Up stairs dining room at nice atmosphere. The server was friendly and provided good service. The food was tasty. read more

Mama's on the Half Shell - Lobster Tail stuffed with Imperial Crab - Bars Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Stopped at this gem on a roadtrip back from North Carolina. Not too far off the I-95. Great area for other cute places to stop. The food was amazing! I got for appetizers the crab dip and crab eggrolls. The crab dip was so full of chucks of whole crab and tons of cheese! I will dream about this one! The eggrolls weren't as good as I thought. However, the crab sandwich was the best crab sandwich I have ever eaten! Definitely defines Maryland crabs! Our waitress was super nice and service was great! The place overall is historic and a lot of history there! read more

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Not only was Shariff amazing his reco regarding the lamb chops was spot on! Perfectly pink, seasoned and seared- the mash and spinach were delish as well! My husband ordered the fish and chips- crispy, flakey- not greasy and perfectly seasoned! Def. Coming back!! Oh- and Shariff was amazing! read more

We are long time Baltimorians but have rarely eaten at Mamas on the Half Shell. We were delighted with our experience at Mama's tonight. The raw oysters were delicious (who doesn't like a Buck a Shuck during oyster week!), the fried oysters and the fried shrimp were perfectly fried. Even the Cole Slaw and the spinach were wonderful. Shariff was attentive and the atmosphere was fantastic! We will be back. read more

The food, the ambiance and the service were all amazing! But let's talk about the food some more. Cream of crab soup 10 out of 10. Crab cakes 10 out of 10. Oysters 11 out of 10. Next time we're in town from California, we will definitely be stopping here again, and again! read more

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We regularly go by Mama's when we're in Baltimore. We visit almost monthly when we visit our daughter, and can vouch for both locations. The food (as visitors, we tend tog eat Maryland specialties) is consistent, fresh, and flavorful. The service is usually very good but can be spotty. The two locations have very different vibes, one older and urban, and the other suburban. I prefer downtown but both are great. read more

This place is very cool inside and has an excellent vibe. We stopped in for lunch but it feels like it would be cool to hang out at night here. The staff was great and very friendly. The bartender waited on us and picked up we were visiting and started offering up good suggestions. The cocktails were great. For food, we tried the grilled oysters, great! The grouper sandwich loved it but could have used a little more salt or a good spice, the oyster po boy, good, again a little underwhelming on the flavor. Finally the seafood club. This is a huge sandwich but again just a little underwhelming, but still good. Overall, we really liked the place and would give it another shot. The kitchen may have had an off day. That's not to say it wasn't good, we ate everything and enjoyed our visit read more

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I live right next to here and and absolutely love, coming here for seafood and crushes! We came during restaurant week and they had an amazing soft shell, crab sandwich, and crab egg rolls! We sat outside, and absolutely got rained out and the service was so nice. They were so willing to move us out of the rain! We've sat inside, and it's pretty cool to see all the decor that they have. Their softshell crab soup is amazing and honestly so cheap and filling! read more

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Excellent food everytime. We live right down the street and the consistency brings us back. Really fun place that serves O'Donnell Square really well. Bloody Mary is a legendary. My go to meal is 2 Bloody's and a Salad. but the rest of the menu is first rate. Downstairs eating is "bar" eating so be prepared for loud. Upstairs is the move for just dining. Outside on Linwood is great on nice days. A Baltimore Institution that continues to shine. read more

I made my way to Mama's On The Half Shell for dinner before I hopped on my flight. Customer service was great; I was immediately greeted. I started off with the half dozen chargrilled oysters. They offer 3 different flavors and I was able to do 2 oysters of each. They were so good! I am a girl of the people; I love to try what a state/country is known for. I ordered a Crush which was tasty. I ordered the half-half which is grapefruit and orange. They add in fresh fruit (oranges and grapefruit) which is a plus. For my entrée I ordered the Seafood Club sandwich. The sandwich has their famous crab cake , shrimp salad, lettuce, tomato, bacon, mayonnaise & swiss on toasted white bread. That come with fries and a pickle. When I tell you that sandwich was stacked?!!! LISTEN. It was worth every penny. I took about 2 bites and was stuffed. For my to-go order I got 10pc Old Bay wings. I had a few on the plane and they were juicy and flavorful! read more

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Had a great brunch here! The beignets were a definite highlight - great for sharing among the table. (They also had shareable size french toast sticks). Perfect for those who struggle with the savory vs sweet brunch dilemma. Bottomless mimosas for $18. Lobster Benedict was super too! Inside is gorgeous dark wood and historic Baltimore photos on the wall. read more

Mama's on the Half Shell - Beignets - Bars Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

