Timbuktu Restaurant & Carryout

Had dinner last night. Wait for a table was reasonable and we were able to find a seat in the lounge while waiting. Our waitress, Tammy was welcoming, knowledgable and attentive. Food– Healthy sized portions and the crab cakes were large and tasty. Jewels of the Sea was a great recommendation too! Only concern was the women’s restroom was in bad need of repair– 2 of 3 toilets were out of service and cleaning supplies were out in plain site. Overall above average rating since the service and food was so good.

LAX Weekend
Looking forward to Maryland CrabCakes hit the spot.
Our waitress Tammy was the definition of southern hospitality and was a pleasure!

The crab cakes here are GIGANTIC!!! They are filled with succulent crab meat, light breading, and I think small specks of red pepper. If you want to impress someone with the SIZE of a crab cake, definitely bring them here. Imagine the size of any average crab cake and then imagine what two of those look like smooshed together… that’s how big these crab cakes are. I’ve been here twice and both times, I left incredibly stuffed!
I went on a Saturday night and also a Tuesday night– both nights there was a short wait, but it seems like they are very efficient at moving parties in and out.
The servers here are the epitome of overwhelmed, or at least maybe it was just the server I had (which coincidentally, I had both times). Here’s some of the things she said to our table and to the tables next to us: «Be right back. I’m VERY busy.» «Oh, I’m so sorry I forgot your soda, I just have so much to do right now.» «Okay, I can take your photo, but I can only take one, because I am swamped.» «I’ll be right with you after I take that other table’s order.» After a while, I was pretty tired of hearing how busy she was, so I just stopped asking her for things… Basically, don’t expect A+ or even B+ service here… They are peddling giant crab cakes, and that’s what you should come here for.
Every entrée comes with either two sides or one side/​one salad. Choices include caesar salad, house salad, fries, sweet potato fries, mashed potatoes, potato salad (there’s onion in it– ew!), baked potato, or broccoli. The sides are pretty tasty, but as a head’s up, the caesar salad was overdressed and had an insane amount of cheese.
We also tried ribs, the filet mignon, and lamb chops. AVOID THE LAMB CHOPS. My father ordered them medium-​rare and they came out well done. He sent them back, and they came out again closer to medium well. The portion on them is also very skimpy and not worth the price. The filet was pretty juicy and delicious and the ribs actually fell off the bone and were a nice complement with a crab cake.
Desserts are decent, but nothing to write home about.
We ended up taking the crab meat home because there’s just so much of it left over and it makes a delicious snack the next morning!

This was my first visit to Timbuktu though I’ve heard of it a million times. The server upon our arrival was super nice and we only waited about five minutes for a table. The atmosphere was lively but I think that was mainly due to the Two Chains & Jeezy that was playing in the bar lounge area. I ordered the broiled crab cake & lamb chops and my wife had the fried crab cake with steak. Everything was cooked just as requested and everything was very very good. My only complaint was that my macaroni & cheese was just average but my main course made up for it. We will surely be back.

Waited 15 minutes to get a server. Waited 45 mintues for cold and undercooked crab cakes and ribs. We watched other patrons order and complete their meals by the time we actually got our food. However, our sides were nice and hot.
Our server was nice and the food was halfway decent, maybe it would have been great if it was actually hot? I will wait for quite awhile before I return to this place if at all. For the price, your money would ve better spent anywhere else.

Ate here once when I first moved here for a birthday dinner. I have never ever had the urge to return. People swear it’s great. I ate the ribs and crabcakes but did not have any wow moment. Looking at the photos on this page, the food doesn’t even look appetizing, especially for the price.

We had the Jewels of the Sea platter, two of them. It was a petite lobster tail, scallops, shrimp and crab cake, all broiled with 2 sides. I had the baked potato and macaroni and cheese, my husband had fries. The macaroni and cheese was really good. The baked potato didn’t come with any butter or sour cream. The scallops and crab cake were excellent. The lobster tail lacked seasoning/​flavor and was cooked too long. The shrimp was seasoned well but way too overdone, very chewy. The platters were $ 33.99 each. I ate about half mine and my husband ate all of his minus the lobster tail. Overall, the food was good. I would go back and try something different.

This was My 1^st time at Timbuktu wait. this is my first time sitting in at Timbuktu the last time I came in and had to leave back out lol. Anyway I had a really awesome waitress named Robyn she was a delight she made my experience a great one so much that I’d return =). And it’s True from what people have said they have Awesome Crab Cakes I got the entire platter with Everything called Jewels of the Sea I couldn’t even eat half so now I have leftovers to eat and watch my favorite show Black ink Crew. I will definitely have to return for the marvelous customer service and Food. The Ribs are Divine!!!

