Not really impressed much. Service was mediocre. Had to ask for silverware after food was delivered. Prices were high for what was served. Tried it, won't go back though read more

Cantler's is the real deal when it comes to md crabs. It literally is located in the middle of nowhere and you go thru a residential neighborhood to get there. No other restaurants in the area...but it is located on the bay so you have a nice view of the water from the restaurant. Crabs aren't cheap these days but you can't beat crackin some crabs in beautiful weather on the patio. In addition to the star of the show (the crabs) we also ordered the hush puppies, the crab dip, md crab soup, and the old bay wings which were very enjoyable. The fried crab cake sandwich and lump crabcake sandwich are good for folks who don't want to go theu the effort of picking your own. Only complaint we had was the steamed shrimp. The shrimp are on the small side and not really worth it. Go early for dinner to limit the wait...it's worth it. read more

Cantler's Riverside - Outside patio - Seafood Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

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Best soft shell I ever had. And everything else is near perfect. I'm writing this driving back to Baltimore on Labor Day weekend. A holiday is made fantastic with good food, and Cantler's did not disappoint. I've been here a few times and it's always good, Jillian has also been our server before, so I'm not surprised we had 11/10 experience. There was a wait, for even a parking space. But they got folks out to tell you as you pull up what kinda wait you're looking at. Good communication before you even open the door is a sign of how much they value their customers. We got a couple drinks and headed down to the dock to watch the birds and enjoy a little breeze off the water. We were sat earlier than anticipated, thank you to the host and front of house team. The steamed shrimp were outstanding. Entrees were delivered as I was dipping the last shrimp in butter. The soft shells were sweet and hot, couldn't be better. My wife got the blackened rockfish sandwich, great flavor. At the table I had remarked that I'd like another drink but no rush. And no sooner was my glass empty than did a new one arrive, as if by magic. When we wanted more cocktail sauce, it was delivered very quickly. I will keep driving 40 minutes and waiting just as long to know that I'm getting the best Maryland has to offer. Great seafood. And from someone who worked for years in a restaurant, front and back of house, they might have the best staff. Thank you and happy Labor Day! read more

We had an amazing lunch today. XL crabs were on point! They were cooked perfectly with no duds. Ambiance cannot be beat overlooking the water. House made potato chips are a nice side dish with crabs as crabs aren't super filling in general. Ask for ranch on the side for dipping! Corn fresh and cooked well too! Great lunch today! read more

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A nice place to have lunch by the water! For starters, my friend & I had the crab pretzel which was a huge, fat pretzel topped with some crab dip ( could've used more crab- we could hardly taste it ) & the shrimp bruschetta which was actually a flat bread. Both appetizers were a bit disappointing. For entrees, I chose the soft shell crab platter which came with 3 nice sized crabs, perfectly fried lightly & seasoned well. They were really good! The French fries that came with it were some of the best I've had, nice and crispy on the outside, fluffy inside. The coleslaw was good too! My friend had the crab imperial - a nice portion of creamy , lumpy and delicious crab dish Our cocktails (orange crush & margaritas) we're a bit watery though Service was super friendly & attentive Located within a residential area by the riverfront so it's nice and relaxing. Plenty of outside seating to enjoy the scenic view! We'll be back for some hard shell crabs ! read more

Cantler's Riverside - Soft shell crabs - Seafood Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

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I don't know why this place has such low stars! It's great! Quick service and yummy food! We loved the pretzel topped with crab dip and cheese, and the clam chowder. Will definitely be back! read more

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Great food, service, ambiance, and parking were tricky, but someone guided you in. The jumbo lump crabcake was really good, as well as the drinks! In and outside sitting as well as the bar. read more

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Crabs were great and the river views add to the experience- would definitely recommend for an authentic Maryland lunch!

