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Name: Ships Cafe & Pub
Address: 828 Frederick Rd, Catonsville, MD, 21228
Telephone: (410) 744-1838
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.59

Ships Cafe & Pub

828 Frederick Rd, Catonsville, MD, 21228

(410) 744-1838
Store is closed

Ships Cafe & Pub Menu

Appetizers

Crab Pretzel

Ships's Crab Dip

Nachos

Coconut Shrimp

Mushroom Caps
Homemade Soups

Sou P Of The Day

Maryland Crab

Cream Of Crab

Bowl Of Oyster Stew
Salads

Ships House Salad

Caesar Salad

Greek Salad

Cobb Salad

Tuna Or Chicken

Chef Salad
Entrees - Seafood Specialties

Imperial Crab

Stuffed Shrimp

Seafood Platter

Fresh Scallops

Jumbo Fried Shrimp
Sides

Chefs Vegetable Selection

Twice Baked Potato

French Fries

Green Beans

Broccoli
Desserts

House Bread Pudding

Brownie Sundae

Hot Fudge Sundae

Ice Cream

Dessert Of The Day

Healthy Meal suggestions for Ships Cafe & Pub

Appetizers

Crab Pretzel [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ships's Crab Dip [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Nachos [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Coconut Shrimp [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mushroom Caps [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Homemade Soups

Sou P Of The Day [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Maryland Crab [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cream Of Crab [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bowl Of Oyster Stew [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Salads

Ships House Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Caesar Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Greek Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cobb Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tuna Or Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chef Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Entrees - Seafood Specialties

Imperial Crab [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Stuffed Shrimp [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Seafood Platter [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fresh Scallops [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Jumbo Fried Shrimp [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Sides

Chefs Vegetable Selection [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Twice Baked Potato [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

French Fries [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Green Beans [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Broccoli [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Desserts

House Bread Pudding [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Brownie Sundae [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Hot Fudge Sundae [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ice Cream [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Dessert Of The Day [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Visit below restaurant in Catonsville for healthy meals suggestion.

Checkers ( 5705 Baltimore National Pike )

Applebee’s ( 6505 Baltimore National Pike )

Burger King ( 5604 Baltimore National Pike )

Visit below restaurant in Catonsville for healthy meals suggestion.

Applebee’s ( 6505 Baltimore National Pike )

Burger King ( 5604 Baltimore National Pike )

Write An Anonymous Review

Lisa G.

I went here for dinner with my husband and small child and had a great time. I had steamed crabs, corn on the cob and their ham and baked potato soup... everything was delicious. Every crab was meaty and seasoned heavy. We ordered the crab mac and cheese for our little one (it was awesome! It is like crab dip mixed with macaroni... drool!). Hubby had a buffalo chicken wrap, and said it was okay. Between the crabs and crab mac and cheese, we are already planning a return. There is a parking lot behind the restaurant which is great. We went on a weeknight and there was no wait. I hear weekends are packed so plan for a wait. P.S. We went to the little Hersheys Ice Cream shop across the street for dessert, nice ending to a yummy dinner.
(4)
Meneisa H.

Ships has some of the best crabs in the area. I've been there several times and the crabs are always heavy and seasoned to perfection! The service can be hit or miss especially at the bar. The wings are ok...we tried the old bay and buffalo wings. Be sure to order them well done if you prefer your wings on the crispier side. The buffalo sauce had a slightly sweet taste but all in all were average. The coconut shrimp are pretty good. The batter can be a bit much but the portion is generous and you have to eat them with the raspberry dipping sauce...its good stuff. Also tried their orange crush and the bartender made them just right with fresh squeezed orange juice. My suggestion is to stick with the crabs...you cant go wrong. They are good everytime. If you like corn on the cob you have the option of letting it steam with your crabs so that it picks up some of the crab spice...delicious!!!
(5)
Loray M.

Ships Cafe which is located between Frederick Road and Winters Lane is a hot spot for those who love crabs. The Mandarin Grilled Chicken salad is excellent. I have been there on many occasions. Although service can be slow and the waiters are not the friendliest the food is good. While eating crabs not once did the waiter ask if we were OK, or needed anything additional? Several times we tried to get the waiter's attention only to be ignored while she entertained another table that was across from us - I assume they were family. I got the attention of the boys who bust the table to bring me another glass of tea. Another couple came in placed an order, and was treated the same way. We waited patiently she never came back to the table, and the people who were waiting for their food were getting frustrated. The kicker came when she came to the table did not make eye contact and said "I'll get the check" in a sarcastic way. Brought the check back stood sideways and slide the check to me. I looked my guest who was with me and we both looked utterly surprised. My guest went and got the manager. I told the manager how rude she was and not once was she attentive not to me but to other guest who were waiting patiently for their food. I mentioned to the manager that I come often and this was the worst service. Just because you serve someone and the tip is already included you cannot treat people anyway you want and expect to get a tip for poor service. To keep your customers going back and to bring others to your establishment you must be friendly. Word of mouth does travel. I will go back, but I will not have Rosemary the waiter. The Mystery Guest!
(4)
Patti M.

Steamed crabs were great, we order 1.5 doz of $55 and each crab was good and heavy. The menu food is pricey, I didn't try anything else so I dont know if it's worth the extra money but i doubt it is worth that much. Our waitress was not good. She pissed me off from the start, came to our table and asked what we wanted to order for drinks, my friend said....what type of soda do u have, she quickly flipped my friends menu over to the list of drinks and walked away. We waited and waited for her to return. She waited on three other tables and I finally yelled across the room to her and she said "wait a minute" and walked away again. There was three of us at the table, she could have asked us what we wanted to drink while my friend glanced at the soda list. So Ships is only getting 3 stars based on the service and menu prices. I will return for the steamed crabs, maybe carry out only. Also, be careful where u park, opt for the free valet on weekends because several lots will tow.
(3)
Jay G.

Used to like this place. But why do they not serve crabs til 4pm, even on a Friday? And they've enclosed their upstairs porch which is a real shame. But worst of all the back of their menu is the craziest thing I've ever read. The whole back of the menu has a long list of what they won't tolerate from customers and if you don't like it, take your business elsewhere. The list is too long to share but you should go in and just ask to see the menu and turn it over to read it. Unbelievable. Makes you never want to go there.
(2)
JB H.

Crabcakes! Went on a recommendation, got there mid-afternoon and sat at the bar. We ordered the crabcake sandwich(one of the best 3 crabcakes I've had in the last 5 years), creamed spinach(perfectly done), snow crab legs(delicious, sweet meat, again perfectly prepared), and the twice baked potato(also excellent, but it is just a potato). Service was spot on, as was timed delivery of food. Can't wait to go back for the crabs!
(5)
lynn t.

7.21.13 When I got here at 336 there was no wait but I had to do something. Place was packed when I got back at 425. No crabs available for takeout so I waited 40 minutes for a table. My mouth was watering for some XL or jumbo crabs. The only problem is that they only have small/medium. Waiting to see if these mediums are the same as tthe ones I had last time. I sure hope so because I am disappointed right now. Crabs arrived. I am definitely disappointed. These crabs should be wearing diapers. They are small not medium. Then they have the gall to charge 50 cents for mayonnaise. Two stars today. The waitress Donna is friendly enough.
(2)
Marsha J.

Read the "not recommended reviews" to get the skinny on this place. Yelp only puts the nice reviews up front.
(1)
Debra C.

Went there with mom for lunch yesterday, She really wanted an oyster sandwich. Well, despite it being a month with an R in it, no oysters. So, she ordered Maryland crab soup and fried calamari. The waitress brought out cream of crab soup. The calamari was in sticks...not rings and tentacles. Weird. Must have been frozen. Was just okay. I had a salad and crab cake. They were okay, but a bit pricey. Service was pretty bad. There were only 2 parties in the dining room, including us. We barely saw our server.
(2)
C. J.

Went here for the first time a few weeks ago with friends and I'll definitely be back. The crabs were delicious and so was the crab pretzel, YUM!!
(4)
Lynne M.

What a gem!! Delicious crab house and bar tucked away in Catonsville. Perfectly done crab cakes, snow crabs and sides. Great service. Go for a drink, stay for the food.
(5)
Michele W.

The only thing that I experienced here was the steamed crabs. They were seasoned well and not too salty. Jumbo crabs are available at times...though at a high price/can be expected. service was prompt, friendly, and attentive
(5)
Marshall H.

Excellent corn crab fritters.
(4)
Amanda A.

I got the Ahi Tuna Wrap. It was tasty! Friendly staff and good service. Was disappointed that they enclosed the outdoor patio seating but it was still a good experience!
(3)
Lucy L.

Ships CafÃ© I've been to Ships a couple of times and the experience seems to vary. I've had good service, I've had bad service. I've had food quickly; I've had to wait an hour for my meal. They have quite a large menu but this seems to be detrimental as they don't make every very well. If you go then the crabs are good and the sandwiches are good. The main entrees are bad and may be cold by the time you get them but you're so hungry you eat them anyway
(3)
Kristin S.

Crabs are heavy and well seasoned. Best place for crabs for a fantastic price!!! Travelled from DC and it was worth the trip!
(5)
Matt R.

Crabs and beer!!
(4)
Alliebug G.

You gotta get here early, or good luck getting a place to sit. They recently enclosed their top deck to make more year round seating and I haven't been there since then so I can't comment on how that helped wait times. Anyways, Ships is a pretty good Bawlmer seafood place. Not quite a crab house, but it's got a great location in Catonsville (I can walk there - major plus). One of my favorite things was their oysters on the half shell specials. Big portions, tasty, decent beer specials.
(4)
Kathryn C.

Ships is a good choice for seafood in Catonsville. I have eaten there twice, and had a good experience both times. First time I went for lunch and had cream of crab soup, crab mac and cheese, and crab fritters. Really liked their soup! The second time I had coconut shrimp, and they were good as well (though wasn't a fan of the dipping sauce). Others in my party had a crab pretzel, soup, and crab imperial. All were very good. Food prices are incredibly reasonable and drinks are super cheap as well.
(4)
Elliot W.

Atmosphere and service were very good and friendly. Crabs were tasty; a couple of them had meat that wasn't as firm as I like. Not sure why, but it was November; I expect they'll be more consistent in the summer.
(4)
J P.

