13 Best Restaurants For Crab In Maryland
Throw a dart at a map of the U.S., and there's a high chance you'll end up hitting a place where you can get some good grub. Kansas has its barbecue, New Orleans is the epicenter for Cajun cooking, and for Maryland, it's cooked blue crabs.
Long before colonists and settlers arrived on the Maryland shores, the indigenous tribes there fished for crabs as a food of sustenance. In 2018, research and archeological discoveries revealed that natives of the state may have been crabbing for over 3,000 years. When immigrants from overseas arrived, they negotiated and stole fishing rights from these tribes, eventually leading to the hard-nosed waterman culture that helped the trade explode after World War II.
Throughout the centuries, Marylanders of all kinds have developed numerous ways to eat blue crabs. Now, there's a crab house in every city. I grew up on Kent Island, Maryland, an epicenter of crabbing and waterman traditions, and have been wielding a wooden mallet every summer since I was 6 years old. So, when I look for the best restaurants to eat crabs in Maryland, I've got an eye out for a few things: The crabs should be steamed, never boiled (this isn't the Gulf). Crab cakes should be broiled, not fried. During the season, supplies should come from in-state only. I may love Old Bay, but when it comes to cracking, it's got to be J.O.'s seasoning.
1. Conrad's
It should go without saying, but as any blunt Marylander would agree, if you're eating crabs from the Chesapeake Bay state, they should come from Chesapeake Bay waters. (Maryland's east coast is good, too). And if you're eating at Conrad's from April to November, that's what you're getting: Maryland crabs. Conrad's Crabs sells your crawling crustaceans at four locations just northeast of Baltimore city, but only two of those spots are restaurants. The others are seafood markets, which is how the local chain started out. Quality focus on fresh fish has driven growth since 2003. That makes it an excellent place to feast.
For steamed crabs, guests can order smalls that start at 5 inches or go for a spread of jumbos that are a full two inches larger. If you're dedicated to your J.O. seasoning you'll want to go into this meal knowing that Conrad's has a custom blend of seasoning that accompanies these lightly steamed but weighty crabs. It slaps with flavor. Traces of its flavor are found across other crab-inspired menu go-tos, such as the crab fluff (a beer-battered crab cake) and the fried hard crab, a stuffed and deep-fried crab filled with seasonings, sauce, and extra lump meat.
(410) 529-3474
9629 Belair Rd, Perry Hall, MD 21236
2. Schultz's Crab House
Shultz's Crab House is a longstanding piece of Baltimore history. It's been open as a crab house since 1969, but its locus as a local gathering place dates back to 1948. In 2017, the James Beard Foundation named Shultz's as the winner of its America's Classic award for its vintage approach to doing crabs, but also the timeless aura imparted by the brick-and-wood shingled exterior, wood-paneled interior walls, and familial service. They're all the things there is to love about a generationally-owned restaurant.
Maryland crabs are on order at Shultz's on a first-come, first-served basis, and with it being such a well-known place, it can take some time to arrive. But they're normally heavies and totally worth the wait. While you are, check in with your server to see if a periodic special called Shultz's Sea Shells is available. The dish is two jumbo pasta shells crammed with shrimp, lump crab, cheese, and seasoning. Then, it's fried. You'll find a lot of crispy brown variations on crab across Maryland, but adding pasta is always going to give the kitchen a leg (rather, a claw) up.
(410) 687-1020
1732 Old Eastern Ave, Essex, MD 21221
3. The Point
Like a waterman protecting their honey hole, a food writer always faces a push and pull of whether or not to put even more eyes on a well-known local hang that is already pretty busy without the exposure. Fortunately, I live within the roaming territory of The Washington Post's Tom Sietsema, who's already done a great job sharing the upsides of dining at The Point. He's right to do so, but Sietsema's 2021 write-up was actually late. The waterfront views of Mill Creek, a Chesapeake estuary, have been open for diners since 2012.
The Point's live steamed crab offerings vary by the day, ensuring a fresh catch. The harvest comes, according to the restaurant, mostly from the Wye or Chester Rivers, which are on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Recently, chef Bobby Jones revealed to Eater that The Point uses a custom blend of seasoning developed by J.O.'s for its steamed crab recipe, so think a heavier grain and a mighty salty and piquant flavor. Of course, Jone's menu raises crab meat in a number of ways, including on top of a deviled egg that's so good. If you're craving some of that seasoning, have some Maryland chicken wings tossed in it, but for something more refreshing, go for crab gazpacho.
(410) 544-5448
700 Mill Creek Rd, Arnold, MD 21012
4. Cantler's Riverside Inn
Cantler's Riverside Inn is located on Mill Creek's southern end, where the water begins to open into Whitehall Bay after fighting its way down the Broadneck Peninsula. It's a classic hometown spot representing the laid-back and communal feel of picking crabs. Tables are set with rolls of paper towels and J.O.'s #2 crab seasoning, and crabs are priced daily depending on the waterman who hauls them in. You're likely to watch some fresh batches roll in if you're early enough.
