Okay, let's leave an honest review. Ernie's is a hidden gem for Maryland style carryout seafood. I have been coming here since I was a teenager. The service is friendly, the ambiance is like a hole in the wall. Yet, do not judge this place by its cover. The juicy seafood will knock your socks off! I ordered 2 seafood combo platters to go with: fried oysters, fried shrimp, fried fish, and double french fries. One platter for me, and one for my Dad. Our seafood was so delicious! Seasoned to perfection! Tarter sauce and cocktail sauce on hand! Man! It hit the soul! If I go into detail too much, I am going to be over here salivating. Check this spot out! It is a unique gem! Cheers! read more

Ernies Crab House - Fried Fish, Fried Oysters, Butterfly Shrimp, French Fries, Cole Slaw - Seafood Markets Near Me - Lanham, Maryland

Carry Out only, but seems to be a great place to carry out. Although I live in this neighborhood, I have never tried Ernie's. Every time I would pass the place It always seemed to be empty of customers. Well I now know why it seems to be that way most folks call their order in before time. With good reason as Ernie prepares food on order only if you walk in, you'll have to sit a good little while before your food is given to you. The Young lady taking the order was very friendly and helpful with the menu choices. We opted for the fish sandwich. Mine was trout as well as my significant other. The fish was expertly fried and seasoned correctly probably in the top five of fried fish sandwiches I've eaten and no McDonald's fish sandwich is not in that group. The sandwich came with tomato sauce, hot sauce on the side, lettuce, tomato cheese, and onion they use sweet onions rather than the cheaper white onion. My only complaint would be that they used a hamburger bun. My partner did not like the bread at all, putting it on a hamburger bun for whatever reason, although I can guess was a bit hard to handle the sandwich. Other than that, I have no more complaints we waited, but it wasn't that long and that about covers everything 4 out of five read more

Crabs and prices go together! You won't be disappointed. If you order large the size will be X-Large, if you order X-Large the will be jumbo. Go for it! read more

It's too expensive! I know they have quality seafood, and I don't mind paying for good food, but I simply COULDN'T get myself to pay here. Idk why but I just couldn't. There are other places to get the same types of food with better prices. I can't review the service or ambiance because I left when she told me the price of what I had wanted. I don't feel comfortable giving it a strong rating either because it has been awhile (years) since I have actually eaten there. However, what I do remember is that the seafood is good, but NOT $60 worth!!! So, I went to their competitor that was 5 minutes away and the prices are better at Lamberts. read more

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Stopped by Ernie's crab house lanham location and decided to try them out for a Father's Day lunch. The location is set up for carryout. The lady at the register helped somewhat describe their crab options and sizes. I decided to get 2 dozen medium male crabs which were a decent size all things considered. I also grabbed a pound of medium shrimp which was cooked and seasoned for me. The total was $128 which I think was a fair price. The only reason why I did not give this a higher rating is because I couldn't see what else they had to offer. The display was so foggy you can't see what's for sale. I would like to go back and try their other options like fish, crab cakes and sides. Medium male Crabs 7.5/10 Medium Shrimp 7/10 (overly steamed) read more

Ernie's is inconsistent. The first time I went to Ernie's, I had the meatiest and heaviest crabs that were steamed to perfection with the perfect seasoning. It was perfect and I told myself I would come back to Ernie's frequently. WELL...the next two times I went I was disappointed in my experience. Both of these times, the crabs were not meaty at all, and they did not taste fresh. On my most recent visit, I was debating on asking to return the crabs after cracking one and finding little to no meat. The crabs were nearly empty and I definitely felt like I overpaid for such light crabs. Additionally, they were not hot as if they had just been cooked - it appears they had been sitting in a pot to stay warm. read more

My aunt turned me on to this place. I love how efficient and quick they are with ordering and getting you in and out. The steamers are going always. I always get their snow crab legs because they are always replenishing and they are big and meaty. The prices are a little more but trust me any place you can get XXL crabs it going to cost. read more

I have been going to Earnie's since I was a child. My mom would only get caught up abs from Earnie's back in the 80s. I lost touch with them for a while. But I'm so glad I found the newest location. The quality and size of the crabs still can't be beat! The crabs are nice and heavy. Highly recommend!!! read more

When Ernie's says they have JUMBO crabs. They got JUMBO CRABS!!! Meatiest and tastiest crabs ever. Piping hot and what a way to celebrate the July 4th holiday. read more

Ernies Crab House - One dozen JUMBO crabs. - Seafood Markets Near Me - Lanham, Maryland

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Perfectly cooked and seasoned! I drove from Philly and was on my way to VA. We enjoyed the greens and potato salad as well!