Ships cafe and crab house is exactly what it wants to be, and what you think it is. It doesn't want to be an expensive, or pretentious establishment. It wants to be a roll up your sleeves, eat some good, reliable food at good prices. The menu is varied, and does change with the season. One can always find a good cut of steak, or a varied and ever changing selection of seafood on the menu. If you are looking for prime steaks or imported lobsters, go somewhere else. If you are looking for reliable, well prepared meals in a local friendly environment then this is a must visit. Pros: Quick, friendly and attentive servers. -Well prepared food at reasonable prices. -Full, well seasoned crabs almost all year round. -Outside seating on a comfortable deck. Cons: Parking (but a valet is available, for free. But who doesn't tip?) -Draft beer selection is limited and doesn't change with the seasons.
(4)
lisa b.

What a great place to eat...Affordable and huge portions of food. There is something on the menu for everyone, and the crabs are delicious. Can't go wrong eating here.
(5)
Kellie S.

We went to Ships to have a quick lunch. We ordered the Md crab soup and it was full of crab and had a great taste. While eating the soup, we saw the waitress walk by with a crab dip and it looked so good that we decided to get one. Unfort, the dip wasn't half as good as the soup and it tasted sour. Our waitress very nicely returned the dip and instead we chose a steak quesadilla. This thing was huge! It was $9.99, but it was well worth every penny and it ended up being all that we ordered. Everyone in the place had crabs and were saying how great they were. They spanned in price from $55 - $95. We will def be back to try the crabs. We didn't order the crab cakes since they were pricey ($30) for 2 and they were only 5 or 6 oz (per the waitress). They have a great deck to pick crabs outside on. The help was def a little slow and we wanted a quick lunch which turned into an hour and a half for some soup and a quesadilla. It was a nice place, in a very convenient area. I would try it again for the crabs and see if we like it any better. I thought it was just a busy day, but from the reviews on Yelp, it looks like it's normal pace for them
(3)
Rob N.

Ship's is growing on me over time. The waitstaff are getting a bit better, the beer is cold and cheap, and the crabs are pretty good. All in all, a very acceptable neighborhood crab house.
(3)
Dennis K.

Another gem in the heart of Catonsville! Every meal there has been great! The staff is friendly and attentive. The crabcakes and scallops are outstanding! I haven't had crabs there, but everyone raves about them and if they are as good as everything else on the menu, I do expect them to be great! They have a nice sampler appetizer, which includes petite crabcakes, bacon wrapped bbq shrimp (outstanding!), and broiled scallops. I usually get a spinach salad with blackened rockfish on top - it's just a light, hearty and healthy meal! Their daily lunch specials also rock! The chef shows some good imagination in the dishes he puts together. If you are in the area, give it a try, you won't be dissapointed!
(5)
Becky J.

I'm not a fan of seafood but their burgers are good. My husband and I run in to get package goods sometimes on Sundays and find their prices reasonable. Pretty friendly staff but it can be a nightmare having a family dinner there- noisy hammering of crabs everywhere, waitresses who disappear for long stretches of time...and the wait can be long too. But all in all, it's a nice family restaurant just more so for seafood lovers!
(4)
Beth J.

I love Ship's Cafe! It's very yummy and reasonably priced seafood. I love going there for picking crabs and drinking beers! If you can, snag a table on the outdoor balcony on the second floor on a summer night. I will definitely make frequent return trips to Ship's Cafe. Update: Ship's Cafe enclosed their upstairs balcony, so no more open air dinners.
(4)
Wanda C.

Good crabs. Great staff. Not a lot of room to stand if there is a wait but they now have more parking in the rear so that really helps!
(4)
Lola S.

shipscafe.net A Catonsville establishment with a full bar, deck seating, very, very brightly lit tables, no changing tables and free valet parking. (we opted for a street spot instead and there were plenty at 5:30pm on Saturday.) Our party consumed: 2 lb mussels 1 lb of clams 1 lb of steamed shrimp 2 steamed crabs a NY strip steak a stuffed giant shrimp with crab imperial 3 cups of cream of crab soup (delicious!) I really wanted to try their crab cakes but they were $30 for 2. OUCH! They are $12.99 across the street @ Catonsville Gourmet and I KNOW those are good. The food was good and the service tonight happened to be below average. BEWARE! According to their menu broadcast message: "due to the economic downturn all checks will have an automatic 18% tip added regardless of party size"...because our waitstaff depends on their tips, or something like that. That instantly made everyone's lips curl Billy Idol style. I have a couple problems with this. Its insulting. If I came to your establishment to eat- I have money. I have been a waitperson before, I know what good service is and I know that I worked for my tips. If one knew they were guaranteed 18% on all tickets...why would you strive to do better? A lot of people wouldn't. ...because I know the work that goes into waiting tables I tip pretty fat (40% if you're amazing, 30% if you're almost amazing, 20% to the average waitperson, 15% if you suck and 10% if you piss me off) I ended up leaving an 18% tip...our waitperson didn't really care about us. We had no napkins for the first 10 minutes (tough when eating steamed crabs), no mallets or crab shell cracking devices for 20 minutes despite 3 requests. blah blah blah.... everything was ok. I overheard (I'm a total eavesdropper) a mother say there was no changing table in the bathrooms and she had to change her child on the floor. I used the restroom and the floor wasn't cute. it was a HUGE bathroom too. Get a Koala Care Station, Ships...they are like $100. We spent twice that tonight. Thats all. Lola out.
(3)
Danielle J.

John & I went here a week or two ago... he's been a bunch of times & it was my first time there. We split an order of king crab legs, which were probably overpriced for their size, but they were good. I got a cup of cream of crab, YUH-HUM. I am a sucker for a good CoC. He got a bowl of MD crab, to which he added some kind of local hot sauce, another yum on the books! For whatever reason we both got a burger as our entree. (Crabs legs, crab soups & burgers... oh hey fatties!!) :P Idk what temp he ordered, but I asked for medium & they were both unquestionably well done, but for some reason I did not even care. I really liked the feel of this place! Our server was Rose and she was so friendly and genuine... and it was a cold and rainy night... and 3 other tables around us were chowing down on crabs... it was just a great Baltimore feel. The burger temp is the only reason I'm giving it 4 instead of 5 stars but I can't wait to go back! :)
(4)
J. T.

I like Ship's because they have a large menu. I have had allergic reactions to shellfish in the past, so it's difficult to eat most seafood places, but Ship's menu has so many other things besides shellfish. I had a hot turkey sandwich with mashed potatoes, but they have vegetarian pasta dishes, salads, and more. They also have outdoor seating if you're into that.
(4)
stewie h.

foods ok. maryland home cooking style nothing to write home about. they do crabs well, but then again so do so many other places. the problem i see here is inexperienced servers giving you crappy service and then they charge an automatic 15% gratuity for 1-3 people!!!!!
(2)
Kevin H.

Amazing crab bruschetta and BBQ bacon wrapped shrimp. Onion rings were amazing too. Very clean dining area. Amy is an amazing server and can pretty much tell you what you want/are going to eat.
(4)
Cia C.

The BEST crabs in the area. They are HUGE and very meaty. We have been coming to Ships Cafe for years and have never been disappointed with the food or service. We love the crab and corn fritters as an appetizer. They are served with a delicious, spicy dipping sauce that is scrumptious! My teenage son always orders the cream of crab soup and eats every drop of it. The nutty buddies are another one of our favorites. A great way to end a perfect meal. The wait staff is delightful. Always friendly and refreshing our drinks and cleaning the table off promptly. Ships is our Go To place for seafood. We travel quite a distance to get there, but it is worth every mile.
(5)
Sue B.

Monday evening. Came highly recommended for crabs. My first time there and took out of town company for crabs. After hearing #2 crabs were $79 a dozen my jaw dropped. I wouldn't have ordered any if I was by myself. Ended up ordering a dozen, first 6 were full, next 6 were not. Waitress was not friendly from our first contact, with my guest commenting first. Never offered drink refills the almost 2 hours we were there, even with eating crabs. Had to ask for water refills. Also had to ask for napkins/paper towels despite eating crabs. Cream of crab soup very salty and not much crab. Nice little local place but I won't go back.
(2)
Carol L.

We stopped here looking at the lovely pictures of steamed crabs. However, no one mentioned that they only steam crabs after 4:30 pm! Saddened and disappointed we ordered the crab balls, cream of crab soup and salads. The soup was outstanding but the other items were ok.
(3)
Emily D.

Food is average and expensive ...I was excited for a bar in Catonsville since so many places are BYOB but the atmosphere is just ok.
(3)
Iris C.

Cream of crab soup: Pretty decent amount of crab meat for its price. I love it :) Crab mac and cheese: Very crabby! Again, really good for its price Grouper with Crab Salsa: Grouper was very soft, but could've had more flavor/seasoning. The crab salsa was pretty good, but it definitely could've had more flavor! Overall, everything was pretty good for its price! I'd come back here for more crabs :D
(4)
Harlan M.

Being from Florida, Ships was a great experience! Our table went all in and ordered the steamed crabs and some appetizers. The huge pile of crabs was placed on the middle of the table for everyone to grab (with crab devouring etiquette) and enjoy! Have plenty of water (or draft beer) available to slug down because the Old Bay seasoning is caked on! I wouldn't have it any other way of course. This dining experience is best enjoyed with close friends and family because it takes time and practice getting into the meaty crabs. Everyone proudly displays claw meat as a trophy when they harvest it successfully. Although the crabs were delectable it really is about the shared experience. Also don't be too jumpy when you hear hammers hitting the tables around you as fellow patrons are cracking their own crabs open. Please please order a cup of the cream of crab soup. It is rich and creamy and like nothing I've tasted before. Very warm and comforting like a good bowl of chili on a cold night. What a place! I'd be happy to order and eat a bushel of crabs here anytime!
(4)
Brian H.

Best crabs in Maryland, and this is from a crustacean aficionado. - The beer is cold - The crabs are incredible (but not cheap) - Service is great - Have barely even tried the rest of the food Call ahead for crab prices and sizes - the steamed reds here are sadly are no longer a best-kept secret.
(4)
Teneka W.

