Joe's Crab Shack

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Review

427 reviews

#19 of 426 Restaurants in Oceanside$$ - $$$, American, Bar, Seafood

+1 760-722-1345+ Add website

Hours

Sun

11:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Mon

11:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Tue

11:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Wed

11:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Thu

11:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Fri

11:00 AM - 10:00 PM

Sat

11:00 AM - 10:00 PM

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Ratings and reviews

3.5

427 reviews

#19 of 426 Restaurants in Oceanside

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Details

Someone from this business manages this listing.

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CUISINES

American, Bar, Seafood

Special Diets

Gluten free options

Meals

Lunch, Dinner, Late Night

features

Location and contact

314 Harbor Dr, Oceanside, CA 92054

+1 760-722-1345

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Is this an American restaurant?

Yes

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About

Joe's Crab Shack offers a variety of favorites from all parts of the sea and shore. From its extensive menu, guests can choose from buckets of seasonal seafood, fried shrimp platters and fish dishes, as well as options from the "mainland" that include steak, sandwiches, and chicken. Guests can indulge in over-sized and creative cocktails, such as the Shark Bite which is playfully garnished with a shark toy. Since its inception, Joe's popularity has stemmed not only from its menu, but also its retail store. With various pieces of merchandise for purchase, including the ever-popular tie-dye T-shirt with the phrase "Peace, Love and Crabs," Joe's has become synonymous with the word "fun." Unforgettable moments await at our Oceanside location and across the nation!

CUISINES

American, Bar, Seafood

Special Diets

Gluten free options

Meals

Lunch, Dinner, Late Night

FEATURES

Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Television, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Table Service

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3.5

427 reviews

Excellent

137

Very good

143

Average

Poor

Terrible

29TBF29

Hertfordshire68 contributions

Decent..

Nov 2019 • none

We had just arrived in Oceanside and needed a place to eat, after a swift tour of the town Joe's Crab Shack looked a good option. We approached reception and they made us aware that there was approximately a 15 minute wait for a table but we could have a drink at the bar while we wait for some availability. Right on cue the waitress approached us to tell us our table was ready. We were starving so basically ordered a mountain of food that was far too much. We ordered mozzarella sticks, crispy calamari, mushrooms and shrimp to start followed by crab buckets, fisherman’s choice and fish and chips for main. No room for dessert. The food was decent but too much of a good thing, after a while the gluttony of the fried feast got a little too much. Note to self, eat in normal portions! Service was good, the food came quickly & was tasty and the price was fair. All you want in a fast food joint.

Written January 7, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Freakyfigs

Fort Collins122 contributions

Delicous Food but please get the order correct next time...

Dec 2019 • none

Celebrated birthday lunch at Joe's Crab Shack. Ordered grilled shrimp, crab sandwich, mahi mahi tacos, and alcoholic drinks, plus 1 lb additional queen crab. Food came and we ate it but they NEVER delivered queen crab. They didn't check with us to see if everything was good or we'd have reminded them about the crab addition. Sad, really, as this was a special scheduled meal that we'd looked forward to. Bill came and there was the crab on there. Brought it up and they said they'd remove the charge, but removed incorrect amount (less than charged amount). Had to go back again to have bill corrected. Too much work to make things right. They should have apologized, removed the correct amount and possibly sent us on our way with the missing crab to take with us... that would have felt a lot better than the bitter taste we left with, trying to get the bill correct, disappointed that food we ordered never arrived, and having to work so hard to make things right. Bummer.

Written January 7, 2020

Jimmie E

Fort Mohave7 contributions

Great location but food not the best

Sep 2020 • none

We arrived at 2 in the afternoon on a Monday. There were maybe 5 tables with people eating. It took over 30 minutes to get a table but once seated our waitress was very helpful and made us feel welcome. The food was another story. The Calamari was Rubery and had way to much breading. The steamed pots were not the best either. The lobster was not cooked properly and the crab legs were like they were old or something. All in all a very expensive lunch and the food was not even so so. I gave it a 3 star only because of the waitress who was very good.

