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Best of Washington: Crab Feasts

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By Andrea Poe   Published Monday, July 20, 2009

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Summer isn’t summer in Maryland without steamed crabs. Here are three of the best crab decks within an hour’s drive.

The motto “where the watermen gather” at Jimmy Cantler’s Riverside Inn (458 Forest Beach Rd., Annapolis; 410-757-1311; cantlers.com) is no joke. Yachtsmen and crabbers alike partake of the free dockage along Mill Creek. Kids love scrambling below deck to check out the crab tanks.

In the trendy neighborhood of Canton, Bo Brooks Restaurant (2780 Lighthouse Pt.; 410-558-0202; bobrooks.com) serves crabs with a twist: Old Bay is swapped out for a house-made rub. On weekdays, happy-hour diners score half-price appetizers such as crab guacamole.

Fisherman’s Crab Deck (3032 Tenth Narrows Way, Grasonville; 410-827-6666; fishermansinn.com) is the Disneyland of crab decks. This busy spot on Kent Island is known for its fun tiki bar, bustling marina, and killer sunset views on the Chesapeake Bay.

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Comments

Bottom of the Bay Seafood in Laurel, MD has the best crabs I have ever had. It lacks in appearance but don’t be fooled. The wait staff are very fast paced, attentive and hard workers. I have never seen servers work so hard in any restaurant I have ever dined in. I love this place. Would recommend to anyone.

Posted by: Monica, Jul 30, 2009 10:51:07 PM

Try Abner’s in Chesapeake Beach. Old school Calvert County, grungy, marginal service, crappy everything except for the crabs. Which rock.

Even the picture of the dude eating crabs stinks. I’ve never been to a good crab joint that brings them in bowls.

Posted by: Big Dave, Jul 24, 2009 03:07:12 PM

We hated Cantler’s when we went last year. The wait staff was snobby and clearly catering to the regulars. A table next to ours ordered the same size crabs and theirs were twice the size as ours. When we questioned that -- as well as the fact that half the legs were off most of our crabs -- we were treated very badly. We love Harris’ on Kent Island and Captain Billy’s. I would avoid Cantlers. We used to love Bethesda Crab House, but the wait there is often ridiculous.

Posted by: Jean, Jul 23, 2009 09:23:31 PM

I recommend Bethesda Crabhouse in DC, and Mike’s in Annapolis (easier to get to then Cantlers, plus there’s parking).

Posted by: foodie01, Jul 23, 2009 07:06:34 AM

Yikes! Sorry, everybody. We’ve switched out the original photo for a more appropriate pic. Thanks for reading!

Posted by: Catherine (washingtonian.com), Jul 22, 2009 02:29:11 PM

Is there a good crab place in the DC metro area?

Posted by: Marcus , Jul 22, 2009 12:42:06 PM

Mike’s Crabhouse in Annapolis off of Riva Rd..... awesome crabs... fun ambience with the band on the weekend.

Posted by: TomB, Jul 22, 2009 09:13:36 AM

I was excited to read this until I saw the picture! And, substituting something for Old Bay??

Posted by: Steph, Jul 22, 2009 08:17:43 AM

You’re right on about some of the best places to eat Maryland blue crabs but your picture is incorrect.

Posted by: DCBarbieDoll, Jul 22, 2009 08:02:58 AM

Posting of the wrong crab certainly undermines your credibility as an authority on where to eat Maryland crabs. If you don’t even know what they look like, then you obviously haven’t eaten hard shell blue crabs. I’ll go elsewhere for recommendations, thank you very much!

Posted by: anonymous, Jul 22, 2009 07:47:44 AM

I think we all know that! It’s the shape of the crab and its legs that give it away. It looks more like a crab from perhaps the Dungeness family-although it appears rather small in the photo

Posted by: DASL, Jul 22, 2009 07:46:38 AM

How can you recommend places to eat Maryland crabs, when you used a picture of a Dungeness Crab instead of the Maryland Blue Crab? Someone didn’t do their homework.

Posted by: Foodie01, Jul 22, 2009 07:45:09 AM

md blue crabs turn red when cooked.

Posted by: anon, Jul 22, 2009 07:40:20 AM

md blue crabs turn red when cooked.

Posted by: anon, Jul 22, 2009 07:38:34 AM

Why didn’t you use an authentic Blue Crab? Did you really think us true MD/VA crab eaters from birth wouldn’t notice????

Posted by: Dasl, Jul 22, 2009 07:35:16 AM

Kliman didn’t "bash" 2 Amys. In actuality, he said that they are one of the best Italian restaurants around. All he said was the pies are very inconsistent, but he heaped praise on the rest of their food. Pay attention, Josh.

Posted by: TW, Jul 22, 2009 07:34:09 AM

Between Kliman’s bashing of 2 Amy’s and a picture of some other type of crab in an article about local BLUE crab feasts, it’s clear Washingtonian is not a believable source for food info/reviews.

Posted by: Josh, Jul 22, 2009 07:11:10 AM

Seaside Resteraunt in Glen Burnie has some of the best crabs!!

Posted by: ydm423, Jul 22, 2009 07:03:51 AM

Definitely not a blue crab.

Posted by: Linda, Jul 22, 2009 07:03:42 AM

Don’t forget about Captain Billy’s in Southern Maryland..worth the drive!

Posted by: Mandy, Jul 22, 2009 07:01:51 AM

very disappointing picture--you couldn’t find a Maryland Blue Crab for an article about eating crabs in Maryland?

Posted by: kathleen, Jul 22, 2009 07:01:45 AM

I had the best steamed crabs I’ve ever had this past weekend. We got them from Bottom of the Bay in Laurel.

There’s no ambiance - I recommend using your own backyard - but the crabs were a-maz-ing.

Posted by: Kim, Jul 21, 2009 08:21:53 AM

that’s not a blue crab in your photo.

Posted by: dan, Jul 21, 2009 08:03:35 AM

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