Good Crabs--Disappointment later
My wife and I and another couple had dinner at Riggins Crabhouse last night (9/21/02). The meal was great and the service good. We are frequent customers.

However, when we went to pay the check, which was for $64.66, I gave the waitress four $20 bills (I am absolutely certain I gave her $80) she came back saying we had only given her $60. I don't believe she intentionally tried to cheat us--she probably dropped a $20 bill at the bar and someone there is $20 richer. I think she should have made more of an effort to find the missing money. The waitress was cute and short, with brown hair in a ponytail.

We ended up paying the bill with my friend's credit card.
It made a very enjoyable evening end on a very sour note.

[ ChefMoz Editor Note: See the management's response to the above problem which follows. ]    [22 Sep 2002 15:19:35]

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     ­Anonymous   

Customer Satisfaction is number one at Riggins...
With regards to the review written on 9-22-02, our owner has been in touch with the guests and they have since returned to our restaurant. Riggins provided the guest with a $20 gift certificate to resolve the situation. The guests were satisfied that we did all we could to rectify the issue and enjoyed their meals on the return visit. -Management    [05 Dec 2002 10:17:47]

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     ­Anonymous   

When the wife and I go for seafood, we go to Riggins.
Rose and I have been going to Riggins since about '92, back then, we went at least once a week when we had the time. We still get there whenever we can. We will ask for our favorite table by the kitchen, and the staff would get us there as quickly as possible. There was even one waitress that nicknamed Rose 'The Lobster Lady' because, lobster was our usual fare. The other favorite was of course the bluecrabs, where Rose would have the seasoned, I enjoyed the garlic and oil.
I have never had a bad experience at Riggins with either food or service, the bartenders are always accommodating when we occasion the lounge for dinner.
My point is that Riggins and its staff have become family, and like family, we always love seeing each other, because we know we are in for a good time!    [26 Mar 2003 13:00:34]

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Recommended Dishes: Lobster of course, and the seasoned bluecrabs and the garlic and oil bluecrabs

     ­Robert   fidlepark at aol dot com

Riggins should be up North also
Every business trip I have to Palm Beach, Riggins is on the "to do" list. I enjoy the crabs and the hugh plate of food which I can never finish! The food is always FRESH and my co-workers and I have never had a bad experience. It is good to know that there are restaurants that are clean, with great atmosphere and have a friendly waitstaff. Keep up the good effort!    [23 Feb 2004 11:19:17]

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Recommended Dishes: All

     ­Jerri , Wilmington, DE   

Best Steamed Blue Crabs in the South?
You'd better believe it. My family and I try to make the hour drive every chance we get, which isn't often. We've been going to a place in Ft. Lauderdale which had moderate crabs, but once you try Riggins crabs, you will never go anywhere else unless you are forced to. They are juicy (not too watered down where the meat goes bad), and nice and big. Heading over there in about an hour to enjoy a nice dozen blue crab.    [22 Feb 2005 13:06:07]

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     ­Paul   Paul at fauicehockey dot com

Best Streamed Crabs, Worst Dine in
I am following up from a year from my last review.

Last Sunday 5 others plus myself went to Riggins after work to enjoy a nice meal together. I have only actually EATEN in Riggins twice before because I do takeout to enjoy the food at home. We were seated pretty fast for it being pretty busy which was awesome. Our server greeted us and that's about it. It took about 12 minutes to receive 5 sodas and a water and the excuse: "NO ICE" The server then asked us if we were ready to order and we asked for another minute to decide. 10 minutes later he came over and asked us if we were ready to order. We ordered some side dishes which came out promptly. By this time our drinks were running low and wished for a refill. One of the ladies we were with asked for a refill and he said sure. He left and came back about 4 minutes later finally with a soda. He asked us for our dinner orders and we went ahead and gave them to him but for some reason he did not notice that 3 more glasses were empty. I had asked him "6 blue crabs now, 6 to take home." I can never finish more than 3, and I'm 22 years old and I like to enjoy my food at home also, so he said that would not be a problem and he walked away. While he was walking away we asked for a refill on all of our drinks and he said ok. After waiting a while (around 10 minutes) he visited the table next to us and proceeded to give the girls at that table his phone number. I was at that time wondering WHERE our drinks were.

