The Crab Claw Restaurant

We went around 9 pm after driving down from NJ. They are supposed to be open until 10. We were met at the entrance and told that the manager had a long day and we were NOT welcome to have a meal there and they were closed. Pretty crappy business model if you ask me. We won’t try again and discourage anyone else from going. Rude. Tried zero stars. Seems you need one to post.

We were there yesterday 6÷4÷16 Food was good Beer good service great (Savannah) was our waitress.

We are still waiting for our food after an hour. We were so happy to get a nice table and the waitress was delightful. Yet here we sit. Others around us have gotten their orders and we are waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting
Food arrived but ridiculous! There is no excuse for this. Many restaurants get busy. But we were forgotten. So enter at your own risk. Turned out another couple at our B and B had a similar experience at the same time downstairs on the patio. We got comped drinks, dessert and half off bill and they got a free salad!

This is a touristy place, we used Unilocal to find it but I’ve to say I was disappointed with it. The food was overpriced and the service was delayed. We got there before the sundown and it was busy in the outside area by the water, an hour or so later it got cold and most of the patrons left. Once my fiancé and I were the only ones left, mind you this wasn’t even 8pm the cooks and cleaning crew were loudly talking in the kitchen, making jokes, screaming and just being plain unprofessional. I can’t say I’ll return or recommend anyone there. Their crabs were decent though.

The view is great and the waitress was sweet. However, the crabs were obviously reheated. It doesn’t matter to me if they are small, that can’t be helped, BUT DON’T REHEAT CRABS!!!

This is quite a pricy of a restaurant. However the price is totally worth it. Located in the middle of St Michael’s marina, it has a great view and a tastefully decorated interior. The food quality matches and the service quality is up to the standard as well. I would have never guessed that crab crème soup goes so well with sherry, but it does, and the sherry is provided on the side, in a separate bottle. The crab cakes are among the tastiest I’ve tried in Maryland and their house brew is pretty awesome as well.

Tourist trap. Mediocre, overpriced food served by inattentive waiters that don’t care. Go somewhere else in St. Michaels.

Wonderful views and food. Mary our waitress was outstanding.
The soft shelled crabs were tiny but they gave us three instead of two. The lobster, crablegs, tuna, Mahi-​Mahi and crabcakes were all outstanding.

We had a great lunch and their is a great view of the water /​docks.
We had the fish tacos, a salmon club sandwich, and Cherry Stone clams. We loved all of it. And the had a good drink selection. Friendly, helpful staff.

The crab cake was decent, but CHECK YOUR CREDIT CARD STATEMENT after eating here, ESPECIALLY IF YOUR WAITRESS IS TAKARA. She decided to give herself an extra 8 dollars in tip, resulting in the discrepancy we discovered when reconciling our business account. When we contacted the restaurant, the representative from The Crab Claw sent us a copy of the receipt which CLEARLY showed that she changed our $ 31 tip to $ 39, evidenced by the sketchy looking 9 and the fact that it no longer equaled the total cost– over by $ 8. The total that we wrote included a 9 as well, which was NOTHING like the $ 9 that had been doctored in the $ 39 tip that TAKARA gave herself.
The representative from the Crab Claw offered no apology whatsoever, attempted to put the blame on us (as if we couldn’t do simple math), and did nothing regarding the waitress who attempted to steal from us.
I’m sure this isn’t the first time that TAKARA did this (maybe the first time she got caught?), just as I’m sure it won’t be the last – since no action was taken against the employee who clearly tried to steal from a customer. Lord only knows how many people don’t check their bank accounts and how much extra money TAKARA has gotten during her time here by straight-​up stealing.
I won’t be back, and I don’t recommend that anyone support a business that is fine with blatant deceit and illegal behavior.

The view is just gorgeous. We sat out on the patio by water and were the first ones out there but drew in a crowd after we were there for a little bit. The crabs were terrible. It was pretty shady that we called to see what kinds of crabs they had and were told at least mediums but were fresh and were caught today. They turned out to be barely mediums, if that size at all, and super light like they were about to die. The quality was sub-​par especially for being right on the water and in St Michaels. $ 54 a dozen? Not sure you should waste your time. Only 6 were true mediums and they were all light-​weight. Go to Bethany Beach to a place called Steamers. Those guys serve quality crabs and you should order ahead of time to pick up otherwise they might run out. But if you want to try the rest of The Crab Claw menu or have drinks, the picnic tables out back are awesome and it’s so relaxing.

A St Michael’s landmark, The cooler weather during the week made it very pleasant and light crowd. The service was fast and attentive. The crab imperial was piping hot and delicious! My standard crab cake lunch was shore comfort at its finest. The prices are a little high but the view and nostalgia are worth the few extra dollars.

