Travel Itinerary
Maryland’s coastline hides some incredible seafood spots that locals keep mostly to themselves.
While everyone knows about the famous places, these hidden gems serve up amazing crabs, oysters, and fish without the crazy crowds.
Many of these restaurants have been family-owned for decades, perfecting recipes that make your taste buds dance.
Get ready to discover where Marylanders really go for the freshest catch and most delicious seafood around.
1. Cantler’s Riverside Inn (Annapolis)
Perched right on Mill Creek, this waterfront spot has been cracking crabs since 1974. The brown paper tables and mallets create that authentic Maryland experience tourists dream about.
Their all-you-can-eat crab feasts draw families from across the state every weekend. The steamed blue crabs come perfectly seasoned with Old Bay, while their crab cakes contain huge lumps of sweet meat.
Watching boats drift by while you pick crabs makes every meal feel like a mini vacation from reality.
2. Schultz’s Crab House (Essex)
This no-frills joint looks like someone’s backyard deck, but appearances fool you completely here. Schultz’s has perfected the art of steaming crabs better than most fancy restaurants ever could.
Local watermen bring their daily catch straight to the kitchen, ensuring everything tastes like it just left the water. The corn and shrimp add-ons turn a simple crab feast into a proper Maryland celebration.
Cash-only policy keeps things old school, just like the recipes passed down through three generations of the Schultz family.
3. J.C. Lore Oyster House (Solomons)
Built inside a historic oyster packing house from 1934, this place breathes maritime history from every weathered board. The building itself tells stories of Chesapeake Bay’s golden oyster days.
Their raw bar showcases local oysters that taste like pure ocean magic on the half shell. The fried oyster platter comes stacked so high you might need architectural support to keep it standing.
Museum displays throughout the restaurant teach you about oystering while you slurp your way through the freshest bivalves around.
4. Faidley’s Seafood (Baltimore)
Hidden inside Lexington Market since 1886, Faidley’s makes crab cakes so legendary they should have their own zip code. Food Network cameras show up here regularly for good reason.
The Faidley family recipe uses jumbo lump crabmeat with minimal filler, creating cakes that actually taste like crab instead of breadcrumbs. Their raw bar stays busy with downtown workers grabbing quick oyster fixes.
Standing room only at lunch means you’re eating alongside everyone from construction workers to business executives craving authentic Baltimore seafood.
5. Cameron’s Seafood Market (Rockville And More)
Started by two brothers in 1946, Cameron’s expanded from one tiny shop to multiple locations across Maryland. Their secret lies in treating each restaurant like a neighborhood fish market.
The crab imperial recipe hasn’t changed since Eisenhower was president, and customers notice that consistency every single bite. Fresh fish arrives daily from both Atlantic waters and Chesapeake Bay tributaries.
Each location maintains that corner market feel where staff remembers your usual order and asks about your family between servings.
6. The Crab Claw (St. Michaels)
Floating right on the harbor, this restaurant literally sits over the water where your dinner was swimming yesterday morning. The deck dining experience makes you feel like you’re eating on a yacht.
Their soft shell crabs come from local watermen who know exactly when crabs molt for peak tenderness. The crab soup recipe includes secret spices that regulars have been trying to guess for thirty years.
Sunset dinners here turn into romantic adventures as sailboats drift past your table carrying the evening breeze across the Chesapeake.
7. Nick’s Fish House (Baltimore)
Tucked away in South Baltimore, Nick’s feels like discovering a secret fishing village inside the city limits. The building looks rough around the edges, but that’s exactly the point here.
Their steamed shrimp comes by the pound with cocktail sauce that has enough horseradish to clear your sinuses permanently. The crab cake sandwich gets served on a simple bun that lets the crabmeat shine through completely.
Local longshoremen and yacht club members eat side by side, proving good seafood breaks down all social barriers in Baltimore.
8. L.P. Steamers (Baltimore)
This Locust Point institution has been steaming crabs in the same building since neighborhood kids rode their bikes to the harbor. The recipe board hasn’t changed since the Carter administration.
Their crab soup contains so much backfin meat you need a magnifying glass to find the vegetables hiding underneath. The steamed mussels arrive in buckets that could feed small armies of hungry seafood lovers.
Parking might require hiking skills, but locals know the walk builds appetite for the massive seafood platters waiting inside this hidden gem.
9. Conrad Crabs & Seafood Market (Maryland)
Part seafood market, part restaurant, Conrad’s lets you pick your dinner from ice-filled display cases before they cook it perfectly. The hybrid concept works brilliantly for picky seafood eaters.
