If you read my other review, you'll note that my husband and I went to the Joe's Crab Shack on Baseline a few months back; the experience was less than stellar for my husband and tepid for me. We decided to give it another try at a different one.
This experience was marginally better for me and significantly better for my husband. Like the last time, I ordered the crab nachos because they were good as well as a large-enough portion size that it wouldn't have been necessary to order anything else. My husband ordered the Blackened chicken club sandwich.
Taste wise, my food was good. It was freshly made and well-plated. Nothing tasted overcooked or bland. My husband's food looked great and was plated well, too. The chicken was blackened sufficiently. He enjoyed everything and said it was much better than the last time.
The service was good. Not great, just good. Our server seemed like she enjoyed what she did. She enthusiastically shared her preferences about what to choose. She brought us our drinks in a timely fashion and refilled on cue every time. My husband's a fan of extra condiments with his food, i.e., ranch. He was never without, as she brought an unending supply of it.
I walked away with not much of a better impression of Joe's Crab Shack. It wasn't because this experience soured me; it was because my collective experience in Phoenix didn't compare to what I enjoyed in Florida. Maybe there's a natural difference between the West and East Coast attitude? I don't know. What I do know is that I walked away with a tinge of sadness of a decline of former greatness.
As a counterbalance, my husband's opinion grew exponentially. He's definitely a promoter.