3 Best Restaurants in The Eastern Shore, Maryland

When the children need a break from the standard boardwalk fare, take 'em to this incredibly family-friendly restaurant, where children are part of the action. Youngsters can play on an awesome pirate ship or on the soft beach with the Frisbee that comes with their meals. The food is as easygoing as the atmosphere, from a fried chicken and barbecued ribs combo to skewered surf and turf. There's also a slew of economical offerings "From the Dock" and "From the Farm," as well as an extensive menu for "L'il Skippers," like pizza and mac and cheese. At night, a bit of a rowdy (yet civilized) older bar crowd likes to congregate on the waterfront benches.

This family-style restaurant is reason enough to stop in Grasonville. Watch for its sign off Route 50. Holly's specializes in all the Eastern Shore favorites, including a spectacular crab soup and crab cakes, but the fried chicken is the real attraction. Down-home and unpretentious, this is the real thing.

You can buy crabs here, of course, and have them served any number of imaginative ways. But slurp one of the thick homemade soups, or down the famous Carolina shrimp burger, to understand why this funky little eatery is so popular. The children's menu is a thoughtful extra. But go easy on the real food: Woody's ice-cream parlor, next door, includes seasonal favorite flavors such as apple, pumpkin, and Fourth of July (a celebration of red, white, and blue ice creams). Call ahead if you want traditional crabs. Woody's is quite hopping, so they occasionally run out.