My 10 year and I dined here on our way back from Naples. It's was best gator I have ever had . I have lived in Florida for over 50 years. I have had good gator and I have had bad gator and this was tender flavorful and has left my daughter begging to go back for more for over two months. There's definitely nothing fancy about it, but the service was great and friendly. Only thing I would say is you may need to wear bug spray for the mosquitoes, but it is the Florida Everglades so that's to be expected. read more

If you're driving across US 41 in the Everglades, I recommend you stop at Joanie's for some tasty vittles. The atmosphere is no frills, kitschy, and fun. The food is mostly fried. They have a great variety of Florida beers to choose from. The men's bathroom is worth a peek if you're feeling adventurous. read more

See all

I would give it less stars, but the atmosphere is awesome and the service was good. If you are looking for a place to hang out and drink some beers with your friends, perfect. Maybe the crab is good, but the overpriced gator and rubbery grouper is awful. I don't know how this place got 4 stars except everyone who came drakk read more

I get the novelty and long run this place has had. But I just can't get over the reviews being so high--it's just not great after two tries. Everything is unbearably slow, despite the fact the on both trips our server was a super hero. Both times alone on the floor single handedly waiting and bussing every table, inside and out. The entire ordeal is a long process. Getting a menu and drink from a cooler and picking a table. Long wait to order, long wait for food, long wait for the check, long wait in line to pay. The food was just okay--commercial wholesale frozen seafood. Drinks were limited to leftovers in the cooler second time. It's a novelty place on 41 in the middle of nowhere and the cool factor is high for that. It's worth a stop. But though I want to like this place so bad, I can't recommend it for the dining experience. On a side note, whoever's work is featured in the men's room is an incredibly talented photographer. read more

Joanie's Blue Crab Cafe - Seafood Near Me - Ochopee, Florida

See all

Old world charm, rustic and friendly. Great place to get in the vacation mood while tasting alligator or fry bread. Grouper taco's were also good. Nice selection of beers and drinks. read more

See all

Exactly what you would expect in the middle of the swap! If you want a cold beer and some grub, you don't have another option. I will stop here every time I'm in Big Cypress. read more

Joanie's Blue Crab Cafe - Gators - Seafood Near Me - Ochopee, Florida

Service was a nightmare. Waitress was frustrated and beyond overwhelmed. Food was mediocre at best.

Joanie's Blue Crab Cafe 3-23-25 I was down in the area and had to stop by this place. Walked in right after they opened on a Sunday. Just a couple tables were busy, so we found a table quick. You must do what I call the 3G's when you walk in 1 Grab a drink 2 Grab a menu and 3 Grab a table easy peasy. Our waitress Lana was very friendly and answered any questions we had about the menu. We ordered the two Crab Cake Sandwich & Fries, She Crab Soup, Grilled Corn on the Cob, Swamp Dog & Fries, Cheeseburger & Sweet Potato Fries, Chicken Strips & Sweet Potato Fries, Coleslaw and Key Lime Pie for Dessert. Our appetizer grilled Corn and She Crab Soup came out first. The Soup was very good, and the Grilled Corn was amazing. Our main orders were delivered shortly afterwards. The Crab Cake Sandwich was very good and large enough both of us could not finish all of it. The Swap Dog was a Foot long and just packed with toppings. It was so big it was hard to finish. The Cheeseburger and Chicken Fingers were excellent. All our Fries we very good and so was the Sweet Potato Fries. Even the Coleslaw which was home made was very good. The Key Lime Pie was some of the best I had in this area. All our food was hot and very tasty, and I was amazed just how good everything was. No complaints from any of the seven of us. The waitresses Lana and Lisa were on the ball and checked on us a bunch of times and kept our tables cleared when we finished a plate. I loved the decor of this place as I take to the old Florida theme. One thing I will add the Men's Restroom you may not want your youngsters to go in as there are pictures of topless women all over the walls, now that's old school. Seriously this place has a very cool factor and some of the best food in the area. You get this way you must stop here. I give this place a 5 out of 5 stars for the great food, good service, coolness factor and such a great vibe with all the waitresses. Follow Me On Fb For More Reviews Gulf Coast Terry read more

See all

Great spot! Enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. It is small so don't go if you are in a hurry. The service was super friendly! read more

