Joe's Crab Shack - Oceanside

Joe's Crab Shack - Oceanside reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Review summary

1. O

   Omari

   San Diego3 reviews

   2.0

   Dined 5 days ago

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 3

   We arrived early and weren’t allowed seating for 30 mins despite having the dining room half empty. The service wasn’t attentive at all. They might have been short staffed. Had to wait awhile for refills and drink orders. The food was good but the service was lacking. I have been in the hospitality and F&B industry for 17yrs. I notice everything from the greeting to exiting.
   

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2. B

   Briana

   Los Angeles1 review

   3.0

   Dined 6 days ago

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 2

   I ordered the crab boil, and the portion was scarce. The shrimp were not cleaned. We were a party of 7 and none of the shrimp were deveined. The cheeseburger was overcooked. The price was way too high for the unfortunate lack of quality. Flies in the area. I would not return nor recommend this establishment.
   

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3. j

   john

   Los Angeles1 review

   5.0

   Dined on April 5, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   The happy hour menu has many great options at an amazing vaule. Our sever was very attentive and on top of it. Between the service and the atmosphere we had a great time. It a must have if your in the area.
   

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4. K

   Kimmi VIP

   San Diego25 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on March 30, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   The food was excellent. I had the fried shrimp and did plate. The captains plate is also delicious if you want a little more. The calamari appetizer was on point with fried jalapeño peppers! Great place to celebrate a birthday! Our server Dulce did a superb job!
   

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5. K

   Kendrik

   San Diego1 review

   5.0

   Dined on March 26, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Awesome place! Great food, great atmosphere, great service! Really kid friendly, the kids loved the Shark Nibble and Make-your-own sundaes! Wish we could stay on vacation longer so we could eat here again!
   

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6. M

   Mary Anne

   San Diego2 reviews

   1.0

   Dined on March 18, 2025

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 1

   We ordered King crab legs and salmon. The king crab legs were rubbery and smelly. Not fresh at all. The salmon was very overcooked & dry. 1 bite & we refused the food & got our money back. $100. I do not recommend this restaurant.
   

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7. S

   Stephanie

   Orange County1 review

   5.0

   Dined on March 16, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Our experience at Joe’s Crab Shavk in Oceanside was wonderful! The staff went above and beyond to help us celebrate my boyfriend’s 50th!! They were so nice and accommodating with our birthday cake! The staff was SO nice and the food was great!! Thank you!
   

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8. M

   Michael

   San Diego1 review

   5.0

   Dined on March 15, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   We are a party of nine: grandparents; children; and, grandchildren. Lots of different food and drink orders, and the servers handled it all with no problems. The food was quit good and the prices were reasonable. To top it all off, the view of the harbor on a sunny day is beautiful.
   

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9. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   Orlando1 review

   5.0

   Dined on March 14, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Our server Cheryl, and the server she was training went above and beyond to make sure we were satisfied with everything. Every visit to Joe’s is great but Cheryl made this one even more fantastic, thank you!
   

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10. C

    Cassandra

    San Diego1 review

    2.0

    Dined on February 27, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3

    Went there for a birthday dinner with 15 people on a Wednesday night. Reservations for 6:45. We were sat at 6:30, so that was great. There were maybe 5 tables total including ours with people at them for dinner, so a per show night. Server came and took our drink orders and didn’t ask about any appetizers. We didn’t get those drinks for about 15 minutes, only 2 were mixed drinks and 3 were beers, the rest were waters. 🤦🏻‍♀️ When we finally got our drinks, we ordered, and had to order appetizers and food at the same time🤦🏻‍♀️ So we did. We didn’t see our food or appetizers for almost an hour! The six kids we had with us were tired and hungry. You would think the kids food would come out quicker since we asked if they could bring it out as soon as it was done for them…. My daughter and my niece were the last two to get their food. By this time, it’s almost 8:30 already! I could understand this on a busy Saturday night with a large party but waiting for an hour for food, it’s like there needs to be a disclaimer for diners to pre order because a steam pot takes x amount of time to cook 🤷🏻‍♀️ We didn’t leave until after 9:15. As soon as we finished eating, we did a little cake for my husband, quickly ate and then left. We were all exhausted and my family had to travel back to Hemet. The service has definitely slowed at Joe’s and we were not happy with our experience. Taking 3 hours at a restaurant where the majority of it was spent super hungry and waiting for food? Very unfortunate.
    

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