I went on Saturday 7/12. It was extremely busy. The wait was 45 minutes to an hour and worth the wait. This was my third time at the restaurant and it's been phenomenal every time. All the workers are so nice, professional and courteous. Will definitely go again and again. read more

For years, I have heard of Cantler's Riverside and I have wondered if the actual experience can be as good as the outpouring of over the top recommendations for that place. Finally, after almost 30 years, I finally went there and I can tell you that the answer is - almost! The place is 50 years old. You can even buy a commemorative 50th anniversary T-shirt if you wish but I wanted one with a crab on it. Anyway, it is kind of like a dive bar. Old furniture, old building, cramped tables, some duct tape repairs on the upholstered chairs. Of course, none of that scared me. In fact, I love greasy spoons and dive bar food and I'm from the Midwest so duct tape is my friend. The food, I am happy to report, is VERY good. Not always great - but VERY good across the board. I had the cream of crab soup mixed with the tomato-based Maryland crab soup and it was AWESOME!!! My spouse had the straight up cream of crab soup and reported it was VERY salty - like too salty to eat. So, he asked for, and received, about 20 little containers of creamer and turned that one bowl of cream of crab soup into two bowls of cream of crab soup. Who's stupid now??? They also brought him some whipped cream but it was really too sweet to add so that did not help. We both got the crab cakes as our way of measuring the stature of Cantler's. Each crab cake was perfect! Lump crab meat everywhere and just the tiniest bit of binder to flavor the cakes. They were as good as I had heard. I got 2 crab cakes and took one home (used it for scrambled eggs the next morning - YUM)! I got cole slaw as my side dish and it was underwhelming but the potatoes were very good. My spouse got the crab cake sandwich and reported that it was among the best crab cake he has ever had. So, bottom line, Cantler's is a great place for Maryland crab cakes! FER SURE!!! Our waitress was Liz and I want to give her a special shout out. She handled everything professionally and perfectly. We got lots of attention and smiles from her even though she was serving what seemed like half the big dining room. She took everything in stride - even when my spouse complained about the soup being too salty. She just started bringing the little containers of creamer until he was happy. She is one of those waitresses who has seen it all (I imagine) and can dish it out as well as she can take it. We really enjoyed talking with her. So, the results are in and the results for Cantler's are great. We will definitely go back. Highly recommend this place for a great casual seafood - translation, crab cake - meal!!! read more

we ordered XL crabs and half of them were barely 7inches with a couple falling short. When we asked about it, they said they were out of XL now but could take it off the bill. I feel like we got the, let's see if we can pass these by dozen. The waitress had to be asked to come over for drink refills. Worst experience. won't go back read more

I am from San Antonio, Texas. I am in town for business and was searching for some high reviewed restaurants. This place could have had 1 review and I still would have came. When I saw pictures of the whole crabs, I was not going to pass it up. My coworker and I ordered a few dishes to share. The Ahi Tuna was pretty good. I have had better in McAllen Tx but this one was not bad at all. The fried soft shell crab was not my favorite but I couldn't leave without trying it. The medium order of crab was AMAZING! I love snow crab legs but I would choose these crabs over any seafood any day! The crab meat was full of flavor. The seasoning also added some extra flavor to the thicker chunks of meat that I pulled. If I am anywhere near this area, I will go out of my way to come back! read more

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We were visiting Maryland from California. Friends recommended Cantler's. Everything was perfect. I had a sampler crab cake, soft shell crab and rockfish all lightly fried. Tremendous. The service was awesome and the setting was beautiful! read more

Cantler's Riverside - Love the sign! - Seafood Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

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It was good- friendly waitress but sad I took my time to order - found one then she says I'm sorry all out of the portobello mushroom w crab - then had to go w my second / third choice - she says both are good unless I want or not to do the work! Thanks for the view dining out back as forgot to post my image of the water/homes/ and boat riding by!!! read more

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Go there only for crabs. Nice sitting on the terrace, shaded, with a fantastic view on the creek. Fast and nice service. We had the Jimmy boiled platters. It is a good sized platter but I would not recommend it. The shrimp, mussels and clams have been cooked for some time already and were desperately waiting for us... everything tastes off, mussels are dry and shrimps peeling is not that easy. I think the place is famous for crabs, stick to that. A lot of crab consumption will ensure they are cooked for order which was clearly not the case for our plate. Btw, 3$ is added to the check if you pay by credit card. read more

