I went here with family from out of town who had heard about this place from friends. The staff was very friendly but the food was terrible and not worth the price. Our meal (broiled lump crab cakes) came out lukewarm and the sides of potatoes and asparagus had absolutely no flavor! We also got a couple of the blue crabs but again those were not seasoned and the seasoning that did come with it was not great. Maybe I'm just used to southern style seafood with lots of flavor, but this place was quite disappointing especially for the prices they charge for exceptionally mediocre food. If you like well-seasoned food go elsewhere! read more

3.5 is a perfect rating here. Worth the drive for the experience, especially for someone usually land-locked and unfamiliar with the bay scene. Fantastic setting, especially with the outdoor seating. Fun to see the catch being sorted under the deck and to know your dinner just came in. I think the food was better in town at Dock St, but it was still very good and worth the drive. read more

This was our Saturday QT first stop of the day. This was our first time patronizing this establishment. The wait for outdoor seating was about 5min. We had the dz of jumbo crabs with the drunken mussels. The crabs were cooked perfectly and very meaty and though the mussels were good we expected a little more when ordering the bucket. We like how they have a wash station outdoors which is very convenient and feel that though it didn't stop the show the benches could be a little higher. Lastly our waitress (her name escapes me) was very attentive. We will visit again... Happy and Full... read more

Cantler's Riverside - Dz Large Crabs - Seafood Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

Best crab, oysters, clams and mussels I have ever had! Went to visit this lovely place when I was visitng my boyfriends parents. Lovely atmosphere and great food. read more

My husband and I ordered the cream of crab soup and the stuffed shrimp platter. The cream of crab soup was very salty. Our server was kind and took this off the bill (we didn't ask her to). The broccoli on our platter was hard as a rock. Not much taste to the platter; disappointed. Our server was very good though. Pricey menu. I doubt that I will return. I've been a customer for some time. I even bartended there many years ago. Other good places to go. read more

With a serving of 18 fresh, icy cold oysters for an amazing price, followed by one of us having a soft-shelled crab sandwich with delicious coleslaw, the other having a broiled lump crab sandwich with crispy French fries, and delightful service out on the heated patio near the river, I'd say this was the best seafood we've had in Maryland, the crab capital of the country.! Thank you Cantrel's Riverside Inn! read more

We waited a good 10min with waitresses walking by not saying anything to us. I hated to leave, but obviously they didn't care we were there.

One of the best sea food places I have even been in my life. Super fresh and yummy. I wish I could make business trips more often to MD so I can have their yummy crabs. Will visit soon. read more

5 stars may be a little high but Cantler's gives you exactly what you're looking for in the summer. We came by boat and ordered takeout. There is dock space but can be limited depending on your arrival time. Most people come by car and the parking lot gets very crowded. If you want one of the coveted picnic benches outside the wait can be long. For our takeout we picked it up at the bar (Kelly?) was an adorable and friendly bartender who gave me the order. We had the smoked fish appetizer (wouldn't do again-not what I expected-two large pieces of fish with hard boiled egg, capers, onions, pickles and a 1000 Island dressing), the blackened rockfish bites (very nice) we added those to the house salad and it was a very light flavorful lunch. Mill creek is a very shallow passage but peaceful and a great night! read more

Great crab, fun atmosphere. People are driving up on their boats, having dinner, others are waiting in the parking lot having a drink playing frisbee while waiting. The hour and a half wait was worth it. If you order the crab cakes, get the broiled ones! read more

Cantler's Riverside - Dozen Medium crab - Seafood Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

Being a native of the DC area, I was raised feasting on crabs in the summer. I never ventured out to one of the Crab houses in Maryland so this was my first and I must say, extraordinary experience in crab dining. The ambiance is perfect for eating crabs and the service attentive and responsive. The extra large Jimmys ELJs (expensive but well worth it) were perfectly cooked and the seasonings/butter excellent. We had (18) ELJs but staggered our order as recommended by previous reviewers of Cantler's which yielded perfectly hot and savory crabs. These were some of the best crabs I have ever experienced. The service (thanks Emily!) was superb and the Yuengling beer perfect. We sat outside on a Monday night - full but not crowed and not waiting for a cool spot outside. Overall - The Perfect setting for enjoying absolulely perfect crabs!!! read more

We arrived around 3:30 on a Sunday afternoon. we were greeted by the host. seated promptly ,. Food was Okay, I'm not sure if it was worth the hour drive. read more

