Obrycki’s Crab House & Seafood Restaurant

Interior/​Exterior = 7.9
Food = 8.6
Beverage = 8.0
Service = 8.1
Food is a solid «good». Worthy of multiple visits. $$$ (scale $ — $$$$) This place is closed but needed to put my review in of when it was open. Hope they re-​open in a new location as they have hinted.

OMGGGG how is this place closed???
I haven’t tried it at the airport yet. But my fam and I always came here for their crabs and crabcakes.

The creamed cucumbers are so heavenly!
I had the Fish and Chips with a side of the cucumbers and BP ordered the soft crab sandwich with fries.
My order was great, I really enjoyed it. Poor BP, he didn’t like his order at all. It contained very little crab and didn’t taste as good as we thought it would.
Also, there was the cutest elderly couple sitting at a table near us! They were both crab eating experts! I was feeling upset that day (car insurance trouble) and thought I wouldn’t enjoy my meal, but they helped me calm down.
So, 3.5 stars since my BP’s sandwich was not too good…
I am glad we came, we stopped by on the Thursday before they closed that Saturday.

Reservations work! I got me some Obrycki’s crabs!
Made a trip to Bmore one more time to get a taste of Obrycki’s blue crabs and it THIS TIME it was not disappointing. My friends and I started off with their cream of crab soup — eh, it was ok, it just tasted like a plain chowder with some crab meat thrown on top as garnish. Wouldn’t recommend it. The other app we got were their oyster tidbits — DELISH. They were tasty on the inside and out. They took the extra step of seasoning the crispy dredge to the point that you wanted to eat all of the small crispy pieces that were left over on the plate :)
Now for the star of the show — the blue crabs! We ordered 2 dozen in total and had them come one dozen at time to make sure the first ones were as hot as the last ones. They were a good size (medium/​large) and were extremely meaty. It was a lot of fun eating them, although I think that will all that seasoning on those crabs (Obrycki’s custom house seasoning), 2 dozen may have been overzealous ordering, but they didnt go to waste, we got all 24 crabs devoured.
So sad that they will be closing in November, many crab lovers around the country will be sad to see them go… fond farewell Obrycki’s, I’m glad I got to experience crab greatness down in Baltimore…

I was always a big fan of Costas Inn [
but my friends wanted to try this place too. I could not believe that not everyone loves Old Bay on their crabs.
We did not have a reservation when our group of 6 visited in August so we were fortunate to grab a table. Sadly there were mixed messages about their inventory. Our waitress checked 4 times and returned with different messages: no we have only medium, yes we have large, no we have only medium, sorry no more jokes we have large. Our group ordered 2 dozen. Obrycki’s crab seasoning consists of black pepper and other mystery spices but the crabs were very good too. In addition we ordered corn and some crab soups. The corn were large and a delicious complement to the crabs. In terms of drinks we ordered black-​and-​blues, which are Guinness and Blue Moon. I wasn’t a fan of the house ale.
Overall it was a great dining experience. It saddens me that this place will close in November but thanks for the memories.
IFTHP 1

YUMMY OH YUMMY! The BEST crabs in Baltimore. They are large, with HUGE chunks of piping hot, fresh crab meat cooked in this spicy peppery Old Bay suace.
Check it out if you’re in Baltimore!!! Fun and delicious place to visit with a group of friends.

