First time back at Schaefer's this season on a perfect Saturday afternoon---sunny and temps in the high 70s. With plenty of outside seating and perfect views of all the boating action on the canal Schaefer's is the perfect spot for an early dinner. While the place is always busy, especially when the weather is nice, we were seated within 15 minutes---just enough time to order a few drinks from the large outside bar. Our server was exceptional given the number of tables he seemed to be handling as he stopped at our table frequently between trips to other tables and getting orders in. I think it was great he had help---our appetizers and food were brought to the table by another staff allowing our server to focus on taking orders and getting them to the kitchen---a very well run restaurant! We had the Fresh Berries & Greens salad---Served with honey raspberry dressing, gorgonzola cheese, mandarin oranges and toasted almonds. Portion was on the larger size and worth the price. Also tried one of their specials for the day--a Mediterranean garlic chicken flatbread and it was baked to a crispy crust and topped with a balsamic glaze. Highly recommend if you see it on the menu. While we waited for our dinners we sipped on a couple glasses of red blend and enjoyed their Chips & Salsa which included Tortilla chips served with tomato and mango salsa and guacamole. Chips were fresh, the mango salsa had a nice kick, and the guac was tasty and not bland. An appetizer very much worth trying! Lastly, if you go on Saturday's during the summer there will be live entertainment....sound was just about right for an outdoor venue. read more

See all

This was our first time coming here and we got here at 11 when it first opened because we weren't sure about parking and how everything was gonna be. I have to say this restaurant is fantastic. We sat on the covered deck right along the water got to see the boats coming in and out. The food was fantastic. They make an excellent bloody Mary, which is one of my favorite drinks! My mom had a peach Bellini and she raved about it. Our server was fantastic. This has become our new favorite, so we will definitely be returning and I can't wait! We had the crab dip and the muscles red for our appetizers. We love muscles and do you eat a lot of muscles I have to say they need to add more sauce to those muscles and it would make them far better. The crab dip is great. I had to crab meat tacos fantastic. My fiancé had the broiled seafood combo. It was good but for that price there was not enough food. I wish I would've taken a picture of that and I didn't so that's my fault. Definitely need to put more food on that plate for that price. My dad had the crabcakes and he said it was very good so all in all we all loved it. It's super close for my parents coming from Jersey so this is definitely be when we return great experience. read more

When I read other Yelp reviews, I check out their other reviews. I almost missed this GEM, based on poor reviews. Glad I realized the majority of their reviews for restaurants were all 1s and negative. Glad we tried it. Take from me, service by Nicholas S was excellent. Friendly and attentive plus made great suggestions. Food was amazing Shrimp Lejon, bacon wrapped shrimp was really good. Horseradish stuffing yummy. Seafood avocado stack was c Loaded with crab meat. Great combo. Lump crab, shrimp, avocado and mango salsa piled high with a honey jalapeno aioli and a side of tortilla chips Chicken Chesapeake Sandwich was really good. The pretzel roll added to the Crap dip. Grilled chicken topped with crab dip, Cheddar jack cheese, bacon, lettuce and tomato on a pretzel roll The outside seating is really nice. Band was really good. They also have an upper deck. Inside seating. GIFT AND TAKE OUT AREA. Event center which was really busy. Make this your #1 stop in the area. read more

See all

Had the best experience here during a weekend trip to Chesapeake City! We sat by the water and enjoyed a peaceful, delicious lunch by the creek. Our waiter was amazingly sweet and took such great care of us. We started with Savory mushrooms from the specials menu, followed by the Chesapeake Poke Bowl and the Breaded Jumbo Shrimp for our mains--both were fantastic! We wrapped up our meal with a delicious berry cake. This is great food, incredible water views, and stellar service. Highly recommend! read more

See all

Father's Day visit. Sat outside à la carte menu, not Father's Day brunch. Good selection, fresh seafood dishes. The best grapefruit crush around. Awesome server - as you would expect, the restaurant was busy but she kept drinks refilled and checked in often. Love the vibe watching the boats go by and dock for lunch. read more

See all

Ambiance with live music is fantastic. Tacos, sandwiches, and seafood nachos were bland and over- sauced. Worst oysters I've ever had. Ever. Fries were mediocre. Drinks overpriced. But the service was great! This would be better to go just for drinks. read more