Went here for Sunday dinner because we were undecided what to do for dinner. I knew that I was hungry but most importantly wanted some good crabs. This place came highly recommended for crabs by a coworker for 2+ years so I finally decided to try it. The chicken cheese steak came highly recommended as well so we ordered that along with the mild buffalo wings and the new jerk chicken tenders for tasting purposes only. In my opinion the only slight disappointment was the buffalo wings; I've had better. The cheese steak was everything. It tasted just like one of those good ole "hood" cheese steaks. Just the right amount of mayo without being too greasy, very meaty and a warm soft sub roll. The jerk chicken tenders were unbattered with a slight grilled taste to them but could've used a little more jerk seasoning. They also came with a horseradish dip, however it wasn't as spicy as horseradish usually is and that was ok with me. Now onto the crabs. The only ones that were available were the small/medium ones for $68/dozen and worth every penty lol. Please don't be discouraged by the small/medium title they're given because they were huge, heavy and meaty. I am an avid crab eater and I was only able to eat 2 1/2 before I was done. That could also be because I ate the food prior to eating the crabs or maybe because they were just that meaty. I'm thinking the latter though because dinner and crabs has never been a problem for me before. They came out right after we finished dinner piping hot and well seasoned. No alcoholic drinks for us (gotta work Monday's) so we just ordered the raspberry tea which was also just how I like it; very very sweet. Service 15% automatic gratuity really annoys me because waiters seem to never work for their money. We had to ask for silverware, napkins, a mallet and butter for crabs more than once. At least silverware and napkins should be standard, everything should be offered if you order crabs. 18% automatically added for parties of 5 or more. Would I return? Absolutely!!
(4)
Heidi F.

Overall disappointed... came on 4th of July like we normally do. food is expensive, service is so so not impressed. The chicken sandwich came with nothing on it and the waitress looked at me like I was crazy for asking for tomato and lettuce. I usually enjoy this restaurant but the food has really gone down hill and the seafood is just to expensive to buy. ($23 for Chicken Chesapeake)
(3)
Brian F.

It is all about service and attitude. I've had great crabs here but other food is hit and miss. The service is luck of the draw. Have had several crabby wait staff and hostess' but have had a few good ones. Prices are high for quality and portions. You can find better crabs for lower prices in the area while skipping the attitude.
(2)
John W.

Our youngest asked us to take him here for dinner after his most recent play at Salem Lutheran across the street. We were seated immediately at ~9PM on a fairly busy Saturday night. The hostesses informed us that they were out of steamed crabs. We'd had some from here earlier in the week, so that wasn't a deterrent. They sat us on the top floor, right across from the most obnoxiously loud group of people that you can imagine. Behind us was a group of twenty-something girls openly talking about drugs, sprinkled with some profanity for good measure. The mood was set for a great dinner... I wasn't very hungry, so I ordered some cream of crab soup and a Caesar salad. The soup was salty and very, very thick. It did contain quite a bit of crab, but not many chunks. It was more like crab dip than soup. I took most of it home to doctor up. The Caesar salad was covered in dressing, but was somehow nearly flavorless. I thought that maybe I just couldn't taste it after eating paste, but my wife confirmed that it wasn't me. My wife's spinach salad topped with shrimp salad was merely "ok". I had a bite of my son's ribs, which were very tender and flavorful. Maybe Ships should consider switching to BBQ. Our waitress was attentive and pleasant, but the atmosphere and food were very disappointing. Prices were also unjustifiably high, all things considered. I won't be going back.
(2)
Tiffany D.

Not a crab eater but I hear the crabs are good..the food is awful..this is not good Maryland seafood at all..I didn't eat my food I had the chicken Chesapeake..told the waitress I didn't it hardly eat any of it. all she said was ok and took the plate away..she never asked if she could get me anything else..big strike..bad customer service and a long wait for nothing..If you want good seafood this is not the place
(1)
Stephanie M.

We made a reservation at this crab house after seeing recommendations for it on a FOX 42 story. We had a reservation a day in advance and when we showed up at 6pm there were many available tables where we could have been seated. However, we were taken upstairs to the sun patio. The room was not a comfortable place to enjoy dinner. It was cold! The chairs were uncomfortable and the table we sat at was awkwardly arranged and prepared for a party of seven and we had only five. We ordered meals off the menu and steamed crabs for the table. Per the waitress recommendation we asked that the crabs be brought out after the main course. She assured us they would come out directly. However we waited almost 40 minutes after our main course was finished for our crab to arrive. If our dinning area has been more comfortable place to sit it may have been less frustrating. To top it all off at the end of our meal a party of 16 very load men were seated in our dinning room and the rest of our meal we couldn't hear each other talk. When we finished our crab we waited too long for our bill. In all we came at 6pm and didn't leave till 8:30. Was the food worth it? The crab was very nice and the entrÃ©es were OK. The food wasn't good enough to overcome the service.
(2)
Renee B.

This was my first time here. Although, I had heard not so good things about it before I went. I like to judge for myself. Let's say that I was glad that I finally got the chance to try it for myself. I wasn't sure how I wanted to feel when I first walked in but, I was welcomed and seated quickly. I ordered a frozen margarita which was delicious might I add. So, delicious that I was having a second one before the end of my meal. I ordered coconut shrimp as my appetizer. The I got the $50.00 dozen of crabs and corn. This is where I ordered that second margarita. Oh and I can't forget my glass of water. Lol. The bartender/waitress was very friendly. I wanted to try dessert before I left but, I had no room left in my belly. The crabs were very meaty and the waiter even put the left over crabs in a bag for me to take home. Lets just say that I am plotting on when I will get to go next. I would be in trouble if this place was located near my home.
(4)
Liberty M.

This place is great! Cute decor, good food, but lil grumpy service. I sat at the bar and shared wings 1/2 spicy 1/2 burboun and a crab cake sandwich hold the bread and subed the fries for onion rings. The crab cake was meaty (not jumbo lump) and spiced like a meatball, it was unique and tasty. The onion rings seemed home made and were delicious. I liked the burboun wings better than the spicy. The crabs looked great, very big for smalls
(4)
Brittany B.

Had reservation for mothers day, specifically stated we were gonna have crabs. Arrived there and was informed that the crabs were limited to only small sizes at $50 per dozen. We started off with soups, cream of Crab was excellent. Lobster bisque tasted like baby food.. no lobster in it at all. The crab and shrimp dip.. looked amazing but had very little Crab and no shrimp.. the crab used was very bad quality and very shredded and fine.. almost like a canned tuna texture. It was so much cream cheese it was very thin consistency. Drinks were great. Crabs amazing for the size. Overall just stick with crabs and drinks..
(3)
Donna P.

Lots of fun, great food and drinks. This family owned pub is worth the visit. Really enjoyed Saturday night drinks and snacks that we returned the next day for lunch. They have many gluten free options also, like their great steamed shrimp. Family that we were visiting told us this is one of the best places for cooked crabs. We must come back and try.
(5)
Kamilah K.

I was not impressed by Ships. I've had the restaurant bookmarked for months. I mean months. I finally got a chance to go for lunch with 8 of my co-workers. It was a cold and rainy day. Parking was around the building, which I didn't mind since this area has limited street parking. The hostess was nice enough but our waitress was kinda standoffish. I ordered a salad and pasta Alfredo. The salad was a salad. The pasta was ok but not the best. I would have enjoyed my food if it was a bit cozier. What made our lunch overall unpleasant was the temperature. It was so cold on top of the freezing rain that we could not really enjoy our meal. I had to keep my coat on. My co-worker did not enjoy her sub but did not say anything since the waitress seemed irritated. That was sad because if you do not enjoy something, you should feel comfortable enough to speak up. I will give Ships another chance in the Spring/Summer to see if my opinion changes, only because I had high hopes for the first time.
(2)
Chelsea L.

Just enjoyed a delicious HUGE Greek salad with grilled chicken during a lunch break via carryout. At seafood specialty restaurants, I'm not expecting to be salads or non seafood dishes to be extraordinary, but this was a very surprising and good salad. The chicken was moist and flavorful, delicious dressing AND they give you enough dressing for the big salad, and lots of yummy veggies, although I asked specifically for tomatoes, onions and cucumbers because they weren't listed coming with the salad, and I always ask for that. The service was very quick and kind. The salad was around $14 with chicken, but it was quite big so the price was worth it.
(5)
K B.

Pros: I had the fresh scallops which I chose to have broiled in a lemon butter sauce. These were quite possibly the best tasting scallops I have ever eaten. Had a side of mashed potatoes and a salad and both were outstanding. Had a very nice NY style cheesecake with strawberry topping as a dessert and that was also excellent. Cons: PRICES are ridiculously high. I had originally come for crabs, but when the waitress mentioned the prices I about choked and opted for the scallops instead. I had entered this restaurant knowing it was to be a "splurge" type meal, but wasn't expecting to blow the whole week's budget on one meal. Wait staff is just okay. I have definitely had much better service before served with a much better attitude as well, but we got through the meal and eventually got everything we needed and required to get the job done. Parking is around back, but it can be hard to find a good parking spot on busy days. Do not appreciate having a gratuity added to my check for only 2 people (or really any party size to be honest). A tip is based upon service and shouldn't be forced upon anyone. I totally despise being forced to pay for crappy service. The quality of tip one leaves should reflect the service received and this wasn't the case here.
(3)
Nick B.

We were first time visitors this past weekend. The crabs were very good and the service was excellent. We will return.
(5)
John P.

I took family there for steamed CRABS. I heard Mixed things ABOUT it. But our evening was a BLAST. From , Soups to CRABS which were Heavy, hot, well seasoned. Soups very tasty. Bonus was the sweet corn on the cob. ....At least a 3 Stars close to 4....Can't imagine how great it'll be when CRABS are in season.
(4)
Ray R.

So a Vegan walks into a seafood restaurant...(stop me if you've heard this one before). After looking at their online menu, I went to Ship's just knowing my meal was going to be comprised of roughly about 3 items off the sides menu. An action I'm not new to since when I want to hang with my friends, I compromise on choice of venues so that they don't always have to be limited to only hanging out with me at places that offer vegan dishes. However, I was pleased when I opened the menu to find that Ship's offered a vegetable sandwich with cooked squash, zucchini, and mushrooms so I got this sandwich in a wrap and found it absolutely delicious! What stroked and impregnated my fancy even more however, was the drink menu. Me being a whiskey gal (and I don't mean in a sour) I ordered one of my fave drinks, the Manhattan. BEST Manhattan in Baltimore (so far that I've experienced at least). There wasn't anything extraordinary about the bartender's technique so much as the fact that it was done RIGHT. The bartender brought out a King Cube silicon ice tray (for the uninformed, feel free to look it up and educate yourself on the importance of types of ice used in cocktails). Next were the standard drops of vermouth and bitters but what was the real star? LUXARDO CHERRIES *fainted, open eyes, sit up, sees the jar, faints again* Luxardo cherries are more robust in flavor and texture than your standard candied bar fruit nightmares and take the Manhattan's flavor to the next level. It's also a nice touch to me because the cherries are at least $15 a jar so Ships seems serious about the quality of their drinks. He was stingy in that he only gave me one so I had to ask for an additional cherry but I understand that not everyone would know and/or appreciate the difference. I also appreciated the choice in quality whiskeys offered to me by the bartender to use. For those who are tapping your fingers waiting for some tidbit of info about the seafood, I will say that although Ships doesn't offer any specials on their crabs, my friend ordered a half dozen of "smalls" at the $35/doz price and they were definitely medium sized to me and big enough to take up her whole square of paper that was set in front of her at the bar. So you seem to get your money's worth. Be forewarned however that (as with most crab houses in Baltimore) the crabs were not local so they will taste a lot "cleaner" and not as dirty water "flavored" as the local Maryland crabs I once held so dear in life. My rating would be a 4 for this place based on limited veg options but score up for the fact that they have a ton of gluten free options.
(5)
Terri D.

