Missed seafood opportunities? Stoney's Seafood House Broome's Island, Maryland. Just an hour from DC, on the water, and fantastic food. Two sister restaurants at Solomons Island also excellent are Stoney's Kingfishers, and The Pier. Family owned (the Stone family) and the best crab cakes around.

It never ceases to amaze me that more people don't know about LP Steamers in Baltimore. I make the trip up there from DC a couple of times each Summer. They have a rooftop deck, cold pitchers of cheap beer, and some mighty tasty seafood.

http://www.lpsteamers.com/

Harris Crab House in Kent Island has the best crabs & crab soup. It's a definate stop for my friends & family going to or back from the beaches on the eastern shore.

Hemingway's just across the Bay Bridge. Has a screened porch so you can watch the endless stream of traffic going downy oshun, Hon.

What about Jerry's in Lanham??

I nominate the Crab Claw in St. Michael's. If yummy crabs and grumpy service helps make a place a dive, this is it.

Ok, that's it. I'm opening a seafood dive in northern Virginia somewhere! It's not right that we have to cross various and sundry bodies of water to obtain cheap yet delectable seafood. Our beloved state borders a river, a bay, and an ocean. We have just as much entitlement to tasty marine munchies as the people of the great state of Maryland. Heck, the proper name for the chesapeake bay oyster is Crassostrea Virginica after all!

Ram's Head? Good beer, sure. Good pub, sure. Seafood dive? No. It's not even close to what I consider a shore/seafood dive. I guess Ram's Head advertises in the magazine, so the editors felt the need to pay them back.

Is Silver Spring close enough to a body of water? Maybe Rock Creek....but definitely within easy reach of Washington! My favorite place (and the favorite place for several generations of Washingtonians) is Crisfield's on Georgia Ave. Seafood like it was meant to be prepared and served.

Captain Billy's and Tim's Rivershore certainly belong on the list. However, the Drift Inn in (near?) Mechanicsville, MD should be at the top of ANY list and it's a crime that it was overlooked. It is only open May thru September, Thursday through Sunday evenings. Unlike so many pretenders, they really do get all their goods right off the dock just outside the restaurant. The beer slection is VERY limited (long neck Bud) and please don't go in putting on any city airs (anything dressier than jeans and T shirt).

Old Dominionite; Fear not, for NoVa already has just the seafood dive you are looking for.
Right on Lee Highway in Fairfax. This place has been there for 25 years and definitely fits the title of dive.
Paper covered tables and little more on the menu than crabs and beer.
No bodies of water nearby but the crowd of crab lovers inside make the place just right.

http://www.captpellscrabcakes.com/homepage.html

Harris's Crab House on Kent Island, as previously mentioned, has good food and upper-level outdoor seating. I'd recommend staying away from the fancy stuff (lobster pasta), and going with straight seafood.

I'd also recommend checking your bill. They aren't ethical in that regard. I took a large group there, and they "gave" us ice cream for dessert (no one ordered it, and they didn't ask if we wanted it-- just handed it out with no comment) and then charged us $5 per person for the ice cream no one really wanted. Bad move on their part. I'll take my freewheeling expense-account group elsewhere next time.

Sorry, some information is just too important to let out the general public.

How about Fadley's crab cakes at the Market in Baltimore.

How about Fadley's crab cakes at the Market in Baltimore.

Is the Dancing Crab still in Northwest DC, next door to the old WTOP building? Boy, was THAT a dump!

If you go up to New England this summer look for "Sea Swirl" outside Mystic CT. Soft-serve ice cream, lobster on paper plates, belly clams. It's a drive-in and you eat on picnic tables near the water or in your car.

What about Santa Rosa in Adams-Morgan in the district? They were the cheapest lobster paella for years, not sure now though. Samantha's in Langley Park, MD has great whole fish.

Sorry to be annoying but --- years ago I got a bag of steamed crabs and took them to a friend's house for a crab feast. This friend is from Upstate New York. He was really miffed -- to the point of chewing me out -- that I didn't bring along vinegar and spices for dipping the crab into. Now, I'm a native Marylander and never in my life have I ever heard of dipping crab into vinegar and spices. They are steamed in vinegar and spices, not dipped in it. Jeez. He thought I was nuts for not bringing that stuff, but it was my nickel and I did the legwork of picking up the crabs. Has anybody else heard of this strange culinary habit?

Agree with the poster on Crisfields in Silver Spring. Also check out The Lynnhaven Fish House in Virginia Beach, one of the best meals I've ever had and lets not forget Bay & Surf in Laurel when they re-open. Its sad Anchor Inn in Wheaton is gone and O'Donnel's ain't what it was when it was in Bethesda or D.C.

Of course you have cups of vinegar and Old Bay on the table to dip the crab into.

