Belly Busters

Belly Busters is hands-down one of our Ocean City traditions! My husband and I have been coming to OC for about 15 years, and every single trip we make sure to stop in — the food is always amazing. Now that we have kids, we bring them along too, and they absolutely enjoyed the seafood just as much as we do. It’s the kind of spot that never disappoints — fresh, flavorful, and always worth the visit. A true Ocean City gem!

I read reviews so I thought I would love the food. I found it to be a waste of money. We ordered half a dozen of “large” crabs and 3 crabs were meaty. 1 crab was completely empty. 2 crabs was sooo small. Everything else tasted frozen besides the wings. The wings were good. That’s it. $156. 00 so not worth it. The waitress was attentive . I will never return.

Belly Busters is ALWAYS our first stop when we get to OCMD! They have never failed us year after year! We order a dozen of the jumbo blue crabs and no where else satisfies us the way Belly Busters does! 10/10 !

The most amazing experience! We ate so many crabs and they were perfect. Wait staff was very attentive with drinks and she was always checking on us. A must go to on our next trip here.

I'm going to approach my review as someone likely different from the average tourist from ocean city. I can't eat seafood, but my wife loves crabs. One thing that stood out to me about this restaurant that is incredibly unique is how they treat their grilled cheese sandwich. Too often restaurants either way over charge for a barely passable sandwich, or try too hard to make the sandwich classy and demand a high premium. Belly Busters, however, humbly charged only $2.99 for a delicious grilled cheese that excels in all qualities you'd want in one. I'm very grateful that a restaurant chooses not to gouge customers in this area, because I've paid twice as much for a much worse product too often elsewhere. Kudos Belly Busters, we'll be back soon.

The waitress Becky was very nice and friendly. The food was delicious and filling. I had the seafood platter. Thank you for letting my put my daughter’s sticker. Her name is Albalee Rosa she passed away from fentanyl overdose 2022. She was 24 years old. Her friends and I have been putting Stickers up on her honor. She enjoyed traveling and her life was cut short.

During our visit to Ocean City, we found Belly Busters to be the nearest open restaurant to our accommodations at 9 pm on a stormy night. I had a strong craving for fried oysters, and I was fortunate to find them on their menu. The restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor seating, and the interior had a welcoming and cozy ambiance. Upon entering, their staff warmly greeted us, seated us, and engaged in a pleasant conversation when they learned we were not locals and that it was my first time in Ocean City. The service was efficient and attentive. We ordered the seafood platter, Conch Fritters, and Fried Oysters. Of the three dishes, I found the Fried Oysters to be the most satisfying, which is what I had come for in the first place. However, the food fell short in some aspects; it was overcooked, dry, and had an excessive amount of batter. The Conch Fritters seemed to be more of fillers, lacking substantial conch pieces, and the sauces were somewhat bland. Considering the quality of the food, I would say that the prices were somewhat on the higher side. In fairness, we visited late at night during a storm, which may have affected the food quality. Nevertheless, I must commend them for their good service.

We were very excited to try this place. We called ahead to make sure it was handicap accessible and we're told yes but it's a tight squeeze. Cool. We get there and the handicap ramp is very dangerous. There's no railings and you have to squeeze between the door and the ramp and pivot to get inside. We have a medical stroller and we're very nervous about falling over the edge. We go in and we're greeted by very friendly staff who showed us one table that we'd best fit at , with our large party and disabled child. Cool. We will wait. My daughter is full care, she can not walk and is fully dependent on us, equipment and a medical stroller / wheel chair. I asked if there were a bathroom we could use and they say yes down a step and threw the kitchen. I asked if our daughters medical stroller would fit and was told very nicely no it's too tight. We decided to leave and go to another place that is truly handicap accessible in all aspects. The staff was very very friendly and very apologetic. I just wouldn't consider this place handicap accessible especially when the bathroom is not.

