One of the big to-do items when visiting Baltimore is to try the crab cake.  The city is famous for them, after all.  More than likely, you'll be in the Inner Harbor area at some point, either for your daytime activities, and/or for your lodging.  And that area is definitely not without its crab cake options.  But do you venture down to the harbor, where names like the Rusty Scupper, Phillips and McCormick & Schmick's entices you?  Or do you eat at the hotel restaurant where you are staying?

17 Light is located at the Residence Inn, which is one of the more family-friendly locations around the Inner Harbor.  Suites are typically more spacious, allow for more privacy, and have kitchens where you can make traveling a bit more affordable.  And upon looking upon the menu, you may notice that they have a crab cake.  Brilliant!  The Baltimore Marriott Waterfront over in Harbor East had some delicious crab cakes.  Will these follow suit?  Or should you venture somewhere else (say, around the corner)?  Read on to find out!

Basta Pasta is an Italian and seafood restaurant that started in 2004, and has grown to two locations (Fallston and Timonium). Their goal is simple - become the ultimate expression of what an Italian casual dining experience should be. They also strive to serve fresh and flavorful food using the finest available ingredients in the area. Did they meet those claims with their crab cakes? Let's find out!

The Blue Dolphin is a large, expansive operation consisting of multiple dining areas, a bar, and an event hall.  Serving modern American cuisine in an ornately decorated restaurant.  Definitely the place in the Crofton/Gambrills area to bring a large group as the seating is plentiful and the menu is expansive.  Although a bit on the pricey side, this is certainly where you spend your big night out if you're in the 'burbs.

So while gazing over the menu selections, you will take note of the "famous" crab cakes.  While your eye may start to wander and drool over the steaks and other seafood offerings, if you are anything like the CCR, you can't help but wonder just how good are the crab cakes?  Friend of the CCR, Cheryl, even wrote in saying how much she liked their crab cakes and recommended them to us.  (Of course, this was a day or two after I had already been there, but it's the thought that counts!)  How did they rate in the world of crab cakes?  Read along and find out!

Named one of Baltimore's Top 25 Crab Cakes by Baltimore Magazine in 2013! Located just two doors down from the famous Benji's Drive-In, By The Docks has been kicking out fine steaks and seafood since around 2005. Once co-owned by the same owner of Timbuktu, By The Docks is under new management, but still maintaing buzz surrounding their crab cake reputation. Will you get served similar crab cakes to Timbuktu, or will they be in a class of their own? Follow along as we find out!

We've written about food trucks before. Frankly, we love them. There's nothing like getting out of the office for lunch and going to an outdoor food court that is different each day. Yet, food trucks are like the epic white whale - there one day, gone the next. Sure, you could use the various online methods of stalking your favorite truck. But with the sheer volume of food trucks on the streets these days, it is hard to keep up with them all, let alone know who is still in business and who is new to the scene. The DC Crab Cake & Co. truck is one of them. They've been around since late 2013, and already had food the first time we saw them. So we recently came across them and had to try them out. Was it worth the wait? Let's find out!