See all

This is a fun touristy place to stop on the Tamiami trail. It's got a kitschy fun feel to it, with a big interior and a nice porch in the back I sat at. I felt out of place going in as a vegetarian who doesn't normally frequent this kind of restaurant, but I ended up having a good time! I also got to try a local beer from the cooler. I wish they had some sort of entree/sandwich for vegetarians. However, I ordered 3 things that were all decadent and yummy: hush puppies that were just the right crispiness with a softer interior and very flavorful spices, corn that was way tastier than any other place I've ordered corn at, and a good slice of key lime pie , which is normally one of my least favorite kinds. Good memorable place to go while traveling through to sample the area's specialties. read more

See all

Went to Joanie's on my way through the Everglades with my son. Gator bites were really tasty and this place has a great atmosphere. Great location and very good setting for lunch in the Everglades. Service staff are local, extremely friendly and informative. Great conversation and information about the area. read more

See all

Crab Cakes are the best. Service is awesome! It's our go to when we are in Everglades City.

Been on my bucket list forever. Flew down from Asbury park NJ and finally went to Joanie's. Very cool roadside food shack. Old as dirt and just awesome. Our waitress made the experience awesome. She was just the nicest friendliest lady you could ever meet. We got some basic food, burgers and fish sandwich. Burgers were a bit over seasoned compared to what we choke down up north so that might just be some down home Everglades awesomeness we weren't ready for, grouper sandwich was ok, food won't blow you away but if you are hungry it will do just fine. Go here if you have never been. I'm trying to squeeze in a second trip here before I fly home. read more

See all

Excellent pulled pork sandwich and mahi-mahi tacos. I liked that the salad had fresh mango pieces.

The best spot in the Everglades to grab lunch. Fried everything as you would expect. Standard fare, but well executed and generous portions. Fun staff and quick service. Great for families. read more

Joanie's Blue Crab Cafe - Gator bites and a brew - Seafood Near Me - Ochopee, Florida

This place is a classic roadside restaurant. I had the crab cake sandwich which I enjoyed. Two others got the grouper platter grilled and liked it. Cole slaw and hush puppies were also good. Wish I was there during stone crab season. read more

Funky roadside diner atmosphere in the middle of the Everglades. Great food in a casual setting. Friendly laid back staff.

Unfortunately got my hopes up after reading the reviews. The frog legs tasted horrible as did the soft shell crabs. Tasted very fishy, rotten, and not fresh. Felt sick immediately afterwards. Prices were high and service was slow, would not return here. read more

Loved this "old Florida" off-the-beaten track restaurant. It's the type where you end up chatting with people from nearby tables. A lot of bikers (motor bikes and regular) make that their stop. Enjoyed the relaxing ambiance and the food was good (not gourmet but I wouldn't expect that). Service was not only friendly, but casually helpful. read more

Eat here! This is so worth the stop during a visit to the Everglades. Joanie's sits right on Highway 41 near several popular roadside stops including the Ochopee Post Office, Wooten's airboat rides and several of the park trails & visitors centers. It is also just a 10-15 minute drive from Everglades City up to Joanies. My family and I stopped in during a day trip over spring break and are so glad we did. First and foremost, Lisa is worth the price of admission! She was the server on staff that day and was an absolute riot! Funny, friendly and super helpful about the area. Come for the service, but stay for the food. Lisa told me the gator tacos are "out of this world" and she wasn't lying. Around the table, we also enjoyed the gator bites, grouper tacos, crab cake salad, and chicken fingers. Our 4yr old now claims that gator is his all-time favorite! Joanie's also offered several local craft beers and I enjoyed 2 brews from the local Everglades Ale Company: Everglades Fishing Co. Ale and Gator Bait IPA. The only warning I give (which the servers do too) is that content in the bathrooms isn't kid friendly, but don't let that stop you. Joanie's is a MUST VISIT if you're visiting the Everglades / Ochopee area. I can't wait to come back! BONUS: there was even a gator hanging out in the water just off Joanie's back deck during our visit read more

Local spot worth stopping by. Though the minor downside is the lack of air conditioning and the multitude of fans around to circulate the air, everything else about the place is interesting to see. From the authentic nudies in the bathroom, to the vintage memorabilia on the walls Joanie's is a good time. Go and grab yourself a drink from the wall side coolers before digging into some delicious food. I had the hotdog with all the works and it was more than I could finish, but packed with so much flavor. Service was simple, but wholesome and attentive. read more