Alright folks, you’ve flown in to Baltimore, MD, and what do you immediately think of? Duff from Ace of Cakes? No. Well perhaps, but what you REALLY should be thinking of is CRAB and all fooding items CRAB related. We arrived here at 9:41pm prior to their 10pm closing and they were happy to seat us. Here’s how it went down:
Pros:
+ They didn’t shun us at the door and graciously sat us down
+ Unrushed service and the waitstaff was friendly
YAY for Maryland Crab:
+ Crab Dip $ 12.50. The Crab Dip appetizer was fantastic! Creamy, extremely LUMPY due to the large amounts of crab and crunchy/​salty crackers on the side that provided a great complement
+ Backfin Crab Cake $ 19.00. Their «famous since 1944 backfin crab cake» was exquisite. WOW guys, this is how a CRAB CAKE should be done!!! It was large, lumpy, very crabby in terms of flavor and very little breading. Most folks do crab cakes the wrong way and over-​bread it/​over-​stuff it and it’s gross
+ Fried calamari $ 11. I’ve had calamari 23 423 423.3 different times in many different restaurants and a lot of people do it well. Obrycki’s does it well too however, it’s not any better/​different than some really good calamari I’ve had so it’s just «pretty good». The marinara sauce was done just right.
Weird stuff:
— You have to drive through the PROJECTS to get here. Some really DICEY parts of town in Baltimore and I’ve lived/​worked near many projects in the past (Cabrini Greens in Chicago etc)
— A bit «too» casual but I won’t necessarily hold this against them as you’re here to enjoy crab and eat crab related items. But this reminded me a lot of a Pizza Hut LOL!
— This isn’t a minus for the restaurant however, every patron in here was quite OBESE. Places like these are why Americans are fAT!!!
If you’re in Baltimore and you eat seafood and/​or LOVE crab, Obrycki’s is a HOT MOVE for you to execute for your noshing options. I literally searched «crab» on Unilocal in Baltimore, MD and this was the best/​highest rated by the Unilocal Elites so off we went to Obrycki’s!
THIS has been a review by Gaurav

It’s a crime that they’re closing this location, because I think it means that Obrycki’s is going to stop serving hard crabs.
I just got back from saying goodbye to this Baltimore institution, and it’s a very wistful moment. I understand that people just don’t have the patience these days for a meal of steamed hard crabs, and Obrycki’s can probably make more money in the long run selling their excellent — and I had them again tonight, and they’re EXCELLENT — crab cakes. But something really special is being lost here. The crabs I had tonight were as good as any I’ve had. Big, (expensive), piping hot, with plenty of ice cold beer. But let’s face it: a steamed crab is a steamed crab. The thing that made Obrycki’s so damn good is their seasoning. Unlike just about everyone else around here, the seasoning at Obrycki’s doesn’t put the salt first, but rather ground black pepper. I love that difference. The crabs are still salty enough, but the note that carries you through is that bright, sneezy pepperiness, and it’s just the perfect season.
So here’s to you, Obrycki’s. You’re soon to be a part of Maryland history, along with the popovers at Danny’s, the crab imperial at the Chesapeake, and sitting on the stairs at Marconi’s. You’re in great company, and I’m going to miss you dearly.

While visiting Maryland, my sister suggested that we go eat crabs. Because that’s what Maryland-​ers do. We arrived around noon and were promptly seated at an 8 top. The crab of the day was «medium» and we decided to get 2 dozen to feast amongst ourselves. We also ordered the cream of crab soup as well as the crab cake sliders to try out. Both were excellent. The soup had chunks of crab. The crab cake sliders were perfect in size and the crab cake was amazing. The crab itself came out piping hot. They poured the crab onto the table and we went at them with our mallets.
Eating crab is hard work. You have to peel, shuck, smash, rip, suck, crack, bite… things that you would never do in one sitting. I broke out a sweat just doing one crab (hayuck) that my sister ended up passing me the meat as she did the work. Bless her heart. Wait staff was great. Food was amazing. Experience was priceless.

Hands covered in salty, peppery seasoning and crab flesh. It really doesn’t get any better than that, does it?
How about adding in a mallet to pound the crap out of your food with?
Or maybe really great, fresh-​baked rolls?
And a super friendly waitress? (Thanks Jennifer!)
So 1 pound of Dungeness (gaaaaaa…drool), 1 pound Snow Crab, 1 pound shrimp (actually, a little too salty), a few XL Blue Crabs (sweet, sweet meat), and the broiled seafood combo later, we gave up the full frontal assault on sea creatures and washed our hands off for the night.
Yes, my fingers totally smelled like brine and seasoning for the next 12 hours and I’m not ashamed to say I couldn’t/wouldn’t stop smelling them.

