The Crab Trap - Fernandina Beach (FL)

2 /5 Dominique Norbeck-Amos: To say the service was slow is an understatement. It was lunch on Sunday and there were 4 other tables of people, no not busy. About 5 min from the time we entered till we were sat, then 8 min till waitress came back to get our drink order and we just ordered food then too. I should have left when we were seated and the faded and torn menu was sticky and had a mystery glob of goo on it but we were very hungry. The shrimp appetizer was good. Odd number of shrimp sh sharing is awkward, but the size of the shrimpnwas large and they were tasty. I ordered the shrimp and crab chowder as my meal and it was dissapointing and well, just weird. It came out luke warm, the shrimp in it were good in size and flavor...but there was zero crab. Not a hint of evidence of crab meat in it or that crab was used to make the broth, nothing. The menu said it had corn and potatoes and there was an ok amount of potatoes. But the like 20 kernels of corn were just sad and for no reason there was a huge amount of red bell pepper in there. Oh and some croutons on top too. The weirdest part was the massive fistful of what im assuming was itallian seasoning dumped on the top (see photo). Full leaves of dried rosemary that were like trying to chew through tiny sticks made the soup almost inedible. There was so much of this seasoning on the top you could not scrape it off or try and get around it. It was omnipresent in every bite making a dissapointing, crab free soup now unappealing. Even just trying to fish out the shrimp, potatoes, and rare corn kernel was a fight to avoid the dried seasoning. My husband had the fish and chips. He said the fish was fine, though the breading was quite think. The fries were unsalted, so once he put salt on them they were ok. At the end, we sat there for about 15min waiting for our plated to be taken and the check to be brought out. It appeared to be the manager and the one waitress there. The manager stood at the bar the entire time doing what im assuming was paperwork, and the waitress stayed in the kitchen as much as possible. Only appearing occasionally to check in the 5 tables. No one else came in to eat while we were there and we were the last ones in and the first ones to leave. Idk, if you have no where to go, dont mind waiting at every point of the experience, dont want crab in your crab soup but do want a literal fist full of dried seasoning in your mouth to chew on, or just order some other simply ok seafood item then I guess the place is fine. No view to distract you, no ambiance, just meh.

5 /5 Justin Wright: Stopped here for a late lunch. Food was fantastic and the wait staff worked their butts off. Super chill atmosphere and very family friendly. Menu is what you expect from a coastal seafood place. (In a good way) With a section of the drinks menu called “Boat Drinks” and a Yacht Rock playlist they are definitely chasing a vibe and it works for them. The Smoked Gouda Fish Fondue was amazing and so were the house made chips. We also enjoyed fried shrimp, great French fries, the lobster bisque, and the bang bang shrimp. I had the Shrimp Po’boy and it was A+. It was a great experience.

3 /5 Alan B: Delicious food, especially the fresh-caught flounder. The owners are fortunate to have an excellent chef, but risk their success due to inadequate staffing. Im afraid theyre going down the same path that led to this restaurants closure. A few years ago, four of us ordered chowder, and it came out one bowl at a time. "Were busy, the chefs behind," etc. Shortly thereafter, we returned to find the place was closed. Then, more recently, hearing from a friend, it reopened. Four of us ordered the fish fry; it was excellent, and the service was spot on. But they werent crowded. Then, last night, we called ahead and were put on hold for 10 minutes. And it wasnt with the hold button - they just set down the receiver, and we could hear the chaos going on. But we showed up anyway, saw that about 2/3rds of the tables were full, and walked in. A guy running with his hair on fire told us it was a 40-minute wait, but he was so frantic and out of breath that we doubted the experience would be worth waiting for and left. Its too bad because good food without good service and adequate staffing will kill this place again.

5 /5 Debi Collins: I love this chef Ricky. The street tacos are amazing. Add sweet potato grits for an extra $1.00 and you’re in foody heaven. Max the bartender is also efficient and personable.

5 /5 Colton Strutt: We had an amazing experience at The Crab Trap! We came for the Saturday All You Can Eat Snow Crab special at $65 per person and it was worth every penny. One of us had fries, the other had hush puppies both were great sides to the star of the show: the crab. The snow crab was absolutely incredible. It didn’t seem like the frozen kind you usually find elsewhere it was steamy hot, fresh, and the meat came out in beautiful, perfect chunks. No frustrating fights with the shell like at most places. The crab meat was tender, sweet, and clean none of that green stuff or fishy, soggy taste you sometimes get. We also tried the Orange Sunset Cake, and it was delightful! Super moist with a bright, refreshing orange flavor a perfect end to the meal. The service was just as impressive. Our waitress was handling 7 or 8 tables plus bartending, and she still made sure everyone was taken care of with a great attitude. She was quick, friendly, and on top of everything. The atmosphere inside was cozy and pleasant, with dark wood decor and even a piano, giving it a nice, classic feel. We would absolutely go back highly recommend The Crab Trap if you love good crab and a welcoming atmosphere!