Stopped by for dinner on a Wednesday and Belly Busters was popping (both the inside and outside tables were pretty much taken). You seat yourself (which is somewhat confusing as there's no sign that states that so you end up hanging out at the door until staff tells you) and then someone takes your order. For being sk busy, the food came out in a good amount of time. Decided on the jalapeno poppers and rockfish bites to start. Both were solid appetizers. The poppers came out hot, so definitely wait a little before taking your first bite. Rockfish was good and seasoned well - didn't need the sauce that accompanied the app. For my entree, I had the rockfish tacos, which were delicious. The two tacos came with a generous portion of rockfish that was topped with slaw, sauce, etc. I added some hotsauce (grab at the bar yourself) for that extra kick. I also tried some of the steamed shrimp, which was really good. Pretty simple as it just had Old Bay, but who doesn't like Old Bay?! Washed my meal down with hard seltzer (can grab yourself up front). They also have a few beers on tap. Overall a solid spot for seafood while in Ocean City.

Pleasantly surprised- French dip was awesome. Toasted bun, hot fries and fast service. The rockfish tacos were a hit also, full of flavor and surprisingly filling. Food was a 5 star! The downside here's the place, outhouse for a bathroom, no hand washing, no parking, worn down picnic table seating and "Right" on the road, exhaust fumes and all. If you like it "basic" then you will love this spot.

EXCELLENT shrimp tacos. Flavor explosion. My wife liked her cheesesteak a lot. She ordered it with fried onions and sauce Fries were hot, fresh and good!

As a vegetarian who didn't participate in sampling what this establishment is best known for, I decided to retain more stars that I normally would for an experience like what I had, especially since it seemed like the rest of my party was content with their meal. I would first start out by saying that there is limited accessibility, and this joint is not family friendly. I was never offered a high chair for my 11 month old, and I ended up not asking for one because there was literally no space to even place it. So, my experience was already significantly impacted by having a stroller there was no place for and having an older infant sit in my lap the whole meal. Unfortunately, the food was subpar and actually disappointing, even with the low standards I set for a place I know won't have much in the way of meatless options. Though they luckily did have vegetables on the menu in the way of a veggie sub, the sandwich was soggy as soon as it got to me, and it was mostly filled with lettuce and mushrooms (see picture where you can barely see anything other than romaine). The French fries were also sad and under seasoned. I was hoping for at least some old bay seasoning. The restaurant was also terribly crowded and loud. Just all around a not great experience.

My family has been coming here for yearsssss. This place has never changed and has some of the best food in OCMD. The shrimp wrap is PACKED with huge shrimp and is well seasoned. The nicest staff you can find in OCMD. Great vibes.

We went here when everywhere had long wait bc it was raining. This was way more what we were looking for. Love the dive vibe. Staff was awesome. The food was so good and we saved a ton going here instead. Sandwiches were awesome. Wish it wasn't raining so we could have eaten outside but we got it to go

We were in the mood for crabs and everywhere we called was a very long wait. Fortunately we were able to get a table here. We came at night and were still able to get some large crabs. The crabs, shrimp, and clams were well seasoned steamed to perfection. I liked mixing the butter with their hot sauce. We definitely ate all of the seafood. The kids got hot dogs and grilled cheese. Everybody was happy. The service was awesome! Our server was really attentive and observant. Unfortunately spilled my almost full beer. She grabbed me another one on the house. We sat outside which was perfect as the weather was nice. Inside seemed a bit muggy. Parking was on the side street since this place is located on the main road. We didn't have any issues finding parking. We will definitely come back again!

I was expecting to enjoy this place, but didn't know how much! We showed up on a holiday weekend Saturday night, and this place was hopping, but we only had to wait about 15 minutes to grab one of the tables outside. We were four adults and five small children, and we fit at one of the picnic tables. Sometimes it can be a lot keeping kids entertained, but there was something magic about having the crabs come out with the little hammers. Not only did I enjoy eating the crabs, but our kids enjoyed hitting the table, the crabs, and anything else they could with the hammers. Even before the crabs came out, we pulled out pens and allowed the kids to draw on a heavy paper tablecloth that they put down before delivering the crabs. The jumbo shrimp were also a highlight, I wish we'd ordered more of those honestly than the crabs because they're a lot easier. The french fries were also great, the rockfish tacos I got were fine, but the crabcake was really delicious. Overall, it was a really successful hands-on exploratory meal and I would love to go back again.