See all

We always have to stop by Joanie's when we are passing through, and every time is just the most fun and enjoyable experience! Lisa and Lanna are fantastic, the food is so good, the drinks are cold, and it's just a good time. Couldn't recommend Joanie's enough! read more

Love this place! It's right before the Skunk Ape Hq, so a perfect pit stop along Tamiami. Lisa, our server, was exceptional and super friendly. Frog legs, gator tail, key lime pie, and cold beer in a cooler were the perfect additions to hanging on the screened porch. I will always swing by whenever I'm in the area. read more

Joanie's Blue Crab Cafe - Gator tail basket - Seafood Near Me - Ochopee, Florida

See all

Friendly service. Very good food. A unique and original spot for lunch. Don't drive by, you'll be sad you missed it.

Honestly, I was excited to try this restaurant because of the positive Yelp reviews but I was quite disappointed. We tried multiple things including the fried alligator, stone crab, hamburger, and crab cakes. I wouldn't recommend the alligator - nothing special and just very fried. The crab cakes and hamburger were just alright. The service wasn't great. It took some time for them to even acknowledge that we were there, nonetheless they weren't friendly. Finally, we were very disappointed to find pictures of naked men and women all over the bathrooms. I was horrified to have to take my children in there. Pros: if you are already there, try the stone crab. That was the favorite thing we ordered. Although the service wasn't great, it was quicker than we had expected after seeing the sign on the wall to not expect quick service. read more

Joanie's Blue Crab Cafe - Fried alligator and corn - Seafood Near Me - Ochopee, Florida

A must-stop for me when traveling this section of US41. Crab cake is fresh and briny. Rustic ambience is appealing. Expensive but hard to replicate the experience. read more

With limited options to eat on US41, this place has hot food, cold beer and a lot of charm. We received excellent, friendly service. The crabcake was the special that day, it was fresh and meaty but needed some flavor. "When in Rome", try the alligator...it's a little chewy, like calamari, but not fishy. Fun experience. Good hush puppies, good fries, and the kids enjoyed the mac-n-cheese off the kids menu. It was just Kraft blue box, but that's what the kids want anyway, so no complaints. No AC (in late March), but it was cool enough inside, out of the sun. read more

great local seafood and best hush puppies ever. No AC, only fans, so be advised - you're in Old Florida at its best

This is exactly the kind of place I love. A historic building serving up delicious seafood. Joanie's is located on Tamiami Trail in Big Cypress Preserve. The little red building is said to be the oldest building in the Everglades. Joanie's is located in the tiny town of Ochopee Fl., just down the road from the smallest post office in the United States. When Joanie was born in the 1930's, the community of Ochopee was a one family tomato farm which had started in the 1920's. A few buildings grew up around the farm and in 1953 a fire destroyed the town post office and general store. The building the restaurant is in used to be a cattle barn then a bulk oil business. In 1987 Joanie's Blue Crab Cafe opened. For years Joanie enjoyed fishing and hunting in this area with her late husband. Although you feel like you are in the middle of nowhere (most of the time I don't have cell phone reception) this stretch of Tamiami Trail actually sees a lot of travelers. I have met people from all over the world who come here to visit Big Cypress Preserve. Consequently Joanie's can get quiet busy. I have wanted to visit here for the longest time. I came in a little before 4 thinking they closed at 5 and was welcomed even though they were shutting down for the day. I was instructed to grab what I wanted to drink from the cooler and have a seat. This is a cold beer kind of place and if I was lingering that is exactly what I would have had. Instead I took a Dr. Pepper and enjoyed checking out all of the Florida kitsch and postcards customers have sent as I waited for my food. I ordered the crab cake sandwich with fries. Nothing fancy, just perfect. My waitress Lisa was a trip. It is worth coming out here just to be served by her. Lisa told me to let her know if anything went wrong because she would make it right. I need Lisa to straighten out the rest of my life. Besides seafood they offer gator on the menu but I don't eat my friends. I didn't want to hold Lisa up even though she assured me the only one waiting at home for her was her cat, so I took my Key Lime pie to go. That is the thing about living in Florida, someone is always trying to foist a slice of key lime pie off on you and who am I to say no? This place is rustic, and by that I mean the only air conditioning is the breeze through the screen on the front porch. If that's a problem for you keep driving until you hit Naples or Miami. It will just leave more room for the rest of us. read more

