Where should I eat crab/lobster for the first time?

[-]

marbanasin@reddit

Except OP is going to neither.

I think I'd recommend Crab in LA or San Diego (can get west coast dungeness - very good, both cities are great food cities)

Lobster I'm guessing to go Philly or NYC, probably NYC just because you can find amazing stuff there.

[-]

I would tell them that too

[-]

itcheyness@reddit

I would tell them to try their first pizza anywhere but New York.

New York Pizza is by far the worst regional variation.

[-]

paterdude@reddit

True.

[-]

itsmyhotsauce@reddit

Yeah? Well you know, that's just like, uh, your opinion man

[-]

-Boston-Terrier-@reddit

It sounds like you just give stupid advice then.

There is nothing special about Maine, Maryland, or NYC when it comes to lobster, crab, or pizza. It’s not like Buffalo or California make a Buffalo wing or California roll any better than Boise. This is all just branding.

Maryland's crabs aren't any better or different than crabs elsewhere on the East Coast. There's just a fuck ton more of them.

I just don't know the answer to this. But there's like a famous place up there to get crab cakes that are really good. They're huge and they have these huge chunks of crab in them. I thought it was crap hearing my mom talk about it. Like, it's just a crab cakes. But she took me there because she's from there. And they were really good.

So I don't know if anybody would have an idea of where this is, it's in Maryland probably, it's not insanely far from DC. I just can't remember. But it's worth a trip if anybody can suggest the place. It's kind of like a little bit of a shack looking place out in the middle of nowhere. It's not really an accurate way to put it. But it's not right in the heart of the city.

I know Maryland's not a small place. And so just saying some crab cake place sounds ridiculous. Except that in the South we can do that with barbecue places. Someone will be talking about the best barbecue I ever had and it's near a city but they can't remember exactly where, and almost always there's somebody that can pinpoint exactly that because the place is so good. I have a feeling that this crab take place is the Maryland equivalent. That somebody will know it because it's that good.

[-]

Biterbutterbutt@reddit

This is the ideal answer, but if OP is only visiting those cities they will still have better lobster/crab than their home country considering they don’t serve it.

Bright_Ices@reddit

I think “Connecticut roll” is a Vegas marketing term. It’s a lobster roll, Connecticut style.

[-]

realizabeth@reddit

I’m a native Californian who lives in Maryland now. OP, you have the opportunity to try 2 very different types of crabs on your trip. The totally flavour-packed luscious Maryland blue crabs when you’re in D.C., plus the rich, textured Pacific Dungeness crab when you’re in California. If I were you I’d make a point of getting both.

[-]

Bookworm10-42@reddit

Or Virginia. They’re the same crabs.

[-]

comma_nder@reddit

I’d specifically recommend a lump crab cake from either faidley’s or koco’s

[-]

LieutenantStar2@reddit

Maryland Crabs….drool.

It does matter what time of year though.

[-]

anschauung@reddit

September though November, ideally.

[-]

Chloebean@reddit

Fascinating take. I won’t eat them before May but I’d definitely say July to October.

For OP…if you go to Maryland and want to eat oysters, only do so if you’re visiting in a month that has an R in it. There’s a bacteria, Vibrio, that is more common during the summer.

pfffffttuhmm@reddit

Yes to this. Just drive north, up the coast, and find a place on the water with a pier that is bringing in crabs off the bay. You'll sit down at a long table covered in paper, and they will throw the steamed crabs directly on the paper. Grab a hammer or some seafood crackers, a crab, and have at them. DIP IN BUTTER--do not skipping this step, it is essential.

[-]

jvc1011@reddit

Agreed. OP, it’s a short Metro ride into Maryland.

[-]

goodsam2@reddit

Get a crab pretzel which is the best bullshit I have ever seen.

Full_Mission7183@reddit

Next thing you will be saying is that soft shell lobsters don't taste better than hard shell

[-]

TooManyDraculas@reddit

They don't.

They're easier to shuck and proportionally cheaper.

Hard shell lobsters have a lot more meat in them, and generally shellfish taste better and sweeeter the colder the water. They shed (ie go soft shell) in warm seasons.

