Captain Billy’s Crab House
11495 Popes Creek Rd, Newburg, MD, 20664
Captain Billy’s Crab House Menu
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Address :
11495 Popes Creek Rd
Newburg, MD, 20664 - Phone (301) 932-4323
- Website https://www.captbillys.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Andy B.
Food Road Trip: Richmond, Virginia, Day 5 I've had Five Guys burgers twice now so I'm a happy camper, dinner the day before and lunch on Saturday. We ask one of my sister's friend (a local) what places she recommends for crabs and shrimp since we were near the Chesapeake Bay and first thing she says is Captain Billy's. This place is pretty hard to find if you do not have gps or a local to guide you. It's right on the water and in a very woodsy area. We came here for the crab which were in season and going for very cheap: 12 for $30. We also order broiled scallops, crab cake, fried shrimp, 1/2 lb of steamed shrimp, cream of crab soup and onion rings. There were two memorable dishes from this list, the crab and the fried shrimp. The scallops, steamed shrimp and onion rings were good but I didn't like the crab cake or cream of crab soup (texture and consistency reminded me of mayo). The fried shrimp was just awesome! I like it when something so simple is so good, very unexpected. The shrimps were a nice golden brown, crunchy, not oily, the batter to shrimp ratio was just right, and fried to perfection. The crab had a dry seasoning on them and tasted so sweet! This place gives you wooden dowels to work with the crab. I thought that was so cool! The crab meat was tender and moist. The best part though was the crab "guts". Sweet, salty, rich and with a slight bitterness, it was heaven. I think I ate too much of it since a few people in the group did not enjoy that part of the crab and I happily ate for them (was a bit light headed after though). We finished the first dozen and ordered another dozen. Then second batch was a bit more salty than the first but still good. The food came out pretty fast considering the place was packed. The service was average. My only complaint was that we asked for a glass of water from the waiter 2 times and he forgot twice but then we asked for a pitcher and he brought it the next time he was over. The best thing though was the bill. All six of us were full and it only cost about $150 including tax and tip.
(4)Sheila C.
I read the reviews of Captain Billy's and from the reviews we decided to give this place a try......WTH are the reviewers eating at this place that could possible give this place a good review or more then one star. The crabs were horrible, smalls but at Capt Billy's they called them mediums, no way the crabs they served us today were mediums. The steamed shrimp were small mushy junk, I sent our order back. The seafood scallops were just barely ok. The hush puppies were dried, hard, uneatable yuck, terrible. The cream of crab soup looked like gravy, so thick it looked like paste. The salad bar looked like something left over from 1980, with a side of blue cheese dressing that was tasteless. It was gross to me. Why have a beautiful setting on the water and serve junk food. We won't ever go back. Very disappointing. I suspect the bar might get busy as it was very big. Oh, the service was ok.
(1)Kelly O.
Nice, out-of-the-way seafood restaurant on the water. Was well worth the trip off the main highway. I stopped in for lunch, but this place looks like it would be much better around dinner time.
(4)Joe S.
It's just not the same since Capt. Billy and Miss Irene passed.
(2)Peter T.
This place is a great example of how I imagine Maryland to have been for most of its modern history, before the District-ization took place and carpetbaggers (like my parents) moved in. Feathery hairstyles you thought went out in the 80s, accents you swear only existed south of the Carolinas, and NASCAR fan clubs. All of these are on prominent display at ol' Billy's, and they are all glorious. You could probably sate your appetite on the people-watching experience alone. Luckily for us, the people here know how to throw down on some crustaceans. I'm pretty sure there was HOMEMADE old bay seasoning on the table. Great start. Awesome start. Honestly, it's just beautiful - it's not Old Bay, it's old bay seasoning. Some real authentic waterman stuff. We ordered the Ultimate Seafood Feast (steamed Maryland crabs, snow crab legs, and steamed shrimp) and some hush puppies. My experience living in North Carolina dictates that hush puppies be eaten with ketchup, but they come with honey here. Pretty good, not really my bag, but I'm not complaining. Anyway, you don't come here for hush puppies, you come for the crabs, and good gawd were those crabs delicious. Worth every penny, as long as you've paid your rent and light bills and all that of course (let's not get carried away here, the crabs aren't doing your laundry or anything, they're merely being delicious). The USF, as it will be referred to from now on as I'm still recovering from my crab coma, was slightly too much food for two people, but that's ok because apparently snow crab legs can be easily reheated in your standard oven with little flavor lost. Snow crab legs do tend to creep me out a little bit (they look like horror movie props), so I was more focused on the Maryland crabs. But the snow crab legs were pretty good, Freddy Krueger-like aesthetics and all. Ohhhh and the sweet tea. Another strong reminder that we are indeed south of the Mason-Dixon Line. Like I said, I used to live in North Cackalack, where folk pride themselves on their sweet tea. I can say without a hint of Marylander bias that the sweet tea here meets Common Southern Standard. To really drive home the authenticity, the restaurant sits right on the water, and they give you paper plates and a rough-cut wooden mallet to bash your crabs' brains in. Added historical bonus: stop along the way and check out the various hiding places and paths that the bastard John Wilkes Booth took to evade the feds after he popped Lincoln.
(5)Dan B.
Rode our Harley out, nice ride to Capt'in Billy's, curvy roads. Went this past Sun and the restaurant was busy but not overly packed. The hostess sitting at the front behind the podium was rude and unfriendly. We wanted to sit outside and said we would be happy to wait; she gave us a beeper for when a table would come available. So we went to the bar to order a couple beers while we waited. The elderly bartender, well, she was unfriendly too. This is now getting silly. We finally got seated after just 10mins. Nice views from the outside tables, watching the boats go by. Our server, she was also grumpy and unfriendly. What in the heck is in the water at this place? I know we all have bad days but if staff member after staff member are this grumpy to customers, that quickly becomes a manager/owner issue; expectations for good, friendly service should be priority one, especially if your food is mediocre. Cold drinks and good friendly service can hide a lot of flaws. Now for the food. The steamed shrimp were tasteless, overcooked and small. The hush-puppies were terrific, just a hint of sweetness and a nice crunch. The fried clams were good too. The fries were just ok. The beer was tasty and cold.
(2)Bryan J.
Sat on the porch right on the water and it was perfect. Our waitress was extremely helpful, attentive, and friendly. Couldn't have asked for a better server really. The food was great. My friends ordered a bushel of crabs while I got the fried clams/shrimp platter. Delicious! Also ordered a 1lb of the Alaskan king crab legs, which to me was the highlight of the meal. No complaints about the place. Definitely would go back.
(4)Ellen K.
I have been going to Captain Billy's my whole life. It has always been my go to place for crabs. But the last two years, I have been nothing but disappointed. I keep giving it another chance because I do not want to believe the crab house of my childhood would no longer be fantastic. But the last time - was the last time. Money is scarce these days and crabs are expensive and I want fresh, large and properly cooked crabs. The last few times I have been there the crabs have been small and they just do not seem fresh. The final time I went there the crabs smelled of ammonia or bleach or something when I cracked them open. I told the server and they said that was normal. Both my friend and I have eaten crabs our whole lives and I do not recall them smelling this bad. I left without eating a majority of the crabs I paid for. I am so sad to say that I will not be returning and that I have to try another crab house. The hush puppies and corn fritters are still yummy though :/
(2)Michael W.
This place is a great secret of the DC area. It takes a while to get to - usually 45 mins to 1 hr from where I live in Arlington. However, it is worth it. They do crabs (Chesapeake Bay) here and they do them well. You will also find good Alaskan crabs. They also make a good oyster soup. Very casual. Very simple. Great family run business. Friendly staff. Good cold beer.
(5)Heather G.
I have been going here ever since I was a kid (so like 25 - 30 years). I got a hankerin' for steamed crabs on Sunday and off my fiance and I went so we could enjoy a lovely holiday weekend evening on the water. We get down there around 5:30 PM, get a pager for a table outside (were told it was a 30 minute wait - no big deal) and prepare to hunker down for a bit. Right after I get the pager, I hear the older server lady come out and say "I'm going to put the sign up that we're out of hard shells". I'm like whaaat? I didn't drive an hour for this. I was going to send the fiance next door to find out if they had crabs since dammit -I didn't drive down to BFE, SoMD for nothing, but he disappeared into the men's room for a while. So I had to wait for him to get back before I could disperse him. Of course, as fate would have it, the pager goes off like 3 minutes later and I get escorted to our table outside. I have to admit sitting outside was nice. We could hear the good band from Gilligan's next door. Since he wasn't sure that he really wanted a lot to eat and has some strange social crab eating phobia, he just ordered a bowl of the cream of crab soup and a salad and offered to pick off my dish. We ended up getting the 2 1/2 pd snow crab leg feast with a half pound of steamed shrimp to split. The cream of crab soup was really good - lots of Old Bay in it (which he didn't like because he is a blasphemer from Oregon). The salad bar was weak but I put a hurtin' on the pickled beets. I got some corn fritters, which he had never had, and he thought they were wicked good (so he gets some cool points back). Our crab legs and shrimp come out in a timely fashion and I have to say I was disappointed. The shrimp weren't seasoned enough, and the crab legs were overcooked. The couple on the other side of us heard us talking about how I was sad that I drove all that way to get steamed crabs and didn't get any, and they gave me their final four that they couldn't eat and didn't want to take home with them. I thanked them profusely and tore into my first, and only crab - it was very small and there was hardly any meat in it at all. Made me glad that I didn't pay premium prices to get any. Our bill was somewhere around $80 including our two ice teas. So the meal ended up being about $100. Our waitress was nice and all, but really....$100 for all that? No thank you. In the future, we'll go try out Gilligan's.
(2)Pat G.
The staff is extremely helpful and friendly. The food delicious. Sitting in the restaurant with a view of the Chesapeake is great! Pricing, reasonable. Our server, Rose, AWESOME! The only odd things I found were: 1) it's a seafood restaurant that doesn't serve baked potatoes (who wants fries with broiled seafood); and 2) the salad bar was boring. I will go back.
(4)David M.
Service is a little slow, but the view from the water is awesome. The food is pretty great. I will say one thing that place is in the middle of no where. I'm pretty sure I heard banjos, and at one point on the trip to Captain Billy's somebody told me I had a perdy mouth. This being said great food, and an even better view on the water.
(4)Daniel B.
The food is great here, we have been dining here for years. The restaurant is about 100 miles from our home in Virginia and we have always been very satified until yesterday. Our dissatisfaction was not with the food or service. We were very disappointed when we received our bill and noticed the tip had already been added and there were only four people in our party. Apparently this restaurant has a policy that if the bill exceeds $100 then a 17% tip is added by the wait-staffer to the bill. Exceeding $100 at a seafood restaurant is easy especially with four adults. Odd thing is the waitress would have gotten 20% tip. I reserve the right to decide how much I will tip since it is my money I am spending. So Capt Billy's got a 17% tip but has permanently lost our business. My wife and I have on numerous occasions taken the hour and 15 minute drive here for the seafood but now we will go elsewhere. Next time, it's Gilligan's Pier nextdoor, they have just as good food and no automatic tipping policy.
(2)Milo R.
Wasn't all that. Too much time getting the little crab meat there was. It was small brown Gulf of Mexico type crab. It was peel & eat type crab & shrimp. It's not worth going out of your way to eat at this place.
(1)Reggie G.
First of all, the people who wrote bad reviews that didn't even eat crabs should be stricken from the record. What in the H-E-double-hockey-sticks are you doing going to a white trash, Southern Maryland, authentic crab house if you are going to eat a salad? Seriously. DO NOT come here for some sort of gourmet experience. This is a true, white trash, official Maryland crab experience. Wear your ironic trucker hat and your stone-washed jeans, people. You will have the best time of your life. DO NOT order anything except big trays of crabs. Okay, you can get some french fries/onion rings/fried clams but, if for even a second, you are considering not ordering a plastic tray of crabs, you need to think about why you even drove all the way our to bum-f&*%$ in the first place. I have been coming here since the days when I used to smuggle my dad's PBR out of the basement fridge on hot days (aka 11 years old) and it is about the most authentic thing to do if you want to pretend to be a Southern Marylander. Make sure you have plenty of gum to chew and lots of hairspray to enhance the experience. They also have cute kittens that live by the dumpster, that's my insider tip.
(5)Brian K.
I'm from the midwest, so this was my first time not eating snow crab legs or some other giant from the sea. I've been told it's one of the places to go by people in the area, but out of the few crab joints I've been to in MD, I like this one the least. The food is fine, and I ate the crabs and crab cakes (ie not a burger or some lame pasta). I've only been twice, but even for the casual place that it is, I thought the service was bad. We didn't even get seated for about 15 minutes the second time.
(2)Gi A.
This is my mother-in-law's favorite restaurant, so I really shouldn't say this, but I sigh a little each time she want to go there. (Disclaimer: I've never had their whole crabs (though I've had other crab dishes), but they're supposed to be delicious. I just don't like getting bits of crabs bits all over me without a shower nearby.) In the salad bar are wilted iceburg lettuce, unripe tomatoes, smooshy cucumber, canned green beans, canned beets, and canned corn (see a theme?). There's always a kid sticking his finger in something; I avoid whatever that happens to be and hope he's not a nose-picker. Most of the other dishes are all right if salty and greasy is your thing. The crabcakes, however, are big, moist, and relatively filler-free, with just a thin layer of crunch on the outside. The bar could certainly add a star or two, if only I could find a way to get sloshed in front of my MIL. . .
(2)Angela G.
Still five stars, but I have to second Reggie G's comment about the reviews from folks not getting crabs (whoa, that came out wrong, lol) - if you're going to order anything but the blue crabs and base your review on that, I can guarantee disappointment at this place. It's kind of like going for sushi when you don't eat fish - the blue crabs are where the restaurant puts its effort (aside from maybe pulling pitchers of beer) and everything else is an afterthought. If you don't eat blue crabs, maybe you should pass. If you do, make the drive and get ready to party.
(5)Connie M.
Love this place. Every time we come here it's great. The seafood is cooked just right and the potato salad is awesome. Just drove by and they are closed for the season... Bummer:(
(4)Jen G.
Right on the water! Paper on the table! Pretty good seafood. Great drinks (even if they do come in plastic cups) It's a little off the beaten path that winds through the corn fields but there is plenty of signage pointing you the right way. Sit out on the deck on a nice evening... you'll have a good time.
(3)Ago S.
Capt Billy's its a "worth while stop " if you are on 301 in S Md or on the Va side near the 2 lane Gov Nice bridge go over to Md and give it a try captbillys.com/Home_Page… We've been there before and enjoyed the view. As a family of 4, one kid did the reg shrimp basket, our other chewed on a side of hush puppies. They do have a few of the basic kid menue items: hot dog, chix planks, grilled cheese, shrimp. ~ $6 Crabs looked fine and always fun to share a doz., but we did not have time on this visit. We also enjoyed some fried Haddock and the Rock fish. The Haddock was the better choice. Bathrooms were clean, service friendly a bit slow but she kept us informed. The place was less than 1/2 full on a Sun ~ 1PM, so the delay was in the kitchen. As others have said the salad bar is skimpy but there if you want something green, the house veggie (only 1 per day) was Kale and we weren't brave enough to try. Also, the Cole slaw was missing something in seasoning but was fresh.
(3)Janssen C.
This is an authentic "newspaper and mallet" style crab shack with a scenic view of the water. The service is homey and friendly, by waitresses that call you "honey". And most importantly, the blue crabs by the dozen are steaming hot, fat, and fresh. The kitchen is a bit liberal with their house-made Old Bay equivalent, but that's part of the experience. Your hands end up caked in it, like you'd been digging in the dirt all day. Other seafood dishes are no slouch either. The shrimp boil taste like shrimp ought to taste: wild and briny. Crispy fried oysters that pop. Well worth a detour.
(4)CrAzYcatmama M.
Went to Capt. Billys yesterday afternoon 6/2/13) around 2ish for lunch with family and friends. They guys each got the dozen crabs for $34.99, my friend and I got the Broiled Seafood Platter (which I get every time) and the kids got the grilled cheese and a shrimp basket. My food was awesome! It always is. The shrimp I was given were huge, the crabcake was good, as well as the scallops and fish. My friend got the bowl of cream of crab as an appetizer, it came to her bowl overflowing and she said it was awesome. Potato salad and cole slaw were my sides, again all was great, couldnt even finish it all! My four stars comes for a couple reasons. First, whenever we go we are ALWAYS sat in the very back of the restaurant in the corner. We had 6 people with us, 2 of them kids..and the place was pretty empty. Second, my friend got the salad bar which I've seen in other reviews was beyond pathetic. No veggies and no meats like bacon are even offered. It was a bagged salad mix and cheese. Lastly, my fish was good but had a huge amount of spice on it, half of it I couldn't eat. I also would like to mention the dozen crabs for $34.99 that each of the guys got was actually after counting almost 2 dozen..pretty awesome. For the dozen crab special (which was actually almost 2 dozen) the broiled seafood platter, kids shrimp basket, an order of hush puppies, 2 iced teas and a pitcher of beer it was $92.46. Overall a decent place for seafood and crab lovers.
(4)Harry R.
Had crabs from Capt. Billy's twice in the past week. Wait...that doesn't sound like something I want to say. Okay, take #2, I have had take-out blue crabs from Capt. Billy's twice in the past week. The most recent experience was at a massive crab feast in Faulkner, MD. Bottom line...both times - crabs were outstanding. I probably dropped about 20-blues between the two meals, and every crab was firm, perfectly seasoned, and delicious from back-fin to claw. Thumbs up for the Captain.
(4)Marcus F.
Ok service, gross food.
(2)Suzanne W.
We went for a 'drive' on Saturday - was looking for basically a 1/2 tank trip from Northern Virginia :) Found Captain Billy's thanks to the LARGE billboards on Rte.301. The views are to die for! wish we could have stayed a couple more hours to watch the sunset over the Potomac, but alas - we had to get back home. We had a late lunch and actually were there a couple of hours. Had a wonderful time and the food was delicious! We shared the seafood dip with bread, crabcate (broiled) and then a basket of fried shrimp - ALL was super YUM! The seafood dip seemed endless - when they ask you if you want 1 or 2 loaves of the bread, definitely get 2 - you will need it!
(4)Lester H.
The food: 2(.5) stars. The setting: +1 star. I ate lunch and dinner at Captain Billy's simply because I enjoyed the riverfront setting. Once upon a time, I went boating on a daily basis and frequently dined at waterfront restaurants. Well, Cap'n Billy's brought that back and it made me happy. The food isn't all fried, as was earlier mentioned in a review. I didn't eat a single fried thing and left quite full. That said, just like McDonald's vs Something Decent, it will cost more to eat non-fried fishies, crabies, etc. However, it's worth it if you're not a lard-hound. Also, they have a bar. I didn't know that going in, but was happy to find out that was the case. That's definitely good if you're a buzz-hound. (Yeah, that's was a bad attempt at a play on my earlier words.)
(3)Michael B.
So we went here for a co-workers 60th birthday. We had 13 in the party and they allowed split checks!! Awesome. However, service was pitifully slow on both drinks and food. Food also came out in random order and times. The table was never cleared. My GF and I split a doz crabs $35 and a cup of the "recommended" cream of crab soup and onion rings. I will start with the best....the onion rings were fried well. The soup was very bland and floury and lacked any chunks of crab. The crabs themselves were cooked properly but not in the seasoning it was sprinkled on afterward and very thinly. I know it was early in the season, but the crabs were a little light and tasted old- like they had been in the walk in for a while. Prob not MD crabs. Just a poor supplier because we had crabs the weekend before somewhere else and they were much, much better. Also, the tip thing mentioned earlier was a little odd but it was well known. All in all, great view and location with poor service and food. I probably wouldn't go out of my way to come back. P.S. This comes from a native SMIB and avid crab eater
(2)David H.
