4 replies to this topic

[Joe H]

Its not in Don's MD dining guide, so I figured I'd ask about restaurants in Ocean City. Been coming here every summer for more than 5 years now, but wondering if there are any hidden treasures to try for an upcoming date night with my wife.

We stay on the Ocean side around 125th street, but anywhere in the area is fair game. As of now, the plan is Liquid Assets, but open to all suggestions for places that might be better. Thanks in advance.

Captain's Table is the best seafood restaurant in Ocean City. It's on the third floor of the Courtyard Marriott at 15th and Boardwalk. I am NOT talking about Captain's Galley in West Ocean City. Crab guacamole is a GREAT dish; also the best red crab soup I have ever had. I thought enough of the last to return the next morning (two weeks ago) and buy two quarts of it, stopping at a Seven Eleven to buy a cooler and ice.

More than a half dozen other first and second courses were excellent to outstanding.

I write this as someone who has eaten almost everywhere in Ocean City from the Sunset Grill to the old Marlin Moon I should also note that the family who owns the Captain's Table has had a restaurant in Ocean City since the late 19th Century. No, not an exaggeration: they have photographs and newspaper and magazine articles on one of their walls confirming this. The negative about Captain's Table is the inability to see the ocean from the room which essentially feels like the old Corduroy which for some will be a negative. The room also has a different ambience after the sun sets. Still, this is a GREAT Maryland seafood restaurant and worthy of all the publicity it can receive.

[DonRocks]

Just this one post could make someone's entire weekend.

Initiated in Italic.

[Joe H]

I'm not quite sure why this is buried in the Baltimore topics but my wife returned last night from O. C. with three quarts of red crab soup packed on ice from Captain's Table. And, a double order of crab guacamole with good chips.

It is all gone. Three quarts of one and probably a pint and a half of the other. Chips, too! Within 24 hours.

Gone.

We are bloated. And sated. And happy. Smiling, too!

We've also made a reservation at the Courtyard at 15th and Boardwalk for the middle of October for $89 to do it again, in person. Ocean front! ($400 a night in July and August-literally a quarter of this in the Fall.)

Serious: this is the best seafood restaurant in Ocean City. We've built and are building another trip around it. Crab guacamole and a balcony and king bed facing the ocean...

Then the Cape May/Lewes ferry and Chef Vola's in Atlantic City along with the Borgata for the next night. Should I mention that the Borgata is the same price? $89 a night?

Gas and the tolls will cost more.

[DonRocks]

I'm not quite sure why this is buried in the Baltimore topics but my wife returned last night from O. C. with three quarts of red crab soup packed on ice from Captain's Table. And, a double order of crab guacamole with good chips.

It is all gone. Three quarts of one and probably a pint and a half of the other. Chips, too! Within 24 hours.

Gone.

We are bloated. And sated. And happy. Smiling, too!

We've also made a reservation at the Courtyard at 15th and Boardwalk for the middle of October for $89 to do it again, in person. Ocean front! ($400 a night in July and August-literally a quarter of this in the Fall.)

Serious: this is the best seafood restaurant in Ocean City. We've built and are building another trip around it. Crab guacamole and a balcony and king bed facing the ocean...

Then the Cape May/Lewes ferry and Chef Vola's in Atlantic City along with the Borgata for the next night. Should I mention that the Borgata is the same price? $89 a night?

Gas and the tolls will cost more.

[I'm really happy that you're so pumped about this place. Where do you think it should be? 1000yregg suggests that beach posts should be in the Intrepid Traveler section, and I'm inclined to agree with him. The downside is that these posts will be buried in an "Ocean City, MD" thread and not be Google-able, whereas here (don't forget this includes Annapolis), the thread is searchable, and I'll bet would be on page one should this forum take off. Please give me your opinion.]

[Joe H]

From my Chowhound days anything that ended up on the Mid Atlantic board got a fraction of the responses that it might have on the D.C./Baltimore board. I and apparently many others never read it. I am guessing the same is true on here. I really would have O. C. on the D. C. board since it is so much a "local" experience. As for Baltimore, CH had a Baltimore moderator and core group of people who kept it alive. I don't think that exists on here.

I realize that restaurants in Ocean City have little in common with D. C. but I had to search for it and was just surprised since it's about the same distance from there to O. C. as it is in from here. I really would have Ocean City on the D. C. board if only because I believe many of those on here relate and travel to it. I'd also include Rehoboth on the D. C. board.

I know this isn't logical and I apologize. And I am probably totally out to lunch. Or dinner. And, reading this over before clicking "post" know that I am totally wrong.

A cautionary note: The Captain's Table IS the best seafood restaurant in Ocean City. It is NOT the most atmospheric. The analogy with the earlier Corduroy is a fair one. Many people who go to O. C. will want to look out the window and see the ocean or intracoastal or sit on a deck overlooking either. The Captain's Table lacks that ambience. But it makes up for this with what it is on the plate. The crab guacamole ($16.00) is a lump crab/lump avocado Great dish. My wife is also a huge fan of the Dough Roller's breakfast; she thought that breakfast at the Captain's Table was better.

Last, we used to be fans of the Sunset Grill which sits on an inlet and, at sunset, has a great deal of ambience. When we were told about the "old" Marlin Moon which was off the lobby of a motel on Route 50 before the bridge we became fans of it, despite the complete lack of ambience. Locals supported Marlin Moon and they support the Captain's Table. In fact it was the owner of Thrasher's french fries who told me about the Captain's Table. (Serious.) The Sunset Grill today, for us, is a huge disappointment.