Best place for brunch/lunch/dinner in Baltimore. If you're looking for a real Baltimore seafood experience you have to go here. It is a hidden gem, but very easy to find and in a great little area with other bars and restaurants. I've been going here for a few years now, and usually go at least once a week. Food is great, never have had a bad meal or bad experience. What to try: Crab cake, blacken chicken Caesar salad, the burger, seafood melt, anything on the specials, and of course the orange crush! The only things to be weary of: it gets very crowded, because its so good! And, they don't have patience if you order something and then want to send it back ( but don't worry, if you aren't super picky or needy you'll be fine). read more

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

It was my first time in MD. After a recommendation for a friend we came here. Expect a wait here but it is worth it. The food portions are huge! The fish and chips are so good. Perfectly fried, flakey, and enough for 2 people. The oysters on a half shell was the best I had here since I arrived. Get a doz or two! The seafood chowder was chunky and Hardy a meal in itself. The seafood bouillabaisse was huge ....ok massive.. Scallops were so perfect, broth to cry for, and the fish so plentiful. Let's say I needed a soccer team to help me. The service is pleasant and the hostess nice so I would recommend this place for visitors! read more

Mama's on the Half Shell - So good! - Bars Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

See all

I have been to Mama's a few times and every time I think I fall in love with the restaurant a little more. The food is great! I am confident in saying that this is one of my favorite seafood spots in Baltimore City. I was never a fan of oysters until I ate them at Mamas. Each time I went to Mamas I tried a different type of oyster and I have yet to be disappointed. My favorite entree on their menu is their Fish and Chips. I warn you, the amount you get is enough to feed two people. The pricing for the food is reasonable and everything is definitely your money's worth. Ambiance-- The restaurant has two levels. They serve food on both levels. When you walk into the restaurant, the bar is found on the first level. When the games are on the noise level is quite loud. The upper level is a little more spacious, if you go as a party of 2 you will get stuck at a small table. I find the tables to be a little too small, but not to the point where it is uncomfortable. read more

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

Our experience was disappointing. The bartender was training an intern and we needed to ask many times to be helped during our meal. My vodka on the rocks was watered down and we never asked if we wanted a refill. Dishes weren't removed from the bar that we pushed aside. No decaf coffee was available. The bread pudding that was served was dried out and microwaved although we weren't charged for it when we sent it back. read more

A Feast for Seafood lovers We had reservations at 7 arrived on time and taken upstairs dining room by friendly hostess that was noisy but cozy. Our waitress was excellent telling us which dishes she liked and we listened to her advice. We ordered 4 appetizers crab cake (broiled awesome), oysters rockefeller (perfectly done), beer mussels (OMG the broth was unreal), and cup of cream of crab that was full of crab and so savory. Wow if that was not enough we each ordered fresh catch fillet one blacked mahi and grilled rock fish both done to perfection. You get 2 sides with dinner and we did the creamy mac and cheese that melted in your mouth and side salad that is big enough for 2 to share. I don't give a lot of 5 stars but this one exceeded my expectations. Old world Baltimore charm in hip Canton area worth the visit. read more

I went with Family and the best thing was the seafood skins. Everything else wasn't so great. The reason I took off a star is because they don't have the option to split the bill or get separate checks. We all had to pay on one bill. Some of us had to leave early and it made the process difficult considering we had to wait and get the bill and calculate it and evenly divide the gratuity. read more

See all

Great food I've been there many times. Unfortunately, today 4/23 @ 3pm my experience was not so pleasant the bartender did NOT want to take my order as a matter he didn't. A young lady who works there, didn't get her name took my order. My food came out and the bartender set it to the side for it to get COLD. I walked out, they can keep that shit and I will keep my money. read more

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

I wanted to like this place so much!!!! Sadly, not great! We arrived and were told there was no space outside (which was fine with Us) but it definitely was, they were just waiting for bigger parties I guess? they took Us upstairs. Right outside their kitchen... all the time we were sitting there We were trying to ignore the screaming, plate throwing and people coming and going. We ordered a couple of drinks to start, fresh oysters and beignets. After a few minutes they brought the beignets (so good). Then after another 10'min. The drinks. The brunch plates arrived and there were NO oysters on our table, we obviously wanted the oysters to be there before the brunch.. anyways, no problem, We started eating and I found a hair on my plate, very small one and tried to ignore, bc well, it happens! Found a second longer hair.... Then a third!! That was when I called someone and told them about it. They were super nice about it and offered to get me another plate, which I declined. They didn't charge me for it but our experience at this point was already unpleasant, So We decided to get the check and leave. I know it is difficult times, people are busy and restaurants need some time to be better after covid. I don't think I can recommend this place bc my experience wasn't good with the food, but servers, workers and everyone was so nice. Drinks were good too! read more

