Crab Cake Cafe

Another year another big convention and we decided to come back to this place since last year was so good.
Things haven’t changed and I’m happy that they are keeping up the good service and not slacking on the food! I think the only thing that’s changed was it was busier this year (good for them!) but we still got a seat and our food in a quick amount of time. It was super easy and the people we brought loved it. It has something for everyone with allergies as well which was a bonus on the cake.
Got to chat with one of the owners again — same guy I talked to last year! (who was also rushing plates out to people) and he said the past convention and this convention everyone has been really great (really? us?!). He also was quick to fix a mistake on my order (which was my fault. drinks + 3 hours of sleep made me read the menu wrong :()
So I have to say I’m still very happy that this place popped up here. Will def be back for another review next year :)

Disclaimer: This review isn’t quite as fair as others and my rating is based on how good my food would have been if I hadn’t made the brilliant decision to transport it by foot to the hotel up the road on a breezy pre-​spring night. I’m more disappointed that I really could not enjoy a warm corn muffin or fresh cut fries (yes, actual fries) and I have no one to blame but myself. Crab cakes on the other hand are delicious at all temperatures!
Thankfully due to their dense all crab, all day consistency, I got to enjoy an original MD and the NOLA at a comfortable lukewarm. I opted out of using provided dipping sauces, which I’m sure could have complemented both cakes, not necessary. I must say, I’ve had many crabcakes in my time and although I do enjoy funky spices and the occasional complementary filler and deep fry consistency — the simplicity was quite enjoyable!
I’m going to be honest and say the coleslaw had a tad bit too much mayo and/​or was marinating a bit too long. Still tasted good, but just a little soggy for my liking. While riding the honesty train I’ll throw in that the staff was friendly and the guy that handed me my food was super smiley and attentive.
I was in town for a conference and staying at the Gaylord the past few days and had already sampled a number of surrounding restaurants. I was stoked to have an evening to myself to sample a place that felt a bit more genuinely local than the dressed up chain restaurants in the complex. Next time I come to DC area I’ll make a point to give this another shot and hope the same people are working there in warmer weather!
Hindsight = 4 stars

Excellent food, they’re all about crab! Good friendly service too.
Delicious cream of crab soup and lump crab cakes sandwich. Based on location and quality it was priced accordingly.
I would recommend checking this place out if you’re in the area!

The crab cakes are really good. We would go there again.

So yes yes yes! It’s like a fast food crab cake spot but the crab cakes taste anything close to fast food. Just lump crab meat, that’s it! So if you prefer your crab cakes all mashed together with fillers and breading then this is not the place for you. And oh yes, it’s pricey but come on, it’s the real deal and it’s at the national harbor, please don’t expect anything else. Splurge on yourself sometimes, you’re worth it! :)

I came to visit the national harbor and I was HANGRY for some MD crabs. Although I didn’t have access to crabs I settled for the crab cake in the area. This little sit down dive style restaurant surprised me. I ordered the Hawaiian Crab cake with fries and it definitely lived up to it’s name. The meaty crab was lightly seasoned just right to where you can still taste the crabs. There was a hint of pineapple in the crabs served on toasted buns to give it the Hawaiian feel. The size is on the medium side but it was perfect since I didn’t want to stuff myself. The fries were the thick crunchy style. For being in downtown National Harbor the price was decent. If you’re not looking to spend money in the overpriced restaurants, this little spot is a good place to grab good quality, tasty and quick food before you head back out to the dock.

When you walk in you notice there is a very limited seating. The servers are very nice and told us which table will probably open next. We didn’t wait too long for our food, probably 5 minutes. I got the Cajun crab cake with fries. It was good, however I didn’t feel and spices I expected something Cajun to be, here comes to old bag seasoning. The fries tasted pretty good, nothing crazy. Overall it was okay, crab cake in general costs a lot so paying $ 15 for crab cake and fries I guess that reasonable.

Even though it was very crowded and hardly anywhere to sit, the food was pretty good. Nice chunks on crab in the sandwiches and many options. The fries are also great. For what you get, the price is great too.