I had a late lunch here. On the downside, be forewarned that the service was slow and most of the food is fried (so call your cardiologist before going). On the upside, the view is very pretty (you are sitting on the Potomac), and the servers were very nice. But being from the Deep South and knowing that a good meal has to have some variety to it, fried seafood and french fries just doesn't cut it.
(3)Rob K.
A true Southern Maryland style crab house on the banks of Pope's Creek. Call ahead to make sure they have the all-you-can-eat crab and go for it with a pitcher of PBR.
(5)Kay L.
Ever since I was a kid, we've driven 2 hours north to pick steamed crabs at Captain Billy's. And now we do the same with our kids. No menus for us. Start with hush puppies. Move on to the crabs.. That's it. I've never even been tempted to try anything else The drinks aren't great, though. We just stick to water and iced tea. Dress to get messy from all of the Old Bay!!!
(4)Adam Y.
My favorite crab place. it takes me about 2 to 2.5 hours to get to this place but its entirely worth it. the crabs here are by far the best. I constantly do my best to find a reason to make this trip. I'm a big fan of everything here. the old bay is great here and the crabs are great too. The service is always great and the crabs don't take too long. I most recently came here with my dad who hates all sea food. However, he loved the food options that were available to him (good old fashioned southern cooking). The only sad thing about this place is no crab feast but otherwise, its a great place to go. Be careful because its a bit busy on the weekends!!!!! Also, the general atmosphere of the area is great. I suggest sitting outside so you can look at the water and boats. It can be a bit cold inside so I suggest bringing a sweat shirt just in case!
(5)Cassandra B.
I love this place. The crab is simple and delicious and the view of the water is amazing. Yes, this is akin to a crab shack but the crab is the best I have had in the area. Do yourself a favor - only order the crab legs (and french fries and hush puppies). I went with a group of people a while back and most of them did not order crabs and they were very dissastisfied. But I blame them. Don't order spaghetti at a crab shack.
(5)Sierra H.
Great seafood place in somd. Always have had great experiences here. They are seasonal so make sure they are open before you go. Great food, good prices and mainly GREAT CRABS! Make sure to stop by the bar and order one of their drinks!
(5)Kelly G.
I was in the middle of a 15 day juice fast. I could have "brothy" soups at lunchtime when things got really bad. This particular day, things were bad. My friend drove me on this long ride to get to this lovely seafood restaurant on the water. It was one of those lovely March days when the sun was out and there was no need for a coat. What? I took one look at the menu and knew I would not be ordering the "brothy" soup. Cream of Crab was calling my name loud and clear. So, I threw caution to the wind and ordered it. I should have asked for tastes of both the Cream of Crab and the Vegetable Crab prior to placing my order. When the cream of crab soup came out, it was overly thick, almost paste like. It had shards of crab in it, not jumbo lumps. And the flavor was more like a topping for a fish rather than a soup itself. I was disappointed, Oh, yeah, also it was not hot enough. What is that all about? A soup that is not hot enough? Whatever. After slogging through almost the whole bowl, I asked for a taste of the Vegetable Crab. Man-oh-man was it good. It was piping hot, full of (again) shards of crab, but at least you could see them contrasted against the red of the tomato soup base, and it was full of potatoes, corn, peas, carrots, and bacon (?). Our server was nice enough to respond to our every need. The decor is "crab shack" and the prices seem reasonable. I should have ordered the Vegetable Crab soup this time. Oh well. Now, I know better for the next time. Oh yes, there will be a next time. I won't be fasting forever. Original visit Saturday, March 15, 2014
(4)Jayr M.
When in doubt come to this place. The people, the service, the outdoor scenery all so beautiful. And the people that run this place are so wonderful .
(5)Thomas M.
maybe it was the day we came on or the time of day but i wasnt highly impressed with this place. I love seafood and my food wasnt terrible but the price was too much for what i got. Some of my family got a salad as a side which you can get from their salad bar but to their surprise there wasnt much on the bar. Pretty much just lettuce tomato cucumber and dressing. No cheese and no other toppings. There were flies everywhere which was annoying as i was constantly swinging my hands in the air. The crabcakes had shells in them but still tasted good. the crab balls were amazing. the server i cant remember his name was great and kept our drinks full and was very friendly Im not sure i will be back being that this is my first time. I have had better and have had a better experience.
(3)Jenny T.
Ahhh loved this place. Lemme tell ya about that sunset dinner next to the water. =P There are benches that face the water where you can sit side-by-side to enjoy your $25/$35 worth (good deal) of crabs... everything was fresh, the veggie crab soup was really good, too. The staff was very friendly and checked back frequently. Emptied our bucket of shells every so often. Pretty good deal. Watch out for the seating closer to the water, though. Once the sun has set and the lights turn on, you can see all the bugs hovering---above you!!!
(5)Christina G.
Great hidden spot on the water.
(4)Julia S.
I USED to like this place. Now, notsomuch. I will NEEEVER return, not even for a best-friend's or family's party that was paid for. My waitress was nice but unfortunately she sat us under the dripping, super-freezing a/c unit. I couldn't eat my crabs because my fingers had froze. I asked nicely for another table that was not under any leak, and the waitress let me speak to the manager. The old battle-axe lady with the blonde bee-hive...yes, her. She did not give a half of f*ck, and she said if I was cold, I could buy a Capt'n Billy Sweatshirt for $15. I thought I was being Punked!! I waited for Ashton Kutcher to appear, but no luck. After a slight verbal altercation about how NOT to put tables under a leaky cold A/C unit with the battle-axe, she let me know that other people were waiting to be seated and I could take my crappy table or leave it. I apologize now for the waitress who did not receive a tip from me because her boss was so shitty. Advice young lady, get a better job, at a decent crab house that treats their customers right!!!
(1)Marivic L.
I love going to Captain Billy's. Yeah, it's far, but it's super casual and has a friendly atmosphere, right on the water. Our go-tos here are the steamed crabs, of course. In recent years, the catch has been much smaller. I remember when you used to be able to get extra large crabs BUT I have to say, the crabs and the seasoning are just perfect for me. In addition to crabs, we always get a pound of steamed shrimp which is always tasty. Add in some corn fritters dipped in honey, and you've got a great meal. MMM corn fritters. I never had any before Captain Billy's and I can't imagine any being better than the ones you get there. My only issue this time is that the 4 orders we got weren't freshly fried. It makes a difference. If you get some that aren't (perish the thought), ask them for fresh ones. I think this was only because of how busy they were. I'd never had cold-ish fritters from them before, so that was disappointing. So, there it is. I hope to go back at least a couple more times when I have time this year. Sure, there are places to get crab closer to me, but it's just not the same.
(3)Dwalt H.
I started going to Capt Billy's many year ago and I've enjoyed their seafood so much. It is a very lovely place to eat look out the window over the potomac river. They have some of the best crabs I have ever eaten, and the 2 bartenders that worked were very friendly and talked to is quite a bit( I think there names were Walter and Celene) anyways Great Place!
(5)Missy D.
My review review of Capt. Billy's comes after 30 years of what I felt I could rely on for a nostalgic good ol' time blue crab indulgence. The past three times I paid for the upgraded lump crab cakes I was shocked. I didn't want to accept how godawful the crab cakes were so I gave them three chances to prove me wrong. My taste buds were assaulted and overwhelmed by a sodium filled shredded overspiced recipe that would have Capt. Billy himself rolling over in his grave. The psychological dissappointment of my reality from a childhood nostalgia left me, quite frankly, depressed. Say it isn't so. If you're going for just the steamed crab menu then you might still be okay but for me I'm going out to get another box of kleenex. Capt. Billy, where are you?
(1)Pam Z.
Yes, it is now officially Maryland blue crab season! Some friends and I ventured the hour or so out of DC to Captain Billy's in Southern Maryland for some crabby goodness. This place is right on the water, and about 4x the size of Cantler's. Or for those of you who have never been to Cantler's, about the size of Phillips Seafood in DC. When the weather's nice, you can sit on the deck over the water too! Plenty of parking. APPS & DRINKS Bloody Mary was just okay, but for $5 I wasn't too worried. The pina coladas were actually very good, but should have been saved for dessert. Only Bud + Lite, Miller + Lite and Yuengling on tap. Guess what I ordered. Seafood dip was pretty good and guilt laden (cheese crust!) served with a soft baguette or two for $12. Definitely get the hush puppies and corn fritters! Both were awesome fried goodness. Go to Captain Billy's website for a coupon for a free one! Fritters are served with honey and powdered sugar, and the hush puppies are salty and dense served with butter. Nom! yelp.com/biz_photos/EaEp… MAIN COURSE The crabs of course! Since there were three couples, there were a couple dozen crabs split with the less brave ordering non seafood. The crabs were a little small since it was the beginning of the season, but still oh so satisfying. $32 for a dozen at this time of year. Easy on the Old Bay guys! Note: Crab picking is not for the faint of heart (or the impatient)! I am an impatient person, but was luckily raised in a household where how much crab you got to eat was determined by how quickly you could crack 'em and extract the meat. You too will become extremely efficient if you are competing with siblings for that last claw. And don't forget the skinny legs and the joints for meat too! yelp.com/biz_photos/EaEp… Fear not! Billy's has a guide for the newbies on how to extract crab ( yelp.com/biz_photos/EaEp… ) Some of the non-seafood friends who came ordered ribs (so-so) and chicken tenders (also so-so), although the fries were very good. True that the non-crabs seem to be a bit lacking here, but what did you expect? Price was reasonable. For two persons: the seafood dip, (free with coupon) corn fritters, a bloody mary, a soda, a beer, and a dozen crabs, total came out to $60+ tip. And they're happy to split checks for you. Be prepared for a mandatory 17% gratuity on parties of 6+ or checks of $100+. I don't exactly know why people are mad about this, btw. Also, I'm kinda weirded out by the arcade entrance. How many years have those prizes been in those machines? Will have to come back in summer when the crabs are larger!
(4)Mike T.
Really great seafood place that sits right on the Potomac. On this trip we had the feast for two which included: 1 pound of shrimp, 3 pounds of king crab legs, half a rack of ribs and 2 sides. Everything was delicious, and the outdoor seating was a plus as well. The only downside is they add a 15% tip to your bill for a group of four or more if the bill exceeds 100 bucks.. I think it should be up to the customer to leave the tip, as it normally would be 20%. Overall great place with great food. I will be stopping back again for sure!
(4)Georgio B.
Upate: todays visit was dismal 4/13/13 I've been coming here for years and while I'm not a complaining type whiner type person... The quality has been diminishing. I try to tell myself it's just me, but in reality... It's them! Today we ordered a fried seafood platter ($27) and a Tilapia sandwich ($8) The tilapia tasted like dirt. Ya know that dirt taste you often find in catfish? Yeah that taste. Maybe it's due to being a farm raised fish? or some other reason. I didn't finish it. Yuk. The fried platter had the same "dirtfish" so that didnt get eaten. The scallops were extremely rubbery and tasted undercooked. Didnt eat them. Those fried shrimp were... well Gortons of Gloucester could have equalled them. Took the remains home to the dogs and they seemed to enjoy it. The ONLY edible thing we were served was the fried clams and the hush puppies.. They both were decent, not outstanding, but okay. Our server was grade "B". True, she got involved with a large party after she served us, but that's no excuse for forgetting us either. BOTTOM LINE: That was my last visit. We work hard for our $ and at those prices we expect a quality product and I'm sad to say you can't get it at Cap't Billys anymore. I'm gonna try some other places around the Potomac. Goodbye Bill!
(2)N Y.
My boyfriend and I were visiting his grandmother in La Plata and decided to go to Captain Billy's on the suggestion of his grandmother who had not been there in years. The restaurant smelled like rotten fish and trash outside. It is understandable that there may be a fishy smell but this was beyond that, absolutely disgusting. The inside was somewhat dirty. We were seated promptly. We both ordered the "world famous" crab cake sandwich. The sandwich came and it was drenched in oil and it was SHREDDED CANNED crab meat..mind you this place is a crab house! I was barely able to eat half of my sandwich, needless to say we both got violently ill that night and could barely move. Clearly it was the sandwich, it smelled awful and was terrible quality..even for canned meat. We came to find out that others have gotten sick here too. Awful.
(1)Holly S.
Pluses: Nice location on the water, great blue crabs, tasty hushpuppies, cold, cheap pitchers of beer, very pleasant staff. Crabs came from the Potomac, so not as sweet as those from Chesapeake, but they were fresh, big, and über meaty. Minuses: Spiced shrimp were really pathetic and WAY overpriced to boot. Tasted like shrimp cocktail but with shells and iodine, and a little crab seasoning sprinkled on top. Extremely disappointing. I would definitely go back for the crabs.
(4)Rob M.
I love this place. Yes the staff is a bit weathered but, it works. This is a no-frills crabhouse. The salad bar has salad, not a ton of wild extras and "...salad", just greens and stuff to put on them. The crabs are great the outdoor dining is fantastic. I felt like I was on a one week vacation in the hour and a half I sat outside and picked my crabs. I go whenever I'm in driving by at dinner time. The prices are very reasonable too. If you're looking for high end seafood dining, go somewhere else and leave me alone here!
(4)Katherine D.
Myself and two of my friends decided to drive out to this place on a Saturday evening. We were seated outside, our waitress was nice, and the food that we ordered was good. The problem we had was 17% gratuity they take upon themselves to add to your bill. Now I was on my own check and my two friends were on another. I ask one of the waitresses about the automatic tip and she asked me " was my bill over $100?" I answer " no". Another girl chimes in and asks" is your party large?" Again I answer " no" she proceeds to tell me she will grab the manager. The manager comes out and says " oh, your bill was over $100 so we automatically charge you the gratuity". Again, my bill was not over $100 and neither was my friends but, you charged us both 17% gratuity. The manager then says" both of your bills together was over $100, it doesn't matter that you had separate checks, you guys sat together. WHAT!?! I say, "How does this make any sense?!" Now the manager has become rude and says well that's our policy! Nowhere is this posted, noted on the menu nor does the server give you a heads up. Needless to say before this turned into an altercation we left. I will not be returning . I should be able to decide how much I want to tip and if they have a policy, it should be posted somewhere so people are aware. Oh did I forget to mention the staff of teenager employees ( at least 10 of them ) that we're playing around right in front of customers!? One guy pushes another into a trash can and they all laugh while another one plays with a taser trying to get another guy to come near him so he could zap him with it. Seriously!?!
(1)Courtney D.
i loved this place. it has charm, cheap prices, and delicious crabs. husband said the familiarity and neighborliness of the place reminded him of Merlotte's in Bon Temps (just without all the darkness and vampires). in fact, we came on a Sunday morning and watched the families roll in steadily after church. we were the fifth or so to be seated. when we left, the place was full. and the dining area is NOT small. our server was super nice. didn't seem to mind that the two of us sat there for 2 hours trying to make our way through the tremendous Ultimate Feast - couple pounds of crab legs, half pound of shrimp, and a half dozen blue crabs. and we still couldn't manage to finish it all! blue crabs were the best i've tasted. plus corn on the cob and hushpuppies (though next time i'd go with the corn fritters. i'm just not a fan of Carolina tube style). beer is cheap and available in baby pitchers! $5 for Loose Cannon! they gave us a couple bags to pack up our leftover crabs. made them into a corn salad the next day. walked out of there feeling like we got away with something, our bill was so small compared the other crab houses we've visited! and to top it all off, i got mad props from my old-school co-worker for visiting her mom's favorite weekend joint. :)
(5)Bill R.
Excellent service from bartender's Celene & Walter, they made our first experience very delightful. Food was very good, and the drinks were awesome! Can't wait to come back
(5)Chontelle M.
Why you should trust me on this review: 1. My grandfather was a crabber in MD. 2. My great grandfather was an oysterman/crabber in Maryland. 3. I stopped using a mallot to eat crabs when I was 5 years old. I used to go to Robertson's when I was a kid. When they closed, everyone moved over to Capt. Billy's. I am all about the Maryland crab. And if you are looking for a Maryland crab experience, this is your place. Everyone is dressed down. There is nothing fancy. Less than 5 minutes after you order, your food is hot and ret' ta' go. You get a plastic bucket, a laminated menu and the best dang crabs MD has to offer. You are presented with only male crabs (unless you ask for a mix) Tip: Female Crabmeat is sweeter. Your drinks will be refilled, your crabs will be plentiful. You aren't charged extra for shipping, quality or sizing. You get the best of what they have pulled out the water. There is no politicking about it. And their best is what I've seen people pay $60 a dozen for. For $45 I shared snow crab legs, 2 lbs of shrimp, a half a dozen MD crabs and dranks. It was a lot and soooooo good. Like Adam, it takes me a lot of time and planning to get here, but sitting and looking over the water as I crack a shell, makes it all worth while.
(5)James B.
The truth: So this place is really two parts. 5 stars if you come for crabs, shrimp or corn fritters. You can't go wrong, it's what Maryland crabs is all about. Now for the second part, if you don't like crab or shrimp, flat out dont come here! Very limited menu and everything else is horrible. The salad bar is just sad and the hamburger tasted like a left out school cafeteria burger. In conclusion, come and eat some great crabs or go somewhere else.
(3)Amanda N.
I really liked this place...I wanted to love it. I really like the location and the atmosphere. Casual and waterfront. Awesome. BUT...when we arrived, they had no hard shell crabs. That was the reason we drove 2 hours to get there. I ordered the fried shrimp and scallop platter instead. The shrimp was great, but the scallops...no. The were soggy with grease and didn't taste that great. the hushpuppies - great. Fried oysters - delicious. With the exception of the scallops, the food was good and we left satisfied. So why am I only 2 stars? Your waiters. There were so many servers there and they just seemed bored. HERE'S THE BEST PART. As I sit down with my future mother-in-law and fiance, a waiter behind us rolling silverware cat-calls me. ARE YOU SERIOUS???!!!! Who gives a f*** that you like redheads. Not me. If this a**hole waiter is reading this, you should thank your lucky stars that my ex-military black belt fiance was too tired and hungry to punch you in the balls. And, oh, by the way, real classy in front of my mother in law.
(2)Andrea B.
Great steamed shrimp & legs!! Nice outside seating & they let us bring our dog, even brought him some water. The only downside for me was the swarm of red wasps under the railing of the deck, right beside my seat... We will fight the Maryland traffic and definitely go back! It is the best we have found so far!!
(5)Billy L.
This place rocks! If you're ever in the mood for crabs and a laid back atmosphere, you definitely need to check out Captain Billy's. The crabs are an obvious go-to, but before you dig in, you should get the Hot Seafood Dip. It's a mix of crab and shrimp in a creamy, cheesy sauce served with an awesome hot toasted baguette that's lightly dusted with Old Bay (or their inhouse equivalent). The salad bar is...well, there's some lettuce and an odd assortment of about 4 or 5 toppings on a bar style platform, so I guess it is technically a salad bar, but it seems a waste of space. They either need to jazz it up or get rid of it. If your going here for salad though, you're entirely missing the point of this place. My only gripe is the hostess. She's an older lady with a give-a-shit attitude. I just went there today with 6 other family members. We wanted a table inside with a view of the water. After walking to 4 tables, she said she couldn't seat us because the tables were set up for just 4, 6, 14, and 20 people. After some back and forth that was getting us nowhere and on the verge of leaving, I found the manager and spoke with her about the situation. She immediately got us a table and all was good. I still have no idea what the deal was with the hostess, but I found it odd that she'd turn away a group that's going to spend a couple hundred dollars with a shrug and blank stare.
