Crossroads Pub

In the mood for crabs? Fresh fried seafood? A killer crab soup? The Crossroads Pub, tucked way out of the way in Western Howard County, could be the spot for you. It's another one of those places I've driven by for years and finally stopped in, only to find something quite different than what I'd thought.

Seafood, specifically crab, is the name of the game at the Crossroads Pub. You can order fresh steamed crabs and start pounding and picking like you were at the Eastern Shore. Or you can order off a menu filled with fried seafood entrees and sandwiches, along with a few traditional landlubber options. The soups, either Maryland Crab or Cream of Crab, are hearty, rich and tasty. The crab cake platter or sandwich stands up with the best in the area. The fried clam strips were fresh and meaty. The shrimp salad is also listed as a specialty, but I haven't tried it yet. Whatever you get, you're not likely to leave hungry.

The Crossroads Pub is small, but with a back room of picnic tables is a little bigger than it appears from the street. It's not fancy, and the crowd and service can feel like a trip back to an older time in Maryland that may not appeal so much to the trendy set. But the Crossroads Pub seems to be proud to serve a down home meal to those that seek it out.

Reviews

• Restaurantdb.net rates the Crossroads Pub 8.7/10 for food, based on 9 reviews as of 5/1/09.
  

Location

4809 Ten Oaks Road

Dayton, MD 21036

Phone: 410-531-7485

Website: (none)

The Crossroads Pub is just west of Route 32 on Ten Oaks Road where it intersects Howard Road and Green Bridge Road. Exit Route 32 at Linden Church Road West, then turn right on Ten Oaks Road.

The Crab Shanty

For 30 years now, the Crab Shanty has ruled the roost on its corner of Route 40. The King family has owned the restaurant the whole time and spared little expense in building one of the largest and physically most impressive dining operations in the county.  The decor features antiques and objects from all over the region, warranting its own page of the Crab Shanty's excellent web site.

The menu is large and wide-ranging, though I find it hard to stray from the various crab and oyster specialties.  There's always a variety of fresh fish, prepared most any way you want.  The portions are large and the preparations are more classic than trendy.  The Crab Shanty does what it can to appeal to everyone.  There's a Sunday Brunch (menu), curbside pick-up service, and you can always go across the street to the large Sea King seafood market and Pig Pickers barbeque if the Shanty is too crowded.

If you're interested in other brunch options, see our list of Howard County Brunches.