Very cute little place on the river with a super good options of seafood. Fresh is always best read more

Cantler's Riverside - Steamer platter with hush puppies and French Fries - Seafood Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

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I've been coming here once or twice in the summer for more than 10 years. Yesterday (06/19/2025) was not a pleasant experience. Nothing wrong with the service. The waitress was very attentive and food came on time. However, the quality of the crabs were really bad. We ordered 10 XL size crabs. only 6 were decent. I could tell four were dead before the steamer. Two had no meat and two had mushy meat. I paid 12 dollars per crab and I was expecting way better. I drove thru a thunder storm on bay bridge just to eat there. Finally, the check came and I paid with credit card. I was surprised to find a 3% credit card fee (6 dollars) on top of my bill. I had cash with me and would have been happy to avoid the 6 dollars fee. Overall, kind of disappointed. my wife and kids did not have a satisfying experience. 1. Please weight your crab before serving, so you can tell which crab has no meat. 2. Please let customer know that there is a 3% charge using credit card. read more

I don't understand the hype. I arrived on a Saturday afternoon and the place was packed. Hour and a half wait. I figured the food must be good. I COULDNT HAVE BEEN MORE WRONG! I ordered the Crab Dip as an appetizer. DO NOT get this. ZERO crab meat. Tasted like Cream Cheese mixed with Tuna Fish. Definitely sent this to the trash. The bread that comes with it was HOT and Warm. I wish I had some water. After that, I ordered the Cajun Pasta with an order of hush puppies. The previous photos were a LIE. Either that or it's not the same pasta. The waiter told me it was. I disagree. It was dry and lacked flavor for me. The hush puppies though, DELICIOUS!!! I could have just eaten these and been fine. My mother in law ordered the rockfish. Looked like dry fish sticks. Crossed this place off the list. No need for me to return. read more

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The surrounding atmosphere near the lake was amazing. We had fried clams and soft shell crab sandwich platter. Soft shell crab platter and steamed shrimp. It was all good. The atmosphere was great. If you're in the area and craving some fresh seafood, definitely check this place out! read more

Cantler's is a low key seafood restaurant that is away from downtown Annapolis and right off of the water. We were worried that it would be too busy since it was Sunday, but I think we arrived at the perfect window! We were seated right away and Alison was our waitress. She was super polite, personable, and used our names throughout the service. She was excellent! I ordered the Lump Crab Cake Sandwich with a Garden Side Salad. My husband ordered the same thing, but with fries. We also shared oysters with our lunch guests. The oysters were sooo fresh! I wish we ordered more. But, the Crab Cake was the star of the meal. It's the best I've had. I didn't even eat the bun to make it a sandwich, I ate it just by itself without any sauce. read more

Cantler's Riverside - Lump Crab Cake Sandwich & Raw Local Oysters On The Half Shell - Seafood Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

We make a trip to Baltimore/Annapolis area just to come here. Service is always amazing no matter how busy they are. The crab cakes, soft shell crabs, and fried shrimp are amazing sides to their freshly steamed crabs. Everything is delicious. It's really the best to sit by the water, with a cold drink, and just enjoy their food. Come early to get a good seat. There was a like 15 minutes before they opened last time we went on a Sunday. read more

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Crab dip was too creamy with little crab. Steamed sampler was so so. Clams were extremely salty. Not a fan of thos restaurant. read more

Cantler's Riverside - Steamed sampler - Seafood Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

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First time checking this place out. Very cute spot for a date evening on a nice sunny day. Restaurant sits on the water in a cozy location. The service was great and everyone was fast and very friendly. The wait wasn't too long to be seated. The food was just ok. Nothing was really memorable and the "large" crabs we paid for were definitely meds. They weren't large. And about half of the dozen were missing a lot of legs/claws. The crabs also were kinda dry, they weren't fresh and juicy. Also, I would have preferred some fried flounder or fried whitening on the menu, but nope. The inside of the restaurant is a nice size but the seating is very close together; however, they have lots of covered and uncovered outdoor seating. I would go back just for the cute vibe on the water but wasn't impressed with the food and definitely wasn't impressed with the crabs. But I will say our waitress was awesome... she took great care of us. The parking staff was on it and helped us find a good parking spot... the lot gets full quick. read more

