Crab Cakes in Baltimore & Maryland

[Basilgirl]

G&M in Linthicum, MD

[KOK]

Not sure of your route as you mentioned Annapolis, but if you're going up I 95 then G & M is indeed a great choice. Probably less than five or ten minutes off of I 95.

I have never been disappointed in the almost softball size cake of lump crab with little filler. Some gainsay G & M but it's one of my favorites. Good coleslaw too.

Thanks,

Kevin

[Minister of Drink]

If you happen to be in DC in the evening do to Hank's Oyster Bar for their crab cake!!! Very decent especially when you combine with a half bottle of Sancere & get your fry on with some popcorn shrimp & calamari and of course some fries with bay seasoning!

[Malawry]

If you're willing to venture into downtown Baltimore, check out Faidley's in the Lexington Market. Best. Crabcake. Evah.

[Joe H]

G & M uses Indonesian crab meat; Faidley's is excellent, as is Angelina's, Jerry's in Seabrook, Tony's in Benedict (coming up 301), Stoney's in Broome Island and the best of all Maryland style crab cakes, the Narrows on Kent Island.

[foodnerd.org]

Hello all I am a new member and would like to ask others in the Maryland area to suggest and share their favorite places to get crab cakes. I've tried most of the heavy hitters in the Baltimore area, does anyone know of any out-of-the-way spot elsewhere, maybe on the Eastern Shore? Thanks in advance!

[ladycakeapril]

We are blessed with so many options here!

I recently tried the crabcakes at Mrs. Ks on Colesville Drive in Silver Spring and I highly recommend them -- heavy on the crab, no filler, and fried in honest-to-God butter, the way nature intended.

[foodnerd.org]

We are blessed with so many options here!

I recently tried the crabcakes at Mrs. Ks on Colesville Drive in Silver Spring and I highly recommend them -- heavy on the crab, no filler, and fried in honest-to-God butter, the way nature intended.

←

Hmm excellent that is the first recommendation I've gotten in Silver Spring. Indeed crab cakes fried in butter are all too rare. I find that most people can fall into two schools of thought - the "no Old Bay, little or no seasoning, as little filler as possible" types, or the "Old Bay, highly seasoned, visible pieces of bread in the filler" type. I am of the latter. I like the filler, but of course it should be far outweighed by big lumps of good quality (not the south american or asian stuff, which is more dense and sometimes almost mealy). Thanks so much, I will swing by next time I hit Oriental East for dim sum!

[Patapsco Mike]

I've lived in Maryland for 39 years, 4 in Western Maryland, 5 on the eastern shore and the rest in the Baltimore metro area. Leaving Baltimore to find a better crab cake is a fool's errand. You can find a good crab cake in a lot of places- it's not rocket science- but none are going to be substantially better than Faidley's Jumbo lump.

So many places where you would expect to find a good one try to get fancy and add unusual ingredients. Peppers, mango, whatever. Sometimes they are good, more often they are a disappointment.

One I can recommend from the shore is in Ocean City- Marlin Moon Grill in the Francis Scott Key Motel. It's simple and delicious.

[foodnerd.org]

I've lived in Maryland for 39 years, 4 in Western Maryland, 5 on the eastern shore and the rest in the Baltimore metro area.  Leaving Baltimore to find a better crab cake is a fool's errand.  You can find a good crab cake in a lot of places- it's not rocket science- but none are going to be substantially better than Faidley's Jumbo lump.

So many places where you would expect to find a good one try to get fancy and add unusual ingredients.  Peppers, mango, whatever.  Sometimes they are good, more often they are a disappointment.

One I can recommend from the shore is in Ocean City- Marlin Moon Grill in the Francis Scott Key Motel.  It's simple and delicious.

