Bethesda Crab House

[randomness]

I had had a craving for crab for a couple of weeks. Then I found out I was going down to Maryland soon. There's a fine place for crab. When I mentioned this to puffydrake he was of course quite interested in eating crab here before leaving for home. And Bethesda Crab House was near by.

Bethesda Crab House
4958 Bethesda Ave. (near Clarendon Road)
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 652-3382
daily: 1200-2300
Visa, MC
Metro: Red Line to Bethesda

You come here to eat crab. Yeah, they also have shrimp, corn on the cob, and cole slaw. But really, if you didn't want to eat crab you probably should have gone somewhere else. Mediums are $45 a dozen, large crabs are $60 a dozen, and extra large crabs are something more than that. When we went, all they had were the mediums. They also have a $30 all you can eat offer which comes with cole slaw and corn. There's seating outdoors in good weather.

We weren't wildly hungry, having just come from our previous food stop, Ben's Chili Bowl, so we split a half-dozen crabs for $22.50. They arrived at the table hot and covered with old bay spice. We probably should have asked for them to hold the spice; the crabs were sweet and very fresh, and the spice was sprinkled with a heavy hand, as is traditional.

Eating crab makes quite a mess, which is why the tables are all covered with newspapers. You use your hands, the mallet, and the knife provided. This is the purist's approach. If you prefer, there are crab cakes. But we preferred dismembering the crabs ourselves.

Soda was $2, and corn on the cob was $2.50. After tax and tip we walked out for $17 each.

There really isn't that much more to say except that we'll cheerfully go back. Oh, and that parking is challenging. Take the Metro. It's not that long a walk.

Comments

[intuition-ist.livejournal.com]

now i'm wanting king crab legs by the dozen. darn you! :)

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

Let's get some, then. :)

[intuition-ist.livejournal.com]

woo! you're the one with the wacky schedule -- when are you in town?

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

Now. :)

[belfrynotes.livejournal.com]

Sounds like we're talking hard shells here? I grew up on dungeness crab. Never understood the soft shell thing, which I've still only had once at a chinese place in NYC. Come out here at the right time of year and we'll get a couple of dungeness crabs and melt some butter for you. That and a bottle of riesling. Nothing better.

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

Yup, hard shells. I do like soft shell crab, too.

Dungeness I think I may have had once or twice in Vancouver, but my memory is dim.

But sure, thanks! I hope to take you up on that one of these years...

[ishaa.livejournal.com]

If you find yourself in Maryland without someone who wants to eat crabs, perhaps a meeting with some people who always want to eat crabs could be arranged. :)

[qwyneth.livejournal.com]

What ishaa said. Why didn't you call us, huh?! ;)

Bethesda Crab House is one of the best places in DC for crabs. Although being DC born and bred, I am going to pretend you didn't consider holding the Old Bay. It's not Chesapeake blue crabs if they're not crusted with Old Bay. ;)

[sarakate.livejournal.com]

Yum num num. I have a regular summer outing with work folks, at our July meeting in DC, over to someplace in Maryland to have crabs. We alternate between some place over by the Bay, and Cantler's in Annapolis. Yum, crabs.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

Oh, now I'm hungry...

are you still in town?

[mryt-maat.livejournal.com]

I get back tomorrow night.

Re: are you still in town?

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

I was only in town for the weekend, but I'm hoping to be down again soon.