A Good Fish Dip In A Nice Location
St. Pete Beach, Florida USA
Cuisine Style: Seafood, Beachside Cuisine
Dined in May 2017
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
Like most beach towns there is no shortage of beachside or beach-style restaurants and shacks. As you drive down the strip of the beach town your in the common sights are hotels, condo’s, restaurants, and gift shops. The restaurants range from small hole in the wall mom and pops, to beach style, and all the way up to fine dining. They also fir the profile of a typical beach name, which will include some type of crustacean, fish, or drunken old fisherman name like Willy or Tony. St Pete Beach like any beach town has the same combination of these three dining styles. My wife and I were taking a little beachside drive and stumbled upon a crustacean name called Crab Daddy’s next to other beachside restaurants like Shark Tales, Oyster Shucker, Woody’s, Willy’s, and a place called Frog Pond. (Didn’t see a Tony, lol!!) I’m still not sure why anyone would name a restaurant Frog Pond, but so be it. The name is more common than you might think to my surprise.
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Main review:
Crab Daddy’s accolades include the Tampa Bay Times top 10 beach bar award for 2015 by the food editor. Perfectly situated at the corner of 75th Avenue and Sunset Way with great views of the Gulf of Mexico and an inlet with condo’s and private homes. The restaurant is two levels, with the ground open to the outside, and the second level being a rooftop style patio/terrace with a separate bar as well. The patio does not have a ceiling cover, so all tables are provided with umbrella’s. Like most restaurants in Florida and especially along the beach, they are dog friendly also.
Menu:
- Appetizers
- In the Bowl
- Baskets and Snacks
- Stuffed, Wrapped, and Stacked
- Crab Daddy Entrees
- Get Your Crab On
- Sides
- Kid Menu
- Desserts
We stopped in for a quick bite to eat in the later afternoon for lunch. The lunch crowd was gone, so it was quite and peaceful with only a few other people around. The menu at Crab Daddy’s is like most beachside restaurants with a focus on seafood, hopefully most of it local, even though the Sysco truck pulls up next to all of them, versus the local sustainable smaller companies.
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| The terrace bar |
Coconut shrimp, grouper nuggets, other shrimp starters, wings, Philly cheesesteaks, and chicken tenders make up large portions of most of these types of beach restaurants. With this being the ‘Crab Daddy’ they did have the addition of King crab, snow crab and others which was a nice bonus. Here in Florida other additions that are local Floribbean recipes are included like key lime pie, Key West fish tacos, cuban sandwich, and smoked fish spread.
The fish spread was extremely tasty, and one thing my wife and I enjoy is trying the different variations from one beach restaurant and bar to another. From the Rowe Bar at the Don CeSar going up gulf Boulevard past Crab Daddy’s to South Beach Bar and Grille near Treasure Island, or down south to Sarasota to the southernmost point in Key West, many Florida beach and large city restaurants offer a smoked fish dip, and the best part is that they all use different fish, ingredients, and cooking methods. We have had a combination of dips some bad and others good from place to place that we visit, and for Crab Daddy’s I rate it as good. We enjoy it so much that, I created a ratings chart for fish spread.
Fish Spread Rating Chart:
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THE BEST - Top notch quality, excellent flavor profiles, memorable presentation, rare ingredients, organic, non-GMO, sustainable, local, immense-colossal quality of fish, and extravagant smoke flavors
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DAMN GOOD - Fantastic smoke, exceptional quality, eclectic flavor, nice display, dedicated local sourcing, beautiful quality fish, possibly sustainable, non-GMO
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GOOD - delicate, Enhanced ingredients, nice flavor, fresh taste, great smoke, common arrangements, in state local, superior quality fish
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BETTER - Nice ingredients, higher-desirable quality, okay flavor and taste, good smoke content, maybe from in state sources, but possibly a GMO
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OKAY - Nothing amazing, a regular spread, fair quality, highly probable GMO product, might be from the state, most likely not, fabricated or mainstream smoke products
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BAD - Taste old, horrible seasoning, cheap smoke, manufactured, heavy GMO product, not local, bad smell
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| Fish Spread |
We also shared the loaded nachos dish, adding some avocado for a small up-charge. A large pile of nacho chips with a cheddar jack cheese, with a large lump of lettuce, a few tomatoes, with chicken. Salsa, sour cream, and jalapeños were offered on the side. The dish was not as enjoyable as the fish spread. Though the nachos did go down well with the beers.
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| Nacho dish |
Based on how good the fish spread was, I would return to try a few more items from their list, and especially when I start working on the best burgers in Central Florida list, to see if they make the cut.