My husband and I love St. MICHAELS MD. We have eaten at the Crab Claw several times. The service is always above board. They make you feel like the know you. Very professional. I ordered a crab fluff and cream of Crab soup. The soup was a little bland. The food was just ok. There is never a long wait. What blows my mind is that they take Checks… Over all it it’s a good place to bring the kids.

A bit off the beaten path, Crab Claw lets you feel like you are on a mini vacation. Went to this restaurant on a Sunday evening and sat on the dock overlooking the water, which was really nice.
We ordered steamed shrimp for appetizers and they were so good! The margaritas were surprisingly good as well. I also got a cream of crab soup as a starter… It was not very hot, but had a good taste. For my meal I got the crab cakes (with fries and coleslaw)…the crab cakes were made up of lump crab meat and had very little filler… really enjoyed them! The coleslaw was pretty regular, but the fries were really good! For dessert our group shared the Smith Island Cake (also known as the State Dessert of Maryland)…the cake was yummy and not too sweet… it was a great way to end our meal.
I will definitely be going back here!

I got a crab cake because that’s what I do. I’m boring that way. It was good. My friend definitely enjoyed her steak. Very typical beach town crab joint and décor. Good service. I’ll go back again — and maybe trip and fall into the water and hope a cute boat captain will rescue me… sorry no more details — I’m too busy thinking about the boat captain.

The big plus of the Crab Claw is its location right on the water. Sitting outside under an umbrella while watching the boats move along & the ducks & the fish – this is what the Eastern Shore is all about.
As for the food, you need to choose wisely. We had two dinners here, & we have high praise for the crab imperial & the steamed crabs (if you’re willing to do the work!) We suggest steering clear, however, of the fried items such as the seafood platter – way too much breading & way too little flavor.

I’d heard a lot about this place but was a bit disappointed by the actual experience. We stopped in St Michaels during a weekend trip and when you’re on the Eastern Shore during the summer crabs seem like what you have to have. Unfortunately the ones we got here weren’t that impressive. I understand that its been a bad year for crabs so prices are bound to be high. Two of the twelve crabs that we got were mushy though and the restaurant seemed to be annoyed that we pointed out that we’d been served inedible crabs.
Our waitress here was very friendly and prompt but they made the somewhat odd decision to seat us right next to another group even though the main dining room was almost empty. That’s fine with the place was full, but if almost every other table was empty was it necessary to have us so close together that the waitress couldn’t fit between our tables?
I don’t want to sound too harsh on this place. A lousy crab season is something that’s beyond their control and we had a couple of appetizers which were fairly good. The Crab Claw didn’t live up to its reputation as a St Michael’s institution though.

Weekend trip to St. Michaels brought us to Crab Claw. Right next to the Maritime Museum. We decided to stop before our skipjack tour that departs from the Maritime Museum.
For the two of us, we ordered ½ dozen medium crabs, which came to about ~$ 5 each. I was surprised that they don’t come with crab picks, did not offer us crab bibs. Since the crabs are seasoned with old bay already, I found it way too overseasoned, and needed to quench myself with multiple cups of water. Lessen the old bay seasoning, and it would have been perfect. We sat inside because the outdoor seating by the dock was too long. I saw they also take reservations.
I also ordered their fish tacos of the day for ~$ 16. It was rockfish. It was delicious, but a bit pricy considering I ordered by equally delicious ahi tuna fish tacos at 208 Talbot for $ 13.

Apparently an institution in the area, this place was crowded, even outdoors on a drizzly day. Their tables are covered by a tent but are still in the open air, which is great. The restaurant is right on the water in the harbor, so the setting is nice.
We had the Maryland crab cakes, which were packed with lots of crab and a little Old Bay. Texture was ok, cakes were large. Flavor was average. The fries that came with it were done well. I had a nice local draft beer. The tab came to over $ 50 including tip. Not worth the price at all!

Let me be clear– I’m not a seafood eater. In fact, before my dinner here i had never had oysters, clams, crab, or basically anything. This was my first experience with all this and while I’m not a convert I did have fun trying. The crab was fresh and there were a lot of options. Granted there wasn’t much for non seafood eaters like me but if you’re going to a place called the crab claw you have to assume you’re interested in seafood.
The staff wasn’t super friendly but we were a large group and kind of rowdy so I don’t blame them. They were helpful in telling me how to eat all the new foods and supplied discard bags for the shells. The appetizers were my favorite including the chicken wings and crab dip. I didn’t see the bill but the prices on the menu looked reasonable.
Again, not a seafood fan, but for those that are, this might be a fun destination.