St. Michaels, Md.
Chatting about crab houses with a Marylander is like talking politics or religion: Opinions fly, but few minds are changed.
A draw at The Crab Claw Restaurant (410-745-2900;thecrabclaw.com) off the Chesapeake Bay on the Miles River in the cute tourist town of St. Michaels is crab feasts — a proud Maryland tradition. “If he doesn’t kick, we don’t cook,” proclaims a sign assuring crabs are fresh. They’re steamed, then presented to be pounded with wooden mallets at paper-covered tables inside or on a deck overlooking the water. Discarded shells pile foot-high. Rolls of paper towels serve as napkins. Tour buses park. The Claw’s so popular it doesn’t need to accept credit cards.
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Sated but still seeking crab to swoon for, we’re in the car driving to out-of-the-wayWaterman’s Crab House (410-639-2261; watermanscrabhouse.com) in Rock Hall, about an hour north of the Bay Bridge. At sundown Friday, the vibe is Jimmy Buffett. Locals drink Landshark Lager on the deck overlooking Rock Hall Harbor. Strangers exchange pleasantries. The $15.50 crab cakes (broiled, fried, with two sides) are meaty, but not exceptional tonight. Better bet: steamed crabs with a coat of Old Bay and other seasonings. Famished? All-you-can-eat-in-two-hours with two sides is $29.99.
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