7 Go-To Spots For The Best Crab Dishes Around Baltimore
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If you’re going to be in the Baltimore area, you need to sit down for some crabs. It’s a must. Maryland blue crabs have been commercially caught in the Chesapeake Bay since the mid-1800s, so crabs have been a way of life for quite some time now. Maryland’s favorite shellfish can be prepared in all kinds of ways, whether it’s steamed, sauteed, in crab cake form, in soup form or dip form. About one-third of the nation’s blue crab catch comes from the Chesapeake Bay, so it makes sense you would want to go straight to the source for all of your fresh crab-eating needs. These restaurants around Baltimore are crab central.
1. Harris Crab House
Located in Grasonville, Maryland, Harris Crab House has all sorts of regional seafood in a no-frills setting. The seafood restaurant has waterfront views and private docks. The menu has everything from Snow Crab buckets to crab dip to crab nuggets to seafood combos with soft crab, popcorn shrimp, scallops and oysters. The Snow Crab buckets have three pounds of snow crab legs, each packed with all of the juicy crab meat.
2. Faidley’s Seafood
This low-key veteran crab joint in Baltimore is known for its jumbo-lump crab cakes and raw oysters. The restaurant is in a standing-room-only space. Faidley’s Seafood is family-owned and one of the oldest and best-known purveyors of fresh seafood in the Chesapeake region. You’ll find soups like Maryland crab and cream of crab along with crab dishes like the award-winning jumbo-lump crabcake, Backfin Crabcake and soft shell crab sandwich.
3. Bo Brooks
Bo Brooks is a mom-and-pop waterfront restaurant that’s been open in Baltimore since 1964. There’s an outdoor tiki bar that’s ideal for warmer weather. Locals will tell you to head to Bo Brooks for an authentic steamed crab experience. The menu is filled with crabby dishes like Maryland crab soup, Chesapeake toast with lump crab cakes and chipotle aioli, crab dip and creamy crab soft pretzels topped with crab dip and melted cheddar and jack cheese. There’s also crab guac, crab deviled eggs and crab caprese.
4. L.P. Steamers
This laidback seafood spot in Locust Point is known for its Maryland-style steamed crabs and a rooftop deck. L.P. Steamers is a quick drive from downtown Baltimore. The crab chowder is thick, creamy and spicy, and the Snow Crab legs make it all worth it. This place is crab central with Old Bay fries, crab dip, two kinds of crab soup and all kinds of steamed, raw and fried crab dishes.
There’s an order called “A Boh’t Load of Food,” which comes with pretty much every kind of seafood and a beer. You won’t want to miss the stuffed soft-shell crab, famous crab cakes, buttermilk-dipped soft shell crab and crab fluff, which is a fried crab cake that’s dipped in funnel cake batter.
5. Jimmy’s Famous Seafood
This Baltimore spot is pretty legendary. Jimmy’s Famous Seafood was featured on the Food Network’s “Diners Drive-Ins and Dive’s” where Guy Fieri describes the crab cakes as 95 percent crab and five percent binding. The crab cakes are pretty much the size of your hand and they’re packed with fresh Maryland lump blue crab meat.
There’s also the Seafood UFO, which is made with the restaurant’s sought-after crab cake, fried shrimp, fried oysters and shrimp salad on homemade bread with lettuce tomato and Chesapeake mustard. You’ll have to try the crab balls, crab nachos, mini crab pretzels and fried crabby mac and cheese balls while you’re there.
6. CJ’s Crabhouse And Grill
CJ’s Crabhouse and Grill, located in Owings Mills, Maryland, is a restaurant and market with all kinds of seafood, ranging from fried foods to soups to sandwiches. Don’t expect anything fancy here, but if you’re looking for all things crab, you’re at the right place.
As far as crab legs go, you’ll find Snow Crab, Dungeness Crab and King Crab here. CJ’s has jumbo-lump crab cakes, soft shell crab, crab melts, stuffed hard shell crabs and crab fluff (battered and fried with crackers and pickles). Don’t forget the fresh crabmeat pizza.
7. Captain James Landing
Shaped like a merchant’s vessel, Captain James Seafood is a crab house where you can eat steamed crab with an actual waterfront seating. There’s even a water taxi that makes the restaurant easy to access from both land and sea. You’ll find seafood nachos, crab mac and cheese, crab-stuffed potato skins, crab fritters, crab-stuffed mushrooms, crab quesadillas, crab pretzels, a crab mac and cheese burger and crab imperial.
All of these hot spots around Baltimore are crabby central. Get your bibs ready and be prepared to work hard for all of that juicy crab meat. It’s definitely worth it.
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