We decided to visit this place based on high internet ratings and what-not. Overall, it was a disappointing experience, and it seems this place is riding on the coat-tails of past glory and good reputation that it no longer deserves. First of all, the entire staff consisted of a bunch of high-school kids (seemingly) with no vested interest in making the business work. While polite, they were incompetent, and not very attentive or professional. Eating here was reminiscent of being in a high-school cafeteria. The waiters were more concerned about "getting their friends in quickly" even if that means paying customers wait longer. At one point we actually had to ask for a manager as a quartet of students who claimed to be from Boston thought they were too important to get in line...and instead of making them wait, they were served ahead of everyone simply because they were being bratty. Really? Additionally, the staff was overly focused on flirting with young people of the opposite sex than really doing their jobs well. Waters were not kept full. Condiments were lacking. They had no knowledge of the menu. And they did not come check on you after serving the food. Instead, they'd sit at nearby tables *together* and chit-chat, laugh, and ignore the customers. Driving all this way...and paying higher than average cost for average food...leaves a bitter taste. Now on to the food. The crab was fresh, and tasted great. But not really superlative to other good crab joints. The seasonings were salty, but good on the side. The rest of the menu was okay...and certainly NOT worth a drive nor deserving of a superior reputation. I think this place is popular because of glory days past, and it's location on the water. Nothing more. I would not make the journey back to this place. read more

This is a pretty typical crab shack, with the emphasis on 'shack". This is a pretty famous place, with a lot of 4 and 5 star reviews, but I was dissapointed. The 3 stars I have given it are for the stunning waterfront location and the scenic beauty. That is on the outside-the inside has all the charm of a school cafeteria, so eat outside if you can tolerate the wait for a table. We did not have the crabs, which is the specialty here. I had the lump crabcake platter. The crabcakes were okay, but I have had much better elsewhere (try Stoneys on Broomes Island in Calvert County) The mashed potatoes and green beans that were served with it were just barely edible. My husband had the crabcake sliders and had no complaints, but no raving either. The coleslaw and french fries were good, probably the highlights of the meal. The waitress was fairly prompt and friendly. We will not be returning, but if you like crabs and a beautiful waterfront location, you may want to give it a try. read more

Fabulous cream of crab soup was yummy!!! Deck overlooks a creek.

Wonderfull crabby experience for a French crab virgin like me !

I don't get the hype people. The crabs are good but overpriced, the service is mediocre. The menu outside of the crabs is okay. The location is alright but there are several better locations for crabs, better views, better prices, better service. As a local I noticed most of the reviews for this spot are from outta towners, so I get why they like it but if you are a local and go to Cantlers, I don't know you. read more

Another great crab house in the Annapolis area. It's not as big as its competitor, Mike's Crab House and doesn't have as big of an outdoor area. It also doesn't have as expansive as a view, although I do like quiet water way that we do see. The fun part for kids (and adults) are found on the below-street level - I don't know how to describe them, but you can see live crab in some basins. The prices are decent and the crabs are good...though they tend to be missing some of the large claws sometimes. The service is OK. The wait here is long but you'll find that problem at any crab house in the area on a summer's night. read more

Sitting on a sunny patio, overlooking the river, I was surrounded by friends with a table full of fresh seafood and beer in front of me. Sufficed to say, I had a great time at Cantlers! The food was very simply prepared; steamed crabs with old bay spice, fresh oysters with horse radish and some sweet potato fries. I guess when food is this fresh, you really want the ingredients to speak for themselves. It was very busy when we were there, but we still received stellar service. Our waiter was very attentive and was knowledgeable about the menu items. This place is a lot of fun, with great food and service. I definitely plan on going again. read more

It was a long wait. We drove all the way from New York for blue crab, check in hotel in Baltimore and came to Cantler before 6pm, we waited for two hours for a table, the atmosphere is certainly exciting,lots of people with paper and crabs on the tale to share, but our crabs were skinny, we ordered dozen of large crabs, some of the crabs were pretty small. Only two of them with complete claws and feet, they rest were without claws and feet. I had three crabs, only one is kind of meaty. The three of us went to another carb shack recommended by locals near Baltimore, the next da. We ordered half of dozen of crabs, all of them came out with claws, six feet attached to them. They were meaty. I do not thinking will return to Cantler's Inn. If you have not been to Cantler, I suggest visit the place, the atmosphere is fun not for the crabs. read more

Best crabs in town! Actually slightly out of town, but worth the ride. Be prepared to wait for service as there is always a lot of traffic on nice days, however, this will be one of the more fun and places to go with a large group or to introduce to your friends. Bring your crayons for the brown paper tablecloth! read more

This is one of my favorite places for crabs. The Crabs are always hot and true to size and the beer is always cold. You cant beat the price for the AUCE!!! read more

We always have a great time at cantlers! Crabs were good, although a little pricey. Annie was our server and she was great! Kids really had fun and she even brought the crab hat and key lime pie to celebrate my wife's birthday. read more

On your way there might look like a bad scene from a stephen kings novel but keep going, the crabs are to die for. We sat outside on the patio which was enclosed and heated, even on a dreary day the view was amazing... And the crab was to die for. I would say more but what you really need to know is the crab truely is something to die for... Oh and if they have the key lime pie, order it and then be dissappointed in everyone you know for not telling you about the key lime pie here and because you had to read about it on yelp read more

My family enjoys this place. It gets crowded on nice days, so plan accordingly. It's a bit out of the way, so don't let the fact that you have to drive through a residential area to get there put you off. If you have kids, be sure to get there a little early so you can go down the stairs outside to see where they sort the crabs. You might get lucky and get there when a new batch comes in. The employees are nice and will explain what they're doing. The crab cakes are excellent. It's a fun atmosphere to get a few friends together and have a couple of bushels of crabs. They have a nice selection of seafood, they will prepare it however you request it, and the dishes I've had there have always been good and fresh. It can be a little pricey, especially if crab season isn't plentiful, but the quality is very good. read more

