Captain James Crabhouse

Sitting on the covered deck, enjoying the breeze from the harbor, and chowing down on perfectly steamed crabs is THE Baltimore experience. I grew up in the Fells Point/Canton area and always loved going to the Captain James restaurant. The crab shack, which sits across the street, is the perfect place to relax for beer and crustacean-y greatness. The crab cakes are pricey but among the city's best. We will be stopping by each time we visit home.

Very good all you can eat crabs nice size and love the spice mixture they use for their steamed crabs. Only thing wish they were hotter but I will take the size over steaming hot. Nice ambience over the water! Happy hour beers go well with the crabs!

My husband loves these crabs so much that we make the drive once a year from Mississippi. Great service great food great atmosphere. We had the crabs, corn, calamari, the chowder and the funnel fries. Everything was good. Now the seasoning can be a bit much for someone who can only handle so much old bay, nonetheless it was good. You don’t have to pay for parking ,so that’s a plus ! Being from the gulfcoast , I must add that Blue crabs are a lot of work for such little reward but the flavor was good.

Kinda pricey but awesome crab spot. Service was great and the vibes and feel of the place were nice. You can sit outside by the water either at a Picnic table under an umbrella or on the other side still outside but covered by a tent. Can also sit inside. The only thing I didnt like is that the menu didn’t have prices so you had to ask if you wanted to know and the tip is automatically included at 18%. We would’ve tipped waiter that or more anyways but would still like the option. Will be back!

After passing by this place many times we finally decided to try it. And now we are wishing we didn't wait! We went for a late lunch on a Friday and had no problem with parking or getting a seat. The atmosphere is fun... we loved the nautical theme and felt comfortable and our sunny window seat looking towards the harbor was just perfect. Our server, Kristen, was delightful and friendly, she kept our waters full, served with a smile, and never made us feel rushed. The food was exceptional. I had the seafood stew, some of the best I've ever had! And I had the PoBoy fried oyster sandwich which was so good with the pickled toppings and the toasted chibata bread. My wife had the double stacked hamburger with fries, and a side of slaw, and she enjoyed everything. We topped our lunch off with some of their wonderful homemade apple cobbler topped with vanilla ice and caramel sauce. Their prices were reasonable for the items we ordered. I would recommend Captain James without hesitation and we'll be back.

Been here since 1995, I believe they are still operated by the family. Always fresh and the price is right for a shore front restaurant.

Amazing extra jumbo blue crab and shrimp! Super delicious and tasty too. Our waiter was the best and friendly. Cool atmosphere and it's located inside what looks like a giant boat.

ALL YOU CAN EAT CRAB 🦀 I was in town for business so I wanted to try the Blue Crab & I’m so glad that I did! It was delicious. I’ve never had blue crab before, so I wasn’t sure if the crabs would be seasoned well & how it all worked. Once our guy showed us how to open the crabs it was OVER, I was a pro after 2 crabs! Would definitely come back.

My only complaint is i I wish the menu was more extensive (giving more options ) or more creative. Captain James Crab house is a great vibe! They have 2 floor levels (the upstairs is more live and plays music). Their menu prices are fair and the food is good! I was in love with the ambiance of this place! The customer service was great too. It's a perfect spot for a night out and a nice date spot.

10/10 The service here was unmatched and the oysters and beer were the perfect touch to an amazing lunch. The oysters were so fresh and the perfect size. The views here are awesome and I can definitely see myself coming back. The only drawback was, I wanted only 2 crabs. I didn't really want a lot and the 3 of us knew we couldn't finish all of it but it didn't really look like they had an option to get just 2, you had to get it per pound. ...I could be wrong but I didn't ask.

The Captain James crab deck is a must-have experience. It is right on the water and the view is gorgeous. It is also set up like an old school crab shack - weathered picnic tables, plastic utensils, and an outdoor sink. The $48 all you can eat crab special is an extremely good bargain and the crabs themselves were a good size and were brought out promptly and still hot from the steamer. The only negative I could find is that they don't use real butter. Our table got a large bottle of squeezable Parkay, while the table next to us got a spray bottle of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. This is my new favorite place to pick crabs.