My wife and I used to love this place. It has really gone downhill! Cold food, Weak drinks and bad service! I'm sorry but we had a really really bad experience. Spent a lot of money and got ripped off quite frankly. We will never go back. For what they charge you should get a nice hot lunch, hot dinner, whatever it is that you ordered. We had to have it sent back once and we were cool and twice still cold. We said screw it. We don't want it. Have a great day to whoever wh reads this. read more

Schaefer's is such a great spot! Unbeatable views and outdoor space on the water, great service, and most importantly, outstanding food. Our most recent visit was for a brunch and they hit all elements of a great brunch and had such an impressive variety of breakfast and lunch options, as well as salads and soups. Breakfast choices and of course the seafood items were my favorites. They have a big parking lot as well as an overflow lot. Highly recommend! read more

This was my first visit to this restaurant, and it began as an incredibly good one. We were seated quickly, the waitress was friendly and appeared to be efficient. The appetizers were served in an appropriate time and manner, and the entrees arrived exactly when they should have. My husband had the lobster roll, which was very good, loaded with lobster and served with a nice side of fresh chips. I had one of the daily specials, the fried clam strip platter, and it was very good. The clams were actual strips, properly breaded, bot at all oily, and plentiful, to say the least . My only issue, and it was a very minor one, was that the clams were served over the accompanying fries, making them a bit soggy. It would have been better if they were served side by side. Our server was not overbearing, checked on us periodically to assure all was well and everything seemed to be going very well. Then we ordered dessert, and everything fell apart. To begin with, it took well over 20 minutes for the 2 desserts to reach the table, far longer than it took for the entrees, which had to be cooked, to get to us. While the desserts were good (not great), the long wait for them, coupled with the fact that no explanation was offered for the delay, nor did the waitress ever come over and explain why it was taking so long, definitely hurt the dining experience. Then, to add insult to injury, she left the bill, telling us there was no rush (which was an understatement, to sy the least), then, after another 20 minute wait, she failed to come back to process the payment, forcing my husband to have to wander around the restaurant trying to find someone to take our payment. Again, there was no apology or explanation as to why there was such a ridiculous wait. Writing this review really hurts, as the food was above par, and the dining experience started off great. It weas truly a pity that it ended the way it did. read more

I came here with family a few weeks back on 4th of July. The parking lot was full so we needed to park on the street. Although we got seated quickly. It was a little loud but there were lots of people. They have indoor and outdoor seating. The staff was very helpful to one another. I ordered a mudslide, which I was not crazy about. It just had this fake flavoring to it I did not like. Also probably was not the right choice when having a meal. I ordered the Cuban melt for my meal. I love roasted pork. And it was a nice big sandwich! The bread was so good too. Someone mentioned it had the pickles cooked inside, which leaves them warm. I don't mind that but some people can't stand a warm pickle. I really enjoyed it. But the French fries I got on the side, I did not really like them. Everyone else ate them for me. But overall we had a nice experience. And it was not very expensive for 6 people. read more

See all

The appetizer took 45 minutes when it wasn't even busy than we waited another 30 minutes for food that was bland. Onion rings were hard. Waiter came to the table once the whole 2 hours we were there never offered drink refills. The band was so loud you couldn't even have a conversation and we were all way at end of the deck on restaurant side. read more

We went around lunchtime.Was able to sit outside because there is shade. The view is outstanding! Host gave us 3 choices of seating. Our server let us know she would be right with us. Excellent service. And most importantly, the food was delicious! Between us we had the crab dip, cheesesteak egg rolls, crab melt, and crab cake sandwich. Food was served in a timely manner. Definitely going again! read more

See all

Jennifer was the GOAT funny great personality and fast, refills were brought before the first one was done , the food and recommendations made the meal . It was a sunny day a little windy but perfect outside weather. I got the Chesapeake sandwich with onion rings and it was gone in an instant. I would have posted more pictures but the appetizers were gone just as fast (panko cheese sticks/triangles, and wings ). read more

Schaefer's Canal House - Chesapeake chicken sandwich with onion rings. - New American Near Me - Chesapeake City, Maryland

I got a French dip sandwich tonight that was so salty it was inedible to me and the three other people in my party. It was so awful. Unfortunately things have been hit or miss here for years but the prices never go down. For what you'll pay I'd say don't go. read more

Went on a Monday. It wasn't busy and the service was good. We had Crab Ravioli and Crab Tacos. Both good. Finished with The Lemon Berry Mascarpone. Yummy! read more

