Weekly reviews of crab cakes around the MD and DC area

Ocean City

Summertime in Maryland means one thing to many -- road trip downy ocean, 'hon! And a trip to Ocean City might involve crabs. If you're not standing in line to sit at a paper-lined table to crack crabs amongst pitchers of Natty Boh and friends, then you're going to get your crab fix another way. Maybe, perhaps, a crab cake? That's where the Bad Monkey Bar & Grill comes in. Located midtown on 58th St, the Bad Monkey is conveniently located to just about anywhere on the island and ready to fulfill whatever your need -- carry out or eat in; breakfast, lunch, or dinner; free water or choosing from a wide selection of beers. Whatever it is, they've got you covered. And they certainly had us covered for crab cakes. Read on to see how they were!

Ah....the beach.  Or as we call it around these parts "downy ocean, hon".  While most beaches can provide fun, sun, sand and seafood, Ocean City is one of the few places on the Eastern Seaboard where you can get a true Maryland crab cake.  And taking a drive up and down Coastal Highway (otherwise known as Hormone Highway if it's Junebug season), you notice the plethora of crab houses offering up Maryland's finest.  It can be a nerve-racking decision as to which location you will patronize, especially if you are just there for a day.

If you are anything like the CCR, then you'll be thinking of enjoying a seriously good crab cake after spending some time on the boards (be that surf, boogie or the boardwalk).  And while any crab house can serve up a crab cake, it takes a place like the Crabcake Factory USA to let you know what their specialty is.  Despite having a not so stellar experience at another "factory", I decided to throw caution to the wind and see what it was they had to offer.

The Crabcake Factory USA has been around since 1986, making crab cakes fresh in Ocean City and shipping them all around the world.  There is even a sign outside of their restaurant on 120th St boasting the over one million crab cakes being sold/shipped.  But do the crab cakes live up to the hype?  Let's find out!

This week, the CCR continues their vacation coverage of Ocean City, MD. A town certainly known for crabs, and where there are crabs, you will find crab cakes. But you'll also find beer. And what better way to enjoy a beer than to go right to the source. That's just what we did when we went to visit the Ocean City Brewing Company. Relatively new to the area, they opened in May 2014 and have enjoyed success since then. The easy formulas are always winners: good beer, good food, good people. Were the crab cakes the perfect accompaniment to their craft beers? Let's find out!

Mar 19, 2024

Seacrets

When Marylanders go "downy ocean, hon", one popular destination to go is Seacrets.  If you are not familiar with Seacrets, then you may want to pay them a visit at least once in your life, if for the atmosphere alone.  Seacrets has something for everyone, from a restaurant to a tiki bar to floating tables in the bay, and yes, even live music and a night club.  Billed as Jamaica USA, Seacrets is that little island paradise in the middle of Coastal Highway, complete with sand everywhere and palm trees.  Spend any amount of time there, and you'll eventually get hungry.  Dare you leave and go elsewhere, possibly with a wait (especially true if you are visiting in-season)?  Or do you stay put and let the good times roll?  Allow us to make your decision easier with our review of their crab cakes.  Worth the stay, or should you ship out?  Read on and find out what we thought!

Mar 19, 2024

Shenanigan's

There's nothing like heading 'downy ocean' in the off-season.  The crowds are gone, prices are lowered, and the wait times at restaurants diminished.  Just head to the boardwalk, stroll around, and sample some of the fine beach cuisine that the town has to offer.  One such place is Shenanigan's.  Located on 4th St and the Boards, they have an amazing outside deck from which you can enjoy a beer while gazing at the ocean (as well as people watch!).  So while an Irish establishment isn't quite what you would think when it comes to crab cakes, we are always on the hunt for them.  So are they worth the wait, or do we call shenanigans?  Read along and find out!