Went on a Tuesday night in June and it was so hot outside - more than 90 degrees, but inside had open tables and fans blowing hard. This is a beach spot- no a/c and you will stick to the chairs, but nothing a pitcher of beer and some cold sodas couldn't fix. We got a dozen XL crabs for $130 and they had large, lump meat in them. They were fantastic! Fries were good, steamed shrimp was really good, service was very good. Would definitely come back.

Very casual and laid back vibe. The shrimp was better than the soft shell crabs, food was all solid though!

Not appetizing at all. Frozen seafood in the seafood capital of the world. Terrible and quite disappointing!

I was quite disappointed with the fried shrimp dinner, priced at $30. I expected fresh shrimp, but it turned out to be frozen, box shrimp. Overall, I was unhappy with the meal and won't be returning.

Expect like a dive bar vibe with just a couple servers working super hard. They seemed spread too thin and the kitchen couldn't keep up with orders when it was busy, but the food was so so good. The mozzarella sticks were AMAZING, and the fried shrimp and crab legs were also soooo good! We went back a second time. I'd go back again, just with the service could be a bit more efficient, but our server was attentive and nice.

This is a popular spot with indoor and outdoor seating and plenty of seafood options on the menu. When we arrived there wasn't an indoor table for four available but the staff helped us add a chair and we made it work. The service was quick and very friendly. We ordered the seafood platter, flounder and soft shell crabs. The sides were not that exciting and the portions were smaller than expected but the seafood was cooked perfectly. I did find my soft shell crabs a bit salty with the amount of old bay on them. We had trouble finding parking as there is only a small lot for delivery drivers on the side of the restaurant, and everything else was full or permit parking only. There were a lot of flies inside ? Is that normal ? I'm not sure if I would come back but the seafood was notable, maybe better as takeout.

We ate there once on our first day at Endless Summer Cruisin and returned on our last day because the food was that good. The shrimp salad was just made and delicious. They had a double patty cheeseburger special for $9.99 that was very tasty. The service was excellent and in terms of ambiance, you can eat inside or outside. I definitely recommend this restaurant.

When we visited Ocean City, Belly Busters was the closest restaurant near our accomodations that was still open at 9pm on a stormy night. I was craving for fried oysters and luckily they have it on their menu. They have indoor and outdoor seating, and the atmosphere inside was bright and warm. When we came in their staff greeted us warmly, sat us at our table and took some time to chat with us when we shared that we are not locals and it was my first time in Ocean City. Their service was good and fast. We got the seafood platter, Conch Fritters and Fried Oysters, out of all the three I only liked the Fried Oysters - well this is what I cam here for. The food was over cooked, dry, and was heavy on the batter and the conch fritters are more of extenders and I didn't really see any conch pieces. The sauces were kinda bland too. For the quality of the food, I would say they are kinda pricey. To be fair, I am putting into consideration that we came here late and perhaps it was a stormy night as to why they might've fell short on my food expectations but I am still giving them credit for the good service.

We ordered the soft crab sandwhich, and were totally shocked when we got them. The waitress said they are really good but small. So we did order them. The word small is an understatement. It was 2 TINY, AND I MEAN TINY soft crabs on a burger roll. And they charged 19.99 , no sides, just the sandwhich. Pic below of the soft crab. WTH. will never eat here again. Ate here on 6/27/25.

Cured my nonverbal-ness. My sister made me and my other sister walk to the pier which was an hour away from our hotel-walking distance. we didn't even go to the pier. she wanted to make us walk all the way back to belly busters because we had the food last time and she liked it, so we did. we walked about an hour back to belly busters and I didn't talk the whole way because I was so very tired and my legs hurt so very much. we finally made it. there was people drinking at the bar and it was about an hour till they closed. we sat down outside and there was a couple arguing behind us. I'm not complaining. they were drunk and it was very amusing. we order fries and mozzarella sticks, it took about 30 or so. thats fine. they were close to closing and there was a lot of people. when I tell you the second the waiter placed that bowl of fries I started devouring it. the world seemed like a better place, I felt like I was ascending to heaven. we orders the snow crab legs. I also devoured. them like my life depended on it because it did. I started talking again, I was like Socrates. I started questioning If I myself was a belly buster because it certainly felt like it. Anways! I liked it good was good!