(4)Asia M.
We enjoyed a wonderful Sunday afternoon on the water with delicious crabs! The view was amazing, service was great, and crabs were perfect AND very affordable! This was my first time here. We walked in and got a seat right away. We ordered 2 dozen crabs, hush puppies, cream of crab soup and Maryland crb soup. The soups were delicious as well. I ordered a frozen drink that came with whip cream on top. I asked the waiter for another w/o whip cream because I'm dairy sensitive. He said sure no problem. He came back with the same drink had only scooped out the whip cream but it now had particles floating in it! When I asked if they had just scooped the cream out he said no, which meant I now had to point it out to him. He quickly apologized and returned with a new drink shortly thereafter. The frozen drink left a lot to be desired. The restrooms are also outdated and smelly. But this an older restaurant. Other than that- everything was really nice. I would return again!
(4)Amy R.
Of the beaten path, on the Potomac, beautiful views of the water, friendly wait staff.........if thats what you are looking for then you found it. If you are looking for good food, look elsewhere. Corn fritters weren't bad bud a too sweet for my taste. Fried oyster basket was soggy with mushy oysters and dead french fries. Crab cakes wete all filler and bland. What wasn't filler was shell. If you are still anxious to try it, visit the web site first and at least print the coupons so you can save a couple of bucks!
(2)Cathy C.
According to my Dad who had a bowl of cream of crab soup, it was "damn delicious". My snow crab legs were cooked expertly and slide smoothly out of the shell. Their taste was sweet and meat firm. Dad gobbled down the soft shell crabs claiming that they were superb. Whenever we are in the mood for some Maryland seafood we go to Captain Billy's . It's always worth the drive.
(5)Wayne L.
I go for the local steamed crabs, Yuengling draft and the view. In the past, crabs have been mixed sized, fairly priced and generally good. However, since the spring management change, the crabs have been the barely legal, smallest they can get away with selling. They have been tasty and meaty, but when this small they are a chore to pick.. Beer's still cold and the view is still great.
(3)Hanna K.
This place was a pleasant surprise. The view of the river sets a great relaxing atmosphere and the waitress was absolutely awesome. She took the time to show us the proper and easy way to crack crabs! We also got fries which came out piping hot. All in all, it's not the fanciest place but a nice chill place with good food and atmosphere.
(4)Kristine T.
I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! They are now under new management starting 3/12/15. They've improved some of their recipes and added some stuff to the menu including crab cake sliders and wings that I heard were tasty. I can't wait to go again now that they've opened up for the 2015 season. I've been going here for several years so I've tried quite a lot: -Crabs, crab legs, steamed shrimp - always cooked and seasoned perfectly -Crab cakes & seafood platters are good if you don't feel like picking crabs -Shrimp Salad or Crab Salad Cold Plate - sooo good! Especially if you want something light and refreshing. Comes with their yummy potato salad and coleslaw (my fave) along with some fruit and a pickle over lettuce -Fried oysters - I hate oysters, but my mom loves these -Tilapia - I hate fish, but I really like their fried tilapia. You get 2 and 2 sides! -Seafood dip - so yum! We usually have to get another baguette just so we can finish it all -Hamburgers/hotdogs - big/filling/yummy -Chicken tender basket - lots of food and good! -Fried shrimp (comes in a basket too)- soooo good! -I always get an order of corn fritters b/c I can't get them anywhere else and they are amazing -Soups: I personally don't like MD crab soup, but theirs is really good. I prefer their cream of crab soup!!!! SOO GOOD! -Hush puppies - yum!!!! -Onion rings - standard yummy onion rings -They also have a variety of alcoholic drinks, but their house drink, Backfin, is really good! -Their frozen drinks are really good too! The strawberry and creamsicle are my favorite with or without alcohol (I used to get w/o when I was younger, but now I add in the good stuff!) Pretty much everything is made fresh and at the restaurant - potato salad, coleslaw, cocktail sauce, crab cakes, soups, etc Honestly, every time I go I have a hard time not ordering almost everything on the menu. It's all just so good! And if something doesn't come out right, just ask the server and they will be happy to fix it. And while the food is great, the experience is even better. The restaurant is huge with indoor bar seating, plenty of indoor tables and booths, lots of seats near the big windows overlooking the Potomac (beautiful at sunset), there's a huge room for overflow seating during the busy rushes or private parties, and there's even outdoor tables. They can even accommodate large parties b/c they have HUGE tables! The décor is really cute and very fun. Each table is covered with brown paper and everybody gets a placemat that gives instructions on how to pick a crab. Each table has their own container of napkins and condiments (old bay, vinegar, ketchup, etc). They even have a salad bar! You can buy really cute shirts near the hostess stand. They have sinks in the restaurant (outside of the bathrooms) so you can easily wash your crabby hands. You can always go outside and talk a walk on their pier. Long story short, this place is awesome and one of my favorites. It's a drive worth making!
(5)Henry F.
They changed the cream of crab soup recipe. It doesnt taste as good as the soup before. I am very dissapointed since I have been getting this soup for at least 25 years, so it is sad to learn that the recipe that kept bringing me back is gone. :-(
(3)Holiday J.
'Not a fan of working for my meats, but the sunset, food and company of friends made it worth it. You can dock your boat and walk-up to the restaurant. Service was decent and friendly, even though we were seated for about seven minutes before being greeted. I'd return again. Our batch of seafood was tasty.
(4)Michelle K.
Came for a birthday lunch with my big sis and a family friend. They traveled from DC and I came from Richmond. The drive up 301N is always relaxing and this is how we heard about the place. The signs always made me want to stop and today I did... First a warning.. I will not let the nightfall hit because I did think the restaurant was closer to 301.. Had to wind down some back roads.. Thank you Lord for navigation. Once there the visit was pleasant. I was seated immediately although I waited for the other 2 to arrive. We all enjoyed our meals. I started off with the corn fritters while waiting for them to arrive. They were hot and not dry. Sweet but not too sweet and I could not resist the honey dip. I felt bad because I did not save not one for the others to taste. (Oh well :-)). We shared 6 steamed crab.. Cooked and seasoned perfectly. We sampled off of each other and we had the fried seafood platter, the broiled seafood platter and the fried shrimp platter. Our sides included green beans, salads and French fries. The green beans were surprisingly seasoned well for a restaurant. My broiled items were cooked and seasoned perfectly. The oysters tasted fresh. The shrimp were fresh and nice sized without too much breaking. The service and our waitstaff were knowledgeable, engaging and pleasant... They even gave me ice cream for my birthday as dessert. We will return..(daylight hours only) Hehe.. Great job!
(4)Luis R.
Staff is super courteous. I got the half dozen crabs and a beer. Sat out on the deck and listened to the seagulls. Looks like the place livens up after dark. This is our second visit in less than two years.
(5)Jess S.
..........Who goes to a crab house for salad? No. Stop. Get out. Go somewhere else. Who complains about having to pick their own crabs? Okay, no seriously, be quiet, please go somewhere else. Your complaining is distracting me from my mountain of delicious food. Things I can speak to: Whole, local crabs, steamed shrimp, fried anything--including hush puppies, crab cakes, cream of crab soup, clam chowder, and the occasional drink: All delicious. I have no idea what their burgers or chicken dishes are like because well, there's crab to be had. Their seafood is very clean and fresh tasting--no muddy flavors here! Fried food is crispy and not oily. Soup? To die for. Staff is friendly, sinks are available for crabby-shrimpy hand washing, food is good, place is clean, waits can be... well, long. And why wouldn't they be?! There's good food to be had here! Capt Billy's is a great place to visit, whether with a big group or small. If you've got a boat, they've got a dock you can park at so you can stop by for some of their sweet, salty, buttery steamed crabs. Come for beautiful views of the Potomac, the bridge, and breath taking sunsets. Oh, and come for the crab. Pro-tip/history nerd-tip: Enjoy the historical markers all around the area that tell the story of John Wilkes-Booth as he fled Washington, having assassinated President Lincoln.
(5)Katie S.
Do you like fried seafood ? THIS IS YOUR SPOT. New management, good food, decent prices. My husband and I split a seafood platter and it was more than enough. I would definitely go back but expect a wait and be ready to get knee deep in crabs :)
(4)Ms. M.
Had a great experience here yesterday. I ordered a side Caesar salad ($3.99) and The Perfect Combo ($50) which came with 4 clusters and 1/2lb of shrimp. I'm a big crab lover and the crabs here were not the best or seasoned well but my company and I both had a great experience. The establishment was nice, clean and presented well. Great host upon walking in and our waiter was awesome. Unfortunately, alcoholic drinks aren't listed anywhere on the menu?!?! No clue why not. The only reason why I wouldn't return is because I like my food seasoned (like The Wharf in DC) especially if we are spending over $125 for two people on dinner. Overall a good first and last visit.
(3)Dm F.
This place has really gone down a lot. I use to bring my mom and stepdad here for my mom's birthday because she really loved good seafood and I knew this place had that, because I was bought here on a date once and loved it. After they died in 2010, my siblings and I would always come down on her birthday to celebrate her birthday. This is the last year that will happened. The only two things about Captain Billy's that hadn't changed was the service and the views. The food is horrible. On my fried seafood platter, I didn't get butterflied shrimp like the days of old, I got Seapak breaded shrimp. There were no oysters or clams, just a breaded, filler filled crab cake, breaded shrimp, and scallops. Even the sides were nasty. I should have known something was wrong when we were able to be seated immediately on a Saturday evening and the establishment was not even half way full. I thought we had beaten the crowd but it stayed that way. When we left, there weren't anyone waiting to be seated at all. Before, we would have to wait on the benches outside (if space was available) for 30 to 45 minutes to be seated. We've already decided that since it was the seafood our mom loved, next year we'll go to G and M to celebrate her birthday. Although there are no views, I don't care, because I don't pay for the view, I can see a view for free, the service is good and the food is well worth the price you pay.
(1)Jennifer S.
This place has seriously gone down hill since we last visited in 2013. 5 adults in our party and everyone left dissatisfied with their meal. Lobster tails were fishy tasting and the butter served with them had an "odd" taste. The only thing good about the fried seafood platter was the oysters, fish was horrible! Potato salad horrible too! Service, however, was great.
(1)Michael E.
I said I would never go back to the worst seafood place in southern md. New management. So I went back. Food still sucks. Imperial shrimp had so much mayonnaise I got sick. My wife and I will never go back. Crab cakes are terrible. There isn't anything at Captain Billy's that is worth getting. For the best Seafood go to Jerrys in Prince Frederick. For a great crab cake near la plata go to prime street grill
(1)Vince M.
So, I was quite hesitant to check this place out. I'm a lifelong Marylander and know halfway decent seafood. This place was deplorable. Before I even talk about the food, I want to mention how incredibly overstaffed the place is. We went on a Sunday afternoon during peak hours, and the place wasn't that packed at all. However, there was two hostesses by the door, 5 people behind the bar serving one man, and I kid you not, 15 waiters and waitresses crowding up the place. It was ridiculous. Groups of them crowded by tables playing on their cell phones, and eating some of the deep fried crap that they serve. Which is my next major gripe. I can let ALL of that go if the food is of decent quality. We ordered crabs, which you think would be simple. However, they were small and had little meat packed into them (keep in mind small crabs can be just as delicious if they're at least adult and full). This wouldn't be that big of a deal due to overfishing, however, our waiter told us they had large crabs in that day and at the front they displayed good size crabs for order. As for flavor of the crabs, they had the usual Old Bay poured into the pot draining them of the crab flavor. Decent, but a little heavy on the good stuff. My major complaint is the deep fried food. The food was either severely undercooked to the point of being inedible, or overcooked like it was sitting in the Sahara desert for 3 days. We ordered fish, clams, oysters and hush puppies...out of those 4 dishes NONE were prepared correctly. Deep frying doesn't require that many techniques to mess up 4 dishes as horribly as they did. Hush puppies, fish and clams were cooked beyond standard frying temperatures. However, the oysters were the worst culprit, as they were under done, and we couldn't even finish them. This is a harsh critique, but for $70 all of us left disappointed. I could ignore the waiters awkwardly sitting around watching you eat. I could ignore the small crabs. But I can't ignore the quality of the food that they serve. This place needs to be on Kitchen Nightmares or something. Maybe if they give Gordon Ramsay or Robert Irvine a call I'd return.
(1)KP P.
1 dozen Medium Crabs for $35!!! Not bad at all. Service was good and a nice atmosphere.
(4)MG W.
New management, same old story. Overpriced reheated frozen food. Mushy little crabs Tired salad wanna be bar. My wife and I have been in and out of Cap'n Billy's for 30 years. Been three times already this year. Sad. Very sad. The place "survives" on its name and location. RIP Billy. Miss you greatly. Maybe some day someone will restore your place to the way you had it. We'll try again next year. Hope springs eternal.
(1)Asia M.
We enjoyed a wonderful Sunday afternoon on the water with delicious crabs! The view was amazing, service was great, and crabs were perfect AND very affordable! This was my first time here. We walked in and got a seat right away. We ordered 2 dozen crabs, hush puppies, cream of crab soup and Maryland crb soup. The soups were delicious as well. I ordered a frozen drink that came with whip cream on top. I asked the waiter for another w/o whip cream because I'm dairy sensitive. He said sure no problem. He came back with the same drink had only scooped out the whip cream but it now had particles floating in it! When I asked if they had just scooped the cream out he said no, which meant I now had to point it out to him. He quickly apologized and returned with a new drink shortly thereafter. The frozen drink left a lot to be desired. The restrooms are also outdated and smelly. But this an older restaurant. Other than that- everything was really nice. I would return again!
(4)Amy R.
Of the beaten path, on the Potomac, beautiful views of the water, friendly wait staff.........if thats what you are looking for then you found it. If you are looking for good food, look elsewhere. Corn fritters weren't bad bud a too sweet for my taste. Fried oyster basket was soggy with mushy oysters and dead french fries. Crab cakes wete all filler and bland. What wasn't filler was shell. If you are still anxious to try it, visit the web site first and at least print the coupons so you can save a couple of bucks!
(2)Holiday J.
'Not a fan of working for my meats, but the sunset, food and company of friends made it worth it. You can dock your boat and walk-up to the restaurant. Service was decent and friendly, even though we were seated for about seven minutes before being greeted. I'd return again. Our batch of seafood was tasty.
(4)Henry F.
They changed the cream of crab soup recipe. It doesnt taste as good as the soup before. I am very dissapointed since I have been getting this soup for at least 25 years, so it is sad to learn that the recipe that kept bringing me back is gone. :-(
(3)Hanna K.
This place was a pleasant surprise. The view of the river sets a great relaxing atmosphere and the waitress was absolutely awesome. She took the time to show us the proper and easy way to crack crabs! We also got fries which came out piping hot. All in all, it's not the fanciest place but a nice chill place with good food and atmosphere.
(4)Wayne L.
I go for the local steamed crabs, Yuengling draft and the view. In the past, crabs have been mixed sized, fairly priced and generally good. However, since the spring management change, the crabs have been the barely legal, smallest they can get away with selling. They have been tasty and meaty, but when this small they are a chore to pick.. Beer's still cold and the view is still great.
(3)Ms. M.
Had a great experience here yesterday. I ordered a side Caesar salad ($3.99) and The Perfect Combo ($50) which came with 4 clusters and 1/2lb of shrimp. I'm a big crab lover and the crabs here were not the best or seasoned well but my company and I both had a great experience. The establishment was nice, clean and presented well. Great host upon walking in and our waiter was awesome. Unfortunately, alcoholic drinks aren't listed anywhere on the menu?!?! No clue why not. The only reason why I wouldn't return is because I like my food seasoned (like The Wharf in DC) especially if we are spending over $125 for two people on dinner. Overall a good first and last visit.
(3)Kelly G.
I was in the middle of a 15 day juice fast. I could have "brothy" soups at lunchtime when things got really bad. This particular day, things were bad. My friend drove me on this long ride to get to this lovely seafood restaurant on the water. It was one of those lovely March days when the sun was out and there was no need for a coat. What? I took one look at the menu and knew I would not be ordering the "brothy" soup. Cream of Crab was calling my name loud and clear. So, I threw caution to the wind and ordered it. I should have asked for tastes of both the Cream of Crab and the Vegetable Crab prior to placing my order. When the cream of crab soup came out, it was overly thick, almost paste like. It had shards of crab in it, not jumbo lumps. And the flavor was more like a topping for a fish rather than a soup itself. I was disappointed, Oh, yeah, also it was not hot enough. What is that all about? A soup that is not hot enough? Whatever. After slogging through almost the whole bowl, I asked for a taste of the Vegetable Crab. Man-oh-man was it good. It was piping hot, full of (again) shards of crab, but at least you could see them contrasted against the red of the tomato soup base, and it was full of potatoes, corn, peas, carrots, and bacon (?). Our server was nice enough to respond to our every need. The decor is "crab shack" and the prices seem reasonable. I should have ordered the Vegetable Crab soup this time. Oh well. Now, I know better for the next time. Oh yes, there will be a next time. I won't be fasting forever. Original visit Saturday, March 15, 2014
(4)Jayr M.
When in doubt come to this place. The people, the service, the outdoor scenery all so beautiful. And the people that run this place are so wonderful .
(5)Thomas M.
maybe it was the day we came on or the time of day but i wasnt highly impressed with this place. I love seafood and my food wasnt terrible but the price was too much for what i got. Some of my family got a salad as a side which you can get from their salad bar but to their surprise there wasnt much on the bar. Pretty much just lettuce tomato cucumber and dressing. No cheese and no other toppings. There were flies everywhere which was annoying as i was constantly swinging my hands in the air. The crabcakes had shells in them but still tasted good. the crab balls were amazing. the server i cant remember his name was great and kept our drinks full and was very friendly Im not sure i will be back being that this is my first time. I have had better and have had a better experience.
(3)Rob M.
I love this place. Yes the staff is a bit weathered but, it works. This is a no-frills crabhouse. The salad bar has salad, not a ton of wild extras and "...salad", just greens and stuff to put on them. The crabs are great the outdoor dining is fantastic. I felt like I was on a one week vacation in the hour and a half I sat outside and picked my crabs. I go whenever I'm in driving by at dinner time. The prices are very reasonable too. If you're looking for high end seafood dining, go somewhere else and leave me alone here!
(4)Dan B.
Rode our Harley out, nice ride to Capt'in Billy's, curvy roads. Went this past Sun and the restaurant was busy but not overly packed. The hostess sitting at the front behind the podium was rude and unfriendly. We wanted to sit outside and said we would be happy to wait; she gave us a beeper for when a table would come available. So we went to the bar to order a couple beers while we waited. The elderly bartender, well, she was unfriendly too. This is now getting silly. We finally got seated after just 10mins. Nice views from the outside tables, watching the boats go by. Our server, she was also grumpy and unfriendly. What in the heck is in the water at this place? I know we all have bad days but if staff member after staff member are this grumpy to customers, that quickly becomes a manager/owner issue; expectations for good, friendly service should be priority one, especially if your food is mediocre. Cold drinks and good friendly service can hide a lot of flaws. Now for the food. The steamed shrimp were tasteless, overcooked and small. The hush-puppies were terrific, just a hint of sweetness and a nice crunch. The fried clams were good too. The fries were just ok. The beer was tasty and cold.
