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Posted

I've got a wedding in St. Michael's coming up next weekend, and I want crabs. Short of sleeping with one of the bridesmaids, does anyone have any suggestions for where I can get some good ones?

It's a long weekend with a lot of downtime, so I need stuff to eat.

Again, short of the bridesmaids.

in addition to the crabs you should definitely try `208 Talbot`

Posted

5 minute bike ride from 208 Talbot to the water side and there are 7-8 crab restaurants next to each other. I tried one without knowing anything about them and was very satisfied. They use the old bay seasoning very generously.

Posted
But what about the crabs??? We're willing to drive up to 30 miles for really good ones smile.gif

Go past St Michaels towards Tilghman Island. Just before the bridge is a plae that has quite good AYCE crabs. Small but juicy and flavorful on our one time there. Lousy bloody marys though. The ice creamparlor/coffee house in the village is nice.\

Be seeing you!

Posted

If you are looking for more than crabs, i.e. crabs AND some of Maryland's best seafood including rockfish stuffed with crab imperial, very good cream of crab soup, etc. give serious consideration to Suicide Bridge about five or six miles outside of Cambridge and locally enormously popular: http://www.suicidebridge.com/ You may also want to consider backtracking to the Narrows on Kent Island for Maryland's best crab cakes and cream of crab soup along with at least two other restaurants (i.e. Harris) which have large crab decks over or adjacent to the water. Alternatively, there are a number of places in St. Michael's including the Crab Claw but, honestly, it's been a number of years since I was there. Years ago the Crab Claw-which has an idyllic location in the center of St. Michaels right on the water-was considered one of Maryland's best. I just have not been in a number of years. Curiously, no less an authority than the BBC (!) wrote a lengthy article about it: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A249176 Alternatively, this is an excellent source for Maryland crab houses: http://www.bluecrab.info/crabhouses.htm

The real issue you are going to find is whether or not Maryland crabs are in season and, for the middle of June, I am guessing probably not. If they are, Harris' on Kent Island sell Maryland crabs and a place in Cambridge, Ocean Odyssey which Kliman raved about, right on route 50 which has absolutely NO atmosphere typically carry jumbos for about $75 that they catch on their own boats. I know about Harris' using Maryland crabs because the owner of Ocean Odyssey told me that he delivers to them.

Posted

Bistro St. Michaels was a bit of a letdown. Copies of the Zagat reviews posted outside the bathroom showed food quality dropping from 27 to 21 between 2001 and 2005. Plot a linear regression and see what 2009 would be. I got the sense from eating the food that the chef just wasn't into it anymore. Little things. Like the soup being served too hot and the ice cream being served too cold. Items that were under-sauced. We had a 5:30 reservation and, I don't know if the wait staff resented us for being there that early or what, but we just were not made to feel welcome.

We took the advice of a friend who'd been living there for years: Crab Claw is overhyped, and St. Michael's Crab House at 305 Mulberry was the way to go. The 2-2-2 Fry Plate for $13.95 was to fried seafood what the Palena fry plate is to fried lemons. Fried oysters, mini crab cakes, and coconut shrimp came with ample dippin' and a crispy fry.

The steamed crabs were perfectly cooked and plenty messy, going great with the locally made St. Michael's ale. After half a dozen very large crabs, we finished up with the crab cake sandwich. It was moist and creamy, with a lightly toasted bun and dill remoulade.

Posted

Since our good friends had to bail on a reservation they couldn't get refunded, we will be taking their room in St. Michael's for President's Day weekend, two days with baby and 1 day without. MD crabs are obviously impossible ([nervously asking] right?). If you were eating out for every meal in St. Michaels and everything was casual except for the one night sans baby, where might you go? One night might have to be a take-out option since that poor kid goes to sleep at 6:30 PM (part of the problem of jobs that make you wake up stupidly early) so we might be eating that first night in the hotel room after traveling.

Pax,

Brian

Posted

On a recent trip to this part of Maryland, we landed at Foxy's Harbor Grille in St. Michael's. Their outdoor deck was extremely pleasant and we were entertained by a local musician who was suitably atmospheric but not intrusive. From the outside, I was concerned that I was going to walk into a somewhat more raucous environment that I would have preferred (not that I'm against raucous, per se, but not so much when I'm out with a little kid & the family)--and I suspect the place gets happier as the evening goes on.