This 5 star review is for the Ships Cafe Crabs. Crabs are awesome but pricey. Don't bother ordering the super jumbo, very little difference from the jumbo or large. The butterfly fried shrimp are really yummy and the french fries are also good. The cream of crab soup is thick if you like it that way you will enjoy it, I like it. Md. crab soup is good. I find the "rules and regulations" for eating at Ships Cafe very insulting (yes they actually have a laundry list of what they will and will not tolerate, I guess some clientele in the past have caused some unusual restaurant problems as this is not your usual shirt and shoes request) and I also find the 18% automatic tip insulting as well as no incentive for the slow wait staff to pick up their game a bit. Crab cakes are overpriced and not really the best in Baltimore. I don't go to seafood restaurants for much else so I can't really testify to all the menu items.
(5)
Jason A.

Ships cafe is always busy and it's because they are fantastic. I've been a patron of this restaurant for about 6 years, and it is even better today than it was then. They have by far the best crap dip of any place I've eaten in the Baltimore County area, and their entrÃ©es are just as good. Their wait staff is attentive and helpful and give great suggestions on fish/item of the day. Their sides are always fresh and I've yet to be disappointed.
(5)
Jason C.

I still dream of the crabs here. I went here when I visited Maryland last month and thoroughly enjoyed the crabs here. This is apparently the best around the area. My friend and I both also ordered the clam chowder which was excellent and fritters. But the crabs were the main attraction. I was ready to go back the next day.
(5)
Amanda P.

LOVE THE CRABS!!! Learned a little local tip. If its just 2 of u. Go to the bar & order crabs. Instead of waiting for table... Which can be awhile during crab season. I have had 3 bad visits out of 30+ visits it was the same waitress each time. I refuse to have her wait on us again. I don't think she works there any longer. Owners were very accommodating. That's when we discovered the bar trick . The other food items are good as expected. Nothing special . The owners are sweethearts. Bartenders are very nice & funny,
(4)
Melanie R.

This was my second visit to this place, however due to a long wait last Friday night, we skipped it. Today, a Saturday lunch was a nice time to try it. I think weekend nights here are super crowded. This place size wise is very deceiving. There are actually 3 levels, and even a few split levels on the ground floor. My son took a big tumble down the stairs, so exercise caution...those old wooden steps. The menu has a nice selection of seafood, pasta, some steak items, and various sandwiches. I had the shrimp salad on white toast, which was very nice. I like mine light on the Old Bay and mayo, and this was done just right. The shrimp were large jumbo too! Next time looking forward to trying crabs and even snow crab legs! Now...if you sit upstairs, the service was a bit slow. I will warn against that. I think the kitchen is lower level. Looking forward to trying more items!
(3)
Crystal J.

Pros: First, let me say the staff was very friendly and we were seated quickly for a Saturday early evening. Our waitress came out soon after being seated and took our drink and appetizer order which was served in about 10 mins. Prior to this she had took our entree order.. In my opinion she did everything she was supposed to step by step In our ordering process... Cons: we ordered the seafood sampler which consisted of scallops, shrimp and crab balls priced at $16.99.. When we received the appetizer it was literally 3 small crab balls, 3 small scallops and 3 shrimp. Each item lined up in 3 rows of 3 little things on a big white plate...Wow!! Real disappointed!! Not worth the money by far and appearance was not exactly appealing. Our entree wasn't served till 25 minutes later bc of the back up in the kitchen with all the steamed crab orders. Which we understood until we started to eat our food.. The food was not hot or cold less then warm... The vegs were dry and mushy! I got the chicken Chesapeake and it was extremely dry my husband got the rack of ribs he said they were ok.. Food is a little over price for the quality... Seating is not the best... There's no drink options on the menu at all... (I've never seen that in a place that serves food) however friendly staff
(3)
Kimberley R.

I have been to Ships Cafe four or five times now and have really enjoyed the food up until my most recent visit. The service wasn't bad, but I ordered the Seafood Platter as my entree and was extremely disappointed. The only flavorful part of my entire dinner was my side of green beans. Everything else (butterfly shrimp, crab cake, flounder, and scallops) was extremely bland and had no flavor to it. None of it tasted or looked very fresh, the presentation wasn't particularly appealing at all, and all of it just lacked any flavor whatsoever. It's never a good sign when you need tartar sauce just to mask the taste of the bland seafood, or when your green beans are the best part of your meal. I won't be ordering this again.
(2)
Stephanie T.

I went with a friend. This restaurant is a converted house in Catonsville. We got the seafood nachos, but it wasn't very good. It was some crab, shrimp, and something that might have been tuna it it complete smothered in cheese. I got the pound of king crab at 24.99. King crab is somewhere between the consistency of snow crab and Dungeness crab. My friend got the shrimp poppers and they were delicious. The fries are amazing. The service is prompt, attentive, and courteous.
(4)
Thomas O.

Amazing food, great service, all around awesome experience. We went on a Tuesday afternoon for a late lunch early dinner. Greeted immediately and seated just as quickly. Buckled in for some crabs, which we were warned would take about 20-25 minutes. We got an utterly delicious lobster, shrimp, and corn chowder to tie us over. The crabs were out shortly after licking the chowder bowl clean. Being the first time having whole steamed crabs the waitress gave us a quick tutorial on how to shell them and we were off. Three crabs apiece was more than enough. All in all, phenomenal experience. One would be remiss not to give this place a chance.
(5)
Shawn T.

Great casual place for crabs. Always hot n fresh. Friendly staff and awesome corn-on-the-cob!!!
(5)
Yvonne T.

My first trip here was a total bust..had seafood platter for dinner and the scallops and fish were raw in the middle. However, many friends told me this was not typical of this restaurant so I gave it a second chance and boy am I glad I did. I went for lunch and had a steamed shrimp wrap. The wrap was overflowing with jumbo shrimp that were perfectly seasoned, the tomato tasted like it came straight from the garden...soooo fresh. My friend had a shrimp salad sandwich and she could only eat 1/2. The soups (Md Crab and Cream of Crab) were quite salty but the taste was excellent. Can't wait to go back for some steamed crabs. Oh be careful with the mixed drinks. I would recommend a designated driver..lol
(4)
Vic M.

I've been here a couple of times. Once with my brother. We had drinks then got takeout. It was decent. I don't remember anything except waiting a loooooong time. The second time there, was tonight. There was a sign outside that said no crabs. I guess I can understand that. We're at a crab house, so it's odd. But, anyway I'm meeting friends. Most of us ordered the coconut shrimp. I'm writing a review because of the coconut shrimp. My cup of crab soup was ok. My drink was ok. My side salad was ok, and so was the side of home made mashed potatoes. (I was hungry). skip ahead for bottom line* I deeply regret ordering the coconut shrimp. We couldn't order the fried oysters because they were out. Everyone order the coconut shrimp and due to group think I did too. At first glance, they looked like they could be amazing. But, there was a large ball or clump of breading/fried-to-death coconut flakes/grease on each shrimp. So, I thought these were huge shrimp. They were hard to eat because they had so much batter on them. It didn't taste right- mostly like grease. I peel the rest of the breading off and just ate the shrimp. The dipping sauce was like blueberry jelly or something. It was thick and waaaay too sweet. It was odd. It was all I could do to not throw up on the way home. I was with friends and I didn't want to be the one to complain. I should have though. Our waitress sort of had an attitude towards the end of the night. She was not around very often, but ok. They included an 18% gratuity automatically even though it was just 5 of us. *Bottom line: pricey even for seafood, inconsistent quality, coconut shrimp is greasy and overly breaded. Stick with crabs and crab cakes when they have them. I'm willing to give them a 3rd try since I love crabs, but it won't be for a while.
(2)
Shawn H.

Food is really good. The pretzel thing? Wow, yes. They don't steam crabs until 1pm on Saturday, which is understandable (but don't get there at noon like we did and expect to eat crabs). We had a young dude as a server. He was pretty novice, but personable and cool. No complaints about getting seated or the overall service. Great staff. The ice in the drinks was funky--like the ice machine filters were old/bad or something. Either that or the carbonated water had a bad taste, which is as unlikely as the syrup mix for the soda being bad. I have some understanding of and experience in this business and am pretty sure they need to change the ice machine filter. I'd go back here if I was in the neighborhood again.
(3)
Matt F.

For anything but crabs...go somewhere else. Service was exceptionally slow. 25mins for cream of crab soup, daughter waited 45 minutes for popcorn shrimp, and they nickel and dime you for everything(butter for crabs is an extra $1, bread with soup is $3).
(3)
Ellie C.

Great food, good prices, good service! My husband and I love Ships! If you are looking for good seafood and great crabs this is the place to go. My only negative comment would be parking. Caution- they sell out of crabs and limit carryout crabs to meet their eat in demand. We have learned to call in the morning to find out what they have in terms of crab sizes. They also normally get a shipment of crabs in around 3-4pm. We normally try to go no later than 6pm to ensure we get crabs. Mussels are good- order a loaf of french bread to use to soak up the juice. Spinach salads are good, and yummy deserts, more peach cobbler please! One of our friends tried the seafood platter and loved it. They steam the crabs when you order them which means when you get your crabs they are hot and fresh. If you know you want crabs order them first. I know there are a lot of choices for crabs in Baltimore and for us Ships works well, casual environment with good food.
(4)
Jim F.