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

See all

I bookmarked this place forever ago. So I visited while in the area a few months back. It was late but they were still open. I was surprised at how empty it was on a Friday night. Of course, living in NOVA, I'm never in Baltimore. So this was a must stop and I must say I was disappointed. We had a party of 6 and were seated right away. The service was mediocre and so was the food. For it to be relatively quiet, service was extremely slow. We ordered a couple of appetizers. My friend's hot wings had more feathers than buffalo sauce. I had the gumbo as a an appetizer and a shrink platter as my entree. The gumbo was just meh. The shrimp were good but nothing to write home about. Now their fries were delicious!! I'd like to give them another opportunity but I can't say when I'd be back in that area. So for now the 3-Star rating stands. read more

We had the crab cakes and salmon blt. Absolutely loved it! The blt was one of the best Iv ever had and the salmon was cooked to perfection.

Oysters and chicken cheakspeake were good. Will visit again. The parking sucks in this area.

Great fried seafood! We both got the combo classic seafood platters. It was a LOT of food but I would still get it again. It comes with fish, scallops, shrimp, and oysters with 2 sides. We came on a Monday night and sat upstairs and it was nice and quiet. Recommended! read more

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

It was a decent Brunch but not worth what we paid for it. Our poor server looked like he was being run ragged, the food was ok, but not at the value for cost, and the timing was awful, waited 10mins for even water/being talked to by the waiter, and quite a while for food. Worth another try, but the second time will need to be much better. Otherwise it will be off the list of places on O'Donnell that we recommend or attend. The steak and eggs was by far the most disappointing thing. The tiny portion of steak was not only overly small, but way overcooked and had almost more herb butter than meat. I had the seafood omelet and it was ok if you ignore the shell pieces I had in it. The beignets were under cooked and forgotten until we reminded our waiter. Also had to get the bill corrected because he tried to charge for an extra drink we never ordered or had. For a $75 meal... NOT worth it. read more

See all

Yummy! Decided to stop by for restaurant week and I was not disappointed. I ordered the tuna fish sticks and the salmon with couscous and gazpacho. I was impressed I expected the fish sticks to be fried but they're actually kebabs. The salmon was a large portion but a light filling and that it was the perfect combination. The key lime tort and the bread pudding were delicious as well but are not pictured. The atmosphere in the restaurant definitely gave me those old school Baltimore vibes. Our server great very nice and attentive. I'll venture back for sure. read more

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

See all

This place has a reputation for being excellent and I've had a number of great experiences here over the years. But tonight was a disappointment. The tuna tare tare appetizer was bordering on weird - low quality fish inexplicably soaked in soy sauce coupled with day old cold rice. Cream of crab soup was literally inedible. We took two bites and sent it back (at least they didn't charge us for it). [Btw try Canton Dockside for amazing cream of crab.] Salmon special entree was actually good but the snail paced service (inexplicable - on a Tuesday night with no crowd??) made even that seem ordinary. I plan to try this place once more in a few weeks but if this is the new "normal" I'm going to avoid it and wait for a new incarnation. Oh and I wrote this review while waiting for the check. Did I mention "slow service"? read more

Mama's on the Half Shell - The only good part of the meal - salmon special - Bars Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Matt - awesome bartender, server- food unbelievable- fully best crab cake we have ever eaten! Fish and chips crazy good and crazy portion. Loved it! The brief wait totally worth it. Loved the atmosphere in the bar and perfect evening. read more

Mama's on the Half Shell - So cute and the real deal! - Bars Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Best crab cakes and crab cake sandwiches ever! The food is exquisite and the service is impeccable! Truly a perfect experience!

