11 Best Restaurants in The Eastern Shore, Maryland

This fine-dining restaurant, adjacent to and operated by the same owners as the Lighthouse Club and the Edge hotels, gives you white-linen treatment and views of soothing wetlands and the Bay, and stunning sunsets through its large windows. In addition to ubiquitous fresh-catch seafood, Fager's is renowned for its prime rib. There's an outside deck for more informal dining and a raw bar with lighter fare. Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture is played every evening, with the tumultuous finale timed to coincide with the setting of the sun.

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.

A most unusual and exciting blend of Pacific Rim, California surf, and grandma's kitchen await adventurous taste buds in this intimate venue. A tanuki is akin to a Japanese leprechaun, and the creative flavors here play tricks on traditional dishes. Imagine a restaurant serving buttery sushi and sashimi, lamb lettuce wraps, thai mussels simmered in Woodpecker cider, and a classic Hawaiian pizza under one roof. Run, don't walk, to this place, and make sure to check out happy hour (4 pm–6 pm) at the U-shaped bar.

On the mainland side of Kent Narrows, this family-friendly institution serves fresh catch directly from local watermen, some of whom are Harris family members. Nautical decor prevails in the large dining room, including an intriguing collection of oyster cans from an adjacent abandoned oyster house. Views over the shallow, twisting northern end of the Narrows toward the Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge can be stunning. Cream-of-crab soup and back-fin crab cakes are among the best around—the cakes are spicy enough to promote plenty of beer drinking.

This is the place to mingle with C'town residents as well as with Washington College students and local pols, for good conversation—indoors or alfresco—over fresh coffee (including excellent espresso) or fine wine, by the glass or bottle, to accompany hearty, healthy soups, salads, and sandwiches. Friday night is "wine night" with complimentary hors d'oeuvres, often accompanied by live music. Wi-Fi's in the air here.

Join regulars at this casual waterside restaurant and bar on the edge of town that has a wide-ranging menu with a Southwestern flavor. Mexican quesadillas are a Snappers specialty, but there is also an array of burritos, enchiladas, and fajitas. Jamaican jerk spices enhance burgers and crab cakes. From waters close to home, there's shrimp, stuffed or simply fried. Sandwiches, wraps, and pasta also satisfy the local lunch crowd.

Housed inside a brilliantly converted theater, with its stage area is retained and periodically used for a variety of presentations, this eclectic eatery is well worth a meal, from vegetable risotto and jerk pork plate to, of course, crab cakes. Allow some extra time to wander the upper-level art gallery, its works all for sale. And you might luck into one of the periodic screenings of Runaway Bride. Sunday brunch and weekend dinners are popular with locals. On the weekends the stage has live entertainment.

Inside a former chicken barn about 15 mi from Salisbury, inverted bushel baskets now serve as light fixtures at this down-home crab house, where hammering mallets rival the beat of piano and banjo sing-alongs. The Red Roost gets rave reviews for its seafood specialties and ribs, as well as its meaty steamed crabs.

Don't let the name scare you: The namesake shark is meant to be your dinner, prepared any way you like. This off-the-beaten-path place in West Ocean City is worth the trek and takes advantage of every bay view, including from the sweeping rooftop bar. Dishes experiment with unusual flavors like the tuna with wasabi-cream sauce and pineapple meringue. Go for the Eggplant Tower stuffed with layers of shrimp, lump crab, and wild mushrooms with fresh-shaved Parmesan. Entrées are $5 from 3 pm to 5 pm, and a live jazz band plays on Thursday nights.

DPRICE This casual dockside restaurant looking southward toward the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in the distance has lots of local color. The menu includes ribs, steaks, and fried oysters, but its crab dishes are legendary, as are its homemade cheesecake and key lime pie. Warm summer weekends mean live entertainment and seating on the 40-foot deck. There's a deep-draft dock for diners arriving by boat. Waterman's gets very busy on the weekends, so be prepared to wait.

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.