(2)Bryan J.
Sat on the porch right on the water and it was perfect. Our waitress was extremely helpful, attentive, and friendly. Couldn't have asked for a better server really. The food was great. My friends ordered a bushel of crabs while I got the fried clams/shrimp platter. Delicious! Also ordered a 1lb of the Alaskan king crab legs, which to me was the highlight of the meal. No complaints about the place. Definitely would go back.
(4)Kristine T.
I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! They are now under new management starting 3/12/15. They've improved some of their recipes and added some stuff to the menu including crab cake sliders and wings that I heard were tasty. I can't wait to go again now that they've opened up for the 2015 season. I've been going here for several years so I've tried quite a lot: -Crabs, crab legs, steamed shrimp - always cooked and seasoned perfectly -Crab cakes & seafood platters are good if you don't feel like picking crabs -Shrimp Salad or Crab Salad Cold Plate - sooo good! Especially if you want something light and refreshing. Comes with their yummy potato salad and coleslaw (my fave) along with some fruit and a pickle over lettuce -Fried oysters - I hate oysters, but my mom loves these -Tilapia - I hate fish, but I really like their fried tilapia. You get 2 and 2 sides! -Seafood dip - so yum! We usually have to get another baguette just so we can finish it all -Hamburgers/hotdogs - big/filling/yummy -Chicken tender basket - lots of food and good! -Fried shrimp (comes in a basket too)- soooo good! -I always get an order of corn fritters b/c I can't get them anywhere else and they are amazing -Soups: I personally don't like MD crab soup, but theirs is really good. I prefer their cream of crab soup!!!! SOO GOOD! -Hush puppies - yum!!!! -Onion rings - standard yummy onion rings -They also have a variety of alcoholic drinks, but their house drink, Backfin, is really good! -Their frozen drinks are really good too! The strawberry and creamsicle are my favorite with or without alcohol (I used to get w/o when I was younger, but now I add in the good stuff!) Pretty much everything is made fresh and at the restaurant - potato salad, coleslaw, cocktail sauce, crab cakes, soups, etc Honestly, every time I go I have a hard time not ordering almost everything on the menu. It's all just so good! And if something doesn't come out right, just ask the server and they will be happy to fix it. And while the food is great, the experience is even better. The restaurant is huge with indoor bar seating, plenty of indoor tables and booths, lots of seats near the big windows overlooking the Potomac (beautiful at sunset), there's a huge room for overflow seating during the busy rushes or private parties, and there's even outdoor tables. They can even accommodate large parties b/c they have HUGE tables! The décor is really cute and very fun. Each table is covered with brown paper and everybody gets a placemat that gives instructions on how to pick a crab. Each table has their own container of napkins and condiments (old bay, vinegar, ketchup, etc). They even have a salad bar! You can buy really cute shirts near the hostess stand. They have sinks in the restaurant (outside of the bathrooms) so you can easily wash your crabby hands. You can always go outside and talk a walk on their pier. Long story short, this place is awesome and one of my favorites. It's a drive worth making!
(5)Cathy C.
According to my Dad who had a bowl of cream of crab soup, it was "damn delicious". My snow crab legs were cooked expertly and slide smoothly out of the shell. Their taste was sweet and meat firm. Dad gobbled down the soft shell crabs claiming that they were superb. Whenever we are in the mood for some Maryland seafood we go to Captain Billy's . It's always worth the drive.
(5)David M.
Service is a little slow, but the view from the water is awesome. The food is pretty great. I will say one thing that place is in the middle of no where. I'm pretty sure I heard banjos, and at one point on the trip to Captain Billy's somebody told me I had a perdy mouth. This being said great food, and an even better view on the water.
(4)Michelle K.
Came for a birthday lunch with my big sis and a family friend. They traveled from DC and I came from Richmond. The drive up 301N is always relaxing and this is how we heard about the place. The signs always made me want to stop and today I did... First a warning.. I will not let the nightfall hit because I did think the restaurant was closer to 301.. Had to wind down some back roads.. Thank you Lord for navigation. Once there the visit was pleasant. I was seated immediately although I waited for the other 2 to arrive. We all enjoyed our meals. I started off with the corn fritters while waiting for them to arrive. They were hot and not dry. Sweet but not too sweet and I could not resist the honey dip. I felt bad because I did not save not one for the others to taste. (Oh well :-)). We shared 6 steamed crab.. Cooked and seasoned perfectly. We sampled off of each other and we had the fried seafood platter, the broiled seafood platter and the fried shrimp platter. Our sides included green beans, salads and French fries. The green beans were surprisingly seasoned well for a restaurant. My broiled items were cooked and seasoned perfectly. The oysters tasted fresh. The shrimp were fresh and nice sized without too much breaking. The service and our waitstaff were knowledgeable, engaging and pleasant... They even gave me ice cream for my birthday as dessert. We will return..(daylight hours only) Hehe.. Great job!
(4)Luis R.
Staff is super courteous. I got the half dozen crabs and a beer. Sat out on the deck and listened to the seagulls. Looks like the place livens up after dark. This is our second visit in less than two years.
(5)Jess S.
..........Who goes to a crab house for salad? No. Stop. Get out. Go somewhere else. Who complains about having to pick their own crabs? Okay, no seriously, be quiet, please go somewhere else. Your complaining is distracting me from my mountain of delicious food. Things I can speak to: Whole, local crabs, steamed shrimp, fried anything--including hush puppies, crab cakes, cream of crab soup, clam chowder, and the occasional drink: All delicious. I have no idea what their burgers or chicken dishes are like because well, there's crab to be had. Their seafood is very clean and fresh tasting--no muddy flavors here! Fried food is crispy and not oily. Soup? To die for. Staff is friendly, sinks are available for crabby-shrimpy hand washing, food is good, place is clean, waits can be... well, long. And why wouldn't they be?! There's good food to be had here! Capt Billy's is a great place to visit, whether with a big group or small. If you've got a boat, they've got a dock you can park at so you can stop by for some of their sweet, salty, buttery steamed crabs. Come for beautiful views of the Potomac, the bridge, and breath taking sunsets. Oh, and come for the crab. Pro-tip/history nerd-tip: Enjoy the historical markers all around the area that tell the story of John Wilkes-Booth as he fled Washington, having assassinated President Lincoln.
(5)Katie S.
Do you like fried seafood ? THIS IS YOUR SPOT. New management, good food, decent prices. My husband and I split a seafood platter and it was more than enough. I would definitely go back but expect a wait and be ready to get knee deep in crabs :)
(4)Daniel B.
The food is great here, we have been dining here for years. The restaurant is about 100 miles from our home in Virginia and we have always been very satified until yesterday. Our dissatisfaction was not with the food or service. We were very disappointed when we received our bill and noticed the tip had already been added and there were only four people in our party. Apparently this restaurant has a policy that if the bill exceeds $100 then a 17% tip is added by the wait-staffer to the bill. Exceeding $100 at a seafood restaurant is easy especially with four adults. Odd thing is the waitress would have gotten 20% tip. I reserve the right to decide how much I will tip since it is my money I am spending. So Capt Billy's got a 17% tip but has permanently lost our business. My wife and I have on numerous occasions taken the hour and 15 minute drive here for the seafood but now we will go elsewhere. Next time, it's Gilligan's Pier nextdoor, they have just as good food and no automatic tipping policy.
(2)Ellen K.
I have been going to Captain Billy's my whole life. It has always been my go to place for crabs. But the last two years, I have been nothing but disappointed. I keep giving it another chance because I do not want to believe the crab house of my childhood would no longer be fantastic. But the last time - was the last time. Money is scarce these days and crabs are expensive and I want fresh, large and properly cooked crabs. The last few times I have been there the crabs have been small and they just do not seem fresh. The final time I went there the crabs smelled of ammonia or bleach or something when I cracked them open. I told the server and they said that was normal. Both my friend and I have eaten crabs our whole lives and I do not recall them smelling this bad. I left without eating a majority of the crabs I paid for. I am so sad to say that I will not be returning and that I have to try another crab house. The hush puppies and corn fritters are still yummy though :/
(2)Milo R.
Wasn't all that. Too much time getting the little crab meat there was. It was small brown Gulf of Mexico type crab. It was peel & eat type crab & shrimp. It's not worth going out of your way to eat at this place.
(1)Michael W.
This place is a great secret of the DC area. It takes a while to get to - usually 45 mins to 1 hr from where I live in Arlington. However, it is worth it. They do crabs (Chesapeake Bay) here and they do them well. You will also find good Alaskan crabs. They also make a good oyster soup. Very casual. Very simple. Great family run business. Friendly staff. Good cold beer.
(5)Dm F.
This place has really gone down a lot. I use to bring my mom and stepdad here for my mom's birthday because she really loved good seafood and I knew this place had that, because I was bought here on a date once and loved it. After they died in 2010, my siblings and I would always come down on her birthday to celebrate her birthday. This is the last year that will happened. The only two things about Captain Billy's that hadn't changed was the service and the views. The food is horrible. On my fried seafood platter, I didn't get butterflied shrimp like the days of old, I got Seapak breaded shrimp. There were no oysters or clams, just a breaded, filler filled crab cake, breaded shrimp, and scallops. Even the sides were nasty. I should have known something was wrong when we were able to be seated immediately on a Saturday evening and the establishment was not even half way full. I thought we had beaten the crowd but it stayed that way. When we left, there weren't anyone waiting to be seated at all. Before, we would have to wait on the benches outside (if space was available) for 30 to 45 minutes to be seated. We've already decided that since it was the seafood our mom loved, next year we'll go to G and M to celebrate her birthday. Although there are no views, I don't care, because I don't pay for the view, I can see a view for free, the service is good and the food is well worth the price you pay.
(1)CrAzYcatmama M.
Went to Capt. Billys yesterday afternoon 6/2/13) around 2ish for lunch with family and friends. They guys each got the dozen crabs for $34.99, my friend and I got the Broiled Seafood Platter (which I get every time) and the kids got the grilled cheese and a shrimp basket. My food was awesome! It always is. The shrimp I was given were huge, the crabcake was good, as well as the scallops and fish. My friend got the bowl of cream of crab as an appetizer, it came to her bowl overflowing and she said it was awesome. Potato salad and cole slaw were my sides, again all was great, couldnt even finish it all! My four stars comes for a couple reasons. First, whenever we go we are ALWAYS sat in the very back of the restaurant in the corner. We had 6 people with us, 2 of them kids..and the place was pretty empty. Second, my friend got the salad bar which I've seen in other reviews was beyond pathetic. No veggies and no meats like bacon are even offered. It was a bagged salad mix and cheese. Lastly, my fish was good but had a huge amount of spice on it, half of it I couldn't eat. I also would like to mention the dozen crabs for $34.99 that each of the guys got was actually after counting almost 2 dozen..pretty awesome. For the dozen crab special (which was actually almost 2 dozen) the broiled seafood platter, kids shrimp basket, an order of hush puppies, 2 iced teas and a pitcher of beer it was $92.46. Overall a decent place for seafood and crab lovers.
(4)Reggie G.
First of all, the people who wrote bad reviews that didn't even eat crabs should be stricken from the record. What in the H-E-double-hockey-sticks are you doing going to a white trash, Southern Maryland, authentic crab house if you are going to eat a salad? Seriously. DO NOT come here for some sort of gourmet experience. This is a true, white trash, official Maryland crab experience. Wear your ironic trucker hat and your stone-washed jeans, people. You will have the best time of your life. DO NOT order anything except big trays of crabs. Okay, you can get some french fries/onion rings/fried clams but, if for even a second, you are considering not ordering a plastic tray of crabs, you need to think about why you even drove all the way our to bum-f&*%$ in the first place. I have been coming here since the days when I used to smuggle my dad's PBR out of the basement fridge on hot days (aka 11 years old) and it is about the most authentic thing to do if you want to pretend to be a Southern Marylander. Make sure you have plenty of gum to chew and lots of hairspray to enhance the experience. They also have cute kittens that live by the dumpster, that's my insider tip.
(5)Brian K.
I'm from the midwest, so this was my first time not eating snow crab legs or some other giant from the sea. I've been told it's one of the places to go by people in the area, but out of the few crab joints I've been to in MD, I like this one the least. The food is fine, and I ate the crabs and crab cakes (ie not a burger or some lame pasta). I've only been twice, but even for the casual place that it is, I thought the service was bad. We didn't even get seated for about 15 minutes the second time.
(2)Gi A.
This is my mother-in-law's favorite restaurant, so I really shouldn't say this, but I sigh a little each time she want to go there. (Disclaimer: I've never had their whole crabs (though I've had other crab dishes), but they're supposed to be delicious. I just don't like getting bits of crabs bits all over me without a shower nearby.) In the salad bar are wilted iceburg lettuce, unripe tomatoes, smooshy cucumber, canned green beans, canned beets, and canned corn (see a theme?). There's always a kid sticking his finger in something; I avoid whatever that happens to be and hope he's not a nose-picker. Most of the other dishes are all right if salty and greasy is your thing. The crabcakes, however, are big, moist, and relatively filler-free, with just a thin layer of crunch on the outside. The bar could certainly add a star or two, if only I could find a way to get sloshed in front of my MIL. . .
(2)Angela G.
Still five stars, but I have to second Reggie G's comment about the reviews from folks not getting crabs (whoa, that came out wrong, lol) - if you're going to order anything but the blue crabs and base your review on that, I can guarantee disappointment at this place. It's kind of like going for sushi when you don't eat fish - the blue crabs are where the restaurant puts its effort (aside from maybe pulling pitchers of beer) and everything else is an afterthought. If you don't eat blue crabs, maybe you should pass. If you do, make the drive and get ready to party.
(5)Lester H.
The food: 2(.5) stars. The setting: +1 star. I ate lunch and dinner at Captain Billy's simply because I enjoyed the riverfront setting. Once upon a time, I went boating on a daily basis and frequently dined at waterfront restaurants. Well, Cap'n Billy's brought that back and it made me happy. The food isn't all fried, as was earlier mentioned in a review. I didn't eat a single fried thing and left quite full. That said, just like McDonald's vs Something Decent, it will cost more to eat non-fried fishies, crabies, etc. However, it's worth it if you're not a lard-hound. Also, they have a bar. I didn't know that going in, but was happy to find out that was the case. That's definitely good if you're a buzz-hound. (Yeah, that's was a bad attempt at a play on my earlier words.)
(3)Michael B.
So we went here for a co-workers 60th birthday. We had 13 in the party and they allowed split checks!! Awesome. However, service was pitifully slow on both drinks and food. Food also came out in random order and times. The table was never cleared. My GF and I split a doz crabs $35 and a cup of the "recommended" cream of crab soup and onion rings. I will start with the best....the onion rings were fried well. The soup was very bland and floury and lacked any chunks of crab. The crabs themselves were cooked properly but not in the seasoning it was sprinkled on afterward and very thinly. I know it was early in the season, but the crabs were a little light and tasted old- like they had been in the walk in for a while. Prob not MD crabs. Just a poor supplier because we had crabs the weekend before somewhere else and they were much, much better. Also, the tip thing mentioned earlier was a little odd but it was well known. All in all, great view and location with poor service and food. I probably wouldn't go out of my way to come back. P.S. This comes from a native SMIB and avid crab eater
(2)David H.
I had a late lunch here. On the downside, be forewarned that the service was slow and most of the food is fried (so call your cardiologist before going). On the upside, the view is very pretty (you are sitting on the Potomac), and the servers were very nice. But being from the Deep South and knowing that a good meal has to have some variety to it, fried seafood and french fries just doesn't cut it.
(3)Rob K.
A true Southern Maryland style crab house on the banks of Pope's Creek. Call ahead to make sure they have the all-you-can-eat crab and go for it with a pitcher of PBR.
(5)Suzanne W.
We went for a 'drive' on Saturday - was looking for basically a 1/2 tank trip from Northern Virginia :) Found Captain Billy's thanks to the LARGE billboards on Rte.301. The views are to die for! wish we could have stayed a couple more hours to watch the sunset over the Potomac, but alas - we had to get back home. We had a late lunch and actually were there a couple of hours. Had a wonderful time and the food was delicious! We shared the seafood dip with bread, crabcate (broiled) and then a basket of fried shrimp - ALL was super YUM! The seafood dip seemed endless - when they ask you if you want 1 or 2 loaves of the bread, definitely get 2 - you will need it!
(4)Andy B.
Food Road Trip: Richmond, Virginia, Day 5 I've had Five Guys burgers twice now so I'm a happy camper, dinner the day before and lunch on Saturday. We ask one of my sister's friend (a local) what places she recommends for crabs and shrimp since we were near the Chesapeake Bay and first thing she says is Captain Billy's. This place is pretty hard to find if you do not have gps or a local to guide you. It's right on the water and in a very woodsy area. We came here for the crab which were in season and going for very cheap: 12 for $30. We also order broiled scallops, crab cake, fried shrimp, 1/2 lb of steamed shrimp, cream of crab soup and onion rings. There were two memorable dishes from this list, the crab and the fried shrimp. The scallops, steamed shrimp and onion rings were good but I didn't like the crab cake or cream of crab soup (texture and consistency reminded me of mayo). The fried shrimp was just awesome! I like it when something so simple is so good, very unexpected. The shrimps were a nice golden brown, crunchy, not oily, the batter to shrimp ratio was just right, and fried to perfection. The crab had a dry seasoning on them and tasted so sweet! This place gives you wooden dowels to work with the crab. I thought that was so cool! The crab meat was tender and moist. The best part though was the crab "guts". Sweet, salty, rich and with a slight bitterness, it was heaven. I think I ate too much of it since a few people in the group did not enjoy that part of the crab and I happily ate for them (was a bit light headed after though). We finished the first dozen and ordered another dozen. Then second batch was a bit more salty than the first but still good. The food came out pretty fast considering the place was packed. The service was average. My only complaint was that we asked for a glass of water from the waiter 2 times and he forgot twice but then we asked for a pitcher and he brought it the next time he was over. The best thing though was the bill. All six of us were full and it only cost about $150 including tax and tip.
(4)Sheila C.
I read the reviews of Captain Billy's and from the reviews we decided to give this place a try......WTH are the reviewers eating at this place that could possible give this place a good review or more then one star. The crabs were horrible, smalls but at Capt Billy's they called them mediums, no way the crabs they served us today were mediums. The steamed shrimp were small mushy junk, I sent our order back. The seafood scallops were just barely ok. The hush puppies were dried, hard, uneatable yuck, terrible. The cream of crab soup looked like gravy, so thick it looked like paste. The salad bar looked like something left over from 1980, with a side of blue cheese dressing that was tasteless. It was gross to me. Why have a beautiful setting on the water and serve junk food. We won't ever go back. Very disappointing. I suspect the bar might get busy as it was very big. Oh, the service was ok.
(1)Kelly O.
Nice, out-of-the-way seafood restaurant on the water. Was well worth the trip off the main highway. I stopped in for lunch, but this place looks like it would be much better around dinner time.
(4)Joe S.
It's just not the same since Capt. Billy and Miss Irene passed.
(2)Jennifer S.
This place has seriously gone down hill since we last visited in 2013. 5 adults in our party and everyone left dissatisfied with their meal. Lobster tails were fishy tasting and the butter served with them had an "odd" taste. The only thing good about the fried seafood platter was the oysters, fish was horrible! Potato salad horrible too! Service, however, was great.
