With a crab house in Parkville, crab deck in Middle River, and a carryout spot in Glen Burnie, Skipjack’s franchises have you covered. The crabs are heavy and caked in spicy seasoning and the Maryland sweet corn is perfectly cooked and buttered to enjoy in between picking. Don’t sleep on the flavorful crab soup with chunky vegetables, potatoes, and sweet claw meat.

When you picture a crab feast, a few things come to mind: a water view, some paper on picnic tables, pitchers of beer, and a big pile of steaming crustaceans. All can be found on the outside crab deck of Nick’s Fish House, which overlooks the Patapsco River and Hanover Street Bridge. Nick’s has gotten a makeover in recent years thanks to new ownership and has never looked better.

This spot is trying to accomplish a lot of things in its trendy Ivy City neighborhood: be a restaurant, seafood market, and barbecue smokehouse all at once. Somehow, it all works. The spacious restaurant has a full bar with flat screen TVs, an elevated outdoor deck, and even a lobster tank up front to hammer home the fresh seafood vibe. Order a dozen medium blue crabs or a ton of other seafood options include fried fish sandwiches, po’boys, and a crab cake platter.

Known as a hangout for Baltimore sports fans and players alike, Jimmy’s has become a Baltimore seafood institution. The massive space boasts an equally broad menu—everything from sushi to flatbreads—but the real points of pride are its locally sourced crabs. Order hardshells from medium up to jumbo or get the seafood tower, which piles high oysters, top neck and littleneck clams, jumbo shrimp, lobster, snow crab, and blue crab halves.

The story goes that the late William Pell took a job as a deckhand on a crab boat when he was a kid, eventually working his way up to captain, and then opening a crab house with his brother in 1977. Though the location may have changed and expanded, Pell’s has stayed consistent with its commitment to sourcing local blue crabs, which come by the dozen from medium to jumbo (or you could opt for the all-you-can-eat feast).

The tops of Baltimore row houses are peppered with roof decks that make amazing spots for watching fireworks or, in the case of L.P. Steamers, cracking blue crabs. Located in the historic neighborhood of Locust Point (hence the L.P.), this seafood restaurant does crabs right: serving them sweet and meaty and dusted with plenty of Old Bay. There are tons of other delicious seafood options, like scallops, lobster, and oysters.

An icon in Maryland’s state capital since the 1970s, Cantler’s is the real deal. Close enough to downtown to make a day of it but sheltered enough on Mill Creek to feel relaxing, this crab house is a must-visit if you’re doing a tour of Annapolis. Order market-priced crabs peppered with a healthy dose of J.O. Spice and ask the patient servers how to pick them if you’re new to the past time.

Located a stone’s throw from the Back River tributary, Mr. Bill’s Terrace Inn provides a no-frills, authentic crab eating experience. Complete with brown craft paper on the tables and pitchers of beer flowing from the bar, this spot proves you don’t have to be fancy to have high-quality food. From the plethora of seafood appetizers (we love the combination of Maryland crab and cream of crab soups) to the staple hard shells dusted with house-made seasoning, Mr. Bill’s is the real deal.

Located right off the Red Line in a nondescript parking lot, the family-owned Bethesda crab house has been carefully sourcing its seafood purveyors since opening nearly 60 years ago. Expect hardshell crabs, from medium to extra large, generously seasoned with J.O. Spice with classic sides like corn on the cob, slaw, and hush puppies.

This small but mighty crab shack has gained a grassroots following in the seven years it’s been in business, hosting annual crab feasts, social media giveaways, and providing some of the heaviest carryout crabs in town. The menu is limited to crabs, shrimp, and corn but the value and affordability is unparalleled.