Best crab legs in Northern VA?

[wantarace17]

Ok so my fiance and i absolutely love crab legs. We went to Joe's crab shack and got there crab daddy fest but it wasn't that good. I have been trying to find a good crab place for the past two week's but with no luck. Anyone have any good ideas?

[Mark The Homer]

Crab legs? Why not just buy them at the store and steam them yourself?

I prefer snow crab legs. Safeway has them for $4.99/lb right now.

[wantarace17]

hmm never done it at home before. Not quite sure how i would go about doing it

[panel]

There is a place in the Gainsville area called Blue Ridge Seafood, and they have good stuff there.

http://www.blueridgeseafood.net/

[wantarace17]

There is a place in the Gainsville area called Blue Ridge Seafood, and they have good stuff there.

http://www.blueridgeseafood.net/


my coworkers just told me about that place. I will probably stop on by.

[Mark The Homer]

hmm never done it at home before. Not quite sure how i would go about doing it

Buy 2-3 clusters per person. Make sure they're thawed. Put a big pot or a crab pot over the stove. Add half inch of water. Put something on the bottom to keep the legs out of the water. Bring water to boil. Place two-three clusters in pot. Place lid on top. Steam four minutes.

Replace hot clusters in pot with cold clusters. Eat hot clusters while pot cooks new clusters another four minutes.

Repeat. Etc.

[Popeman38]

Ok so my fiance and i absolutely love crab legs. We went to Joe's crab shack and got there crab daddy fest but it wasn't that good. I have been trying to find a good crab place for the past two week's but with no luck. Anyone have any good ideas?If you are by GMU, there is a crab shack right down the road on 29/50-N, just past the Hooters, called Captain Pells:

http://www.captainpell.com/
10195 Fairfax Boulevard
Fairfax, VA 22030-2055
(703) 560-0060

University Dr to 29/50. Turn right, proceed about 1/2 mile. Capt Pells is on the right just past the Lincoln-Mercury dealer.

EDIT: Capt Pells specializes in Blue Crab

[Botched]

my coworkers just told me about that place. I will probably stop on by.

Blue Ridge is a little pricey, and the food isn't that great IMO.

[WVUforREDSKINS]

Go to the warf and make them yourself....

King crabs
Maryland
Snow
Dungenous

[BigMike21]

Just order Joes Stone Crabs. They will put them on ice and ship them to your house from Miami.

http://www.joesstonecrab.com/yourdoor/intro.html

[WVUforREDSKINS]

I gonna get hated on for this but the $20 ultimate feast at Red Lobster is effin great

6 shrimp scampi, 4 deep fried shrimp, half rack of snow crab legs, and one Maine lob tail

also comes with a salad and those bread rolls that I would have my girl fill up and we got about 6 rounds.

[wantarace17]

There is nothing wrong with red lobster...but when you live on the border of maryland it is basically heresy not to get maryland crabs :)

[chipwhich]

I gonna get hated on for this but the $20 ultimate feast at Red Lobster is effin great

6 shrimp scampi, 4 deep fried shrimp, half rack of snow crab legs, and one Maine lob tail

also comes with a salad and those bread rolls that I would have my girl fill up and we got about 6 rounds.

Yellow food colored butter flavored lard in excess for dipping. Thawed, not fresh. Uh no thanks.

I will have to buy you some real seafood sometime. :evilg:

[Bang]

http://img.metro.co.uk/i/pix/2010/02/12/article-1265962586224-083D8146000005DC-670911_466x581.jpg

Crabzilla can eat your car

~Bang

[DButz65]

Just wait until crab season and come on down to southern maryland, you wont regret it. My personal favorite..http://www.captbillys.com/

[WVUforREDSKINS]

Bang, id bet (assuming that guy didn't eat it) thats about $1000

[The Brave Little Toaster Oven]

Just wait until crab season and come on down to southern maryland, you wont regret it. My personal favorite..http://www.captbillys.com/

captain billys is so overrated and expensive, go to Capt Johns in Cobb Island...way better :)

heres the current deal on their website:

Special Crab Leg Price

Crab Leg Dinner... 25.99
4 clusters ,over 2 lbs of jumbo steamed crab legs
Includes 2 sides

All You Can Eat Specials

Steamed Oysters 22.95

Steamed Shrimp 18.95 per person

Crab Legs & Steamed Shrimp 38.95 per person (limited time)

http://www.cjcrab.com/

[KingGibbs]

I have eaten crab legs in many places and honestly they all taste the same (damn good). Crab legs are not cooked like MD crabs. Meaning they are rarely seasoned and they are basically steamed and steamed only. Get some melted butter and dip those bad boys and mmmmm mmmmm good.