(1)Michael E.
I said I would never go back to the worst seafood place in southern md. New management. So I went back. Food still sucks. Imperial shrimp had so much mayonnaise I got sick. My wife and I will never go back. Crab cakes are terrible. There isn't anything at Captain Billy's that is worth getting. For the best Seafood go to Jerrys in Prince Frederick. For a great crab cake near la plata go to prime street grill
(1)Vince M.
So, I was quite hesitant to check this place out. I'm a lifelong Marylander and know halfway decent seafood. This place was deplorable. Before I even talk about the food, I want to mention how incredibly overstaffed the place is. We went on a Sunday afternoon during peak hours, and the place wasn't that packed at all. However, there was two hostesses by the door, 5 people behind the bar serving one man, and I kid you not, 15 waiters and waitresses crowding up the place. It was ridiculous. Groups of them crowded by tables playing on their cell phones, and eating some of the deep fried crap that they serve. Which is my next major gripe. I can let ALL of that go if the food is of decent quality. We ordered crabs, which you think would be simple. However, they were small and had little meat packed into them (keep in mind small crabs can be just as delicious if they're at least adult and full). This wouldn't be that big of a deal due to overfishing, however, our waiter told us they had large crabs in that day and at the front they displayed good size crabs for order. As for flavor of the crabs, they had the usual Old Bay poured into the pot draining them of the crab flavor. Decent, but a little heavy on the good stuff. My major complaint is the deep fried food. The food was either severely undercooked to the point of being inedible, or overcooked like it was sitting in the Sahara desert for 3 days. We ordered fish, clams, oysters and hush puppies...out of those 4 dishes NONE were prepared correctly. Deep frying doesn't require that many techniques to mess up 4 dishes as horribly as they did. Hush puppies, fish and clams were cooked beyond standard frying temperatures. However, the oysters were the worst culprit, as they were under done, and we couldn't even finish them. This is a harsh critique, but for $70 all of us left disappointed. I could ignore the waiters awkwardly sitting around watching you eat. I could ignore the small crabs. But I can't ignore the quality of the food that they serve. This place needs to be on Kitchen Nightmares or something. Maybe if they give Gordon Ramsay or Robert Irvine a call I'd return.
(1)KP P.
1 dozen Medium Crabs for $35!!! Not bad at all. Service was good and a nice atmosphere.
(4)Sierra H.
Great seafood place in somd. Always have had great experiences here. They are seasonal so make sure they are open before you go. Great food, good prices and mainly GREAT CRABS! Make sure to stop by the bar and order one of their drinks!
(5)MG W.
New management, same old story. Overpriced reheated frozen food. Mushy little crabs Tired salad wanna be bar. My wife and I have been in and out of Cap'n Billy's for 30 years. Been three times already this year. Sad. Very sad. The place "survives" on its name and location. RIP Billy. Miss you greatly. Maybe some day someone will restore your place to the way you had it. We'll try again next year. Hope springs eternal.
(1)Julia S.
I USED to like this place. Now, notsomuch. I will NEEEVER return, not even for a best-friend's or family's party that was paid for. My waitress was nice but unfortunately she sat us under the dripping, super-freezing a/c unit. I couldn't eat my crabs because my fingers had froze. I asked nicely for another table that was not under any leak, and the waitress let me speak to the manager. The old battle-axe lady with the blonde bee-hive...yes, her. She did not give a half of f*ck, and she said if I was cold, I could buy a Capt'n Billy Sweatshirt for $15. I thought I was being Punked!! I waited for Ashton Kutcher to appear, but no luck. After a slight verbal altercation about how NOT to put tables under a leaky cold A/C unit with the battle-axe, she let me know that other people were waiting to be seated and I could take my crappy table or leave it. I apologize now for the waitress who did not receive a tip from me because her boss was so shitty. Advice young lady, get a better job, at a decent crab house that treats their customers right!!!
(1)Marivic L.
I love going to Captain Billy's. Yeah, it's far, but it's super casual and has a friendly atmosphere, right on the water. Our go-tos here are the steamed crabs, of course. In recent years, the catch has been much smaller. I remember when you used to be able to get extra large crabs BUT I have to say, the crabs and the seasoning are just perfect for me. In addition to crabs, we always get a pound of steamed shrimp which is always tasty. Add in some corn fritters dipped in honey, and you've got a great meal. MMM corn fritters. I never had any before Captain Billy's and I can't imagine any being better than the ones you get there. My only issue this time is that the 4 orders we got weren't freshly fried. It makes a difference. If you get some that aren't (perish the thought), ask them for fresh ones. I think this was only because of how busy they were. I'd never had cold-ish fritters from them before, so that was disappointing. So, there it is. I hope to go back at least a couple more times when I have time this year. Sure, there are places to get crab closer to me, but it's just not the same.
(3)Dwalt H.
I started going to Capt Billy's many year ago and I've enjoyed their seafood so much. It is a very lovely place to eat look out the window over the potomac river. They have some of the best crabs I have ever eaten, and the 2 bartenders that worked were very friendly and talked to is quite a bit( I think there names were Walter and Celene) anyways Great Place!
(5)Missy D.
My review review of Capt. Billy's comes after 30 years of what I felt I could rely on for a nostalgic good ol' time blue crab indulgence. The past three times I paid for the upgraded lump crab cakes I was shocked. I didn't want to accept how godawful the crab cakes were so I gave them three chances to prove me wrong. My taste buds were assaulted and overwhelmed by a sodium filled shredded overspiced recipe that would have Capt. Billy himself rolling over in his grave. The psychological dissappointment of my reality from a childhood nostalgia left me, quite frankly, depressed. Say it isn't so. If you're going for just the steamed crab menu then you might still be okay but for me I'm going out to get another box of kleenex. Capt. Billy, where are you?
(1)Georgio B.
Upate: todays visit was dismal 4/13/13 I've been coming here for years and while I'm not a complaining type whiner type person... The quality has been diminishing. I try to tell myself it's just me, but in reality... It's them! Today we ordered a fried seafood platter ($27) and a Tilapia sandwich ($8) The tilapia tasted like dirt. Ya know that dirt taste you often find in catfish? Yeah that taste. Maybe it's due to being a farm raised fish? or some other reason. I didn't finish it. Yuk. The fried platter had the same "dirtfish" so that didnt get eaten. The scallops were extremely rubbery and tasted undercooked. Didnt eat them. Those fried shrimp were... well Gortons of Gloucester could have equalled them. Took the remains home to the dogs and they seemed to enjoy it. The ONLY edible thing we were served was the fried clams and the hush puppies.. They both were decent, not outstanding, but okay. Our server was grade "B". True, she got involved with a large party after she served us, but that's no excuse for forgetting us either. BOTTOM LINE: That was my last visit. We work hard for our $ and at those prices we expect a quality product and I'm sad to say you can't get it at Cap't Billys anymore. I'm gonna try some other places around the Potomac. Goodbye Bill!
(2)N Y.
My boyfriend and I were visiting his grandmother in La Plata and decided to go to Captain Billy's on the suggestion of his grandmother who had not been there in years. The restaurant smelled like rotten fish and trash outside. It is understandable that there may be a fishy smell but this was beyond that, absolutely disgusting. The inside was somewhat dirty. We were seated promptly. We both ordered the "world famous" crab cake sandwich. The sandwich came and it was drenched in oil and it was SHREDDED CANNED crab meat..mind you this place is a crab house! I was barely able to eat half of my sandwich, needless to say we both got violently ill that night and could barely move. Clearly it was the sandwich, it smelled awful and was terrible quality..even for canned meat. We came to find out that others have gotten sick here too. Awful.
(1)Pam Z.
Yes, it is now officially Maryland blue crab season! Some friends and I ventured the hour or so out of DC to Captain Billy's in Southern Maryland for some crabby goodness. This place is right on the water, and about 4x the size of Cantler's. Or for those of you who have never been to Cantler's, about the size of Phillips Seafood in DC. When the weather's nice, you can sit on the deck over the water too! Plenty of parking. APPS & DRINKS Bloody Mary was just okay, but for $5 I wasn't too worried. The pina coladas were actually very good, but should have been saved for dessert. Only Bud + Lite, Miller + Lite and Yuengling on tap. Guess what I ordered. Seafood dip was pretty good and guilt laden (cheese crust!) served with a soft baguette or two for $12. Definitely get the hush puppies and corn fritters! Both were awesome fried goodness. Go to Captain Billy's website for a coupon for a free one! Fritters are served with honey and powdered sugar, and the hush puppies are salty and dense served with butter. Nom! yelp.com/biz_photos/EaEp… MAIN COURSE The crabs of course! Since there were three couples, there were a couple dozen crabs split with the less brave ordering non seafood. The crabs were a little small since it was the beginning of the season, but still oh so satisfying. $32 for a dozen at this time of year. Easy on the Old Bay guys! Note: Crab picking is not for the faint of heart (or the impatient)! I am an impatient person, but was luckily raised in a household where how much crab you got to eat was determined by how quickly you could crack 'em and extract the meat. You too will become extremely efficient if you are competing with siblings for that last claw. And don't forget the skinny legs and the joints for meat too! yelp.com/biz_photos/EaEp… Fear not! Billy's has a guide for the newbies on how to extract crab ( yelp.com/biz_photos/EaEp… ) Some of the non-seafood friends who came ordered ribs (so-so) and chicken tenders (also so-so), although the fries were very good. True that the non-crabs seem to be a bit lacking here, but what did you expect? Price was reasonable. For two persons: the seafood dip, (free with coupon) corn fritters, a bloody mary, a soda, a beer, and a dozen crabs, total came out to $60+ tip. And they're happy to split checks for you. Be prepared for a mandatory 17% gratuity on parties of 6+ or checks of $100+. I don't exactly know why people are mad about this, btw. Also, I'm kinda weirded out by the arcade entrance. How many years have those prizes been in those machines? Will have to come back in summer when the crabs are larger!
(4)Mike T.
Really great seafood place that sits right on the Potomac. On this trip we had the feast for two which included: 1 pound of shrimp, 3 pounds of king crab legs, half a rack of ribs and 2 sides. Everything was delicious, and the outdoor seating was a plus as well. The only downside is they add a 15% tip to your bill for a group of four or more if the bill exceeds 100 bucks.. I think it should be up to the customer to leave the tip, as it normally would be 20%. Overall great place with great food. I will be stopping back again for sure!
(4)Holly S.
Pluses: Nice location on the water, great blue crabs, tasty hushpuppies, cold, cheap pitchers of beer, very pleasant staff. Crabs came from the Potomac, so not as sweet as those from Chesapeake, but they were fresh, big, and über meaty. Minuses: Spiced shrimp were really pathetic and WAY overpriced to boot. Tasted like shrimp cocktail but with shells and iodine, and a little crab seasoning sprinkled on top. Extremely disappointing. I would definitely go back for the crabs.
(4)Jenny T.
Ahhh loved this place. Lemme tell ya about that sunset dinner next to the water. =P There are benches that face the water where you can sit side-by-side to enjoy your $25/$35 worth (good deal) of crabs... everything was fresh, the veggie crab soup was really good, too. The staff was very friendly and checked back frequently. Emptied our bucket of shells every so often. Pretty good deal. Watch out for the seating closer to the water, though. Once the sun has set and the lights turn on, you can see all the bugs hovering---above you!!!
(5)Christina G.
Great hidden spot on the water.
(4)Courtney D.
i loved this place. it has charm, cheap prices, and delicious crabs. husband said the familiarity and neighborliness of the place reminded him of Merlotte's in Bon Temps (just without all the darkness and vampires). in fact, we came on a Sunday morning and watched the families roll in steadily after church. we were the fifth or so to be seated. when we left, the place was full. and the dining area is NOT small. our server was super nice. didn't seem to mind that the two of us sat there for 2 hours trying to make our way through the tremendous Ultimate Feast - couple pounds of crab legs, half pound of shrimp, and a half dozen blue crabs. and we still couldn't manage to finish it all! blue crabs were the best i've tasted. plus corn on the cob and hushpuppies (though next time i'd go with the corn fritters. i'm just not a fan of Carolina tube style). beer is cheap and available in baby pitchers! $5 for Loose Cannon! they gave us a couple bags to pack up our leftover crabs. made them into a corn salad the next day. walked out of there feeling like we got away with something, our bill was so small compared the other crab houses we've visited! and to top it all off, i got mad props from my old-school co-worker for visiting her mom's favorite weekend joint. :)
(5)James B.
The truth: So this place is really two parts. 5 stars if you come for crabs, shrimp or corn fritters. You can't go wrong, it's what Maryland crabs is all about. Now for the second part, if you don't like crab or shrimp, flat out dont come here! Very limited menu and everything else is horrible. The salad bar is just sad and the hamburger tasted like a left out school cafeteria burger. In conclusion, come and eat some great crabs or go somewhere else.
(3)Katherine D.
Myself and two of my friends decided to drive out to this place on a Saturday evening. We were seated outside, our waitress was nice, and the food that we ordered was good. The problem we had was 17% gratuity they take upon themselves to add to your bill. Now I was on my own check and my two friends were on another. I ask one of the waitresses about the automatic tip and she asked me " was my bill over $100?" I answer " no". Another girl chimes in and asks" is your party large?" Again I answer " no" she proceeds to tell me she will grab the manager. The manager comes out and says " oh, your bill was over $100 so we automatically charge you the gratuity". Again, my bill was not over $100 and neither was my friends but, you charged us both 17% gratuity. The manager then says" both of your bills together was over $100, it doesn't matter that you had separate checks, you guys sat together. WHAT!?! I say, "How does this make any sense?!" Now the manager has become rude and says well that's our policy! Nowhere is this posted, noted on the menu nor does the server give you a heads up. Needless to say before this turned into an altercation we left. I will not be returning . I should be able to decide how much I want to tip and if they have a policy, it should be posted somewhere so people are aware. Oh did I forget to mention the staff of teenager employees ( at least 10 of them ) that we're playing around right in front of customers!? One guy pushes another into a trash can and they all laugh while another one plays with a taser trying to get another guy to come near him so he could zap him with it. Seriously!?!
(1)Bill R.
Excellent service from bartender's Celene & Walter, they made our first experience very delightful. Food was very good, and the drinks were awesome! Can't wait to come back
(5)Chontelle M.
Why you should trust me on this review: 1. My grandfather was a crabber in MD. 2. My great grandfather was an oysterman/crabber in Maryland. 3. I stopped using a mallot to eat crabs when I was 5 years old. I used to go to Robertson's when I was a kid. When they closed, everyone moved over to Capt. Billy's. I am all about the Maryland crab. And if you are looking for a Maryland crab experience, this is your place. Everyone is dressed down. There is nothing fancy. Less than 5 minutes after you order, your food is hot and ret' ta' go. You get a plastic bucket, a laminated menu and the best dang crabs MD has to offer. You are presented with only male crabs (unless you ask for a mix) Tip: Female Crabmeat is sweeter. Your drinks will be refilled, your crabs will be plentiful. You aren't charged extra for shipping, quality or sizing. You get the best of what they have pulled out the water. There is no politicking about it. And their best is what I've seen people pay $60 a dozen for. For $45 I shared snow crab legs, 2 lbs of shrimp, a half a dozen MD crabs and dranks. It was a lot and soooooo good. Like Adam, it takes me a lot of time and planning to get here, but sitting and looking over the water as I crack a shell, makes it all worth while.
(5)Amanda N.
I really liked this place...I wanted to love it. I really like the location and the atmosphere. Casual and waterfront. Awesome. BUT...when we arrived, they had no hard shell crabs. That was the reason we drove 2 hours to get there. I ordered the fried shrimp and scallop platter instead. The shrimp was great, but the scallops...no. The were soggy with grease and didn't taste that great. the hushpuppies - great. Fried oysters - delicious. With the exception of the scallops, the food was good and we left satisfied. So why am I only 2 stars? Your waiters. There were so many servers there and they just seemed bored. HERE'S THE BEST PART. As I sit down with my future mother-in-law and fiance, a waiter behind us rolling silverware cat-calls me. ARE YOU SERIOUS???!!!! Who gives a f*** that you like redheads. Not me. If this a**hole waiter is reading this, you should thank your lucky stars that my ex-military black belt fiance was too tired and hungry to punch you in the balls. And, oh, by the way, real classy in front of my mother in law.
(2)Andrea B.
Great steamed shrimp & legs!! Nice outside seating & they let us bring our dog, even brought him some water. The only downside for me was the swarm of red wasps under the railing of the deck, right beside my seat... We will fight the Maryland traffic and definitely go back! It is the best we have found so far!!
(5)Billy L.
This place rocks! If you're ever in the mood for crabs and a laid back atmosphere, you definitely need to check out Captain Billy's. The crabs are an obvious go-to, but before you dig in, you should get the Hot Seafood Dip. It's a mix of crab and shrimp in a creamy, cheesy sauce served with an awesome hot toasted baguette that's lightly dusted with Old Bay (or their inhouse equivalent). The salad bar is...well, there's some lettuce and an odd assortment of about 4 or 5 toppings on a bar style platform, so I guess it is technically a salad bar, but it seems a waste of space. They either need to jazz it up or get rid of it. If your going here for salad though, you're entirely missing the point of this place. My only gripe is the hostess. She's an older lady with a give-a-shit attitude. I just went there today with 6 other family members. We wanted a table inside with a view of the water. After walking to 4 tables, she said she couldn't seat us because the tables were set up for just 4, 6, 14, and 20 people. After some back and forth that was getting us nowhere and on the verge of leaving, I found the manager and spoke with her about the situation. She immediately got us a table and all was good. I still have no idea what the deal was with the hostess, but I found it odd that she'd turn away a group that's going to spend a couple hundred dollars with a shrug and blank stare.
(4)Kay L.
Ever since I was a kid, we've driven 2 hours north to pick steamed crabs at Captain Billy's. And now we do the same with our kids. No menus for us. Start with hush puppies. Move on to the crabs.. That's it. I've never even been tempted to try anything else The drinks aren't great, though. We just stick to water and iced tea. Dress to get messy from all of the Old Bay!!!
(4)Adam Y.
My favorite crab place. it takes me about 2 to 2.5 hours to get to this place but its entirely worth it. the crabs here are by far the best. I constantly do my best to find a reason to make this trip. I'm a big fan of everything here. the old bay is great here and the crabs are great too. The service is always great and the crabs don't take too long. I most recently came here with my dad who hates all sea food. However, he loved the food options that were available to him (good old fashioned southern cooking). The only sad thing about this place is no crab feast but otherwise, its a great place to go. Be careful because its a bit busy on the weekends!!!!! Also, the general atmosphere of the area is great. I suggest sitting outside so you can look at the water and boats. It can be a bit cold inside so I suggest bringing a sweat shirt just in case!
(5)Connie M.
Love this place. Every time we come here it's great. The seafood is cooked just right and the potato salad is awesome. Just drove by and they are closed for the season... Bummer:(
(4)Heather G.
