Crabby Bills wins Readers' Choice!

[Jim Damaske, Times]

The polls have closed on our Readers' Choice awards, the aim to add a 26th restaurant to our Iconic Restaurants story, to run in Thursday's Weekend section (it'll go online on Wednesday, though, if you can't wait). The winner, by a landslide, is Crabby Bills. I've gotten a couple of lovely e-mails from Matt Loder, Sr., the CEO of Crabby Bills. He says the inclusion of Crabby Bills has been "very much an honor, humbling and eye opening." And, he adds philosophically, "I really think it’s not if we win or lose but how we play the game and what we come away with at the end of the day. The love of this business is what drives some restaurateurs to keep trying in the face of constant challenges and obstacles."

You said it, Mr. Loder.

With nine locations around the area (including a newish sushi bar at the Indian Rocks Beach spot), it all started with Bill and Dolores Loder back in 1983. SInce then, 22 family members have worked the restaurants and sold their way through tons of crabs, oysters and the rest of the gulf's bounty.

Congrats, Crabby Bills. You're in good company.

Comments

[beth]

CONGRATULATIONS!!! Ill give a great amount of job well done to their pest man..NUMBER ONE TECH!!MIKE!!

[Proud Floridian]

That's wonderful.

They are lucky to have the tourists that don't know good sea food from a popsicle.

We locals know better, and rarely go there.

But it is always good to hear good things about our local
places.

[Cliff]

Are you kidding? This is the worst seafood restaurant chain in the area! Portions are small and over-priced - atourist trap if ever there was one!

[Steve]

We loved Crabby Bills back in the early 80's. Leisure dining with fair prices. Now that the prices are high it seems a mismatch with the leisure decor and for family to go.

[A local]

Well done. We're there almost every weekend.

[Kathy]

WOW....I'm in shock!!! All these people that voted must not have any standards whatsoever! Crabby Bills is so awful....just dreadful, dirty & faded & almost totally dependant on tourists that just don't know any better.

[Dennis]

We find Crabby Bills to be a great, unpretentious place to relax, have fun, and enjoy the food. It's one of the few restaurants that's not on our "tried it once" list.

[sz]

you've gotta be kidding!!

[FOB]

The Bairdi Crab is the best anywhere. The seafood is fresh and the owners are maticulious and continue to serve an increasingly health-conscious public eager for heart healthy happy fat and low calorie meals which has made seafood one of the fastest growing food categories. The sea and its bounty have shaped our history, our lifestyle, and our prosperity. Crabby Bills continues to do that today

[Trunk]

My brother-in-law calls it Crappy Bills! Yea, lousy food, screaming kids, too many tourists who don't know better.

[Derek]

A chain wins? Not only that, a BAD chain at that. This is an awful restaurant to waste your $$$ and the service is pathetic. STAY AWAY!

[Steve]

Several post say something like "you've gotta be kidding!!". We know that Crabby Bills has good food, so please tell us what it is that you know better? Please be specific so we can have an unpretentious learning experience and please announce your better restaurant alternatives for us to try.

[Florida Native]

I wouldn't say this place is good, The above comments ARE right:
Over-priced.
Small portions.

Not the best quality of Seafood, Sorry folks!!

[Spike]

Ate there once as a tourist before moving to Florida to become a permanent resident. Even as a dumb Midwestern, Mrs Paul's fish sticks eating tourist, I was smart enough to send back the peel and eat shrimp TWICE before finally walking out in disgust, never to return. Other posters are right on-this award is a huge disservice to future tourists!

[catfan]

I'm not a seafood fan so I won't comment on the food.... however, I would like to know to what extent this restaurant really qualifies as an icon. What is the history? How do they support the community? Does the restaurant truly supply a sense of family, fellowship, hometown values? Does this restaurant symbolize integrity and charity? I'm only asking, not judging... I'm concerned that voters did not understand the term icon and that is unfortunate.

[Ryan]

Keegan's Seafood Grille is the best around. Crappy bills sucks.

[Son Of FOB]

I was not a big fan of Crabby Bill's until I tried the Bairdi Crab. This is the best crab I have ever had.... I just wish "all you could eat would come back. Nothing like Crab and cold Corona on the beach. That is Living the Dream

[Chris Howard]

I moved here 23 years ago and Crabby Bills was one of the first places I visited and it was a really fun place with the dollar bills on the wall(since donated to charity. The food was good than and I find the fish to be very tasty. Don't go if you have to have cloth napkins...this is a fun -place. Chris H.; Largo

[Sue]

Come on, don't you people have taste buds? This place is nothing but a tourist trap.

Now Ted Peter's, that's a Florida icon!!!

[rick]

YUK ! worst place in the area for seafood,rather stay home and eat jeno;s pizza rolls!!!LOL,,,This has to be fixed! OMG unreal !!!

[Ray]

We went to Crabby Bill's on St. Pete Beach during Memorial Day weekend and the food was horrible. The staff was very friendly though. I should have listened to my friend when he politely told me that "he never goes there."

[Boondock]

Scallops were great....beer was a notch abuve room temperature....Average in every way, but better than most of what you will find out on the beach...friendly service...Will go back if in area....

[www.BICTSHIRTS.com]

CONGRATULATIONS!!! yum, I love crabby bills..

