Get crackin’ at the best crab restaurants in Maryland
Steamed crabs and an Orange Crush, a classic combo at Harris Crab House — Photo courtesy of Lindsay Lowery
Louisiana has seafood boils, and Maine has lobster bakes. Maryland’s summertime culinary tradition includes Old Bay-covered blue crabs piled high on paper-covered tables.
As a lifelong Marylander, I know it’s not really summer until I’ve indulged in a classic steamed crab feast at one of the many crab houses scattered across the state. Our Mid-Atlantic crab season runs from April to October, when locals harvest fat blue crabs from the bottom of the Chesapeake Bay. Sitting down at a table covered with spiced blue crabs straight from the steamer is a social event and a true rite of passage. Even if you don’t know how to eat Maryland blue crab, there’s always someone nearby to offer a few tips.
Knowing where to get the best crabs in Maryland is half the battle to a fabulous crab feast. From the family-owned establishments of Annapolis to the waterfront crab decks in Baltimore, these are the best Maryland crab restaurants for your feast.
Hooper’s Crab House, Ocean City
Hooper’s Crab House in Ocean City is the crab feast everyone wants to go to — Photo courtesy of Hooper’s Crab House
What started as a cornfield in West Ocean City in 1982 evolved into one of Maryland’s most beloved crab houses. Hooper’s Crab House, also known as the “big barn on the Bay,” offers views of the Ocean City skyline and plenty of seating, plus one of the best all-you-can-eat crab and corn feasts. The menu features unique dishes like crab empanadas, a crab-topped flatbread, and a crabby pretzel. Order the all-you-can-eat steamed crab special at the barn or the adjacent overwater gazebo, Sneaky Pete’s.
Schultz’s, Essex
Schultz’s Crab House has served steaks and fresh seafood in Essex, just south of Baltimore, since 1969. Rated by the James Beard Foundation as an American Classic, Schultz’s is an authentic neighborhood joint known for its steamed Maryland blue crabs. Schultz’s serves homemade crab soup, lump crab cakes, and steamed crabs coated in a thick layer of Old Bay. While seafood is the main event, Schultz’s is also known for nostalgic menu items like sour beef and dumplings, pickled beets, and macaroni salad. It may not be your typical crab house, but Schultz’s is a classic for a reason.
The Crab Claw, St. Michaels
Blue crabs turn red thanks to steam and Old Bay — Photo courtesy of Lesley Balla
The charming town of St. Michaels on Maryland’s Eastern Shore has recently gained renown as an upscale weekend destination. But locals know that one of the best restaurants in town is The Crab Claw, a no-frills crab house that has been operating since 1965. The classic crab deck has spectacular views and a summertime vibe, perfect for steamed crabs, soft shell crabs, crab imperial, and even a crab corn dog.
Mike’s Crab House, Riva
Mike’s Crab House has two locations: one in Pasadena and the original in Riva, which overlooks the South River just minutes from Annapolis. On weekends, the wait times can reach several hours, but locals and tourists don’t mind so long as they can taste Mike’s jumbo steamed crabs, corn hush puppies, or lump crabcakes. The live music and waterfront views make this crab house a must-visit.
Harris Crab House, Grasonville
An Eastern Shore institution, Harris Crab House is sublime — Photo courtesy of Lindsay Lowery
Maryland’s Eastern Shore is known for having the freshest seafood, and at the top of the list is Harris Crab House. Beyond the Kent Narrows bridge in Grasonville, Harris welcomes diners with an airy dining room and spacious outdoor crab deck serving steamed crabs, heavy with sweet meat and covered in a seafood spice blend. You’ll also find crab cakes, fried seafood, and the freshest Mid-Atlantic oysters. Enjoying a pile of spicy crustaceans while watching the boats cruise past the Narrows is a sublime experience.
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Conrad’s, Perry Hall
Although Conrad’s Seafood in Perry Hall hasn’t been open as long as some of the iconic crab houses on this list, it quickly established itself as one of the freshest purveyors of Maryland blue crabs. Owner Anthony Conrad left the corporate world 20 years ago to pursue a career as a Chesapeake Bay waterman. Ten years later, he opened his restaurant, serving crabs caught right from his boat.
Conrad’s has a large dining room with an outdoor patio that’s open during the warmer months. The extensive menu includes everything from steamed crabs to crab fluff, as well as “Conrad’s Blend,” a soup that combines vegetable-style crab soup with cream of crab. A true blue certified restaurant, Conrad’s is dedicated to using only locally caught seafood.
Locust Point Steamers, Baltimore
Locust Point Steamers is not your average Maryland crab house. Located in a corner rowhouse in Locust Point, L.P. Steamers is an unassuming neighborhood spot with some seriously good seafood. The brief menu includes steamed mussels, clams, crab legs, and fried seafood baskets, but locals know to come for the steamed crabs — sold in small, medium, jumbo, or “ginormous” year-round. You’ll find the best views on the restaurant’s roof deck, with the Domino Sugar sign and the Baltimore skyline in the distance.
Jimmy Cantler’s Riverside Inn, Annapolis
Jimmy Cantler’s Riverside Inn steams fresh blue crabs daily — Photo courtesy of Jimmy Cantler’s Riverside Inn
As one of Maryland’s most beloved crab houses, Jimmy Cantler’s Riverside Inn is an Annapolis institution. Owner Jimmy Cantler was a Chesapeake Bay waterman before establishing his restaurant in 1974. Now Cantler’s serves classic crab dishes like all-lump crab cakes, cream of crab soup, and soft-shelled crabs. The wait may be long, but the food and peaceful views of Mill Creek are worth it.
Captain James Landing, Baltimore
Captain James Landing has been serving fresh seafood in Baltimore’s Canton neighborhood since 1979. The waterfront crab house is one of the only restaurants in the city still serving an all-you-can-eat crab feast. You’ll get fat and meaty crabs hot and covered in Old Bay, along with classic sides like hush puppies, coleslaw, and corn on the cob.
Captain Billy’s, Newberg
They wouldn’t be true steamed Maryland blue crabs without Old Bay — Photo courtesy of Jimmy Cantler’s Riverside Inn
Legendary waterman Billy Robertson opened his Southern Maryland crab house on Popes Creek in 1986, serving steamed blue crabs and seafood classics. While the fried seafood baskets and cream of crab soup are menu mainstays at Captain Billy’s, there is nothing better than during crab season eating a pile of steamed crabs on one of the restaurant’s outdoor tables as the sun sets low on the Potomac. Order by the dozen or bushel and dig in.
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Get steamed Maryland blue crabs shipped to you
Create a Maryland crab experience anywhere with mail-order crabs — Photo courtesy of Lesley Balla
Even if you don’t live in Maryland, you can feast on Maryland’s blue crabs anywhere in the nation. Many retailers will ship fresh steamed crabs directly nationwide. Ocean City’s The Crab Bag ships crab cakes or steamed crabs, while Jimmy’s Famous Seafood of Baltimore ships everything from steamed crabs to crab egg rolls, cream of crab soup, or crab dip-topped soft pretzels.
You can get bushels of live or steamed blue crabs delivered from The Crab Place out of Crisfield. Each box comes with crab mallets and paper to line the table for your DIY crab feast. You’ll find some places that ship nationally on Goldbelly.
