We took a large group and they accommodated us with ease, efficiency and excellent service. AND ... the food was excellent!

Overcooked mains. Terrible sides. Inexperienced waitress. Trap is an ironically accurate name. Management needs to get on their game.

No joke... waited 30 minutes for a bread sandwich with three tiny shrimp. Supposed to be a fried shrimp po-boy with a cup crab soup. Garbage. Could only eat 1/2 of yhe 1/2 sandwich after putting my three little shrimps in place. Pathetic. Leaving hungry and mad about it. read more

Rick's Crab Trap - 1/2 of 1/2 GARBAGE with no meat to eat - Bars Near Me - Fort Walton Beach, Florida

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We have been talking about stopping in here for years...yes...years! Finally did it on this trip and were completely impressed! It's a dive, don't get me wrong, but a dive in the best sense of the word! Cheap drinks, great food, friendly and helpful bartenders, and fellow patrons who couldn't have been nicer. We had the fish nuggets, which were fresh, delicious and a small portion was NOT small. I had the fried shrimp dinner, with coleslaw, hushpuppies and fries. They bring you a set up with tartar, hot sauce, salt/pepper, and remoulade. The food was super hot - temperature wise - and obviously locally caught. We are now VERY sorry it took us as long as it did to eat here. We'll be back!! read more

Rick's Crab Trap - Bars Near Me - Fort Walton Beach, Florida

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Food was delicious and our server KeeKee was great !! Ask for her next time you're there!!

Been to the Elgin Ft Walton Beach area quite a bit and tried a bunch of different restaurants. I was lazy and did not feel like thinking or searching. The hotel staff recommended Ricks Crap Trap. Definitely a local joint. Great service with a smile. I was obviously not local and that did not matter. I ate at the bar and Stephanie was the server. She was great from jump. Went with the streamed platter. So good check out the before and after. The mussels, clams, oysters and crab legs were great. Potatoes cooked perfect as well. Slight critique on corn and broccoli. Both to them overcooked and a bit soft. Super friendly inside. The locals are super cool and no problem chatting with the patrons. Another shout out to Stephanie, she worked multiple tables AND the bar and did not miss a beat. Good experience and good food. Worth the visit read more

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From the lovely ladies that served on us, the delicious calamari appetizer, the fresh oysters, and the meals - this was prob our favorite place in Fort Walton! We ordered shrimp & grits, captains platter and the special of the day - crab cake on rice with shrimp. The food was amazing! The staff were friendly! The transfusion drink was great! It was QUICK. Highly recommend this restaurant! read more

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Rode to Fort Walton to meet with Family who live there. They recommended Rick's because it is a locals favorite. We ate lunch around 1:30 and it was no waiting. The waitress was very accommodating and food was served in a short period of time! Seafood platter was great, nothing left to take home! Home made key lime pie was my fav! It is a little family run seafood restaurant that serves fresh catch off their own boat. You must give this place a try while visiting Fort Walton! read more

Rick's Crab Trap - Crab Island - Bars Near Me - Fort Walton Beach, Florida

Rick's is still one of our "go to" places for certain kinds of seafood...the Grouper nuggets here are the best on the island. At least they have been in the past. Today's were slightly under fried. Not raw, just not very crispy. Granted, they were slammed in the kitchen with a 2/3 full house of customers. But this is the first time I've been disappointed by my #1 "nugget joint." The grilled tuna that my wife had also was not done quite the way it's been done it in the past. Lightly seared is one thing, but cooked through pink in the middle just wasn't right. In my humble opinion, the grill was a bit too cool and the fish sat on it too long. (Lukewarm) Also, today, four of the beers they supposedly had on tap were unavailable. I'm just not sure what's going on and I hope this is a minor hiccup (really the first one in the more than eight years we've been coming here.) On the up side- Gouda Grits were great! I'll check back in about two weeks. read more

Rick's Crab Trap - Grilled tuna, steamed shrimp, fries, and coleslaw. - Bars Near Me - Fort Walton Beach, Florida