Staying at Fort Meade for a short training and some colleagues wanted to head out for dinner, so one of them consults the hotel front desk. Timbuktu is recommended as a go-​to, so us five guys head in that direction.
After a short drive, we arrive and are given a three hour wait time. It’s Mother’s Day, so the place is packed and there’s probably no other good options in the area that don’t have a similar wait time. We head to the lounge to deliberate and spot an empty table in the corner. After consulting the bartender, she gives us a wink and a nod to snag the table. But, when a family showed just seconds later, we willfully conceded the table. The hostess assured us that she’ll «find something» for us. Literally two minutes later, we’re whisked away to small table in the middle of the restaurant. Three hour wait — 15 minutes to be seated. Textbook underpromise and overdeliver.
At this point we’re already impressed with two members of the staff going out of their way to be accommodating despite being bogged down with hundreds of patrons.
Our waiter is Ronnie, a tall gentlemen in his second day on the job, with an easy smile and wit that serves him well among a table of five dudes. The menu is a bit pricey ($ 30 range), but it’s a special menu for Mother’s Day, and I would presume the prices are considerably lower on most nights. He lets us know that he’ll look out for us, that the steaks may take a while or they may not be cooked to perfection, and we completely understand — the place is a zoo of activity.
Ronnie brings us about ten rolls because he knows it may be a while. In actuality, it takes less than 30 minutes for our food to arrive. It’s good, but, as he stated, not cooked perfectly. I ordered a medium steak, which ended up somewhere in between medium well and well done, a friend ordered the same steak medium and got it medium rare. Oh well, we’re not picky and it was still good food.
Tanya — who I must assume is a manager of sorts — comes over to shoot the breeze with us. She assures us that they’ll do whatever necessary to take care of us (even though we’re just five random dudes not from the area), and that’s a nice touch.
When all was said and done, they allowed us to sweet talk them into making the checks work for us.
Tanya, Ronnie, and the bartender (whose name I really should have noted), all went way out of their way to assist and make us feel welcome. Will definitely return whenever I’m in town primarily because the service was well over and above expectations — nothing could have been done better and much could have been done worse and we still would’ve considered the visit a success.
An awesome experience that I honestly, truthfully think could not have gone better.
Thanks Ronnie, Tanya, and unnamed blonde bartender! I hope I spelled your names right.

Back, after almost a year and a half, again with wife and another couple. This visit was more satisfying than the last. We chose a late lunch around 14:00 and the crowd was very light, seating was readily available and the restaurant was pleasantly quiet.
I chose the broiled crab cake sandwich with a Caesar salad, both were good. Wife chose broiled crab cakes with fried shrimp: the crab cakes are excellent on every plate, but the fried shrimp were overlooked and tough.
I ordered coffee and the service staff was very good at keeping the mug filled with fresh coffee. In fact, two waitress shifts overlapped during our visit and both were very attentive to our needs. (We also had a birthday in our party and the waitresses kindly provided a small cake.)
We finished up with dessert: all choices were generous; my bread pudding was sufficient to take some home.
Prices were significantly up since last time, but this IS the place for broiled crab cakes.

Stopped in on our way home after a day-​trip to PA. Doesn’t look like much from the outside, and the waiting room can be a bit cramped and uncomfortable. Inside the restaurant, though, the tables are graciously spaced apart, and it’s not too loud or too cramped.
We came for the crab cakes, as we had heard plenty that was good about them. We split a double platter with a baked potato and the vegetable of the day (broccoli). I also ordered a house salad to start. The crab cakes themselves were very good, our waitress recommended them broiled, so that’s what we went with. Not a lot of filler, plenty of crab meat, and pretty big to boot. I was happy with them. The salad was decent but nothing spectacular, and the sides themselves seemed to be an afterthought, they weren’t bad but they were, at best, there.

Timbuktu is usually a hit or miss. They are known for their crabcakes, which are pretty consistant (they recently raised their price in the past year). They have different specials for each day of the week. I would not recommend the BBQ special. Though the portion is large, the BBQ was extremely salty both times I’ve tried them. The pastas are usually good. My favorite is the Seafood Diablo, which has a nice kick and can either be served with either noodles or rice. Service is usually a bit slow, but the servers are always friendly.