I have eaten all of the lobster all of the time. My family were baymen, I worked with wholesalers and fishermen in the restaurant business. And softshells and smaller lobsters being sweeter or tasting better is a myth.

Some of the best lobster I've ever had were big, 5lb+ hard shells.

[-]

Full_Mission7183@reddit

The Gulf of Maine doesn't really have a warm season.

[-]

TooManyDraculas@reddit

It absolutely has a warm season.

As in a season where it's warmer. It's not the tundra, and the lobsters are triggered to shed and breed by water temps.

Also migrate based on water temps. That's the entire reason why catches are higher in summer. More lobsters in the area, chasing ideal water temps.

Even the Canadian Maritimes have seasons.

[-]

I didn’t even think of that. I’m drawn towards Maine because a friend has a cabin there near Acadia National Park. New England is such a treasure.

[-]

Streamjumper@reddit

I've got family all over Maine, especially around the Saco area, including some lobstermen, so between that and them pulling in something like 80% of the national haul, I think them Maine first too.

OhWhyNotMarie@reddit

That’s a hell of a trip my dude.

Lobster in Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island. I’m sure you could find a good lobster in New York City. Not the same as Maine, but the restaurants in New York are amazing.

If you want crab, you should go to Baltimore. Again, your best bet might be New York City for crab.

Absolutely do not eat lobster in Los Angeles, Austin or San Diego.

[-]

No_Importance_750@reddit

I’d go to Maryland while you’re in DC

[-]

the-quibbler@reddit

If you don't go to Boston for your lobstah, we don't need to hear about it.

[-]

HermioneMarch@reddit

Maine is known for lobster

[-]

Qtrfoil@reddit

If you're visiting DC you might have time to visit nearby Annapolis, Maryland and have crabs where they're meant to be eaten. About 40 minutes away, a simple drive. Many places in the area to eat Blue Crabs, but Cantler's is a classic location to get a bunch of steamed crabs dumped down on a paper tablecloth, so that you can work your way through them with plenty of cold beer!

"LA, NYC, Philadelphia, DC, Chicago, Austin and San Diego"

Lower-Gap-4251@reddit

The only time I tolerate Red Lobster is if I’m back home in upstate, NY. I live in New England now and I don’t even think Red Lobster exists here lol

Wow youre really doing a tour of the country! And yet … youre not really hitting any of the top spots for crab & lobster. East coast locations in Maine, Rhode Island, NJ, Maryland, etc have strong crab & lobster traditions.

Reasonable questions! In Maryland, the right crab to get is Blue Crab. Blue crab is boiled in a broth of a lot of seasoning, including (but not limited to) Old Bay. A crab boil often also has sides like corn, potatoes, and sometimes other seafood. You order a number of crabs. A half dozen is good if they’re smaller or fewer if they’re bigger. Ask your server what size they have in and what they recommend.

If you get a crab boil, they will put paper down on the table and give you gloves, a bib, and a little trash can. This is messy! They’ll also give you a crab cracker (like a nutcracker) and a little hammer. How to eat the crab: turn it belly up. Look for a little “pull tab” near the bottom of the belly. Pull that piece off. Then you can take off the bottom shell. Remove the guts and gills. There is also a yellow-brown goop colloquially called “mustard” inside the crab. It’s good but strong tasting. Eat the flesh from the crab body, and optionally the mustard. Break off legs next. Crack them in half. Usually you can use your hands but the cracker is there if you need it. Slurp the meat out of the legs like a straw. Crack the claws and eat the claw meat. If you drink alcohol, get an orange crush or a Natty Boh to wash it down. Enjoy! It’s truly delicious.

[-]

ChessieChesapeake@reddit

Sorry dude, but your cooking method is totally incorrect and if you’re caught boiling a blue crab in the state of Maryland, you’ll be tarred, feathered, and sent to Virginia. Blue crabs should be steamed, not boiled. Boiling makes the meat mushy, which explains how it would be possible for you to “suck the meat out of the legs like a straw”.

