October 15 to May 1
Florida stone crab season opened on October 15 and runs through May 1, 2027, under the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's rules. No changes were announced for this season: the last time the dates moved was 2020, when the close came forward from May 15. If a menu or a sign says the season runs later than May 1, trust the state.
Stone crab is the rare seafood where the animal goes back in the water. Only the claws are taken, and the crab is returned alive to grow new ones. A claw must measure at least 2 7/8 inches from the elbow joint to the tip of the immovable finger, and no claws may be taken from a crab carrying eggs. Billy's Stone Crab notes that a crab can regrow a claw several times, and that a new one can take up to three years to reach legal size.
The claws you buy are already cooked. They are cooked right after they reach the dock and then chilled, and most places serve them cold.
If you want to catch your own
Recreational crabbers can keep one gallon of claws per person or two gallons per boat a day, whichever is less, and fish up to five traps per person. Anyone 16 or older needs a free recreational trap registration through GoOutdoorsFlorida.com, renewed every year, traps must carry the registration number and the owner's name and address, and plastic or wood traps need a 2 3/16-inch escape ring. Spears, hooks and anything that punctures or crushes the crab are not allowed.
Sizes, Market Price and the Mustard Sauce
Claws are sold by size grade, and the grade is most of the price. The usual grades are medium, large, jumbo and colossal, and some places add their own. Joe's sells medium, select, large and jumbo. Billy's Stone Crab sizes by count: medium runs six to seven claws to the pound, large four to five, jumbo about three, and colossal one to two. Other sellers count differently, so ask how many claws come in an order before you pick a size.
Many menus, including Garcia's, Captain Jim's and Casablanca, list stone crab at MP, market price, which can change through the season. Ask the server for today's price per size. Joe's prints its prices: on October 15 its menu listed medium at $49.95, select at $59.95, large at $74.95 and jumbo at $129.95.
The claws come chilled and already cracked, with a mustard sauce for dipping. Larger claws give you bigger pieces of meat with less picking. Smaller claws cost less per order and suit a table that wants to share a big platter.
Where to Eat Stone Crab
Joe's Stone Crab, South Beach
Joe's Stone Crab (11 Washington Ave, Miami Beach) has been open since 1913 and is in the MICHELIN Guide. It closed for the summer on September 14 and reopens for its 114th season on Friday, October 16, at dinner. Claws come with mustard sauce, and the "Joe's Classic" add-on brings coleslaw, hashed browns, creamed spinach and a slice of key lime pie for $30. Book through OpenTable on the restaurant's site. It sits at the south end of Collins Avenue and South Beach, and our Miami MICHELIN guide has the starred and recommended restaurants nearby, including Stubborn Seed.
Truluck's, Brickell
Truluck's (777 Brickell Ave) serves claws only during the season, from its own traps, and says it never serves them frozen. They come chilled and pre-cracked with the house mustard sauce. It is a short walk from Brickell City Centre, which makes it the easy stone crab dinner after an afternoon of shopping there.
On the Miami River
Garcia's Seafood Grille & Fish Market (398 NW North River Dr) is a family-run seafood house and fish market on the river. Its menu says the stone crabs are brought in daily by its own fishing fleet, in all sizes, at market price. Next door, Casablanca Seafood Bar & Grill also lists Florida stone crab as a seasonal, market-price dish with mustard sauce. Sit outside and watch the boats.
Captain Jim's, North Miami
Captain Jim's Seafood Market & Restaurant (12950 W Dixie Hwy, North Miami) is a market and restaurant in one. Claws are on the menu at market price, served cold with the house mustard sauce. Sides are ordered separately. It opens daily at 11:30am.
Billy's Stone Crab, Hollywood
Billy's Stone Crab (400 N Ocean Dr, Hollywood) is worth the drive north for a waterfront restaurant and market built around stone crab. Billy's says more than 40 boats supply its fish houses in the Keys. The restaurant and market are open daily from noon to 10pm.
Shopping Before Dinner
Stone crab dinners pair easily with an afternoon of shopping, because two of the best tables are a short walk or ride from good shopping.
South of Fifth before Joe's
Joe's is at the south tip of Miami Beach. On the same street, Material Good (119 Washington Ave, Suite 602) sells fine jewelry and watches. The Miami Design Preservation League's Official Art Deco Gift Shop is in the Art Deco Welcome Center at 1001 Ocean Drive, and The Webster's flagship is at 1220 Collins Avenue in a 1939 Art Deco hotel. Our Collins Avenue page maps them all, and the Lincoln Road walk covers the promenade further north.
Brickell City Centre before Truluck's
Truluck's is a few blocks from Brickell City Centre, where a three-level Saks Fifth Avenue anchors the West Block and Sur La Table sells cookware and knives if you plan to serve claws at home. Brickell City Centre is open-air but sits under a glass canopy, so it also works on a wet afternoon; see our rainy-day shopping guide.
Buying Claws to Take Home
Stone crab travels well because it is already cooked and served cold. Keep them on ice from the counter to the fridge.
Joe's Take Away (11 Washington Ave, Miami Beach) is the counter next door to the restaurant, open daily 11:30am to 9pm with no reservation needed. Its menu lists the same four sizes at the same prices (medium and jumbo when available), plus an Airplane Pack for $10.95 if you are carrying claws onto a flight. Online orders go through DoorDash, and Joe's ships nationwide through Goldbelly.
Captain Jim's takes online orders through DoorDash. Billy's Stone Crab ships nationwide, starting October 17 this season: order by 4pm Eastern for next-day delivery, and the mustard sauce is included with every order.
Tip: If you are flying home, buy claws on your last day, ask for them packed for travel, and check your airline's rules for carrying chilled seafood. Staying near the beach? Our hotels near Miami's MICHELIN restaurants guide covers South Beach hotels, several a short ride from Joe's.
