seated. I will also mention the time I was there with my family a few years ago and both my mother and I got food poisoning and threw up for days. Since then I have gotten over that one bad experience only to have several more. I think this location should pack it up and leave town now. I would give negative stars at this point.
(1)Steve S.
I really love most Joe's and have been in their restaurants in many different states, some are really good, some, well not so much. I can't complain about our server, he really tried his best to do a good job while serving the overpriced barely alcoholic beverages and skimpy excuse for King crab legs. I think they get smaller legs every time we go there, these are by no means "legal" King crab legs. You can get another 1/2 pound of REAL King crab at that "other" well known seafood place for $5.00 less and the other place will actually put alcohol in their drinks. If it were not for their special seasonings (Old Bay) in the BBQ flavor, I would probably never darken the doorway again.
(2)Leigh W.
Ehh, if I'm going to eat at a cookie cutter restaurant I should have gone to Texas Roadhouse. Took my sister here for her birthday dinner, they where out of the items to make their signature drink, we shared a pot for two food was good but almost $50 & crab legs didn't have much meat on them. Waitress was kind, bus boy was worried about a bug that landed by our table & made a big show about it, needless to say I was done eating. Drinks & dinner for two was $80 & was a dissapointment. Won't try it again.
(2)Shannon E.
This was my first time coming here. I was pretty excited. So to start...the service was not all the great. I told the waitress that we had never been and she wasn't too helpful in recommending food to eat. Dishes piled up on our table. They don't put their drink prices in the menu so I was kinda bummed that I paid 9.00 for the shark bite. It was very good but expensive. The food wasn't hot when it came out so I was trying to figure out how fresh it was. The food was good. I'm from the west coast and it wasn't terrible but not the best and the fact that it wasn't warm bugged me. Their platters that they serve are meant for one person at aroundd 30. We shared one and it had an OK amount of stuff but I wasnt full when I left. Overall... It was an interesting first experience. I wouldn't say don't eat here but be warned that its extremely expensive. I believe that the person who waits on you can either make or break a good experience and this particular waitress broke it. Would I recommend it? Probably not but its worth a try.
(3)Debbie S.
We stopped in on a Thursday at 6pm. There were 4 tables of people there so we're thinking wow we're going to get right in and eat! NOT... We had a 30 minute wait because they were under-staffed. An hour later we're finally getting our food. It was WAY overcooked and tasted old. I'm sure it won't take long and that'll be an empty building.
(1)Ashley B.
ATTENTION PARENTS: The patio seating and enclosed playground are priceless! You can actually enjoy your meal while your kiddos play. We went for a weekday lunch right after school was back in session and it was totally empty. Enjoy it while the weather is still nice! Just bring a fly swatter ... they're aggressive little suckers. The food was pretty good! Great crab dip app and yummy mahi fish tacos. Having lived in the Caribbean for a handful of years, I'm spoiled to really fresh seafood. Otherwise my review would be 5 stars.
(4)Heidi B.
Dear Joes, thank you for ruining my 8th anniversary with my boyfriend.... First off it took someone over ten minutes to clean off a booth, to which there was garbage under the table. The waitress who was training a total invalid ON A FRIDAY NIGHT, was a rude woman and the invalid should be fired. I got the alaskan steam pot which is lobster, shrimp, and crab. Three crab legs, a whole lobster, and five shrimp is pathetic for a $30 dish. The manager was nice enough to comp me a 1/2lb more of crab. The alcoholic drinks have no prices and you get that surprise is at the end on your bill. The place was air conditioned so heavily that my dinner was cold in 5 minutes. My boyfriend got the fried scallops, fried shrimp, and fried fish platter. The tartar sauce was off, the fish tasted bad as if it was about to turn. Even the waitstaff had little to no emotion when they had to dance. This place is awful and we will never go back. So again, thanks for ruining our anniversary. My boyfriend really liked vomiting last night.
(1)Tony J.