Blue crabs are steamed in a large pot with water, vinegar. beer, and spice mix. Each crab house has their own version of spice, but J.O. #2 is a well known spice mix you can get off the shelf.

lfxlPassionz@reddit

Question... How long are you planing to travel the United States? because that's a massive distance to travel especially with ice agents still slowing down airports.

It would take months to visit all of these places and still be able to enjoy anything.

It’s so cool how days in a tank does nothing to it

Might get halfway decent in NY, but they'll pay through the nose for it and run a strong risk of a place that isn't so great.

Their best bet would be a short train ride to the Connecticut coastline to soak in the sites, maybe hit Mystic Seaport, have some seafood on the coast, then back to NY (or up to New Haven for some apizza) at the end.

[-]

wwplkyih@reddit

Lobster generally comes from the NE (Maine, New England) and there are both north Pacific (West Coast, all the way down to Santa Barbara for Dungeness; king crab, which comes from Alaska isn't a "true" crab but gets shipped in) and Atlantic crabs (mid-Atlantic, around Maryland). Historically these weren't fancy foods so it may be more fun to find local (generally not that fancy) seafood places -- on your itinerary, DC is right next to Baltimore whence many crabs, but other than that, your itinerary isn't a lot of these kinds of places.

I would generally avoid chain restaurants. Outside of the places where the foods are caught locally, the best bet is probably going to be big cities, often in raw bars--some in fancy restaurants or attached to fishmongers. (I still like Lobster Place in Chelsea Market (Manhattan, NY), even though it's now overrun with tourists and Googlers.) Sleeper places where you'll find really good lobster/crab are high end sushi places which sometimes often serve lobster sashimi or Cantonese seafood restaurants. (When you are in LA, the best sushi is going to be on the Westside, for Chinese, go east to San Gabriel Valley NOT Chinatown.) Ultimately it depends on how you want it prepared.

[-]

ambirch@reddit

Lobster is best in Maine and ok in New England. For the rest of the country it's the same. It has to be flowing in live anyway. Crab depends on the type. As people have said Baltimore is famous for crab. But snow and king crab are frozen on the ship and shipped everywhere so it doesn't really matter where you are. There are plenty of no frills restaurants where you can get $30 lb of snow crab. You don't need to go to a really expensive restaurant.

[-]

dotdedo@reddit

If you have crab in the east cost you will be chasing that high for the rest of your life.

Was in Maryland once and had a lot of amazing sea food and then came back to Michigan and it hasn’t felt the same since

[-]

13mys13@reddit

I would recommend getting other kinds of crab elsewhere in the US too, in particular west coast spots like others have mentioned—there's great variety and they're prepared differently so it's worth it to try as much as possible.

Lobster is best in New England, unfortunately not on your itinerary but it's a lovely part of the country to visit if you're not locked into your current plan! Otherwise NYC for lobster like others have said.

[-]

Streamjumper@reddit

Lobster is best in New England, unfortunately not on your itinerary but it's a lovely part of the country to visit if you're not locked into your current plan! Otherwise NYC for lobster like others have said.

Day trip to Coastal Connecticut can be about 2 hours from NYC and there's tons of lobster shacks down there as well as plenty of scenic and historic tourist sites.

[-]

SummitJunkie7@reddit

New England for lobster, but since you're not going there - go to a higher end restaurant that serves it. You have to pay higher prices for decent quality when you're not eating it local to where it's found.

DC should have some good crab, mid-Atlantic coast is the right region for blue crab - there's dungeness crab in the pacific northwest, but you aren't traveling there either.

[-]

Streamjumper@reddit

This might be only one small side-quest on your trip - but if trying great fresh lobster is high on your priority list you'll want to detour to coastal Maine, and summer is best. Less far, Boston could be a good spot.

That’s great, if that’s where you’re eating. And most of the fish at Fulton’s are, you know, dead. That’s a deal breaker for Lobster.

NYC and the DC Metro (especially if you head over to Maryland while there) will have the best access to the freshest seafood while you're here.

