57 Postcards
Joe's Stone Crab, a century-old South Beach gem, is famed for its sweet stone crab claws and zesty Key lime pie, served in a vibrant, bustling atmosphere.
"The Dish: Stone Crabs Being a "historic" restaurant in Miami often means existing for a few decades. But Joe's has genuine history, and over a century of it. This place is still famous for a very good reason: stone crabs. And if you’re ordering anything else between October 15 and May 1 (stone crab season), you’re not ordering right. These sweet claws are harvested right off the Florida Keys, and brought straight to this South Beach institution, where they’ve been celebrating dads’ birthdays for over 100 years—and tolerating their dad jokes about the price all the while. " - virginia otazo, ryan pfeffer, mariana trabanino
"At what other bar in Miami can you run into your parents, your ex, your ex’s parents, your old 7th grade geometry teacher, and a member of the ’72 Dolphins—all in the same night? Nowhere but Joe’s, baby. The restaurant’s front bar is where Miamians have killed time waiting for a table for the last 100-plus years. It’s still a beautifully chaotic scene, and precisely the kind of old-school space that demands an extra dirty martini with a couple of fat blue cheese olives. And, boy, do the Joe's bartenders know the meaning of filthy. Ask for that and they'll hand you a martini that's practically green. True story: last time we were here, the bartender performed a magic trick as he was handing back our credit card. Never change, Joe’s." - ryan pfeffer, virginia otazo
"The more casual conjoined twin to Joe’s Stone Crab serves most of the same stuff you’ll find in the fancy dining room next door. Except there’s no dress code here and you won’t have to wait nearly as long for your food. Get some stone crabs if they’re in season. But if the price per claw makes you shiver, the fried chicken is less than $10 and really good with a side of Joe’s hash browns. " - ryan pfeffer, virginia otazo
"A list in Miami about stone crabs is incomplete without mentioning Joe’s Stone Crab. The restaurant that prides itself in discovering the tasty crustacean some 100+ years ago still serves them every season in its iconic South Beach location. It has even begun offering a few nightly reservations on Resy, a first for the famously no-reservation restaurant. Don’t want to spend time waiting? Then head next door to Joe’s Takeaway and eat the same caliber claws at home." - Olee Fowler
"If you go to Joe’s and don’t end the meal with a key lime pie, the servers should be allowed to pelt you with stone crab claws until you apologize. Joe’s version is an absolute classic, perfectly thawed from the freezer to the ideal temperature with just enough of that tart citrus punch. You also don’t have to go through the effort of getting a table at Joe’s to have this. Just go next door to Joe's Take Away and get it to-go. If you order a whole pie, it’ll come with an entire can of whipped cream, too. We like that ratio." - ryan pfeffer, mariana trabanino