My boyfriend and I will be spending one night in SoBe before heading to Key West. The great people on Chowhound have recommended Joe's Stone Crab as a not to be missed SoBe dining experience. It sounds great but they do not take reservations. Anyone with experience going to Joe's on a Saturday night during peak season (March 17th)? Can you go early, get your name on a list and sit at the bar? We were hoping to do happy hour at Smith & Wollensky's and then head over to Joe's. Since we only have one night and we might not get in at Joe's I was thinking of making back-up reservations at Nemo or Prime 112 (of course I will call to say we won't be coming if it looks like Joe's is a go). Your thoughts?

Thanks!

Joe's is NOTORIOUS for long waits...the long time Maitre'd died a few months back, but it's still the same....if he doesn't know you or doesn' think you'll "thank him" well on the way out....you'll be waiting a loooong time at the bar.

If you're only there for a night, i'd skip it and head elsewhere...who wants to spend a night at Joe's Stone Crab Bar...?

When you're in Key West, stop by Monty's for Happy Hour and have the Stone Crabs there...2 for $5.....ALOT cheaper than Joe's.

You can get in without waiting, but only as milemarker says if the waiter 'knows' you are going to 'thank him' on the way out. Thanking him for seating immediately runs us about $20-40 depending on how many of us.
you have to decide if that is worth it to you - we do it when it is a business dinner and it matters to get us seated (matters to the the business people, not to us or we wouldn't go)
How does he 'know' you are going to thank him with a big tip? I don't know - my husband says it's in the attitude - walk to the back of the room to talk to the waiters like they are supposed to remember you - "witha little chutzpah" (spelling?) - chat them up like you've been there before - 'you know we never wait an hour' - smile, smile, and he tips them when we've finished eating. It takes longer to get the car than to get seated and I can't believe they remember us b/c we only do this about two or three times a year, so I am guessing my husbands right - it's in the approach. I always say, how does he know you are ever going to tip him if you don't tip him before he seats you - he says 'he can tell' - go figure.

To me, I agree Monty's is just as much fun and just as good and not as expensive and you don't have to play that game. But sometimes business people we are meeting down there want to say they went to Joe's, and so it goes.....but if you want the experience on a Sat night for whatever reason, you usually have to pay for the pleasure of not waiting.

Prime 112 is right now probably the place to go on south beach both for quality of food and for the scene. Nemo is also very nice, a good ambience. I imagine you could go over to joes during happy hour, put your name on the list, get an estimate wait time, and head back to happy hour. Montys happy hour is great, I love it, but it's much more "island" bar than nice restaurant, I think. But they are all close by (and a greek place called Taverna Opa which will probably be quite lively for after dinner).

Just to clarify....I'm recommending Monty's in Key West for the stone crab happy hour....not the one on Miami Beach....I don't know if that one has the same specials....

Joe's is not really part of the SoBe "scene". It's an old time seafood "joint." I've never been to Monty's in Key West, but that sounds like a better idea to me, with your 1 night in Miami at Prime 112 or Nemo's.

Monty's in Key West isn't all that great. It's near where we stay, so we've tried it several times...and the best thing I've gotten there yet is a hot dog. :/ The last time we went, they were out of wine (!) so we left.

We never miss Joe's when we head to Miami. It is fabulous!!!!! The wait is horrible, but I try to get there right when it opens. It was Julia Childs favorite restaurant and ours too.
It's worth the wait.

Florida stone crap claws are Florida stone crab claws. The crabs are trapped, a claw is taken from them, they are boiled immediately, then packed on ice and served to you. Joe's does nothing to them that isn't done by Publix, a neighborhood seafood retailer, or any hole in the wall bar or restaurant that serves them. So it is nothing but silly to think that Joe's "does" stone crab claws better or differently than anyone else. That said, if you are into the "scene" of the place, or want to say you've been there, or enjoy tuxedoed waiters serving the claws to you in somewhat elegant surroundings, or delight in the buzz (and there's nothing wrong with any of those things) then it might be worth it to you to wait for a couple hours, or hand a couple of twenties to someone to get seated. Or you may want to order something other than the stone crab claws there -- something that actually takes some time, effort, and talent to prepare. But that would just seem like sacrilege.