Been here a few times, and i love the food. Should have called first, but i went by their hoirs of operation on their website. Pulled up at 11:30am on a Friday, and they are closed. Not sure what time to expect them, so I'll come back another day! Hours of operation on the door need to change as well! read more

Ernies Crab House - Hours of operation need to be updated :( Came 11:30 on a Friday, they are closed! Their Website says the same - Seafood Markets Near Me - Lanham, Maryland

We were celebrating a pretty big milestone birthday. To make it extra special I decided to go for the jumbo crabs at Ernie's. They did not disappoint! I called ahead of time, told them when I'd arrive and that was it. No payment required over the phone and ease in working with the establishment. When I tell you those crabs were bigger than my face, I am not exaggerating! Humongous, full fresh and delicious!! My hubby was a happy man!! read more

The quantity two dozens male crabs were good portion and well seasoned medium. They were fresh and tasted good days later even cold. Will pushed again. read more

Bought a dozen large male crabs The crabs were freshly cooked and fairly heavy. A little pricey.

The crabs are not good; they are warmed over, not meaty and just plain taste bad. I purchased crabs from Ernie's a few days ago, I could break the shell with my fingers and they had no meat in them. read more

They were all sold out of crab cakes when I arrived so I opted for a whiting sandwich (Option #2) and I am blown away. The whiting sandwich was delicious - this is basically everything that a McDonald's Filet o Fish sandwich aspires to be but doesn't achieve. I'm glad I took a chance on this place for lunch and plan to return. read more

When in Maryland it's only right to have crabs. I was heading back up north and started mapping out the closest place I could grab some. Ernie's popped up, and how fitting as my dad, named Ernie for short, was with me. So Ernie's it is. When we pulled up it was 1130 AM and they were closed. So now I felt stuck because if I hop on the highway I'm not getting off until NY. Something told me to call and good thing I did because someone picked up and I was told they open at 12pm. I explained I was from out of town and heading back up and if I could place an order for pickup when they open. He said he would accomodate me. I ordered a dozen large spicy and a half dozen mild along with 2 pounds of shrimp. When they opened I told them my name on the order and they told me to give them 5 minutes. When inside I noticed Ernie's is your pickup and go restaurant not a sit down with a drink and crack crabs place. The shrimp were ready to go and the crabs were being transported from the pot to the famous brown paper bag. The pro to this was they were piping hot. I was asked how I wanted them seasoned and then I was back on the road. The con is that I have to transport them and they will not be hot on arrival. When I arrived home I put the crabs and shrimps in my steamer. I think I reheated to long and re-cooked them because the meat didn't slide out easily. Silly me. Nonetheless, the crabs were meaty and flavorful. The shrimp were just as good. They weren't really spicy but it didn't matter because they taste so good. My family was pleased and so was my dad, Ernie. If I'm in the area I will return to pick some up. read more

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I go here several times a year. The food is on point. The price and size of the crabs are amazing!

The food was delicious. The fish was perfectly seasoned and fried. The collards were just like they made in the old days. Absolutely delicious. Will definitely be going back. read more

Love their fish sandwich! It is delicious! Fresh fish and made to order! I heard their crabs are good but I'm stuck on the fish sandwich! Yummy! read more

We're out of towners, visiting friends for a wedding. My local Lanham barber recommended this place, so my wife and I headed to Ernie's. The man behind the counter was very cordial and honest. My wife loves scallops, so she asked him if the scallops were fresh scallops, he admitted that they were frozen scallops, I was pleasantly surprised at the man's candor, anyone else would have just lie about it. I ordered the fried fish, steamed shrimp with fries combo and my wife ordered the soft shell crab. The food was plentiful for the price, a great deal, my fried fish was perfectly fried and flaky, my shrimps were huge and tender. The soft shell crab was soft and delicious. Next time we're in the Lanham, MD area we'll stop by again and try other seafood in the menu. read more