Other Noteworthy Beach and Bar Restaurant Favorites:
Dunes Beach Restaurant & Bar Eclectic Cape Malay cuisine w/sushi in Hout Bay, South Africa
Paradise Grille Beachside joint offering casual American eats in Pass-A-Grille, Florida
Bongos Bar and Grille Eclectic Beachfront Bistro, Cuban & American cuisine, in St. Pete Beach, Florida
The Pike Brewing Company Brewpub with locally sourced menu in Seattle, Washington
Sloppy Joe’s Bar Landmark bar serving Floribbean and American classics since 1933 in Key West, Florida
Wipeout Bar and Grill Surf shack theme with Californian and Mexican cuisine in San Francisco, California
The Dickens Inn 1800s warehouse dockside style British pub, in London, UK
Other Pictures:
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| View from the terrace - Gulf of Mexico |
Final notes and observations:
What is a restaurant review? Is one better than the other? How does the rating system work? Most reviews you read online are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsibly, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience. My job is to put you at the table with me, and to try and be objective to the best of my ability. Being impeccable with my word, never taking anything that happens personally, being honest in the review, never making assumptions, and to always write to the best of my knowledge. My ratings are notated by the level of stars I award (from 0 to 5). The star rating is based on the calculation and point accumulation of six separate factors with nearly seventy questions broken down by my individual experience. This includes: wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, plus a bonus section I call wow factor. To see more details on how I do my ratings read this article:
Over all from this experience, and using my rating system linked above, I give Crab Daddy’s a 1 out of 5 stars, meaning that they were an average dining experience and similar to most beachside restaurants. Their fish spread did score them higher and I will return.
Review basics:
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5 stars
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An Extraordinary Experience
Worthy of a Michelin rating
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94 - 100%
(105% with full bonuses added)
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4 Stars
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An Outstanding Experience
(Top of its class)
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87 - 93%
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3 Stars
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Exceeded All My Expectations
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80 - 86%
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2 Stars
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Far Above the Average Experience
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72 - 79%
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1 Star
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An Average Dining Experience
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66 - 71%
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0.5 Star
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The Restaurant is a very Basic Experience
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65 - 61%
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0 Stars
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ALERT: Poor, or Appalling Experience
(Do not waste your money or time)
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60% or below
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Overall Star Rating:
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1 of 5 Stars:
An Average Dining Experience
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Corkage fee’s:
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This Restaurant does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge $25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant style:
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Casual dining
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Cuisine style:
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Seafood, American, Beach Food, Pescatarian, and Vegetarian
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Reservations:
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Not Required
Walk-Ins:
Accepted
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Dress code:
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Casual attire
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Child policy:
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The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a child’s menu or cater to them; however for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended for children not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette. If not then
Hire a Babysitter!
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Experiences:
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Great bar, Great outdoor dining, Good for special occasions, Scenic views, Hole-in-the-wall, Tourist grabber, and a Neighborhood gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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Street Parking
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Wifi
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The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
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Noise level:
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Low,
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Smoking:
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Nonsmoking restaurant, and nonsmoking patio
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Patio:
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Yes
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A few St. Pete Beach favorites on Wine, Dine, and Play:
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Cool cocktails and coastal eats
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Med-Latin & tapas café with 360 views
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Table-side Hibachi with sushi bar
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Relaxed eatery for pizza and pasta
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Nautical themed American eats with Caribbean flair
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Visit the whole list on “Restaurant Reviewed in St Pete Beach, Florida”
Other Florida favorites:
|
St. Petersburg
Rustic New American Fare
A top 100 on Wine, Dine, and Play
|
New Smyrna Beach
Old-world classic Italian & Mediterranean
|
Gulfport
Old School Rustic Tuscan
|
|
Tampa
Native American Cuisine w/Barbacoa Grilling
|
Ruskin
German Bites in Bavarian-style Tavern
|
St. Petersburg
Contemporary Twist on American Eats
|
|
Orlando
Upscale Pan Asian Fare w/sushi
|
St. Pete Beach
Rooftop Artisan Fusion Bistro
|
Key West
Landmark bar since 1851, where Jimmy Buffet got his start
|
