14 Delaware Seafood Shacks Locals Secretly Hoped You’d Never Find
Delaware is home to seafood shacks that feel like well-kept secrets, serving fresh catches in cozy, unassuming spots.
Locals flock to these hidden gems for perfectly cooked crab cakes, golden fried shrimp, and flavors that taste like the coast itself.
Each shack has its own personality and loyal following, making every visit a special experience. Discovering them feels like finding a delicious secret that insiders have been savoring for years.
1. Sambo’s Tavern — Leipsic
Perched right on the Leipsic River, this weathered crab house delivers the authentic Delaware experience most tourists never find. Watermen dock their boats outside and unload blue crabs that go straight to your table.
Family-owned since 1953, Sambo’s serves them steamed with plenty of Old Bay, newspaper on the tables, and cold beer to wash it all down.
The wooden walls decorated with fishing memorabilia tell stories of generations who’ve come for the sweetest crab meat around.
2. JP’s Wharf — Bowers Beach
Hidden at the end of a winding road in tiny Bowers Beach sits JP’s, where the sunset views rival the seafood platters.
Local fishermen supply this dockside gem daily, guaranteeing the flounder on your plate was swimming that morning. Regulars come for the crab cake sandwich that’s nearly all jumbo lump meat and barely any filler.
The screened porch offers cool breezes off the Delaware Bay while you crack open steamed clams and watch fishing boats return with their daily catch.
3. The Surfing Crab — Lewes
Locals actually groan when out-of-towners discover this converted gas station turned crab shack on Route 1.
What appears to be a roadside afterthought houses some of the most perfectly prepared Maryland-style crabs in the region.
Picnic tables covered in brown paper await your mallets and butter-soaked fingers. The no-nonsense staff dumps piles of spicy, steaming crustaceans directly on your table.
Their hush puppies achieve that mythical balance between crispy exterior and fluffy cornbread interior that few places ever master.
4. Mickey’s Family Crab House — Bethany Beach
Summer regulars jealously guard tables at Mickey’s, a family operation where three generations work the kitchen and dining room.
Unlike tourist traps with frozen seafood, Mickey’s steams their crabs to order, requiring patience that rewards you with meat that practically falls from the shell.
Their secret garlic butter sauce recipe remains closely guarded after 40 years.
Kids love watching the steam billowing from the kitchen’s massive cookers while parents appreciate the reasonable prices rarely found in beach towns.
The corn on the cob, swimming in that famous butter, becomes almost as sought-after as the crabs.
5. Old Mill Crab House — Delmar
Tucked away on the Delaware-Maryland line, this converted grist mill draws seafood pilgrims willing to drive for exceptional crab feasts.
The wooden beams and water wheel speak to its 19th-century origins, while picnic tables piled high with blue crabs represent its delicious present.
Regulars know to order the all-you-can-eat special during soft shell season. The family recipes for coleslaw and hush puppies haven’t changed in decades.
Something about the building’s creek-side location and the sound of the water wheel turning makes everything taste even better.
6. Meding’s Seafood — Milford
Fourth-generation fishermen supply this unassuming roadside spot that looks more like someone’s house than a restaurant. Meding’s specializes in seafood so fresh it practically jumps onto your plate.
Their crab imperial recipe dates back to 1983 when the family first opened shop. Weekends bring lines of locals clutching coolers for takeout orders from the market section.
Smart visitors know to request a table by the windows overlooking the marshland where much of their seafood is harvested just hours before serving.
7. Dockside Marina Bar & Grill — Rehoboth Beach
Away from Rehoboth’s boardwalk crowds, this marina hideaway serves incredible seafood to boaters and in-the-know locals.
Fishing boats pull up to unload their catch while you sip orange crushes on the waterfront deck.
Their blackened fish tacos feature whatever was caught that morning, topped with homemade slaw and spicy remoulade.
Sunset transforms the place as string lights reflect on the water and live music starts up. Unlike the tourist spots downtown, Dockside keeps its prices reasonable and portions generous even during peak season.
