Joe's Crab Shack has always been a favorite among my friends and I. When I was notified of the restaurant's new menu offerings, I didn't hesitate to volunteer to try to them out.

The location that I usually patronize, and that I visited for this review, is the Fairfax location, not far from Fair Lakes mall and Fairfax Corner. The decor and atmosphere of the restaurant are a large part of what make it perfect for large groups of friends and family. The walls are adorned with ocean and pirate related souvenirs, and what can only be described as "beach music," is constantly piping loudly from the speakers throughout the restaurant.

Of the new menu items, I decided to have the Fried Oysters. The oysters are served with a side of fries and a spicy sriracha remoulade sauce (never one to turn down sriracha, this is mostly what influenced me to choose this dish). The sauce was definitely the highlight of the dish and provided an excellent kick that complimented my oysters beautifully. I definitely recommend this to anybody looking for something a bit spicy.

There are several other new items on the menu that are definitely worth checking out as well:

Salmon Orleans - Pan seared salmon topped with a creamy cajun sauce, loaded with crawfish, shrimp and andouille sausage, served with dirty rice.

Samuel Adams Steampot - Sweet snow crab, clams, meaty lobster claws, sausage, fresh corn and potatoes all steamed in Samuel Adams lager.

The Big "Hook" Up - Fried oysters, great balls of fire, crab stuffed shrimp, fried snapper, coconut shrimp, hush puppies and coleslaw.

Pan Seared Mahi - Served with sautéed green beans, bacon and new potatoes.

For the less experienced crab eaters among you, bring a more knowledgeable friend along, or educate yourself with these instructional videos for crab consumption created by Joe's Crab Shack.

King Crab

Dungeness Crab

Snow Crab

Joe's Crab Shack is the perfect location for those looking for a fun, friendly and delicious place to have a summer "staycation."

joescrabshack.com