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Brandon
Casual curries of North & South with Buffet
|
Sarasota
Authentic & Traditional Peruvian Cuisine
|
St. Augustine
Locally Sourced Café for Southern Grub
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Food Prices
(excluding, alcohol, taxes & gratuity)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00
**Currencies chosen reflect the world’s major travelers and restaurant or wine connoisseur’s**
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My food bill:
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Currency:
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Price chart:
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$26.00
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$
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$34.00
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Australian Dollar (AUS)
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$
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£20.00
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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£
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$35.00
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$
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¥177.00
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥
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€23.00
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European Union (EUR)
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€
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Currency rates as of June 2017
Alcohol Prices:
$7.00
Crab Daddy's:
678 75th Avenue
St Pete Beach, Florida
33706
Contact Information:
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Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+1 727-800-5081
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Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
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Sun-Thur
11:30 am - 10:00 pm
Fri-Sat
11:30 am - 11:00 pm
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webpage contact:
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Social Media
&
Accolades:
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****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list based on who is writing about them, and it changes on a regular basis. My list of best reviewed restaurants here on Wine, Dine, and Play is based on a rating number at 4 or 5 stars. From the 350 + published reviews as of summer 2017, less than 15% hold these prestigious rankings, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. I have dined at restaurants on five continents from cafés, chains, and fine dining spots including a few that are rated on the Michelin one to three scale. Below is a sampling of some from my list, which include mom and pops + holes in the wall. These places can be just as good, or if not better than a top ranked restaurant of the world in my opinion. To visit my full list of best places follow this link:
A few to tease you with…
|
Creatively presented high-energy Mediterranean fare
Denver, Colorado, USA
|
Elegant Modern Australian with Molecular Gastronomic dining
Melbourne, Australia
|
Modern eclectic and Nouvelle Latin cuisine
Woodstock, South Africa
|
|
High Rise Fine Global Dining, Highest Restaurant In The World
Burj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE
|
Haute French Cuisine
Paris, France
|
Highly creative new American molecular gastronomy tasting menus
Chicago, Illinois, USA
|
|
Impeccably prepared French fine dining
Dublin, Ireland
|
Acclaimed high-concept inspired Farm to Table tavern
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
Refined and elegant creole fare since 1880
New Orlean’s, Louisiana, USA
|
|
French-American Fine Dining
Yountville, Napa, California, USA
|
Safari + Upscale African Cuisine
Sabi Sand Game Reserve, South Africa
|
Contemporary Japanese restaurant, sushi, & cocktail mixology
Dubai, UAE
|
|
Fine Indian and Pakistani Cuisine
Burj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE
|
Contemporary, African-French Tasting Journey
Franschhoek, South Africa
|
Eclectic French-Asian Tasting Menu
Sydney, Australia
|
|
Top 10 American fine-dining ornate chophouse
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
Posh and artful French cuisine + culinary experimentalism
Festival City, Dubai, UAE
|
Haute Gastronomique French restaurant & bistro
Bordeaux, France
|
Reviewed by:
Sean Overpeck (CFE)
Executive Chef
Father, Husband, Wine Drinker
Restaurant nut, History and
Star Trek lover
Picture below was taken across from
Crab Daddy's with our dog Pearl
About Sean:
I am based out of Florida working in food service for over twenty years, and am currently with the American Embassy as the Executive Chef. Formally I have worked with groups contracting in Afghanistan, and Antarctica, also working in restaurants in and around Atlanta, Georgia prior to the wars. I have also owned a catering company and served proudly in the United States Army Food Service Program. The idea for Wine, Dine, and Play started in late 2012 after a trip to Jordan, when I was asked by friends to write down my experiences from a few restaurants, wines I tasted, and unique locations such as Petra. Since that time, I have written over 350 articles, including fifteen from the worlds top 100 lists of San Pellegrino and the Elite Travelers Guide restaurants. I have articles on exotic world locations such as Victoria Falls, and South African Safari’s; food recipes & a Grand Food Dictionary; ethnic country cuisines such as Afghan, and Peruvian; tasting tours of world cities like Charleston, Cape Town, and Dubai; and of course wine from vineyards in California, Oregon, the Carolina’s, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia, with much more to see and write.
Who is John Galt?
Other articles of interest on Wine, Dine, and Play:
The Complete A to Z Food and Beverage Grand Dictionary If you're looking for it, then you found it
Afghan Cuisine + Markets Recipes, culture, history - A culinary tour of Afghanistan during the war
Sydney Wine Tasting Yearly tasting event at Hyde Park in Sydney Australia
Burj Khalifa Tower Take a tour of the tallest building in the world, Dubai, UAE
Converting a recipe card from Imperial to Metric Cooking Conversions made easy
Bordeaux - A Sip and Taste Wine tours and restaurants in Bordeaux, France
Fugitives Drift Lodge and Zulu Battlefields African Cuisine Buffet, Kwa-Zulu-Natal, South Africa
Thanksgiving in Antarctica An American tradition with turkey and football at the bottom of the world
Tipping in Restaurants Etiquette, customs, cultures, and assumptions
Clearwater Beach Taste Fest 2017 music, food, and wine near Pier 60, Clearwater Beach, Florida
Gourmet Wine Tours of South Africa A wine and food tour of Stellenbosch, South Africa
(Articles coming soon)
Petra, Jordan
A Taste of Dubai
A Taste of South Africa (multiple volumes)
Wine, Dine, And Play’s “best of”
FOB Shank - Cooking with Incoming
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
TTFN