This place is beyond hit and miss. I have been there on 5-6 occasions with each time being wildly different as far as food preparation, service and receiving your order in a timely fashion. Unfortunately many of the dishes seem to be pre-prepared and not very fresh. I had the filet which was on special with creamed spinach and a twice baked potato. Filet was ok. The sides looked as if they were sitting in a warming tray for hours and were not warm. Service is ok. It did take me over 1.5 hours to eat lunch with my son there two months ago (waiting for bacon wrapped shrimp ???). Last time service was much quicker. Overall friendly. There is also a list of "rules" written on the back of their menus which will leave a bad taste in your mouth. One that is very surprising is that if your food is not acceptable that you cannot send it back. To paraphrase it stated you should know what you are ordering and we are not a "tasting restaurant". I would counter that you should stand behind your product and not treat your customers like you are doing them a favor by having them eat there. They also arbitrarily add 18% gratuity on parties of any size (which was never exercised when I ate there). Finally the prices are pretty steep for what you get - even for a seafood restaurant. I will probably go back only because there are so few restaurants in Catonsville that have that "pub" type feel. Good place to grab a beer and an appetizer. The entrees and service - hit or miss.
(2)
Jaime T.

Went here today. Service sucked...server wasn't very attentive. Neglected to bring appetizer plates...undercooked my cousins steak. The kitchen put BBQ sauce on my grandmother's ribs even though she asked for them to come naked. Everything was salty. Not a good experince today. I probably won't be going back anytime soon.
(2)
Sue B.

Monday evening. Came highly recommended for crabs. My first time there and took out of town company for crabs. After hearing #2 crabs were $79 a dozen my jaw dropped. I wouldn't have ordered any if I was by myself. Ended up ordering a dozen, first 6 were full, next 6 were not. Waitress was not friendly from our first contact, with my guest commenting first. Never offered drink refills the almost 2 hours we were there, even with eating crabs. Had to ask for water refills. Also had to ask for napkins/paper towels despite eating crabs. Cream of crab soup very salty and not much crab. Nice little local place but I won't go back.
(2)
Brittany B.

Had reservation for mothers day, specifically stated we were gonna have crabs. Arrived there and was informed that the crabs were limited to only small sizes at $50 per dozen. We started off with soups, cream of Crab was excellent. Lobster bisque tasted like baby food.. no lobster in it at all. The crab and shrimp dip.. looked amazing but had very little Crab and no shrimp.. the crab used was very bad quality and very shredded and fine.. almost like a canned tuna texture. It was so much cream cheese it was very thin consistency. Drinks were great. Crabs amazing for the size. Overall just stick with crabs and drinks..
(3)
John P.

I took family there for steamed CRABS. I heard Mixed things ABOUT it. But our evening was a BLAST. From , Soups to CRABS which were Heavy, hot, well seasoned. Soups very tasty. Bonus was the sweet corn on the cob. ....At least a 3 Stars close to 4....Can't imagine how great it'll be when CRABS are in season.
(4)
Harlan M.

Being from Florida, Ships was a great experience! Our table went all in and ordered the steamed crabs and some appetizers. The huge pile of crabs was placed on the middle of the table for everyone to grab (with crab devouring etiquette) and enjoy! Have plenty of water (or draft beer) available to slug down because the Old Bay seasoning is caked on! I wouldn't have it any other way of course. This dining experience is best enjoyed with close friends and family because it takes time and practice getting into the meaty crabs. Everyone proudly displays claw meat as a trophy when they harvest it successfully. Although the crabs were delectable it really is about the shared experience. Also don't be too jumpy when you hear hammers hitting the tables around you as fellow patrons are cracking their own crabs open. Please please order a cup of the cream of crab soup. It is rich and creamy and like nothing I've tasted before. Very warm and comforting like a good bowl of chili on a cold night. What a place! I'd be happy to order and eat a bushel of crabs here anytime!
(4)
Kamilah K.

I was not impressed by Ships. I've had the restaurant bookmarked for months. I mean months. I finally got a chance to go for lunch with 8 of my co-workers. It was a cold and rainy day. Parking was around the building, which I didn't mind since this area has limited street parking. The hostess was nice enough but our waitress was kinda standoffish. I ordered a salad and pasta Alfredo. The salad was a salad. The pasta was ok but not the best. I would have enjoyed my food if it was a bit cozier. What made our lunch overall unpleasant was the temperature. It was so cold on top of the freezing rain that we could not really enjoy our meal. I had to keep my coat on. My co-worker did not enjoy her sub but did not say anything since the waitress seemed irritated. That was sad because if you do not enjoy something, you should feel comfortable enough to speak up. I will give Ships another chance in the Spring/Summer to see if my opinion changes, only because I had high hopes for the first time.
(2)
Chelsea L.

Just enjoyed a delicious HUGE Greek salad with grilled chicken during a lunch break via carryout. At seafood specialty restaurants, I'm not expecting to be salads or non seafood dishes to be extraordinary, but this was a very surprising and good salad. The chicken was moist and flavorful, delicious dressing AND they give you enough dressing for the big salad, and lots of yummy veggies, although I asked specifically for tomatoes, onions and cucumbers because they weren't listed coming with the salad, and I always ask for that. The service was very quick and kind. The salad was around $14 with chicken, but it was quite big so the price was worth it.
(5)
K B.

Pros: I had the fresh scallops which I chose to have broiled in a lemon butter sauce. These were quite possibly the best tasting scallops I have ever eaten. Had a side of mashed potatoes and a salad and both were outstanding. Had a very nice NY style cheesecake with strawberry topping as a dessert and that was also excellent. Cons: PRICES are ridiculously high. I had originally come for crabs, but when the waitress mentioned the prices I about choked and opted for the scallops instead. I had entered this restaurant knowing it was to be a "splurge" type meal, but wasn't expecting to blow the whole week's budget on one meal. Wait staff is just okay. I have definitely had much better service before served with a much better attitude as well, but we got through the meal and eventually got everything we needed and required to get the job done. Parking is around back, but it can be hard to find a good parking spot on busy days. Do not appreciate having a gratuity added to my check for only 2 people (or really any party size to be honest). A tip is based upon service and shouldn't be forced upon anyone. I totally despise being forced to pay for crappy service. The quality of tip one leaves should reflect the service received and this wasn't the case here.
(3)
Nick B.

We were first time visitors this past weekend. The crabs were very good and the service was excellent. We will return.
(5)
Kimberley R.

I have been to Ships Cafe four or five times now and have really enjoyed the food up until my most recent visit. The service wasn't bad, but I ordered the Seafood Platter as my entree and was extremely disappointed. The only flavorful part of my entire dinner was my side of green beans. Everything else (butterfly shrimp, crab cake, flounder, and scallops) was extremely bland and had no flavor to it. None of it tasted or looked very fresh, the presentation wasn't particularly appealing at all, and all of it just lacked any flavor whatsoever. It's never a good sign when you need tartar sauce just to mask the taste of the bland seafood, or when your green beans are the best part of your meal. I won't be ordering this again.
(2)
Stephanie T.

I went with a friend. This restaurant is a converted house in Catonsville. We got the seafood nachos, but it wasn't very good. It was some crab, shrimp, and something that might have been tuna it it complete smothered in cheese. I got the pound of king crab at 24.99. King crab is somewhere between the consistency of snow crab and Dungeness crab. My friend got the shrimp poppers and they were delicious. The fries are amazing. The service is prompt, attentive, and courteous.
(4)
Thomas O.

Amazing food, great service, all around awesome experience. We went on a Tuesday afternoon for a late lunch early dinner. Greeted immediately and seated just as quickly. Buckled in for some crabs, which we were warned would take about 20-25 minutes. We got an utterly delicious lobster, shrimp, and corn chowder to tie us over. The crabs were out shortly after licking the chowder bowl clean. Being the first time having whole steamed crabs the waitress gave us a quick tutorial on how to shell them and we were off. Three crabs apiece was more than enough. All in all, phenomenal experience. One would be remiss not to give this place a chance.
(5)
Shawn T.

Great casual place for crabs. Always hot n fresh. Friendly staff and awesome corn-on-the-cob!!!
(5)
Yvonne T.

My first trip here was a total bust..had seafood platter for dinner and the scallops and fish were raw in the middle. However, many friends told me this was not typical of this restaurant so I gave it a second chance and boy am I glad I did. I went for lunch and had a steamed shrimp wrap. The wrap was overflowing with jumbo shrimp that were perfectly seasoned, the tomato tasted like it came straight from the garden...soooo fresh. My friend had a shrimp salad sandwich and she could only eat 1/2. The soups (Md Crab and Cream of Crab) were quite salty but the taste was excellent. Can't wait to go back for some steamed crabs. Oh be careful with the mixed drinks. I would recommend a designated driver..lol
(4)
Heidi F.

Overall disappointed... came on 4th of July like we normally do. food is expensive, service is so so not impressed. The chicken sandwich came with nothing on it and the waitress looked at me like I was crazy for asking for tomato and lettuce. I usually enjoy this restaurant but the food has really gone down hill and the seafood is just to expensive to buy. ($23 for Chicken Chesapeake)
(3)
Brian F.

It is all about service and attitude. I've had great crabs here but other food is hit and miss. The service is luck of the draw. Have had several crabby wait staff and hostess' but have had a few good ones. Prices are high for quality and portions. You can find better crabs for lower prices in the area while skipping the attitude.
(2)
Brian H.

Best crabs in Maryland, and this is from a crustacean aficionado. - The beer is cold - The crabs are incredible (but not cheap) - Service is great - Have barely even tried the rest of the food Call ahead for crab prices and sizes - the steamed reds here are sadly are no longer a best-kept secret.
(4)
John W.

Our youngest asked us to take him here for dinner after his most recent play at Salem Lutheran across the street. We were seated immediately at ~9PM on a fairly busy Saturday night. The hostesses informed us that they were out of steamed crabs. We'd had some from here earlier in the week, so that wasn't a deterrent. They sat us on the top floor, right across from the most obnoxiously loud group of people that you can imagine. Behind us was a group of twenty-something girls openly talking about drugs, sprinkled with some profanity for good measure. The mood was set for a great dinner... I wasn't very hungry, so I ordered some cream of crab soup and a Caesar salad. The soup was salty and very, very thick. It did contain quite a bit of crab, but not many chunks. It was more like crab dip than soup. I took most of it home to doctor up. The Caesar salad was covered in dressing, but was somehow nearly flavorless. I thought that maybe I just couldn't taste it after eating paste, but my wife confirmed that it wasn't me. My wife's spinach salad topped with shrimp salad was merely "ok". I had a bite of my son's ribs, which were very tender and flavorful. Maybe Ships should consider switching to BBQ. Our waitress was attentive and pleasant, but the atmosphere and food were very disappointing. Prices were also unjustifiably high, all things considered. I won't be going back.
(2)
Tiffany D.

Not a crab eater but I hear the crabs are good..the food is awful..this is not good Maryland seafood at all..I didn't eat my food I had the chicken Chesapeake..told the waitress I didn't it hardly eat any of it. all she said was ok and took the plate away..she never asked if she could get me anything else..big strike..bad customer service and a long wait for nothing..If you want good seafood this is not the place
(1)
Amanda P.