Great lunch place. Nothing fancy but good crab cakes and grilled fish. Called in the order and they had it ready on time.

Great spot for dine in or takeout. Fish tacos (rockfish & shrimp fajita), conch fritters, and French fries were all good. Good service. Good spot to see sunset while eating out front. Fun bar scene too.

I've only ever ordered their sandwiches for takeout. You have to get their $9.99 (still I think) French Dip or whatever they call it. Comes with horseradish, au jus, and fries. It's a hidden option not on the menu that you have to ask for. Quick service, yummy food! I always go back.

It's a late spring/early summer day and raining. I stop into Belly Busters because it is close to my last minute accommodation. Everywhere else looks slow, but Belly Busters is absolutely jamming with locals. I am immediately greeted by a friendly bartender named "Scotty." Food: I got a 16-inch cheesesteak w/ peppers. I divide rankings into 3 categories: absolute best of best league, drunk appeal, and regional appeal. Best of best gourmet league (ie. comparisons w/ Philadelphia): 6/7. Drunk appeal 9+/10. Regional appeal: 9/10. Also, it should be noted that despite being busy, I got my to-go order w/in 10 minutes. I was a little short of cash and could only tip about $6, yet the bartender was overwhelmingly gracious, which was an unexpected experience. Ambiance: this place seems like a hopping place, even if it is all locals during the time I visited it. The local Tony Luke's, technically, has a better cheesesteak but the ambiance is dead every time I go there. I will definitely be back to Belly Busters..................

Was over charged after the waitress messed up our order. She was rude and said if we didn't pay she would call the po po. Food was good, but that's it.

Got take out food for our first night in OCMD and highly recommend it! We ended up getting the fish tacos and crab cake sandwich. Both were reasonably priced for the area and tasted great with good portions. The staff was accommodating for a large order, even though it was 20 minutes before closing. Cute little restaurant with a great beach vibe.

Place is small. Great bar and plenty of TVs. Looked like only one waitress and a bartender and packed of course. Place is one to go to every time you are in OC. Did not smell fishy. I was surprised. Friendly staff and you could tell a bunch of locals there because everyone knew each other. This place gets the five stars for cleaniness, politeness, great food and great prices. Sadly, the waitress was way too busy for her station, I think she had the whole place under her wrap. Drinks were cold, poppers were yummy and hot. One kid ordered the cheeseburger and we all had the snow crab legs which were awesome. Wish there were lemons and more butter... So go there. Just hope there is more than one wait staff and bartender on hand. We had to get 4 orders for the three of us of the crab legs... way too good!!

Ordered take out today. Maybe it's what my husband and I got, but we didn't like it . He got the soft crab platter, coleslaw and fries I got the soft crab sandwich Along with fried conch. The. Eat thing was the fried conch balls. We just didn't like the taste of the soft shell crabs. Just in 3 things was $65

The food was cooked in old oil. The crab cakes, chicken fingers, and shrimp were all dark and burnt. Also, all the fries for each of the orders were ice cold. I have visited belly busters the last 5 years I visited ocean city MD and I was totally let down. I probably will never go back.

Rating on drinks and service only. We came during st. patty's weekend. They have indoor and outdoor seating, and it's seat yourself. We luckily got a table but tables are pretty close to each other because of the small space so the people had to squeeze in-between chairs that were back-to-back to each other. They have beers and seltzers, no liquor. Domestic drafts were $3.99 and imports were $5.99. They also have take-out beer. Service was decent. Very casual.

Service was NOT GOOD. Me and and few friends went for dinner and the young male server was not very adressive with us and we noticed he would attend to all other tables but us. He had quite the attitude with us and whenever we asked a simple question he did not know the answer. I and fellow friends were very upset with this behavior we received from him. The food was good but we were all a bit more concerned with the lack of service. We were a larger party so gratuity was already added on but i feel my gratuity was not earned by this young man. I sure hope other servers are much better then this young man because he definitely effected our opinions on this restaurant!!

For the price and quality of the food it's really unbeatable. Good, no frills beach stand vibe-- seems like it hasn't changed ever. The servants work hard and are affable. They are pretty good. $15 craft beer pitchers. End.