The food was very good. The service was top notch and the manager came out to talk to the diners as they finished up their meals. Out server tonight was Mike and there were few times when he wasn't close at hand to take our order, refill our drinks, or answer the questions that we had. My wife grew up on the west coast eating fresh seafood, and she really enjoyed eating at Joe's. Thanks Mike and those others that prepared our meals.
(5)Shawn B.
Went in for lunch at 1:30PM. The place was empty. Maybe had 2 tables with people. Hostess seated me, and I waited, and watched waitresses pass me by, and waited some more, more waitresses pass me by like 4 or 5 times without saying a word. After almost 10 minutes without being said a word to, I left. Won't be back.
(1)Rebecca W.
Gluten free menu gave a lot of options. Enjoyed my crab pot. Server was great. We kept having questions and sending him away to fetch different things and he took care of it all with a smile. Four adults and a toddler were all happy when we left.
(4)Tod S.
I had never eaten at a Joes before and I was shocked at the prices. I wish they would offer smaller lunch portions that are more affordable but oh well, lesson learned. This was not all it is cracked up to be, i was very disappointed.
(1)Ronisha M.
Always the Best! Seafood off the Chain, especially the Steampots! The Service is Outstanding. Gotta Love Joes Crab Shack, always come here when I make a Trip to KC
(5)Cathy S.
I took some relatives to Joe's last weekend, the service was terrible, the food was cold and to make matters worse it made them sick later in the evening. I didn't find much on the menu that I cared for so I stuck with calamari and drinks. My nephew was so sick that he was prompted to call corporate office and complain. The manager called him back Sunday afternoon and took information, but my nephew said he wouldn't be returning to the restaurant any time soon. The only Joe's Crab Shack I have liked is the one in Corpus Christi, TX
(1)Johnny C.
Can I give this place zero stars? Joe Crab shack in Independence = 4-5 stars.....Olathe's Joe's Crab Shack is pretty disappointing. My wife and I stopped in on a Thursday afternoon just before 5pm. Waited a minute to be seated, no big deal. There was only one other couple sitting when we showed up. We got seated and the clown show began. Possibly the worst customer service I've ever experienced....bottom line customer service was non-existent. Food was sub par for the price (yes, go to the nearest Long John Silver's and you won't be disappointed as other reviewers have pointed out). What revealed to poor management of this place was there was actually more employees than customers by the time we left but the staff was loitering and BSing on the far left section of the building rather than doing their job with friends and family that we're hanging out in the section. For the management/leadership of this Joe's location: Bottom line, your staff and their shenanigans suck big time and if you don't want your business to go down the tube you need to reeducate or hire in new, dedicated talent. Right now you're running a circus.
(1)Surprise C.
We had a coupon for a free steam pot because of a donation we made. We went on New Years Eve. The wait staff was friendly, but did not refill our drinks regularly. It seemed as if they were understaffed as we heard some elderly ladies complaining about the delay in getting their alcoholic beverages. The food was really, really good but the delay threw us behind on our plans. We also asked for drinks to go as I left thirsty due to not one single refill on my beverage. Will probably not return to this Joe's unless we have a coupon and allot of time to kill.
(3)Ernest M.
I don't know what happened with Joe's. My experience has always been the best. I was disappointed when I made my visit on August 14, 2013. Colleagues and I decided to have lunch here. There a few sitting at a table which I believe were employees. Our group had 8 people. It was not a busy lunch hour for them so we figured we'll be in and out. First, we didn't get our drinks until about 10 minutes later. We all looked over the menu and ordered quickly since we were limited on time. It almost took 45 minutes to get our order. Another colleague had to walk up to one of the servers and asked what was taking too long. We had to rush eating. My food was cold. I think that sums it up. Just expect that your waiter will more likely not check up on you.
(2)Erin W.
Fun Loud and delicious. This place will keep you awake and feed you great food in the middle of waitresses and waiters dancing. Fun for the whole family
(4)Sean G.
We had a party of 7 plus a child, it took over an hour to be seated, even though the dining room was half empty on a Sunday night. We were told they were understaffed. Originally they tried to seat us outside even though the sun was quickly setting and getting colder. They were also out of bibs and wet wipes. Food ranged from warm to overcooked. Server was very nice though. Overall a poor experience for a birthday party.