I would highly recommend getting the seafood alfredo from here! The sauce was creamy and satisfying, and the seafood was a good proportion to the pasta. The other sides (broccolini & corn on the cob) were pretty average. The 1/2 of steamed shrimp platter with onions and potatoes we ordered were as expected as well. There's lots of seating, the ship theme of the restaurant was a fun touch, and the service was prompt. We had our water refilled frequently!

As soon as I saw this seafood restaurant was in the shape of a ship, I knew I had to eat here. I highly recommend making reservations. We came on a weeknight, and it was very busy. We just walked in, fortunately they were able to accommodate us after a short wait. The restaurant is pretty casual with the interior decorated in a fun, nautical theme. Prices are slightly higher than what you would expect to pay for seafood in Baltimore. The food was very good. Service was just ok. Maybe cuz it was a busy night?

The food and service are excellent. The location near the water is breathtaking and suitable for a large party or intimate date. The only area that needs improvement are the seat outside. The seats are absent of padding and would be greatly appreciated while enjoying the food with kith and kin.

Excellent first timer experience. I'm a New England girl through and through but was given the full Baltimore old bay crab experience with oysters and orange crush! Oh! And the funnel cake fries were probably my favorite. Service was friendly. Ambiance was very casual comfortable and a great view for a sunny day. Great experience overall.

Kinda pricey but awesome crab spot. Service was great and the vibes and feel of the place were nice. You can sit outside by the water either at a Picnic table under an umbrella or on the other side still outside but covered by a tent. Can also sit inside. The only thing I didnt like is that the menu didn't have prices so you had to ask if you wanted to know and the tip is automatically included at 18%. We would've tipped waiter that or more anyways but would still like the option. Will be back!

Crabs are good (pricey!!) but we really go here for the view. It's so nice to sit on the dock and watch the sunset with a game on in the background (the most Maryland experience ever probably). LP steamers will still always have my heart for best and most affordable crabs but captain James takes second place!

It was my first time getting Baltimore crab so the waitress walked me through what to order and how to crack them open. I did the all you can eat crab - comes with soup, corn, and a bucket of fries. You get tools and a bucket for your crab, and they checked on me often. I spent the evening happily crackin' crabs and it was the best time! I sat outside and watched the boats float in the harbor which was an added plus.

Good food, good service. There are 2 buildings that face each other. Ambiance is casual & family friendly.

Had a great time at Captain James Crab House; wanted some amazing Crabs and they did not disappoint!! Service was top notch and the crabs were fresh. Got lucky and they had Colossal size available, while pricey.. when in Rome right!! They were absolutely huge and tasted fantastic! Highly recommend!!

Service was pretty dull. Went for crabs but they decided to only offer the "all you can eat" special for crabs that were smaller than small. The "pickings" as they call them. The snow crab legs ordered were over cooked and under seasoned. Would not recommend to anyone truly seeking the ultimate crab experience. Give LP steamers or Riptide in fells point a try instead!!

Easy to arrive w. a free parking lot located right next to the restaurant. A welcoming host prompted us to 'seat ourselves' & table service was super-fast about getting our AYCE set-up ready to go. $44pp for AYCE blue crabs, an ear of corn, and MD red crab soup- do note they do not offer tap water, they bring bottled water at $2 a bottle- they also automatically add 18% gratuity to the bill at the end, no matter the party size. Crabs were very delicious; steamed & seasoned liberally with old bay- super meaty. We ordered 4 trays & didn't have a bad batch; and only had 1-2 duds in the 4+dozen crabs- served hot & juicy. The corn was steamed in the leaves, making it juicy & kept hot- but I thought the taste was a bit off and after a few bite decided to stop eating- the soup, while hearty w.ample ingredients, was very bland- I had to add a lot of salt & pepper for taste (but sides aren't really the point of ACYE crab night- so meh) The ambiance, while dining, was fantastic, as we selected a table on the deck overlooking the water. A great dining experience- would definitely go again for crabs! Worth the price-

Amazing crabs, corn and fixings. The hush puppies are to die for. Wifey loved the boardwalk fries. We ate until we were about to bust. Seamed shrimp were good as well,

Captain James is a casual seafood restaurant located in Baltimore city. You have the option of indoor or outdoor seating by the water. I tired a few menu items, I highly recommend the Boston St. crab dip. The pretzel crostini really helps you sap up all the cheesy crab dip. I also enjoyed the oysters on a half shell grilled. There is plenty of parking across the street from the restaurant.