LOVE THE CRABS!!! Learned a little local tip. If its just 2 of u. Go to the bar & order crabs. Instead of waiting for table... Which can be awhile during crab season. I have had 3 bad visits out of 30+ visits it was the same waitress each time. I refuse to have her wait on us again. I don't think she works there any longer. Owners were very accommodating. That's when we discovered the bar trick . The other food items are good as expected. Nothing special . The owners are sweethearts. Bartenders are very nice & funny,
(4)
Melanie R.

This was my second visit to this place, however due to a long wait last Friday night, we skipped it. Today, a Saturday lunch was a nice time to try it. I think weekend nights here are super crowded. This place size wise is very deceiving. There are actually 3 levels, and even a few split levels on the ground floor. My son took a big tumble down the stairs, so exercise caution...those old wooden steps. The menu has a nice selection of seafood, pasta, some steak items, and various sandwiches. I had the shrimp salad on white toast, which was very nice. I like mine light on the Old Bay and mayo, and this was done just right. The shrimp were large jumbo too! Next time looking forward to trying crabs and even snow crab legs! Now...if you sit upstairs, the service was a bit slow. I will warn against that. I think the kitchen is lower level. Looking forward to trying more items!
(3)
Crystal J.

Pros: First, let me say the staff was very friendly and we were seated quickly for a Saturday early evening. Our waitress came out soon after being seated and took our drink and appetizer order which was served in about 10 mins. Prior to this she had took our entree order.. In my opinion she did everything she was supposed to step by step In our ordering process... Cons: we ordered the seafood sampler which consisted of scallops, shrimp and crab balls priced at $16.99.. When we received the appetizer it was literally 3 small crab balls, 3 small scallops and 3 shrimp. Each item lined up in 3 rows of 3 little things on a big white plate...Wow!! Real disappointed!! Not worth the money by far and appearance was not exactly appealing. Our entree wasn't served till 25 minutes later bc of the back up in the kitchen with all the steamed crab orders. Which we understood until we started to eat our food.. The food was not hot or cold less then warm... The vegs were dry and mushy! I got the chicken Chesapeake and it was extremely dry my husband got the rack of ribs he said they were ok.. Food is a little over price for the quality... Seating is not the best... There's no drink options on the menu at all... (I've never seen that in a place that serves food) however friendly staff
(3)
Terri D.

This 5 star review is for the Ships Cafe Crabs. Crabs are awesome but pricey. Don't bother ordering the super jumbo, very little difference from the jumbo or large. The butterfly fried shrimp are really yummy and the french fries are also good. The cream of crab soup is thick if you like it that way you will enjoy it, I like it. Md. crab soup is good. I find the "rules and regulations" for eating at Ships Cafe very insulting (yes they actually have a laundry list of what they will and will not tolerate, I guess some clientele in the past have caused some unusual restaurant problems as this is not your usual shirt and shoes request) and I also find the 18% automatic tip insulting as well as no incentive for the slow wait staff to pick up their game a bit. Crab cakes are overpriced and not really the best in Baltimore. I don't go to seafood restaurants for much else so I can't really testify to all the menu items.
(5)
Jason A.

Ships cafe is always busy and it's because they are fantastic. I've been a patron of this restaurant for about 6 years, and it is even better today than it was then. They have by far the best crap dip of any place I've eaten in the Baltimore County area, and their entrÃ©es are just as good. Their wait staff is attentive and helpful and give great suggestions on fish/item of the day. Their sides are always fresh and I've yet to be disappointed.
(5)
Jason C.

I still dream of the crabs here. I went here when I visited Maryland last month and thoroughly enjoyed the crabs here. This is apparently the best around the area. My friend and I both also ordered the clam chowder which was excellent and fritters. But the crabs were the main attraction. I was ready to go back the next day.
(5)
Ellie C.

Great food, good prices, good service! My husband and I love Ships! If you are looking for good seafood and great crabs this is the place to go. My only negative comment would be parking. Caution- they sell out of crabs and limit carryout crabs to meet their eat in demand. We have learned to call in the morning to find out what they have in terms of crab sizes. They also normally get a shipment of crabs in around 3-4pm. We normally try to go no later than 6pm to ensure we get crabs. Mussels are good- order a loaf of french bread to use to soak up the juice. Spinach salads are good, and yummy deserts, more peach cobbler please! One of our friends tried the seafood platter and loved it. They steam the crabs when you order them which means when you get your crabs they are hot and fresh. If you know you want crabs order them first. I know there are a lot of choices for crabs in Baltimore and for us Ships works well, casual environment with good food.
(4)
Jim F.

This place is beyond hit and miss. I have been there on 5-6 occasions with each time being wildly different as far as food preparation, service and receiving your order in a timely fashion. Unfortunately many of the dishes seem to be pre-prepared and not very fresh. I had the filet which was on special with creamed spinach and a twice baked potato. Filet was ok. The sides looked as if they were sitting in a warming tray for hours and were not warm. Service is ok. It did take me over 1.5 hours to eat lunch with my son there two months ago (waiting for bacon wrapped shrimp ???). Last time service was much quicker. Overall friendly. There is also a list of "rules" written on the back of their menus which will leave a bad taste in your mouth. One that is very surprising is that if your food is not acceptable that you cannot send it back. To paraphrase it stated you should know what you are ordering and we are not a "tasting restaurant". I would counter that you should stand behind your product and not treat your customers like you are doing them a favor by having them eat there. They also arbitrarily add 18% gratuity on parties of any size (which was never exercised when I ate there). Finally the prices are pretty steep for what you get - even for a seafood restaurant. I will probably go back only because there are so few restaurants in Catonsville that have that "pub" type feel. Good place to grab a beer and an appetizer. The entrees and service - hit or miss.
(2)
Jaime T.

Went here today. Service sucked...server wasn't very attentive. Neglected to bring appetizer plates...undercooked my cousins steak. The kitchen put BBQ sauce on my grandmother's ribs even though she asked for them to come naked. Everything was salty. Not a good experince today. I probably won't be going back anytime soon.
(2)
Debra C.

Went there with mom for lunch yesterday, She really wanted an oyster sandwich. Well, despite it being a month with an R in it, no oysters. So, she ordered Maryland crab soup and fried calamari. The waitress brought out cream of crab soup. The calamari was in sticks...not rings and tentacles. Weird. Must have been frozen. Was just okay. I had a salad and crab cake. They were okay, but a bit pricey. Service was pretty bad. There were only 2 parties in the dining room, including us. We barely saw our server.
(2)
Shawn H.

Food is really good. The pretzel thing? Wow, yes. They don't steam crabs until 1pm on Saturday, which is understandable (but don't get there at noon like we did and expect to eat crabs). We had a young dude as a server. He was pretty novice, but personable and cool. No complaints about getting seated or the overall service. Great staff. The ice in the drinks was funky--like the ice machine filters were old/bad or something. Either that or the carbonated water had a bad taste, which is as unlikely as the syrup mix for the soda being bad. I have some understanding of and experience in this business and am pretty sure they need to change the ice machine filter. I'd go back here if I was in the neighborhood again.
(3)
Vic M.

I've been here a couple of times. Once with my brother. We had drinks then got takeout. It was decent. I don't remember anything except waiting a loooooong time. The second time there, was tonight. There was a sign outside that said no crabs. I guess I can understand that. We're at a crab house, so it's odd. But, anyway I'm meeting friends. Most of us ordered the coconut shrimp. I'm writing a review because of the coconut shrimp. My cup of crab soup was ok. My drink was ok. My side salad was ok, and so was the side of home made mashed potatoes. (I was hungry). skip ahead for bottom line* I deeply regret ordering the coconut shrimp. We couldn't order the fried oysters because they were out. Everyone order the coconut shrimp and due to group think I did too. At first glance, they looked like they could be amazing. But, there was a large ball or clump of breading/fried-to-death coconut flakes/grease on each shrimp. So, I thought these were huge shrimp. They were hard to eat because they had so much batter on them. It didn't taste right- mostly like grease. I peel the rest of the breading off and just ate the shrimp. The dipping sauce was like blueberry jelly or something. It was thick and waaaay too sweet. It was odd. It was all I could do to not throw up on the way home. I was with friends and I didn't want to be the one to complain. I should have though. Our waitress sort of had an attitude towards the end of the night. She was not around very often, but ok. They included an 18% gratuity automatically even though it was just 5 of us. *Bottom line: pricey even for seafood, inconsistent quality, coconut shrimp is greasy and overly breaded. Stick with crabs and crab cakes when they have them. I'm willing to give them a 3rd try since I love crabs, but it won't be for a while.
(2)
lynn t.

7.21.13 When I got here at 336 there was no wait but I had to do something. Place was packed when I got back at 425. No crabs available for takeout so I waited 40 minutes for a table. My mouth was watering for some XL or jumbo crabs. The only problem is that they only have small/medium. Waiting to see if these mediums are the same as tthe ones I had last time. I sure hope so because I am disappointed right now. Crabs arrived. I am definitely disappointed. These crabs should be wearing diapers. They are small not medium. Then they have the gall to charge 50 cents for mayonnaise. Two stars today. The waitress Donna is friendly enough.
(2)
Marsha J.

Read the "not recommended reviews" to get the skinny on this place. Yelp only puts the nice reviews up front.
(1)
C. J.

Went here for the first time a few weeks ago with friends and I'll definitely be back. The crabs were delicious and so was the crab pretzel, YUM!!
(4)
Lynne M.

What a gem!! Delicious crab house and bar tucked away in Catonsville. Perfectly done crab cakes, snow crabs and sides. Great service. Go for a drink, stay for the food.
(5)
Kristin S.

Crabs are heavy and well seasoned. Best place for crabs for a fantastic price!!! Travelled from DC and it was worth the trip!
(5)
Matt R.