I have been going here ever since I was a kid (so like 25 - 30 years). I got a hankerin' for steamed crabs on Sunday and off my fiance and I went so we could enjoy a lovely holiday weekend evening on the water. We get down there around 5:30 PM, get a pager for a table outside (were told it was a 30 minute wait - no big deal) and prepare to hunker down for a bit. Right after I get the pager, I hear the older server lady come out and say "I'm going to put the sign up that we're out of hard shells". I'm like whaaat? I didn't drive an hour for this. I was going to send the fiance next door to find out if they had crabs since dammit -I didn't drive down to BFE, SoMD for nothing, but he disappeared into the men's room for a while. So I had to wait for him to get back before I could disperse him. Of course, as fate would have it, the pager goes off like 3 minutes later and I get escorted to our table outside. I have to admit sitting outside was nice. We could hear the good band from Gilligan's next door. Since he wasn't sure that he really wanted a lot to eat and has some strange social crab eating phobia, he just ordered a bowl of the cream of crab soup and a salad and offered to pick off my dish. We ended up getting the 2 1/2 pd snow crab leg feast with a half pound of steamed shrimp to split. The cream of crab soup was really good - lots of Old Bay in it (which he didn't like because he is a blasphemer from Oregon). The salad bar was weak but I put a hurtin' on the pickled beets. I got some corn fritters, which he had never had, and he thought they were wicked good (so he gets some cool points back). Our crab legs and shrimp come out in a timely fashion and I have to say I was disappointed. The shrimp weren't seasoned enough, and the crab legs were overcooked. The couple on the other side of us heard us talking about how I was sad that I drove all that way to get steamed crabs and didn't get any, and they gave me their final four that they couldn't eat and didn't want to take home with them. I thanked them profusely and tore into my first, and only crab - it was very small and there was hardly any meat in it at all. Made me glad that I didn't pay premium prices to get any. Our bill was somewhere around $80 including our two ice teas. So the meal ended up being about $100. Our waitress was nice and all, but really....$100 for all that? No thank you. In the future, we'll go try out Gilligan's.
(2)Pat G.
The staff is extremely helpful and friendly. The food delicious. Sitting in the restaurant with a view of the Chesapeake is great! Pricing, reasonable. Our server, Rose, AWESOME! The only odd things I found were: 1) it's a seafood restaurant that doesn't serve baked potatoes (who wants fries with broiled seafood); and 2) the salad bar was boring. I will go back.
(4)Janssen C.
This is an authentic "newspaper and mallet" style crab shack with a scenic view of the water. The service is homey and friendly, by waitresses that call you "honey". And most importantly, the blue crabs by the dozen are steaming hot, fat, and fresh. The kitchen is a bit liberal with their house-made Old Bay equivalent, but that's part of the experience. Your hands end up caked in it, like you'd been digging in the dirt all day. Other seafood dishes are no slouch either. The shrimp boil taste like shrimp ought to taste: wild and briny. Crispy fried oysters that pop. Well worth a detour.
(4)Peter T.
This place is a great example of how I imagine Maryland to have been for most of its modern history, before the District-ization took place and carpetbaggers (like my parents) moved in. Feathery hairstyles you thought went out in the 80s, accents you swear only existed south of the Carolinas, and NASCAR fan clubs. All of these are on prominent display at ol' Billy's, and they are all glorious. You could probably sate your appetite on the people-watching experience alone. Luckily for us, the people here know how to throw down on some crustaceans. I'm pretty sure there was HOMEMADE old bay seasoning on the table. Great start. Awesome start. Honestly, it's just beautiful - it's not Old Bay, it's old bay seasoning. Some real authentic waterman stuff. We ordered the Ultimate Seafood Feast (steamed Maryland crabs, snow crab legs, and steamed shrimp) and some hush puppies. My experience living in North Carolina dictates that hush puppies be eaten with ketchup, but they come with honey here. Pretty good, not really my bag, but I'm not complaining. Anyway, you don't come here for hush puppies, you come for the crabs, and good gawd were those crabs delicious. Worth every penny, as long as you've paid your rent and light bills and all that of course (let's not get carried away here, the crabs aren't doing your laundry or anything, they're merely being delicious). The USF, as it will be referred to from now on as I'm still recovering from my crab coma, was slightly too much food for two people, but that's ok because apparently snow crab legs can be easily reheated in your standard oven with little flavor lost. Snow crab legs do tend to creep me out a little bit (they look like horror movie props), so I was more focused on the Maryland crabs. But the snow crab legs were pretty good, Freddy Krueger-like aesthetics and all. Ohhhh and the sweet tea. Another strong reminder that we are indeed south of the Mason-Dixon Line. Like I said, I used to live in North Cackalack, where folk pride themselves on their sweet tea. I can say without a hint of Marylander bias that the sweet tea here meets Common Southern Standard. To really drive home the authenticity, the restaurant sits right on the water, and they give you paper plates and a rough-cut wooden mallet to bash your crabs' brains in. Added historical bonus: stop along the way and check out the various hiding places and paths that the bastard John Wilkes Booth took to evade the feds after he popped Lincoln.
(5)Ago S.
Capt Billy's its a "worth while stop " if you are on 301 in S Md or on the Va side near the 2 lane Gov Nice bridge go over to Md and give it a try captbillys.com/Home_Page… We've been there before and enjoyed the view. As a family of 4, one kid did the reg shrimp basket, our other chewed on a side of hush puppies. They do have a few of the basic kid menue items: hot dog, chix planks, grilled cheese, shrimp. ~ $6 Crabs looked fine and always fun to share a doz., but we did not have time on this visit. We also enjoyed some fried Haddock and the Rock fish. The Haddock was the better choice. Bathrooms were clean, service friendly a bit slow but she kept us informed. The place was less than 1/2 full on a Sun ~ 1PM, so the delay was in the kitchen. As others have said the salad bar is skimpy but there if you want something green, the house veggie (only 1 per day) was Kale and we weren't brave enough to try. Also, the Cole slaw was missing something in seasoning but was fresh.
(3)Cassandra B.
I love this place. The crab is simple and delicious and the view of the water is amazing. Yes, this is akin to a crab shack but the crab is the best I have had in the area. Do yourself a favor - only order the crab legs (and french fries and hush puppies). I went with a group of people a while back and most of them did not order crabs and they were very dissastisfied. But I blame them. Don't order spaghetti at a crab shack.
(5)Jen G.
Right on the water! Paper on the table! Pretty good seafood. Great drinks (even if they do come in plastic cups) It's a little off the beaten path that winds through the corn fields but there is plenty of signage pointing you the right way. Sit out on the deck on a nice evening... you'll have a good time.
(3)Harry R.
Had crabs from Capt. Billy's twice in the past week. Wait...that doesn't sound like something I want to say. Okay, take #2, I have had take-out blue crabs from Capt. Billy's twice in the past week. The most recent experience was at a massive crab feast in Faulkner, MD. Bottom line...both times - crabs were outstanding. I probably dropped about 20-blues between the two meals, and every crab was firm, perfectly seasoned, and delicious from back-fin to claw. Thumbs up for the Captain.
(4)Marcus F.
Ok service, gross food.
(2)Michelle K.
Came for a birthday lunch with my big sis and a family friend. They traveled from DC and I came from Richmond. The drive up 301N is always relaxing and this is how we heard about the place. The signs always made me want to stop and today I did... First a warning.. I will not let the nightfall hit because I did think the restaurant was closer to 301.. Had to wind down some back roads.. Thank you Lord for navigation. Once there the visit was pleasant. I was seated immediately although I waited for the other 2 to arrive. We all enjoyed our meals. I started off with the corn fritters while waiting for them to arrive. They were hot and not dry. Sweet but not too sweet and I could not resist the honey dip. I felt bad because I did not save not one for the others to taste. (Oh well :-)). We shared 6 steamed crab.. Cooked and seasoned perfectly. We sampled off of each other and we had the fried seafood platter, the broiled seafood platter and the fried shrimp platter. Our sides included green beans, salads and French fries. The green beans were surprisingly seasoned well for a restaurant. My broiled items were cooked and seasoned perfectly. The oysters tasted fresh. The shrimp were fresh and nice sized without too much breaking. The service and our waitstaff were knowledgeable, engaging and pleasant... They even gave me ice cream for my birthday as dessert. We will return..(daylight hours only) Hehe.. Great job!
(4)Luis R.
Staff is super courteous. I got the half dozen crabs and a beer. Sat out on the deck and listened to the seagulls. Looks like the place livens up after dark. This is our second visit in less than two years.
(5)Jennifer S.
This place has seriously gone down hill since we last visited in 2013. 5 adults in our party and everyone left dissatisfied with their meal. Lobster tails were fishy tasting and the butter served with them had an "odd" taste. The only thing good about the fried seafood platter was the oysters, fish was horrible! Potato salad horrible too! Service, however, was great.
(1)Amy R.
Of the beaten path, on the Potomac, beautiful views of the water, friendly wait staff.........if thats what you are looking for then you found it. If you are looking for good food, look elsewhere. Corn fritters weren't bad bud a too sweet for my taste. Fried oyster basket was soggy with mushy oysters and dead french fries. Crab cakes wete all filler and bland. What wasn't filler was shell. If you are still anxious to try it, visit the web site first and at least print the coupons so you can save a couple of bucks!
(2)Holiday J.
'Not a fan of working for my meats, but the sunset, food and company of friends made it worth it. You can dock your boat and walk-up to the restaurant. Service was decent and friendly, even though we were seated for about seven minutes before being greeted. I'd return again. Our batch of seafood was tasty.
(4)Henry F.
They changed the cream of crab soup recipe. It doesnt taste as good as the soup before. I am very dissapointed since I have been getting this soup for at least 25 years, so it is sad to learn that the recipe that kept bringing me back is gone. :-(
(3)Asia M.
We enjoyed a wonderful Sunday afternoon on the water with delicious crabs! The view was amazing, service was great, and crabs were perfect AND very affordable! This was my first time here. We walked in and got a seat right away. We ordered 2 dozen crabs, hush puppies, cream of crab soup and Maryland crb soup. The soups were delicious as well. I ordered a frozen drink that came with whip cream on top. I asked the waiter for another w/o whip cream because I'm dairy sensitive. He said sure no problem. He came back with the same drink had only scooped out the whip cream but it now had particles floating in it! When I asked if they had just scooped the cream out he said no, which meant I now had to point it out to him. He quickly apologized and returned with a new drink shortly thereafter. The frozen drink left a lot to be desired. The restrooms are also outdated and smelly. But this an older restaurant. Other than that- everything was really nice. I would return again!
(4)Jess S.
..........Who goes to a crab house for salad? No. Stop. Get out. Go somewhere else. Who complains about having to pick their own crabs? Okay, no seriously, be quiet, please go somewhere else. Your complaining is distracting me from my mountain of delicious food. Things I can speak to: Whole, local crabs, steamed shrimp, fried anything--including hush puppies, crab cakes, cream of crab soup, clam chowder, and the occasional drink: All delicious. I have no idea what their burgers or chicken dishes are like because well, there's crab to be had. Their seafood is very clean and fresh tasting--no muddy flavors here! Fried food is crispy and not oily. Soup? To die for. Staff is friendly, sinks are available for crabby-shrimpy hand washing, food is good, place is clean, waits can be... well, long. And why wouldn't they be?! There's good food to be had here! Capt Billy's is a great place to visit, whether with a big group or small. If you've got a boat, they've got a dock you can park at so you can stop by for some of their sweet, salty, buttery steamed crabs. Come for beautiful views of the Potomac, the bridge, and breath taking sunsets. Oh, and come for the crab. Pro-tip/history nerd-tip: Enjoy the historical markers all around the area that tell the story of John Wilkes-Booth as he fled Washington, having assassinated President Lincoln.
(5)Katie S.
Do you like fried seafood ? THIS IS YOUR SPOT. New management, good food, decent prices. My husband and I split a seafood platter and it was more than enough. I would definitely go back but expect a wait and be ready to get knee deep in crabs :)
(4)Cathy C.
According to my Dad who had a bowl of cream of crab soup, it was "damn delicious". My snow crab legs were cooked expertly and slide smoothly out of the shell. Their taste was sweet and meat firm. Dad gobbled down the soft shell crabs claiming that they were superb. Whenever we are in the mood for some Maryland seafood we go to Captain Billy's . It's always worth the drive.
(5)Ms. M.
Had a great experience here yesterday. I ordered a side Caesar salad ($3.99) and The Perfect Combo ($50) which came with 4 clusters and 1/2lb of shrimp. I'm a big crab lover and the crabs here were not the best or seasoned well but my company and I both had a great experience. The establishment was nice, clean and presented well. Great host upon walking in and our waiter was awesome. Unfortunately, alcoholic drinks aren't listed anywhere on the menu?!?! No clue why not. The only reason why I wouldn't return is because I like my food seasoned (like The Wharf in DC) especially if we are spending over $125 for two people on dinner. Overall a good first and last visit.
(3)Dm F.
This place has really gone down a lot. I use to bring my mom and stepdad here for my mom's birthday because she really loved good seafood and I knew this place had that, because I was bought here on a date once and loved it. After they died in 2010, my siblings and I would always come down on her birthday to celebrate her birthday. This is the last year that will happened. The only two things about Captain Billy's that hadn't changed was the service and the views. The food is horrible. On my fried seafood platter, I didn't get butterflied shrimp like the days of old, I got Seapak breaded shrimp. There were no oysters or clams, just a breaded, filler filled crab cake, breaded shrimp, and scallops. Even the sides were nasty. I should have known something was wrong when we were able to be seated immediately on a Saturday evening and the establishment was not even half way full. I thought we had beaten the crowd but it stayed that way. When we left, there weren't anyone waiting to be seated at all. Before, we would have to wait on the benches outside (if space was available) for 30 to 45 minutes to be seated. We've already decided that since it was the seafood our mom loved, next year we'll go to G and M to celebrate her birthday. Although there are no views, I don't care, because I don't pay for the view, I can see a view for free, the service is good and the food is well worth the price you pay.
(1)Michael E.
I said I would never go back to the worst seafood place in southern md. New management. So I went back. Food still sucks. Imperial shrimp had so much mayonnaise I got sick. My wife and I will never go back. Crab cakes are terrible. There isn't anything at Captain Billy's that is worth getting. For the best Seafood go to Jerrys in Prince Frederick. For a great crab cake near la plata go to prime street grill
(1)Vince M.
So, I was quite hesitant to check this place out. I'm a lifelong Marylander and know halfway decent seafood. This place was deplorable. Before I even talk about the food, I want to mention how incredibly overstaffed the place is. We went on a Sunday afternoon during peak hours, and the place wasn't that packed at all. However, there was two hostesses by the door, 5 people behind the bar serving one man, and I kid you not, 15 waiters and waitresses crowding up the place. It was ridiculous. Groups of them crowded by tables playing on their cell phones, and eating some of the deep fried crap that they serve. Which is my next major gripe. I can let ALL of that go if the food is of decent quality. We ordered crabs, which you think would be simple. However, they were small and had little meat packed into them (keep in mind small crabs can be just as delicious if they're at least adult and full). This wouldn't be that big of a deal due to overfishing, however, our waiter told us they had large crabs in that day and at the front they displayed good size crabs for order. As for flavor of the crabs, they had the usual Old Bay poured into the pot draining them of the crab flavor. Decent, but a little heavy on the good stuff. My major complaint is the deep fried food. The food was either severely undercooked to the point of being inedible, or overcooked like it was sitting in the Sahara desert for 3 days. We ordered fish, clams, oysters and hush puppies...out of those 4 dishes NONE were prepared correctly. Deep frying doesn't require that many techniques to mess up 4 dishes as horribly as they did. Hush puppies, fish and clams were cooked beyond standard frying temperatures. However, the oysters were the worst culprit, as they were under done, and we couldn't even finish them. This is a harsh critique, but for $70 all of us left disappointed. I could ignore the waiters awkwardly sitting around watching you eat. I could ignore the small crabs. But I can't ignore the quality of the food that they serve. This place needs to be on Kitchen Nightmares or something. Maybe if they give Gordon Ramsay or Robert Irvine a call I'd return.
(1)KP P.
1 dozen Medium Crabs for $35!!! Not bad at all. Service was good and a nice atmosphere.
(4)Hanna K.
This place was a pleasant surprise. The view of the river sets a great relaxing atmosphere and the waitress was absolutely awesome. She took the time to show us the proper and easy way to crack crabs! We also got fries which came out piping hot. All in all, it's not the fanciest place but a nice chill place with good food and atmosphere.
(4)Wayne L.
I go for the local steamed crabs, Yuengling draft and the view. In the past, crabs have been mixed sized, fairly priced and generally good. However, since the spring management change, the crabs have been the barely legal, smallest they can get away with selling. They have been tasty and meaty, but when this small they are a chore to pick.. Beer's still cold and the view is still great.
(3)Kristine T.
I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! They are now under new management starting 3/12/15. They've improved some of their recipes and added some stuff to the menu including crab cake sliders and wings that I heard were tasty. I can't wait to go again now that they've opened up for the 2015 season. I've been going here for several years so I've tried quite a lot: -Crabs, crab legs, steamed shrimp - always cooked and seasoned perfectly -Crab cakes & seafood platters are good if you don't feel like picking crabs -Shrimp Salad or Crab Salad Cold Plate - sooo good! Especially if you want something light and refreshing. Comes with their yummy potato salad and coleslaw (my fave) along with some fruit and a pickle over lettuce -Fried oysters - I hate oysters, but my mom loves these -Tilapia - I hate fish, but I really like their fried tilapia. You get 2 and 2 sides! -Seafood dip - so yum! We usually have to get another baguette just so we can finish it all -Hamburgers/hotdogs - big/filling/yummy -Chicken tender basket - lots of food and good! -Fried shrimp (comes in a basket too)- soooo good! -I always get an order of corn fritters b/c I can't get them anywhere else and they are amazing -Soups: I personally don't like MD crab soup, but theirs is really good. I prefer their cream of crab soup!!!! SOO GOOD! -Hush puppies - yum!!!! -Onion rings - standard yummy onion rings -They also have a variety of alcoholic drinks, but their house drink, Backfin, is really good! -Their frozen drinks are really good too! The strawberry and creamsicle are my favorite with or without alcohol (I used to get w/o when I was younger, but now I add in the good stuff!) Pretty much everything is made fresh and at the restaurant - potato salad, coleslaw, cocktail sauce, crab cakes, soups, etc Honestly, every time I go I have a hard time not ordering almost everything on the menu. It's all just so good! And if something doesn't come out right, just ask the server and they will be happy to fix it. And while the food is great, the experience is even better. The restaurant is huge with indoor bar seating, plenty of indoor tables and booths, lots of seats near the big windows overlooking the Potomac (beautiful at sunset), there's a huge room for overflow seating during the busy rushes or private parties, and there's even outdoor tables. They can even accommodate large parties b/c they have HUGE tables! The décor is really cute and very fun. Each table is covered with brown paper and everybody gets a placemat that gives instructions on how to pick a crab. Each table has their own container of napkins and condiments (old bay, vinegar, ketchup, etc). They even have a salad bar! You can buy really cute shirts near the hostess stand. They have sinks in the restaurant (outside of the bathrooms) so you can easily wash your crabby hands. You can always go outside and talk a walk on their pier. Long story short, this place is awesome and one of my favorites. It's a drive worth making!
(5)Sierra H.
Great seafood place in somd. Always have had great experiences here. They are seasonal so make sure they are open before you go. Great food, good prices and mainly GREAT CRABS! Make sure to stop by the bar and order one of their drinks!
(5)MG W.
New management, same old story. Overpriced reheated frozen food. Mushy little crabs Tired salad wanna be bar. My wife and I have been in and out of Cap'n Billy's for 30 years. Been three times already this year. Sad. Very sad. The place "survives" on its name and location. RIP Billy. Miss you greatly. Maybe some day someone will restore your place to the way you had it. We'll try again next year. Hope springs eternal.