←

Here's the thing about Faidley's: I've lived in Baltimore my entire adult life, over 15 years now, and Faidley's has served as my crab cake benchmark. Again, I am not a fan of the very mild type of crab cake that is exemplified by Angelina's. In any case, recently I have been saddened to find that Faidley's crab cakes have really begun to show signs of deterioration. In fact, the first time I discovered this (about a month ago) I was so shocked I went back three more times on consecutive days, convinced it was an anomaly. Four in a row precludes anomalous events in my mind. The cakes were overseasoned with mustard, had significantly more filling than before (and I like the filling!), and were frankly greasy.

In fact, this is what spurred my current search for a new benchmark. Also I can't figure out why the mods decided to merge my thread with one that is two years old. This is exactly why it's important to have up to date information for restaurants - things change, and sometimes not for the better! I plan on hitting Pappas in NE B-more, Mays in Frederick, The Narrows, G & M, Suicide Bridge, and Robert Morris Inn. In case anyone's interested, Angelina's is under new ownership yet again, and this time the food (and crab cakes) are pretty much back to the way it used to be. Old school fans I urge you to give them another try. Thanks for the reply - anyone else have a new/lesser known favorite?

[foodnerd.org]

I've lived in Maryland for 39 years, 4 in Western Maryland, 5 on the eastern shore and the rest in the Baltimore metro area.  Leaving Baltimore to find a better crab cake is a fool's errand.  You can find a good crab cake in a lot of places- it's not rocket science- but none are going to be substantially better than Faidley's Jumbo lump.

So many places where you would expect to find a good one try to get fancy and add unusual ingredients.  Peppers, mango, whatever.  Sometimes they are good, more often they are a disappointment.

One I can recommend from the shore is in Ocean City- Marlin Moon Grill in the Francis Scott Key Motel.  It's simple and delicious.

←

Patapsco Mike - I forgot to mention that I too hate when places insult the crab cake by "dressing it up" or adding random crap. That being said, for a long time I thought one of the most heinous transgressions was to smoke it, like they do at Pierpoint. In fact, I boycotted it for almost ten years before trying one last week. I have to admit, it was pretty damn good. Very light smoke flavor, more like an added spice than actual smoke flavor. Not too remarkable other than that, but solid nonetheless. I think OC is a little outside of my driving radius for this project, but thanks for the heads up. Any other places you think are worth a look?

[ghostrider]

Every time this topic comes up, I urge people to go get the crab cakes at Vikki's Fells Point Deli in the Broadway Market in Fells Point. To my knowledge, no one else ever has. I will still sing their praises.

I tried 3 different places when we were in Baltimore 2 years ago; Vikki's was far & away the best. (We didn't get to Faidley's so I don't have that benchmark.) They do a very basic crab cake with white-bread filler & a good dose of mustard & cayenne; no frou-frou stuff here.

Now, it's possible that you might try them & say "too much mustard, too much filler & too greasy" about these also - they throw the handmade crab cakes into the deep fryer - they certainly have those elements & you may react to them differently. Me, I liked the spiceiness - peppery but not so much as to overwhelm the flavor of the crab chunks - & I found them wonderfully crispy w/o being TOO greasy, considering that they were deep fried.

(An aside - Vikki's had the best cole slaw I've ever eaten. Minced green pepper, not too much mayo, the perfect foil for the crab cakes.)

All I can say is, next time I'm in Baltimore, I'm heading to Vikki's every chance I get. Faidley's is on its own.

[foodnerd.org]

Every time this topic comes up, I urge people to go get the crab cakes at Vikki's Fells Point Deli in the Broadway Market in Fells Point.  To my knowledge, no one else ever has.  I will still sing their praises.

I tried 3 different places when we were in Baltimore 2 years ago; Vikki's was far & away the best.  (We didn't get to Faidley's so I don't have that benchmark.)  They do a very basic crab cake with white-bread filler & a good dose of mustard & cayenne; no frou-frou stuff here.

Now, it's possible that you might try them & say "too much mustard, too much filler & too greasy" about these also - they throw the handmade crab cakes into the deep fryer - they certainly have those elements & you may react to them differently.  Me, I liked the spiceiness - peppery but not so much as to overwhelm the flavor of the crab chunks - & I found them wonderfully crispy w/o being TOO greasy, considering that they were deep fried.