Dining is on a deck looking out over the marina--I believe there is another indoor space in the same complex if there is rain. The menu was simple bar food, including burgers, sandwiches, and crab cakes, but nicely executed. My burger was a cut above the usual bar burger and came with a nice char. Side options include potato chips, black bean salad or potato salad.

We followed up by taking the Bellevue ferry across to Oxford (about a 25-35 min trip total--10 min drive, 10 min on the ferry, plus a wait for the ferry to arrive) for ice-cream at Scottish Highland Creamery. This is a must-go stop on the Eastern shore for me, as I am Scottish originally and always scope out their shop for treats that I can't get in the US. Alas, no tablet, but their ice-cream is excellent and their flavors innovative.

Posted

The most popular place in town is avas pizzaria. Dont let the pizza title fool you. Full bar and many other items on menu. Fresh french fries are worth the trip if that is your thing.

For fine dining, 208 talbot seems to be returning to its former glory after a few years of ownership,changes.

Posted

Go past St Michaels towards Tilghman Island. Just before the bridge is a plae that has quite good AYCE crabs. Small but juicy and flavorful on our one time there. Lousy bloody marys though. The ice creamparlor/coffee house in the village is nice.\

Be seeing you!

If Dean is talking about the same place as I am they have amazing steamer or soft-shell clams (depends on where you are from as to what you call them).  Worth seeking this place out if you are in the area.

Posted

If Dean is talking about the same place as I am they have amazing steamer or soft-shell clams (depends on where you are from as to what you call them).  Worth seeking this place out if you are in the area.

Are you talking about Marker Five?

Posted
4 minutes ago, MarkS said:

St Michaels is always good, Cracked Claw for Crabs and I know there is a good pizza place on the main street.

Ava's is the pizza place.  I'm a fan.  Also really like Awful Arthur's for seafood in St. Michaels.

Posted
14 minutes ago, zgast said:

Ava's is the pizza place

You are so right about Ava's, great place though I dragged an anchor in the harbor the same night!!!   The Scottish Highland Creamery in Oxford is great for adults and kids.

Posted

The St. Michael's thread is a little old.  Does anyone have any dining recommendations?  Looking for veg and seafood options.  Thanks!

Posted

St. Michaels is super cute.  Talbot Street, the main road through town, is lined with 4 or 5 blocks of restaurants, boutiques, art galleries, and other specialty stores.  The town includes a couple of local historic museums, and the harbor has several touristy type water front restaurants. Between Talbot Street and the harbor are small streets and alleyways lined with adorable homes. 

That said, St. Michaels is very small, like, walk across town in 10 minutes small.  It's worth a day trip, or if you are staying in town you best have the mindset for a very chill weekend or use St. Michaels as a launching spot for other activities in the area.  In early June, the town had visitors but it wasn't crowded.  Most restaurants were half to 3/4 full and we didn't have any problems getting a table.  Most stores were closed by 5 or 6 pm and most restaurants were closing down around 9pm.  Perhaps things are more hopping later in the summer?

Old Brick Inn -  We stayed at the Old Brick Inn, located along Talbot Street in the heart of town.  It was a nice place, nothing fancy but we had everything we needed and a good sized room.  Their restaurant severed a good, hearty breakfast of the classics: eggs Benedict, waffles, etc. and they have a nice outdoor patio.  Room price included a breakfast of entree, coffee + juice per guest.

Awful Arthur's - There was nothing awful about Arthur's, it was pretty solid, without being great.  They have a nice selection of local oysters for $2 each and a shorter selection of MA and ME oysters for $3 each, unfortunately, they could do a better job shucking.  We enjoyed the Chincoteague Salts and the Moon Dancers (Maine) best.  The crab cakes were fine.  The patio dining area is very nice on a lovely evening.

Gina's Cafe - A super casual, bohemian style "Mexican-ish" cafe with a nice outdoor dining area of picnic tables and fire pits.  Good guac and a goopy delicious taco stuffed with crab meat, cheese and pickled ginger.

Eastern Shore Brewing - I wanted to like this place, they have a nice tap room, but the beer...meh.  We ordered the 5 sampler flight and we couldn't recommend any of them.  Save you beer calories for RaR Brewing in Cambridge.     

  • Like 3
Posted

Talbot 208 is highly recommended in St Michaels.  St. Michaels is a boating town and weekend destination for sailors like me, as it is a day sail from Annapolis. If we go this weekend there is good chance we will dine at Talbot 208.

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