'Run, Don't Walk' — This Olive Garden Sister Chain Serves Truly Tantalizing Crab Cakes

Olive Garden has quite a few siblings, at least in terms of restaurants belonging to the same corporate family tree, namely Darden Restaurants. In addition to well-known brands such as Longhorn Steakhouse and Seasons 52, they include the decidedly posh Eddie V's Prime Seafood. Though fancier than most chain-restaurant brands, its rave-worthy signature dish is still the relatively common crab cake. But the jumbo lump crab cakes coming out of Eddie V's kitchens are far from ordinary.  

Appearing on menus across Eddie V's 30 locations in 15 states, these crab cakes have garnered loads of attention from customer reviews. It's no real surprise, as these cakes are distinguished by fresh sautéed Maryland lump crab, lightly coated in golden panko, and served with spicy chive remoulade sauce. As noted in our deep-dive into six restaurant chains serving the best crab cakes, as well as in numerous online customer comments, the Eddie V's version stands out for things like freshness and overly large, sharable piles of crab meat. Reviews mention the crab-forward flavor without heavy bread fillers, with customers on Tripadvisor telling diners to "Run, Don't Walk, to these Amazing Crab Cakes!"

Pretty much every Yelp reviewer mentioning Eddie V's crab cakes uses superlatives such as "outstanding," "delicious," and "truly stellar." One diner from Spring, Texas, writes that "...this is by far the best crab cake I have had," while another notes that isn't all jumbo lump with no filler, "which was the best we have had outside of Maryland, our home town." Likewise, customers on Facebook weigh in by calling them the best crab cakes in the world, with one happy customer saying, "Have had crab cakes everywhere ... Eddie V's is the best unequivocally." 

Eddie V's came to life in Austin, Texas, at the hands of founders Guy Villavaso and Larry Foles in 2002, only to be acquired just nine years later by Darden for $59 million, along with the associated Wildfish brand. It falls within a particular niche in the American chain-restaurant landscape, one that includes polished steakhouse and seafood venues. As such, it's no wonder the jumbo lump crab cakes are a big step above the patty-style, filler-laden ones served at other venues. 

Seafood at Eddie V's gets flown in daily, which accounts for the legendary freshness of the restaurant's seafood, including the crab. It particularly shines in the crab cakes, which sit on the appetizer portion of the menu — though many folks say they're not sharing; it's just too good. Since the portions are so generous, it's possible to order it as an entrée, along with other compatible sea-creatures and sides, such as crab fried rice with mushrooms and scallions. For an all-in crab fest, you can compile platters and sides of crab to accompany the crab cakes. Ideas are the Shellfish Tower with colossal crab, Maine lobster, shrimp, and oysters, or the jumbo Gulf shrimp oven-roasted with jumbo lump crab. Your server can help choose libations from the chain's  impressive wine collection and "cocktails with attitude." 

For more about the menu and ambiance, here's a deeper look at the luxury seafood experience at Eddie V's Prime Seafood. Few things could truly replicate the restaurants signature crab cakes, but there are plenty of ways to make your own mini masterpieces, starting with our classic Maryland crab cakes recipe.