(2)George H.
I had Joe's Crab Shack in Jacksonville so I tried this one. It's an embarrassment. Try Long John Silver's across the street.
(2)Kelsey K.
Service was bad. Food was gross and greasy. Crab did not taste right. Fries and onion rings were cold. Something is wrong with management and in the kitchen. Do not waste your money!!
(1)Chris H.
As a former server at this place, I was pretty disappointed. My lady and I came here for our 8 year anniversary. The food was cold, crab was overcooked, wait staff was, well, not rude. I wouldn't say rude. I'd say the staff was sad. Defeated even. Yes, dancing is part of the job. Yes, I know nobody wants to dance. But, you can't let the customers see that you hate it. That's just awkward. I tipped well, but I won't be back. The novelty has worn off, guys. and your sub par seafood isn't saving you. I spent less at red lobster, and got better seafood. Sad, huh?
(2)Kit W.
I have been to two different location of JCB, and I have to say, excuse the crabby-ness, the preparations of the same dish at both are very different. I can only rate this one a 3 because although the seasonings are good and the nostalgia of handing me a bib, roll of paper towels, and serving my food in a pot is all fun and games - mine was actually overcooked and rubbery. I had the Boston Bake (2 lobsters, 1 lb of clams, shrimp). The first lobster I cracked into was about a 4 out of 5, and not quite as overcooked as the second lobster I cracked into. The second one was definately overcooked to the point that I was chewing lobster flavored gum. The meat was lacking in its natural buttery-ness, and some of the bites I actually had to stop chewing because it was just too much. The clams were good, but I only had 7 clams. Now I understand my hands are not scales, but I can tell you that 7 small clams do not equal a point. I also only had 6 shrimp. Although the shrimp had good flavor, again I only had 6. The service wasn't bad, not the best as things were forgotten and then brought to the table after everything else was gone.
(3)Christine C.
OK, here is a laugh... my daughter & I went to JCS in December... right after flying in to the KS City Airport (we landed actually, didn't really fly INTO the building!) coming back from the San Francisco Bay Area! We had spent Christmas out there with family. There was so much going on during our trip that we never got a chance to have some fresh seafood at our usual places we like to go! My daughter had been wanting to try JCS so since we were there we decided to stop for dinner before driving back to the Wichita area. I had a salad ( I love my salads!) & we shared some fried calamari for an appetizer. The calamari was quite good and plenty of it! They had the tentacles, not just rings! We both ordered SteamPots, she got Snow Crab & I chose Dungeness (thats what is found in the SF Bay Area). They were absolutely delicious and we both enjoyed our meals very much! I had eaten there before & it was good then too. I was wondering though if the steampots were going to be over cooked & dry or too salty. Red Lobster can be like that sometimes. They weren't! Yes, yes.. these are chains I speak of but when you are living smack dab in the middle of the USA, there isn't a whole lot of choice for good seafood! I'd definitely go back!
(4)A E.
Why? I let myself get talked into going. I hadn't been to a Joe's in over 5 years. There must have been a reason. Service. Slow. Inattentive. That simply sums up the service. He was a nice guy and polite, but rarely came back, and didn't remember requests from when he last came. If he figures out tips are a correlation to good service, he may change. Dirty. The table was sticky the chairs were dirty. I can live with that. IF the food is good and the server tries hard....the food can make up for the table and chairs. I love hole in the wall local joints and care less about decor if the food is GREAT. But then I made the mistake of going to the restroom. Whoa. It was only 5:50 pm -- so before any real rush on a Saturday. The restroom was a disaster. Looked like a dive bar at 12:30 a.m. Makes you wonder what the kitchen looks like. Food. Ok. Not great. Not worth going back to experience the poor service and wonder about how dirty the kitchen is. Here is the kicker. The manager. She stopped by just before the check came. I politely and quietly informed her about the dirty restroom. She commented she didn't have anyone at the moment to go take a look at it. (?) The was what appeared to be a male host who was not doing much the entire time we sat there. He was playing with his keys and chatting with the female hostess. Our waiter was hanging out by the server station - certainly not busy checking on his tables. Then she asked if everything else was ok. I again was trying to be polite and informed her that as polite as the server was, he was extremely slow and inattentive and could use some additional training. She looked at me, handed me a card and told me to let her know anything else I might have and to have a good evening. I never saw that coming. I had to smile as she walked away. As we were leaving (5 of us) 2 others commented that Old Chicago would have been a better choice and that they would not be returning. I will not return for at least another 5 years and then it will only be if someone else is paying, and it is the only place open, and mad cow disease is taking over the world.
