Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak, and Stone Crab - Review - River North - Chicago - The Infatuation
"Joe’s Stone Crab is one of the oldest and most beloved restaurants in Miami. That’s a little tidbit you should know even if Miami is some 1400 miles away. But we aren’t here to talk about Miami, a city we’d often rather be, drinking on the beach. Luckily, Richard Melman and the Lettuce Entertain You team decided Chicago needed a Joe’s of its own, and we think it’s one of the best decisions they’ve ever made. So in conjunction with the original Miami joint, a beautiful collaboration for a Chicago Joe’s was born. Newer and more exciting restaurants are opening up all the time, but the familiarity and high quality of Joe’s is tough to beat. It’s consistently one of the best steakhouses in Chicago, and it’s not even the kind of steakhouse we would suggest ordering a steak. That’s because Joe’s built itself as a powerhouse off of its stone crab. The claw meat is succulent and sweet, and once you dip it in the signature mustard-based sauce you’re ready to experience quite the party in your mouth. We wouldn’t complain if Joe’s served nothing but stone crab, but it offers so much more. Joe’s also has great steaks and the usual sides, plus will carve a Dover sole table-side with the type of surgical precision you’d expect from someone with an expensive MD. The menu is kind of like the ’92 Dream Team in the sense that everything is so good it seems a bit unfair to other restaurants. The dining room at Joe’s is formal, and the service always matches the vibes. It isn’t overly stuffy though, and you’ll never feel like you can’t sit back, relax, and enjoy the meal. You’ll want to make reservations for a real table (this place is busy), but popping into the bar to steal a first-come-first-serve seat is an option too. Food Rundown photo credit: Christina Slaton Stone Crab This is why we come to Joe’s. Stone crabs are best when in season, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t good year round. We suggest ordering the select sized stone crabs. Bigger does not necessarily mean better in this instance, and we strongly feel the select size is often sweeter and better than the large ones. photo credit: Christina Slaton New York Strip Steak You can’t go wrong with any of the steaks, but our order is the NY strip every time. That’s when we are pairing it with stone crab, of course. photo credit: Christina Slaton Fried Chicken Low-key Joe’s has some of the best fried chicken in town. Never a bad idea to consider popping into the bar and making a meal out of it. We don’t usually like to commit to the fried chicken in the dining room for a full dinner, but if you’re at Joe’s with a group consider getting an order of it to share. photo credit: Christina Slaton King Crab Legs We prefer the stone crab over the king crab, but to each his own. Can’t go wrong here. photo credit: Christina Slaton Lyonnaise Potatoes These potatoes are dangerously good. You want a side order for sharing, just try not to eat too much. Creamed Spinach It’s healthy because even though it’s doused in butter it’s still spinach. It’s also really good. photo credit: Christina Slaton Coleslaw Another strong side that’s a bit on the lighter side if that’s what you want. photo credit: Christina Slaton Key Lime Pie Joe’s is well known for their key lime, and for good reason - it's delicious." - Sam Faye