Seafood quality, and price, in the US is heavily reliant on proximity to the shore and connection to fisheries.

NYC is one of the largest wholesale hubs for seafood in North America and you can get pretty much anything, at pretty good prices. There are both lobster and crab fisheries in the NYC Metro Area, and it's the main destination for fisheries From Maine south to New Jersey.

Maryland (which DC sits against) is one of the 2 states on the Chesapeake which is one of our biggest fisheries, and our biggest blue claw crab fishery. And there's likewise a major distribution system for seafood in the DC metro.

Both are good for the standard American Lobster and Blue Claw Crabs. Crabs are more common in Maryland/DC, and NYC will have more options on Lobster.

San Diego is a coastal city, west coast seafood is different than East Coast. In particular the crab. San Diego has locally caught Rock Crab, and Dungeness Crab should be available in season. And for my money Dungeness crab is the best crab. Local lobsters aren't a huge thing on the west coast, but they exist. East Coast lobster will be stupid expensive there.

Chicago and Austin are not known for their seafood. But Austin isn't crazy far from the gulf. Blue crabs are still a thing down there, as are things like stone crab claws. Generally the thing they're more famous for is shrimp.

Chicago is a transit hub, so they have access to good seafood. But it's gonna be much the same as any other part of the country, and more expensive.

Philly is OK on sea food. We're close enough to fisheries, but not a major distribution hub for it. I wouldn't go out of my way while here. When blue claw crab is in season, it crops up everywhere. But it's coming from Maryland. The one thing that might be worth seeking out is crab gravy. A local Italian American ragu made from fresh crab.

The best thing you can do is narrow in on what's local in each of those spots that are on or near the coast.

Find restaurants. You don't want to be cooking this stuff without experience, and while travelling. And supermarkets are pretty much the worse place to buy seafood. On the coasts fishmarkets often serve cooked seafood meals, and that can be the freshest and best price you can find. But it's mostly outside of cities.

[-]

anonymous_fart5@reddit

If you are wanting to eat snow crab then it doesn't matter where you get it. It's all boiled and flash frozen due to how quickly it goes bad.

[-]

Apprehensive_Run6642@reddit

If you want the best crabs, when in DC get out of town and go to Kent Island in the Chesapeake bay. Find a crab house as close to the dock as possible, get crabs.

Lobster your best bet might be New York, but even that is a little south of prime lobster zone.

[-]

Appropriate_Sock6893@reddit

In Maine you can buy lobster for cheap and as fresh as possible!

Rtn2NYC@reddit

DC, but if you can’t find any or don’t have time to go to Annapolis, when you get to NYC, go to Brooklyn crab. It’s a Maryland style crab house in Red Hook (a Brooklyn neighborhood) and it’s easily accessible by ferry.

You can find decent lobster in NYC too, though the best lobster is in Boston or further north

[-]

meowmix778@reddit

I feel somewhat uniquely qualified to answer this because I live in Maine and I've lived near NYC and lived in Chicago.

Awesome. Anyway, your best fresh crabs with that agenda will be taken from the Chesapeake Bay while you’re in the DC area. Also make sure you get some oysters.

AwesomeOrca@reddit

If you're looking for specific seafood recommendations in Chicago, Luke's Lobster Chicago City Hall in the Loop is about as close as you’ll get to a true New England, style lobster roll in the Midwest. Oh My Crab in West Ridge is an absolute gem, and does New Orleans or Cajun syle seafood boils. If you’re looking to splurge, Bavette's Bar & Boeuf is one of the city’s best steakhouses but also has excellent seafood, including an incredible tower, just be aware it’s pricey and reservations can be tough to get.

[-]

LankyJeep@reddit

Crab in Maryland, Lobster you’d really want to be in New England so Maine NH or Massachusetts to really get good fresh lobster but you can find it in the NYC area too it’ll just cost you more

[-]

minneyar@reddit

I know it's not what you were asking about, but don't get seafood in Austin. It's pretty far from the ocean, and getting anything that's fresh-caught would be expensive.

Do get BBQ and/or Tex-mex while you're in Austin.

