This Maryland Seafood Buffet Serves Crab The Way It Was Always Meant To Be
My love affair with Maryland crabs began on a sweltering summer evening in Ocean City, at the legendary Bonfire Restaurant along Coastal Highway, where the Old Bay seasoning hung in the air like perfume.
Nothing beats the pure joy of cracking open those red shells to reveal sweet, tender meat inside.
For anyone chasing the authentic Maryland crab experience, Bonfire’s all-you-can-eat buffet is the holy grail—serving crabs exactly as the Chesapeake Bay gods intended.
Ocean City’s Bonfire Restaurant: Where Tradition Meets Taste
Tucked along Coastal Highway, this flame-named treasure has been a crab-lover’s paradise since 1973. I’ll never forget my first visit—the intoxicating aroma of seafood and spices hit me before I even reached the door!
The massive steamers in the open kitchen constantly churn out bright red crustaceans, perfectly timed to maintain that magical texture. What makes Bonfire special isn’t just quantity (though there’s plenty); it’s their unwavering commitment to quality.
Family-owned for generations, they source their blue crabs directly from local watermen who deliver their catch daily. No frozen shortcuts here, folks! The restaurant’s wood-paneled walls, adorned with nautical decorations, tell the story of Maryland’s rich maritime heritage.
Mallets And Bibs: The Full Crab-Cracking Experience
Nothing screams ‘authentic Maryland’ quite like the ceremonial donning of the plastic bib. First-timers often look embarrassed—until they see their shirt saved from inevitable splatter! The staff actually taught me the proper technique for dismantling these armored delicacies.
Wooden mallets thump rhythmically across the dining room as patrons crack shells with gleeful abandon. It’s messy business, but that’s half the fun. The restaurant provides endless rolls of paper towels and lemon-scented wet wipes for the aftermath.
My personal strategy? Start with the claws for instant gratification, then work methodically toward the body chambers where the most succulent meat hides. The restaurant’s custom metal picks help extract every last morsel from hard-to-reach nooks—a tool I’ve since purchased for home crab feasts.
The Secret’s In The Seasoning: Old Bay Magic
“That’s our family blend,” whispered the owner when I begged for their seasoning recipe after my third helping. Their signature spice mix starts with the classic Old Bay foundation but ventures into delicious territory with extra paprika and secret ingredients they’ve guarded for decades.
The crabs emerge from giant steamers glistening with this reddish-gold dust, creating a flavor explosion that’s simultaneously spicy, salty, and slightly sweet. What really knocked my socks off was discovering they steam their crabs with vinegar, not plain water!
Containers of extra seasoning sit on every table for the heavy-handed spice lovers (like yours truly). Even their drawn butter gets the special treatment with hints of garlic and those mysterious spices. I’ve tried replicating it at home—not even close!
Beyond The Shell: Crab In Every Form
Crab purists, hold onto your mallets—this buffet takes Maryland’s favorite crustacean far beyond traditional steamed preparations! My jaw dropped at the sight of golden crab cakes with barely any filler, just jumbo lump meat held together by what seems like wishful thinking and a prayer.
The cream of crab soup, white as a sailor’s dress uniform and thick enough to coat your spoon, disappeared from my bowl embarrassingly fast. For the indecisive (or the extremely hungry), their signature crab imperial stuffs tender meat back into shells with a creamy sauce that browns perfectly under the broiler.
Even breakfast gets the crab treatment with a Benedict featuring local poached eggs and crab meat on English muffins. The chef told me they use different parts of the crab strategically—backfin for soups, jumbo lump for cakes, and claw meat for dips.
A Waterfront Setting Worth The Wait
Summer weekends bring lines that snake through the parking lot, but regulars know the spectacular bay views make the wait worthwhile. I arrived skeptically early at 4:30pm on a Friday, only to find locals already claiming their favorite spots on the deck.
Floor-to-ceiling windows frame the Assawoman Bay, where working crab boats occasionally motor past as if completing the perfect Maryland tableau. The sunset transforms the dining room into a golden sanctuary, reflecting off crab shells and glass surfaces alike.
The restaurant smartly designed their layout so even interior tables feel connected to the water. Their summer all-you-can-eat special coincides with peak crab season, when the crustaceans are at their heaviest and sweetest. Pro tip from a frequent visitor: make reservations weeks in advance, especially during July and August when Maryland blue crabs reach their prime.