We had steamed shrimp, steamed clams - fried oysters - it was your OC crab house experience. they stop serving crabs a half hour before closing - so don't go late if you want steamed crabs. Pitchers of beer, and the usual stuff you can get everywhere else - OC is like groundhog day - you just keep driving or walking and it is like the same thing the whole way up the island. It is the MD crab house experience. If there is a better crab house in OC, please let me know.

This place is tiny but delicious! We ordered crab (a must) and some other locally caught items. The food comes to you quickly. There is indoor and outdoor seating, which is first come first serve. We had good service, albeit it was a bit loud for proper conversation.

My friends and I went in a group of 6 to eat some crab around 6-6:30pm. We waited about 15 minutes while they cleaned up the tables and got seated. There is both indoor and outdoor seating available, I would recommend sitting outdoors if you get the choice because it can be cramped and hot inside. It we came in during dinner rush so service was a bit slow, but once we ordered our drinks and food came out very quickly. A bushel of crabs med/large and some fries were more than enough to satisfy the 6 of us and we ended up taking a couple home in a paper bag.

Plan and simple bellys is one of if not thr best midtown beach food you can get. French dip is fire and im down for a simple cheeseburger. Probably best priced food in midtown, staff is fast and not a lot of waiting, they get you in and out

Quality food and less grease.Stop serving garbage . Prices are high for the low quality prepared food.

Excellent subs and BLT sandwiches. Bread is nice and crispy, so is the bacon, with lettuce, tomato, and mayo. Yum!

Cute little place. Seat yourself, indoors or outdoors. Food came out piping hot. We had to be patient to let it cool down. Katie was very friendly and helpful. Went two days in a row to see her, and eat shrimp in their house made cocktail sauce. Low key, come as you are, and eat.

My husband and I stopped here while on vacation, and we're so happy we did. The prices are great, and the food was fabulous. My husband had the shrimp, and I had fish tacos. We both left full and pleased. This will absolutely become a regular spot when we visit the area. The food is well worth the wait for a seat in the small restaurant.

Me and my kids loved the food and would definitely go again. The food is so great and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who has correct taste. The service was excellent and the employees were very friendly. To anyone that puts one star they are terribly wrong.

Made a last minute decision to drive out to Ocean City. Googled for seafood restaurants but didn't find anything that caught my eyes. Yelped for a seafood restaurant and found this place called the Belly Busters. Sure there were other fancier places but they looked more like bar/fusion restaurant. We wanted more of a seafood specialty place locals go to and decided to try out this place based on the yelp reviews and pics. First of all, love the name, Belly Busters :). We arrived at around 12:00 and ended up staying next 2.5 hours trying out their onion rings, blackened rockfish tacos, clam strip platter, 2 pounds of steamed shrimp and a dozen of extra large steamed crabs. And they didn't disappoint! Our server, Katie I think was her name, was super friendly and gave us great recommendations on local microbrew beers and food. Be warned that they don't skimp out on their version of old bay seasoning on the steamed crabs and shrimps and we LOVED it. Shrimps were juicy and tasty and the crabs were meaty. All males though. Next time, I will ask for female crabs maybe. We wobbled out of there with our bellies so full (hence the name Belly Busters?) and needed to take a walk afterwards, although it was so windy and chilly that we had to cut our short walk even shorter. Belly Busters, we will be back next time we stop by O.C.

Back at Belly Buster's! Time for an updated review. Funny, when I went three years ago I had just found them on Yelp and checked it out. My fiancé's parents bought a condo a street away about a year ago, so now belly buster's is the quick go-to! They have their COVID carry out structure worked out really well to maintain social distancing and protect their staff. We ordered the rockfish tacos, conch fritters, and mozzarella sticks. Food was ready really quickly. The rockfish tacos are so good! The coleslaw adds a nice creamy richness as well as a fresh bite to the tacos. Yum. I still stand by my previous review that the conch fritters seem to be mainly breading, so I may skip those next time but they are definitely a unique menu item!

Just looks like a standard beach subshop. Walk in and you quickly see why it's a hidden gem. Cool little bar with a few draft beers and A few TVs. The Belly Buster burger is hands down the best deal. Chicken Tenders and Fries were very good.

