Finding the best crab cakes in Baltimore isn’t cheap, but after eating my way across the city, I think I’ve found them. From legendary neighborhood restaurants to famous crab cake institutions, these are the best crab cakes in Baltimore, Maryland, ranked in order.
What I found is that three spots are in a different category from everyone else. The gap between them and the rest of the field is noticeable enough that I split this list into two sections: The Top 3, and then The Others. If you only have time for one crab cake in Baltimore, it should come from one of the top three.
My Top 3 Baltimore Crab Cakes
If you’re wondering where to find the best crab cakes in Baltimore, start with these three restaurants. In my opinion, they’re clearly a step above the rest.
#1. Koko's Pub
Koko’s Pub is my pick for the best crab cake in Baltimore. The pub sits north of downtown in the Lauraville neighborhood, which means it’s not on the water and doesn’t have the ambiance of a classic crab house. It started as a hole-in-the-wall bar in 1985 and has grown into one of the most well-regarded neighborhood restaurants in the city. The crab cake is why people make the drive from the Inner Harbor.
The cake itself is 11 ounces with minimal filler, seasoned with Old Bay and broiled. At over $50 for the crab cake platter, it’s not cheap, but you’re getting a lot of crab. A double platter is available if you’re sharing. You can also buy individual uncooked cakes to take home, which is worth knowing if you want to bring a piece of Baltimore back with you.
There’s a full pub menu here, but ordering anything other than the crab cake on your first visit would be a mistake
Crab cake size: 11 ounces
#2. Faidley's Seafood
Faidley’s Seafood is my pick for the second best crab cake in Baltimore, and I’ll be honest about why. Locals migth put G&M here instead, and I understand that instinct. Neighborhood spots tend to get more respect than anything near a tourist corridor, for the same reason New Yorkers avoid Times Square even when the food is actually good. But Faidley’s earns its reputation on merit, not just foot traffic.
It was also the first truly great crab cake I ever had, and that memory has stuck. There’s something about eating a crab cake at Faidley’s for the first time and realizing what the gap is between a Baltimore crab cake and whatever passes for one everywhere else.
Faidley’s sits inside Lexington Market, making it the most famous place for crab cakes at Lexington Market and one of the easiest stops for visitors exploring downtown Baltimore. You can get steamed crabs, raw seafood, a cold beer, and a dozen other things under one roof. But the famous crab cakes at Faidley’s are the main draw, and the jumbo lump cake is what you’re ordering. For visitors staying near the Inner Harbor, this is the most convenient stop on this list for world-class Baltimore crab cakes without needing a car.
Crab cake size: Not listed; order the jumbo lump
#3. G&M Restaurant
G&M Restaurant is my third ranked crab cake in Baltimore, though if I’m being honest it could just as easily share the second spot with Faidley’s. The 8-ounce jumbo lump crab cake here is that good.
The atmosphere is not going to win any awards. G&M sits in a large building that gives nothing away from the outside, and the interior leans generic. But this is a local restaurant that has been doing one thing exceptionally well for decades, and the regulars aren’t coming for the decor. The menu is extensive, almost comically so, but don’t let it distract you. The crab cake is the reason you’re here.
You can order a smaller 4-ounce version as a sandwich, but the full platter is the right call. What makes G&M particularly worth knowing about is its location. If you’re looking for the best crab cakes near BWI Airport, G&M is the obvious stop. It’s only minutes from the airport and right off I-95. Among all the best crab cakes in Baltimore Maryland, this is the one with the most convenient highway access, and that makes it a realistic stop even on a tight itinerary.
Crab cake size: 8 ounces
More Great Crab Cake Restaurants in Baltimore
If you’re looking beyond my top three picks, these Baltimore crab cake restaurants are still well worth a visit. Some are worth the trip for their history or atmosphere, while others are excellent options depending on where you’re staying or traveling through the city.
Pappas Restaurant & Sports Bar
Mark Pappas immigrated from Greece to the United States in 1956 with no money and no English. By 1972 he had learned the language, saved enough to get started, and opened Pappas Restaurant and Sports Bar in Parkville, just north of the Baltimore city line. Somewhere along the way he also developed one of the best crab cake recipes in Maryland.
The 8-ounce crab cake hasn’t changed in over 50 years and has collected a long list of awards to back that up. It’s a legitimate contender among the best Maryland crab cakes, and the fact that it sits just outside the city limits is the main reason it doesn’t get more attention from visitors. The bar area with the TVs is a good place to sit, and the recently renovated dining room is worth knowing about if you prefer a quieter setting. There’s also a seafood market across the street, and the restaurant has since expanded to locations in Cockeysville and Glen Burnie if those are closer to where you’re staying.
Crab cake size: 8 ounces
Jimmy's Famous Seafood
Jimmy’s Famous Seafood has one of the best origin stories of any restaurant in Baltimore. Owner Antonios Minadakis grew up in the apartment above the restaurant, the son of founder Jimmy Minadakis, and spent years learning every part of the business before eventually taking over. That family history still shows in the food and the atmosphere.
The restaurant has two distinct personalities: a lively bar on the first floor and a dining room upstairs that often features live music. Jimmy’s also hosts themed brunches and special events, making it one of the more entertaining crab cake restaurants in Baltimore if your visit happens to line up with one.
The crab cakes are well worth ordering, but the signature item that sets Jimmy’s apart is the Seafood UFO: a homemade bun piled high with a crab cake, fried shrimp, fried oysters, and shrimp salad. It comes in a standard size and a “huge” version that easily feeds three to five people. If you’re visiting with family or friends, it’s a fun dish to share.
Nick's Fish House
Nick’s Fish House sits right on the water on the Baltimore Peninsula, with open-air picnic tables and two outdoor bars overlooking the Patapsco River. If what you’re after is a quintessential Chesapeake Bay seafood shack experience, this is the best atmosphere on this list by a wide margin.
The crab cakes, however, are the weakest on this list. That’s not a reason to skip Nick’s, it’s just a reason to manage your expectations if a great crab cake is the priority. Come for the setting, order an orange crush, and enjoy one of the better outdoor dining spots in Baltimore. Just don’t make the crab cake the main event.
Costas Inn
Costas Inn has too strong a reputation to leave off this list. The crab house has been a Baltimore institution since 1971, founded by Greek immigrants Costas Triantafilos and his wife in Dundalk, just southeast of the city. Food Network’s Michael Symon called the jumbo lump crab cake “wonderful,” noting it’s made with minimal breadcrumbs to let the crab do the talking. The Baltimore Business Journal has ranked it the top crab restaurant in Baltimore, and it has been Zagat rated since 1999.
The original location sits at 4100 Northpoint Boulevard in Dundalk, which makes it a reasonable detour if you’re coming in from the east or navigating the I-695 beltway. A second location recently opened in Timonium at the Maryland State Fairgrounds for those coming from the north. Both locations offer the crab cakes and full menu. Steamed crabs are available at the Dundalk original only.
Baltimore is home to some of the best crab cakes in Maryland, and after eating through more of them than my wallet would have preferred, I think Koko’s, Faidley’s, and G&M stand above the rest. Whether you’re looking for famous Baltimore crab cakes, a neighborhood crab house, or a convenient stop near BWI Airport, you really can’t go wrong with any of the restaurants on this list.
