Things You Must Eat When in Ocean City: Sit Down Edition

Things You Must Eat when in OCMD

Sit-down Edition

After working in restaurants for YEARS, we rarely got to go out on a summer night, but when we did, we always chose the same places- Belly Buster’s and OC Wasabi. I’ve added in my three favorite breakfast places, because they each have something super unique to offer and are worth a try. And a place that I haven’t been to since I was a kid, but think it’s one of the cooler experiences you can have in town.  Plus ya know- crabs, duh, an all you can eat buffet (because what better way to taste all of our seafood!), and a throwback to another era. Of course, these aren’t necessarily pet-friendly places, so we’ve covered those here.

Breakfast

Decatur Diner

The absolute best breakfast you will ever had. Why? Because it’s made from scratch, with love. No seriously, even the Creamed Chip Beef is made in-house. They slice the Beef themselves and make the creamy gravy from scratch. This homestyle diner is where it’s at. The vibe is cool, the food is phenomenal, and the space is cozy and small, which is an indicator that they really have the time to make everything themselves. In a day and age when high-volume Ocean City restaurants are often serving  pre-made dishes this spot right across the route 50 bridge and down Route 611 in West Ocean City, is your best bet for a home cooked meal.  They’re only open during the day, but you can get breakfast or lunch from open to close. And those guys standing over the grill making your food, are the owners, making this family-run establishment even more special… which, speaking of….

Barn 34

Run by the Lawson family, this fairly new breakfast spot is actually the legendary Pirate’s Den re-imagined. If you ever went to Pirate’s Den for breakfast you’ll recognize a lot of things on the menu at Barn 34, like the Captain Crunch French Toast. While they serve lots of basic breakfast items, we recommend you skip over those, and go straight for the specialties! One thing they do extremely well, is fresh fruit. No seriously, the guys and gals that work here hand cut strawberries, pineapples, kiwis, and more everyday. So get an Acai bowl for the table to share, indulge in a one-of-a-kind benedict, like the crabcake benedict or avocado benedict, and get a little Pipsy. Because guess what?! Unlike Decatur Diner, Barn 34 serves alcohol. Blueberry or Strawberry mimosa pitchers are where it’s at. But if you’re more of a bloody-mary drinker get a Barn Bloody with a double shot of Tito’s and fresh-peeled shrimp and bacon added to it! And if you’re lucky- you just might see Pip there! As it is going to be an official meet and greet spot for the summer of 2019! (Oh and don’t forget about Barn for dinner either– they’ve got a new chef and are really going to have some good stuff this summer!)

Bayside Skillet

This is the crepe and omelette place- which means guess what, they only serve crepes and omelettes. So don’t ask for pancakes, and don’t ask for breakfast sandwhiches. Either way you go- crepe or omelette- you’re going to be happy. I prefer to get one of each and share with the person next to me. If you’re going to Decatur Diner for homestyle breakfast, and Barn 34 for fresh fruit and benedicts, then you’re going to Bayside skillet for fresh juice- squeezed to order, strawberries with fresh Chantilly, and like we said, crepes and omelettes. Let us know when you’ve been to all three breakfast spots, and tell us your favorite and why!

Lunch and Dinner

Belly Buster’s

You know when people ask you what you want for your last meal? This would be mine. A chicken-cheesesteak wrap with lettuce, tomato, and ketchup. Don’t tell them I told you, but you can get any sandwich here as a wrap too. I also enjoy the Buffalo Chicken sandwich as a wrap. And they’ve got crabs and other seafood too! It’s been a local’s favorite for years.

OC Wasabi

If you ask Pip’s dad what he would want for his last meal- it’d be this. OC Wasabi is hands down the best sushi in Ocean City. Ask any local and they’ll agree. Just check out how many rolls are named after Ocean City legends, like Chuck Webb or Kevin Poole. My favorite rolls? Maria’s Purple Isle and Big Germ. One has mango, the other has banana!

Atlantic Stand and Alaska Stand

[Atlantic] Don’t hate me if the food isn’t good. I really haven’t been there in years- and I’m not sure, are they even open?! Some further investigating is needed with this one, but what I love about the Atlantic Stand is that you can sit on a vintage-style barstool right on the boardwalk to enjoy your meal. What a cool experience, that may not be around for ever. As we all know, Ocean City is constantly changing, and the Atlantic Stand was once supposed to shutdown forever; however, the stools are still there, and I just really like this old-school experience.

[Alaska] Okay okay, maybe you’re not obsessed with vintage stools like me, and don’t care about what you sit on to eat your meal. Maybe you even hate stools! So if we’re just talking about the food here, Alaska Stand is best, and you can sit on the boardwalk just the same, on picnic benches instead.

Mug And Mallet (Downtown), On The Bay Seafood (Midtown), Crab Bag (Uptown), Hooper’s (West Ocean City), Crabs to Go (Ocean Pines)- Where’s your favorite spot???

Crabs. The end.

Embers All You Can Eat Buffet

If you have never indulged in all the types of seafood that our area has to offer, your best bet is to go to one of our many seafood buffets. We recommend Embers, they’re the first, and the largest seafood buffet in town, and because they are still family owned locally, and haven’t turned into a global empire (like Phillip’s) their quality is still really good. Be smart and don’t fill up on the filler foods. Indulge in the fresh seafood, Snow Crab Legs, Raw Oysters and Clams, Steamed Clams, Peel and Eat Shrimp, Steamed Mussels, etc.. Of course if you have non-seafood lovers, there are tons of options for them as well. Just check out all their offerings here.

If you’re just in it for the views….

If you are looking for the best views in town, and that’s your main priority, consider Macky’s, Seacrets, or Fager’s (both featured later on our list for other reasons than sit-down meals), Tony’s Pizza on the boardwalk for a rooftop look at the ocean; Fish Tales, Lazy Lizard, or M.R. Ducks for beautiful bay views (Again some places we will feature later for other reasons!) But to be honest, they are all also perfect for a sit down meal too!

The Angler

As kids we would go here every year for a nice meal followed by a boat ride! It’s $4 with the purchase of at least a $12 lunch or entree, but it has always left great memories for us. I don’t know if they still have it, since they renovated a few years ago, but they used to have one of those games where you would try to catch a metal circle on a hook– also known as the Bimini Ring Game. My cousins and I played that for what felt like hours. The boat ride is a really fun way to end an evening, and it’s simple and easy to do it all here at once.

PGN Crabhouse Honorable Mention

They serve Steak-Umms. Literally. If you’re in the mood for a throwback go get one! They also have crabs.