Last week the humidity that has been plaguing the Mid-Atlantic region finally broke. I love summer. I love heat. That’s why I moved here from New England; but when the humidity and temperature are hovering at 98 degrees for over a month, a girl needs a break. That’s why when the humidity broke last week and you could finally sit outside during the day light without instantly turning into a puddle of sweat, I decided to take advantage of the beautiful day and enjoy some crabs deck side. 

My boyfriend and I jumped in our car and traveled down Route 2 to go to Coconut Joe’s Hawaiian Bar & Grill in Edgewater, MD. With their doors open for less than a year, they’ve received a lot of buzz. Settled upon what has been deemed a “cursed location” of failed restaurants past, it seems Coconut Joe’s may have found their stride and could be the one to break the trend. 

The location is gorgeous. Nestled next to the Route 2 bridge, the outside seating area overlooks the South River and neighboring marinas. We went on a Friday night…on a night when the humidity had finally broken…so needless to say, the place was packed. After waiting for only fifteen minutes, we were quickly seated outside at a picnic table near the children’s play area – a giant jungle gym in the shape of a pirate ship settled gently into sand.

Our waitress came up to us and was friendly and pleasant. We placed our orders – a broiled crab cake sandwich with sweet potato fries for me, shrimp scampi for the bf and crab dip for our friend who decided to join us on that fine evening. I must admit it did take awhile for our food to be served to us, somewhere close to about 25-30 minutes; however, with the gorgeous night and the good people I was with, the time fortunately passed quickly.

Coconut Joe's Crab Cake Sandwich

As soon as my plate was placed before me I knew I was going to enjoy my meal. A heaping serving of fresh lump crab meat with barely any filler, I quickly dived in. The bread, lettuce and tomato were completely unnecessary as the delicate flavors of the crab and the savory spice mixture that lightly dusted the entire crab cake were all I needed. I quickly discarded the trappings of the sandwich and focused on my prize: the giant crab cake that sat before me, begging to be eaten. The cake gently crumbled as I dipped my fork in through the layers of crab, scooping the sweet meat up to my mouth. My God, was this good. The sweet potato fries served as a delicious sweet counterpoint to the slightly spicy crab cake. I also enjoyed the diced fresh herbs that found their way into the layers of the delicate meat.

Coconut Joe's Crab Dip

Our friend offered me a few bites of his crab dip and this did not disappoint either. Gooey, creamy and crab filled, the dip hit all the right notes. Dusted with fresh herbs and served in a large, lightly toasted bread boule with what appeared to be half a sleeve of crackers on the side, the dip makes a perfect appetizer for a crowd of two or more. Or, for my friend, an entire meal for himself. Served at the perfect temperature, the dip is just cheesy enough, but maintains the delicate texture and taste of the crab meat. Again, you can tell the crab meat was fresh and the dip batch recently made.

If I had to find a draw back, it would be this: if you’re on a budget, don’t go here. While the food is delicious and fresh, the prices are high. My crab cake sandwich cost $17, while a double crab cake entrée costs almost $30. With a million dollar renovation (so I’ve been told), I guess Coconut Joe’s stands to make some of that back by way of charging high prices. But with the care they take in their food and the location they have, prices don’t appear to keep the crowds away as the restaurant remained pack from the happy hour crowd late into the evening bar crowd.

The other drawback I found was this: in the six hour period we were there (yes, dinner turned into drinks which turned into night caps), on two occasions we were plagued with a slight stench of ode de sewer. The first time it happened we thought perhaps a child on the pirate ship next to us had had an accident, but as the smell re-emerged its ugly (and smelly) head once the little ones had gone home for the night, we realized there must have been a sewer pipe somewhere near the establishment that on a few occasions decided to share its perfume with the dining crowd of Coconut Joes. This is not what you want to smell when you are enjoying a delicious, fresh crab cake.

Four Claws Decision: 

Crab Cake 
Crab Meat Quality:
Taste:
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Crab Dip
Crab Meat Quality:
Taste:
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Despite the high prices and occasional odiferous neighbor, I would recommend dining on Coconut Joe’s crab cakes and crab dip. While the prices will keep me from coming back as often as I’d like to, the fresh crab meat and spice blend mixture that coats the cakes will bring me back to Coconut Joe’s for a special occasion, or just maybe on another beautiful night when the humidity happens to break.