(An aside - Vikki's had the best cole slaw I've ever eaten.  Minced green pepper, not too much mayo, the perfect foil for the crab cakes.)

All I can say is, next time I'm in Baltimore, I'm heading to Vikki's every chance I get.  Faidley's is on its own.

←

ghostrider - I'll be checking it out today thanks for the heads up! I live right down the street and it simply never occurred to me. I'll report back later.

[Patapsco Mike]

Foodnerd- crabs aren't in season now- the Faidley's slump might be due to supply of crab meat. This is the worst time of year for getting the local jumbo lump crabmeat they use. You might want to stick with oysters until June when the crab season is cranking.

I like the crab cakes (and about everything else) at Fernado's Salsa Grill in Woodlawn (across Security Blvd from the SSA). They are handmade- simple, and tasty. As they use crab meat from overseas, it's more consistent year-round. I had forgotten about The Narrows, they do make a very nice crab cake. Clydes in Columbia makes a good crab cake too, and I am assuming you've been to G&M.

[foodnerd.org]

Foodnerd- crabs aren't in season now- the Faidley's slump might be due to supply of crab meat.  This is the worst time of year for getting the local jumbo lump crabmeat they use. You might want to stick with oysters until June when the crab season is cranking.

I like the crab cakes (and about everything else) at Fernado's Salsa Grill in Woodlawn (across Security Blvd from the SSA).  They are handmade- simple, and tasty.  As they use crab meat from overseas, it's more consistent year-round.  I had forgotten about The Narrows, they do make a very nice crab cake.  Clydes in Columbia makes a good crab cake too, and I am assuming you've been to G&M.

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Actually the meat quality (one of the criteria by which i judge a crab cake) was still good at faidley's. Again it was the filling and cooking that really hurt it, plus the really surly service, but I don't hold that against them. I think there is a huge difference between domestic and South American or Asian jumbo lump, but the difference between Carolina, Florida and Maryland is pretty slight when made into a crab cake. Eaten straight it's more noticeable, I think MD meat has an edge in texture, being more "feathery" and delicate. But generally FL and Carolina meat is perfectly acceptable imo. I'll have to check out Fernando's - never heard of it - but my gf is a tex-mex nut and is always looking for good fake mexican, and I'll be sure to try the crab cake, so thanks!

[John Talbott]

The best crab cakes I've had in my 23 years commuting in and out of Baltimore (since Faidley's + Angelina's are I agree things of the past) are my wife Colette's made with a secret formula (hers) and Eddie's (Roland Park site) crab meat from non-Chesapeake places usually.

PS I'm delighted to see such discussions of Baltimore and Maryland items which Miss Cindy tried to boost but seem to be dwarfed by the DC topics.

Edited February 2, 2008 by John Talbott (log)

[foodnerd.org]

The best crab cakes I've had in my 23 years commuting in and out of Baltimore (since Faidley's + Angelina's are I agree things of the past) are my wife Colette's made with a secret formula (hers) and Eddie's (Roland Park site) crab meat from non-Chesapeake places usually.

PS I'm delighted to see such discussions of Baltimore and Maryland items which Miss Cindy tried to boost but seem to be dwarfed by the DC topics.

←

Is her recipe more like the Angelina's little/no seasoning cake or Faidley's highly seasoned? I'm having a showdown next weekend, my crab cakes, which are based on the surprisingly widespread Senator Mikulski recipe (seasoned well with torn bread filler) v my ex's mom's, whom she claims to make the best, and are the very mild and barely held together type. I think a cake should be a cake - if you want just meat, heat up a bowl of crab meat with some butter and be done with it! But that's just my view.

[John Talbott]

seasoned well.......

and barely held together type.

Colette's are both seasoned (mild mustard and herbs) and barely hold together.

[ChrisOC]

To me, the best crab cakes ever can be found at the Captain's Galley, Crisfield MD, the Crab Capitol of the World. They also have some of the best soft shells. The dining room faces the dock giving the diner one of the best views of the Bay, looking toward Tangier Island