If you're searching for an unforgettable seafood experience in Hollywood, FL, look no further than Newt's Crab Trap. This gem is tucked away in a food truck situated in the parking lot of a motel, where the ambiance is warm, relaxed, and exudes a genuine sense of local flair. With an enticing menu that showcases the best of fresh seafood, this is a destination that seafood lovers will appreciate.
Newt's Crab Trap specializes in mouthwatering seafood that captures the essence of Florida's coastal cuisine. Among the highlights are the Combo Tray, which offers a lavish experience featuring a full crab tray, seven succulent shrimp, tender potatoes, corn, beef sausage, and a hard-boiled egg, all for just US$49.95. If you prefer an irresistible fried offering, their Fried Shrimp Basket is a crowd favorite, providing perfectly crispy shrimp served alongside golden, hand-cut fries for US$18.95. For those seeking something hearty, the Shrimp and Grits dish, adorned with tantalizing garlic sauce and maple bacon, will take your taste buds to new heights at just US$18.95.
The atmosphere at Newt's is relaxed, with seating available either at the food truck or on the grass nearby, allowing for a casual dining experience as you enjoy hot, fresh seafood. As numerous customers have attested, the love and dedication of owner-cook Newt (or Mordecai, as some call him) shine through in every dish. Austin Kuras mentions indulging in crab cakes that were hard to resist, while Chandra Stead enthusiastically notes that even her daughter declared it the "best meal ever." This is not just about food; it's a personal interaction with someone passionate about the cuisine he creates.
Each dish is crafted with care, ensuring that flavors pop while maintaining a sense of authenticity that is often lost in larger establishments. Jr Vidal describes Newt as "the real deal," encapsulating the honesty and pride that permeates every interaction—whether it’s with the food or the chef himself. Lauren Fernandez raves about their ribs and BBQ sauce, highlighting just how fresh everything is, while Nathan Blastman couldn't help but mention how this meal had possibly raised the bar for his future seafood endeavors.
Newt's Crab Trap is not merely a restaurant; it represents a culinary experience deeply rooted in the local community. Whether you're a lifelong seafood enthusiast or simply searching for a delightful meal to reminisce about, this establishment invites you to enjoy delicious flavors in a welcoming and casual setting. Don't miss the chance to dive into some amazing seafood—your tastebuds will thank you!
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Austin Kuras
03/12/2025
I wish I had better photos but we ate the crab cakes and half the fries on the way home. This place is beyond a hidden gem, this is some of the best seafood I have ever eaten. The owner/cook/supplier Mordecai is a real gem, wakes up three in the to fish, preps and makes his own sauces and cooks all day. Just amazing, nothing fried is greasy, all the flavors like the garlic shrimp are familiar but unique, just some of the best seafood I have ever eaten. His crab cakes are all fresh meat grilled with no filler, 2 for under $20, in New York one of those would be $45, plus the sauce was great. Defiantly hit us up if you want have a really special meal to take home, or just a great picnic. Mordecai was really proud of his food and absolutely should be, he really brightened a rough day for my mom and myself. 6 stars.
CHANDRA STEAD
13/11/2025
So this place is in the back of a shady looking convenient store but the food is amazing!! Venture to the back of the store for fresh caught seafood! We had Crab and homemade fries and my friend had oysters on the half shell, boiled shrimp, and Crab Cakes. My daughter loved it and said it was the best meal ever! It's just a counter some stools and and a few 2 tops but definitely a diamond in the rough. Buy your drinks from the convenience store, soda, beer, wine, margaritas in a can. Whatever you want to drink. Heck you can always grab a candy bar for dessert. If you are down for a little adventure and some good food give Newt's a try!
Jr Vidal
13/11/2025
Newt is the real deal! Local and proud! He is the guy that gets it! A person of his word and a product that delivers! First class crab! Delicious! A real Florida tradition! Thank you Newt!