[-]

No-Contact6664@reddit

Austin has amazing seafood and I assure you BBQ is FAR more expensive. A pound of brisket will cost more than a Lobster Roll easy. I dunno why people say the things they do.

RedSolez@reddit

People have given you great advice on the ideal experience but if you're looking for a simple but still delicious experience just go to Chickie's and Pete's while you're in Philly. There are decent crab and lobster items on the menu at all times and crab fries too (which don't actually contain crab but are delicious).

[-]

NYC will have plenty of lobster. Especially in the summer. You can head to Long Island to lobster farms if you really want.

[-]

travelinmatt76@reddit

How long are you going to be here and how do you plan on getting to all these places?

[-]

_WillCAD_@reddit

When you're in DC, make a side trip to Maryland and try crabs.

As a Marylander, I can confirm - crabs in Maryland are on a different level from the rest of the country. The crabs in Maryland are a species called blue crabs, which come from the Chesapeake Bay. They can be found in other parts of the US, but they have a special significance to Maryland's cuisine and economy.

We have several signature crab dishes: steamed crabs, which are as much of an experience as they are a food, crabcakes, and crab soup.

What time of year are you visiting? Steamed crabs are a summer thing that you won't find in winter, but crabcakes and crab soup can be found year-round.

[-]

Useful_Humor_1152@reddit

When you go to the city your in google seafood restaurants and check their ratings. You can also ask locals when you get here. NY will import lobster from Maine.

Maryland DC area best for crab

Have you eaten other types of shellfish before? Shrimp? Some people are highly allergic to shellfish so be aware of that issue.

[-]

Since I don't see anyone actually answering the question on the OP's parameters:

Crab (Maryland blue crab): technically not in DC, but it is inside the beltway so it counts.

Bethesda Crab House. 4958 Bethesda Avenue Bethesda, MD

[-]

traviall1@reddit

Maryland for crabs, Boston/New England for lobster, the coasts for fish

[-]

Alg0mal000@reddit

Since you’re going to be on the West Coast, try Dungeness, Rock Crab, or Spider Crab. While you’re in LA, check out Neptune’s Net (Malibu) or HC Seafood (Oxnard).

[-]

ViciousOtter1@reddit

Go to a few crawfish boils in New Orleans and skip the other cities. Try some crawfish cheesecake at Jacquimos.

[-]

dontkillmysoul@reddit

👍San Diego has amazing seafood. 👍

[-]

DefinitelyNotLola@reddit

Philadelphia here, chiming in. It’s true, you should have crabs in Baltimore. And yeah, New York and DC are great food towns. But Philly absolutely holds its own when it comes to seafood. We’ve got plenty of it, and it’s good. If you want something classic, get a crab cake sandwich at Pearl’s Oyster Bar in Reading Terminal Market. If you’re doing the tourist thing, you’ll probably end up there anyway.

Get a lobster roll for lunch. Sure, New England invented them but you're not going there. Luke’s Lobster does a legit one with the same style bread they use up north. It’s also a good excuse to wander around Rittenhouse. Same neighborhood, but more upscale, Oyster House is a longtime staple. Not cheap, but seafood usually isn’t, and they do more than just oysters. It's a nice place. If your goal is to just sit down and try all of the kinds of seafood, Royal Buffet & Grill deep in South Philly is an option. It’s a ridiculously large Asian buffet that specializes in seafood. Crab, crab legs, Alaskan king crab legs, giant shrimp, baby shrimp, whole lobsters, lobster claws..it's all there. It’s not fine dining, but it's always super busy so everything is pretty fresh. Plus, if you want to people watch and marvel at American gluttony, a massive buffet is quite the experience. Bottom line, Philly might not be the first place people think of for seafood, but we got plenty. Go birds.

[-]

pbmadman@reddit

Wherever you go, make sure it’s fresh. Usually the best places are dumps on the coast that buy from some local fisherman.

I grew up in a coastal town and the local paper did a piece on the source of seafood in all the restaurants. Despite being a fishing town, so many places didn’t use local, much less fresh seafood.