*3.5 stars*
Thankfully not too busy on a May Sunday at lunchtime. Our server was earnest, but efficient. Our food came out quickly. We shared the appetizer sampler for two — my favorite were the spicy crab balls. My friend had the spicy crab cake, I had the regular crab cake. He said his was chock-​full of crab, but not as spicy as the appetizer version had been. The crab cake that I enjoyed was also all crab, but a bit on the bland side. The french fries were underwhelming and the green beans were okay.
If you park in the lot across the street, get your ticket stamped and the cost will be $ 5 (not $ 10, which is insane).

Fun place! Janet W. and I made a random trip to Baltimore, and we knew we had to try some steamed crabs. We heard this is the place to do it and we ordered half a dozen of XL blue crabs (3 per person). They supplied us with little wooden mallets and a plastic knife to smash, crack and open our crabs. At first we didn’t know what to do with the knife, so we watched a waiter show another table how to open up the shell. Ah, it looks so easy! It really wasn’t. I finally got the hang out on my last crab. Ha.
I also ordered a crabby mary (bloody mary with a crab claw on the side). It was good, but it wasn’t as good as I had hoped for. Oh well. I enjoyed the experience. Janet had the house brew. I’d recommend ordering drinks first or last… We were a little way too busy devouring our crabs to pay any attention to our drinks.
Our total? Approximately $ 33 per person with tip.
Parking validation will bring your $ 10 flat rate down to $ 5 across the street. Awesome! And by the way, this neighborhood looks a little shady. Dress down, dress casual. Don’t drive an expensive car down here. (Don’t look like a tourist!) And have fun.

The first time we came, a year ago
We knew nothing about blue crabs, oh no
But on visit two
We most certainly knew
And ordered a dozen for two, ho ho!
Definitely not a weekly affair
Even monthly, I wouldn’t dare
But if you must
Sate that seafood lust
There isn’t much that can truly compare!

So I made a visit to Baltimore, and so I had to try some Blue crab. I heard this place is the place to do it, and ordered a half-​dozen, along with the crab cakes.
This place was fun… smashing, cracking, and devouring the little crabs was quite the ordeal. When the waitress brought the crab over, she very politely showed me how to get all the meat out of the crab, and she made it look easy. Well it wasn’t. A whole lot of work for not a whole lot of meat. But this isn’t the fault of the restaurant, just the little blue crabs.
The crab cakes were pretty decent. When eating them with the actual crabs, I could tell they were freshly made with the same meat, and I really liked them… even though there were bits and pieces of shell throughout them…
And my biggest complaint was just that things were a bit expensive. But I guess you have to pay for the experience, and the experience was pretty good. Also, parking is a mess, with a lot next to it you have to pay to use, or street parking if you’re lucky and patient enough to find a spot.

If there was a time when I needed lil jon it would be now.
WHAT?!
WHAT?
That’s my reaction to this place. I don’t get all the 4 and 5 (shutter) star reviews. WHAT?! You people above and below me must have low standards. Yes. You guys with reviews above and below me. Yes. You. No, don’t look over your shoulder. At this point you should be pointing at yourself with your index finger. Yes. You.
I feel cheated by this place. Not the kind of cheated where the minimum fast food employee puts too much ice in your drink or even getting you diet when you requested the stuff with high-​fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Not even the type of cheated when your parents sent your older brother/​sister to college and you were forced to hold down two jobs to pay for community college. Nope. This is the kind of cheated where you climb the mountains of Tibet to find enlightenment only to discover a CD by Nirvana and a fortune cookie.
We drive all the way from The DC area to here to look around Baltimore and eat some somewhere decent. That’s a long trek through the rush hour traffic out from DC area. Sadly, we were let down… worse then the Native Americans post colonization.
Really, this is seafood? I’ve had better at a Las Vegas buffet… and Sizzler (ohhhhhh). Your crab cakes:
Wack.
Did I mention that they sat is in this sad little corner of the restaurant? It’s like they are trying to hide us Asians with my big camera. I’m harmless, aiite?
Again, I feel cheated. Unlike Tom Cruise from Jerry McGuire, you DON’T complete me. WHAT?!
Obrycki’s Crab House & Seafood Restaurant — 58+ Points