After reading reviews I visited Crab Cake Café for dinner while at a conference at the Gaylord. Note that place is definitely café style… you place your order, get a number, get a drink from the fountain soda machine and your order is brought to you.
I got the entrée for about $ 25 which came with two crab cakes and a side. I got the traditional Maryland crab cake, the baja crab cake and upgraded my side to a cream if crab soup. The soup ended up being my favorite… very lumpy crab meat and creamy but not super creamy, thick or rich like some places make it. I preferred the traditional crab cake over the baja. Again both had very lumpy meat and little filler. As for the baja… I thought there’d be chunks of avocado but it was blended into the meat and I think cooked with it too so it just tasted a little off to me. Others have said its good so it could just be me.
If I had a Crab Cake Café near me I’d go again to satisfy my random crab cake cravings.

very good crab cakes. usually i don’t find the restaurant selections around the harbor that good but this one was a good pick. below is the dishes we ordered. i went to eat with my boyfriend, family, and friends so needless to say we each had a bite of everything haha!
— SHRIMP AND CRAB CAKE 14.95
— TEX MEX CRAB CAKE 14.95
— NEW ORLEANS CRAB CAKE 14.95
— BAJA CRAB CAKE 14.95
— SEAFOOD GUMBO 8.95
— CREAM OF CRAB SOUP 8.95
— LOTS OF OLD BAY CHEDDAR CORN MUFFIN 1.40
out of all the crab cake sandwiches i would say top two would be the shrimp and crab cake one and the baja crab cake. delicious and the portion size was good too. fries were pretty much very oily and soggy (nothing really good to say about their fries haha). their cream of crab soup was delicious and creamy. they also didn’t go cheap on the crab meat. on to the seafood gumbo. now i usually don’t order jumbo. I find it to be really watery and just overall not that amazing but their gumbo was GGGOOOOOD. definitely would order it again. plenty of seafood and very flavorful. now last but not least, the old bay cheddar corn muffin. i love corn muffin and im from maryland so of course we have a soft spot for old bay. now mix the two together… pure magic. DELICIOUS! I had two for myself haha. I would have ordered more but see i get full easily and if i had ate any more i wouldn’t have been able to finish my meal. i would def come back to just eat the corn muffins alone. lol #don’tjudgeme

Respect! One of the best crab cakes I have ever had! They have what I call «honest crab cake» — very sizable amount of high quality crabs. All other additives were only in there to hold the crab pieces together. So you do get your money’s worth and don’t feel cheated :-).
4 stars instead of 5 because fries were mediocre and sea food gumbo was too salty.

OK, one of the things people want to do when they visit Maryland is eat one of their famous crab cakes. No doubt a place to go that serves them is this place. However, this is definitely a no frills experience. The cakes are decent sized with pure crab meat that comes in several variety of flavors/​seasonings. I had the traditional and the New Orleans, both good but not worth the high price they were charging. The tiny cheese corn muffin doesn’t come close to making up for the cost. Again, the issue is not with the food but the price and the lack of any sort of dining atmosphere. It was just me but I still had to stand around with my crab cakes to find a seat where I could eat them at for about 10 min.
Remember to bring money for parking also!

I came here for lunch while attending a conference at the Gaylord. The first few times I walked around the shops I didn’t realize this place existed. Unilocal showed me that there were quite a few shops and restaurants located by the water off the main street. So to the Crab Cake Café I went.
I had the traditional Maryland crab cake sandwich (14.95) and it was delicious. It was a good size with a lot of meat and virtually no breading. The sandwich came with a side, of which I could not resist an Old Bay cheddar muffin. It’s a casual dining place where you order at the register and they bring you your meal when it’s ready. For «fast food» this was really good! There is also the option to take-​out.

Delicious crab cakes to go? Yes, please! I have only tried the Maryland style crab cakes (why try any other ones?) and I was impressed! Only bad thing is my hair smelled like fries crab cakes when I left here. Then again, they smelled delicious so maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing!

We’ve always wanted to try Maryland’s famous crab cakes and this place by the National Harbor was the right place for the budget conscious (compared to the other restaurants in the area).
The Hawaiian was really good – ordered it with a side of muffin, which was equally delicious. Only thing bad about it is… its basically a mini muffin.
The Crab melt was good as well with the side of coleslaw.
All in all, one of the better places we’ve liked that actually had tasty crab cakes.
However…its still a little pricey for the amount of food you’re getting.

Delicious!!! Must go!!! 4-​star is not a lie, should have 5!
It’s casual and delicious. The burgers are 15 $ per burger and come with a side. The patties are delicious, so full of crab!!! I got the New Orleans patty which had some more flavor in it. Also got the gumbo soup and cream of crab soup. 4.50 for a cup and 8.95 for a bowl. Delicious fishy taste but not overpowering and gross. Seasoned perfectly, but there’s old bay on the table if you want more. Patty is moist, stays together, so good! My burger came with 1 ring of red onion, sauce, which was good, I spread it all over, and a green pepper on bottom. I ate that separately cuz I like to JUST taste the patty.
If you’re in the area, must go!

My first time having a Maryland style crab and it was AMAZING! Omg! There were chunks of crab meat in every bite. We tried the original and the crab and shrimp cake both equally delicious. I was a little upset when we finished them. Lol
The staff was friendly and very professional. The owner had come out for a chat and informed us that they will ship the crab cake frozen but the process is a little pricey.

