Joe’s Crab Shack offers new option in KOP

By Starlene Soler
November 29, 2011

The new Joe's Crab Shack is located on Mall Blvd in King of Prussia

The King Crab has arrived in King of Prussia! An all new Joe’s Crab Shack was recently built on Mall Boulevard, and it certainly has everyone talking. This crab shack is the closest Joe’s within 23 miles, so it’s convenient location has everyone in the Radnor and King of Prussia areas excited.

The first thing that catches your eyes when walking in are all of the lights, bright colors, tie-dye shirts worn by employees and a big shark overhead.

There’s a new way of the hostess informing you of when your table is ready. The hostess takes down one of the customer’s phone numbers and enters it into a tablet, similar to an iPad. The customer then receives a text message when a table becomes available.

This is pretty convenient considering the location of the restaurant. The mall is just across the road and there is a Toys R Us in the same parking lot, leaving enough time to get started on a little holiday shopping during the wait.

After receiving the text that a table is ready, it’s time to eat! As far as appearance, Joe’s definitely gets some major points. There are various seating styles such as tables, booths and even seating similar to picnic tables. There are lights overhead of all different colors that gives customers the feeling that they’re at a dance-like setting.

Speaking of dances, that is exactly what the employees do! The employees stop what they’re doing and dance in the aisles to songs like “Car Wash” by Rose Royce for your entertainment.

“At first, I thought it was a little embarrassing and difficult because we have to learn about three or four dances,” one of the employees at Joe’s said.

Another employee said, “We see these people every week so after a while it’s just like dancing with your friends.”

Step one: pick your crab. Step two: pick your flavor. The menu is broken down this way because it’s a bit overwhelming, to say the least. As soon as the customer is handed a menu, the server immediately opens the menu up to the “Buckets of Crab and Steampots” section.

The “Buckets of Crab” section includes choices such as fire-grilled crab, barbecue crab and garlic herb crab.

The choices for steampots include the Samuel Adams Steampot containing snow crab, clams, lobster claws and sausage. A classic steampot is the sunset fire-grilled steampot which is a spicy “beachside” barbecue with dungeness crab, snow crab, shrimp and smoked sausage.

Another popular item on the menu that most people get to start with is the “Great Ball of Fire.” “The Great Ball of Fire” was first made by a chef at a Joe’s crab shack in Colorado. It’s stuffed with shrimp, crab and jalapeños,” one of the waiters at Joe’s explained.

After placing an order, the server actually explains to customers how to “eat at Joe’s.” For customers sitting at the picnic-style tables, there is a hole in the table with a metal bucket in it. This bucket is for all shells, napkins and any other trash that needs to get out of the way of your crab fest.

There are also two rolls of paper towels on the tables for the mess that is to come. Another smaller bucket is supplied with some extra napkins and silverware, but as one of the king crab’s employees stated, “At Joe’s, you mostly eat with your hands.”

“Are you ready for a crab facial?” These are the words that are said to each customer when the wait is over and the food has finally arrived. The lid of the steampot is then taken off and the customer gets hit with steam filled with the scent of the meal that had just been prepared.

The customer is then supplied with a “crab bib” and a “crab-cracking tool” to help break the crab legs. Each crab bib has an arrow pointing to the customer’s mouth saying “insert food here.”

After the meal, there are a variety of choices for customers who still have room for dessert. These choices include a Crabby Apple Crumble, which is a slice of apple crumble topped with cinnamon, ice cream and caramel.

Another option for dessert lovers is the Sea Turtle Sundae; but don’t worry, according to the menu no sea turtles were harmed in the creation of this sundae. This delicious dessert is a chocolate cake topped with candied nuts, vanilla ice cream and caramel.

Aside from food, a popular drink item that is on the menu is the Shark Bite. This drink is made with a combination of Bacardi Limon Rum, Skyy Vodka, blue curacao, sweet & sour and a “dangerous dose of grenadine.” The drink is served to customers with a little shark in it that appears to be spitting blood out of it’s mouth.

For those who are really excited about Joe’s, there is a gift shop directly to the left after entering the building.

Overall, the food was great. However, people’s excitement set the bar with such high expectations. Some customers left with a very much enjoyed meal in their stomach, others had expectations seemingly unmet.

The very bottom of the receipt reads “Joe sez thanks.” After a good meal and some entertainment brought to you by the employees at the shack, thank YOU Joe.

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Starlene Soler

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