8. Woody’s Dewey Beach — Dewey Beach
Behind an unassuming storefront lurks Woody’s, home to crab cakes that have sparked heated debates among seafood purists.
Barely held together with minimal filler, these softball-sized treasures contain sweet jumbo lump meat that melts in your mouth.
The tiny bar area fills with locals during off-season when tourists abandon the beach town. Their secret weapon is a homemade tartar sauce that regulars try to recreate but never quite match.
Despite expanding twice, Woody’s still maintains the laid-back vibe that made it a favorite escape from Dewey’s party scene.
9. Matt’s Fish Camp — Bethany Beach
Channeling the spirit of a New England fish camp with Delmarva flair, Matt’s looks like it was plucked from a coastal postcard.
The lobster rolls come two ways: warm with butter or chilled with mayo, sparking friendly arguments among regulars about which version reigns supreme.
Fishing photos line wood-paneled walls while servers deliver platters of fried whole-belly clams.
Their chowder strikes the perfect balance between creamy and brothy, loaded with clams harvested just miles away.
Despite its growing popularity, Matt’s maintains small-batch cooking methods that keep quality consistently high.
10. Off the Hook — Bethany Beach
Founded by a local fisherman tired of seeing his best catches shipped to city restaurants, Off the Hook celebrates Delmarva’s seafood bounty in creative ways.
The chalkboard menu changes daily based on what local boats bring in. Their signature scallops arrive caramelized on the outside, barely touched in the middle, alongside seasonal vegetables from farms just inland.
The restaurant’s commitment to sustainability extends to their takeout containers and straws. During weekday happy hours, locals crowd around the bar for discounted oysters harvested that morning from Delaware Bay.
11. The Blue Crab Restaurant — Bethany Beach
Grandmotherly servers who’ve worked here for decades greet regulars by name at this family-run spot tucked behind a gas station.
The blue crab soup recipe hasn’t changed since 1957, with good reason: it’s perfect.
Summer weekends bring three-generation families who’ve been coming since the restaurant opened. Their broiled seafood platter features five different local species prepared simply with butter, lemon and herbs.
Smart diners save room for Smith Island cake, a multi-layered traditional dessert from nearby Maryland that the owner’s aunt still bakes daily.
12. Harpoon Hanna’s — Fenwick Island
Straddling the Delaware-Maryland line with panoramic bay views, Harpoon Hanna’s serves seafood worth crossing state borders for. Boats dock directly at the restaurant after delivering the day’s catch to the kitchen.
Their crab dip arrives bubbling hot, loaded with lump meat and just enough cheese to hold it together.
The screened porch offers protection from summer mosquitoes while maintaining perfect sunset views over the water.
Forty-five years of operation hasn’t diminished their commitment to quality, with many dishes still made using the founder’s original recipes.
13. Catch 54 — Selbyville
Suspended over the water on stilts, this hidden gem offers 360-degree views of the coastal wetlands that supply much of its menu.
Sunset transforms the dining room into a golden-hued experience as light reflects off the surrounding water.
Their soft shell crabs, available only during the brief seasonal window, come lightly dusted and flash-fried to maintain their delicate flavor.
The raw bar features oysters from specific Delaware Bay locations, each with distinct brininess levels.
Despite the upscale presentation, locals in flip-flops and baseball caps feel just as welcome as visitors in resort wear.
14. Lewes Oyster House — Lewes
Housed in a brick building that once served as the town’s hardware store, Lewes Oyster House maintains the historic charm while serving some of Delaware’s finest bivalves.
The century-old tin ceiling watches over a marble raw bar where shuckers work with lightning precision.
Their oyster selection rotates through farms along the Delaware Bay, each labeled with harvest location and tasting notes. The beer list features coastal breweries within 50 miles of the restaurant.
Old photos of Lewes oystermen line the walls, connecting today’s diners to the town’s maritime heritage that dates back to the 1600s.