With charm in mind, Cantler's crabs can be pricey. In that case, you're buying more for a taste than a feast, but I've never been disappointed with the quality of Cantler's chosen crabbers, all of whom are providing Maryland crabs during the season. With that in mind, the kitchen also dishes up a mean soft-shell crab sandwich if you don't feel like getting your hands dirty with picking. It's airy, crunchy, and has just the right amount of tangy crab mustard.
(410) 757-1311
458 Forest Beach Rd, Annapolis, MD 21409
5. Fisherman's Crab Deck
The views at Fisherman's are great as it's located on the Kent Narrows, an area that used to be marshland but is now home to a village of seafood markets, restaurants, and hotels. You can still eat the native critters, however, as I've spent many high school summers doing. For better or worse, Fisherman's isn't an all-you-can-eat affair for fresh steamed crabs. You'll order by the half or full dozen at market prices that reasonably match.
Though there are more unique crab-based dishes to nosh on than steamed lives. What should draw you to Fisherman's, in particular, is one of the better plates of Chicken Chesapeake east of the Bay Bridge. If you're unfamiliar with that dish, it's a boneless chicken breast stuffed with crab imperial (a sauce made from mayonnaise and Worcestershire) that is then baked. Order it with an Orange Crush, and you're basically an honorary Old Liner.
(410) 827-6666
3032 Kent Narrow Way S, Grasonville, MD 21638
6. The Kentmorr Beach Bar & Grill
The bustling parking lot and docks of Kentmorr Beach Bar & Grill are certainly enough to make you think the place would be chaotic, but get lucky enough to park it at a tiki bar seat on the bayside beach, and it's still busy — but with a wicked view. Looking across the Chesapeake, it's easy to see why Marylanders have such fierce pride. Catch a whiff from the restaurant, and your other senses get clued in, too.
Although Kentmorr has always been a bit hit or miss for steamed live crabs, its menu has always shined in dishes where crab is used as a prominent ingredient. For example, you can order a platter of brown tater tots covered with a deliciously lux crab dip, or have the same well-seasoned mix of crab dip served over a pretzel from Alexandria-based Das Pretzel Haus. For those who are really looking to taste local crab flexed as a key ingredient, get the Chesapeake pie, a white pizza with lump meat, garlic, and charred cheddar.
(410) 643-2263
910 Kentmorr Rd, Stevensville, MD 21666
7. Harris Crab House
A lucky Marylander is one who's learned to pick crabs at home instead of a restaurant, but I've certainly eaten a lot of crabs at Harris' (and learned a thing or two in the process). Another Kent Narrows classic, Harris Crab House, offers an all-you-can-eat portion of live steamed crabs every Monday through Friday during the season. The feast comes with fries and at a fair market price that I've never felt as being exorbitant. Harris is a true local favorite that way. It helps that the restaurant also has a seafood market next door, which is constantly accepting fresh catches from local watermen.
Alongside AYCE steamed crab, the menu is crawling with other crab choices. Go for the crab and shrimp ceviche, but stay for the Seafood Norfolk, which is lump crab paired with scallops, rockfish, and shrimp in a garlic butter sauce. Need even more bottom feeders in your diet? The crab stack sandwich has a soft shell and crab cake pressed together and dressed with a sweet and spicy Old Bay aioli.
(410) 827-9500
433 Kent Narrow Way N, Grasonville, MD 21638
8. Tyler's Crab House
Some crab houses come with a waterside view, an extensive cocktail list, or even a bit of history. Some, like Chesapeake Beach-based Tyler's, get straight to the seafood. (Fortunately, there's a decent view outside, for good measure). It may not have the awards and accolades of a place like Shultz's, but between the faded orange crab sign, the ice boxes outside, and the tackle shop attached to the building, you're in for eating crabs the same way Marylanders have been doing for generations, which is to say, communally.
One of the things to know about Tyler's Crab House is that deals seem always to be happening, and that's because the crab house is moving fresh seafood from local fishers. Sometimes, you can score a half bushel and two pounds of shrimp for under $100. The prices are great, and the crabs are full of sweet meat that's well seasoned, but you won't find much more than fresh seafood at Tyler's. Come hungry and ready to practice your picking technique.
(410) 257-6610
8210 Bayside Rd, Chesapeake Beach, MD 20732
9. The Woodbine Inn
Woodbine, Maryland, a town set further inland from the coast, might not seem like the place where you'd find great crabs, but the town is actually along a heritage corridor known as Maryland's Crab and Oyster Trail. That makes for a pleasant surprise when you stumble into the historic Woodbine Inn, which has been satisfying its community's appetite for decades.
The steamed lives at Woodbine are sourced from J & T's seafood market just across the street. Having access to a local purveyor that close means Woodbine can offer crab prices that other by-the-dozen restaurants can't match, including an AYCE special that runs from 3 to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays during crab season. Crab lovers can also order Dungeness crab, too, if craving a worldly taste of crustacean. Crab imperial, crab fluff, hard fried crab, and crab cakes are also available and use jumbo lump meat full of seaside sweetness.
