Bites Nearby: Best Fishy Places

This week we decided to highlight some of our favorite places in the area for crabs, fish and other delights of the sea.

We asked each of the local editors in Anne Arundel County, plus Bowie, where they like to go for seafood.

Here in Odenton, our favorite is It's a bit hard to find, but tucked in a corner in old Odenton is the best place to get steamed crabs by the bushel and a wide variety of other seafood. Their crabcakes are for real, and they have great fish sandwiches and platters. People have been known to go in just for their hush puppies, too.

Here's what other local editors had to say about seafood in their communities.

Broadneck

Seafood restaurant choices are limited in Arnold, but the best I've had is . Their cream of crab soup is to die for.

-Frank Smith, Broadneck guest editor and frequent Patch contributor

Edgewater

It's cozy—a home converted into a restaurant more than 60 years ago, where each of the old rooms had most of the walls knocked down and converted into dining space. Don't let the appearance fool you. The food here is the highlight. They have the best crab cakes in Edgewater and probably in Maryland. It isn't the place to get crabs and watch the boats go by, but it is a great place to have a good piece of fish or a real Maryland crab cake. The waitresses have been there for decades and they make efficient work of the service. 

-Mitchelle Stephenson, Edgewater-Davidsonville local editor

Pasadena

While most may not consider this Italian restaurant when seeking a seafood menu, has won the Maryland Seafood Festival's Cream of Crab Soup Cook-Off two years in a row. In addition to their award-winning crab soup, the restaurant features appetizers such as mussels and calamari, and tops many of their pasta dishes with shrimp, crab and other seafood.

- Terri Peters, Pasadena guest editor and Patch contributor

Bowie

Not only is the Bowie’s premier place to buy cooked seafood, as far as I know, it is Bowie’s only seafood restaurant. It offers a variety of yummy sandwiches and dinner platters that include crab, shrimp and fish, all with homemade sides; then of course, there are the crabs. Carry out only, except for crab and shrimp feast rental.

-Michael Blankenheim, Bowie guest editor

Severn/Hanover

Timbuktu has really good crab cakes. It may take a while to get a table without a reservation, but the food is well worth the wait. Ranging from seared salmon to their famous crab cakes, anyone dreaming of the sea needs to look no further than Timbuktu. 

-Jonathan Moynihan, Severn local editor

Crofton/Gambrills

serves oysters, shrimp, lobster and crab appetizers, soups, salads, pastas, sandwiches, chicken, steak and veal for lunch and dinner. The spacious restaurant also has a sports bar and lounge.

Greater Annapolis

at Westfield Annapolis mall often features local seafood, as well as regular specials. It's a comfortable setting that's great for a working lunch or a quiet night out with the family.

-John Wilfong, Greater Annapolis local editor

Glen Burnie

Best known for its steamed crabs, almost every Glen Burnie resident has stopped through at least once. 

-Maya Prabhu, Glen Burnie local editor