Bones was the assistant manager when I would go. He always made me feel like someone special even though I wasn’t; when left I sure felt like it. Thanks Bones.

The first time I heard about Joe’s Stone Crab was when I was a little girl. Our housekeeper had a brother who worked for Joe’s when it first opened. Her name was Lillian Curtis. I don’t know her maiden name; I don’t know her brother’s name but it was really cool that we had that connection.

I live in Montana now and have it shipped to me for special occasions. I love those stone crabs.

I can still taste the classic dishes that define every visit.  Coconut Shrimp, hash brown potatoes, ribs and of course the stone crabs with mustard sauce!  There is an energy about Joe’s that makes it truly special. The world class warm service, the environment–over 100 years in the making–and of course the best meal anywhere you can imagine.  Every visit is a memory; thank you Joe’s for always being there.

When we moved to Florida in 1999 we had to eat at Joe’s. The couple who took us there was excited for us to try the stone crabs.  However, I had never eaten cold crabs other than in a dip so I asked for mine to be served hot.  Everyone laughed at me and the waiter basically said “no, you don’t want them that way.” So I grudgingly said OK.  We go there every year and I am a cold Stone Crab lover ever since that first night. Thank you for teaching me the proper way to eat a Stone Crab!

I will never forget the first time I experienced Joe’s Stone Crab! I was just out of college, must have been ’84 or ’85, and I was a rookie. I showed up on a Saturday night during what was probably the busiest week of the year, between Christmas and New Year’s eve. I valet parked my car, and walked up the steps to Joe’s. Who was in front of me in line? None other than Super Star Rapper, “Uncle” Luther Campbell. This was the height of his fame–he walked up and waltzed right into the restaurant. Big time. I was next in line, “Hi, Paul Castronovo radio personality, I’d like a table for four please” I meekly asked, and was sent (happily I might add), to the bar. This is where I spent the next few hours with my friends, laughing and getting more buzzed by the minute. When they finally called my name, and this is the poignant moment of the evening, I think we waited about 2 hours…as I was walking to my table, Uncle Luke was walking out! He and his entourage had eaten his entire meal, paid their check and were on their way out (probably to tear up South Beach), before I had even eaten a roll. 

I told this story to Uncle Luke years later during my radio show, and he reminded me that at the time, he was going there a few times a week, and was “making it rain” whenever he showed up. I have had literally hundreds of Joe’s memories over the years; next time I will tell you about the time I followed Emilio Estefan into the Men’s room…

My first visit to Joe’s was in 1972 when I was a freshman at the University of Miami. I was Manager for the UM Football team and took out of town guests there every season through Graduate School. Grand memories.