Ernies Crab House - Soft Shell crab with greens and potato salad - Seafood Markets Near Me - Lanham, Maryland

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Ernie's Crab house is this little hidden gem in Lanham! my mom was in town and finally decided she wanted to try some Maryland crabs, so the only place to go for that was Ernies! they have a bunch of different crabs, but they were unfortunately out of everything aside from small and medium (which, in my opinion, was a good sign that they were bomb) we got ourselves a dozen crabs, some spicy shrimp, and the butterfly shrimp. I honestly would make the drive out to Lanham every day for that dang butterfly shrimp. sooooo good! from the flavor, to the crunch, it was so satisfying! read more

Crabs from Ernie's, Lanham Maryland is outstanding. You will get your monies worth with any size crabs available. Full with meat, sweet and seasoned perfectly per request. I have patronized this locations for many years and I highly recommend their product and prices. The customer service is very professional and polite. Do not forget the other seafood menu it's exceptional. If you are a seafood lover, Ernie's, Lanham Maryland is the place to Go. read more

2 stars for the nice lady taking orders. I ordered a popcorn shrimp platter, a regular shrimp platter, and I think 20 large butterfly shrimp. All was horrible, won't be going back. The popcorn shrimp was fried with the tail still on, like really. The fries tasted like grease, smh. My friend said his butterfly shrimp was okay. He also said we not coming back here lol. People were coming in for crabs so those may be better but I won't chance it. read more

I've had consistently good crabs here. The staff knows me by name and almost always says "see you tomorrow" when I leave. I usually order a half dozen large males ($35-45) and two pieces of fried whiting. Their crabs are seasoned well and meaty and their fish is fried with panko breading which gives it a nice crunch. They also sprinkle some seasoning on the fish that makes it even better. While they make my crabs, I stop at the Giant nearby to get the ingredients for my dipping sauce. When I pick them up, they're piping hot and ready to be devoured. In the summer, I'm there at least two to three times per month. read more

Ernies Crab House - Fried whiting. I ate part of it. - Seafood Markets Near Me - Lanham, Maryland

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I had the whiting fish fries and coleslaw it was pretty good and the price was reasonable

What? No love for the other Ernie's location, tucked away in a Giant-anchored shopping center along 193? Let me first say that I am a crab connoisseur. Been eating them since I was a tween in New Jersey, where options aren't as plentiful. Breaking down a crab is a skill my mother taught me that I probably treasure just as much as say...how to balance my checkbook. Anyhow, I had been to this location a long while ago but forgot about it in favor of one of those plentiful other options, despite the fact that is soooo much closer to my home than Crofton or Jessup. Gas prices be damned. After experiencing a craving for crabs so strong I feared I would hurt somebody and striking out at other places that were closed or still recovering from July 4, I suddenly remembered good ole Ernie's. I took a chance and headed over. It's a small carryout which carries a lot of cooked seafood selections and some uncooked seafood in the display case that looked a little...less than fresh. Not sure I would mess with that. But I did have memories of the crabs being decent. I'm super picky about the size and sex of my crabs. Anything other than extra large male is a waste of my time. They only had medium males. I wiped away my slobber and prepared to leave when the woman working there offered to show them to me. Rule #1 of business. Never let the customer walk away. Surprisingly, they looked more like large, which was still a little underweight to me but I was seriously feening. So I took a chance. The steaming took a little longer than the 20 minutes they told me, but to avoid the wait I would just call ahead. They don't have the industrial steamers that the major crab houses do. It's basically a large pot with some water. The crabs ended up being really good. Should have told her heavier on the seasoning, which was really good. Hit the spot perfectly. So will definitely be using them as an option when I just can't make the long trip to my preferred locations. Highly recommend calling ahead to see what they have, as one would do at most crab houses. Here, they will probably actually answer the phone! read more

