Fisherman’s Crab Deck, Grasonville, Maryland

 

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.”

Virginia Wolf

The Fisherman’s Crab Deck is one of our favorite restaurants when traveling between Georgia and New Jersey on the alluring Kent Narrows, Maryland. This outstanding restaurant came highly recommended many years ago and has become a place we must stop anytime we are passing by this area because the food is so good.

You can’t miss this bright blue restaurant with two large crabs out front and murals greeting the patrons. We arrived at the restaurant about fifteen minutes before the restaurant opened, giving us time to look around the beautifully landscaped waterfront property. What a joy to be near the water on such a beautiful July day.

There is a large covered pavilion that is used for waiting and possibly overflow on busy days. There are many tables set up that overlooks a beautiful fountain on a shallow part of the harbor.

It is a large restaurant where all the tables get a view of marina and you have a choice to sit inside or outside. Since we were one of the first ones there, we got a corner table overlooking the marina with an open air great view. What a lovely spot to sit and watch the boats passing by. Our waitress came by introducing herself and took our drink order while we looked over the fabulous menu. I ordered a Pina Colada  (which was so good), and Joe and Josh both got a beer. After all, we were on vacation.

The menu features fresh fish, scallops, lobster, clams, and of course, fresh blue claw crabs. We ordered our food and enjoyed our time on this beautiful day sitting by the Chesapeake Bay watching the birds swooping down for fish, the turtles swimming by, and the incredible boats of all sizes cruising by. When our food was brought to our table it was heavenly. We bought some fresh crabs, fried shrimp, and crab cakes. Everything was amazing, especially the crabs.

This restaurant opened in 1991 and is operated by the Schultz family. Captain Alex Thomas and his wife, Mae opened the Fisherman’s Inn, right next door to where the Fisherman’s Crab Deck is now, in 1930. When they first opened the restaurant, the building also served as a grocery store. They lived upstairs with their two children and were known to rent out their room to anglers who needed a place to stay and wished to fish this area of the Chesapeake Bay. When they rented their room, they would just sleep out on the front porch swing. They later built a second floor in 1939 to add more guest rooms.

The restaurant is now owned by Betty and Oscar “Sonny” Schultz. They added to the Fisherman’s Inn restaurant in 1971 making it much larger and three years later added the Fisherman’s Seafood Market to the additional lot they bought next door. If you are looking for great fresh seafood to buy and carry home, this is the place.

This is a fantastic place to stop and have a great meal. Their wait staff is very professional and friendly. The food is heavenly and the views outstanding. What more could you want? If you are ever in this area, this is a must stop. Come check them out.

Till next time. Bon appetit. Bye for now.