Two of my friends and I recently ate at Stoney’s Crab Shack for the first time. If you didn’t know, the restaurant is located on Broad Street where the old Broad Street Fish Camp used to be. It can be kind of a tricky place to find since it’s behind P&M Auto and because the entrance faces the parking lot instead of the road, but we decided it was worth the trouble. While we initially had misgivings about eating seafood in the mountains, it turned out to be a very pleasant experience-decidedly one of the best fish places in Sylva! The entrance was nicely decorated with palm fronds and other costal décor that helped to set the atmosphere for the evening. For those interested, there’s plenty of outdoor seating available in a cozy nook just to the right of the entrance, but with the recent cold-snap, we decided to eat indoors. We were promptly seated at a spacious table, handed our menus, and served our drinks while we perused the selection. The prices generally run in the $6.50 to $10.00 range, but you could easily spend up to $20 or more if you wanted. Between the three of us, we sampled the tilapia (a type of fish), the fried shrimp, the clam strips, the stuffed crab, and the shrimp scampi. As fitting a restaurant of this level, our entrées took a little more than thirty minutes to arrive. While we waited, we munched on our appetizers (fried pickles called “Texas fingers” and complementary bread) and chit chatted about the week. The sounds of the restaurant were nicely muted, making the conversation flow easily between friends. During the meal, the service was excellent and well-trained. One of my companions for the evening regularly eats at extra swanky restaurants, and she was very impressed, as well. Our food arrived hot, looked beautiful, and smelled wonderful. Unfortunately, the only disappointment for the evening was the food itself. While decidedly good for a fish restaurant in the mountains, it was seasoned a little too lightly for our palates. This was to be expected with the fried options, but the tilapia and the shrimp scampi suffered from this, as well. My companions concurred with this judgment. Paying the bill was easily accomplished after the meal, and as a bonus, they accept most credit cards. All in all, it took just over an hour to eat, making this restaurant clearly off-limits for those in a hurry.
Overall assessment of Stoney’s Crab Shack: Type: A special treat between friends or a very casual date Price: $6.50 to $10.00 per person Atmosphere: 5/5 Services: 5/5 Food: 4/5