I’ve lived in Maryland for most of my life and like all good Marylanders, I have a borderline unhealthy obsession with blue crabs. That being said, what’s the big deal about this place?
To me, blue crabs need to be seasoned with Old Bay. And Obrycki commits a big sin by using a seasoning other than Old Bay (or a house version of Old Bay). It seems a bit more black pepper based. Obrycki’s crabs are decent I suppose, but Maryland-​style crabs, they are not!

So, I’m writing this review on behalf of my boyfriend, who enjoyed an amazing meal. Perhaps the best crab cake of his life? (he’s seriously contemplating placing an online order to get some of those crabby patties shipped to us) As for me, a vegetarian, I’d say this place is «meh» at best. I had a Greek salad and a baked potato… nothing spectacular there! (in fact, if you’re a vegetarian dragged to this place, you might want to eat a snack beforehand)
Important note — if you walk from the Inner Harbor to this restaurant, Google maps might just take you through the projects. I wouldn’t suggest walking there at night. Just sayin’!

Heard so much about this place from my sister living in D.C. so had to come check it out!
Starter with the signature Crab Bloody Mary. Definitely very interesting in taste. Pretty much a Bloody Mary with a cold Crab leg in it lol! Tasted a little too much like seafood, so didn’t finish it (Those of you who know me, not finishing liquor is simply unheard of haha).
The cold oysters was very fresh and definitely a must if you’re into oysters. Crab cake came in two styles, fried and baked. The baked one was definitely more delicious! And crab cakes come with a side of fries, which is good to snack on while you’re waiting for food!
The buttered mussels with garlic bread was delicious! However came in quiet a large quantity, so don’t order too many things if you plan on eating all the mussels!
The salt and pepper shrimp had to be one of my favorites! Full of flavor, large, juicy, and succulent to say the least :)
The king crab legs were huge! Almost the size of the water glasses, seriously! Meat was very sweet and fresh! Definitely a must!
The blue crabs were supposedly the signature food there, but I must say they were ok. Kind of small, somewhat had flavor, and yeah ok! Haha!
Overall, a great experience! The waitress was awesome, came back to refill us at least 3 – 4 times while we were there, check came quickly and came out to about $ 180 including tip which was a really good price for all the food we ate :) Cheers!

Baltimore born and Atlanta raised. That doesn’t mean I’ll forget my roots (or how to pick crabs, for that matter).
I honestly can’t remember the last time I’d sat down and had a hot pile of steamed crabs served in front of me. Immediately my instincts kicked in and I was picking and eating without hesitation. I always go for the claws first and even though I cut myself it was still worth it.
It was also my cousin’s 30^th birthday and my family had gathered in a semi-​private room to celebrate. We were assigned 4 servers and they kept our pitchers full of beer and napkins stacked as high as possible.

This is for a lunch review where we did not have any Blue Crabs.
We were one of tow tables occupied for lunch so service level should have been excellent. But unfortunately that was not the case :(Service rendered was with an attitude that our group did not appreciate! Looked like the waiters were tired and not in the zone today!
Our hostess took our order without writing it down — which is fine by me as long as you don’t forget the entire order. But she was already confused by the time she was halfway taking the order. That resulted in a few people getting their orders messed up (being served lobster tail instead of crab cake and not getting any sides at all)!
Food ranged from good to A-​OK. Most of us had crab cakes and the felling all around was ³⁄₅ stars. This is kinda disappointing if that is one of your signature dishes.
What was good were the lobster tail and New York steak!
Calamari for appetizer was okay too.
Will I go back — don’t know! I expected to be wowed after reading all the good reviews, but maybe next time I will just stick with the Blue Crabs.