Crabs and beer!!
(4)
Lola S.

shipscafe.net A Catonsville establishment with a full bar, deck seating, very, very brightly lit tables, no changing tables and free valet parking. (we opted for a street spot instead and there were plenty at 5:30pm on Saturday.) Our party consumed: 2 lb mussels 1 lb of clams 1 lb of steamed shrimp 2 steamed crabs a NY strip steak a stuffed giant shrimp with crab imperial 3 cups of cream of crab soup (delicious!) I really wanted to try their crab cakes but they were $30 for 2. OUCH! They are $12.99 across the street @ Catonsville Gourmet and I KNOW those are good. The food was good and the service tonight happened to be below average. BEWARE! According to their menu broadcast message: "due to the economic downturn all checks will have an automatic 18% tip added regardless of party size"...because our waitstaff depends on their tips, or something like that. That instantly made everyone's lips curl Billy Idol style. I have a couple problems with this. Its insulting. If I came to your establishment to eat- I have money. I have been a waitperson before, I know what good service is and I know that I worked for my tips. If one knew they were guaranteed 18% on all tickets...why would you strive to do better? A lot of people wouldn't. ...because I know the work that goes into waiting tables I tip pretty fat (40% if you're amazing, 30% if you're almost amazing, 20% to the average waitperson, 15% if you suck and 10% if you piss me off) I ended up leaving an 18% tip...our waitperson didn't really care about us. We had no napkins for the first 10 minutes (tough when eating steamed crabs), no mallets or crab shell cracking devices for 20 minutes despite 3 requests. blah blah blah.... everything was ok. I overheard (I'm a total eavesdropper) a mother say there was no changing table in the bathrooms and she had to change her child on the floor. I used the restroom and the floor wasn't cute. it was a HUGE bathroom too. Get a Koala Care Station, Ships...they are like $100. We spent twice that tonight. Thats all. Lola out.
(3)
Kellie S.

We went to Ships to have a quick lunch. We ordered the Md crab soup and it was full of crab and had a great taste. While eating the soup, we saw the waitress walk by with a crab dip and it looked so good that we decided to get one. Unfort, the dip wasn't half as good as the soup and it tasted sour. Our waitress very nicely returned the dip and instead we chose a steak quesadilla. This thing was huge! It was $9.99, but it was well worth every penny and it ended up being all that we ordered. Everyone in the place had crabs and were saying how great they were. They spanned in price from $55 - $95. We will def be back to try the crabs. We didn't order the crab cakes since they were pricey ($30) for 2 and they were only 5 or 6 oz (per the waitress). They have a great deck to pick crabs outside on. The help was def a little slow and we wanted a quick lunch which turned into an hour and a half for some soup and a quesadilla. It was a nice place, in a very convenient area. I would try it again for the crabs and see if we like it any better. I thought it was just a busy day, but from the reviews on Yelp, it looks like it's normal pace for them
(3)
Rob N.

Ship's is growing on me over time. The waitstaff are getting a bit better, the beer is cold and cheap, and the crabs are pretty good. All in all, a very acceptable neighborhood crab house.
(3)
Dennis K.

Another gem in the heart of Catonsville! Every meal there has been great! The staff is friendly and attentive. The crabcakes and scallops are outstanding! I haven't had crabs there, but everyone raves about them and if they are as good as everything else on the menu, I do expect them to be great! They have a nice sampler appetizer, which includes petite crabcakes, bacon wrapped bbq shrimp (outstanding!), and broiled scallops. I usually get a spinach salad with blackened rockfish on top - it's just a light, hearty and healthy meal! Their daily lunch specials also rock! The chef shows some good imagination in the dishes he puts together. If you are in the area, give it a try, you won't be dissapointed!
(5)
Becky J.

I'm not a fan of seafood but their burgers are good. My husband and I run in to get package goods sometimes on Sundays and find their prices reasonable. Pretty friendly staff but it can be a nightmare having a family dinner there- noisy hammering of crabs everywhere, waitresses who disappear for long stretches of time...and the wait can be long too. But all in all, it's a nice family restaurant just more so for seafood lovers!
(4)
Alliebug G.

You gotta get here early, or good luck getting a place to sit. They recently enclosed their top deck to make more year round seating and I haven't been there since then so I can't comment on how that helped wait times. Anyways, Ships is a pretty good Bawlmer seafood place. Not quite a crab house, but it's got a great location in Catonsville (I can walk there - major plus). One of my favorite things was their oysters on the half shell specials. Big portions, tasty, decent beer specials.
(4)
Beth J.

I love Ship's Cafe! It's very yummy and reasonably priced seafood. I love going there for picking crabs and drinking beers! If you can, snag a table on the outdoor balcony on the second floor on a summer night. I will definitely make frequent return trips to Ship's Cafe. Update: Ship's Cafe enclosed their upstairs balcony, so no more open air dinners.
(4)
Wanda C.

Good crabs. Great staff. Not a lot of room to stand if there is a wait but they now have more parking in the rear so that really helps!
(4)
Kathryn C.

Ships is a good choice for seafood in Catonsville. I have eaten there twice, and had a good experience both times. First time I went for lunch and had cream of crab soup, crab mac and cheese, and crab fritters. Really liked their soup! The second time I had coconut shrimp, and they were good as well (though wasn't a fan of the dipping sauce). Others in my party had a crab pretzel, soup, and crab imperial. All were very good. Food prices are incredibly reasonable and drinks are super cheap as well.
(4)
Elliot W.

Atmosphere and service were very good and friendly. Crabs were tasty; a couple of them had meat that wasn't as firm as I like. Not sure why, but it was November; I expect they'll be more consistent in the summer.
(4)
J P.

Ships cafe and crab house is exactly what it wants to be, and what you think it is. It doesn't want to be an expensive, or pretentious establishment. It wants to be a roll up your sleeves, eat some good, reliable food at good prices. The menu is varied, and does change with the season. One can always find a good cut of steak, or a varied and ever changing selection of seafood on the menu. If you are looking for prime steaks or imported lobsters, go somewhere else. If you are looking for reliable, well prepared meals in a local friendly environment then this is a must visit. Pros: Quick, friendly and attentive servers. -Well prepared food at reasonable prices. -Full, well seasoned crabs almost all year round. -Outside seating on a comfortable deck. Cons: Parking (but a valet is available, for free. But who doesn't tip?) -Draft beer selection is limited and doesn't change with the seasons.
(4)
Danielle J.

John & I went here a week or two ago... he's been a bunch of times & it was my first time there. We split an order of king crab legs, which were probably overpriced for their size, but they were good. I got a cup of cream of crab, YUH-HUM. I am a sucker for a good CoC. He got a bowl of MD crab, to which he added some kind of local hot sauce, another yum on the books! For whatever reason we both got a burger as our entree. (Crabs legs, crab soups & burgers... oh hey fatties!!) :P Idk what temp he ordered, but I asked for medium & they were both unquestionably well done, but for some reason I did not even care. I really liked the feel of this place! Our server was Rose and she was so friendly and genuine... and it was a cold and rainy night... and 3 other tables around us were chowing down on crabs... it was just a great Baltimore feel. The burger temp is the only reason I'm giving it 4 instead of 5 stars but I can't wait to go back! :)
(4)
J. T.

I like Ship's because they have a large menu. I have had allergic reactions to shellfish in the past, so it's difficult to eat most seafood places, but Ship's menu has so many other things besides shellfish. I had a hot turkey sandwich with mashed potatoes, but they have vegetarian pasta dishes, salads, and more. They also have outdoor seating if you're into that.
(4)
stewie h.

foods ok. maryland home cooking style nothing to write home about. they do crabs well, but then again so do so many other places. the problem i see here is inexperienced servers giving you crappy service and then they charge an automatic 15% gratuity for 1-3 people!!!!!
(2)
Kevin H.

Amazing crab bruschetta and BBQ bacon wrapped shrimp. Onion rings were amazing too. Very clean dining area. Amy is an amazing server and can pretty much tell you what you want/are going to eat.
(4)
Meneisa H.

Ships has some of the best crabs in the area. I've been there several times and the crabs are always heavy and seasoned to perfection! The service can be hit or miss especially at the bar. The wings are ok...we tried the old bay and buffalo wings. Be sure to order them well done if you prefer your wings on the crispier side. The buffalo sauce had a slightly sweet taste but all in all were average. The coconut shrimp are pretty good. The batter can be a bit much but the portion is generous and you have to eat them with the raspberry dipping sauce...its good stuff. Also tried their orange crush and the bartender made them just right with fresh squeezed orange juice. My suggestion is to stick with the crabs...you cant go wrong. They are good everytime. If you like corn on the cob you have the option of letting it steam with your crabs so that it picks up some of the crab spice...delicious!!!
(5)
Loray M.

Ships Cafe which is located between Frederick Road and Winters Lane is a hot spot for those who love crabs. The Mandarin Grilled Chicken salad is excellent. I have been there on many occasions. Although service can be slow and the waiters are not the friendliest the food is good. While eating crabs not once did the waiter ask if we were OK, or needed anything additional? Several times we tried to get the waiter's attention only to be ignored while she entertained another table that was across from us - I assume they were family. I got the attention of the boys who bust the table to bring me another glass of tea. Another couple came in placed an order, and was treated the same way. We waited patiently she never came back to the table, and the people who were waiting for their food were getting frustrated. The kicker came when she came to the table did not make eye contact and said "I'll get the check" in a sarcastic way. Brought the check back stood sideways and slide the check to me. I looked my guest who was with me and we both looked utterly surprised. My guest went and got the manager. I told the manager how rude she was and not once was she attentive not to me but to other guest who were waiting patiently for their food. I mentioned to the manager that I come often and this was the worst service. Just because you serve someone and the tip is already included you cannot treat people anyway you want and expect to get a tip for poor service. To keep your customers going back and to bring others to your establishment you must be friendly. Word of mouth does travel. I will go back, but I will not have Rosemary the waiter. The Mystery Guest!
(4)
Cia C.

The BEST crabs in the area. They are HUGE and very meaty. We have been coming to Ships Cafe for years and have never been disappointed with the food or service. We love the crab and corn fritters as an appetizer. They are served with a delicious, spicy dipping sauce that is scrumptious! My teenage son always orders the cream of crab soup and eats every drop of it. The nutty buddies are another one of our favorites. A great way to end a perfect meal. The wait staff is delightful. Always friendly and refreshing our drinks and cleaning the table off promptly. Ships is our Go To place for seafood. We travel quite a distance to get there, but it is worth every mile.
(5)
Iris C.

Cream of crab soup: Pretty decent amount of crab meat for its price. I love it :) Crab mac and cheese: Very crabby! Again, really good for its price Grouper with Crab Salsa: Grouper was very soft, but could've had more flavor/seasoning. The crab salsa was pretty good, but it definitely could've had more flavor! Overall, everything was pretty good for its price! I'd come back here for more crabs :D
(4)
Donna P.

Lots of fun, great food and drinks. This family owned pub is worth the visit. Really enjoyed Saturday night drinks and snacks that we returned the next day for lunch. They have many gluten free options also, like their great steamed shrimp. Family that we were visiting told us this is one of the best places for cooked crabs. We must come back and try.
(5)
Ray R.