Just find the cheapest place and go with it.

[wantarace17]

drool i have to make a day trip for something that far

[HOF44]

I have eaten crab legs in many places and honestly they all taste the same (damn good). Crab legs are not cooked like MD crabs. Meaning they are rarely seasoned and they are basically steamed and steamed only. Get some melted butter and dip those bad boys and mmmmm mmmmm good.

Just find the cheapest place and go with it.

I used to think that, but lately some places I went to and they were soggy, some were overcooked, and some just real small.

There is a small crab shack in PWC called Crosby's (http://www.crosbyscrabco.com/) that sells them and they will steam them for you. They also will season them like MD style crabs. Those things taste great seasoned up like blue crabs. This place is take out only though.

[KingGibbs]

By far the best all you can eat seafood deal going anywhere is Fifer's Seafood in Pasadena MD. It's $34.95 per person mon-thurs.

The list includes:

MD crabs
Dungeoness crab legs
King crab legs
Steamed shrimp
Clams
Mussels
Oysters
Scallops
Hot wings (damn good to)

There is so much more that I can't remember. I know it's over 20 items.

They lose money on my son and myself. We destroy the crab legs.

[KingGibbs]

I used to think that, but lately some places I went to and they were soggy, some were overcooked, and some just real small.

There is a small crab shack in PWC called Crosby's (http://www.crosbyscrabco.com/) that sells them and they will steam them for you. They also will season them like MD style crabs. Those things taste great seasoned up like blue crabs. This place is take out only though.

Occasionally I'll run into those problems, but it's a rarity and even then it happens to be just a few legs here and there.

[Dan T.]

You could jump in a time machine and go to a Chesapeake Bay Seafood House. Man I miss that place.

[chipwhich]

You could jump in a time machine and go to a Chesapeake Bay Seafood House. Man I miss that place.

At Chesapeake Bay Seafood house a customer would have needed to eat 32 plates of crab legs for the restaurant to "break even" on the price. A little worthless tidbit for all you guys who think you can out eat the all you can eat money wise. :)

[maxiumone]

Would love to catch that time machine also LOVED me some Chesapeake Bay Seafood house.

[Dan T.]

At Chesapeake Bay Seafood house a customer would have needed to eat 32 plates of crab legs for the restaurant to "break even" on the price. A little worthless tidbit for all you guys who think you can out eat the all you can eat money wise. :)

Sorry for putting them out of business. My bad. :evilg:


Seriously though, interesting stat. But where did it come from?

[wantarace17]

i'll challenge anyone on here to a crab leg eating contest.

thanks for the good places everyone i will definitely have to drive to maryland now

[Kosher Ham]

i'll challenge anyone on here to a crab leg eating contest.

thanks for the good places everyone i will definitely have to drive to maryland now

I had 20 bundles a few months back. I haven't had them in a while and will destroy them next Monday.

[Mark The Homer]

You could jump in a time machine and go to a Chesapeake Bay Seafood House. Man I miss that place.

I worked there as a waiter for six months. Family Fish House was their main competitor. It was like $7.99 for all you can eat crab legs.

But you can get the same meal right now, minus the hush puppies and cole slaw. See my earlier post.

And no, they did not serve Alaskan King Crab legs. They were snow crabs. ;)

[DButz65]

captain billys is so overrated and expensive, go to Capt Johns in Cobb Island...way better :)


That is your opinion LOL I've been there, and both times the crabs came out water logged, havent been back... never happened at Capt Billys , to me anyway..plus they have tons of cool Redskins stuff on the walls :cool:

[Mark The Homer]

I had 20 bundles a few months back. ...Clusters. You had 20 clusters. And that's a lot.

[Dan T.]

The best is cracking the large part of the leg just so, allowing you to extract the meat from it as one whole piece. Then dip that morsel into the melted butter... nirvana.

[Kosher Ham]

Clusters. You had 20 clusters. And that's a lot.

:doh: Yeah, Clusters. haha. I go to a place down here thats 30 bucks all you can eat.

On a side note- I could have sworn they (Ches Bay) had Alaskan King crabs. But either way, I would always order the crab legs and then just order other stuff to try and then go back to the crab legs. I do miss that place. Them and Farrell's.

