10 Maryland Crab Shacks Serving AYCE Baskets You’ll Dream About
Maryland by the bay has more than just boardwalks and salty breeze. It holds crabs, piled high, steamed deep, served in baskets you’ll swear were designed for royalty.
These crab shacks aren’t fancy. They’re loud. They’re messy. They splash butter like it’s holy water. But most importantly, they serve all‑you‑can‑eat baskets that make you believe in feasts.
Whether you’re out for hush puppies, clams, corn, or the kind of crab that forces you to use both hands, these places make you dream past midnight. Grab mallets. Embrace the chaos. Let’s explore.
1. Higgins Crab House, Ocean City (31st St & 128th St)
Steam curls off tables like promises. The AYCE Blue Crabs deal at $59.99 includes fried chicken, hush puppies, corn on the cob and fries at both OC locations.
Their signature basket: fresh blue crabs, steamed, large, buttered. Add the hush puppies and fries and your fingers will regret being clean beforehand.
Open daily from noon to about 8:30 pm. Two locations make it easier to snag a spot. Kids get cheaper pricing. Don’t come late and complain, baskets are finite.
2. Hooper’s Crab House, West Ocean City
Walking in feels like inhaling salty air plus the sound of bowls clanking. That joins the menu’s promise of open feast ground.
Their AYCE Feasts rotate seasonally. One includes steamed crabs, steamed shrimp, fried chicken and hush puppies. Corn on the cob shows up in husk when in season.
Large groups love this place. Portions scale fast. Arrive early to beat the post‑tourist rush. Even servers warn you: come hungry or go home pretending you weren’t.
3. The Crab Bag, Ocean City
Shells snap. Metal chairs scrape. There’s a rhythm to this place, and it’s loud.
Crab is the main act, but the steamed shrimp, corn, and fries in their AYCE package don’t go unnoticed. Sizes vary by season, but they always come hot, hard-shelled, and deeply seasoned.
Started as a local favorite, now a repeat destination for anyone who’s had one full tray and thought “I could do six more.” Expect a wait during peak hours. Expect to stay anyway.
4. Waterman’s Seafood Co., West Ocean City
A crab feast disguised as a beach-town dinner party. Wood-paneled walls, laminated menus, and buckets stacked like trophies near the kitchen.
The AYCE experience includes steamed blue crabs, fried chicken, shrimp, hush puppies, fries, and corn. The crab spice skews salty‑savory with just enough kick to demand another drink. You can sub shrimp if you’re feeling chaotic.
Locals know to come early or not at all. Groups get seated fast, but solo diners are respected. The hush puppies hit harder than expected. Gloves optional. Joy inevitable.
5. Harris Crab House, Kent Narrows (Grasonville)
The view here stretches over the water, where boats dock and waves slap against wood like applause. It’s romantic until the bib goes on.
AYCE includes medium crabs, shrimp, fried chicken, corn, and hush puppies. You can upgrade to larges. The crab spice clings like a good grudge, and the butter is poured, not portioned.
Family-run since the ’80s. Weekends get loud. Sit outside if you can. If you’re new, a server may casually coach you through your first crack. It’s a kindness you won’t forget.
6. Captain James Crab House, Baltimore (Canton Waterfront)
Not to be confused with the restaurant next door, this open-air crab house perches on the dock like it was dropped there by fate.
The AYCE crab deal is simple: piles of hot steamed blue crabs plus corn and fries. Everything’s served on trays, fast, loud, and somehow still friendly.
Lauded for the view, but locals come for the seasoning—it’s bold, a little peppery, and guaranteed to stain your cuticles. Parking is tricky, but the wait staff is surgical with crab refills.
7. Angie’s Seafood, Baltimore (Fells Point)
Crackling from the kitchen blends with soul music humming from overhead vents. There’s a pulse in this place, and it moves like molasses.
Their AYCE includes hard-shell crabs, shrimp, mussels, fries, and corn. Seasoned heavily, they arrive fast and keep coming. Spice level? Assertive.
Family-owned. Servers remember your face. Popular with locals avoiding the tourist drag. Upstairs dining is more mellow. Downstairs? It’s a crustacean stampede. Plan ahead—this place fills by 6 and won’t save you a seat.
8. Bethesda Crab House, Bethesda
A picnic bench in a land of pressed shirts and quiet Teslas. Don’t let the zip code fool you. This place gets primal.
No menus necessary. You’re here for steamed crabs, served by the dozen with sides like corn and slaw. The seasoning hits first, garlicky, salty, a little hot.
They’ve been at it since 1961. Order by size (mediums or larges). It’s pricey, but no one leaves unhappy. Crackers fly, shells pile high, and the parking lot becomes a bragging contest.
9. Jimmy Joy’s Log Cabin Inn, Hancock
If Paul Bunyan had a crab shack, it’d look like this. Rustic wood, dim lights, taxidermy watching you eat.
The AYCE crabs come with hush puppies and fried chicken, plus coleslaw and corn when it’s in season. They’re meaty, simply steamed, and coated in house spice that doesn’t overpower the sweetness of the crab.
The vibe leans old-school mountain lodge. People drive in from West Virginia just to get a table. Prices are fair. Hours shift, so call first. It’s a trek, but that’s the point.
10. Maryland Blue Crab House, Dundalk
The entrance is modest. The interior is tighter than expected. But the tray in your hands is a portal to something greater.
Crabs are steamed on-site, piled high, and served with corn, fries, and attitude. The seasoning here runs deep and red. Napkins are provided, but they won’t be enough.
Popular with locals, rarely touristy. They do AYCE right, quick trays, clean crabs, no nonsense. There’s no view, no dock, no Instagram moment. Just you, a tray, and a rising sense of purpose.