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Tbh this was probably a hell of an experience for not only the waiter that we had when we walked in but also for us being a minority. Walked in off a Yelp recommendation and said this might set our vacation off . We walked in and if you ever seen this place it's big as you go in it's the hostess is located right in the center . So we went there and the gentleman that greeted us was very seem overwhelmed but was saying hey would you guys like a seat and we said yes and it was about maybe a hour and half before closing so we followed him but to our surprise in a empty dining area and full bar he proceeded to put us at the front door literally , so not only would we would of been at the exit but not even a ideal place to put anyone . So when he thought it wasn't an issue to put us there we felt uncomfortable. So instead of making it a issue we just told him we wouldn't be staying just wasn't a good look or feeling seeing how they could of sat us anywhere but that specific spot wasn't good to us at all , if you look at the pictures it was empty in the dining area but we left and when we did the person I was with was like we have to eat and this may be our best option and we looked into the kitchen which we seen from our car , we walked up to the kitchen and spoke with the kitchen staff and explained them what took place and they called a waitress they knew and we explained again and she said please try again and she would make up for it because she didn't like we had negative experiences this far . We went back in and was seated wherever we wanted and sat close to the bar with other people this time , we ordered a drink and it was completely disgusting so we asked our waitress to try to so we wouldn't just be these minorities complaining but she did and was like she was so sorry and would ask the better bartender which was a man who remade it and it was great but at this point we are not trying to order to much or even be true customers but now watching everything to ensure we wouldn't be mishandled , so we watched her text and I could be wrong but she seem irate we didn't like the drink she made and also the earlier waiter was now coming from the back , when I'm sure he was disappointed about we voiced our displeasure . So you can imagine the thoughts traveling through the minds of two minorities in a predominantly Caucasian establishment "But the cooks were minority " . We still proceeded to order the food . I ordered the platter and she ordered the yellow tail dinner . Food came out hot and yellow fin was good and like some of the reviews the items were mushy and I take it's from freezing most of their food but it had a butter dip that saved the day on most of it and it wasn't the most appealing way to eat it but it satisfied us . But to say we felt comfortable, that I can't say due to the way we started and the way the female bartender and the hostess which was a bigger guy who seem gentle but used poor judgement on us kind of ruined a vacation and I'm happy to say I won't ever be placed in that position again because going back wouldn't be a option . The waitress we had who made us feel safe to reenter we enjoyed her professionalism and that note I left on her receipt I hope echoed that but I know at times it's hard to gauge a person or persons but that night was a disaster for us . They could be a hit but they need to do better with their choice to freeze so much of their seafood makes it slightly difficult to be yielding out great food when I know they can but hey just a foodie who happen to find out for themself ‍ read more

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Food is always great here, we come at least once a year but the service is awesome. Big shout to our server Phillip! He attentive, funny, knowledgeable, we were never without a drink..he's genuinely kind! Phillip thank you for being so great!! YALL ASK FOR HIM!! read more

Even tho we showed up during massive dinner time we were able to get a seat. If you don't want to deal with the massive tourists on the island you need to go here! Waiter was amazing Very attentive and answered all our questions. My friend got steak and shrimp added on. I just got grilled shrimp which was delicious that I didn't have to dip it in the butter. The potatoes were plenty, corn on the cob was yum, and the broccoli was steamed. Presentation was great too. They do have a huge bar and plenty of TVs over there if you want to watch sports. Bathroom was clean. read more

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I always love this place, but the night we came in it took about 10 minutes to even be noticed to sit down and then about 45 minutes for food, only to be cold. I will be back though, I hope they have more staff read more

Place is so cute it's decorated like a ship. Service is prompt, and the server is very friendly and knowledgeable. I got the seafood gumbo and he got the Parmesan grouper and our meals were delicious and the Mandarin orange cake was so good. read more

Improve on bar service. I have been going here for years and never experienced a problem until tonight. We ordered food immediately upon arriving while sitting at the bar. One hour later, I asked about our food and still didn't get it. At hour 2 the bartender overheard me talking to other customers about not getting our food. Within five minutes, we got our food, but we were afraid to eat it since the bartender had overheard me complaining. The other people around the bar also commented on how lacking the service, but they were there for the football and it being a local place. Tonight was a very shocking experience since we have never had this service that we experienced tonight. As a lifelong resident, I am a strong advocate for local businesses. But after tonight, I am not sure about this one. read more

Rick's Crab Trap sets the standard for a great dining experience...private dining area for small groups

Meh... it was ok but nothing to write home about. The atmosphere was not what you'd want for a vacation meal for sure.