Yummy crab cakes! It’s a quick and casual dining experience — just order at the counter, grab a number, and wait at a table for them to deliver your meal to you within moments!
The crab cake itself was very meaty (no filler whatsoever), and they give you the right amount of sauce for it. I ordered the Traditional Maryland, and it was very well-​seasoned. My boyfriend’s, however, was a little bland, but Old Bay seasoning helped with that. The biggest problem I have about this place is that the crab cakes are a little too small for the buns. I think it’s okay for the price, but I do wish they were bigger.
I also decided to upgrade my side from fries to the Cream of Crab soup, which was a great decision. It was creamy, yummy, and had a huge chunk of meat as well!
Overall, a great food option for National Harbor, especially if you’re in the mood for a solid crab cake!

After watching WWII planes fly over the National Harbor on VE Day, it was time to eat something delicious. I was craving something delicious but my tummy didn’t know what it wanted until I saw Crab Cake Café and I knew it was the one.
We ordered our food at the counter, lady gave us our number and found us some seats outside. Server found our table and gave our food.
FOOD:
— Traditional Maryland Blue Crab Cakes: Fresh Jumbo Lump, Maryland Style Crab Cake, with their Signature Tarter (or Cocktail Sauce). I got it with the Signature Tarter sauce. Lots of Maryland Blue Crab meat?! YAAAAAS! One of the best crab cakes I’ve ever had in my life.
— Coleslaw: Mix of Shredded Cabbage and Carrots with Signature Sweet Slaw Dressing. I got this a side with my crab cakes. I like how it wasn’t soggy and liquidy like the coleslaw’s I’ve had in the past. Good combination with my crab cakes.
OVERALL:
For a fast food crab cake sandwich, this place rocks! Excellent flavor lump meat with NO breading crab cake. You get to taste the juicy meat and not be disappointed — I wasn’t! How awesome is that? Also, I was quite surprised about how fast the service here. even if you’re sitting outside they will definitely look for your number or just simply yell our your name when your order is up!
I can’t wait to go back to this place next year. Like their website slogan says, «You’ve never had crab like this»

Came here after the Color Run expecting a huge wait, was delighted to see no line and an available table outside.
I was a bit too hasty with my ordering and forgot to add avocado and consider getting soup as a side. Instead I rushed to get the Original Crabcake with Old Bay Fries. The crabcake itself was good– plenty of crabmeat and flavorful enough. I think I might have liked it better without the bun, given my lack of toppings. The fries were well-​seasoned but very soggy.
Our table was promptly cleaned after we sat down and we were checked on twice, which I found surprising as we were outside. Good service and I’ll be back if I’m in the area and craving a crabcake. I do prefer Faidley’s crabcake in Baltimore though.

For a fast food crab cake sandwich, this place rocks.
Very good flavor lump meat with no breading crabcake. I would love if they were a little larger. I hear the fries are also good they look incredible. But I settled for the crab cake sandwich. Was quite surprised with the speed of service and even when you’re sitting out on the chair on the sidewalk they will yell your name and look for you when your order is up. I will probably end up eating dozens of these this summer.
Grabbed my sandwich to go and watch a game on the lawn. #NationalHarbor #DMVLiving #PrinceGeorgesCounty

It’s not often I would venture to a fast-​food place for crab cake, so it took a leap of faith on a beautiful Wednesday afternoon by the water… who am I kidding, I was just hungry.
It was a great sign when we saw a bunch of people enjoying their crab cakes at 3pm, but soon we were greeted with a «no french fries» sign. They may have read my diary and knew I was on a diet, but the more likely explanation was their fryer broke. Fortunately we ordered the Hawaiian and Tex Mex crab cakes and they had plenty of that. You do get a signature side along with your crab cake sandwich, but it bothered me that they charge extra for soup, and to make matters worse, because fries weren’t available, you’re down to coleslaw or corn muffin. Make the cup of soup $ 3 like the rest of the sides!
Both crab cakes were full of meat like what many Unilocalers have stated, and it’s really nice to see them offering toppings as add-​ons (disclaimer later). The flavor is subtle and not overly salty. They also keep the place fairly clean, even though we can see a gazillion to-​go boxes stacked by the entrance.
Pro tip: each topping costs 25 cents and they don’t spell out that cost on the menu. They also skimp on toppings when you do order some, for example I asked for spinach and I got 2 spinach leaves. Come on now.

I was in town for a conference and needed a quick late lunch so I walked on over from the Gaylord Resort. I ordered the shrimp and crab cake sandwich with fries. The sandwich was great but the fries needed some salt or seasoning salt. I am also used to tarter sauce in the south and theirs was a little bit more different. Nonetheless I scarfed the whole sandwich down and some of the fries and was a happy camper.