(1)Kev L.
When will the day arrive that people will realize that this type of seafood establishment is just wrong? I mean really, if you want Joe's Crab-shack style food, you're really more apt to get it by the dock of some city ON THE COAST. I understand people's aficionado with crustaceans, but this is nothing you can't fix with a jack of Zatarains crab boil and two lbs of shrimp from the grocery store. The quality of the shrimp here is disappointing. Call me a snob but when you're born in Cajun Country you can't help but smash the crap out of inferior food. Did I also mention how limited the lunch menu is?
(2)Al S.
Well this Joe's wasn't all it could be. Went on a Saturday afternoon at 1pm. What annoyed me most was the fact that it took over 30 minutes to get our food. The restaurant wasn't crowded but when I looked around I noticed that a lot of the other tables didn't have their food either. I was really peeved me most was when tables that were seated after us got their food quickly. There I was with my family waiting for our food still. When the food came the salmon my wife had ordered was over cooked and also cold. My son's lunch also came out with French fries and not the corn on the cob as ordered. The manager did stop by and apologize for the long wait and offered to send out another salmon. We were just frustrated and didn't want to wait any longer. I appreciate the waitress's efforts and that the manager paid for the meal. I would be very hesitant to recommend this restaurant if this is how it is on a slow Saturday afternoon. I would assume it would be worse when it is busy.
(1)Julia F.
Normally I would not give a review that denotes any excitement over a chain restaurant, but sometimes a person has an itch that can only be scratched by a bucket full of crustaceans. I enjoy the primal experience of ripping through a crab leg with my bare hands and that little yellow "zipper." I mean, really, it's good food and good food. Not a good first-date place (some people are quite scary when elbow deep in crab meat and butter), but for good friends its even an amusing show! I like the snow crab bucket Chesapeake style, which is deliciously flavorful and quite affordable, all things considered. I don't mind paying twenty dollars for a meal if the value is good and the food delicious. I left quite satisfied. No complaints. I even lucked out to arrive right AFTER the wait staff finished dancing among the tables (which is only painful due to the uncomfortable decibel level to which they turn the music).
(4)Kay L.
It's a seafood chain that does one thing & does it pretty well -- love those steampots. Joe's tries hard to push the friendly & super-casual vibe; our server relied heavily on the "you guys" mode of address ("You guys need another minute to decide?" "Anything else I can get you guys?") which I always find a bit annoying, but that's a pretty minor gripe. The steampots were delicious, plentiful, & served quickly. A warning: Joe's goes WAY over the top on the silly birthday routines, so if you're shy or easily embarrassed by garrulous waitstaff drawing attention to you, don't fess up to your natal day here.
(3)M D.
Awesome place with awesome food atmosphere for a fun loud night
(5)Destiny S.
Delicious! My first time eating at Joe's and I had a wonderful experience. The environment was very casual. The music was AWESOME! I had lobster and crab legs and it was the best I have ever had. I also had some of the cinnamon ice cream and I thought I was in heaven. The hand written bibs were hilarious. Going back ASAP!
(5)Dan F.
Pretty bad overall. Slow service, food took 45 mins to come out, when it did come out one meal not cooked - one cold. Manager stopped by once to say sorry for slow food and it still took 15 mins to get the food out after the visit. Then she stopped by again when the food went back. One meal was discounted but given the total experience not sure we would have been satisfied if the entire meal was free. We had not been to this location before and had been to one many years ago. There are tons of better choices for this price with better service and food. No way would we go back to this or any location. Long Johns Silver may be a better choice.....
