Years after closing and construction following a natural disaster, Outback Crabshack is getting closer to finally reopening in St. Augustine at 8155 County Rd 13 N.
The original Outback Crab Shack on County Road 13 had flooded during Hurricanes Matthew and Irma in 2016 and eventually closed, leading new owners Nathan Stuart and Margo Klar to renovate the space with hopes of eventually reopening. The owners are finally getting closer to making that a reality, recently submitting a plan review application to the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation. Construction on the development began nearly three years ago.
It’s still hard to put an exact opening date on the seafood restaurant, according to Stuart, who tells What Now Jacksonville that several delays have caused the restaurant’s opening date to be pushed back. Now that construction is looking to wrap up in early 2024, he tells What Now Jacksonville that he hopes to bring in employees in March, hopefully opening by April 2024. While this has been years in the making, the newly designed building will make the restaurant more sustainable moving forward. The company has posted a few updates on its social media regarding the ongoing project.
“The building is beautiful,” the company posted on Facebook last year. “It sits multiple feet above the 100-year flood level on stilts. The deck is MASSIVE and will have a covered outdoor bar for those rainy days! The dock has been totally redone and should hold at least 100 boats. We are really fired up, this place is gonna jam! We are not affiliated with the “old crabshack” whatsoever. This is a new restaurant with new owners, a new menu, a new family atmosphere, new beginnings, and jump-starting new traditions!”