So a Vegan walks into a seafood restaurant...(stop me if you've heard this one before). After looking at their online menu, I went to Ship's just knowing my meal was going to be comprised of roughly about 3 items off the sides menu. An action I'm not new to since when I want to hang with my friends, I compromise on choice of venues so that they don't always have to be limited to only hanging out with me at places that offer vegan dishes. However, I was pleased when I opened the menu to find that Ship's offered a vegetable sandwich with cooked squash, zucchini, and mushrooms so I got this sandwich in a wrap and found it absolutely delicious! What stroked and impregnated my fancy even more however, was the drink menu. Me being a whiskey gal (and I don't mean in a sour) I ordered one of my fave drinks, the Manhattan. BEST Manhattan in Baltimore (so far that I've experienced at least). There wasn't anything extraordinary about the bartender's technique so much as the fact that it was done RIGHT. The bartender brought out a King Cube silicon ice tray (for the uninformed, feel free to look it up and educate yourself on the importance of types of ice used in cocktails). Next were the standard drops of vermouth and bitters but what was the real star? LUXARDO CHERRIES *fainted, open eyes, sit up, sees the jar, faints again* Luxardo cherries are more robust in flavor and texture than your standard candied bar fruit nightmares and take the Manhattan's flavor to the next level. It's also a nice touch to me because the cherries are at least $15 a jar so Ships seems serious about the quality of their drinks. He was stingy in that he only gave me one so I had to ask for an additional cherry but I understand that not everyone would know and/or appreciate the difference. I also appreciated the choice in quality whiskeys offered to me by the bartender to use. For those who are tapping your fingers waiting for some tidbit of info about the seafood, I will say that although Ships doesn't offer any specials on their crabs, my friend ordered a half dozen of "smalls" at the $35/doz price and they were definitely medium sized to me and big enough to take up her whole square of paper that was set in front of her at the bar. So you seem to get your money's worth. Be forewarned however that (as with most crab houses in Baltimore) the crabs were not local so they will taste a lot "cleaner" and not as dirty water "flavored" as the local Maryland crabs I once held so dear in life. My rating would be a 4 for this place based on limited veg options but score up for the fact that they have a ton of gluten free options.
(5)
Teneka W.

Went here for Sunday dinner because we were undecided what to do for dinner. I knew that I was hungry but most importantly wanted some good crabs. This place came highly recommended for crabs by a coworker for 2+ years so I finally decided to try it. The chicken cheese steak came highly recommended as well so we ordered that along with the mild buffalo wings and the new jerk chicken tenders for tasting purposes only. In my opinion the only slight disappointment was the buffalo wings; I've had better. The cheese steak was everything. It tasted just like one of those good ole "hood" cheese steaks. Just the right amount of mayo without being too greasy, very meaty and a warm soft sub roll. The jerk chicken tenders were unbattered with a slight grilled taste to them but could've used a little more jerk seasoning. They also came with a horseradish dip, however it wasn't as spicy as horseradish usually is and that was ok with me. Now onto the crabs. The only ones that were available were the small/medium ones for $68/dozen and worth every penty lol. Please don't be discouraged by the small/medium title they're given because they were huge, heavy and meaty. I am an avid crab eater and I was only able to eat 2 1/2 before I was done. That could also be because I ate the food prior to eating the crabs or maybe because they were just that meaty. I'm thinking the latter though because dinner and crabs has never been a problem for me before. They came out right after we finished dinner piping hot and well seasoned. No alcoholic drinks for us (gotta work Monday's) so we just ordered the raspberry tea which was also just how I like it; very very sweet. Service 15% automatic gratuity really annoys me because waiters seem to never work for their money. We had to ask for silverware, napkins, a mallet and butter for crabs more than once. At least silverware and napkins should be standard, everything should be offered if you order crabs. 18% automatically added for parties of 5 or more. Would I return? Absolutely!!
(4)
Stephanie M.

We made a reservation at this crab house after seeing recommendations for it on a FOX 42 story. We had a reservation a day in advance and when we showed up at 6pm there were many available tables where we could have been seated. However, we were taken upstairs to the sun patio. The room was not a comfortable place to enjoy dinner. It was cold! The chairs were uncomfortable and the table we sat at was awkwardly arranged and prepared for a party of seven and we had only five. We ordered meals off the menu and steamed crabs for the table. Per the waitress recommendation we asked that the crabs be brought out after the main course. She assured us they would come out directly. However we waited almost 40 minutes after our main course was finished for our crab to arrive. If our dinning area has been more comfortable place to sit it may have been less frustrating. To top it all off at the end of our meal a party of 16 very load men were seated in our dinning room and the rest of our meal we couldn't hear each other talk. When we finished our crab we waited too long for our bill. In all we came at 6pm and didn't leave till 8:30. Was the food worth it? The crab was very nice and the entrÃ©es were OK. The food wasn't good enough to overcome the service.
(2)
Renee B.

This was my first time here. Although, I had heard not so good things about it before I went. I like to judge for myself. Let's say that I was glad that I finally got the chance to try it for myself. I wasn't sure how I wanted to feel when I first walked in but, I was welcomed and seated quickly. I ordered a frozen margarita which was delicious might I add. So, delicious that I was having a second one before the end of my meal. I ordered coconut shrimp as my appetizer. The I got the $50.00 dozen of crabs and corn. This is where I ordered that second margarita. Oh and I can't forget my glass of water. Lol. The bartender/waitress was very friendly. I wanted to try dessert before I left but, I had no room left in my belly. The crabs were very meaty and the waiter even put the left over crabs in a bag for me to take home. Lets just say that I am plotting on when I will get to go next. I would be in trouble if this place was located near my home.
(4)
Liberty M.

This place is great! Cute decor, good food, but lil grumpy service. I sat at the bar and shared wings 1/2 spicy 1/2 burboun and a crab cake sandwich hold the bread and subed the fries for onion rings. The crab cake was meaty (not jumbo lump) and spiced like a meatball, it was unique and tasty. The onion rings seemed home made and were delicious. I liked the burboun wings better than the spicy. The crabs looked great, very big for smalls
(4)
Carol L.

We stopped here looking at the lovely pictures of steamed crabs. However, no one mentioned that they only steam crabs after 4:30 pm! Saddened and disappointed we ordered the crab balls, cream of crab soup and salads. The soup was outstanding but the other items were ok.
(3)
Emily D.

Food is average and expensive ...I was excited for a bar in Catonsville since so many places are BYOB but the atmosphere is just ok.
(3)
Matt F.

For anything but crabs...go somewhere else. Service was exceptionally slow. 25mins for cream of crab soup, daughter waited 45 minutes for popcorn shrimp, and they nickel and dime you for everything(butter for crabs is an extra $1, bread with soup is $3).
(3)
Lisa G.

I went here for dinner with my husband and small child and had a great time. I had steamed crabs, corn on the cob and their ham and baked potato soup... everything was delicious. Every crab was meaty and seasoned heavy. We ordered the crab mac and cheese for our little one (it was awesome! It is like crab dip mixed with macaroni... drool!). Hubby had a buffalo chicken wrap, and said it was okay. Between the crabs and crab mac and cheese, we are already planning a return. There is a parking lot behind the restaurant which is great. We went on a weeknight and there was no wait. I hear weekends are packed so plan for a wait. P.S. We went to the little Hersheys Ice Cream shop across the street for dessert, nice ending to a yummy dinner.
(4)
Jay G.

Used to like this place. But why do they not serve crabs til 4pm, even on a Friday? And they've enclosed their upstairs porch which is a real shame. But worst of all the back of their menu is the craziest thing I've ever read. The whole back of the menu has a long list of what they won't tolerate from customers and if you don't like it, take your business elsewhere. The list is too long to share but you should go in and just ask to see the menu and turn it over to read it. Unbelievable. Makes you never want to go there.
(2)
JB H.

Crabcakes! Went on a recommendation, got there mid-afternoon and sat at the bar. We ordered the crabcake sandwich(one of the best 3 crabcakes I've had in the last 5 years), creamed spinach(perfectly done), snow crab legs(delicious, sweet meat, again perfectly prepared), and the twice baked potato(also excellent, but it is just a potato). Service was spot on, as was timed delivery of food. Can't wait to go back for the crabs!
(5)
Michele W.

The only thing that I experienced here was the steamed crabs. They were seasoned well and not too salty. Jumbo crabs are available at times...though at a high price/can be expected. service was prompt, friendly, and attentive
(5)
Marshall H.

Excellent corn crab fritters.
(4)
Amanda A.

I got the Ahi Tuna Wrap. It was tasty! Friendly staff and good service. Was disappointed that they enclosed the outdoor patio seating but it was still a good experience!
(3)
Lucy L.

Ships CafÃ© I've been to Ships a couple of times and the experience seems to vary. I've had good service, I've had bad service. I've had food quickly; I've had to wait an hour for my meal. They have quite a large menu but this seems to be detrimental as they don't make every very well. If you go then the crabs are good and the sandwiches are good. The main entrees are bad and may be cold by the time you get them but you're so hungry you eat them anyway
(3)
Patti M.

Steamed crabs were great, we order 1.5 doz of $55 and each crab was good and heavy. The menu food is pricey, I didn't try anything else so I dont know if it's worth the extra money but i doubt it is worth that much. Our waitress was not good. She pissed me off from the start, came to our table and asked what we wanted to order for drinks, my friend said....what type of soda do u have, she quickly flipped my friends menu over to the list of drinks and walked away. We waited and waited for her to return. She waited on three other tables and I finally yelled across the room to her and she said "wait a minute" and walked away again. There was three of us at the table, she could have asked us what we wanted to drink while my friend glanced at the soda list. So Ships is only getting 3 stars based on the service and menu prices. I will return for the steamed crabs, maybe carry out only. Also, be careful where u park, opt for the free valet on weekends because several lots will tow.
(3)
lisa b.

What a great place to eat...Affordable and huge portions of food. There is something on the menu for everyone, and the crabs are delicious. Can't go wrong eating here.
(5)

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Address : 828 Frederick Rd
Catonsville, MD, 21228
Phone (410) 744-1838
Website https://shipscafe.net/
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : No
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No

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Ships Cafe & Pub

828 Frederick Rd, Catonsville, MD, 21228

Ships Cafe & Pub Menu

Appetizers

Homemade Soups

Salads

Entrees - Seafood Specialties

Sides

Desserts

Healthy Meal suggestions for Ships Cafe & Pub

Appetizers

Homemade Soups

Salads

Entrees - Seafood Specialties

Sides

Desserts

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