See all

In the perfect location with traffic flow all the time. The only problem is they are only open during peek lunch time. 11-3. Good signage telling they are closed and to visit those other site. read more

Excellent experience. From the moment you walk in you are greeted with a warm welcome from the hostess. The staff educate you on the menu and it's a true cultural experience. Genuine southern hospitality. We will remember this experience for the rest of our lives. Thanks for the great Florida swamp food! read more

Joanie's Blue Crab Cafe - Seafood trio - gater, frog legs, and cat fish - Seafood Near Me - Ochopee, Florida

Finally had the opportunity to go to Joanie's on one of our trips to Marco Island. So glad we did. The staff were very welcoming and the atmosphere was family friendly and fun. The food was amazing. I had the catfish which had a great crunch and seasoning. The slaw was some of the best I have had in a while. My wife and 3 kids loved their food as well. If you are looking for a place that has excellent food, great service, and is one of a kind, Joanie's is your place. I love to support small businesses and would rather show my kids hard working, passionate people being a great example of how to provide great food and fun. I am glad we were able to stop in this time and wish we would have sooner. We will most definitely support Joanie's in the future and it's on the short list of places to take my family and friends who visit us in Florida on our trips to Marco. read more

A cute little crab shack on the side of the road. We visited in the afternoon after some travels around the Everglades. As you walk in you are directed to grab a couple menus, swing by the beverage coolers, and find a seat. We picked up a couple Landshark beers from the coolers and headed to the patio. There was plenty of seating on the patio with a nice breeze, where we were greeted by our server Shelby. She was friendly and offered a couple of recommendations. They unfortunately were out of grouper but had plenty of other seafood options to satisfy. We chose the Soft Shell Crab Sandwich, Chicken Strip Basket, and Hush Puppies. Our food was served promptly. My husband was raving about his Soft Shell Crab Sandwich and offered our 7 year old daughter a bite. That was a mistake! The sandwich was quickly devoured and he was left with the chicken strips but those were delicious as well. The hush puppies were just ok and I probably wouldn't order them again. Overall we had a great visit to Joanie's and we would stop in again! read more

See all

This is a cool restaurant in the middle of nowhere. I think it's the only one. The food is good. I had a catfish sandwich with fries. I liked it. Well cooked lightly seasoned with a nice sauce. I also had the sampler. It had Gator tail nuggets, crab cakes, French fries and frog legs. The gator tail nuggets were good I really liked it. An interesting fact. This restaurant is one little interesting place. You get a great view of nature if you sit by the balcony. The place is decorated with postcards from all over and in the bathroom there are interesting photos taken by a famous photographer. read more

See all

Always a fun time Going to Joanie's Blue Crab Café. It's like walking back in time to old Florida. The food is great and the servers are friendly and fun. read more

Great food, service, and ambiance! Laid back self serve drinks from the coolers with tasty soft shell crabs and sweet refreshing tangy cole slaw. If near shark valley this is a must try! read more

See all

I'm a fan of Joanie's it's my place to go after a good ride through Big Cypress. Local beers, a hearty crab soup, crab cakes, alligator bites and other American favorites. But the best is the service from Debbie and Taylor, always kind and nice. Decoration is full of Everglades Americana that makes it very unique and special. read more

Joanie's Blue Crab Cafe - Restaurant Facade - Seafood Near Me - Ochopee, Florida

What an experience? we had the crab soup and it was the best crab soup we've ever had. We thought Marilyn had the best crabs but let me tell you this bluest out of the water. Then we split a crabcake that was equally delicious. The service was friendly and nice and made sure we had what we needed. There was plenty of napkins on the table, and you got to pick what you wanted to drink out of the Cooler. We will definitely bring company back here. Fun delicious food and a really cool area. It's only about a half a mile from the smallest post office in America. And it's close to a buggy ride through the Everglades that we're going to do next time we go. read more

See all

Worth it in so many ways. The decor is hilarious, dont get scared by the other comments. The food is delicious and reasonably priced and the staff well Erica my waitress has been there for 4 days and was so kind and charming. The beer is $5 a bottle and they have a nice variety. This is a swamp authentic experience. Worth the stop! Hours are limited so time it accordingly and go hungry! read more

See all

Fun, fun, fun. Good food, cold beer, funny humerus staff. Yes to shrimp poboys, salads, and cheese burger. Excellent sweet potato fries and grilled corn. Deep in the Everglades with many alligator hot spots to see along the way read more