Need Crabs? Check Out Severna Park's Bounty

If you’ve lived in Maryland for any amount of time, you know that nothing says summer like cracking into a steaming hot crab covered with Old Bay!  

While some people have their preference for how they like to enjoy their crabs- dipped in butter or vinegar, loaded with Old Bay, opened by a mallet or knife- most everyone agrees that the best crabs are the ones that are “heavy” (loaded with meat) and not too pricey.

Fortunately, we don’t have to go far to get our crab fix…Severna Park is home to three local crab and seafood markets:  ,  and .

552 Ritchie Hwy , Severna Park , MD 21146 | 410-544-4900 www.​annapolisseafoodmarket.​com

Located in the Park Plaza Shopping Center,  is open 364 days a year from 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.  They get their crabs from Maryland, Louisiana, North Carolina and Delaware.  Store Manager Tommy Zlockie says that crabs have been plentiful the last few weeks, but “you can never have enough crabs.” 

Zlockie also stated that  guarantees all crabs they sell. “We give nice crabs and make people smile.”  Zlockie said that the store can arrange delivery as well as pack the crabs to travel.  If you need to take your crab feast “on the road” or “on the boat”,  has you covered!

403 Ritchie Hwy, Severna Park, MD 21146 410-544-0780 https://www.facebook.com/JoesSeafood

Located on Ritchie Highway, prior to the intersection of Whites Road and Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard,  is open Monday – Sunday from 11 a.m.- 8 p.m. They get their crabs from Maryland and Louisiana. Lyndsay Ambrose, head cashier, said their crabs have been plentiful this year.  She also added that prices have been pretty consistent over the past few weeks. 

As the weekend nears, demand for quantity rises. “During the week we mainly sell crabs by the dozen, but on weekends we sell more by the bushel and ½ bushel,”  Ambrose said, adding that  has been in Severna Park for over 30 years, starting out with Joe selling his crabs on the side of the road out of his truck.  When asked what makes them special, Ambrose smiled and said: “Our customers say that we have the best customer service here!”  

 sets their prices with no extra or hidden fees. “You get what you pay for,” Abrose said.

363 Ritchie Hwy, Severna Park, MD 21146 410-544-2722

Located on Ritchie Highway, just past Joe’s Seafood,   is in a little faded blue shack. Rey’s is open Tuesday-Friday from 1 p.m. – 8 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Rey's closes early when crabs are sold out.

Owner, Rob Yesker said they only sell crabs from Maryland. “I have five local crabbers from Shady Side, Kent Island and around the Bay that I use.”  Yesker added that the prices have been the same since opening in April and that they should stay that way. 

On weekends and holidays, people start lining up outside to place their order.  Yesker stated that you can phone your order in but “people in line have top priority.  I figure if you come out to place your order, you should come ahead of folks on the phone.”  Yesker said that if the line outside is really long, “sometimes we don’t even get to answer the phones.”  He thinks customers come back because  has the best quality and prices.  “What you see is what you get.  We never pre-cook crabs.  You can hand pick which crabs you want and then we cook them.”

Jean Tallman, a customer of   for over 14 years, summed it up by saying, “If I can’t get crabs from Rey’s, I don’t get them!”