(410) 489-5750
401 Woodbine Rd, Woodbine, MD 21797
10. Costas Inn
Costas Inn has been open since 1971. For a restaurant to survive that long in Baltimore takes a lot of luck and also a lot of effort to do things right. It's become a landmark in that way, earning high praise from the Baltimore Business Journal in 2014 and again from USA Today in 2015. In my experience, the reviews are well-deserved. Costa's crabs are always hefty, with firm — not watery — meat. In all fairness, the seasoning can be pasty sometimes, but it's full of the herbal, salty spice that crab pickers crave.
The extended menu at Costa's features items like jalapeño crab poppers and a perfectly creamy crab dip without being too rich. You can also get the dip if you order an Eastern Shore Grilled Cheese between two walls of Texas toast. And though it's a controversial move, the kitchen at Costas will serve crab cakes to your preference, meaning you can order them fried or broiled. You're not likely to find many other places that do so.
(410) 477-1975
4100 North Point Blvd, Baltimore, MD 21222
11. Bill's Terrace Inn
There's no shortage of classic crab houses in the Free State, and naturally, Baltimore County has a lot of them. Bill's Terrace Inn has been crackin' on since '89, but age isn't what makes this crab house a beauty. It's a special patented crab seasoning that does. Inimitable, this seasoning imparts a different layer to the traditionally pungent and spicy profile of crab powder. Perhaps it's a dash of alliums — garlic or onion powder could do — but I've heard some folks suggest cinnamon is what does it. Whatever it may be, the seasoning has garnered enough fans to support a nationwide shipping operation for crabs from Bill's Terrace Inn. You should make it a point to stop in, though.
The fresh live steamed crabs at Bill's come at a dynamic pricing. A common special to see is a dozen medium male crabs at $75, or $3 per medium crab at carry-out or happy hour. Bill's has even been known to run all-you-can-eat, but it's not all the time. That seasoning I mentioned? You can find it peeking out in an absolutely decked "All About The Crab" menu, which has nachos, pretzels, tots, egg rolls, and toast. All featuring MD's favorite decapod.
(410) 687-5996
200 Eastern Blvd, Essex, MD 21221
12. May's Seafood Restaurant
Outside the Eastern Shore, May's is the place for a crab feast. The restaurant's whole deal is all-you-can-eat seafood sold at affordable prices. Yes, you can have steamed Maryland crabs in a never-ending parade of trays and mallets, but you can also dive into snow crab legs.
The AYCE menus have more: A tiered offering pairs coleslaw, hush puppies, and shrimp, clams, or mussels with your crab legs or Maryland blue shells. If you want to stick to Old Line crabs, make sure to visit on a Monday, Wednesday, or Thursday when May's runs an all-out deal of blue crabs with fries for $47. Order by the half or full dozen if you just want a taste, and you'll have access to colossal (jumbo) crabs, which are hard-shelled critters sized at 6¾ inches or larger. To satisfy a meatier desire, top your Delmonico steak with some sweet jumbo lump crab meat.
(301) 662-4233
5640 Urbana Pike, Frederick, MD 21704
13. Avery's Maryland Grille
Residents of Frederick are spoiled for choice when it comes to crab houses; Avery's Maryland Grille is only four miles away from May's. The extended menu has some crustacean-fed dishes that you won't find at the latter, like a crab quesadilla (crab, tomatoes, onions, cheddar), a Chesapeake platter (crabs and wings), and a crab BLT sandwich that will make you salivate. Most importantly, the AYCE prices are highly competitive.
To eat steamed hard shells until you drop, you can expect to pay north of $55, but that's accompanied by crab soup, hush puppies, slaw, corn, cornbread, and watermelon. With all that food, the two-hour limit seems like way longer than what you'll need to fill up. A simpler AYCE option can be found on the weekday special menu, where crabs and hush puppies go for less than $49 on Tuesdays through Thursdays.
(301) 228-2722
9009 Baltimore Rd, Frederick, MD 21704
Methodology
Coming from a state as proud as Maryland, which has a population fiercely dedicated to the local traditions of crabbing and crab picking, loaded my choices for this round-up. So, I started with what I know. I have dined at nearly every restaurant on this list at least twice. Some, like Kent Island-based Harris Crab House, Fisherman's, and Kentmorr, are local haunts I visit multiple times a season. However, we can't see our own blind spots, so to include a wider range of restaurants beyond Maryland's Eastern Shore, I reached out for suggestions from friends, family, and industry sources. Then, I used an aggregate of consumer reviews and any potential accolades to determine the restaurants I might include.
As for what defines the "best" places for crabs in Maryland, I used several factors. My primary question was: Does the crab house source local crabs during the season, and in my experience, are those crabs generally large and meaty or light and watery? With that in mind, I also considered how the crabs were offered for sale. I tried to avoid too many "by the dozen" restaurants in favor of all-you-can-eat options with reasonable pricing.
After that, I looked beyond the restaurant's steamed crab options and towards the menu at large. If there were an abundance of creative dishes where crab was an honored focus, then that was a positive count. Finally, I considered my experience with the service and hospitality of each particular restaurant I've visited.