CJ’s Crab Shack

CJ’s Crab Shack is a family-owned seafood restaurant at 600 Ocean Drive in Miami Beach. It’s close to the beach and the southern stretch of Ocean Drive. It is an easygoing, seafood-forward option for diners who want crab, shrimp, oysters, fish or a casual mixed grill. It’s not a formal tasting-menu meal. The restaurant’s own website confirms the address and phone number. It lists a schedule that runs 2:00 PM to 10:00 PM Monday through Thursday and noon to midnight Friday through Sunday. That makes it a practical stop for a weekend lunch or a dinner any night of the week.

Choosing the right seafood order

The menu distinguishes starters, seafood-bar items, sandwiches, crab dinners and larger entrées. That makes it easier to order for the actual occasion. Oysters or crab dip work as a starting point. Sandwiches and tacos suit a lighter meal, and crab dinners or mixed platters suit a more substantial shared dinner. The menu marks stone crab and Alaskan king crab as market price. Confirm those items during the order, rather than estimating their cost from another dish.

What CJ’s Crab Shack is best for

This is a broad seafood menu built for groups with different appetites. Crab legs, oysters, shrimp, fish, sandwiches and larger platters share space with salads, chicken and steak. A table does not have to commit to one seafood dish. The vibe is relaxed Ocean Drive dining, not a quiet fine-dining room. Choose it when a casual meal, shareable seafood and a central South Beach address matter more than a curated multi-course meal.

Hours and location

CJ’s Crab Shack opens at 2:00 PM and closes at 10:00 PM Monday through Thursday, then extends to a noon-to-midnight schedule Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The listed address is 600 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139. The restaurant publishes (305) 604-5951 as its contact number. The weekend hours suit an afternoon meal after the beach, or a late dinner before an Ocean Drive stroll. Plan a weekday visit for the afternoon or evening, rather than a midday lunch. Check the restaurant’s official location page before leaving for holiday changes, events or the latest service details.

Menu highlights and seafood focus

The menu is anchored by crab dishes and a wide range of seafood. The seafood bar lists raw oysters, baked oysters and Oysters Rockefeller. The crab section includes snow crab, a Cajun combination and market-price Alaskan king crab. Other choices span fried or blackened fish, shrimp, calamari, grouper sandwiches, fish tacos and seafood pasta. CJ’s Cajun Combo comes with two snow-crab clusters, baked oysters, Cajun shrimp and a crab cake. It gives a clear sense of the kitchen’s all-in seafood approach.

For diners who prefer a straightforward main, the menu also has fried shrimp, salmon, chicken piccata and a rib-eye. That flexibility helps when one person wants a seafood platter and another does not. Use the official food menu to review preparation styles and ingredients before ordering. That matters especially if you need to avoid a specific shellfish, sauce or seasoning.

Typical menu pricing

Menu pricing spans quick starters to substantial seafood platters. Appetizers such as Drunken Shrimp and crab cake are listed at $16.95, crab dip at $17.95, while a snow-crab dinner is listed at $39.95 and CJ’s Cajun Combo at $45.95. Market-price items include stone crab and Alaskan king crab. Their cost isn’t fixed on the public menu. Main seafood plates also vary. The menu lists fish and shrimp at $29.95, seafood pasta at $39.95, and larger steak-and-seafood combinations at higher prices.

Outdoor setting and group plans

CJ’s Crab Shack seats diners at outdoor patio tables along Ocean Drive, in addition to its indoor dining room and bar. Its official site promotes parties, catering and group visits. That makes it a sensible fit for an informal birthday meal, family gathering or a beach-day lunch. It’s still useful to confirm the format for a large party directly. The website provides a dedicated party-booking page and an online reservation option, and recommends booking a reservation ahead of time; use those channels rather than assuming a particular table or event arrangement will be available. Independent local coverage also identifies the restaurant as a relaxed seafood stop on Ocean Drive.

Food-safety and dietary planning

CJ’s menu contains a consumer advisory for raw oysters and for raw or undercooked animal products. The advisory says that consuming raw or undercooked seafood, shellfish, meats, poultry or eggs may increase the risk of food-borne illness. That’s especially true for people with certain medical conditions. This is an important choice point for guests who are pregnant, immunocompromised, managing an allergy or avoiding raw shellfish. The menu includes salads and non-seafood choices, but it does not present a dedicated allergen-free kitchen policy. Confirm a specific need with the restaurant.

How it compares as an Ocean Drive meal

CJ’s Crab Shack is most compelling when the plan is casual seafood with a long daily operating window. It is not a destination for a chef’s tasting menu or a silent dining room. The appeal is the broad crab-and-seafood selection, accessible location and mixed menu that works for groups. The independent Dish Miami restaurant guide similarly describes a casual, beachy seafood spot directly on Ocean Drive. For surrounding plans, browse MBD’s restaurant directory and Miami Beach guide.

Quick verdict

Choose CJ’s Crab Shack for a casual seafood meal at the heart of Ocean Drive. It suits crab legs, oysters, fried or blackened fish, shrimp and shareable platters best. Its weekend noon-to-midnight hours make timing simpler than at many dinner-only seafood restaurants. A weekday visit should be planned around the later 2 PM opening.

Review the menu for market-price items and food-safety advice. Contact the restaurant directly if the visit depends on a large party setup, a dietary accommodation or a particular seating arrangement. For first-time diners, the practical move is to settle on the kind of meal before arriving. A few starters and sandwiches make a very different meal from a crab-heavy shared order. That little bit of planning is especially worthwhile where market-price crab or a larger platter is under consideration. It keeps the table focused on the dishes everyone actually wants. The current menu is the best source for deciding that order before the visit.