Phillips has many locations around the DC/Baltimore area and serves up some of the best crab cakes I have ever had. One tip--order the more expensive variety--the price difference is minimal and the difference in the quality of the crab used is well worth it.

I think there are many more places besides Phillips where you can get great crabcakes.

I think there are many more places besides Phillips where you can get great crabcakes.
You can find great crabcakes at places like Old Ebbitt, or even smaller seafood reastuarants which take pride in what they serve. In Baltimore I am sure there are plenty of places in Fells Pointe which offer up excellent crabcakes.
Eating at Phillips is like a giant cafeteria. I went to the one on the Waterfront in DC and i saw the maximum seating capacity was nearly 3000! It was a Sunday afternoon and i can tell you that it almost looked as if there were that many people there.
If you read the Zagats review for Phillips, the diners review says: "Chesapeake critics find the crab cakes so 'embarrassing' that 'they should be exiled for crab abuse'."

Sorry to jump all over your claim, but some things are taken very seriously in Chesapeake dining, and one of those is definitely crabcakes.

-Eli

------------------
Washington/Miami
AAdvantage Gold

I agree, Phillips is busy (not always a bad sign), but I've had Old Ebbitt's crabcakes too and I didn't find them any better than the ones I've had at Phillips and they were much pricier. If you are going for atmoshpere, Old Ebbitt Grill would win hands down. My family is from the Annapolis/Baltimore area and I spend about one week a month in the area myself, so I know what a good crab cake tastes like. Just my two cents. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/smile.gif

Best Crabcakes... now there is a debate that has been going on in the Ches. Bay region for a looooong time. I do have to admit, you will find few locals who would even put Phillips on the list.

My personal favorites include The Frog & the Redneck in Richmond, the Robert Morris Inn on the Eastern Shore, MD, and in DC, the crabcake platter at Eastern Market.

Now, if you're into crab picking...

Jimmy Cantlers in Annapolis, The Crab Claw over in St. Micheals, and <edited to preserve secret location>. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/smile.gif

Dagnabit Geo1004,

I GOTS to know. What is the third "secret" location?

Ve have vays of making you talk!

Out with it man. Spill it.

G & M Restaurant, not too far from BWI has outstanding crab cakes. Very close to the finest in the DELMARVA area.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by hreamer:
Out with it man. Spill it.</font>


I could tell you, but then I would have to drown you in drawn butter. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/wink.gif

Well, if nothing else, at least my little recommendation of Phillips has prompted some conversation and revealed a few more great spots to try for crabcakes. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/smile.gif

I held a meeting at Angelina's http://www.crabcake.com/ over the 4th of July. Growing up around MD/DC, I have a lot of crabcakes and this is one of the best places I've been.

Philips has the one of the best and cheapest seafood buffets in the area. Nothing can beat the all you can eat seafood for $25. When I take people around town, I usually end my day at Philips and my guest love it.

For great crabcakes, try Mickey's in Bethany Beach, DE. It's on Rt. 1 (the main north/south highway) right near Sea Colony. Outstanding! They are unbelievably meaty.

Best crabcake I know of in the mid-Atlantic is served at Jake's in Rehoboth Beach, DE.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by SFOJFK:
Philips has the one of the best and cheapest seafood buffets in the area. Nothing can beat the all you can eat seafood for $25. When I take people around town, I usually end my day at Philips and my guest love it.</font>

If you are looking to gorge on seafood, I agree! Not usually a fan of buffets, but Phillips is a good one.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by geo1004:
Now, if you're into crab picking...
</font>

could be. what type of crabs and how are they prepared?

Had Maryland blues in the form of crab cakes for the 1st time ever this week (used to eat them steamed). After readin Zagats, I avoided Phillips and Angelina's. Went to Faidley's in Lexington Market. Quite expensive ($12-13 for a jumbo lump crabcake with a bit of tomato and lettuce garnish). Crabcakes there are deep-fried. Quite a bit of lump meat. Not much binder. The backfin ($7-8) I had wasn't as good (lacked seasoning)and had quite a bit of shell in it.

Also went to a location near the airport (you can find it in Zagats) where there crabcakes are, as one reader puts it, obscenely large. $20 gets you a dinner with salad and 2 sides and 2 large crabcakes - Backfin meat, baked with more bread than I like but still very good.

Frog and The Redneck is CLOSED in RIchmond- been out of business for over a year...


We had excellent crabcakes in a restaurant in Fells Point- Really contemporary- multi-level- sparse but finky restaurant- CANNOT remember the name but think it is owned by the Spike and Charlies people.....

Also forgot to reply- for GREAT Blue Crabs on the Md. side very close to RIchmond-
TRY CAPTAIN BILLY's = IT has been in business forever and has GREAT Blue Claw Crabs cooked in Spices===Killer Crabs!!

Umm.... I can hear that hammer now--

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by terenz:
Also went to a location near the airport (you can find it in Zagats) where there crabcakes are, as one reader puts it, obscenely large. $20 gets you a dinner with salad and 2 sides and 2 large crabcakes Backfin meat, baked with more bread than I like but still very good.</font>


That's the G&M. The place is just off the beltway, half way between the BW Parkway(295) and I95 South.

The crab balls are boiled, then put in an oven for a quick bake/broil.

The Decor rating in Zagat is an 8. The worst in Baltimore, and that is saying something about bad decor.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by slawecki:
That's the G&M. The place is just off the beltway, half way between the BW Parkway(295) and I95 South.

The crab balls are boiled, then put in an oven for a quick bake/broil.

The Decor rating in Zagat is an 8. The worst in Baltimore, and that is saying something about bad decor.</font>

Yes. It was G&M. I like the fact the crab cakes are not deep fried.

The decor is interesting to say the least. How should I put it? Tacky stuff from the '70s/early '80s? But who's there for the decor anyway? http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/smile.gif

Oh, I adore G&M!!! I have some very good friends that live in Catonsville. The wife is not fond of crabcakes and now they have two kids, but I try to go with the husband at least once a year.

The decor is best described as leftover college apartment kitchen. I'm not sure that even everything at any one particular table matches. My kind of place - forget the circuses, just bring the food!

My experience of the G&M is here
http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/Forum11/HTML/009880.html
Enjoyed the crabcakes so much I ended up going back two nights in a row!

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by ElmhurstNick:
Oh, I adore G&M!!!...The decor is best described as leftover college apartment kitchen. I'm not sure that even everything at any one particular table matches. My kind of place - forget the circuses, just bring the food!</font>

My experience of the G&M is here
http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/Forum11/HTML/009880.html
Enjoyed the crabcakes so much I ended up going back two nights in a row!


I haven't had them at G&M but have heard good things about them. My personal favorite is Timbuktu Restaurant (http://www.timbukturestaurant.com/). They are huge and all lump ... hardly any filler. All the food is outstanding but I love the crab cakes. I go there at least once a week. The restaurant is located off RT. 100 about 3 miles from BWI.