Stopped here on our way back from purchasing a used boat. We had our dog with us and Schaeffer was listed as dog friendly. Cloudy cool day and we were seated on the deck overlooking the C&D Canal and we had the whole space to ourselves, surprise surprise. They were not serving out there and were nice enough to see us given that we had called ahead to confirm being dog friendly. Our waitress was lovely and we had Maryland vegetable crab soup, steamed mussels in white wine sauce and the crab dip. The crab soup was probably five stars, lots of shredded crab meat and good vegetables. I'm surprised they only offered it in a cup size as the days weather certainly dictated a bowl. The crab dip was good to excellent as were the muscles. We also had the pleasure of watching a fairly good size ship come under the bridge as we were finishing up. The restaurant was fairly busy inside and this business can accommodate a lot of people. Would gladly return as we thoroughly enjoyed our meal read more

See all

Was there for lunch a couple of days ago, and I had the cream of crab soup and it was great!!! I also ordered a Combo Por Boy for lunch, and it tasted very good , but it was a Por Boy. It was 2 pieces of shrimp and one fried oyster on a bad hamburger roll. Any por boy I ever had before was served on a hero, or sub roll. Like I said it was tasty but could have been better if it was served the way por boys are supposed to be served. Usually on an oyster pot boy you get 4 - 6 oysters on the sandwich, and usually 6 . The por boy at schaefers was a little more expensive then most places but did not give you as much food.... read more

This fantastic waterfront view of Chesapeake bay is a popular dining spot. They have amazing seafood and a huge deck for dining as well as an indoor space. We ate here for dinner on the patio on a Sunday evening. We got a great private spot on one of the corners of the deck. I ordered a pina colada along with scallop risotto. It was delish. The scallop salad was also very intriguing, I'll have to get that next time! They were also able to provide my son buttered noodles rather than the red sauce pasta and I loved that flexibility. Service was great. read more

See all

Had a great dock and dine lunch today. Great service and hospitality: helped dock my boat, accommodated our dogs, and served us some really nice meals. We sat on a covered deck overlooking the water. A nice visit and look forward to coming back. read more

See all

In Maryland, so HAD TO get Maryland crab cakes. Work file recommended this place so we have it a try. Good recommendation. The restaurant look is awesome and you can sit dockside and enjoy the water. The food was very good. Everybody in the group got different dishes and we all split the appetizers. The food was great, the service was great, and even the prices were great. I'd totally eat there again. read more

See all

There are several great places to dine in this area, mostly around both sides of the canal. Schaefer's is no exception to this list. Their menu offers a good variety of entrees, from handhelds to seafood platters. Portions served were quite generous, as well as tastefully done. The interior dining area is quite large. There is an outdoor dining area for the summer months. Staff was very attentive to our needs and friendly. Overall, a good quality dining option for seafood, or just enjoying the canal view with a drink. read more

Schaefer's Canal House - Crab cake entree - New American Near Me - Chesapeake City, Maryland

See all

This fun restaurant has many options and they are so tasty!! Service is very good. Live music happens frequently. Highly recommend. read more

See all

Restaurant packed for the holiday Boat Parade but we were lucky to squeeze into the bar after standing for about 10mins. Two tasty manhattans, and she noted they poured a nice cosmo for the couple to the left. Special app was the seafood wedge which was nicely covered with lump crab and shrimp. Also tried the oyster sampler (4) which we recommend and the cheesesteak eggrolls, always great. Finished by splitting the cookie dough cheesecake which was outrageous. Kristen at the bar did a fine job. read more

THIS WAS A VERY BIG DISAPPOINTMENT FOR TAKE OUT! SHAME ON SCHAEFER'S !! I picked up (2) fish & chips at 5:14 pm today, 6/18/25.and this is the worst experience we've ever had from Schaefer's. When we dine in, the fish & chips are delicious & full. It wouldn't be a stretch to say people who use takeout are taken advantage of by serving more breading than actual fish. I attempted to paste a picture of all the breading in the fish, which was the equivalent of each piece of fish. We've spent a lot of money here in the last few years, but will think again before going back. We'll spend our money elsewhere in the future. read more

Schaefer's Canal House - Breading from 4 pieces of fish. Want to guess how much fish was there? I'll tell you, it was less than the equivalent of 1 piece of food ! - New American Near Me - Chesapeake City, Maryland

Reserve a table so you can sit outside over the water! Parking is tricky and fills up fast because their lot isn't that big. The place gets busy, but our service was still great! Frozen drinks are very good! The food we ordered was great as well! read more

See all

This is a great restaurant to Don. If you enjoy seafood I wish to hear Crabs can't go wrong having different crabs on your menu nice.