Good choice to get some fresh seafood, my family and I came on a Sunday night and enjoyed our food watching football. I tried the fish of the day Pompano and was surprised very good, and fresh, and the side of huge puppies was amazing the best I ever tried, with vegetables and corn soft. We get some mozzarella sticks as an appetizer full of cheese and tasty. I get a raspberry lemon drop martini too. Service was pretty nice, ambiance was nice and quiet I guest because was a Sunday night. read more

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We had a High School reunion with maybe 50-60 folks and the staff was amazing. They were very patient and helpful while taking our orders as we were all talking and getting caught up with each other. read more

The atmosphere was beautiful and seating was quick to sit outside. The beach and the amenities gave the kids space to enjoy vacation without sit at the table for hours at dinner. Service was wonderful. Oysters were just average Ceaser Salad was the best thing we had Special #1 was decent read more

Well respected local establishment that has a great variety of seafood and other home crafted dishes. Stephanie provided outstanding service keeping the glass full as if we were the only patrons in the place. If you're looking for a representation of FWB pub history and excellent seafood to match, this should be your next stop! read more

Rick's Crab Trap - Crawfish poorboy! - Bars Near Me - Fort Walton Beach, Florida

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Delicious food. Excellent service from our server Matt. He was friendly and efficient. Local restaurant with family friendly prices. It is not impressive from the outside but inside is clean and inviting. We will definitely be eating here on our next visit no love to find local restaurants off the beaten path. read more

Food was sooo good! Decor is throw back and nothing fancy, but don't let that fool you! We went two nights in a row! Kids are now fans of seafood- that says so much for someone on the fence about going here. Servers were sweet and fast. We had group of 14 and got right in! read more

The crab soup is my goto and the key lime pie has the tartness I enjoy The gumbo has a little spice that builds up slowly read more

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DEFINITELY a great place for our friends and family! My husband enjoys his seafood platter and I try to get something different on the menu every time since it's always fresh and amazing FOOD. Staff is great and very friendly, always a great time!! read more

I always enjoy coming to Rick's Crab Trap. Ordered a dozen raw oysters and the blackened fish of the day which was Mahi-mahi. Everything was prepared perfectly. My server Diesha was wonderful and is a sweetheart in every sense of the term. This was the perfect end to a not so perfect day. read more

Rick's Crab Trap - Blackened mahi-mahi. - Bars Near Me - Fort Walton Beach, Florida

My wife and I were visiting Fort Walton and I was craving some seafood and found this place in Yelp. We drove over here and don't let the outside fool you. My wife got the grilled grouper and I got the shrimp basket. This food was hot, fresh and absolutely delicious. Some of the best boiled shrimp I've had in a very long time. Stephanie was our server, we sat at the bar and enjoyed there sweat tea. The service was amazing, the food was spot on perfect and the ambiance was great. I highly recommend this place and would definitely come back next time we're in town. Two thumbs up to this establishment!! read more

I went here because of a recommendation on Yelp. They said if you're looking to go somewhere that's not eat up in tourists, go there. Ok, first off, true. We walked right in. It wasn't packed at all and sat right down. The service was very friendly and helpful. We ordered the famous fish nuggets. Not sure what makes them famous but they're just grouper nuggets. Not a tremendous amount of flavor. I got more flavor from the cocktail sauce, which I think was made in house. I ordered the yellow fin tuna and the Mrs had the grouper parmesan. Both meals came with steamed broccoli, potatoes, and corn. The tuna was great. Cooked perfect and lots of flavor. The grouper was just...meh. The crust on top had flavor but the fish just didn't have much. They served up garlic butter with the meals but it again it just didn't have a lot of flavor. My wife said it best when she compared it to a place your parents ate at after your dad had a heart attack. "Harold can't have a lot of sodium in his diet. We better head down to Rick's." The broccoli, potatoes, and corn weren't seasoned at all. Just bland veggies hoping to get eaten. My son got a kids meal. He ended up with the fried oysters. For $5 they gave him almost a dozen. My wife said they were good. He also got onion rings. Again, just blah in the flavor department. Harold's going to love them. I will say the hushpuppies were pretty fantastic. Good size AND flavorful. I stole one off his plate they were so good. I'm sure this place has a following from the locals but from a tourist's standpoint, I just don't see a return trip in the future. read more

This place was great! The food was delicious and the staff was friendly. I would love to come back and dine here again! Atmosphere was great too! If you're looking for good southern seafood...... eat at Rick's! read more

Rick's Crab Trap - Bars Near Me - Fort Walton Beach, Florida

Really good Fried Everything foods and their specials are AmazaBallz (Fish Nuggets) Fried okra was also amazing! Kinda pricey but it's a beach town so....meh! They offer Military Discounts as well read more

This is the first 1 star review I've ever left a business. Our server, Kate was very nice. The food was bland. Honestly an air fryer and salt and pepper would've tasted better. I got the pick 2 for $12. My choice was fried oysters, and clams with corn on the cob and onion rings. The food arrived hot, it was just tasteless. The oysters were a nice size however. The breading didn't stay on the oysters. Other than Kate being good and working hard, i recommend you find a different place to eat. So sad, I had high hopes for this place. I wanted it to be the "hole in the wall place," that turned out to be a diamond. read more

Excellent food n price and always pleased with quality n quantity. Love grouper nuggets, stuffed crab n fresh broccoli.