After about 10 more minutes he brought our food to our table and I had asked him again "can we have some refills on our drinks." Now when I go out to eat I usually do not have to ask for a refill, but sometimes when it is busy I could see forgetting once. I started to work on my 6 crabs and he finally came back about 5 minutes later with our drinks. Yes this is Coke that is taking this long to reach our table. After about 30 minutes of eating and talking he finally decided to come over and ask us how our meal was and we said it is fine. Again refills! He didn't ask nor did he care, which was kind of sad =(

As the place started to die down we were the last ones in the bar when 1 employee started yelling at the other 1 in front of our table. Now I know this is a casual place but please don't do this in front of customers. When our server finally decided to rejoin us I asked for a bag + the bag with my other 6 crabs. He had a stunned look on his face like he forgot something. He ran back into the other room and came back a minute later and said "Our kitchen closed, I am sorry there is nothing I can do." That is when I was REALLY mad inside, but I am the type of person that keeps it inside.

I have never honestly given anyone less then 20% tip; and I only make $10.50 an hour so I think that is very generous for good service, but Riggins ADDS on the tip with 5 people. It is not optional. This guy would have received MAYBE 5 dollars for the amount of work he did. I get more service at a local deli in the mall than we did for our $215 check.

Pros? The food is GREAT like every time. My crabs were amazing, but the service killed my whole night and my thoughts on Riggins as a whole. I will continue to get takeout here, as I recently moved from Broward to West Palm to be closer to work. I moved further east to be closer to my favorite place to eat, even if it's once a month since I can not afford more than that.    [22 Feb 2006 20:40:13]

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Recommended Dishes: Blue Steamed crabs are #1

     ­Paul, West Palm Beach   Paul at fauicehockey dot com

The Food Was Horrible
My family and I had dinner there.

Too much flour in the clam chowder.

Garlic Crab (HINT TO THE CHEF) Garlic is supposed to enhance the flavor of the food not be the only flavor. Basically the food was horrible and for a Friday it should have been at its best.
The ambiance is very inviting and warm; Service was poor.    [14 May 2006 11:20:54]

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Recommended Dishes: NONE!!!!!

     ­S-Peabody   

Owner Makes First-Time Diner Feel Like Untouchable
After being seated at 5:20 pm with the "early bird" dinner menu, and after ordering drinks and an expensive stone crab appetizer, and after giving the waiter our selections for dinner, the owner instructed the waiter to return to our table and inform us that we didn't order our dinner soon enough to get the "early bird" inclusive dinner. I asked to speak to the owner, Dan C., whom I had seen when we arrived. The waiter went to get him. We were left waiting at our table for 20 minutes, no word. Finally, we asked again. A manager came to tell us the owner had left. That manager said he could do nothing, since we should have known (the waiter had not told us, it was not printed on the menu). I felt penalized and punished for ordering drinks & appetizer!

I suspected the owner was hiding in back, making us wait to further prove his power. I called as soon as I got home ten minutes later, and he came to the phone! He was there all along. He was defensive and dishonest. He said ordering by 5:30 was written on the menu (it is not). He derogatorily said I had a problem with reading comprehension. He said that he could not override the computer (he is the owner). He said that he'd go broke like many others if he sold $11 dinners after 5:30 pm. I told him that I was pleased to be visiting his restaurant for the first time, and I had even filled out his customer table-card before the rude treatment. I complimented the stone crabs ($14 for medium) and said I had looked forward to the crab cake dinner. He hung up on me.

I'm a reasonable, soft-spoken teacher. This owner's treatment was unprovoked. I can't understand the lack of normal customer relations. I'd still like to dine at Riggins (the other staff was polite), but I'm not a glutton for punishment, and this owner made me feel like an untouchable.    [31 Oct 2006 14:37:32]

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     ­Ms BB Teacher