Their fish and chips uses cod so fresh it practically swims onto your plate with golden batter that crunches like autumn leaves. The crab dip appetizer disappears faster than free beer at a baseball game.
Shopping for tomorrow’s dinner while eating today’s catch creates a unique experience that makes every visit feel like a seafood adventure.
10. Bill’s Terrace Inn (Essex Area)
This family tavern serves seafood so good that people drive from three states away just for weekend dinner reservations. The dining room feels like eating at your favorite aunt’s house.
Their stuffed flounder contains enough crabmeat to qualify as a second mortgage payment, but the price stays surprisingly reasonable for such quality. The cream of crab soup recipe supposedly came from a waterman’s wife decades ago.
Friday night fish fries turn into neighborhood social events where everyone knows everyone and strangers become friends over shared seafood platters.
11. On The Bay Seafood (Ocean City)
While tourists pack the boardwalk restaurants, smart locals head to this bayside spot for seafood without the carnival atmosphere. The view showcases working fishing boats instead of Ferris wheels.
Their rockfish comes straight from charter boat captains who dock behind the restaurant every afternoon with the day’s catch. The hush puppies arrive hot enough to melt butter on contact.
Watching commercial fishermen unload their boats while you eat creates dinner theater that no boardwalk show can match for authentic coastal entertainment.
12. Crab Bag (Ocean City)
Located away from the tourist madness, Crab Bag serves Ocean City visitors who want authentic Maryland seafood without boardwalk prices. The atmosphere stays refreshingly low-key and family-friendly.
Their steamed crab legs come from Alaskan waters but get the full Maryland seasoning treatment that makes them taste like Chesapeake Bay royalty. The clam chowder contains chunks of clam so big they need their own swimming lessons.
Local families celebrate birthdays and anniversaries here because the food quality matches special occasion expectations without requiring formal attire or reservations.
13. Koko’s Pub (Baltimore)
This neighborhood pub looks like any corner bar until you see the seafood platters that could feed entire football teams. The regulars know to come hungry or take doggie bags home.
Their fried oyster sandwich gets built on bread thick enough to use as construction material, while the tartar sauce recipe includes ingredients that bartender won’t reveal under interrogation. The crab pretzel appetizer combines two Maryland obsessions into one perfect bar snack.
Pool tables and seafood create an unusual combination that somehow works perfectly in this Baltimore institution.
14. Pappas Seafood Co. (Baltimore Area)
Three generations of the Pappas family have perfected recipes that turn simple seafood into culinary masterpieces worth driving across town to experience. The kitchen operates like a well-oiled fishing boat.
Their Greek-style fried shrimp combines Mediterranean flavors with Chesapeake Bay freshness in ways that make your taste buds question everything they thought they knew. The fish platter changes daily based on what local boats bring to the dock.
Family recipes passed down through decades create dishes that taste like grandmother’s cooking if your grandmother happened to be a seafood genius.
15. True Chesapeake Oyster Co. (Baltimore)
This oyster-focused restaurant treats bivalves like fine wine, with servers who can explain the terroir of different oyster beds around the Chesapeake Bay. The education comes free with every dozen.
Their oyster flights let you taste multiple varieties side by side, discovering how salinity and location affect flavor profiles in fascinating ways. The chargrilled oysters get topped with garlic butter that should probably be illegal in several states.
Wine pairings with local oysters create sophisticated dining experiences that prove Baltimore’s food scene competes with any coastal city in America.
16. Tide Room (Ocean City)
Hidden inside a modest hotel, Tide Room serves some of Ocean City’s most impressive seafood to guests who stumble upon this accidental treasure. The dining room overlooks the bay instead of the busy boardwalk.
Their seafood bisque contains so much lobster and crab that regular customers joke about needing scuba gear to find the bottom of the bowl. The pan-seared scallops arrive perfectly caramelized with sides that complement rather than compete.
Hotel restaurants usually disappoint, but Tide Room breaks every stereotype with food quality that rivals the best standalone seafood houses.
17. Woody’s Crab House (North East)
Positioned at the northern tip of the Chesapeake Bay, Woody’s catches the best of both Maryland and Pennsylvania seafood lovers looking for authentic crab house experiences. The location attracts serious seafood pilgrims.
Their crab cakes contain jumbo lump meat held together with just enough binding to keep everything intact during the trip from plate to mouth. The corn on the cob gets steamed with the same spices used on the crabs.
Border location means you’ll hear Pennsylvania and Maryland accents debating whose state makes better crab cakes while everyone agrees Woody’s settles the argument.