Absolutely fabulous! A huge seafood restaurant on the water, with live music = perfection! We started with crab bruschetta. All lump with fresh chopped tomatoes and onions. Very tasty! I had stuffed flounder, served with a baked potato and string beans. Everything was sooo good and plated beautifully. Joey had shrimp ravioli - OMG - succulent! I'm getting it next time! The band playing was "Club Fred," they were pretty good and got the crowd up and dancing. Absolutely beautiful views and I took lots of pictures! Only an hour from home! read more

See all

Went for Thanksgiving buffet. No ambience, the place looked like a warehouse. Oysters were dried out and inedible. Food was cold and tasteless. Pumpkin Pie was terrible. Never again! I must add that the employees worked very hard. And the cocktails were well made. read more

We went here with friends for lunch and were very pleased with the service and the food. We will definitely make this a go to spot. Sitting on the Delaware Chesapeake Canal it is very picturesque place for outdoor dining. read more

Food, drinks, service, lively atmosphere and live music make for a great experience. One of our favorite places.

Tucked away on the north side of the C&D Canal in the historic town of Chesapeake City, Maryland, Schaefer's Canal House isn't exactly what I would call a "destination restaurant." However, should you find yourself traveling along the nightmarish Philly - DC I-95 corridor - especially in warmer weather - its considerable charms will surely beckon. No matter where you happen to be seated, outdoor veranda or dining room, the view of the canal is truly spectacular - especially if a large ship should happen to pass by. Given the restaurant's strategic waterside location, as well as its informal atmosphere & nautical décor, it is certainly no surprise that matters piscatorial dominate the extensive bill-of-fare. There are, of course, suitable menu accommodations for landlubbers - burgers, cheesesteak, chicken, and sandwiches, for instance - but seafood is definitely the name of the game here; specifically chosen, I might add, to complement the bounty of Maryland's local waterways... And, if you'll pardon the aquatic metaphor, it is always wise to swim with the current rather than against it. In other words, stick with what a given restaurant proports to do best, and you generally will not be disappointed. A case in point... our most recent visit. This was a late lunch, so my dining partner and I decided to share a starter. The choices were legion. But this was definitely not the place for Chips & Salsa or Chicken Wings or Panko-Crusted Mozzarella... We hemmed and hawed between Jumbo Peel and Eat Shrimp and Traditional Calamari before finally settling upon the latter. As most diners are aware, ordering calamari is a rather tricky proposition... Think of it as playing Russian roulette with your palate. If improperly prepared, calamari have all the flavor and texture of chewing on rubber bands. Fortunately, that was definitely not the case here. Kudos to the kitchen. The calamari rings were among the best that I have tasted anywhere. Ever so ethereally breaded and lightly fried, they were incomparably tender... while the accompanying sweet basil tomato dipping sauce gently caressed rather than smothered the objects of its affection. Entrées - Surf & Turf (8oz. filet mignon with lobster tail or crab cake), Jambalaya, Grilled Salmon, Parmesan-Crusted Mahi Mahi, etc., all served with a baked potato, vegetable of the day, and side salad) - were more suited to dinner rather than luncheon, so we obviously opted for lighter fare. My dining partner simply loves crab - in any way, shape, or form - so the Crab Melt (pictured) was something of a must. Basically, crab imperial (crabmeat combined with mayonnaise or a sherried white sauce) topped with sliced tomatoes, smoked bacon, and Swiss cheese served open-faced on a pretzel roll... A major coup for the kitchen. Tacos seem to be quite popular here... ditto their kissin' culinary cousins, the quesadillas. Both are served in a tortilla shell... the only difference between a taco and a quesadilla is the melted cheese in the latter. Diners have several options. My choice, for example, was the Fish Tacos (pictured), two flour tortillas filled with moist blackened mahi-mahi, a semi-mild sweet-tasting white-fleshed fish that is similar to halibut in flakiness and swordfish in density. Accoutrements included an utterly delicious combo of cilantro cabbage slaw, sour cream/lime dressing, and mango salsa. Other possibilities, similarly embellished, are Grilled Shrimp Tacos and the Blackened Chicken for landlubbers... The Shrimp & Crab Quesadilla is set in an Old Bay tortilla and garnished with salsa, sour cream, and cheddar jack cheese. Desserts, as you would undoubtedly surmise, are on the down-home side. Once again debating the issues, we finally decided to share the Key Lime Pie (pictured). A personal fave, it proved to be the perfect choice for a warm afternoon. Light as a feather and beautifully textured, it simply beguiled the palate with its sweet, citrusy flavor. Reviews of Schaefer's have been decidedly mixed. No question, there have been various grousings about a variety of issues. Which, given its size and popularity, is not at all surprising. My dining partner and I have visited on several occasions, and the only thing I can say is that we have never had a bad experience with regard to either food or service. Is the food absolutely the greatest...? Of course not. Ditto the service. Both, like the atmosphere, are informal, easy-going, and laid-back. More than any other eating establishment I have recently encountered, Schaefer's Canal House is an intriguing gastronomic gestalt... Meaning, it is infinitely more than the mere sum of its individual parts. Go expecting a 3-star Michelin experience, and you surely will be disappointed. On the other hand, pay a call on a warm summer afternoon or evening, slosh down a G&T or glass of wine, savor the sea breezes, a casual cache of fish & chips, watch the boats glide by... and all will be well. read more