Written September 22, 2020

David G

Santa Clarita519 contributions

Nice location, disappointing lunch

Feb 2021 • none

Beautifully located on the harbor in Oceanside, we met with family for lunch. The restaurant is in a nice location along the docks of the harbor beautifully situated for a dining experience. The service was good, but most of the fish was fried. I ordered the shrimp platter where they were grilled, but the shrimp were all overcooked and rubbery. My wife ordered the fish and chips which she said was "ok", but when I tasted it, while the fries were nice and crispy, the fried fish was rubbery. My sister ordered a giant platter of fried fish and enjoyed it, so one of the meals (out of three) was good.

Written February 28, 2021

Janice Doe

Yucaipa82 contributions

Basic sea food

Sep 2020 • none

Loved the ambiance and beach style decor. There were plenty of tables with a great harbor view, but we weren't allowed to sit there because the waiter told us that section was closed... not enough servers. Disappointing! They could attract more customers if they tried to cater to their clients. (Maybe try bending the rules a little?) Fish and chips: $17.99. Very blah. not worth that much money. I've paid much less and gotten better fish and service. The waitors did the bare minimum. My friend had a big pot of fish with crab, lobster, etc. It lacked in flavor because it was frozen fish, just heated up. We will not be returning.

Written September 17, 2020

Kitkat501

Aurora6 contributions

Technically a chain, but feels more like a local restaurant

Aug 2021 • family

Joe’s may technically be a chain but this restaurant had everything we wanted in a family-friendly casual seafood restaurant while on vacation in a oceanside. I’ll be the first to admit I don’t usually want to eat at chain restaurant, esp while out of town, but the location on the harbor is so pretty and we were craving a seafood feast so I lost out when picking our late lunch/early dinner. I’m glad I lost that battle. Having only eaten at one Joe’s in my life a long time ago, I couldn’t remember what to expect. But we got 2 crab buckets plus the deluxe appetizer that easily fed 4 people and the kids meals provided so much food that we had leftovers. It was ALL fresh, well seasoned (the Rajun Cajun is delish), and we all left very satisfied. Drinks were good - my mom got the shark bite and liked that it wasn’t too sweet, plus the ritual of mixing it was fun. We grew up not far from the Chesapeake Bay and absolutely love crabs as a family so we know good seafood. This Joe’s did not disappoint. The location on the harbor was wonderful relaxed - sit outside on the deck if you can! And finally, Tim, you’re an awesome server and we loved you!! Keep on being awesome and thank you for the great afternoon!

Written August 6, 2021

Fun Journey

California73 contributions

Views, Funny Birthday Celebration

Nov 2019 • none

I bring my parents here for early lunch often and we also celebrated my daughter's 16th birthday there. The food never fails and is always perfectly cooked. I don't know if there's anything on the menu that isn't good. Every dish is delicious.

Written July 26, 2020

Maria A

1 contribution

Denny’s or Coco’s would have been better

Apr 2021 • couples

I may as well have gone to Coco’s or Denny’s for dinner! I had the stuffed flounder with lobster sauce and mashed potatoes. What I got was white rice, NO lobster sauce, which is the main reason I ordered the flounder! The flounder was dry and the stuffing tasted like it came straight out of the Mrs. Cubbisons box. It was disgusting! Not worth the $20 + bucks!! To make things worse, the waiter knew they had run out of lobster sauce, but brought it out to me anyway and said NOTHING. When I asked him, he said, “I was for you to say something about it.” I mean, are you serious??!! He didn’t offer to take the cost of the plate off or even offer me the chance to change my plate. Instead he offered me a side of fries or hush puppies! I mean come on! How much worse could it get! I mentioned dessert and he brought out two, cheap, poor looking sundaes. The chocolate syrup looked watery and the ice cream had freezer burn! They were gross! You’ll get better food and dessert from Coco’s or Denny’s for a lot less. Forget this dump!! Horrible!!!!

Written April 30, 2021

Marcia C

Clermont55 contributions

I love Joe's

Mar 2020 • couples

My hubby's choice and what a good choice. Staying in Carlsbad a few days celebrating, the staff was accommodating, the drinks were strong,the food was good hot and cane quickly. the atmosphere was fun. they put on a song and we dance. a good choice for a reasonable priced meal

Written March 11, 2020

amazonflash

Southampton289 contributions

Don't bother.

