Crabby Dicks (Seafood Restaurant & Lounge)
712 Duval Street, Key West, Florida
Phone: (305) 294-7229
Website: www.crabbydickskeywest.com
CRABBY DICK HAS CLOSED
REVIEW: Crabby Dicks
In any business no one will deny that to be successful is often about location, location, location. In Key West that would be on Duval Street. You have to either build the proverbial better mousetrap as they say or serve some decent food in a nicely decorated friendly atmosphere. A “better mousetrap” might be naming your restaurant Crabby Dicks with all that name metaphorically leaves in your mind and locating it in the dead center Duval. Provide popular dishes, a big bar with all the best-known tropical drinks and waterfront style décor and the chemistry works.
On my last visit I took about 12 people with me who were on business here from my old job location in Washington, DC. I would say everyone was happy with the quality and quantity of their meals even if it wasn’t a fish dish. I had a grouper sandwich and a Corona, which always makes me happy while the others ran the continuum of fried shrimp to hamburgers. It’s a brightly lit establishment with plenty of seafaring décor that has a whimsical edge to it. You can bring a family, friends or just pop in yourself and sit at the bar.
It’s at the end of your visit here where you will most likely question your return to the eatery. The food is good, but not fine dining. The drinks are good but not the heaviest pour I’ve seen on the island. The service is quite good as well. The check, on the other hand, reflects a visit to a more high-end dining place. My visiting friends were a bit surprised and all I could say was “we’re in a resort town and things are more expensive.” After several visits to Crabby Dicks and a number of other restaurants of the same ilk I now must say the menu is a bit heavier then most on price.
You will also want to make Crabby’s a stop on your walk through town. Very limited parking in a tight lot is provided behind the restaurant. Beyond that the downtown area is 99% metered and I’ve had a couple of $35.00 cups of coffee as parking enforcement here is very good at their job. The seating on their balcony looking out onto Duval Street is finite, so you may have to wait a bit to get the people watching hot spot.
If the sticker shock gets to you don’t fret. I’ve stopped in there a number of times just to sit at the bar with friends, shared appetizers and solved the problems of the world. That’s what a friendly place exists for anyway, or just say to yourself it’s a vacation so just have a good time and a nice meal.
Doug Heyman in Key West for the Food Reference website
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