We went for happy hour and got oysters, crab dip, calamari, and drinks. The best part was the oysters - genuinely delicious and only $1 each during happy hour? You can't beat it! We ended up getting 36 oysters for the three of us because they were so good. The crab dip was also great, just a tad bit too much cream cheese for my taste but very comforting and great flavor otherwise. And the calamari was crisp and well-made, not rubbery or tough. And the service was great, our server and another in the same section checked on us consistently and made sure we were doing well. Honestly a great experience - we will be back! read more

Mama's on the Half Shell - Fried Calamari, Crab Dip, Oysters - Bars Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

My previous review still stands... update, somehow it appears to have evaporated instead of still being visible below this... This is a canton square staple, and has outlasted many other long standing (and short lived) restaurants on the square. The secret to their success probably has something to do with the excellent quality of the food, the outstanding service, and the great atmosphere. Location doesn't hurt either as it sits in prime location on the corner of the square. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. See my previous review for a bunch of details (if it's visible...). Note the lobster roll is now served hot and cold... Both are great! Since my previous review seems to evaporated here are a list of things that we have tried over the years: Starters: Crab dip - amazing Calamari - decent cocktail - fantastic wings - fantastic salads: Mama's classic - fantastic Caesar - fantastic Spring berry - meh... skip it Soups: Cream of crab - fantastic Maryland crab - fantastic Seafood chowder - decent, but cream of crab is much better Sandwiches: Crab cake - great but honestly it's better as a platter Po'boy - meh; skip it Salmon blt - decent Lobster roll - fantastic both hot and cold Shrimp salad - fantastic (better as a wrap) Mama's fried chicken - fantastic Mama's classic burger - fantastic Entrees: Fried jumbo shrimp - fantastic Fish & chips - fantastic Chef's scallops - decent Maryland rockfish - fantastic Chicken Chesapeake - fantastic Lobster arrabbiata - fantastic, but usually I find the amount of lobster meat a bit disappointing (you get much more in the lobster roll!) read more

Ok the food was and always is amazing . I sat at the bar on a Sunday Early Evening. The bartender was horrible I had to ask for menus then ask for silverware the ask to order then ask for change for a tip. He paid us no mind ... the entire time .... That's the only reason they lose a star. We found street parking pretty easy .... The selection of oysters was very nice. The ambiance typical not too loud or quiet . I'll always come for the food maybe not so much at the bar this time. read more

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Me and the fam hit mamas on the half shell in Canton and we're not disappointed. We were seated at our reservation time and water/coffee was served immediately. Our server, who unfortunately appeared to be working the whole place alone, did an amazing job. Well the best she could. As far as I could tell she had the inside, outside and upstairs. My aunt was not pleased as she and did not feel our server had the capacity serve bottomless just based on how many tables she was covering. Truth be told, parking sucks but that's Canton on a weekend for you. The food was really good though. I'm comparison to the one in Owings Mills, it was much better in my opinion. My shrimp and grits were so perfectly flavored. The tomato base scared me a little but it worked out swimmingly. The scrapple was cooked to perfection to perfection. All conversation ceased while we were eating because we were too busy savoring the flavor. The crab cake eggrolls had a great flavor and pair well with the sauce. A huge plus was that they were not greasy. Overall, I loved it. I'll definitely be back. Juts give yourself a little extra time to find parking. read more

Mama's on the Half Shell - Shrimp and grits - Bars Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Fresh delicious oysters on the half shell during HH- only $1 each. Yummy fish and chips, and cole slaw. We also tried Baltimore Crushes here and they were perfect! The stand out attribute of Mama's was the service! I am a southern woman, and I truly appreciate hospitality. The woman bartender here was friendly, knowledgeable, and efficient. Thank you thank you! Also, my guy left his CC here, and we came back to retrieve it the next day without any difficulty. They were polite and helpful, and required ID to give his card to him. Excellent! I would say this was my favorite dining experience of my short trip to visit this city. Thank you, Mama's. read more

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My favorite neighborhood restaurant. I especially love the Maryland crab soup . Sometimes service is slow but the food is worth it.

I have to say I was disappointed in our brunch yesterday there were some items that were very good and there were some items that were so bad you could not eat them. We had French toast sticks and the crab soup, Maryland. Both were excellent. We also ordered four oysters that were very tasty but not cheap $13. The orange crush drinks were good however the crabcakes had filler and the seasoning was overpowering. The chicken for the chicken and biscuits they ran out of biscuits so we asked for french fries. the chicken was in edible. It was rubber so we sent it back and by the time the hamburger arrived we needed to leave so we asked them to pack it up to go. . It was nice to sit outside. The weather was beautiful and our waitress was very sweet. We had ordered a second round of orange crushes and they did not come until we asked for the check. It seemed to have been forgotten, but they made them quickly when I asked to cancel the order. The prices are realistic for what crabcakes go for but it was a hefty bill. My lack of stars is for the food. I really find Yelp helps me find good places based on the star rating. And I too, am being objective. read more