See all

Beet salad was great, mahi mahi sandwich was also great. Nice view over the canal! Service was fast and very friendly.

Great location with amazing views of the river. Had the award-winning Maryland crab soup and it was delicious. If you are in town, give this place a try. read more

Amazing service by Cali. She was attentive, thoughtful about ordering and drink refills. Beautiful view of the canal and bridge if you sit outside in the back patio. Food was fantastic. Just a great experience. If you get the chance, get the Po' Boy trio! Amazing read more

Schaefer's Canal House - New American Near Me - Chesapeake City, Maryland

We always enjoy the scenery and the ambience of water. However, the last few times has been substandard. The fish was way overcooked, vegetable medley, was from the freezer bag to the microwave to the plate(0 seasoning) something you find in the freezer section at the Acme. my recommendation would be stick to their appetizers and salad. Haven't had much luck with the main courses. read more

Breaded oysters, potato wedges, and coleslaw; washed down with a cold beer. Doesn't get better than that!

Apt H Tavern and seafood biscuit house What an amazing place to eat and sleep. Chef nikia is a monster in the kitchen and a great host. I've never seen a chef use the same pan to make cookies , fish, soup, boiled eggs, toast and biscuit gravy juice like she does. read more

Schaefer's Canal House - New American Near Me - Chesapeake City, Maryland

This place does have a nice view, which is the only redeeming quality of this place. I gave my name to the hostess, and was told it should be less than 10 minutes. They took my phone number, and said they would text me when the table was ready. BF was hungry, so after 10 minutes he went back to check on the status of our table. He was told it would be another 10 minutes. So after another 10 minutes, he went and checked again. At this point they told us they had texted us 20 minutes ago - which was not true. Never got a text. Anyway, once we were seated the service was fairly decent. Not so much the food. I had a fried platter, which tasted like the oil it was fried in had not been changed in a while. The shrimp in the platter was mostly breading. As was what I think were the oysters. Hard to tell. Crab cakes were mostly filling. There are way better places to eat in this area. read more

See all

Was not alot of food for what you pay for , food was good but for the price wasn't alot New years eve went home with desert 1thin I mean thin slice of cheese cake that reminds me of Sarah Lee. I showed Somebody else? To see what they're take was because I couldn't believe the slice of cheesecake. And they did agree it was a joke for the price that you pay. Was soo disappointed hook a person up at the end of night it was New years eve spent well over 160 for a ok meal.it wasn't worth the $ read more

Schaefer's Canal House - Leave with my dessert spend over a 170. 2 drinks new years eve dinner. open and see this half one Eighth slice of cheesecake - New American Near Me - Chesapeake City, Maryland

We had dinner here after a boating event. You must cross the big bridge to access the restaurant Came on a Saturday evening so parking was a bit scarce :) There's the general parking, then a quick overflow. If you head back towards under the bridge, abut a block away, theres more overflow parking under the bridge as well as a surfaced area We sat outside on the patio, right next to the water. It was a perfect weather day. There was also a live band playing outside. Bathrooms were unisex Plenty to order on the drink and food menus I had the Rum bucket (good and a bit strong) and mozarella sticks. They were huge. I had braces so this was a safe bet for me lol Come here! read more