$20 for that soft shell crab sandwich is robbery, ridiculously small and quality was terrible !!

We visited Belly Busters yesterday and the food was delicious. My only complaint is that we did order for carry out because our intention was to eat at the beach. Although we decided to eat at the tables outdoors last minute, so we didn't have to haul our food but the server who was there told us that we couldn't sit and eat our food at the tables outdoors so we had to take our food and walked to the beach instead like we originally planned. It was a little rude especially since I paid a tip when doing carry out. There may have been signs about no dining when carrying out, but there was a lady sitting at the table we decided to eat at and she wasn't even eating or ordering so I just found that to be a little strange that the server would ask our party not to eat at the tables but let the lady that wasn't ordering or eating to just sit there and occupy the table. The reason I'm still giving this place 5 stars is because the fried rockfish tacos were on point and reminded me of California Baja style fish tacos. Even the chicken fingers and fries that I ordered for my son were pretty good. So the lack of customer service definitely made up for the food. Although the gentleman that was at the cashier station was friendly. The rude server may have just been an isolated incident, so whatever the case may be--if ordering carry out, be prepared to just take your food and go. At least I'll know that for the future.

When researching for places to eat in Ocean City, Belly Busters popped up quite frequently. So we decided to eat there for dinner after our 4 hour drive from New Jersey. But after our drive, we were so tired and didn't want to sit down at a restaurant. Thankfully, Belly Busters has Delivery! We called in to place our order. It took no more than 30 minutes for the food to arrive. They delivery driver had a card machine so we paid through him instead of giving our card number over the phone. We ordered a Half Dozen of Medium crabs, 2 Maryland Crab soups, and the Blackened Fish Tacos. The receipt didn't specify what the market price for the crabs were, but our total came out to $55.23. The soups were packed well. Lids were taped and no spillage. The soups tasted very much like Campbell's vegetable soup with some Old Bay seasoning and lumps of Crab Meat. I like Campbell's veggie soup, so I pleasantly enjoyed this soup. They did not skimp on the crab meat. The Blackened Fish Tacos were tasty. The fish was served inside a flour tortilla with season slaw, pico de gallo, and some cream. The seasoning on the slaw went really well with the fish and added great texture to the dish. The crabs were generously coated with their Old Bay Seasoning. They were cooked well and filled with lumps of delicious crab meat. Despite ordering a half a dozen, we received about 9 crabs. Overall, I was pleased with the food at Belly Busters. We may stop by and dine in during the remainder of our Ocean City vacation. Definitely get the crabs! They are a must!

Great service and nice atmosphere. Great shrimp salad but get it in a wrap with Caesar salad ~ you will not be disappointed. It is amazing.!!

Was very hungry and looking for a seafood place, since the seafood place we wanted to go to ran out of everything, we came across this place and the seafood platter we ordered came out really fast. It basically had 3 fried shrimp, a Maryland crab cake, clam strips and 2 sides. The place was tiny and very hot however the service was very good and the seafood platter was pretty average. In a city with so many options this place would be worthy coming to at least one time and I am sure there are many other entrée options available which would be better and not so breaded.

We actually visited this spot twice in one day. Earlier in the day, we had blue crabs (omg, so amazing; some of the best crabs I've ever had), steam shrimp (just ok), rockfish and shrimp tacos (my husband really liked the rockfish tacos), and fries (well seasoned and good). Our server was really pleasant and attentive. Later in the day, we had a different server and it was much busier. We expected a longer wait, but all we ordered were bbq wings, fries and chicken tenders, so weren't expecting to be there almost 90 minutes. Also, the food just wasn't as good as earlier in the day. Also the server asked if we had another card other than AmEx, which surprised us because we used the same card earlier with no problem. When we told her this, she accepted it. Maybe it's something with AmEx, no explanation was given. If I rated it based on just the earlier experience, easily five stars.

RUN HERE! This place is CHEAP! Not cheap in a negative way. Cheap as in last minute trip tryna budgeting, picky eaters, multiple heads to feed type cheap! However let's not get this confused the food is freaking amazing! There's not many places that's I'll eat cold next day buffalo wings...BUT THIS PLACE OH MY THEY WINGS ARE BETTER THR NEXT DAY!