Written by RuinMyTrip Editorial from published research and official sources, not from a personal trip. It is not a traveler review and is never counted in the community rating. How we research.
What it is
A seafood restaurant in South of Fifth, Miami Beach, open since 1913 and known almost entirely for Florida stone crab claws.
Why travelers eat here
To eat the dish this city is most associated with, in the room that made it famous, during the months it is actually in season.
What is genuinely good
Genuine history, a single ingredient done properly, a takeaway counter that bypasses the queue, and a quiet residential corner of the island.
Downsides
Cost, waits, dated sides, and a season that makes half the year the wrong time to come.
Best for
Anybody in Miami between mid October and the start of May who wants one memorable meal, and travelers happy to use the takeaway counter.
Consider eating elsewhere if
You are visiting between May and mid October, or you are not prepared to spend meaningfully more than a normal dinner costs.
Practical advice
Come inside the 15 October to 1 May season. Use Joe's Take Away next door if the wait is long, or eat at the bar, which moves faster than the dining room. South of Fifth is walkable from most of South Beach.
Prices and reservations
Not applicable. Prices for claws move with the season and the catch.
Getting there
South of Fifth, at the southern tip of Miami Beach. Walkable from South Beach, and the free South Beach trolley loop comes close.
Where it sits
South of Fifth is the quietest, most residential part of Miami Beach, well away from the Ocean Drive strip. South Pointe Park and the pier are a few minutes away.
How long to allow
Two hours with a wait, well under one at the takeaway counter.
Accessibility
Ground floor dining room with step free access from the street.
The RuinMyTrip verdict
Go in season or do not go. If the wait looks bad, the takeaway counter next door serves the same claws and is the move most visitors do not know about.
Sources
Every figure above was checked against these before publication. If one has since changed, tell us and we will correct it.
Florida stone crab season runs from 15 October to 1 May. source
Joe's Stone Crab has operated in Miami Beach since 1913 and is one of the oldest restaurants in Florida. source
From the RuinMyTrip team
Written by RuinMyTrip Editorial from published research and official sources, not from a personal trip. It is not a traveler review and is never counted in the community rating. How we research.
Joe's has been on the southern tip of Miami Beach since 1913, which in this city is close to prehistory, and it is built entirely around one ingredient with a legally defined season. Florida stone crab season runs from 15 October to 1 May. Outside it the restaurant is a different and lesser proposition, and inside it the wait can be long enough to reorganise your evening around. The thing worth understanding is that…
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