This restaurant was great. I really enjoyed the fried scallops. The crab legs were awesome.fried shrimplittle small. The service was excellent. I would definitely return. The desserts were amazing.

One of our faves during the summer. Can't beat their all you can eat crab deal during week days. The wings are also delicious. Excellent service and so helpful when teaching out of towards how to eat crab. So fun to be on the waterfront on a nice day.

I go to Baltimore every year on a crab eating junket. Last year, I ate at Captain James for the first time and really enjoyed it. This year, I ate there twice. I was especially impressed with the size their medium crabs; many were closer to what I would call large. The first night I was in town, I ate at LP Steamers, one of my favorite crab places, but the next night, I found all the crabs at Captain James were heavy, as opposed to Steamers. I opted for another go at Captain James on my last night in town and the same was true--all the crabs were a very good size and all were heavy. They have an "all you can eat crabs" deal on Monday through Thursday. I had heard that those crabs might be lighter and/or smaller. My friend went for the "all you can eat" and he said all his crabs were pretty heavy and, as I could see, a good size. All you can eat has a 2 hour limit, though we went late and they did not cut him off after 2 hours. The wait staff are awesome at Captain James and the food is excellent! Sitting on the deck, by the water, is great. It was a very hot day and evening, but there was a nice breeze and so it was quite comfortable. Crabs at Captain James were about $10 pricer than L P Steamers, but worth it, I thought. I will definitely be back.

On this evening, our party of 4 decided to visit this establishment for dinner. Plenty of free parking in lot, gracious host to get greet us upon entering and we were quickly seated. Fantastic table service by Amanda. She knew all 1.5 million of the current specials as well as answered all of our questions about daily menu. Accurate order taking, great table follow up and excellent customer service. We ordered Seafood Alfredo, Hushpuppies, Wings - Honey Old Bay and Spicy K-Pop, MD Crab Soup, Lamb Chops and Imperial Stuffed Chicken. Each and everything was prepared perfectly and came in large portions. We had a great time and look forward to returning back again sooner than later.

I'll be honest, I'm from the Pacific Northwest and am blessed with Dungeness Crab. I had never been to Baltimore and my friend suggested we do all you can eat crab. I'm not sure what type of crab we had, but I don't think it was blue crab, which is what I was excited to try. The crabs were small and required quite a bit of effort and time to get any good meat from them. I don't really know what else to say. It was a worthwhile experience...once, but when I want to eat crab, I want the meat!!! Decent sized bites of meat. Live and learn. I will say, the waitstaff was great and we still had fun...even though I left wore out and still kinda hungry.

I have never realized Captain James had a separate crab house across the street from their boat looking location and I am very happy to have found it for an amazing $43.95 per person for all you can eat crabs. Parking spaces are limited, especially when the deal is going on Mon-Thurs and it gets packed! There's plenty of seats and we didn't have a wait. The view in the outside deck area is really nice and tables were nicely spaced. The server set up our table immediately with crab paper, mallets, and a bucket. AYCE crabs comes with one cup of MD crab soup and an ear of corn (be careful not to get full off this so you can grub on the crabs!). The first and second round of crabs were pretty big and very delicious with good seasoning. At the third round the crabs started to come a little smaller, but the server did a great job timing and making sure we always have some and used up our time efficiently. Hush puppies were delicious as well. 10/10 I would recommend.

Listen. We came, we saw, we demolished THIS place!! Order included: Half whole MD Crab - 6 males whole Corn - 3 Fries- 1 Mussels (Garlic/Butter) - 1lb Slaw - 1 Snow Crab - 1lb Caipirinha -2 Skky berry shots - 4 Blue moon - 2 Total plus tip = 263 (gratuity was added) We sat on the patio, beautiful weather and ambiance. Host was spot on. Once we were done eating we strolled the area for ice cream and to burn some crab off. Most definitely a gem to visit if ever in the area.

Review is for lunch at 9/17/2022. Snow crab legs tasted standard. Mussels tasted fresh, but the sauce could be a bit thicker with more taste. Some of the shrimps tasted mushy and frozen.

