Joe's Stone Crab - Chicago, IL Review

After being in Miami for 90+ years Joe's Stone Crab opened its second location here in Chicago.  It has been a favorite for visitors and residents alike ever since. Although it is not the quintessential Chicago Steak House, for my tastes, it is much better.  Their specialty are the stone crabs.  They are fantastic and not readily available elsewhere.  I have had them at least 10 times.  However, recently I have become a big fan of their Alaskan King Crab legs.  Although they are crazy expensive ($56) they are the most flavorful, tender, sweet and delicious crab legs I have ever tasted in my life.  The portion is very generous.  My wife and I shared them last night as our entree.

Strangely enough, the fried chicken is also amazing. The steaks are great (I think better than some steak only restaurants) and the sides are huge and plentiful. Be sure to try the sweet potato fries.  The deserts are over the top large and to die for. My personal favorite is the Peanut Butter Pie with Hot Fudge and the Key Lime Pie. 

The service is well informed, passionate and funny. 

My only beef is that it is really crowded nearly all the time. You can go with a loud boisterous group of friends, you can go to people watch (I sat one inch from Brian Urlacher and his family one time - that guy has one large neck!) but if you want a quiet serene dining experience, forget it.

I would strongly recommend this for both out town leisure travelers and those in town for business.  Those of us who live here still go back quite often even despite the crowds.

One nice alternative is to pick up from their carry out, particularly if you want to stay home on a special occassion.  We have a tradition of getting an order of stone crabs, sides, desert etc for New Year's and they wrap it all up very nicely.