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The was great! The oysters were decent, the linguine was exceptional! Definitely try to seafood pasta dish. The drinks were incredible! The freshly squeezed oranges for the drinks were absolutely incredible. The service was great. The ambience was mellow and enjoyable. Definitely will be returning for the food and the drink drinks! read more

April 2023 My husband and I split a crab cake double platter entree as it was cheaper by $10 than ordering a single. For our sides, I ordered the coleslaw and he ordered fries. It was nice that our server brought us our crab cake and sides individually instead of together on one plate. My sister-in-law and her boyfriend from Florida also got the same and they both really enjoyed the crab cakes. The crab cakes were one of the best I've had in MD. It was filled with lots of crab meat and not a lot of filler. The coleslaw was bland, however, and I would have preferred it to be sweeter. All three of them ordered an orange crush. My SIL and her bf never had it and loved it so much they had it at another bar and at our house. Helpful info: -There is a 3% tender fee if you don't pay in cash. -They have a loyalty club where you can earn rewards and discounts. -They have a bar and patio seating. read more

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Always a go to for me! The food is always hot + fresh, 8 typically get any of the fresh catch fish w the sides. And the drinks + service is amazing! Mauricio is an awesome manager, 10/10! read more

Here on business and of course when in Maryland you have to try the crab, so we stopped here for lunch just on a random whim. Our sever, I forgot her name but she was absolutely amazing, went over and beyond to make sure we were comfortable. We ate on the patio and it was a gorgeous day to do so. The crab fried rice was absolutely amazing, it had hints of pineapple and assorted peppers. It was really good and again the service was absolutely amazing. The young lady on 7/29 at lunch with the 1995 necklace you're special! I would def return read more

Mama's on the Half Shell - Crab Fried Rice Lunch Special $26 - Bars Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Monday's deal is perfect. $30 for a crabcake, side and dessert. Bar can be slow with drinks but food was really good.

The food was good. However, the service was a little slow. I went by myself and it took 10 minutes before someone came over to greet me. I went down a restaurant week and the prices were very affordable. It was $45 for a three course meal, including crab eggrolls, a crabcake with seasonal vegetables for my main dish, and bread pudding for my dessert. On the inside of the restaurant it was a little warm for a summer day, but they have outside seating. I'm not sure if they have fans to keep you cool and I'm not sure if I upstairs felt the same. The drinks were underwhelming but the bread pudding the bomb. I want to mention that you should pay very special attention to the bathroom labels. They are above the doors in the back however, they are very small. I accidentally went into the men's room, only to come out and everyone chuckling at my ignorance. Lol. ‍ read more

Mama's on the Half Shell - Baltimore Restaurant Week: Solo Night Out Summer Rose Spritz - Bars Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Was treated here for Mother's Day meal by my amazing husband before a concert that Saturday. It was very busy as you could imagine. We parked on the street and proceeded to the restaurant for our 5:30 reservations. The hostess informed us that there was a wait until a server arrived for her shift. I would say we waited about 15 minutes. We decided to stick it out. Many came in with and without reservations and left because of the demand and wait. There was indoor, bar and outside seating available. We were eventually seated on the second floor of the restaurant and quickly we devised a plan to review the menu and get ready to order drinks, apps and food when the waitress came to grab drink orders. This strategy was a success. Ordered 2 drinks each and ALL of our food options. - The Crush drink was tasty and gets watered down pretty fast because of the ice. - Sangria tart and fruity - Wings as expected. Yummy. - Crab dip was good but would have preferred it a bit hotter in temp. - Lobster roll was decent with a fair amount of lobster throughout. - Shrimp and fries were tasty - fried as expected. We had to give the waiters and waitresses a lot of credit as the kitchen was located on the second floor near where we were seated and we watched them come up and down the stairs for their orders several times while we were there! They are true rockstar employees. read more

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Came here with my friends for lunch around 2pm and it wasn't busy at all. They have cute outdoor area and indoor was more bar vibes. Our waitress was super friendly and attentive. My friends split the mussel appetizer with old bay seasoning and they said it was so good. The lobster rolls they had were super good too. I got the brisket sandwich with fries and it was delicious. read more

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Always strong experience with Mama's. I have been a few times and always stay with their staples and never disappointed. Drinks are phenomenal and crab cakes exceed expectations! read more

Mama's on the Half Shell - Outside corner view - Bars Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

This restaurant is definitely worth a visit. All the dishes were very rich and delicious. FYI their portion size is quite generous. Food came out quick, and overall service was great. read more

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John took the most amazing care of us. He made excellent recommendations including getting the Chesapeake chicken extra crispy which was INCREDIBLE. Cannot recommend this place and John enough! read more