Good weather and plentiful crabs! We got the all you can eat set, which came in large batches and with some soup and corn. This was my first time trying old bay, which was heavily rubbed onto the crabs, and I enjoyed the distinctly Baltimore experience. The side dishes were distinctly mediocre, but this isn't a restaurant you go to for side dishes. The crabs were overall tender and delicious! I will complain that none of the drinks have prices on the menu, which put me off from ordering them--my friends also found them to be low quality, so I can't recommend anything other than the crabs.

I've been wanting to try the ACYE here since I moved to Baltimore and finally headed up on a random Thursday. I was skeptical if the crabs would be good since we're at the end of summer but I was pleasantly surprised. They don't take reservations but the AYCE is Monday-Thursday so I doubt it gets crowded like it would on the weekends. We were seated quickly and ordered drinks. The Fiery Margarita doesn't look it but did have a hint of spiciness. The ACYE starts with soup and corn (not unlimited). The corn was hot and sweet and the soup was okay. A little watery and salty and not that much crab but not a problem since right after, you get a tray full of crabs! They're small but sooo meaty! Yes there were a few bad ones but for the most part, the meat was very good. You get extra old bay and butter as well. If you're looking for no frills AYCE, I would definitely give Captain James a try!

I haven't done a review in a while, but I felt as though this experience was necessary because the all you can eat crabs were horrible, it was my first time trying this and I honestly didn't know what to expect but if the crabs didn't smell like chemicals then it was bland! The corn was not ripe and burned We found hair in the bland crabby fries which had similar to minced/shredded crab meat and cream cheese. I do not recommend this place at all!

If you are a local to Baltimore this place is a ripoff . Overpriced drinks, terrible service and they don't tell you they automatically add the gratuity to your bill!!!

Seasoning on their Maryland blue crabs was delicious. Get price for amount of food. The servers were attentive and pleasant. Overall, very enjoyable.

Crabs were very tasty with old bay seasoning applied liberally. Got corn on the cob as a side as well as crab soup. The corn was cooked in its sleeve with no need for butter. However margarine was offered. The crab soup was in my opinion bland and tasted a little too much of flour made to thicken it. The ambiance was simple yet nice being outside on the deck overlooking the water. Service was adequate but be prepared that a tip of %18 was automatically applied no matter how big your party is. Thankfully I always review my check and saw this before paying an additional tip.

Went back again. This time we caught the all you can eat special. (Mon-thurs $45 after 3pm I believe) Received a nice range of sizes, despite being forewarned that they would b on the smaller side due to the season. But it seemed like there were atleast 2 medium/large in each batch they brought out. (6 at a time). Service was good. Drink was great again. And this time we tried the honey old bay wings. *chefs kiss* we traveled from NJ and tried to recreate the wings the next day from home. But it's not the same! We'll b back. AGAIN

I went here a few years back before the pandemic, but I remember having a great experience. The blue crabs were meaty and tasty. The prices are high, but that's my only complaint.

Ordered a dozen medium crabs (which cost an overpriced $100) and half of them tasted foul. When we asked if they would do a replacement crab for one of the particularly bad crabs, the server insisted on checking it himself, put on gloves, and checked it at the table... before he confirmed that it was in fact bad. We later asked for water, as the crab seasoning makes you thirsty, and the server brought out bottled water for an extra charge. Additionally, the Maryland crab soup was very bland and barely had any crab meat in it. That being said, the drinks, fries, and corn were good. I would not recommend this restaurant.

If you want blue crabs without any fuss and pretension, Captain James is the place to go! There are some other items on the menu but Blue Crabs are their specialty. I suggest coming Monday through Thursday when you can get all you can eat crabs for $36. The meal comes with a cup of Maryland Crab Soup and an ear of corn. The corn is thrown on the table, husk and all. The crabs arrive on a platter but you are not provided with plates. Just put them on the paper in front of you and dig in! I wouldn't suggest this as a place for a first date! These crabs are delicious but very messy! The all you can eat crabs are smaller than the crabs offered by weight, which are about $80-110/dozen. Eating Blue Crabs is not just about the crab meat itself, but about the experience of hammering these crabs and taking them apart with someone you feel comfortable with. Thank you to the lovely gentleman who put on gloves and gave us a lesson in exactly how to eat and get the most meat out of a Blue Crab! Besides the crabs, 15 year old and I shared a delicious crab cake. It was huge and had just the right ratio of crab meat to filler. The crab cake came with fries. The fries arrived hot but were a little soggy. Loved the Crab Soup. It was thick with chunks of crab; Probably the best I have ever had. Our food came quickly. I love the casual atmosphere. And if everything else wasn't enough, it's tight on the water!