Restaurant does not reflect chefs product these are the greatest crabcakes in Maryland!!! the restaurant itself is horrendous can’t imagine the owner actually eats here

I sat at the bar. I had to initiate contact as the elderly bartender just wasn’t interested in me. As I asked for a menu his only response was, «you have to order in 5 minutes or pay dinner prices!» Well it’s nice to me you too Sir. I assumed conversation with me just wasn’t meant to happen.
I ordered a pint of Sam Adams Cold Snap and their Timbuktu
voted the Best Crab Cake Sandwich in Maryland! I couldn’t miss all the flyers they posted around the restaurant. OK. Order’s in.
My first impression, WOW, that’s a big sandwich. Second impression, these fries looked like that sat for the past hour and were just re-​submerged into grease then served to me. A quick bite into 1 fry, correct assessment. Nasty! We is old Louie to order fresh fries? I continued and added tarter sauce and bit into my huge but costly $ 18.99 crab cake sandwich. First bite, tasty. Freshly made, no mistaking that. After my 2^nd bite it was apparent I was crunching crab shells between my molars. I was being optimistic as I was hungry but every mouthful had another crunching crab shell sensation to it. The prep cook literally missed taking out half of the crab’s shell for this sandwich.
The bun was bland. It should have been toasted, or pan grilled with a little butter on it for flavor. They served tartar sauce with the sandwich but should have added a side of cocktail sauce kicked up with extra horseradish.
Old Louie? Anywhere but near me. After I pushed my plate up that I was through, and clearly ate 1 French Fry, the elderly bartender should have asked… Sorry I never checked on you, were the fries bad? Oh, you liked sandwich I see? No. Nothing. Not a peep. He didn’t say one word to me, rather took my plate, and walked away. Nice touch.
So my bill? My draft Sam Adams Cold Snap was $ 6! That would be $ 3 too much! My $ 18.99 crab sandwich, it should have been free since they decided to leave the shell in it but it should have been priced at $ 12.99 (crab shell additional).
The ambiance? It was clearly 1970 out and inside and clearly has never been remodeled or properly cleaned since 1970. Ceilings tiles… picture (attached) is worth a thousand words. The men’s bathroom was as clean as a science experiment, and smelled like one from the 70’s too.
I assume this restaurant was the place to be its heyday (1970) and probably wore a 5 Star Badge. It’s now 2016 and they have clearly not kept up with the times, the cleaning, competitive pricing, customer service, and therefore should be happy with what they are, a 2-​Star Dive, Dump, you name it… it’s a hole.
I highly suggest you go elsewhere to find a crab, or seafood in general meal. In fact, go to your fish section in any supermarket and buy crab cakes to order and they will taste better than what I was served today. Add to that, a bag of Ore-​Ida steak fries, and you cannot go wrong.

I was really craving Cream of Crab soup and Timbuktu is pretty close to our house and my father in law loves the place so my husband decided to order carry out.
It was the worst Cream of Crab I’ve ever had. Watery, oil on top, the flour in the rue hadn’t been cooked all the way so it tasted like I put a spoonful of flour in my mouth. The only positive thing I can even say about it is that I didn’t find any shells. If you order a whole sub… you just get two 8 inch subs… and their idea of Shrimp Salad is Shrimp with mayo… no old bay, no celery, nothing. Just shrimp and mayo on a bun. Not to mention their online carry out menu isn’t updated. All in all, it sucked and I’ll never be going back.

Timbuku doesn’t look like much from the outside, or for the inside for that matter but the food is very good. I haven’t dined at all of the top 10 crabcake locations in the Baltimore area, but of the ones I’ve had, I would put Timbuktu at #2 (Pappas is #1 in my opinion). They specialize in all kinds of seafood, but have a very diverse menu and huge portions, especially the sides. Most people that dine here will be taking leftovers home.
Service can be a bit slow when they are full, but overall we have had very good experiences.
They do have call ahead seating which is something to take advantage of on a Friday/​Saturday night. Finally, check out the weekly specials which are a deal.

I got here and was seated right away. Started off well, until I noticed several angry tables who had been sitting for a while and not been served or waited on for at least 20 minutes. I got worried, but then it quickly got resolved:
1. The manager came over and instantly took everyones orders
2. The oysters I ordered cane out quick and were fresh and great
3. My crab cake is the size of a baseball and delicious
Very good overall meal, and they resolved the service issue quickly, at least from my standpoint.

My mind reels at the ratings some people have offered. What the heck do you rate poorly?
Timbuktu is a dark and ill-​kept place. I suspect the darkness is to try to hide the deteriorating chairs and tables. I’m a little afraid of what the flooring looks like in good light.
The food is mediocre: the definition of «meh.» I worked nearby for quite a while and for some reason that still escapes me Timbuktu was often chosen for office and group events. Kick-​backs? I don’t know; it sure wasn’t the food.
The service is slow and sporadic. To add some variety it does range randomly between disinterested and rude.
In some warped attempt to make up for the deficits the entire menu is overpriced.
Are we having fun yet?

This place was beyond amazing. The BEST crab cakes I’ve ever had. Although my steak was more medium than medium well they went above and beyond to fix the mistake. I will be revisiting if I’m in the area again!

I love this place! Crabcakes are to die for… I think you have to go if your around the area! Feels like your inside a cruise ship (& I think it has the layout of an old gentlemen’s club haha)! Delicious…
Just found my drafts. This review is 4 years old! I would go back to eat there!