[Chad Edmunds]

Once again, unfortunately the majority of our readers here CANNOT READ PROPERLY!! THE ORIGINAL Crabby Bill's in Indian Rocks Beach. The others don't measure up, but they are better than most others in this area. Portions? they serve the best size portions ANYWHERE! Ever order the tuna? About of pound of fish on the dinner for 12 bucks. Prices? If you are used to eating frozen seafood, their prices will seem high. FRESH, LOCAL CAUGHT seafood costs more and fluctuates. IT'S NOT THAT HARD TO FIGURE OUT! I'm in the seafood wholesale business, & although I don't sell to them (would like to...), I know what they buy & it's top quality... Sue, Ted Peters will be in the top 25 for those who think smoked fish is the only way to dine (as if beef jerky is the only way to eat STEAK)...
If it's only a tourist trap, why are they busy year 'round? Shell's was a tourist trap. The Hurricane is a T.T. FRENCHY'S is a tourist trap (but they sell fresh food at a HIGHER PRICE than Crabby's. oh, if you wanna talk small portions, see Frenchy's). Drive by the one on Indian Rocks beach & you'll see a crowd EVERY DAY! Charter captains & commercial fisherman eat there frequently. They (unlike Frenchy's) have FRESH stone crab claws the first day of the season every year. Also, a great place to work apparently since most of their staff has worked there for 5-10, even TWENTY or THIRTY years.
Give them a try...
I'll bet most complaining think haven't eaten there since it was sold, before being taken back by Crabby himself because they were ruining what he'd built. A top notch bunch of people serving great food...
Congrats! GO TO THE ORIGINAL!

[Jeff & Megan]

Live in Seminole 11 years. Tried Crabby Bill's for 1st time year and a half ago when Loading Dock opened. I was told not to go there, it was no good tourist trap. We went because we heard the pints ofdraft beer were a buck all day until 7 & saw crowds of people. Became regulars, eventually got hungry & tried the food... We eat there all the time now. Used to be Keegan's regulars. Our friend who told us not to go now goes to Crabby's w/ us every week! Don't go there, anyways. It's already crowded without more customers, even when snowbirds leave. Still haven't gone to other beach locations, IRB crabby's has got it all.

Keegan's WAS great. Until they sold. I've eaten there 1/2 dozen times since Cesar sold & they've changed a lot.
They sold soon after they were featured on the Food Channel.
Octopus is now tough & regularly undercooked.Too citrus-y, like they rush the marinade. Fish now cut with mudline left in it. Gumbo tastes like burnt paste with little discernible seafood.
Service still sucks... been going for 10 years, They never remembered our names... Go to Crabby's or Guppy's if in the area.

[Pedro]

The best place in town to eat seafood.I love thier food and staff, decent folks that knows how to treat "customers" not tourists, been going since 1990, and now its better than ever, good food and excellent service.

[Pedro]

The best place in town to eat seafood.I love thier food and staff, decent folks that knows how to treat "customers" not tourists, been going since 1990, and now its better than ever, good food and excellent service.

[pop]

tried crabby bills this past april & could not believe the quality of the food reaading some of the above comments they seem to be from other restraunts in the area who have no business & nothing to do except give crabby bills a bad name in hopes of getting more business for them selves to them I say clean up your restraunts get a better menu & lower your pricess & u will get the customerss In fact clean up your selves some if u smell worse than the fish

[pop]

tried crabby bills this past april & could not believe the quality of the food reaading some of the above comments they seem to be from other restraunts in the area who have no business & nothing to do except give crabby bills a bad name in hopes of getting more business for them selves to them I say clean up your restraunts get a better menu & lower your pricess & u will get the customerss In fact clean up your selves some if u smell worse than the fish

[pop]

tried crabby bills this past april & could not believe the quality of the food reaading some of the above comments they seem to be from other restraunts in the area who have no business & nothing to do except give crabby bills a bad name in hopes of getting more business for them selves to them I say clean up your restraunts get a better menu & lower your pricess & u will get the customerss In fact clean up your selves some if u smell worse than the fish

[pop]

tried crabby bills this past april & could not believe the quality of the food reaading some of the above comments they seem to be from other restraunts in the area who have no business & nothing to do except give crabby bills a bad name in hopes of getting more business for them selves to them I say clean up your restraunts get a better menu & lower your pricess & u will get the customerss In fact clean up your selves some if u smell worse than the fish

[pop]

tried crabby bills this past april & could not believe the quality of the food reaading some of the above comments they seem to be from other restraunts in the area who have no business & nothing to do except give crabby bills a bad name in hopes of getting more business for them selves to them I say clean up your restraunts get a better menu & lower your pricess & u will get the customerss In fact clean up your selves some if u smell worse than the fish

[Terry]

A list of "iconic" Tampa Bay restaurants that doesn't include La Teresita in Tampa? ... The list automatically loses credibility.

[Mike]

I dug this article up on archives because I wanted to know who won the Reader's Choice.

I can't believe some of the posts!

I live in PA and I'm one of the tourists, but I do know seafood and my wife and I ate at Crabby's the first time in Indian Rocks in 2007. It was wonderful!

Food was delicious, portions were plentiful, servers were very friendly and prices were very reasonable.

I've been to Florida for visits plenty of times over the years. I lived there for 3 years when I was a poor college student and have traveled the entire beautiful state. I've also had a chance to travel outside the U.S. and try seafood in other countries as well.

Crabby Bill's in Indian Rocks you are terrific! Congratulations! It is well deserved! I can't wait to come back!!

Please ignore all of those posters who are venting sour grapes and overcooked egos!

[Ben Timmons]

How soon they forget this place was on Dirty Dining people. They had like 100 violations. I eat there once and the food was God awful. If you want to get sick go and have a great time.