Located in vibrant Key West, The Stoned Crab seafood restaurant is a part of the retro Ibis Bay Resort, which has been completely refurbished to represent “old Key West” from the 1950s. Chef Paul Menta is largely responsible for the success of this culinary island gem.
Sitting right on the water, the open air eatery offers a front row seat to departing kayakers, paddle boarders and boats, while many fish are also in view from tables by the dock. Sea breezes provide the ultimate atmosphere for a restaurant centered around all things ocean.
The Stoned Crab sends out a crew daily to sustainably collect the day’s entrees, and to pluck stone crab claws when in season. Stone crab is the only 100% sustainable meat available, because the crabs release the tasty claw as a defense mechanism, and scamper off into the ocean to regrow the appendage. Connected to the restaurant is also a fresh fish market—talk about a multifunctional place.
As the name suggests, stone crab is a prime menu item. Key West is a popular destination to find this unusually juicy, slight sweet variation of crab leg, often coming pre-scored so you don’t have to do the work. Various restaurants come up with sauce parings, but The Stoned Crab legs are so fresh and tender, they really don’t need anything.
You can’t go wrong with any of the fresh caught menu items—the lobster ranks with the best, and the Key West Pink Shrimp are served “head on” to preserved the succulent flavor. Ceviche is one of the chef’s specialties, as is the smoked fish dip, and both are fitting starters to a meal in paradise.
After you eat, consider kayaking or boating into the bay—the stars are crazy vibrant when away from city lights. Or you could just lounge on the docks and sip on house-made organic cocktails—it’s a win, win.
The Stoned Crab
Official Website
3101 N Roosevelt Blvd, Key West, FL 33040, USA— (305) 433-9431
