Not much more than a blue-and-white shack, Woody’s Seafood Saloon has some of the best seafood cuisine to be found in Cruz Bay. We didn’t just eat there once; we ate there three times. It was that good. My husband’s boss, who travels to St. John every year, had said that Woody’s was the place to go for Caribbean seafood, so we made it a point to find it our first day on St. John.
A half-block from the police station and 1 and a half blocks from the ferry dock, Woody’s looks more like a bar then a restaurant. The bar itself only seats about eight people, while the few tables and chairs inside seat about 14. For some reason, there are two TV’s over each end of the bar. They were so small, I wondered what the point was (however, Superbowl XXXIX was on later that night, and maybe the wait staff didn’t want to miss it). The TV’s are overpowered by a large stereo system that plays a lot of Dave Matthews and Blues Traveler. There are also two tables outside that seat about six people each. Anyone unlucky enough to not find a seat would simply stand around. If you’re just looking for a cool drink on a hot day, Woody’s also has a walk-up window that connects to the bar.
For $18, you get a three-piece seafood platter that consists of your choice of fish (mahimahi) grilled or blackened, shrimp grilled or blackened, and hush puppies or conch fritters. The seafood is served over a delicious bed of pasta salad. Twice I had the blackened fish and shrimp, and it is fantastic - so spicy it made my nose run. My husband preferred the milder grilled fish and shrimp. If you’re on a budget or don’t like seafood (but if you don’t like seafood, why even bother going to the Caribbean??), then just get the plate of pasta salad for only $4.50.
Happy hour at Woody’s is from 3 to 6pm, when domestic beers (Bud, Bud Light, etc.) are only $1. Coronas are $2 and well drinks are $3 - that’s all $1 off the regular price. Sitting outside of Woody’s on a warm afternoon with a beer and some blackened shrimp is not a bad way to spend the day.