[DButz65]

Damn this crab talk brings back memories from my BD every year in North Beach...my grandfather used to buy me a bushel and we had a big party...sniff sniff..miss those days! I'll sit there 12 hours and eat yummmmmmmm


Sorry didnt mean to hijack the thread with md crab house talk...there used to be a good crabhouse on lee highway between fairfax circle, and maple avenue vienna that was really good..but with the growth boom in that area they got forced out...not sure if they moved and stayed open or not..cant remember the name of the place..

[Botched]

The best is cracking the large part of the leg just so, allowing you to extract the meat from it as one whole piece. Then dip that morsel into the melted butter... nirvana.

Oh hell yeah. It's so satisfying to pull it out in one piece, you get that huge slab of meat that almost looks like a candy bar. Doesn't get much better than that.

[DButz65]

Oh hell yeah. It's so satisfying to pull it out in one piece, you get that huge slab of meat that almost looks like a candy bar. Doesn't get much better than that.


Indeed, I used to flap it around at my mother when I got the big ones like it was my tongue...first time I did she said "JEFFREY TOP THAT" then 2 minutes later she says "Hey Jeff do that again" :ols::ols: good eats good times haha

[Kosher Ham]

The big pieces are awesome, allows to to eat so much more. I am going to take my own crackers next week. Because the one's they have are flat out garbage.

I might change my dinner plans and go tonight. My girl loves 'em too. It's a match made in heaven. Only problem is I am trying to cut back on my drinking and if I go tonight, I will probably through back a dozen beers too. haha.

[WVUforREDSKINS]

Yellow food colored butter flavored lard in excess for dipping. Thawed, not fresh. Uh no thanks.

I will have to buy you some real seafood sometime. :evilg:


Its called drawn butter and it is excellent.

The only place i've had better, and it is close, is Outback (the best) and Legal Seafoods.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Captain Pell's is pretty money.

It's what a crabhouse should be, IMO...****ty tile floors, old ****ty chairs, a piece of heavy brown paper on the table with a pile of crabs in the middle.

that butter sauce is amazing.

dammit, i want crabs now.

[McD5]

Buy 2-3 clusters per person. Make sure they're thawed. Put a big pot or a crab pot over the stove. Add half inch of water. Put something on the bottom to keep the legs out of the water. Bring water to boil. Place two-three clusters in pot. Place lid on top. Steam four minutes.

Replace hot clusters in pot with cold clusters. Eat hot clusters while pot cooks new clusters another four minutes.

Repeat. Etc.

This is exactly what I do. But I fill the pot nearly to the top with water, bring it to a boil, and just drop the legs right in.

[Mark The Homer]

Well, I've never boiled legs. I would be afraid if you boiled them the shell would become too soft and not crack properly. For example, even if you steam them too long, the shell softens too much. Four minutes steamed is about right - cooks the meat and leaves the shell crisp enough to crack. That way, you take that big long leg, and after breaking the joints, snap it right in the center, pull off the ends, and there you have a nice long thick chunk of hot crab meat about as thick as your thumb and 3x as long. :)

[Goskinz0721]

They aren't crab legs but the best crabcakes in the area can be found at G&M Restaurant in Linthicum Heights (near Baltimore).

$24.50 gets you 2 of the best crabcakes you'll ever eat

http://www.gandmcrabcakes.com (http://www.gandmcrabcakes.com/index.php?osCsid=c0984826394f9c93d47f32ed5b019704)

[RySkins]

I actually think G&M's is overrated. Their crabcakes are huge, but I've had several others that are better. The Crabcake Factory in Ocean City is actually my favorite for crabcakes.

Captain Pell's is the best I've found in Virginia fro crabs, although I'm generally looking for blue crabs and not crab legs.

Anyone closer to the western Maryland erea should check out Liberty Road Seafood near Frederick. They have some great all-you-can-eat deals featuring steamed crabs, crab legs (usually King Crabs or Dungeness), shrimp, oysters (any way you want them), etc. Now I'm hungry!

[shuler74]

Crab legs are okay but no flavor instead why not some hot steamed old bay crabs

http://morphemepalette.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/2683750784_0f48cf40a7_o.png

[EBoz]

Well, I've never boiled legs. I would be afraid if you boiled them the shell would become too soft and not crack properly. For example, even if you steam them too long, the shell softens too much. Four minutes steamed is about right - cooks the meat and leaves the shell crisp enough to crack. That way, you take that big long leg, and after breaking the joints, snap it right in the center, pull off the ends, and there you have a nice long thick chunk of hot crab meat about as thick as your thumb and 3x as long. :)

I never boil them either. I put them in a steamer pot. You have the water on the bottom and another pot with holes sits inside and above the water. I like to give the legs a good coating of Old Bay and steam them for about 4 minutes like you said. If you cook them too long the meat will be difficult to extract from the shell. The legs you buy at the store are already cooked so they only needed to be heated up and four minutes is about perfect.

