Rustic Inn Crabhouse

A Fort Lauderdale landmark that was once an old roadhouse saloon, the Rustic Inn now channels an Old Florida seafood fish house better than anyplace else in the city. Today this go-to hole in the wall is a local favorite, complete with a canal view overlooking a busy boatyard. After more than half a century in business, the restaurant is still packed daily with patrons set on indulge in a menu that covers everything from steamed lobster to conch chowder. The main draw, however, are the famous garlic crabs, which require a healthy whack with a wooden mallet to get at the sweet meat. Ergo the white butcher paper that covers each folding metal table. It’s the perfect setup for consuming those crabs — be they blue, golden, or Dungeness — which are steamed and then sautéed in garlic-infused oil.