(1)Rusty U.
I used to really like this place but last night we went in with friends and were told we had a half hour wait no big deal we had som drinks from the bar the place was busy but not more than normal so whatever. An hour later we were asking when we were going to be seated and were told there were people that had call ahead seating that were in front of us now and at this time the dining room has no less than eight empty tables just setting there and still twenty or so people standing waiting to be seated. We decided to go elsewhere because the food isn't that great for the price I mean I understand crabs come from the bearing sea but $30 for four legs is just stupid expensive but it is the fun of cracking them and trying to get the tiny bit of meat out of them. Before we left we asked why people were not being seated and were told the kitchen was backed up and the manager told them not to seat anyone till the kitchen was caught up. Well I will not be returning to this chain of incompetence if they can't keep up on a weekend they should look for better management and staff. The funny thing is they have a room that opens up that could have seated everyone waiting and had empty tables and I have been there when that was open and packed and waited less than a half hour to be seated so it has to be the management and staff of this particular restaurant. Avoid this place there are several better options all around it.
(1)Michael R.
Joe's is okay for what it is: a chain seafood restaurant. Its a step above Red Lobster. I probably won't be back though. The seafood was decent at least. I'm sure if I was closer to an ocean, could probably get something better. Obviously, it was reheated frozen crabs. By the time I got through one crab cluster, it was cold. Our waitress was great. No complaints with her. The place was way too noisy though. They still did the macarena tonight. Probably should have eaten outside where we at least avoid most of the noise.
(2)Clarissa H.
Food was mediocre. Customer service was horrible. We waited for literally one hour for our food to get here. Table of four... Do not go here
(2)L S.
I've been to JCS 4x now. (This one twice) Loud is an understatement. We couldn't even talk across the table. The Maui Mahi was dry, I'm glad it had the mango salsa on top...It helped a little. The bucket of shrimp we ordered came AFTER our food came. My daughter never finished her crab stuffed shrimp. She said it was VERY fishy tasting. Service was 'ok'
(1)Chris D.
I was caught at a moment of weakness. A painfully hungry stomach combined with a sudden overwhelming craving for seafood led to a snap decision to stop in at Joe's for lunch. Although I live approximately half a mile away, I hadn't been to Joe's in years. Sadly it cost me $50 to be reminded why. Subpar chain restaurant seafood. That's really the only description necessary. My plate of fried seafood was no better than what could have been purchased at the Long John Silvers across the street for less than half the price. I ordered a side Caesar salad and it came out with iceberg lettuce instead of romaine. Seriously? You can't even keep a 2nd kind of lettuce on hand in order to properly make a ceasar salad? I know we are in the Midwest, but come on! Can't someone open a halfway decent casual seafood place around here? I wish I could tell you of a better place to go when a seafood craving hits, but other than hopping a plane to the coast I simply don't have a clue.
(1)Collin F.
I have to say that prior to this most recent visit, I would have agreed with the overall 2.5 star rating for this place. We had not been here for at least 3 years, and with good reason. The last 2 times we were here were less than spectacular. The service was just okay, but the food even less so. I am happy to say that when I took my wife for a birthday dinner here last Saturday, Joe's Crab Shack had managed to turn these around (at least of us for that 1 evening). We started off with some boiled hot shrimp, which were okay. I had a margherita for a drink which was darn near perfect. For the main entree, we went with a bucket of snow crab legs and shared some calamari. The calamari was excellent and plentiful. The snow crab was also quite good (kind of hard to screw that up, especially if your name has "Crab" in it). Unfortunately, seafood is not all that filling, so we still found ourselves hungry. Rather than go for dessert, we opted for another appetizer. We chose the Double Dip with dishes of crab dip and artichoke dip, with tortilla chips for the dipping. The artichoke dip was excellent; the crab dip, a little less so (maybe too much sherry), but it was all good. And I have to say, I liked Joe's tortilla chips better than the ones we get for free at Mo's Southwestern Grill, which are a little stale as opposed to nice and crisp like these. I guess you do get what you pay for. All of that with tax for under $60. A little pricey, maybe, but again, it's seafood flown in to the middle of the country, so you need to take that into consideration. The noise level is very loud, though, so either bring some earplugs or be prepared for tinnitus when you leave. Oh, and the service from James was spot on. Not pushy, not hovering, but there when we needed him. So maybe we'll be back sooner than 3+ years. Way to go, Joe's!