I ordered a combo with steamed shrimp, fried fish, fries and coleslaw then I added a crab cake. It was all trash! The fish was decent and worthy of a repeat trip but crab cake was THE WORST I'VE EVER TASTED. It was rubbery and flavorless. The shrimp were very fishy smelling and tasting. I tried it because it was close to my house but NEVER AGAIN. read more

Whenever I want crabs, I go here. It's close to my home, reasonably priced, and folks behind the counter have always been courteous to me. On the rare occasion, they even have thrown in a few stray crab legs! I haven't tried to other items they sell, sooooo I don't know ‍ how it is, but the crabs? Two thumbs up! read more

This place is very popular amongst coworkers. I tried it for myself recently. The prices are very reasonable. The food is delicious and fresh. I tried a trout and shrimp dinner. Large pieces of fish and the shrimp were large and flavorful. They are coated with breadcrumbs so it gave that extra crunch. Coleslaw was heavenly. Usually coleslaw is a hit or miss with me and Ernie's was perfect. I arrived early on a Saturday and our orders were the first. The owner was very pleasant and ensured there was a heater where I was sitting to remain warm while their business warmed up. I will return! I love scallops so I'm sure theirs will not disappoint. read more

I tried it once and knew I was coming back. Had shrimp 4 days in a row after I tried it. Always fresh always tasty and it's fast

The thing is.... this is not a restaurant. This is a fish shop. They fry and steam seafood. I'm from new York. I will pay for what i want....i was craving soft shell crab, but it was a stroke pill, as it was soooooo salty. The steam shrimp was perfect cause the shell was hard. It was still salty but not too bad. read more

This review is solely on the medium fried shrimp platters my husband and I ordered yesterday. The shrimp were pounded so flat and more breading than shrimp. We peeled away the breading to find the shrimp! UGGH I believe these were frozen boxed shrimp and they were horrible. Will not be eating from here again. read more

I just came from getting a fish and shrimp combo and had the most disgusting encounter ever in all my years of eating out. My fish had a gulp of long disgusting hair embedded in the coating. I immediately drove back there and wouldn't you know they were closed. Yep that fast. Well don't worry I will never patronize this place again and I suggest you don't either. My stomach is so upset. This just might be the straw that breaks the dining out venue for me. #wastedmoney #myheadhurt #mystomachisturning read more

This place doesn't deserve 1 star but of course I had to in order to review it. I went there & before purchasing crabs I asked about the size. The lady at the counter said they're bigger than what's on the wall. I asked to see them 1st. I was wondering why it was taking so long to bring some to show me. They were obviously picking through to show a few decent sizes so that I'd purchase. I bought a dozen for $35 based on the 3 they showed. I get home & the 3 decent sized crabs were on top & all the others (every single 1 under the 3) were EXTREMELY TINY (you know the size when the claws are way too small to even open) can't even think about eating the legs on crabs this size nor would I EVER KNOWINGLY PURCHASE THESE, as if that wasn't enough, 1/2 the crabs smelled like AMONIA!! What a SCAM. I actually thought this was the Ernie's that use to be in Bladensburg but I guess they're just using their name because she said it's not the same place when I asked. Yeah now I know it's definitely not. I called to explain & she kept saying the owner isn't here and hung up. I called again & asked her to LISTEN & she hung up again. I called again to ask if the phone hung up ACCIDENTALLY & she said NO, SHE'S BUSY! Well I left my business to come to your business & was busy spending MY MONEY there! I was giving her my number to have the owner call me, I got 2 digits out & she hung up! RUDE SCAMMERS! read more

I was CRAVING crabs so badly I drove in the rain (from DC) with little gas to Casey's in Laurel (a spot a friend HIGHLY recommended). While on my way I stopped in Greenbelt to fill-up and called to order but after hearing the specials and how expensive they are I decided to google a Crab House closer to where I was. I called Ernie's and decided to take a chance. I asked everyone in line about their crabs and they all agreed they were delicious. Ms. Sue sealed the deal. She was so nice and guaranteed I would love them. I ordered 1/2 dozen XL male and they were DELICIOUS and cheaper than Casey's. She was right and I'll most definitely be back soon! read more

Honestly, I've been to this location on Greenbelt Road three times. Each time, the crabs were very filled with sand. I stopped going there. read more