I absolutely love this place just good to eat and Everytime I visit it's a great experience

Our first time here. Location is very nice. They have outside seating if you like. We sat upstairs on second the floor. Service was nice. This place seems like an oyster spot. The steak and eggs were good, the kids fried shrimp and fries were tasty and the shrimp were big. The bananas Foster's waffle was ok. The shrimp and grits were mehhh. If you look at the pic..it was a small portion of grits surrounded by so much sauce. The grits taste like they were left over. But the shrimp were big. read more

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First time trying this place and I got the hot lobster roll, French toast sticks, and cheese grits that I added bacon to. I also got the unlimited mimosas for brunch. The lobster roll was really good but in my opinion just needed more butter and seasoning which my server happily gave me when asked. The grits were good and so were the French toast sticks. Service was a bit slow but overall my food was good and I had a good experience. read more

Mama's on the Half Shell - Menu 3/30/2025 - Bars Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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We ate outside midweek and it was nice. Most of the people seemed like local professionals meeting after work blended with tourist such as us. The oysters were great. They had a good local and regional selection. I started with the crab soup, which was the best part of the entire meal. I had a salmon on a salad which was decent. My husband had the lobster seafood dish and really liked it. He has a good appetite but said it was too much food. Sadly, the rose selection I had was terrible. I left the entire glass on the table. My husband had beer and said it was a good selection. read more

Mama's on the Half Shell - Crab soup was delicious! - Bars Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Better tasting food. We were at the Owings Mills location. My food was so bland I cannot remember what I had.

Mama's On The Half Shell. 7/10 Recommend. My family and I are visiting from Florida and got word of this place through Instagram. Overall we had a good experience. As far as ambiance, we didn't feel much of anything special. Decor on the outside seemed authentic to the nautical/ship feel that I believe the restaurant has. We sat outside so maybe the experience is different inside the restaurant. Food was GREAT! Here are the ratings for the food we had: Crab Dip :: 8/10 - Creamy and fresh. Wish we had more pieces of crab in it! Crab Cakes :: 8/10 - Very Nice. We loved it with the aioli sauce that it came with. Broiled is the way to go! Scallops :: 20/10 - my favorite dish by far. The mushroom base went so well with the scallops. I just wish I had more scallops! Crab Chowder :: 20/10 - Family Favorite!! Amazing flavor. Only note with this place is if you are unfamiliar with soft shell crab, it is a hit or miss with different people. With our family, it was a miss. The soft shell crab BLT and the Cream of Crab with Softshell Crab both weren't our favorites because we weren't a fan of soft shell crab and the flavor. But you don't know until you try it! Overall, it was a great experience. Service was pretty average. We went on a Thursday evening, the pace was pretty slow but not negligent. If you have the time, give this place a shot. read more

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Amazing food!! The cream of crab soup and the crab dip were both so rich and flavorful! They didn't skimp on the crab and both dishes were very hearty...perfect comfort food for a Marylander. The Benedict was pretty good as well but the shrimp and grits had some room for improvement. More like a gumbo than shrimp and grits, but still tasted pretty good. I would 100% come back for all of the crab dishes! They were delicious and this place makes a phenomenal crush as well! read more

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Great ambience and food! Ran in during a brief break of my friend's treatment at Hopkins: found parking easily, seated right away, food was out within a few minutes. I was in and out in no time. The crab cake had big lumps of crabmeat and tasted amazing! read more

My co-workers rave about Mama's On The Half Shell. One so much, brings everyone from out of town here for lunch. It would not surprise me, if they have a chair with her name. Restaurant is cute, cozy vibe. We came for lunch. If there's a crab cake on the menu, I'm ordering it. I'm a well known crab cake snob. The Seafood Club caught my eye as a server was walking past delivering two to another table. The sandwich is huge! I ordered mine in a to-go box as I knew right away, there is no way I could finish in one sitting. The Seafood Club has a smaller version on their crab cake, yummy, bacon, I pulled the bacon off, Swiss cheese...my favorite, stuffed full of jumbo shrimp. I'm normally not a fan of shrimp, it's a texture thing. These were cooked perfectly, nice flavor and very much added to the club. The French Fries on the side were delicious! I see why they rave about Mama's! 5 stars for sure. read more

Mama's on the Half Shell - Seafood Club - Bars Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Dated interior, smell musty . Food portion is very generous. Food heavy in oil and grease. 3 stars at best. read more

Mama's on the Half Shell - Mama's Burger - Bars Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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This was my first time and it was good. The fried rice was really good. So were the scallops. Wasn't a big fan of the pancake underneath but I liked the spinach. We had the oysters that were also good and the half and half soup suggested by the lovely Elizabeth was good too. Definitely go see her at the bar read more

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