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GET HERE EARLY!!! We got here 30 minutes before opening and were not the first people waiting. I wish they had covering outside for those waiting but not a big deal. Crabs are so so so amazing. I saw a group of people order a dozen and brought a paper bag to bring them home, that is how good they are. The hushpuppies were also a great side. read more

We had a great experience at Cantlers. Showed up on a Saturday afternoon in December. Seated and greeted promptly. Order was Crab Pretzel, MD Crab Soup, Crab Cake Sandwich, and Fried Shrimp platter. Everything was fresh, delicious, and flavorful! Def worth the reputation! read more

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This place is bare bones in terms of decor. But it's very clean and has friendly servers. And the food is great!! You can't go wrong!!

Great place, great service, great food. We had a party of 7 for a nice family weekend getaway and I had never had blue crab before so I thought this place would be the place to try them. I did not watch how to properly prepare to eat one prior and there missed a lot of meat under the hood of the body. I did enjoy the legs though but even if I had gotten the lump meat I still don't think it's worth the cost. Crab is hard to fill up on and thankfully we ordered the ocean. The waitress was great just getting us a pitcher of soda so that we didn't have to keep asking for refills as well as a pitcher of water. Probably the best clam chowder i have ever had very tender clams and smooth chowder. Everything was delicious, my brother and sister in laws lobster were a little over cooked as were the peel and eat shrimp hence the 4 stars. read more

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Perfect atmosphere for enjoying their well seasoned, delicious crabs! Came here for my birthday, just because I wanted to eat steamed crabs with a view of the water. Our server was great! And upon learning it was my birthday, returned to our table and crowned me with a crab hat! Lol. Too cute. Definitely worth the price here. read more

Best crabs ever! Hidden gem off the beaten road, literally! Put in in your GPS and keep going to the most amazing little dockside spot for seafood! We ordered large fresh blue claws, seasoned to perfection! And a soft shelled crab platter. We will be back!!! read more

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The rockfish bites appetizer are worth the [windy] drive here alone. Very rich buttery flavor. I cannot recommend the 1/2 lb shrimp appetizer, it seems like you're going to get served 1/2 lb of potatoes with shrimp... I didn't come during peak crab season so they mainly had smaller crabs but overall I think you're paying a premium for being on the water. Slightly overrated. read more

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Took my 67 year old mother and handicapped brother here for Mother's Day and I completely understand it's a busy day but this was unacceptable and embarrassing. We waited about an hour for an outside table on the crab deck and we were taken to an already occupied table in the parking lot with no shade from the beaming 1pm sun. We simply asked the host if we could sit at another table and were told by the host we would have to what another hour and a half and start over on the waitlist. My mother asked to speak to a manager who made eye contact with us and walked the opposite direction to avoid conflict. We decided to leave after the piss poor customer service. I've spent thousands of dollars here and will not be returning ever again. DO BETTER! read more

Excellent food! Casual atmosphere which is perfect for families who want to chill out with their Midshipman when visiting USNA or after Navy home football games. Have visited many times and always leave full and happy! read more

Went here with a bunch of girlfriends for lunch and we loved the ambiance of the restaurant and how it was tucked away in a neighborhood. Service was somewhat unresponsive but it was pretty busy on the patio. Our server was very nice and apologetic. None of got the fresh crab but most other table around us did. I had the trip of shrimp, scallops and fish, which were all nicely seasoned. The asparagus was gigantic and a little too big for my taste. And the baked potato was just a baked potato. The shrimp my friend got was delicious. Overall great location and fun ambiance on a nice day but the food/service was fine. read more