Came on a Friday night in April for dinner just after 7pm. Walked right in as a party of 5 and we're seated at a large booth. Nick greeted us and waited on our table all night - he was fantastic and definitely made our experience a great one. We shared several items. The spinach dip was yummy - very cheesy and full of bacon. The gumbo had a nice dark roux and a great flavor; it tasted similar to what we make at home. I had my heart set on a side of crab legs for $19.99 (prices have gone up for many reasons!) and split that plus the blackened mahi as they were out of the grouper with my hubby. We also tried the fish nugget appetizer. The crab was good - it's hard to mess up crab, after all. I wasn't the biggest fan of their blackening season but the mahi was cooked well too and was a very large portion perfect for splitting. I thought the fish nuggets, hush puppies, and my daughter's popcorn shrimp were excellent with their cocktail sauce, which might have been my favorite thing. The cocktail sauce is FULL of horseradish and tastes great to me. I could see though how someone might not like it. We boxed up quite a bit of food to bring home and reheat. Yum! This is a locals haunt with yummy seafood without crazy waits. Next time I come back I want to try their oysters; the garlic parm ones sound awesome and they'll be great with that cocktail sauce. Yum ! read more

Rick's Crab Trap - Blackened mahi mahi, side of crab legs, Fried Grouper Nuggets appetizer, side of Hushpups - Bars Near Me - Fort Walton Beach, Florida

Food was amazing and Christine was the best server ever! We will def be back and request her!

service was great, server recognized some other regulars and said hi to them by name, i know by working customer survive that can be hard sometimes! food was really good, not the best you've had in your life but better than at home for sure, their cheese sticks tho! super yummy!!! it was trivia night and the whole place was just a vibe! read more

The food was amazing!!! The wait was long, but that's usually a good sign. They had an area where you could eat in front of the ocean. Highly recommend the nachos and friend green tomatoes. They give you a great portion of food. I would definitely recommend this restaurant! read more

Rick's Crab Trap - Seafood nachos - Bars Near Me - Fort Walton Beach, Florida

Yes, this place is amazing with epic portions. Away from the beach area but worth the drive. Definitely a hidden gem

As a foodie and someone who spent years in the industry, this place checks all the boxes! We were offered a few tables, a cooler one right below the air, a little bit noisy one close to the speaker or a high top. We were in shorts and tanks and it was super hot out. I cannot tell you how kind it was to let us know that one of them might be too cold. The food was amazing! The waitress was so friendly and funny! The prices were insanely good for fresh seafood. The lunch specials are seriously such a great deal and allow you to try a few things. Love love love! read more

Rick's Crab Trap - Deviled crab, fried shrimp, fresh catch bites, fries, steamed clams. Yum!!! - Bars Near Me - Fort Walton Beach, Florida

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Food was great. Service was great. Outdoor seating is basically in the parking lot. Portions are really large so I'd say order down. We had live music and actually loved that it wasn't so loud that we couldn't hear each other. Would go back read more

Decided to go to Rick's after at his Sandpiper Cove spot for years where we've had the best fish sandwiches in Destin. Sunday was our last night in the condo and I was craving some crab legs! We headed across Okaloosa Island, fighting traffic, until we found the Trap. Melanie brought our drinks (wine for hubs and Diet Pepsi for me. I'm from NY so that suited me). Now the menu (check it out). Finally decided on NOLA Shrimp for an app there was plenty there for a whole meal. Spiced just right! So tasty and not too hot. I ordered the Snow Crab + Shrimp thinking my husband would eat the shrimp. But no. He then ordered the fried shrimp dinner! Needless to say, we had LOTS of shrimp!! My dinner included 2 crab clusters, 8 huge perfectly steamed shrimp, broccoli, corn, boiled potatoes. Should have just ordered the crab-alone dinner. The crab was tender and moist. My husband's shrimp was the best we had during our week in the Destin/Ft. Walten area. Breading was light and slightly peppered. Tails removed. I think there were 12+. Better than Dewy's although w/o the view of course, which has always been our fave Atmosphere was a friendly sports bar (that seems to be a Pittsburg fan spot). Prices were very reasonable. Appear to be lots of specials and a separate lunch menu. Ok, we will for sure be back with the family! Perfect spot for family gatherings and great food! Rick, you never disappoint!! read more

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