I buy them all the time for my wife and I. They are usually on sale for $3.99 a pound so we eat them often. One thing to keep in mind when buying crab legs from the grocery store is to make sure they are completely thawed. Otherwise you are paying for the weight of the ice instead of actual product.

[mikered30]

I take it that MD crabs are not in season yet, where are the crabs coming from, say from
Captain Pell's? Asia?

[Corcaigh]

I asked my waiter if he had crab's legs. He said he was just stiff from his workout.

[DButz65]

I take it that MD crabs are not in season yet, where are the crabs coming from, say from
Captain Pell's? Asia?

No they are not, sometimes early april is when they start popping up if the weather is warmer...they taste better when it gets even warmer out from may to november..peak eating time starts in june though

Not sure about crabs themselves but when you buy just crab meat in a store..By law, the crab meat container must list country of origin on it if it not from the United States

[Ned Flanders]

No they are not, sometimes early april is when they start popping up if the weather is warmer...they taste better when it gets even warmer out from may to november..peak eating time starts in june though

Not sure about crabs themselves but when you buy just crab meat in a store..By law, the crab meat container must list country of origin on it if it not from the United States

Most of the crap we've seen in the stores (Phillips or Chicken of the Sea) are harvested in Thailand. We've seen some Louisiana stuff as well.

If you buy G&M Crabcakes, they use crabmeat from Louisiana.

NOTHING beats Maryland crabs though, but I don't have to tell a Southern Marylander that!

[Ned Flanders]

I actually think G&M's is overrated.

LMFAO! Seriously? I send those things all over the country, and EVERYONE loves them. Not one complaint in 10 years. IMO, they're one of the best deals going.

[Ned Flanders]

Jerry's in Lanham is the best. I admit I have never had G&M, does not matter. Try Jerry's.

Jerry's Crab Bomb is AWESOME! I heard they opened one in Bowie as well......

Try G&M though, you won't regret it

[The Brave Little Toaster Oven]

Go to Faidleys in Lexington Market for some good crabcakes! :D

[HOF44]

Jerry's in Lanham is the best. I admit I have never had G&M, does not matter. Try Jerry's.


Jerry's Crab Bomb is AWESOME! I heard they opened one in Bowie as well......

Try G&M though, you won't regret it

I'm near there all the time, gonna have to give it a try.

[NOLASKINSFAN]

I take it that MD crabs are not in season yet, where are the crabs coming from, say from
Captain Pell's? Asia?


I grew up in Maryland and this thread is making me miss my grampa taking me to Chesapeake Bay Seafood House (sniff sniff) But I learned an interesting little tid bit when I came to New Orleans.... Most of your maryland blue crabs... actually come from lousianna... I didn't believe the guy that told me but he has been crabbing for years and I have had other local fisherman back him up.

I doing all I can to introduce steaming seafood (OLD BAY!!) to these cajun's but they are all about boiling. I have to have seafood dinners all the time to show them the way, It's a tough life, but someone has to do it.

[mikered30]

Who has the best AYCE crabs in DC?

[RememberOsaka]

Jerry's Crab Bomb is AWESOME! I heard they opened one in Bowie as well......

Try G&M though, you won't regret it


Not only is there a Jerry's in Bowie...there is one in Annapolis and Prince Frederick.

[chipwhich]

Not only is there a Jerry's in Bowie...there is one in Annapolis and Prince Frederick.

Actually no...Annapolis definitely went out of business. I think Bowie did as well.

[chipwhich]

LMFAO! Seriously? I send those things all over the country, and EVERYONE loves them. Not one complaint in 10 years. IMO, they're one of the best deals going.

Count me in as a non G&M fan. I work near there and have had them often. They are big but not my thing.

[RememberOsaka]

Actually no...Annapolis definitely went out of business. I think Bowie did as well.

Wow...that was fast. Bowie is definitely still open...just ate at the Smokey Bones there last week and the Jerry's parking lot was packed.

From Jerry's website:

Our 169 West Street Location in Annapolis is CLOSED for business at this time, please continue to check back for information on our next Annapolis location.