The food was a bit pricey. We had 9 people 4 kids and 5 adults and it ended up being around $50 a person. They charge for drinks as well as add the gratuity to the bill. The food was okay but we were mainly there for the all you can eat crab legs. We drove 27 minutes to eat here. We chose this place because of the prior reviews and it was less crowded than other establishments. So we were able to be seated immediately and didn't have to wait in line for the crab legs. I'd say you're paying for the convenience of getting sat faster as well as accessing the food quicker. Due to it being less crowded.
Do not ignore the negative reviews, youll regret it!!If you are seriously into the crab legs, then this is maybe worth the money, otherwise, huge let down. I was expecting freshly cooked varieties of seafood. There were 2 fish dishes that weren't deep fried "tenders", and those were smothered in sauce and butter. There were maybe 3 types of shrimp, but again nothing like just good Ole steamed shrimp. Everything had to be fried, overly sauced, breaded or all of the above. They say on the website that they want 5 star reviews and contact them if your experience is anything less than that. I emailed two weeks ago, no response or acknowledgement whatsoever.I am not a seafood lover, so I was looking forward to the prime rib. However, the guy behind the counter would cut pieces and let them sit there, getting cold. When I asked for a fresh slice, he wouldn't do it. So I took one that was laying there but couldn't even eat it because it was rubbery and cold, couldn't even cut it with a sharp knife I wouldn't go back if you paid me. It's a shame because the wait staff seemed friendly and it's super cute outside, but not worth the money.
Crab legs served hot, and tasted fantastic, I would recommend this place for that alone. A lot of food choices, a mix of good and standard buffet foods. Good oysters and crawfish. Bathrooms were not clean. Service was attentive, drinks refilled frequently. I wouldn't recommend big families as seating space is kept tight to maximize occupancy.
We were not told the price of the buffet until we were seated $49.95 each adult. There was nothing special about this place! The reason for such high prices was it’s tourists season. The price does not include drinks! I would think that tea would be available as a drink. The cold shrimp was partially raw, it had been frozen and was placed out for consumption was so mushy from siting in water it made me sick. I had less than 1 plate and I was sick. I would not recommend this place- for the price Red Lobster would have been so much better.
This was possibly the worst restaurant meal I have ever eaten. I totally wasted the $50 charge (+ $3.00 for iced tea and several local taxes) and threw away a lot of food. Although the buffet offered 140 items, I tried only the ones that interested me the most. Here is an analysis of these dishes. I'll start with the star of the show - CRAB LEGS. In a word - AWFUL. I have eaten a lot of crab legs and I know how to dissect them efficiently. (Break the legs apart at the joints, slide out the two thin pieces of cartilage, snap the leg section in half on one side, turn it over and snap the other side. Then gently slide out the delicious, juicy, firm meat. The lobster cracker is used only on the claws.) A bit of work, but worth the effort. UNLESS, when you get to the final step, you find the meat is mushy and tears apart like a wet tissue. Part of the problem with the crabs at Captain Jacks was that the shell was not crackable - it was like thin linoleum. As a result, it was virtually impossible to get at any of the mushy meat out except for the largest leg section. After struggling with two clusters, I finally gave up and tried other items. SHRIMP - another of my favorites. The peel-and-eat shrimp were very hard to peel and the meat had the consistency of 'Play Dough.' This is the result of shrimp that have been lying around for a long time or grossly overcooked - or both. I ate two shrimp and, unfortunately, had to throw away the rest. The fried shrimp (at least that's what I thought they were) were like little lumps of battered stones, with about as much flavor. MUSSELS - The is nothing better than a properly steamed P.E.I. mussel. If they are removed from the steamer just when they start to open up, they are tender and succulent. However, when they a cooked the way Captain Jacks does them, they are wide-open, dry as cardboard and just as hard to chew. Again, I had to throw away most of my serving. PRIME RIB - The only good thing about Captain Jacks prime rib was that it was sliced thin was paper; otherwise I don't think I could have cut it at all. Even the thin slices were so tough and stringy that I had to hack at it aggressively in order to get a few mouthfuls. I quickly realized that it wasn't worth the effort and more of my meal went in the waste tray. I did not try any of the other items, but I will say that some of the desserts and salads LOOKED tempting - but I can't comment on how they tasted. Also, the service was very good, Of course, this is a buffet so you get your own food, but the server was attentive to the table and emptied the waste food tray and refilled drinks in a timely manner. The restaurant was not adequately air conditioned. The warm dining room seemed to curb our appetites and caused us to finish our meal earlier than otherwise. Since this is an "all-you-can-eat" buffet, I guess this works in the favor of the owner. When you are visiting the South Carolina Grand Strand, do yourself a favor and go to a real restaurant - one that focuses on quality instead of quantity. There are dozens of them down here.
As we pulled up we noticed that the parking lot was about 60% empty. We were told the cost of the buffet as soon as we were seated. I appreciated being told the cost. I enjoyed almost everything that I chose to eat. My husband also enjoyed his meal. Service was pretty good. My only complaint: there was a 16% gratuity added. We were taxed on the 16% gratuity, as well. There was also a SVC charge that equaled the 16% gratuity. For 5 adults and 1 child (plus drinks) our bill was $345.91 our server would have received 20% for her service
My husband and I visited Captain Jack's Seafood Buffet on 6/30/22 and we were very impressed with the friendly staff (Anastasia) and the selection of seafood available. We love crab legs and they were high quality and seasoned to perfection. We were able to make our own selection and liked this as some other restaurants serve you whatever pieces they deem satisfactory. The prime rib was very good as well. The restaurant is clean, well-lit and decorated in a nautical theme. We went early and used coupons. We will definitely visit again!
Excellent food and my favorite was crab legs!!! You got a choice you could have old bay seasoned or you could have Cajun seasoned both were really delicious
Great crab legs! Not a bad price at all. Staff and manager were very welcoming
We arrived they had a wait but we were seated quickly. The waitress told us the buffet price was $44.99 a person however we asked if you could order from the menu and she said no, buffet only. The food was very fresh and hot with lots and lots to choose from. The option was there to use gloves however very few people used them and no staff encouraged it. We saw our waitress once to refill a drink and once to bring the check and remove plates which was frustrating but we will return again the food was great and we left completely stuffed. Highly recommend!