There is a very specific kind of happiness that comes from sitting at a paper-covered table with a mallet in your hand, a pile of steamed crabs in front of you, and absolutely nowhere else you need to be.
Maryland understands this better than anywhere else in the country, and the crab houses here have spent decades perfecting the conditions for it.
The crabs are fresh, the Old Bay is generous, and the only dress code is a willingness to get your hands dirty. These are not the places where you eat delicately or worry about appearances…