Lots of towns have a fish market, it’s going to be a sketchy building in a sketchy part of town and they will have super limited hours. That’s a guarantee of the good stuff.

[-]

Sh0ckValu3@reddit

I've seen the "Crab in Maryland and Lobster in Maine" thing. Around where I'm at (Very tip of NW Washington) we say "Crab here, lobster over on the other side"

[-]

cmiller4642@reddit

If you’re going to DC check out Captain White’s for crabs.

[-]

Crab in Maryland, Lobster in Maine. Those are the only 2 answers, anyone who says otherwise is just being a homer

[-]

brokensharts@reddit

Dont listen to these people.

You want king crab, not the goofy east coast ones. Get lobster on the east coast and king crab or Dungeness on the west coast

[-]

mrtsapostle@reddit

As someone born and raised in California, dungeness and king crab are pale imitations of the flavor you get with a good Maryland blue crab

[-]

Bernssogood@reddit

If none of the suggestions here to hit the crab shacks on the Maryland shore during your travels resonate with you, you can get a version of Mid-Atlantic crab dishes in Philadelphia. Head to one of the several Chickie’s and Pete’s locations for an order of crab fries with a Yuengling.

To be explicit, this is a last ditch suggestion given that you’ll be in both DC and Philly. Go to a Baltimore sub and see what’s trending there for crabs when you’re visiting. Blue crab in Maryland is absolutely the way to go on your itinerary.

[-]

geekycurvyanddorky@reddit

You should go to Oregon to have crab, as well as slumgullion chowder. Lobster is better on the East Coast, but crab is better in the Pacific Northwest. You could have some proper cowboy food in Oregon too, at Cowboy Dinner Tree (where the some cowboys and ranchers would stop to have meals).

[-]

United_Gift3028@reddit

The further north, and on the Atlantic coast, the better and cheaper it will be. Seriously, you can get lobster anywhere, but it's considered pricey the further from the NE you go. Enjoy!

[-]

No-Contact6664@reddit

Lobster Rolls are more expensive in NE because of the demand. You can get one in Milwaukee at St Paul Fish Co for a fraction of what it costs in Maine. Why? Demand.

Counter intuitive but true. Since lobster is shipped live there's also no it's fresher there aspect.

Source - From Maine

[-]

United_Gift3028@reddit

Ugh, me too. And I’m stuck in Chicago and don’t trust any “seafood” here. Maybe I’ll just add a teaspoon of old bay to my hot lemon water before bed tonight… just to take the edge off

[-]

Alycion@reddit

DC for crab. Or if you don’t mind taking a trip into Baltimore, you can get better there.

Avoid Phillips. It’s a tourist trap and does not live up to Maryland expectations. I’ll never figure out how the one location in Ocean City has a line around the block every night. Especially when there is cheaper and better options.

If I think to ask my MIL about the name of the one place we would hit, I’ll let ya know. Green Turtle has good food. I’m stoked they just opened one near me since I moved out of state a long time ago and Florida just sucks with blue crab.

[-]

seancbo@reddit

Of those, east coast is your best bet, and you can absolutely find some excellent lobster in New York

[-]

doonerthesooner@reddit

If you go to any nice place in any of those cities they get frequent, fresh deliveries daily.

Trulucks in Austin for example.

[-]

LetterheadClassic306@reddit

i ran into this last year when my cousin visited from overseas. for lobster, you want maine or boston but since you're hitting nyc and philly, those work too. in nyc try luke's lobster for a casual roll or go to crab house in philly for maryland blue crabs. for grocery stores, whole foods sells pre-cooked lobster tails and crab legs - just ask the seafood counter to steam them for you. honestly the northeast does it best so focus on nyc/philly/dc for quality. avoid grocery store crab unless it's a dedicated seafood market.

[-]

Capable_Stranger9885@reddit

In Philadelphia, Sansom Street Oyster House has crab cakes and whole lobster (and also has legendary Philadelphia recipe, snapper soup, if you are game to try turtle meat too) although the real bushel of crabs experience can be had from Anastasi Seafood in the Italian Market, or out of one of the trucks on Oregon Avenue.