(1)Julia S.
I USED to like this place. Now, notsomuch. I will NEEEVER return, not even for a best-friend's or family's party that was paid for. My waitress was nice but unfortunately she sat us under the dripping, super-freezing a/c unit. I couldn't eat my crabs because my fingers had froze. I asked nicely for another table that was not under any leak, and the waitress let me speak to the manager. The old battle-axe lady with the blonde bee-hive...yes, her. She did not give a half of f*ck, and she said if I was cold, I could buy a Capt'n Billy Sweatshirt for $15. I thought I was being Punked!! I waited for Ashton Kutcher to appear, but no luck. After a slight verbal altercation about how NOT to put tables under a leaky cold A/C unit with the battle-axe, she let me know that other people were waiting to be seated and I could take my crappy table or leave it. I apologize now for the waitress who did not receive a tip from me because her boss was so shitty. Advice young lady, get a better job, at a decent crab house that treats their customers right!!!
(1)Marivic L.
I love going to Captain Billy's. Yeah, it's far, but it's super casual and has a friendly atmosphere, right on the water. Our go-tos here are the steamed crabs, of course. In recent years, the catch has been much smaller. I remember when you used to be able to get extra large crabs BUT I have to say, the crabs and the seasoning are just perfect for me. In addition to crabs, we always get a pound of steamed shrimp which is always tasty. Add in some corn fritters dipped in honey, and you've got a great meal. MMM corn fritters. I never had any before Captain Billy's and I can't imagine any being better than the ones you get there. My only issue this time is that the 4 orders we got weren't freshly fried. It makes a difference. If you get some that aren't (perish the thought), ask them for fresh ones. I think this was only because of how busy they were. I'd never had cold-ish fritters from them before, so that was disappointing. So, there it is. I hope to go back at least a couple more times when I have time this year. Sure, there are places to get crab closer to me, but it's just not the same.
(3)Dwalt H.
I started going to Capt Billy's many year ago and I've enjoyed their seafood so much. It is a very lovely place to eat look out the window over the potomac river. They have some of the best crabs I have ever eaten, and the 2 bartenders that worked were very friendly and talked to is quite a bit( I think there names were Walter and Celene) anyways Great Place!
(5)Missy D.
My review review of Capt. Billy's comes after 30 years of what I felt I could rely on for a nostalgic good ol' time blue crab indulgence. The past three times I paid for the upgraded lump crab cakes I was shocked. I didn't want to accept how godawful the crab cakes were so I gave them three chances to prove me wrong. My taste buds were assaulted and overwhelmed by a sodium filled shredded overspiced recipe that would have Capt. Billy himself rolling over in his grave. The psychological dissappointment of my reality from a childhood nostalgia left me, quite frankly, depressed. Say it isn't so. If you're going for just the steamed crab menu then you might still be okay but for me I'm going out to get another box of kleenex. Capt. Billy, where are you?
(1)Pam Z.
Yes, it is now officially Maryland blue crab season! Some friends and I ventured the hour or so out of DC to Captain Billy's in Southern Maryland for some crabby goodness. This place is right on the water, and about 4x the size of Cantler's. Or for those of you who have never been to Cantler's, about the size of Phillips Seafood in DC. When the weather's nice, you can sit on the deck over the water too! Plenty of parking. APPS & DRINKS Bloody Mary was just okay, but for $5 I wasn't too worried. The pina coladas were actually very good, but should have been saved for dessert. Only Bud + Lite, Miller + Lite and Yuengling on tap. Guess what I ordered. Seafood dip was pretty good and guilt laden (cheese crust!) served with a soft baguette or two for $12. Definitely get the hush puppies and corn fritters! Both were awesome fried goodness. Go to Captain Billy's website for a coupon for a free one! Fritters are served with honey and powdered sugar, and the hush puppies are salty and dense served with butter. Nom! yelp.com/biz_photos/EaEp… MAIN COURSE The crabs of course! Since there were three couples, there were a couple dozen crabs split with the less brave ordering non seafood. The crabs were a little small since it was the beginning of the season, but still oh so satisfying. $32 for a dozen at this time of year. Easy on the Old Bay guys! Note: Crab picking is not for the faint of heart (or the impatient)! I am an impatient person, but was luckily raised in a household where how much crab you got to eat was determined by how quickly you could crack 'em and extract the meat. You too will become extremely efficient if you are competing with siblings for that last claw. And don't forget the skinny legs and the joints for meat too! yelp.com/biz_photos/EaEp… Fear not! Billy's has a guide for the newbies on how to extract crab ( yelp.com/biz_photos/EaEp… ) Some of the non-seafood friends who came ordered ribs (so-so) and chicken tenders (also so-so), although the fries were very good. True that the non-crabs seem to be a bit lacking here, but what did you expect? Price was reasonable. For two persons: the seafood dip, (free with coupon) corn fritters, a bloody mary, a soda, a beer, and a dozen crabs, total came out to $60+ tip. And they're happy to split checks for you. Be prepared for a mandatory 17% gratuity on parties of 6+ or checks of $100+. I don't exactly know why people are mad about this, btw. Also, I'm kinda weirded out by the arcade entrance. How many years have those prizes been in those machines? Will have to come back in summer when the crabs are larger!
(4)Mike T.
Really great seafood place that sits right on the Potomac. On this trip we had the feast for two which included: 1 pound of shrimp, 3 pounds of king crab legs, half a rack of ribs and 2 sides. Everything was delicious, and the outdoor seating was a plus as well. The only downside is they add a 15% tip to your bill for a group of four or more if the bill exceeds 100 bucks.. I think it should be up to the customer to leave the tip, as it normally would be 20%. Overall great place with great food. I will be stopping back again for sure!
(4)Kelly G.
I was in the middle of a 15 day juice fast. I could have "brothy" soups at lunchtime when things got really bad. This particular day, things were bad. My friend drove me on this long ride to get to this lovely seafood restaurant on the water. It was one of those lovely March days when the sun was out and there was no need for a coat. What? I took one look at the menu and knew I would not be ordering the "brothy" soup. Cream of Crab was calling my name loud and clear. So, I threw caution to the wind and ordered it. I should have asked for tastes of both the Cream of Crab and the Vegetable Crab prior to placing my order. When the cream of crab soup came out, it was overly thick, almost paste like. It had shards of crab in it, not jumbo lumps. And the flavor was more like a topping for a fish rather than a soup itself. I was disappointed, Oh, yeah, also it was not hot enough. What is that all about? A soup that is not hot enough? Whatever. After slogging through almost the whole bowl, I asked for a taste of the Vegetable Crab. Man-oh-man was it good. It was piping hot, full of (again) shards of crab, but at least you could see them contrasted against the red of the tomato soup base, and it was full of potatoes, corn, peas, carrots, and bacon (?). Our server was nice enough to respond to our every need. The decor is "crab shack" and the prices seem reasonable. I should have ordered the Vegetable Crab soup this time. Oh well. Now, I know better for the next time. Oh yes, there will be a next time. I won't be fasting forever. Original visit Saturday, March 15, 2014
(4)Jayr M.
When in doubt come to this place. The people, the service, the outdoor scenery all so beautiful. And the people that run this place are so wonderful .
(5)Thomas M.
maybe it was the day we came on or the time of day but i wasnt highly impressed with this place. I love seafood and my food wasnt terrible but the price was too much for what i got. Some of my family got a salad as a side which you can get from their salad bar but to their surprise there wasnt much on the bar. Pretty much just lettuce tomato cucumber and dressing. No cheese and no other toppings. There were flies everywhere which was annoying as i was constantly swinging my hands in the air. The crabcakes had shells in them but still tasted good. the crab balls were amazing. the server i cant remember his name was great and kept our drinks full and was very friendly Im not sure i will be back being that this is my first time. I have had better and have had a better experience.
(3)Jenny T.
Ahhh loved this place. Lemme tell ya about that sunset dinner next to the water. =P There are benches that face the water where you can sit side-by-side to enjoy your $25/$35 worth (good deal) of crabs... everything was fresh, the veggie crab soup was really good, too. The staff was very friendly and checked back frequently. Emptied our bucket of shells every so often. Pretty good deal. Watch out for the seating closer to the water, though. Once the sun has set and the lights turn on, you can see all the bugs hovering---above you!!!
(5)Christina G.
Great hidden spot on the water.
(4)Georgio B.
Upate: todays visit was dismal 4/13/13 I've been coming here for years and while I'm not a complaining type whiner type person... The quality has been diminishing. I try to tell myself it's just me, but in reality... It's them! Today we ordered a fried seafood platter ($27) and a Tilapia sandwich ($8) The tilapia tasted like dirt. Ya know that dirt taste you often find in catfish? Yeah that taste. Maybe it's due to being a farm raised fish? or some other reason. I didn't finish it. Yuk. The fried platter had the same "dirtfish" so that didnt get eaten. The scallops were extremely rubbery and tasted undercooked. Didnt eat them. Those fried shrimp were... well Gortons of Gloucester could have equalled them. Took the remains home to the dogs and they seemed to enjoy it. The ONLY edible thing we were served was the fried clams and the hush puppies.. They both were decent, not outstanding, but okay. Our server was grade "B". True, she got involved with a large party after she served us, but that's no excuse for forgetting us either. BOTTOM LINE: That was my last visit. We work hard for our $ and at those prices we expect a quality product and I'm sad to say you can't get it at Cap't Billys anymore. I'm gonna try some other places around the Potomac. Goodbye Bill!
(2)N Y.
My boyfriend and I were visiting his grandmother in La Plata and decided to go to Captain Billy's on the suggestion of his grandmother who had not been there in years. The restaurant smelled like rotten fish and trash outside. It is understandable that there may be a fishy smell but this was beyond that, absolutely disgusting. The inside was somewhat dirty. We were seated promptly. We both ordered the "world famous" crab cake sandwich. The sandwich came and it was drenched in oil and it was SHREDDED CANNED crab meat..mind you this place is a crab house! I was barely able to eat half of my sandwich, needless to say we both got violently ill that night and could barely move. Clearly it was the sandwich, it smelled awful and was terrible quality..even for canned meat. We came to find out that others have gotten sick here too. Awful.
(1)Holly S.
Pluses: Nice location on the water, great blue crabs, tasty hushpuppies, cold, cheap pitchers of beer, very pleasant staff. Crabs came from the Potomac, so not as sweet as those from Chesapeake, but they were fresh, big, and über meaty. Minuses: Spiced shrimp were really pathetic and WAY overpriced to boot. Tasted like shrimp cocktail but with shells and iodine, and a little crab seasoning sprinkled on top. Extremely disappointing. I would definitely go back for the crabs.
(4)Rob M.
I love this place. Yes the staff is a bit weathered but, it works. This is a no-frills crabhouse. The salad bar has salad, not a ton of wild extras and "...salad", just greens and stuff to put on them. The crabs are great the outdoor dining is fantastic. I felt like I was on a one week vacation in the hour and a half I sat outside and picked my crabs. I go whenever I'm in driving by at dinner time. The prices are very reasonable too. If you're looking for high end seafood dining, go somewhere else and leave me alone here!
(4)Gi A.
This is my mother-in-law's favorite restaurant, so I really shouldn't say this, but I sigh a little each time she want to go there. (Disclaimer: I've never had their whole crabs (though I've had other crab dishes), but they're supposed to be delicious. I just don't like getting bits of crabs bits all over me without a shower nearby.) In the salad bar are wilted iceburg lettuce, unripe tomatoes, smooshy cucumber, canned green beans, canned beets, and canned corn (see a theme?). There's always a kid sticking his finger in something; I avoid whatever that happens to be and hope he's not a nose-picker. Most of the other dishes are all right if salty and greasy is your thing. The crabcakes, however, are big, moist, and relatively filler-free, with just a thin layer of crunch on the outside. The bar could certainly add a star or two, if only I could find a way to get sloshed in front of my MIL. . .
(2)Angela G.
Still five stars, but I have to second Reggie G's comment about the reviews from folks not getting crabs (whoa, that came out wrong, lol) - if you're going to order anything but the blue crabs and base your review on that, I can guarantee disappointment at this place. It's kind of like going for sushi when you don't eat fish - the blue crabs are where the restaurant puts its effort (aside from maybe pulling pitchers of beer) and everything else is an afterthought. If you don't eat blue crabs, maybe you should pass. If you do, make the drive and get ready to party.
(5)Andy B.
Food Road Trip: Richmond, Virginia, Day 5 I've had Five Guys burgers twice now so I'm a happy camper, dinner the day before and lunch on Saturday. We ask one of my sister's friend (a local) what places she recommends for crabs and shrimp since we were near the Chesapeake Bay and first thing she says is Captain Billy's. This place is pretty hard to find if you do not have gps or a local to guide you. It's right on the water and in a very woodsy area. We came here for the crab which were in season and going for very cheap: 12 for $30. We also order broiled scallops, crab cake, fried shrimp, 1/2 lb of steamed shrimp, cream of crab soup and onion rings. There were two memorable dishes from this list, the crab and the fried shrimp. The scallops, steamed shrimp and onion rings were good but I didn't like the crab cake or cream of crab soup (texture and consistency reminded me of mayo). The fried shrimp was just awesome! I like it when something so simple is so good, very unexpected. The shrimps were a nice golden brown, crunchy, not oily, the batter to shrimp ratio was just right, and fried to perfection. The crab had a dry seasoning on them and tasted so sweet! This place gives you wooden dowels to work with the crab. I thought that was so cool! The crab meat was tender and moist. The best part though was the crab "guts". Sweet, salty, rich and with a slight bitterness, it was heaven. I think I ate too much of it since a few people in the group did not enjoy that part of the crab and I happily ate for them (was a bit light headed after though). We finished the first dozen and ordered another dozen. Then second batch was a bit more salty than the first but still good. The food came out pretty fast considering the place was packed. The service was average. My only complaint was that we asked for a glass of water from the waiter 2 times and he forgot twice but then we asked for a pitcher and he brought it the next time he was over. The best thing though was the bill. All six of us were full and it only cost about $150 including tax and tip.
(4)Courtney D.
i loved this place. it has charm, cheap prices, and delicious crabs. husband said the familiarity and neighborliness of the place reminded him of Merlotte's in Bon Temps (just without all the darkness and vampires). in fact, we came on a Sunday morning and watched the families roll in steadily after church. we were the fifth or so to be seated. when we left, the place was full. and the dining area is NOT small. our server was super nice. didn't seem to mind that the two of us sat there for 2 hours trying to make our way through the tremendous Ultimate Feast - couple pounds of crab legs, half pound of shrimp, and a half dozen blue crabs. and we still couldn't manage to finish it all! blue crabs were the best i've tasted. plus corn on the cob and hushpuppies (though next time i'd go with the corn fritters. i'm just not a fan of Carolina tube style). beer is cheap and available in baby pitchers! $5 for Loose Cannon! they gave us a couple bags to pack up our leftover crabs. made them into a corn salad the next day. walked out of there feeling like we got away with something, our bill was so small compared the other crab houses we've visited! and to top it all off, i got mad props from my old-school co-worker for visiting her mom's favorite weekend joint. :)
(5)James B.
The truth: So this place is really two parts. 5 stars if you come for crabs, shrimp or corn fritters. You can't go wrong, it's what Maryland crabs is all about. Now for the second part, if you don't like crab or shrimp, flat out dont come here! Very limited menu and everything else is horrible. The salad bar is just sad and the hamburger tasted like a left out school cafeteria burger. In conclusion, come and eat some great crabs or go somewhere else.
(3)Katherine D.
Myself and two of my friends decided to drive out to this place on a Saturday evening. We were seated outside, our waitress was nice, and the food that we ordered was good. The problem we had was 17% gratuity they take upon themselves to add to your bill. Now I was on my own check and my two friends were on another. I ask one of the waitresses about the automatic tip and she asked me " was my bill over $100?" I answer " no". Another girl chimes in and asks" is your party large?" Again I answer " no" she proceeds to tell me she will grab the manager. The manager comes out and says " oh, your bill was over $100 so we automatically charge you the gratuity". Again, my bill was not over $100 and neither was my friends but, you charged us both 17% gratuity. The manager then says" both of your bills together was over $100, it doesn't matter that you had separate checks, you guys sat together. WHAT!?! I say, "How does this make any sense?!" Now the manager has become rude and says well that's our policy! Nowhere is this posted, noted on the menu nor does the server give you a heads up. Needless to say before this turned into an altercation we left. I will not be returning . I should be able to decide how much I want to tip and if they have a policy, it should be posted somewhere so people are aware. Oh did I forget to mention the staff of teenager employees ( at least 10 of them ) that we're playing around right in front of customers!? One guy pushes another into a trash can and they all laugh while another one plays with a taser trying to get another guy to come near him so he could zap him with it. Seriously!?!
(1)Bill R.
Excellent service from bartender's Celene & Walter, they made our first experience very delightful. Food was very good, and the drinks were awesome! Can't wait to come back
(5)Chontelle M.
Why you should trust me on this review: 1. My grandfather was a crabber in MD. 2. My great grandfather was an oysterman/crabber in Maryland. 3. I stopped using a mallot to eat crabs when I was 5 years old. I used to go to Robertson's when I was a kid. When they closed, everyone moved over to Capt. Billy's. I am all about the Maryland crab. And if you are looking for a Maryland crab experience, this is your place. Everyone is dressed down. There is nothing fancy. Less than 5 minutes after you order, your food is hot and ret' ta' go. You get a plastic bucket, a laminated menu and the best dang crabs MD has to offer. You are presented with only male crabs (unless you ask for a mix) Tip: Female Crabmeat is sweeter. Your drinks will be refilled, your crabs will be plentiful. You aren't charged extra for shipping, quality or sizing. You get the best of what they have pulled out the water. There is no politicking about it. And their best is what I've seen people pay $60 a dozen for. For $45 I shared snow crab legs, 2 lbs of shrimp, a half a dozen MD crabs and dranks. It was a lot and soooooo good. Like Adam, it takes me a lot of time and planning to get here, but sitting and looking over the water as I crack a shell, makes it all worth while.
(5)Amanda N.
I really liked this place...I wanted to love it. I really like the location and the atmosphere. Casual and waterfront. Awesome. BUT...when we arrived, they had no hard shell crabs. That was the reason we drove 2 hours to get there. I ordered the fried shrimp and scallop platter instead. The shrimp was great, but the scallops...no. The were soggy with grease and didn't taste that great. the hushpuppies - great. Fried oysters - delicious. With the exception of the scallops, the food was good and we left satisfied. So why am I only 2 stars? Your waiters. There were so many servers there and they just seemed bored. HERE'S THE BEST PART. As I sit down with my future mother-in-law and fiance, a waiter behind us rolling silverware cat-calls me. ARE YOU SERIOUS???!!!! Who gives a f*** that you like redheads. Not me. If this a**hole waiter is reading this, you should thank your lucky stars that my ex-military black belt fiance was too tired and hungry to punch you in the balls. And, oh, by the way, real classy in front of my mother in law.
(2)Andrea B.
Great steamed shrimp & legs!! Nice outside seating & they let us bring our dog, even brought him some water. The only downside for me was the swarm of red wasps under the railing of the deck, right beside my seat... We will fight the Maryland traffic and definitely go back! It is the best we have found so far!!
(5)Billy L.