I don't know about you, but when I want to celebrate something, I like to do so by eating crab. Captain James Crabhouse has been one of my favorite places to do so. Great location, delicious crab, and fun atmosphere. I was only able to capture the aftermath

The restaurant's exterior design is uniquely shaped like a boat, suggesting that it might be one of those seafood restaurants you should avoid if you dislike the sound of screaming children, and outdated arcade games. However, that is not the case at Captain James Crab House. The interior of the restaurant is nautically themed (as to be expected), but not overbearingly to the point of nauseam. The food was really good, and the portions were decent for their prices. We started off with a cup of Maryland crab vegetable soup. It was definitely worthy of the name as it was delicious. My wife ordered a dinner special which consisted of a nicely seared piece of glazed fish over a fresh green salad. The fish was cooked well, and the salad and its dressing was very good. I ordered the broiled seafood platter. The entire platter was good, however, the piece of fish that came with the platter was quite small, overcooked, as were the steamed vegetables. We finished off our dinner with the cobbler dessert which was fantastic. The service was very good, and our server was very friendly. All in all, I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone who wanted a tasty seafood dinner in a friendly atmosphere. Also worthy of mentioning is the fact that this restaurant has its own parking lot. This is extremely convenient considering that it is in the city.

Great experience at Captain James, ordered the $40/pp all you can eat crabs . Enjoyed every moment of it.

After being totally disrespected by the hostess upon our arrival, I already made up my mind I was not eating here. I wanted to make management aware of the disrespect and how unprofessional she was, but while I was sharing my experience with him she stood behind him and continued to argue with me the "paying customer " . I have never experienced something like this before I truly hope itbis addressed.

Captain James isn't our usual crab spot, but when we are in Fells Point area and want crabs - we come here. Most of their seating is outdoors and right by the water which I love. Depending on the time and day, crab options can be limited. But usually, they have small to jumbo available. Crabs are always hot, fresh and tasty! The crab cake is good, but you only get ONE for $41. It's not THAT good. Calamari & Fries - OK. Hush Puppies - Good. The orange and watermelon crush drinks are good. Don't get the fish bowl drink, it's mostly watered down and sugar. And again, overpriced. I know crab prices are seasonal, but the prices here are A LOT higher than other places. And the other places are actually much better. Tip is included if your bill is over $75. Unfortunately, this makes service not so great. We've had servers not really put any effort in checking on us, and we've had to go up and ask for water several times. After the several times we've been here, we'd rather go elsewhere. But I do want to try the AYCE unlimited crab special if I am ever in the city on a weekday evening! The vibe is super casual and chill. Parking is easy, they have a pretty big parking lot.

Fun waterfront restaurant & bar. You can grab a drink and go out on the dock & watch the boats & water. Although we didn't order food, there were many diners & the food looked good & everyone seemed to be enjoying it. Would definitely visit again & try the food!

This place is amazing. Second time I have eaten here and will continue to come back. We got there at the end of the day, ordered a dozen XLs, and they gave us 16. I guess they had some left over so I will not complain. I am not sure why people gave this place negative marks. Some said it is too expensive. Then don't eat there. Some say that the crabs were too salty. They are OLD BAY CRABS. What were you expecting? Some said they had run out of crab. Yes. That does happens when an establishment serves fresh caught catches of the day. They CAN run out. They still want to eat there, so they set about complaining about the rest of the menu. This is like going to a vegetarian restaurant wanting kale, and not going somewhere else for kale cause the restaurant you want to eat at ran out...that is a STUPID analogy, but correct. The hushpuppies. My God the hushpuppies. Hom nom nom nom is all you need to know. Eat here. Drink beer. Enjoy. Rock solid 5 stars.