[-]

kmoonster@reddit

On a separate note, how long is your trip?

7 cities in 6 states and 4 time zones is pretty intense, and you list them as if you are making the trip into a loop which means you do the jet lag twice.

Everyone as top comment already have it, I'm from Virginia and you gotta get some Chesapeake blue crab in Maryland (between DC and Philly)

If you are a little scared by it, go for a crab cake. If you are a little more comfy just get crab legs.

Yeah, as a proud Bostonian I need to begrudgingly second Maryland for crab.

Cape Cod is where it's at for Lobster, but Maryland absolutely crushes crab. Enjoy. Find a local to help you learn to eat 'em, it's a bit of a skill.

[-]

Sponsorspew@reddit

Crab - Maryland Lobster - Maine

[-]

Cayderent@reddit

I like crabs & lobster very much. However, both are insanely overpriced nowadays.

[-]

Stardustchaser@reddit

Dungeness (sp?) Crab from Bodega Bay CA is a lowkey fave

[-]

Occamsrazor2323@reddit

Definitely Maryland

San Diego if you're headed west

I would warn that quality and price do not always correlate, and the provenance of sea critters is often impossible to ascertain.

[-]

Blue387@reddit

Chinese seafood restaurant that has lobster with ginger and scallion, delish!

[-]

therealCatnuts@reddit

Don’t forget oysters.

[-]

jvc1011@reddit

While you are in San Diego, cross the border and go to Puerto Nuevo for lobster. It’s about 20-30 minutes south of the border.

Any of the 7,000,000 lobster restaurants there will be great.

[-]

Rob_LeMatic@reddit

When you're in DC, you're going to want to get lobster rolls. Mason's Famous Lobster Rolls on Water St Southwest is on the waterfront, it's a good choice.

Since you're not really going to New England, that's your best choice for Maine style lobster rolls. I'm sure someone will want to argue, but part of DC culture is everybody calling everybody else's opinion wrong. You want atmosphere and freshness and quality, you'll get it.

As for a full lobster dinner, maybe NYC but get a recommendation from a local wherever you end up. It's a big city, there's bound to be a great spot near wherever you're staying.

Same with crab. Baltimore near the water is what you want, but also you need to be there during crab season. And ideally September to November. Just get near some water and find a local to trust about the best place to go. Maryland is proud of their crabs and your story will move a group of Marylanders at a friendly pub to steer you to the right spot.

[-]

OJSimpsons@reddit

North Dakota

[-]

063anon@reddit

In Austin, mexican, bbq or steaks lots of good places there.

[-]

MaleficentCoconut594@reddit

Crabs in DC (Maryland specialty). Lobster more of a New England thing, NYC closest you’ll be

Damn. How long are you gonna be here if you're traveling to so many different spread out places?

El-Viking@reddit

Lobster is poor peoples' food. Make some time in your schedule to stop in Baltimore for some crabs.

[-]

green_goblins_O-face@reddit

ive spent time in Maine, been to "the local places"

lobster is overrated. crab is superior. go to Maryland.

Maryland is your new arrakis. old bay is the spice melange

[-]

andrewrbat@reddit

new england has the best lobster. Maine and Massachusetts especially. mostly maine. Luke's is the best place ive been but ive only been to portaland and a few other places in Maine a few times.

Crab mecca is Maryland, so Washington DC is probably the most natural spot to prioritize eating it.

Lobster mecca is Maine/Massachusetts, which is a bit north of where you're headed. If you extended the trip up to Boston, I'd say that's your spot. NYC can work too, but you'll want to be a bit more selective of where you go.

[-]

antonio16309@reddit

Strip club buffet!

[-]

Old-Breakfast5331@reddit

100%

[-]

JohnnyC300@reddit

When you're in DC, you're right down the road from the best Blue Crab on the planet. Take a short train ride up to Maryland. For lobster, you're best bet is NYC. It's not exactly the lobsters' natural habitat, but it's only a state or two away. You should be able to get very fresh lobster there.

[-]