Man, I love Joe's Crab Shack. That place rules~!

Red Lobster too!

Red Lobster too!

Red Lobster too!

I too am a native Marylander and had never even heard of the vinegar and spice dip idea until moving here.
I spent my youth on the Eastern Shore, arguably the blue crab capital of the world, and never once did I see vinegar used other than in the cooking process.
To that end, I have come to love having it on the table. you should try it.

Gotta love the Dancing Crab. It doubles as The Malt Shop after they stop serving crabs. The diners leave as the drinkers show up, but the smell of crabs is omnipresent.

A few years ago I would have agreed with Stoney's in Broomes Island, but it has gone way downhill. I could live with terrible service if the food was any good...

The Quarterdeck, in Rosslyn.

BTW, Hemingways has closed. Was at the marina this weekend. Their food had REALLY gone downhill the last few years, and then they got a reputation as having a dirty kitchen. Too bad, their crab dip was actually decent.

But I second the nomination for Harris. Right on the water, and their crab soup is INCREDIBLE

I would name a place to add to the list, but have been told I'd be beaten to within an inch of my life if I did. Sorry...

How about Obrycki's in Baltimore? Crabcakes to die for, steamed crabs for picking, and Crab soup my dad used to bring all the way home to us in Philadelphia when he had to be in Baltimore for business when I was a child. Mmmmm!

Bottom of the Bay Seafood on Rt. 1 in Laurel is a good seafood dive. Very good crabs in season and shrimp is good there too.

Still pretty divey, but with an upscale condo being built there now who knows hwat the future holds....

I'm a native southern Marylander, and I grew up having bowls of vinegar and crab seasoning on the table during a crab feast. My dad, born & raised in St. Mary's County - his family goes back several generations there - has always insisted on it. I didn't know there was any other way! And, if I recall correctly, Capt. Billy's has both on the table. What are you folks talking about?

The original Gunnings in Brooklyn (Baltimore). A true seafood dive with good crabs and soup.

Bethesda Crab House. Nuff said.

MacDonald's and the beautiful and tasty filet-o-fish, anytown, USA.

Scooters on Rt. 1 in Jessup. Attached to a somewhat seedy motel. Great steamed crabs!

Me & the boyfriend enjoy going to timbuktu's in hanover,md. Excellent crabcakes !!

Fenwick Crab House!!! Unbelievable, there's no bigger tourist trap on the Shore, unless maybe you want to talk about Phillips (still trading on its 1960s era reputation).

Unfortunately the best crab place in America is no longer with us--Gabler's on Bush River. My late grandfather courted my late grandmother near there in the years right after WWI when he was a student at Washington & Lee and she was at Mary Baldwin. Both of their families had houses on the river nearby. I spent many a night in the late '70s and early '80s there and it didn't get any better.

For crabs now go to either Schultz's on Old Eastern Avenue between Essex and Middle River or Michaels on Eastern Avenue between Highlandtown and Essex.

Hollies on Rt. 50 at Kent Narrows has great crab soup and their fried chicken is only beat by Tammy & Jonnies way down near Wachapreague on Virginia's Eastern Shore.

I would agree with the post by DC about Stoney's on Broome Island--service not so good, food OK. But their sister restaurant, Stoney's Kingfisher in Solomons, is excellent. The Stoney's in the shopping center in Prince Frederick has the great crab cakes and crab soups.

Have to agree about the Fenwick Crab House being a tourist trap. Have a place within walking distance and it is trading on its reputation. Phillips is awful. It's for the quantity not quality lovers. As far as Virginia, I am partial to the Wharf on the 100 block of Old Town. Try their special crab. What is a good place at the OC/Fenwick beach?

The mention of Faidley's above brings back memories; in 1977 I found myself several credits short of what was required for graduation at what was then called Towson State University so in the Fall semester I worked an internship for credit at the Museum and Library of the Maryland Historical Society up the street from Lexington Market. A couple of my TSU classmates went to the University of Maryland Law School and we used to meet for lunch at Faidley's a couple of times a month. This was before the renovation and it was a rather decrepit place.

We'd get a dozen raw oysters and wash them down with a long neck National Bohemian. Life was good.

This native Harford County, Maryland, boy never saw bowls of vinegar or seasoning on the table eating crabs, they'd take up too much room needed for crabs, pickings and beer. Never have acquired a taste for it either but if that's what you like, go for it.

We like Bahama Mamas. It's pricy but the crabs are big and it's a nice setting at the end of the bay near the inlet.

Jerry's in Lanham - definitely

How about Raw Fisher's? It's kinda obscure and often grumpy, but never fails to entertain

Raw Fisher's! LOL!!! Also, it's only in DC, they'll never open one outside the Beltway.

