Top Crab Houses

Local crab lovers will tell anyone who listens that the biggest, most succulent, sweet, full bodied blues come from the shallows and depths of the expansive Chesapeake Bay and its numerous creeks and rivers. The season has started, and crab houses from Chesapeake City to Yorktown are beginning to see the first harvests on the table. So where do we find some of the very best and closest crab houses, determined by supply, consistency, atmosphere and ambience? Remember, it's more than just cracking and eating--it's a social experience.

THE TAP ROOM

201 Bohemia Ave.
Chesapeake City, MD 21915
http://taproomcrabhouse.com/

The Tap Room is a down-home indoor tavern and eatery located near the banks of the Chesapeake and Delaware canal, and it's one the closest Maryland crab shacks to the Philadelphia area. Steamed crabs are the specialty, and they're available year-round. This old, established crab house culls them live from southern pots during the off-season and heaps those prized Chesapeake crabs on brown paper covered tables from now through October. As the name implies, there's plenty of cold tap beer to wash down the well-spiced crab. And don't forget to add some crab-seasoned fries for the table.

Getting there: Take I-95 south to the Northeast exit (#100). Bear right to Rte 272 south. Pick up 40 east and follow it to 213 south. Continue on 213 south and cross over the C&D canal bridge. Make and immediate right after the bridge. Go back under the bridge and make a lift to George street. Follow George to Bohemia Ave. Go right and there it is.

WATERMAN'S CRAB HOUSE

21055 Sharp Street
Rock Hall, MD
http://www.watermanscrabhouse.com/home/

The Waterman's Crab House has been my home port crab shack for over a dozen years. The view from an expansive outdoor deck, directly on the Chesapeake Bay, is spectacular. The occasional steel band lends a Caribbean flavor to the constant breeze and heaping table of bright red, still steaming crabs. Arrive by car or tie your boat up in one of the 30 tableside slips. Waterman's boasts a popular outdoor bar that pumps to weekend entertainment, but the real draw here is the crab feast. And if you're up for a sunset sailing cruise, the "Crab Imperial," skippered by Captain Mark Einstein, departs from the Waterman's dock every evening. http://bluecrab_cc.tripod.com/

Getting there: I-95 South to the Middletown exit. Follow route 896 south into 301 south. Continue to route 291 west. Then follow 291 west to route 20 directly into Rock Hall. Make a left at the flashing yellow light, a right on Sharp Street. When your tires get wet, you're there.

HARRIS CRAB HOUSE

Kent Narrows Way
North Grasonville, MD 21638
http://www.harriscrabhouse.com/

Harris Crab House is a wildly popular stop for boaters cruising through Kent Narrows and drivers heading for the Bay Bridge to Annapolis and Washington. Indoor and outdoor seating offer water views just off the broad Chester River, breeding ground for some of the largest and sweetest crabs on the bay. These crabs have earned the title, "River Monsters." I've found the Harris blend of spices consistently produces one of those memorable after-tastes that keeps the crab feast going well after the last critter's leg has been sucked clean. And don't forget to take in some of the unique Chesapeake Bay art that decorates the eatery walls.

Getting there: I-95 south to the Middletown exit. Follow route 896 south into 301 south to route 50/301 west. Take exit 42 before the bay bridge and follow the signs to Harris.

THE CRAB CLAW

304 Burns Street
St. Michaels MD 21662
http://www.thecrabclaw.com

The Crab Claw is a sentimental stop. It was more than 35 years ago that my wife and I, tentatively piloting our first chartered sailboat without an engine, bumped into the Crab Claw dock. OK, more like banged. Then I learned to crack my first crab and wash it down with a cold beer while gazing out over a busy and stimulating harbor; I haven't stop cracking since. The Crab Claw occupies a prime spot on the Miles River, close to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in historic St. Michaels. Indoor and outdoor dining here is in site of a rare, preserved cottage lighthouse and a constant parade of yachts and small pleasure boats. The "Claw" is also home to a unique fried crab. The body meat is extracted, battered and placed back in the shell. The entire crab is then deep fried for a rare treat in the crab capital of North America.

Getting there: I-95 south to the Middletown exit. Follow route 896 south into 301 south to route 213 south to route 50. Take route 50 east to route 322 (Easton Bypass). Follow route 322 to route 33 (St. Michaels Rd.). It's 9 miles to town and the Crab Claw.

THURSDAY'S

4851 Riverside Drive
Galesville, MD 20765
http://www.thursdaysrestaurant.com/

Of all the crab houses on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay, I'm most partial to Thursday's on the picturesque West River, just south of Annapolis. If you can imagine a dive bar and boat-in (a drive-in for boats), this place is it. The beer flows freely, pets are welcome, there's always a party atmosphere, and great water views. Plus, the crabs are plucked, alive and snapping, right out of the West and nearby Rhode Rivers, s they couldn't be fresher. A broad outdoor deck puts you on the water, and boaters tied up alongside bring you right into their conversation. In an unusual gesture, the waitress explained that we were getting more crabs than the dozen we ordered, " because they're a bit on the small side". They weren't, but the bonus was well appreciated. This stop is best paired with an overnight stay in Annapolis.

Getting there: Use the previous directions to route 50. Go west and cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Follow 50/301 to route 2 south. Take 2 to route 214 south. It becomes route 468 south. Follow 468 to Galesville Rd. Go east to Riverside Dr.

A few tips are in order before digging into hot, steamed crabs--this is not a knife and fork meal.

You learn by seeing and doing. Any crab house staff member will gladly show you how to crack the crab and extract the meat. The largest chunks of meat are in the cavity alongside the back fin. You'll crack the claws with a mallet and knife.

The spice is cayenne pepper based; it gets on your fingers and then transfers to the meat. Do not rub your eyes!

Crabs are best accompanied by corn on the cob and cole slaw. When ordering the "all-U-can-eat" specials, stay away from the fries. They fill you up and limit the crab consumption.

Wash down with your favorite beer. Keep pitchers cold with ice filled plastic baggies.

Enjoy!

By Jay Lloyd