Oh Captain! My Captain! What nice crabs you serve and what a great environment in which to serve them. I was in Baltimore for business and one of our group said Captain James Crab House was the place to go to eat crabs...and eating crabs is a must-do when in Baltimore, right? We sat outdoors. Right off the water. Great setting. Picnic tables covered with poster paper. Perfect setting to eat crustaceans...and we ate plenty. We ordered a heapin' helpin' of crab along with a few buckets of shrimp, mussels, and oysters. All were superb. I couldn't get over how huge the shrimp were. Maybe this is where the oxymoron "jumbo shrimp" originated. Be sure and ask for funnel fries for dessert. It's like a funnel cake shaped like a french fries. They drizzle it with just a touch of caramel. I was the only dessert lover in the party, but everybody loved the funnel fries! The Captain knows exactly how to season everything just right. Speaking of just right, the service was excellent. There was seven in our party. We ordered tons of food and a couple of pitchers of beer. The tab, including the automatic 18% gratuity was $485.57. That's about $70 a person, which isn't too bad for the amount of food we had and the quality of the food. We literally had buckets of fun while we were there. There's plenty of parking and plenty of seating. Like I say, you've gotta' do the crab thing when you are in Baltimore, so might as well hang out with Captain James. You'll be a happy sailor.

Always a good time when I get the chance to enjoy seafood by the water. Wish I would have captured a picture of the nice view. The crab house deck is such a great vibe. The snow crab legs were good and for 1lb you get about 3 clusters. My fave however is the crab cake! You can get it either fried or broiled. I always opt for broiled. The fries are delish too. Will I get the snow crab legs again ... maybe. The crab cake though is a definite yes!

We celebrated my brother's birthday with crabs on their back deck. It was a very popular place on a weeknight in early May for crabs. However, the steamed crabs were ~$100 for a dozen, so some of us ordered the $35 all you can eat in 2 hours special--which comes with corn on the cob and a cup of crab soup--and the rest ordered off the cleverly designed menu. The calamari was just eh, but the mussels and wings were good. Of course we got drinks; the selection of beer and cocktails is acceptable. What was unacceptable were the bathrooms, which reminded my mother of somewhere in Yugoslavia during Communism. Parking is in the lot right next to the crab house, which is across the street from the ship-shaped restaurant.

Food was excellent, service was great ! Only thing I have to say it's a must go on a mid week. Weekends are so crowded and noisy

I was curious to try this establishment because of the way it looked outside. The outside yacht did not flow inside. That was a letdown in terms of ambiance. Just to keep this short and sweet. Our waiter was friendly and straightforward. I would not recommend this place for a meal.

Captain James Crab House seems like a pretty great place to take someone from out of town. It has Baltimore charm with tasty seafood from the Chesapeake bay. Their products are good but beware that you'll be paying tourist prices. I am knocking off a star because it took like 30+ minutes just to get our dishes which definitely didn't look like it should take that long. I had the following: 1) Cream of Crab soup (a rich, velvety and creamy soup infused with flavors of the Chesapeake, finished with fine sherry and jumbo lump crab meat) 2) Broiled Seafood Platter - Fresh fish, gulf shrimp, scallops, mini crab cakes, crab legs, imperial stuffed oyster served with a roasted stuffed tomato and warm water lobster tail The cream of crab was yummy, but only for a few bites. After a little while, the cream just gets too overwhelming on the taste buds. The Broiled Seafood Platter wasn't bad, but it was sort of a joke looking at the tiny lobster tail. If it was about $25 (vs the $44), it would be worthwhile. Everything just starts to taste the same too. I'm not sure if I'd come back, but I for sure want to check out their sister restaurant, Captain James Landing to eat only crabs while enjoying a good view of the Patapsco River.

Good place to feed your crab picking cravings. Sit out on the waterfront if outdoor space is available and nice weather. My negative marks here are 1) a bit pricey for crabs, but then again, so is everywhere else, perhaps here is actually a bit less than the competition, 2) the menu beyond crab is a bit lacking, so families bringing kids that don't eat crab have limited options, 3) I found the server to not be quite friendly, but willing to say that could just be a one-off Overall, good experience

Whenever I visit Baltimore this is always a restaurant I dine at. This is the best bang for your buck for crabs in Baltimore City. I only had 4 bad crabs in the bunch and scarfed down the rest. The ambiance on the water is the perfect setting to enjoy a Maryland classic. This is the perfect place to catch up with friends and have some great food. I love Captain James Crab House! I can't wait for my next visit.