(4)Estebam F.
The food was ok and the service was ok. I was not wowed.
(3)Crystal M.
Horrible service as usual! The waiter actually snapped at me when I asked twice for items missing from my meal "I can only do one thing at a time!" Our table agreed "Then why is he a waiter???" I would have given this place one star but the crab legs were decent. Also have to agree with Charles R the fish smell inside is very overpowering. I love seafood and the smell was a little much even for me.
(2)Elizabeth D.
I don't think you go to JCB for the food as much as the fun, lively, upbeat ambiance. The servers periodically gather around the room and sing/dance which was a big hit with the kids at our table. Food was ok--good sized portions. Be prepared to get messy!
(3)Charles R.
Gah. The restaurant smells like fish that has gone past its prime. Skinny crab legs with no meat inside, a shrimp and sausage pasta containing a tablespoon of each meat, waiting for drinks while the waitstaff dances the Macarena, for a total bill of $150 for a party of four. Save your money.
(1)Shana S.
Yes, I realize that I would be getting better seafood if I went to the coast, but unfortunately, the ticket there costs more than $30. $30 CAN get me some pretty decent seafood. We don't come here if we want some high class seafood, go to someplace else like McCormick & Schmick's for that (also great food). We do, however, come here when we just want to stuff our faces with crab legs. I've honestly not ever had anything else. I've only gotten the crab feasts and the steampots. Incredibly satisfying. Sometimes I don't like to pretend that the bite of lobster I get in an appetizer is totally fulfilling. Sometimes I just want to make myself sick on seafood. this place is GREAT for that. I've never had a real issue with service. People have always been friendly and helpful. There is always a wait when we go, which tells you that apparently some people really do enjoy it despite the negative reviews. Yes there's always a wait. Yes, it's obnoxiously loud. But honestly, my biggest complaint is that I cannot shovel my crab down fast enough that some of it isn't as warm by the time I get to it. When that's my biggest complaint, I will continue to go whenever the mood strikes me to go on a seafood binge. Just know when you should come and when you shouldn't.
(4)Scott T.
I am really surprised with the prior reviews. Joe's was actually my Fathers Day gift yesterday, and we drove up from Wichita, just to eat here. The ambiance is a shack, which is really cool. It is a fun young hip place to go that the kids can have fun at also. The menu is huge. Everything from the standard seafood fair of Crabs, Lobster and Fish all the way down to Crawfish (my personal favorite). We have always had wait staff who is very helpful in choosing a meal, which is nice. I will say that our waitress yesterday was odd. She came to us very pumped and ready to serve, but every time after that she seemed down. I almost wondered if she either had a bad customer or was having a rough day with a co-worker, as it was such a turn around. We were so full when we were done, we could not finish the entire meal. Definitely worth the drive. My only con: OK, disco lights kick on music plays and the wait staff abandons everyone to go dance. My wife & I were amazed the place was packed and literally NO ONE was paying attention. I thought this gimmick died a slow death with singing happy birthday to customers in the Nineties! I would say it is time to put it to rest at Joes!
(5)Kathy D.
Went there on a Thursday evening for my birthday with my family. Was not crowded, there was no wait and we got our food relatively quickly. Seafood restaurants in KC are either moderately expensive and crappy (Dead Lobster) or really high end Plaza fare. Honestly we were very pleased with our meals (3 steampots). The drinks were weak (not unusual) and I could have lived without the Jimmy Buffet serenade by the not quite enthusiastic wait staff but all in all I had a great time. Definitely will plan return trips.
(4)