Rustic Inn Crabhouse

Established in 1955 along the scenic Dania Cutoff Canal on Anglers Avenue in Fort Lauderdale, Rustic Inn Crabhouse is a legendary Old Florida seafood landmark famous for its rustic waterfront charm and paper-covered tables with wooden crab mallets. Outside along the canal, the open-air bistro barge deck welcomes guests and their leashed dogs to dine right over the water. Located in one of Fort Lauderdale's most popular dining corridors, the establishment pairs convenient parking and easy sidewalk access with a laid-back South Florida indoor-outdoor layout.

The house specialty is the world-famous garlic blue crab, Golden crab, Dungeness crab, and Alaskan king crab steamed and sauteed in a secret blend of garlic butter, herbs, and spices. Guests also feast on peel-and-eat shrimp, clams posillipo, blackened mahi-mahi, whole fried yellowtail snapper, frog legs, New England clam chowder, and tart key lime pie.

While diners crack shells and sip ice-cold draft beers or tropical rum cocktails on the breezy canal-side deck, four-legged companions can relax in the shade with a fresh bowl of water and watch boats glide down the waterway. Few places capture classic South Florida waterfront dining with your dog like Rustic Inn Crabhouse.