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Ocean City, Maryland, is one of the most beautiful places in the United States. Ocean City is your best bet for a memorable getaway with its 10-mile beach, a charming boardwalk, shopping, and world-class golf.
Although the city is rather small, the restaurant scene is also phenomenal. We have found the best places to eat in Ocean City, from traditional American eats to seafood so fresh you can still taste the ocean in every bite. Read on to find out which restaurants should be added to your next Ocean City vacation, or make a day trip to Maryland and visit a few.
OC Uptown Eats
14107 Coastal Highway
Ocean City, MD, USA
For local fried seafood fare and cheesesteak sandwiches in Ocean City, OC Uptown Eats is the best place to eat. Heralded as the “best-kept secret in the OC,” this restaurant is a tiny seafood restaurant with character and charm located just off Maryland Beach on Coastal Highway.
Fried seafood is the main event at OC Uptown eats, with options like fried flounder, soft shell crab, and crab cakes. Alongside homemade tartar sauce, coleslaw, and a pickle, these fresh fried sandwiches and platters are sure to satisfy.
OC Uptown Eats may specialize in seafood. However, there are plenty of options to enjoy, even if you aren’t a seafood fan. They feature various standard wraps, salads, burgers, Italian fare like eggplant parmesan, and make-your-own pizza pies. They are also known for their cheesesteak sandwiches, specifically the Ribeye Cheesesteak sandwich.
For dessert, the whole family can enjoy a handmade ice cream sandwich, house-made bread pudding, triple berry pie, or a perfectly blended milkshake.
The Hobbit Restaurant
121 81st St (Bayside, Rivendell Condos)
Ocean City, MD 21842
For a more upscale dining experience, The Hobbit is an Ocean City, MD restaurant you won’t want to miss. It is a popular establishment that attracts locals and tourists alike with its contemporary dining room, relaxing bar and lounge area, floor-to-ceiling dining room windows with a spectacular bay view, and inventive menu selections.
The food selection at The Hobbit is a mix between American cuisine and seafood. Each plate is a work of art, designed to be a treat for your eyes as well as your taste buds. Guests can enjoy a wide selection of appetizers, including a variety of salads, Seared Scallops, Smoked Beef Carpaccio in a truffled horseradish sauce, or blackened Lollipop Lamb Chops with sweet potato hash and honey aioli.
For the main course, fill up on peach bbq pork chops, crab imperial stuffed filet, macadamia crusted salmon, or duck breast with truffle creamed peas. Gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian options are available, so people with dietary restrictions will be sure to find something to enjoy.
Brass Balls Saloon
1105 Atlantic Ave
Ocean City, MD 21842
Down on the Ocean City boardwalk sits the Brass Balls Saloon. The restaurant boasts an eclectic charm, bright colors, and a magnificent view of the ocean. Take in the view from inside or out on the patio.
At the Brass Balls Saloon, guests can enjoy breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Breakfast fare is pretty traditional, with eggs, omelets, and pancakes. You can also opt for signature breakfast dishes like biscuits and gravy, breakfast burritos, and avocado toast. Serve up your breakfast with a side of hashbrowns or home fries and a freshly brewed cup of coffee.
The midday menu is bar food-friendly, featuring appetizers like onion rings, crabby fries, buffalo chicken dip, and beer-battered shrimp. More entree-style dishes include a variety of tacos and quesadillas, wraps, and burgers. The more expensive items on the menu include ribs, steak, Maryland crab cakes, and fish and chips. They also have a selection of ice cream-based drinks that can be enhanced with alcohol for a buzzy, refreshing treat.
Liquid Assets
9301 Coastal Highway
Ocean City, Maryland 21842
The team at Liquid Assets believes in providing a cozy, intimate dining experience with fresh food from local sources. Located on the Coastal Highway, this restaurant is open most days for lunch and dinner. They also house a bistro and wine bar next door, where guests can purchase their own alcohol, grab some merchandise, or sample from the bar.
The cheese and charcuterie plates at Liquid Assets are legendary. For the main course, guests have a variety of unique options, including Crispy Korean Ribs, Gazpacho with Smith Island Crab, Baked Oysters, and Wagyu Meatballs. On the more expensive side of the menu, you can find delectable dishes like Maryland Crab Cakes, Seared Scallop Risotto, or Vegan House Made Cacio E Pepe Pasta.
They also have drool-inducing desserts, including a flourless chocolate brownie topped with vanilla ice cream or the Maryland State Dessert, Smith Island Cake.