Oct 2023 • couples

Our visit to Joe's was disappointing. On arrival we noticed that the table and the menus were all sticky. There was a party of 12 in (in this huge restaurant with at least 4 waiting staff visible) and we still had to wait 45 minutes for nachos. The party was the excuse for the late arrival with minimal apology. Our main course then turned up ten minutes later when we were still eating the first course and there was no apology for that at all. For what we got, we felt it was expensive. Even the handrail on the way out was sticky. Won't be going back.

Written October 16, 2023

Kareem Pinkston

Oceanside252 contributions

Touristy, but still a local staple & part of the character of Oceanside Harbor.

Aug 2024 • couples

Joe's Crab Shack has been a local staple here in Oceanside for a very long time now. It's one of the first places I enjoyed eating when I first visited here over 6 years ago. Joe's Crab Shack is located in the Oceanside Harbor and it is definitely a tourist-driven restaurant. I'm not surprised because it is also a chain that is popular in California. This harbor location has a dining section that is upstairs on the second floor, with an iconic view overlooking the harbor itself. You can get a pleasurable view of the boats, people walking, birds and even seals swimming. After catching a gorgeous sunset, you can even enjoy the nightlife with all of the beautiful lights of the harbor. It's truly memorable. I also appreciate that the seating area is spacious and great for groups & families, but couples can also find a corner to be more intimate or sports fans can sit near the bar area. In addition, the entire area is enclosed in glass, so you get the views, but it's climate-controlled and you also don't have to deal with insects 😉 Their menu is extensive and there's something for everyone, but this place is DEFINITELY designed for seafood lovers. They also have gluten-free options and they even have burgers, pizza, tenders & pasta on their kids menu. The prices are fairly reasonable as well. I really love their Crab & Shrimp Nachos and Joe's Classic Sampler is great to try a little of everything. Many love their crab legs and seafood boils and some of their adult drinks are crazy entertaining (flashy lights & shark-sight projections). Service is excellent, even when crowded and I love that they help to celebrate special moments like birthdays & anniversaries with a personalized cheer & chant-request from the tables. It's fun to watch! All in all, I still like it at Joe's Crab Shack. I've heard that Joe's Crab Shacks have been closing down due to our economy. But I truly hope that our gem stays opened, because even though it's mostly touristy, it's still a place that has been opened for a long time and is part of the "character" of the Oceanside Harbor.

Written August 11, 2024

LSchneblyHeidinger

Phoenix20 contributions

Such amazing service

Aug 2021 • none

We went for a big family dinner, ten people, on a reservation. My dad is on a walker; in short we were probably a big nuisance. The first table was close to the bar, and after getting seated my parents couldn't hear anyone for the noise; so we asked to move I'm sure it was trouble, but everyone was so cordial; moved us and we got to keep Matt the server. Matt was a champion; we're dithering about drink orders, want to split the bill between two cards. You'd think we were just fun friends he was glad to spend time with. The food was great, specialty drinks were great, and everything fine, but mostly I have to give him a shout-out for treating us so very well.

Written September 10, 2021

777bryan

Orange County143 contributions

Always the BEST

Jan 2022 • none

Whether it is Lunch or Dinner, I'll drive from OC to Oceanside Harbor to enjoy the food and views at Joe's! Love shrimp and yes they have the best! The view of the harbor is awesome too. Service is reasonable, the taste of the food delicious and reasonably priced. The Sunset last Sunday was just awesome too! Can't wait to enjoy another meal there soon!

Written January 22, 2022

ghadir k

2 contributions

Great food, service, and view!

Aug 2023 • family

Great food and service. We had 4 adults and 3 adults. Our server was Christopher D. and he was wonderful. Attended to all of our restrictive diet needs and was very helpful. The crab cheese dip was awesome and very flavorful. The staff also let us try the hush puppies for free which were delicious. My sister and I had the seafood bucket which was top tier. We want to come back everyday through the rest of our vacation just to keep having it. Amazing time, food, service and the view was very nice as well. Would highly recommend if you are in the area!

Written August 2, 2023

Cheryl B

1 contribution

So disappointing

Mar 2022 • couples

Hostess gives us a special oyster menu...ran out of oysters. Husband orders a bloody Mary, no bloody Mary mix. Service was so slow, not very attentive. Food ok, nothing special. Told the hostess the ladies room needed toilet paper....no reaction. Will not go back!

Written March 13, 2022

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