This place rocks! If you're ever in the mood for crabs and a laid back atmosphere, you definitely need to check out Captain Billy's. The crabs are an obvious go-to, but before you dig in, you should get the Hot Seafood Dip. It's a mix of crab and shrimp in a creamy, cheesy sauce served with an awesome hot toasted baguette that's lightly dusted with Old Bay (or their inhouse equivalent). The salad bar is...well, there's some lettuce and an odd assortment of about 4 or 5 toppings on a bar style platform, so I guess it is technically a salad bar, but it seems a waste of space. They either need to jazz it up or get rid of it. If your going here for salad though, you're entirely missing the point of this place. My only gripe is the hostess. She's an older lady with a give-a-shit attitude. I just went there today with 6 other family members. We wanted a table inside with a view of the water. After walking to 4 tables, she said she couldn't seat us because the tables were set up for just 4, 6, 14, and 20 people. After some back and forth that was getting us nowhere and on the verge of leaving, I found the manager and spoke with her about the situation. She immediately got us a table and all was good. I still have no idea what the deal was with the hostess, but I found it odd that she'd turn away a group that's going to spend a couple hundred dollars with a shrug and blank stare.
(4)Kay L.
Ever since I was a kid, we've driven 2 hours north to pick steamed crabs at Captain Billy's. And now we do the same with our kids. No menus for us. Start with hush puppies. Move on to the crabs.. That's it. I've never even been tempted to try anything else The drinks aren't great, though. We just stick to water and iced tea. Dress to get messy from all of the Old Bay!!!
(4)Adam Y.
My favorite crab place. it takes me about 2 to 2.5 hours to get to this place but its entirely worth it. the crabs here are by far the best. I constantly do my best to find a reason to make this trip. I'm a big fan of everything here. the old bay is great here and the crabs are great too. The service is always great and the crabs don't take too long. I most recently came here with my dad who hates all sea food. However, he loved the food options that were available to him (good old fashioned southern cooking). The only sad thing about this place is no crab feast but otherwise, its a great place to go. Be careful because its a bit busy on the weekends!!!!! Also, the general atmosphere of the area is great. I suggest sitting outside so you can look at the water and boats. It can be a bit cold inside so I suggest bringing a sweat shirt just in case!
(5)Janssen C.
This is an authentic "newspaper and mallet" style crab shack with a scenic view of the water. The service is homey and friendly, by waitresses that call you "honey". And most importantly, the blue crabs by the dozen are steaming hot, fat, and fresh. The kitchen is a bit liberal with their house-made Old Bay equivalent, but that's part of the experience. Your hands end up caked in it, like you'd been digging in the dirt all day. Other seafood dishes are no slouch either. The shrimp boil taste like shrimp ought to taste: wild and briny. Crispy fried oysters that pop. Well worth a detour.
(4)Dan B.
Rode our Harley out, nice ride to Capt'in Billy's, curvy roads. Went this past Sun and the restaurant was busy but not overly packed. The hostess sitting at the front behind the podium was rude and unfriendly. We wanted to sit outside and said we would be happy to wait; she gave us a beeper for when a table would come available. So we went to the bar to order a couple beers while we waited. The elderly bartender, well, she was unfriendly too. This is now getting silly. We finally got seated after just 10mins. Nice views from the outside tables, watching the boats go by. Our server, she was also grumpy and unfriendly. What in the heck is in the water at this place? I know we all have bad days but if staff member after staff member are this grumpy to customers, that quickly becomes a manager/owner issue; expectations for good, friendly service should be priority one, especially if your food is mediocre. Cold drinks and good friendly service can hide a lot of flaws. Now for the food. The steamed shrimp were tasteless, overcooked and small. The hush-puppies were terrific, just a hint of sweetness and a nice crunch. The fried clams were good too. The fries were just ok. The beer was tasty and cold.
(2)Bryan J.
Sat on the porch right on the water and it was perfect. Our waitress was extremely helpful, attentive, and friendly. Couldn't have asked for a better server really. The food was great. My friends ordered a bushel of crabs while I got the fried clams/shrimp platter. Delicious! Also ordered a 1lb of the Alaskan king crab legs, which to me was the highlight of the meal. No complaints about the place. Definitely would go back.
(4)Heather G.
I have been going here ever since I was a kid (so like 25 - 30 years). I got a hankerin' for steamed crabs on Sunday and off my fiance and I went so we could enjoy a lovely holiday weekend evening on the water. We get down there around 5:30 PM, get a pager for a table outside (were told it was a 30 minute wait - no big deal) and prepare to hunker down for a bit. Right after I get the pager, I hear the older server lady come out and say "I'm going to put the sign up that we're out of hard shells". I'm like whaaat? I didn't drive an hour for this. I was going to send the fiance next door to find out if they had crabs since dammit -I didn't drive down to BFE, SoMD for nothing, but he disappeared into the men's room for a while. So I had to wait for him to get back before I could disperse him. Of course, as fate would have it, the pager goes off like 3 minutes later and I get escorted to our table outside. I have to admit sitting outside was nice. We could hear the good band from Gilligan's next door. Since he wasn't sure that he really wanted a lot to eat and has some strange social crab eating phobia, he just ordered a bowl of the cream of crab soup and a salad and offered to pick off my dish. We ended up getting the 2 1/2 pd snow crab leg feast with a half pound of steamed shrimp to split. The cream of crab soup was really good - lots of Old Bay in it (which he didn't like because he is a blasphemer from Oregon). The salad bar was weak but I put a hurtin' on the pickled beets. I got some corn fritters, which he had never had, and he thought they were wicked good (so he gets some cool points back). Our crab legs and shrimp come out in a timely fashion and I have to say I was disappointed. The shrimp weren't seasoned enough, and the crab legs were overcooked. The couple on the other side of us heard us talking about how I was sad that I drove all that way to get steamed crabs and didn't get any, and they gave me their final four that they couldn't eat and didn't want to take home with them. I thanked them profusely and tore into my first, and only crab - it was very small and there was hardly any meat in it at all. Made me glad that I didn't pay premium prices to get any. Our bill was somewhere around $80 including our two ice teas. So the meal ended up being about $100. Our waitress was nice and all, but really....$100 for all that? No thank you. In the future, we'll go try out Gilligan's.
(2)Pat G.
The staff is extremely helpful and friendly. The food delicious. Sitting in the restaurant with a view of the Chesapeake is great! Pricing, reasonable. Our server, Rose, AWESOME! The only odd things I found were: 1) it's a seafood restaurant that doesn't serve baked potatoes (who wants fries with broiled seafood); and 2) the salad bar was boring. I will go back.
(4)Connie M.
Love this place. Every time we come here it's great. The seafood is cooked just right and the potato salad is awesome. Just drove by and they are closed for the season... Bummer:(
(4)Peter T.
This place is a great example of how I imagine Maryland to have been for most of its modern history, before the District-ization took place and carpetbaggers (like my parents) moved in. Feathery hairstyles you thought went out in the 80s, accents you swear only existed south of the Carolinas, and NASCAR fan clubs. All of these are on prominent display at ol' Billy's, and they are all glorious. You could probably sate your appetite on the people-watching experience alone. Luckily for us, the people here know how to throw down on some crustaceans. I'm pretty sure there was HOMEMADE old bay seasoning on the table. Great start. Awesome start. Honestly, it's just beautiful - it's not Old Bay, it's old bay seasoning. Some real authentic waterman stuff. We ordered the Ultimate Seafood Feast (steamed Maryland crabs, snow crab legs, and steamed shrimp) and some hush puppies. My experience living in North Carolina dictates that hush puppies be eaten with ketchup, but they come with honey here. Pretty good, not really my bag, but I'm not complaining. Anyway, you don't come here for hush puppies, you come for the crabs, and good gawd were those crabs delicious. Worth every penny, as long as you've paid your rent and light bills and all that of course (let's not get carried away here, the crabs aren't doing your laundry or anything, they're merely being delicious). The USF, as it will be referred to from now on as I'm still recovering from my crab coma, was slightly too much food for two people, but that's ok because apparently snow crab legs can be easily reheated in your standard oven with little flavor lost. Snow crab legs do tend to creep me out a little bit (they look like horror movie props), so I was more focused on the Maryland crabs. But the snow crab legs were pretty good, Freddy Krueger-like aesthetics and all. Ohhhh and the sweet tea. Another strong reminder that we are indeed south of the Mason-Dixon Line. Like I said, I used to live in North Cackalack, where folk pride themselves on their sweet tea. I can say without a hint of Marylander bias that the sweet tea here meets Common Southern Standard. To really drive home the authenticity, the restaurant sits right on the water, and they give you paper plates and a rough-cut wooden mallet to bash your crabs' brains in. Added historical bonus: stop along the way and check out the various hiding places and paths that the bastard John Wilkes Booth took to evade the feds after he popped Lincoln.
(5)Ago S.
Capt Billy's its a "worth while stop " if you are on 301 in S Md or on the Va side near the 2 lane Gov Nice bridge go over to Md and give it a try captbillys.com/Home_Page… We've been there before and enjoyed the view. As a family of 4, one kid did the reg shrimp basket, our other chewed on a side of hush puppies. They do have a few of the basic kid menue items: hot dog, chix planks, grilled cheese, shrimp. ~ $6 Crabs looked fine and always fun to share a doz., but we did not have time on this visit. We also enjoyed some fried Haddock and the Rock fish. The Haddock was the better choice. Bathrooms were clean, service friendly a bit slow but she kept us informed. The place was less than 1/2 full on a Sun ~ 1PM, so the delay was in the kitchen. As others have said the salad bar is skimpy but there if you want something green, the house veggie (only 1 per day) was Kale and we weren't brave enough to try. Also, the Cole slaw was missing something in seasoning but was fresh.
(3)David M.
Service is a little slow, but the view from the water is awesome. The food is pretty great. I will say one thing that place is in the middle of no where. I'm pretty sure I heard banjos, and at one point on the trip to Captain Billy's somebody told me I had a perdy mouth. This being said great food, and an even better view on the water.
(4)Daniel B.
The food is great here, we have been dining here for years. The restaurant is about 100 miles from our home in Virginia and we have always been very satified until yesterday. Our dissatisfaction was not with the food or service. We were very disappointed when we received our bill and noticed the tip had already been added and there were only four people in our party. Apparently this restaurant has a policy that if the bill exceeds $100 then a 17% tip is added by the wait-staffer to the bill. Exceeding $100 at a seafood restaurant is easy especially with four adults. Odd thing is the waitress would have gotten 20% tip. I reserve the right to decide how much I will tip since it is my money I am spending. So Capt Billy's got a 17% tip but has permanently lost our business. My wife and I have on numerous occasions taken the hour and 15 minute drive here for the seafood but now we will go elsewhere. Next time, it's Gilligan's Pier nextdoor, they have just as good food and no automatic tipping policy.
(2)Ellen K.
I have been going to Captain Billy's my whole life. It has always been my go to place for crabs. But the last two years, I have been nothing but disappointed. I keep giving it another chance because I do not want to believe the crab house of my childhood would no longer be fantastic. But the last time - was the last time. Money is scarce these days and crabs are expensive and I want fresh, large and properly cooked crabs. The last few times I have been there the crabs have been small and they just do not seem fresh. The final time I went there the crabs smelled of ammonia or bleach or something when I cracked them open. I told the server and they said that was normal. Both my friend and I have eaten crabs our whole lives and I do not recall them smelling this bad. I left without eating a majority of the crabs I paid for. I am so sad to say that I will not be returning and that I have to try another crab house. The hush puppies and corn fritters are still yummy though :/
(2)Milo R.
Wasn't all that. Too much time getting the little crab meat there was. It was small brown Gulf of Mexico type crab. It was peel & eat type crab & shrimp. It's not worth going out of your way to eat at this place.
(1)Michael W.
This place is a great secret of the DC area. It takes a while to get to - usually 45 mins to 1 hr from where I live in Arlington. However, it is worth it. They do crabs (Chesapeake Bay) here and they do them well. You will also find good Alaskan crabs. They also make a good oyster soup. Very casual. Very simple. Great family run business. Friendly staff. Good cold beer.
(5)Harry R.
Had crabs from Capt. Billy's twice in the past week. Wait...that doesn't sound like something I want to say. Okay, take #2, I have had take-out blue crabs from Capt. Billy's twice in the past week. The most recent experience was at a massive crab feast in Faulkner, MD. Bottom line...both times - crabs were outstanding. I probably dropped about 20-blues between the two meals, and every crab was firm, perfectly seasoned, and delicious from back-fin to claw. Thumbs up for the Captain.
(4)Marcus F.
Ok service, gross food.
(2)Jen G.
Right on the water! Paper on the table! Pretty good seafood. Great drinks (even if they do come in plastic cups) It's a little off the beaten path that winds through the corn fields but there is plenty of signage pointing you the right way. Sit out on the deck on a nice evening... you'll have a good time.
(3)Cassandra B.
I love this place. The crab is simple and delicious and the view of the water is amazing. Yes, this is akin to a crab shack but the crab is the best I have had in the area. Do yourself a favor - only order the crab legs (and french fries and hush puppies). I went with a group of people a while back and most of them did not order crabs and they were very dissastisfied. But I blame them. Don't order spaghetti at a crab shack.
(5)CrAzYcatmama M.
Went to Capt. Billys yesterday afternoon 6/2/13) around 2ish for lunch with family and friends. They guys each got the dozen crabs for $34.99, my friend and I got the Broiled Seafood Platter (which I get every time) and the kids got the grilled cheese and a shrimp basket. My food was awesome! It always is. The shrimp I was given were huge, the crabcake was good, as well as the scallops and fish. My friend got the bowl of cream of crab as an appetizer, it came to her bowl overflowing and she said it was awesome. Potato salad and cole slaw were my sides, again all was great, couldnt even finish it all! My four stars comes for a couple reasons. First, whenever we go we are ALWAYS sat in the very back of the restaurant in the corner. We had 6 people with us, 2 of them kids..and the place was pretty empty. Second, my friend got the salad bar which I've seen in other reviews was beyond pathetic. No veggies and no meats like bacon are even offered. It was a bagged salad mix and cheese. Lastly, my fish was good but had a huge amount of spice on it, half of it I couldn't eat. I also would like to mention the dozen crabs for $34.99 that each of the guys got was actually after counting almost 2 dozen..pretty awesome. For the dozen crab special (which was actually almost 2 dozen) the broiled seafood platter, kids shrimp basket, an order of hush puppies, 2 iced teas and a pitcher of beer it was $92.46. Overall a decent place for seafood and crab lovers.
(4)Reggie G.
First of all, the people who wrote bad reviews that didn't even eat crabs should be stricken from the record. What in the H-E-double-hockey-sticks are you doing going to a white trash, Southern Maryland, authentic crab house if you are going to eat a salad? Seriously. DO NOT come here for some sort of gourmet experience. This is a true, white trash, official Maryland crab experience. Wear your ironic trucker hat and your stone-washed jeans, people. You will have the best time of your life. DO NOT order anything except big trays of crabs. Okay, you can get some french fries/onion rings/fried clams but, if for even a second, you are considering not ordering a plastic tray of crabs, you need to think about why you even drove all the way our to bum-f&*%$ in the first place. I have been coming here since the days when I used to smuggle my dad's PBR out of the basement fridge on hot days (aka 11 years old) and it is about the most authentic thing to do if you want to pretend to be a Southern Marylander. Make sure you have plenty of gum to chew and lots of hairspray to enhance the experience. They also have cute kittens that live by the dumpster, that's my insider tip.
(5)Brian K.
I'm from the midwest, so this was my first time not eating snow crab legs or some other giant from the sea. I've been told it's one of the places to go by people in the area, but out of the few crab joints I've been to in MD, I like this one the least. The food is fine, and I ate the crabs and crab cakes (ie not a burger or some lame pasta). I've only been twice, but even for the casual place that it is, I thought the service was bad. We didn't even get seated for about 15 minutes the second time.
(2)Sheila C.
I read the reviews of Captain Billy's and from the reviews we decided to give this place a try......WTH are the reviewers eating at this place that could possible give this place a good review or more then one star. The crabs were horrible, smalls but at Capt Billy's they called them mediums, no way the crabs they served us today were mediums. The steamed shrimp were small mushy junk, I sent our order back. The seafood scallops were just barely ok. The hush puppies were dried, hard, uneatable yuck, terrible. The cream of crab soup looked like gravy, so thick it looked like paste. The salad bar looked like something left over from 1980, with a side of blue cheese dressing that was tasteless. It was gross to me. Why have a beautiful setting on the water and serve junk food. We won't ever go back. Very disappointing. I suspect the bar might get busy as it was very big. Oh, the service was ok.
(1)Kelly O.
Nice, out-of-the-way seafood restaurant on the water. Was well worth the trip off the main highway. I stopped in for lunch, but this place looks like it would be much better around dinner time.
(4)Joe S.
It's just not the same since Capt. Billy and Miss Irene passed.
(2)Suzanne W.
We went for a 'drive' on Saturday - was looking for basically a 1/2 tank trip from Northern Virginia :) Found Captain Billy's thanks to the LARGE billboards on Rte.301. The views are to die for! wish we could have stayed a couple more hours to watch the sunset over the Potomac, but alas - we had to get back home. We had a late lunch and actually were there a couple of hours. Had a wonderful time and the food was delicious! We shared the seafood dip with bread, crabcate (broiled) and then a basket of fried shrimp - ALL was super YUM! The seafood dip seemed endless - when they ask you if you want 1 or 2 loaves of the bread, definitely get 2 - you will need it!
(4)Lester H.
The food: 2(.5) stars. The setting: +1 star. I ate lunch and dinner at Captain Billy's simply because I enjoyed the riverfront setting. Once upon a time, I went boating on a daily basis and frequently dined at waterfront restaurants. Well, Cap'n Billy's brought that back and it made me happy. The food isn't all fried, as was earlier mentioned in a review. I didn't eat a single fried thing and left quite full. That said, just like McDonald's vs Something Decent, it will cost more to eat non-fried fishies, crabies, etc. However, it's worth it if you're not a lard-hound. Also, they have a bar. I didn't know that going in, but was happy to find out that was the case. That's definitely good if you're a buzz-hound. (Yeah, that's was a bad attempt at a play on my earlier words.)
(3)Michael B.
So we went here for a co-workers 60th birthday. We had 13 in the party and they allowed split checks!! Awesome. However, service was pitifully slow on both drinks and food. Food also came out in random order and times. The table was never cleared. My GF and I split a doz crabs $35 and a cup of the "recommended" cream of crab soup and onion rings. I will start with the best....the onion rings were fried well. The soup was very bland and floury and lacked any chunks of crab. The crabs themselves were cooked properly but not in the seasoning it was sprinkled on afterward and very thinly. I know it was early in the season, but the crabs were a little light and tasted old- like they had been in the walk in for a while. Prob not MD crabs. Just a poor supplier because we had crabs the weekend before somewhere else and they were much, much better. Also, the tip thing mentioned earlier was a little odd but it was well known. All in all, great view and location with poor service and food. I probably wouldn't go out of my way to come back. P.S. This comes from a native SMIB and avid crab eater
(2)David H.
I had a late lunch here. On the downside, be forewarned that the service was slow and most of the food is fried (so call your cardiologist before going). On the upside, the view is very pretty (you are sitting on the Potomac), and the servers were very nice. But being from the Deep South and knowing that a good meal has to have some variety to it, fried seafood and french fries just doesn't cut it.
(3)Rob K.
A true Southern Maryland style crab house on the banks of Pope's Creek. Call ahead to make sure they have the all-you-can-eat crab and go for it with a pitcher of PBR.
(5)