Bites Nearby: Joe's Crab Shack

With just a few instuctions and encouragement from a few fellow Patch editors, the Mister and I headed out to try something different .... at 10:00 p.m.! Some days, dinner just can't be done on an Ozzie & Harriet schedule.

Pulling in to at 4300 Stone Mountain Highway in Lilburn, we were first struck with the full parking lot. It would seem that others with hectic schedules were finding their way out for a little seafood vacation, too. 

We were seated promptly and served our sweet tea right away. The menu selection was impressive. Sure. You can get buckets of crabs, crab drip and crab stuffed anything (we didn't see any crabby wait staff or customers) but there's a wide variety of other offerings. Getting into the spirit, we ordered the Crazy Good Crab Dip ($8.99) while we debated the merits of shrimp versus steak versus salad. And it was crazy good.

I had the Shrimp Pasta Alfredo ($13.99) and the Mister had Maui Mahi ($14.29) with a Side Caesar ($2.99).

The Shrimp Pasta Alfredo was the perfect "almost comfort" food after a busy week. Nice and rich and cheesy with few slices of fresh toasted french bread to help clean up the bottom of the bowl. The Maui Mahi was a filet of Mahi-Mahi grilled and with a Malibu coconut sauce that had a bit of a kick. It was topped with a mango pico de gallo that was a fresh compliment to the coconut sauce. It came with steamed broccoli and crispy chunks of new potatoes. 

We were honestly too full to try the amazing looking desserts.

Even after the dinner rush, the wait staff was cheerful. The line dance during a popular song was a little shocking until we figured out what was going on. They have a gracious deck that isn't quite beach side, but still nice on a pleasant summer night. A playground on one side is perfect for those family night dinners which require a slight wait for perfect seating. 

We'll head back soon.

Joe's Crabshack is at 4300 Stone Mountain Highway  Lilburn, GA 30047 - 
(770) 736-2900. Their hours are Sun-Sat: 11am - 12am.