Annie N.
Yelp
It's been a few years since I did a review and it's time to update this! Rustic Inn is a class crab place is Ft Lauderdale and has been here since 1955! This is a place my family has been visiting for quite some time and it is wonderful my husband gets to now enjoy it as well. They are located sort of off the beaten path, it's not on the main road but down a side road. It's not hard to get to, and they have a pretty large parking lot. On really busy days, especially during the height of the season, parking could get tricky at night. They are open for lunch and dinner. We usually go for lunch since they offer specials, and it is less crowded. They have a few dining rooms, but they are not all open at lunch time. This restaurant is also located on a waterway. When it is not really hot aka summer, its actually nice to sit out here along the water. Sometimes boats will go by as well. If you are like my family and prefer AC, you can also ask for a table along the windows. They are floor length windows so you can still get a nice view.
They are known for their crabs. They have almost every single crab if not all of them available, and they are always really good. The crab is a little on the higher side in my opinion, but they are cooking it for you, seasoning it and all you need to do is crack it. They do everyone crackers or mallets and on busy nights you will hear everyone hammering away on their tables. It's actually really funny.
Their food is really good as well. This is a place we actually really enjoy. If you do not want crab, they offer other options including shrimp, seafood and a few non fish items. We usually like to start with their soup, the Manhattan or clam chowder actually. Both are delicious and always served hot. The Manhattan is spicier, so if this is not your taste, then order the clam chowder. Last time we tried the conch fritters which are also something we really enjoy. They were delicious, had great flavor, were served hot and had pieces of conch in them. They were served with two sauces, but I always prefer ketchup with them. As I said we usually go for lunch because their specials for seafood are awesome price. My mom and husband ordered the grilled dolphin platter which is mahi mahi. He ordered it blackened and my mom just grilled. It is served with rice and potatoes which is a lot of carbs, so you are able to substitute the sides for no additional charge. It also comes with a fountain drink or ice tea. This special is available daily. I chose the Friday special which is the shrimp. This special comes with 3 different styles of shrimp: peel and eat which were steamed, key west shrimp which were steamed as well but with a different seasoning and grilled shrimp. All of these you need to peel, so this is a messy dish and takes a while to eat. There are probably over 30 shrimp on this platter. This is one of my favorite dishes here. The shrimp are so good, so tasty and fresh and it comes with 2 sides as well. I usually order the fries since they are crispy and seasoned. I tried the coleslaw which normally I enjoy but it had a unique flavor this time, more vinegar than creamy. And it comes with a drink as well. My dad ordered the shrimp plate which just had grilled shrimp.
We all always enjoy our food, the view is beautiful, and this is just a great place. This has been around so long, I remember when ever family visited, when I was younger, this is where we went. This is for sure a place you should check out when in South Florida. You will not be disappointed. The hostesses can be a little sassy at times, but the servers are always super nice! Definitely check it out!