What about Mike's Crab House on Riva Rd on the South River??? Certainly it has been overlooked... but why? Outdoors, music, good food, pitchers of beer. I'm headed there soon, bc I made myself hungry!

On the VA side, Ernie in Alexandria off of Rt 1... not quite the view but great crabs.

The DC waterfront Seafood Market. Buy a bunch and bring 'em home!

Tims II Fairview Beach!

Captain Pells rocks!

Somebody mentioned Phillips in OC. The big restaurant and Phillips by The Sea both have excellent sit down restaurants. I can't say the same for the buffet or the place in North OC but the other two have great service and really good seafood. Someone was joking I'm sure about Red Lobster, actually if you know what to get it can be pretty good. It also helps if your child works there so go easy on RL.

Gunning's in Broolyn (Baltimore) has sadly closed. There is one in Hanover off Rt. 100. I'm surprised noboby has mentioned G & M Restaurant in Linthicum for the Best Crabcakes in the World!

I don't have any recommendations to add to the list here. I'd just like to thank whoever coined the term Seafood Dives.

Not a sea food fan, but, used to live by the Quarterdeck in Rosslyn, VA. That place was ALWAYS packed. It's way off the beat & path, but, it seemed like a decent place, really small inside, so, you just hoped it was nice so you could eat outside (huge patio area). My friends loved it. They had the brown paper on the tables & buckets full of the fixings you use for crabs.

I was wondering about the Gunnings in Brooklyn. That is sad news. The new one in Hanover just doesn't have the same feel, and is not nearly as good as the original.

Although I never really liked vinegar and spices to "dip" my crab into (I always thought it killed the taste of the crab ... like A-1 Sauce does to steak) I remember going to Robertson's at Pope's Creek, (not Newburg) as a pre-teen and bottles of vinegar and spices along with little paper cups were on every table for those who wished it. It has definitely been around a long time as that was over 50 years ago.
Also, a bit farther down the road at Cobb Island are Captain John's and Schamansky's(I know I've misspelled it) restaurants.
Also, someone already mentioned Jerry's in Lanhan and I'll put their crab "cake" up against anyone's. If expensive and worth every penny. If you want a steak, don't go to Jerry's.
Also, a little farther down the road from Jerry's is Lambert's. The seafood is good and the people are great. My wife and I go there almost every Friday night for a crab cake.

Fitzie's in Leonardtown, MD the biggest and best crabcakes around. Nice atomosphere too!!

Assuming you don't fall through the well-worn floor, Courtney's in Ridge, MD (St. Mary's City) has some of the best crab soup and crab-stuffed rockfish that you'll find anywhere.

Thanks for the feedback about dipping crab into vinegar. Like I said, never heard of it until a New Yorker bawled me out about it. But he was an *ss anyway.

FWIW: Most of the churches in Southern Maryland have suppers throughout the year to raise money. Three of the best crab cake suppers I've attended were Trinity Methodist and St. Paul's Episcopal in Prince Frederick, and Huntingtown Methodist in Huntingtown. I look forward to these every year. The side vegetables are most likely canned string beans and they don't serve beer, the crab cakes are worth the trip.

Ah, Crisfields. The noise. The heat. The smell. The sticky floors. The grease. The best.

I'm surprised more people haven't mentioned Captain Pell's in Fairfax. Outstanding place, although the new location is a little too elegant compared to their prior location (which was torn down when the land was sold to a developer). I think I was on a first-name basis with some of the cockroaches in the old place. Also, in the new place you can get your beer in a glass; in the old one, they plonked down a can of beer in front of you and that's what you got.

All kidding aside, though, there are now some things on the menu besides crabs, but it's still far and away the best crabhouse in Northern Virginia.

Capt. Pell's jumbo male crabs listed as $5.50 a piece.

My Southern Maryland grandmother just rolled over in her grave.

Another reason for your So.Md. grandmother to roll over: Mike's in Riva charged $85 last weekend for dozen jumbo males. Remember when a bushel cost less?
About the vinegar, my dad (born So.Md. 1906) had a dish of vinegar on his kitchen table when he spread out crabs--around 1940s. He used to soak the roe, fat, and mustard in the vinegar. Saltines were on table. He picked a crab so minutely that sometimes he made a lunch off just two. No dish of spices on the table though. Crabs came covered in the spice. Maybe the side dish of spices is recent -- like serving dressing on the side for salad.

What about Captain Leonards in Mechanicsville MD? They have the best cream of crab, and crab cakes. They even have tasty, heavy crabs.

Did I miss it, or has nobody mentioned Higgins??? Crabs are soooooo good...and the corn!!! where do they get such sweeeet corns???? Please let me know if anything comes close - in the VA/MD/DC area..