Delmarva Boil Company
14308 Coastal Hwy
Ocean City, MD
For a good old-fashioned Louisiana shrimp boil on the Maryland coast, head over to Delmarva Boil Company. This unique restaurant offers perfectly cooked jumbo shrimp, spicy andouille sausage, red potatoes, corn on the cob, and sweet onions, all cooked together and served with Delmarva’s signature cocktail sauce.
Delmarva offers several customizable takeout options for a more personalized meal, including at-home steam boils and seafood additions like snow crab legs of lobster tails.
Longboard Cafe
6701 Coastal Hwy
Ocean City, MD
The Longboard Cafe offers guests resort-style pub food in a fun, surf-themed bistro. In addition to being a great restaurant for families, they welcome dogs to their outside dining, weather permitting.
On the menu side of things, Longboard Cafe offers house-made sauces and dressings. They use the finest local ingredients to craft their gourmet burgers, lump crab stuffed artichoke bottoms, deep-fried ribs, and crab quesadillas. They also offer a daily Happy Hour special where drinks are 2 for 1, which will come in handy when choosing between their premium margaritas and their extensive wine list.
Pizza Mambo
7205 Coastal Hwy
Ocean City, MD 21842
For the best pizza in Ocean City, you have to try Pizza Mambo. They offer a selection of pizzas, calzones, wings, salads, and breadsticks that will have you coming back for more. There are two locations in Ocean City, a beachside location uptown and one downtown for easy access.
Made with fresh dough and 100 percent whole milk mozzarella cheese, the pizzas are fresh and tasty. They offer standard options like pepperoni and veggie, as well as unique pies like the Popeye, featuring fresh spinach, bacon, ricotta cheese, and sliced onion. Adventurous diners can also create their pizza with any of the dozens of toppings available.
In addition to their classic pizza options, Pizza Mambo offers several amazing specials perfect for parties, special events, or family celebrations. The Mambo Jumbo is one of the more popular specials, featuring a 16” Pizza, 10 Jumbo Wings, 6 Giant Breadsticks with a side of their signature Mambo Sauce for only $27.99.
Cafe Mirage
128th Street
Montego Bay Shopping Center
Ocean City, MD 21842
Cafe Mirage takes traditional American fare and gives it a modern twist. Start with any of the delicious appetizers, such as the Homemade Loaded Spinach and Artichoke Dip or the Crispy Coated Fried Green Tomatoes with grilled shrimp. Then, fill up with a selection of grilled shrimp, pork chops, jumbo lump crab cakes, or a 6oz flat iron steak.
Must-have cocktails on the Cafe Mirage menu include the Strawberry Basil Mule, the Islamorada, which features grapefruit juice and coconut rum, or the Strawberries and Cream made from whipped cream vodka, berry puree, and ginger ale.
Ropewalk
8203 Coastal Hwy
Ocean City, MD 21842
Ropewalk is a dinner and drinks restaurant right on the water. It has superior patio dining with spectacular bay views where guests can watch the sunset or hang out with friends around one of their several firepits.
The food at Ropewalk is a mix of typical pub food and seafood with an American spin. Their award-winning Hickory Smoked Wings come with a variety of superb sauces. Plus, the Murphy’s Mac and Cheese filled with cheese-smothered sauteed shrimp, crab, and cavatappi noodles will have you drooling long after you’ve finished eating.
Ropewalk also has a variety of unique tacos, like the Portobello Tacos or the Reda Rockfish Tacos. It’s also an excellent stop for gluten-free Poke Bowl, seared swordfish with roasted cherry tomatoes, or Flounder Roulade in a rich lemon-butter sauce.
Layton’s Family Restaurant
1601 Philadelphia Ave
Ocean City, MD 21842
What started as a 24-hour donut shop has blossomed into a beloved Depot Atlantic train station-themed restaurant that serves breakfast and dinner buffets. Everything on the menu is $15 or under, which makes it a budget-friendly option as well.
There are 18 donut flavors to choose from. Or, you can go with pastries like danishes, fritters, and several muffin options. For less sweet treats, guests can enjoy breakfast staples like eggs benedict or an omelet.
On the heartier side of the menu, there are classic burgers, chicken fingers baskets, fish tacos, and half a dozen wraps, all of which come with a side of fries or onion rings.
Ocean City, MD Restaurants
The restaurant scene in Ocean City, MD, is full of vibrant, charming local spots with abundant personality. You won’t soon forget the bay and ocean views from these restaurants either.
No matter where you end up, you’re sure to sample some incredible food. From Maryland seafood classics to more innovative American dishes, there is so much to be tasted and enjoyed in Ocean City.
Book your stay now to visit!
Featured Image Credit: By Nicole Glass Photography
