Ocean City offers a variety of restaurants to choose from. My favorite restaurant is the bridge to 306 Dorchester Street Marina. Groped cream of crab soup for a taste of true Maryland cuisine, or choose one of their fish dishes, all very good. As in every restaurant, a specialty of the house so not always the best seafood restaurant in a great ribs waiting to go. Marina Deck is a must, while in Ocean City.
If you're in the mood for ribs or beef, I would like tosuggest Nick's Original House of Ribs located at 14410 Coastal Hwy, or Bull on the Beach with 2 locations, one at 94th Street & Coastal Hwy and one just outside Ocean City on Route 50. While Nick's has the best ribs, Bull on the Beach has the best pit beef in Ocean City. Many visitors and locals consider Bull on the Beach a must place to eat while in Ocean City and their bar is a relaxed gathering place for locals. JR's used to be the place to go for ribs but I have gotten some bad reviews about service the last few years and I have not been overly pleased with their service.
When you're in the mood for Italian head downtown to Adolfo's Italian Restaurant located at 806 S. Baltimore Avenue. Their food is excellent and highly recommended by locals, however; the best doesn't come cheap so be prepared to pay top dollar to eat here. For very good Italian food at family prices try Salvatore's Italian & Seafood Family Restaurant located just outside of Ocean City on Route 50. I do not think that Salvatore is a step back from Adolfo is just another meal with a family-friendly menu and reasonable prices.
The Japanese Steak House, Sakura is a favorite of my family to eat. The hotel is located in the White Marlin Mall, just outside of Ocean City on Route 50, which offers some excellent meat, poultry and seafood all prepared in front of you by some of talented chefs. Waiting times are too long, but keep in mind that the parties sit down with his less than 6other small parties. This is really fun and gives you a chance to meet other couples or families. While I'm not into Sushi, I'm told theirs is very good. Sakura's is a must visit while in Ocean City. Unfortunately there is no one Chinese restaurant that I can recommend over another, so this will have to be a try it and see selection. I always suggest you try new restaurants at lunch or at early bird dinner hours when the prices are usually much lower.
On days when all you can think about is dinner I recommend going to a buffet. This has become a popular dinner alternative in our area because you can really get a good value for your dollar when you're super hungry. If you mainly want crabs or crabs and shrimp my favorites are Waterman's located on Route 50 just outside of Ocean City and Higgins Crab House with two locations; 31st & Coastal Hwy and 128th St & Coastal Hwy. Both of these are, in my mind at least, must visit restaurants. Crab feasts are the most economical Way to get crabs, but bought by the dozen, which allows you to take larger crabs and stay home to eat later. Both restaurants are carried out as well as in food and all you can eat menu. When buying crabs to go, I always recommend buying the bushel or half bushel, because you get more for your money. If you're in the mood for more variety, the best breakfast around the fire at 71 St & Ocean Highway and the Embers Restaurant is located on 24 Street& Coastal Hwy. Both of these offer prime rib and seafood buffets that are the best in town.
Tired from being at the beach all day? Try Ponzetti's Pizza located at 144th Street & Coastal Hwy, this is a non-chain pizza parlor with very good pizza, an amusement area, and a full service bar. There are many pizza places in Ocean City but Ponzetti's, Lombardi's located at 9203 Coastal Highway, and the Dough Roller with 4 locations; 70th & Coastal Highway, 1125th Street & Costal Highway, Division Street & Boardwalk, 213 North Atlantic Avenue, are, in that order, the best in my opinion. If you're in the mood for a sub try Fat Daddy's located at 216 S. Baltimore Ave. Of course all of the fast food chains are represented up and down Coastal Hwy, but I really think you will like our local restaurants and Deli's much better for close to the same cost.
As stated earlier; try unknown restaurants at lunch or for their early bird dinners to see if they are worth spending your hard earned money on. Like all resort areas there are what I call "rip-off" restaurants that appear for a summer or two and then vanish. You may have noticed that several of the restaurants I recommend are located just outside of Ocean City, but all of them are less than 5 minutes away. Every restaurant I recommend is frequented by locals and is open year-round with the exception of the Marina Deck which has a smaller restaurant in Ocean Pines that is open year-round. Almost every question I am asked about restaurants starts with; where do the locals eat? The restaurants listed here are where my family and friends eat that is in or near Ocean City.