After years hearing about this place, finally got a chance to go there. My wife wanted steamed crabs and it was my birthday so we went there. Loved it. I'm not a crab aficionado. I like them but I can leave them as well. Never even heard of 'super jumbo' but they had them and the wife ordered them, a dozen. Expensive, hell yes but they are steamed crabs and the good one never come cheap. Well we loved them. Loved the atmosphere, the service and it gets croweded! I would go there again in a heartbeat. And will! read more

Please don't be fooled by these great reviews. If you are a true seafood lover you will be disappointed! We ordered 5 meals and no one finished their food or was impressed. I ordered the stuffed shrimp for 32$ and every shrimp was not deveined. The broccoli was not washed before being cooked and the bread with the crab cake sandwich was hard. It was a waste of money. I won't even speak on the flies. Our bill was about 200 and no one finished their food or packed their leftovers. I rarely write reviews but today I had to read more

A disappointing evening. When we came in we were told there was going to be a half hour wait. We weren't called back to our table until over an hour and 45 minutes later. Each time we asked about our table l, the answer was "soon". Once seated, the outside patio was too loud to even hear the people at our table. The crab cake tasted rotten and was inedible. The crabs to pick were tasty and hot though. We will certainly not be back and would definitely not recommend. read more

The location is amazing, overlooking the river with a great patio. We ordered crabs and those were nice. We also had calamari and fries. The calamari batter was too thick and the portion was small vis a vis the peice. The fries portion size were pretty small as well. Steamed shrimp were good. Service was good. Nice day out, but the price means that it's not a place that you go to regularly. read more

My family and I dined in on Memorials day. The wait was not bad at all and the service was great. The staff were friendly and we enjoyed the over look of the water. We ordered 3 dozens of crabs, steamed shrimps, French fries and hush puppies. The crabs were delicious, large,and meaty. However, there were a lot of crabs that were really watery inside. We've had to have at least a dozen of crabs full of just water. Due to the great customer service we are willing to give this place another try. Hopefully the crabs will be a little better. read more

Fantastic crab house. We ordered a dozen of super size crabs at $115. they were a very nice size and meaty. The cream of crab soup was flavorful. We also had the crab dip and the stuffed shrimp. Everything was delicious. read more

Totally AUTHENTIC Maryland crab restaurant. Not fancy, paper on the tables, big hot crabs and right on the water. As real as it gets.

PRO: Good, no-nonsense crabhouse. Good, thick cut onion rings. Super sweet corn. Friendly wait staff. CON: We had to wait for about 1/2 hour before our crabs came out that night, but our waitress was friendly and very apologetic about it. Crab seasoning was also a bit too heavy on the salt. read more

CRABS are the best in the DC, MD and VA area!!!......great atomsphere too, the staff are FUN and polite. They have a great OUTDOOR deck on the water! And the kids will love it too since you can walk down by the pier and see the live crabs. They also enclose the deck in the winter time so you can EAT crabs ALL YEAR ROUND! We have been going here for years, its great to see them finally on YELP! The wait staff is great, but TARA is the BEST!....She has been working there for awile, she loves her job and loves to make people happy! We always ask for her when go there. We can't wait to go back again before the end of the year! We love it at Cantlers! read more

If I lived in Annapolis, I would go to this restaurant every day of my life. LOVE the atmosphere and the food was great, too!

Great crab chowder. The broiled lump crab sandwich was tasty, although I don't recall the roll being that special for what I paid. I ate on the porch and the view of the river and the homes of the wealthy across the way was OK, but not spectacular. It's also just a little hard to find the place without at least one wrong turn; the little tourist map is somewhat useless. Should have used the GPS to begin with. Overall, I think it's probably better to enjoy this restaurant with a group of friends, where you can drink beer and whack crabs with the little mallets. read more

I cant say enough great things about Cantler's. We eat here everyt ime we are in town. The best service, the best food (try the crab dip, it is to die for!!), the best view... We love it. You have got to try it. read more

I'm not from the area, but I do love crabs when I can get them. The reviews online made it clear that this was the best place in Annapolis. As others say, it's hard to get to w/o GPS or directions from Google Maps (and I really thought I'd turned the wrong way at first...), but DEFINITELY worth it. My wife and I split a big steamed feast thing, and it was excellent. Crabs, shrimp, mussels, and clams. I was very happy, and we're considering roadtripping out there again sometimes this summer. read more

I recently visited my son, who is in the Army at Fort Meade. On July 3, 2012, we all dined at Jimmy Cantler's. The crabs were as fresh as you can get them and the crab cakes were absolutely huge and full of flavor. The atmosphere was filled with great people and the sound of hammering the the crabs. We all had a grand time. jimmy from San Antonio, Tx read more

Great stop for crabs. Always good. Hard to find but everyone gets there !