The Mad Crab

I'm from MD (a true crab eater) but have been living in Fredericksburg for quite a few years now.  I was so excited when I read in the Free Lance Star that The Mad Crab was headed to Southpoint - 5 minutes from me. I'd put off going there for at least a year or so until today (6/25/13) when I had a real craving for some blue shells.  The place appeared clean but had a old musty smell.  The first indicator of poor business is an empty restaurant.  NO ONE was dining there that day (I should have hauled ass when I saw how empty it was but decided to try them out anyway).  There were 3 patrons having cocktails at the bar but no one was eating. A server and bartender immediately approached me in a friendly manner to take my order. The price of a dozen (#1) large was $40. That's about average so I didn't mind.  I waited approx. 10 minutes for my order.  When the server arrived from the back, the bag of crabs she held looked awfully small but I didn't say anything.  When I got in the car I had to count the crabs because I was sure they only gave me 7 max - considering how small the bag was. Well, sure enough there were 12 crabs in the bag... SMALL crabs! WTF! I didn't go back to complain because I knew it would be my last time there.  Also, with that type of product, they're not going to be in business much longer.  Anyway, once I arrived home and really examined my purchase, it was really sad. They gave me 1 large crab, 3 mediums and the rest small or micro. Most had 1 or no claws attached. I will say that the majority of the crabs tasted pretty good, however, many were light on meat. And, to top it off, 3 of the tiny crabs were inedible with a pungent chlorine-like taste. Yuck! Overall, for $40, I was jipped.  Oh well...I'll just write it off as a donation to them.  I guess I'll have to take that 1 hour trip to MD to get quality crabs.

TERRIBLE SERVICE BUT GOOD SEAFOOD. The slowest waitress service I've ever had. Waited well over 20 minutes to even see a waitress. My son went and got us a couple beers from the bar connecting restaurant to one side. We were just about to leave when to my amazement a waitress showed up and acted like she never saw us!
I won't go back to this location anytime soon. They'll close the doors I'm sure if they don't do something with the service because the last time I was there everybody(patrons) were all complaining.

I have been to this location quite a few times considering there is now a weekly poker game they hold every Tuesday.  My poker experience with the bar has been great, however, my experience with the staff has been less than satisfactory.  I had often heard the owner complain that people are spending money on dollar beers as though anyone is obligated to spend more.  Bottom line, speaking in this way in front of customers screams bad business.  Along side this and hearing how managment deals with their employees who aren't in their personal inner circle seems ridiculious to me.  My girlfriend who I was with on a particular night was being stalked by a, as the owner called him a, "patron of the bar".  I confronted both the stalker and the owner of the establishment that the man was being hostile toward me and making my girlfriend feel very uncomfortable.  The owner did not seem to care because he knew the guy personally.  I will never go back here.  Do not give your business to this location.  They are not out for the customers safety and best interest.