Lauren Fernandez
27/10/2025
AMAZING !!! Talk about ribs? OMG So fresh flavorful and the BBQ sauce YUM, fantastic. We are foodies.. they take the cake.. Fall off the bone incredible and delicious. The French fries, fresh potatoes nothing freezer bought. Very generous portions as well. we thoroughly enjoyed the food. Will go back over and over again thank you
Nathan Blastman
12/10/2025
TLDR: One of the best crab meals I have had in over a decade, possibly ruining my local go-to seafood steamer dish. I was visiting from out of town and found this via google maps. While some of the reviews mention this being in the back of a convenience store, it has since moved to a food truck. Now - some may be off-put buying seafood from a food truck in the parking lot of a hotel at night. If you are, you are definitely missing some great food. I ordered a combo meal with snow crabs, blue crabs, and shrimp. It arrived in a large tin foil pan that looked way too big for one person. There wasn't anywhere to eat near the truck so ubered back to the hotel (apologizing to my pleasant orthodox Jewish driver for the egregious amount of non-kosher food his goyim passenger had :) and ate by the pool. Uncovering it back at the hotel, could not believe the amount of food. The top layer had about 1/2 dozen large shrimp, followed by 3 snow crab clusters, then something like 2 dozen (probably more) crabs. All of this covered by a fantastic buttery garlic sauce with probably some sage, bay leaves (but not Old Bay), and pepper. Point being - it wasn't just some greasy butter topping. The more I ate, the more I found - potatoes, corn, and a sausage -- typical of a low country boil dish. It felt like a gastronomical journey with layers of tastes to explore. The crab were simply delicious. Sweet and the butter garlic added amazing flavor. The last time I had crabs that tasted that good was 2010 in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. While I am very much an Old Bay fanatic (yes - it really does go with EVERYTHING) the garlic butter sauce on these crabs was more than worthy -- and dare I say better in its own way. The adjuncts of potatoes, corn, and sausage were standard but good with the sauce. The sausage I really liked but by the time I discovered it was there, I was already pretty filled up. The shrimp had great flavor. The snow crabs were good but too salty for my taste. The dish paired well with a light beer and helping my daughter with math homework over the phone. My main disappointment was that I was unable to finish everything. My "No crab left behind" philosophy failed me. I sat for an hour eating as much as I could but just couldn't do it. Overall I would go back in a heartbeat. My new problem is that my standard seafood steamer now seems pretty bland in comparison.
Dave Andrews
04/10/2025
Absolutely A Wonderful Experience from Beginning to End. You can tell the Captain/Chef truly cares about his food , his patrons, and the quality he puts out. The food truck was parked in a motel 6 parking lot so we decided to sit in the grass by the food truck to enjoy our fresh, hot food. Our food was brought out to us and we were not disappointed with what we received. We ordered a shrimp Po Boy and the mahi tacos blackened. The one thing that surprised us about the Po Boy, it was served on a hamburger bun. Not sure if he was out of hoagies? It also had onion, tomato & lettuce like a burger. However, the shrimp was delicious and fresh. The Mahi tacos were Excellent! I ordered the blackened tacos. The chef warned me that the way he prepares it is relatively spicy and asked if that was okay. I feel that he genuinely cares about his customers because he offered to make the blackened mahi as spicy as I could handle it. Which means he would offer this to anybody. I chose to order his regular spice level and personally I would have liked it to be just a tad less because of the fact it did slightly overpower the other flavors. There was a very generous serving of fish compared to many other restaurants that serve Mahi-Mahi. The fish was cooked very well, the cuts were thick and juicy, the ideal mahi-mahi. The cabbage was fresh and crisp. The homemade salsa complemented all the flavors of the fish well but it was a very wet salsa. If someone was transporting this dish, it would be soggy by the time it arrived. My recommendation would be to strain any of the components going into your taco better so that the taco would last while transported. I was able to eat this meal fresh so it didn't get soggy on me, but I could see that this would happen if the meal had to sit. Both meals were served with homemade French fries that we enjoyed very much. They had a nice seasoning and you could tell they were hand-cut and not frozen. I would like to extend my services to the owner. I am a Google certified 360 Photographer, I can take 360 photography/video, video and still photos of the food truck , freshly made food and menu.
S M
04/09/2025
INCREDIBLE blackened snapper, unbelievably fresh and well seasoned!! Fries are hand cut and perfect. Really nice guy, gave us recommendations for other places to visit in the area. So cool that he serves out of the American Legion, probably never would have visited one otherwise. Very nice happy hour prices, $3 beers and wells!! Very lovely people and great bar, all in all an excellent experience.
Meg
27/08/2025
An absolute must try. You get your money’s worth in food and some of the best customer service ever. Newt is absolutely lovely, and both catches and cooks everything himself. Definitely some of the best food around!!