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I loved this place and will definitely be back. The food is honestly so good!! I got a bowl of the crab soup and it is the best crab soup I've ever had. Just enough balance of everything and the right thickness. We also ordered the pretzel. It was a little pricey for a pretzel, but worth every penny. I thought it would come with cheese dip and crab dip, but they were already cooked on top of the pretzel. I loved this because everything was eventually proportioned so you got cheese and crab dip with every bite! I don't know if I will ever enjoy a normal pretzel again. We also got some of the crabs. This was a fun experience cracking them. There was butter, vinegar, and old bay seasoning to dip everything in. The location is beautiful on the water and the restaurant is off by itself, so I loved that it's away from the downtown crowds. read more

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The view keeps me coming back every time. Cantler's has a covered outdoor seating area (pet friendly) with a lovely view of the water. Since steamed Maryland crabs are on the menu practically all year round, we come here in the winter just as often as in the summer months. The cream of crab soup is a perfect balance of sherry and lump crab meat. The crab dip is paired with freshly baked French bread (which is so chewy and addictive). Great spot for steamed crabs, conversation, and a view of the water. read more

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HOLY SHIT this is the GREATEST do you like oysters?? well theirs are incredible its soft and buttery and awfully delicate. we joined them for the shuck a Buck and had 48 oysters we also had the medium order of crabs which was delicious the spices and the butter was perfect!! we also had the chicken with their crab dip to DIE for i got an order then my brother did it was so good service is exemplary staff is knowledge abt gluten free and incredibly nice ambiance is perfect you get to hang out with locals it's perfect 10/10 would c read more

Great food, atmosphere and service! Had the fried shrimp with slaw and hush puppies. My wife had the steamed shrimp. Everything was so good! read more

Love this place. Great seafood but also some nice landlubber options to please everyone in your group. My go-to meal here is anything with soft shell crab. They are shedded fresh on their docks most of the year. You are getting the best soft shell you can find! The Mill Creek club is the bomb. (Crab, shrimp, bacon!) Crabs are cooked perfect, but they are pricey here. They're expensive everywhere but seem to run $10-$20 higher per dozen then other local places. But you can buy singles so there is a solution for every crab budget. Locals secret is the bar menu! Walk to the far end and find that little marker board of specials that you can get restaurant-wide. Happy hour is only in the bar, but the board specials have affordable treats for everyone. (Fried perch platter, chili dogs, etc.) Outdoor seating year round that is heated when needed. Arrive by boat, bike, kayak or car! This place is one of a kind. read more

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Have wanted to dine here for years. Finally did today. Took heed and arrived at 11:15 and we were able to get an outdoor picnic table in the shade on the river, without a wait. Please note they will not seat you until your entire party is standing together in the restaurant. It was a picture perfect day to eat crabs outdoors. Nicole is a great wait staff. She is personable, open, pleasant and good at her job. Her great follow up and follow through with a smile was very much appreciated! We shared a half dozen medium crabs at $65 a dozen. The super crabs cost double that and didn't look significantly bigger. The crab meat was tender and sweet. Also ordered the rockfish blackened grilled with crab imperial and with a side of fries and hush puppies. Enjoyed it all. Will go back just for crabs next time. They were that good. As I was leaving there was a line of cars waiting to get onto the lot to park. There were folks outside waiting to be called to be seated. I look forward to returning here! read more

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There is no other ranking for Cantler's. This is five stars. Period. Maryland crab with seasonings- Perfect. Flaky. Mildly sweet. Not fishy. A true dining pleasure. We ate eight large crabs between four people and were stuffed. I highly recommend the cole slaw and potato salad. Both recipes are incomparable. The slaw is comprised of fresh cabbage, just the right amount of creaminess and sweetness. The potato salad has struck the right harmony between mustard, mayo, and all the other secondary ingredients. You cannot go wrong. Note: These are individual portions and not shareable. The corn on the cob is also delicious. The crab cream soup is very rich. I ordered a cup and it was filled with lump crab meat, forward notes of sherry, and would make a great cold weather comfort food. We will be back in the autumn! read more

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