by “The Food Guy” – Food Blogger / Restaurant Critic for Vero Vine and Vero Beach Foodie
--> Join the conversation in Vero Beach Foodie and 43,500 very active members right now! <--
I can’t believe it’s been almost two years since I’ve reviewed this place. Hands down, I think this was one of my favorite places I’ve reviewed to date. My mouth still waters when looking at the pictures and reminiscing about the wonderful smell of the garlic butter sauce. 2018 brought big changes for owners Brandy and Ellis Buckner, as they opened their second location in Sebastian, FL in the old Salty’s location. The new location is bigger and right on the water, so if you have not been yet, I highly recommend you pay them a visit next time you’re in the Sebastian area.
If you are not familiar with where The Crab Stop of Vero Beach is, it’s located at the far end of 14th Ave and 23rd Street. Parking is limited, so if the lot is full, just look for a spot on the street which is usually not too hard to find. As I walked into the restaurant, they had our table all set for the evening’s experience. The walls are painted bright yellow and classic R&B played on the radio, so it had a fun, yet laid back comfortable vibe. I had a seat at my table and prepared for my guests to arrive so we could get started!
Dining Room Dining Room Where are you from? 
House Salad 
Sides for Large Seafood Bowl
Now let’s dive right in and see what this place has to offer and what we had to eat!
The wonderful aroma of the lobster coming from this soup was the first thing I noticed as they sat it down in front of me. The soup was perfectly seasoned and had the bold taste of lobster in each bite.
What better way to serve crab cakes than in the shell of a crab! The crab meat mixture is stuffed inside the crab shell, fried, and served with a side of their rémoulade sauce. While the outside looks quite crunchy, it was softer than I expected. The inside was chock full of crab meat and very little fillers. They were very well seasoned and quite delicious!
The seafood bowls here are always impressive, and this one was no exception. Since this was part of our Restaurant Review Dining Experience, owner Ellis Buckner created this one of a kind concoction just for us to share. The smell of the garlic butter always draws me in. There was so much seafood in this bowl, that the rest of the sides would not fit, so he added that to a separate bowl which can be seen above in the gallery.
In Conclusion:
When I moved to Florida five years ago, I was looking forward to having access to fresh seafood on a regular basis, so I’m happy to have found this place. The garlic butter and seasonings they use are what set them apart from other similar restaurants, and is one of the reasons why I visit at least once a month to get my seafood fix. Whether in Vero or Sebastian, if you have seafood cravings like I do, then I highly suggest you check these guys out, I know you won’t be disappointed!
The Crab Stop of Vero Beach Website | Facebook Page
Address: 2263 14th Ave, Vero Beach, FL 32960
Hours of Operation: Monday – Thursday, 11am till 8pm, Friday & Saturday, 11am till 10pm. Closed on Sunday.
This experience was part of our new “Restaurant Review Dining Experience” where you have an opportunity to join me, “The Food Guy” on an actual restaurant review and go behind the lens to see how I work and taste all of the amazing food you have seen in my articles! Be sure to follow us on Facebook, subscribe to our email newsletter and text alerts so you know when tickets go on sale for our upcoming events!
To purchase tickets to any of our upcoming events, please visit: https://verofoodie.com/marketplace/
- The 2019 GOLDEN FORK Awards - February 5, 2020
- The Wave Kitchen & Bar – Restaurant Review – Nov 2019 - December 4, 2019
- Italian Cousin – Restaurant Review - November 13, 2019