Mama's is SO GOOD. I came here for restaurant week with my friend, and I'm so glad I did. I ordered a half dozen oysters, crab cake platter with whipped potatoes and Mac n cheese, and the key lime pie. The oysters were super fresh and tasted amazing. I unfortunately forgot which oysters I got, but I'm sure they're all great! My friend and I split two different types and they were both great. Then the crab cakes - amazing!! Honestly I've been pretty underwhelmed by crab cakes in general because I find they have very little crab in them, but they were not like that at all. The crab cakes here were essentially all crab and they tasted incredible. Definitely hands down best crab cakes I've ever had in my life. The whipped potatoes and Mac n cheese were food but tasted like typical potatoes and Mac n cheese. Nothing special, though the Mac n cheese was incredibly oily towards the bottom of the bowl. Also the portion size was pretty big! I can generally eat a lot of food, and I could only eat about half the plate. Lastly, the key lime pie was good also but I was honestly way too full towards the end to eat much of it. I would definitely come back here again! The oysters and crab cakes were just too good. read more

ONE OF THE WORST DINING EXPERIENCES I HAVE EVER HAD! I have been to this place several times a few years ago and the food was amazing. This day would be very different. I met some family members for lunch and we each had to drive about 30 minutes to a halfway point for everyone. The three of us were seated and it took about 15 minutes before anyone even came over or acknowledged that we were there. This place is not very big and only has about 15 tables upstairs where we were seated so the waiters were all around us. One of the waiters actually was at another table behind me and bumped my chair so hard it moved my chair with me in it and he never said a word. The first interaction with our waitress was her placing 3 waters on the table and walking away without asking what we would like to drink. About 10 or 15 minutes later she came back and since we were sitting so long we already knew what we all wanted to eat. We ordered two ice teas, two alcoholic beverages, calamari as an appetizer and three entrees. As and entree I ordered the Steak Oscar which is a filet with crab meat and bearnaise sauce. The sides it came with was mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus. I asked for the steak to be cooked medium rare (warm pink center) and a side Caesar salad instead of the mashed potatoes. Another member of my group ordered a grilled chicken Caesar salad as an entree and the last member of the group ordered lamb lollipops. When we ordered the calamari which usually came with lemon aioli. We asked for either marinara sauce or cocktail sauce instead of the aioli to which she stated she knows they had cocktail sauce but had to check about marinara sauce. The waitress was writing all the order down as we gave it to her. It took 15 minutes for the drinks to come out followed by calamari a little later. The calamari had only the aioli with it which was not a big deal but the calamari looked a bit dark and overcooked. The waitress started walking toward our table and she looked at the plate of calamari and immediately turned around and headed to the kitchen. I was assuming she was going to get the sauces we had ordered but she never came back with any. We each tasted a piece of calamari and it was overcooked and like chewing rubber. The waitress came over and we told her that the calamari was overcooked and very rubbery. She just said OK and took the plate away and never asked if we would like them to remake them. Next they brought three entrees over but they did not bring the grilled Caesar salad entree and instead brought some kind of sandwich that another table had ordered. When they sat my steak order down it had mashed potatoes and no side Caesar salad. When they brought over the grilled chicken Caesar salad entree I told the waitress that the did not give me a side Caesar salad with my steak. She turned around and walked away. A few minutes later another waiter was walking over with my side Caesar salad and before he got to our table he saw the other person at my table eating a Caesar salad he turned around and muttered "they already have a Caesar salad" before I could even tell him it was my salad. As I waited for the waitress to come back I cut into the edge of my steak it was very red and undercooked. This is a small filet (6 oz. I think) and I knew the middle would be even more undercooked. I cook, especially grill alot of meat and I know my meat temperatures. When I cut into the middle it was the dark maroon color (very rare). I do not mind a little under or over cooked because I know how difficult it can be to get meat just right, but this was well beyond a little undercooked. The waitress came over and I told her the steak was undercooked and she took it away. A few minutes later the manager came over with my plate and the steak the same way I had sent it back and he asked me what the issue was. I told him the steak was undercooked and he stated "they used a thermometer to cook the steak and it was medium rare basically telling me I was wrong. Again I know meat temperatures so I asked him what temperature they cooked it to and he stated "I don't know". The manager asked me if I would like anything to go because by this point the other members at my table were almost done eating. I told him I was so frustrated with all the mistakes that I did not want anything from this restaurant. I seldom send items back and never ask for anything free but you would think that after this dining disaster they would attempt to make the situation a little better by comping a drink or something but they did not even offer. This place is not cheap ($95 for a Manhattan drink, a grapefruit crush, ice teas, lamb lollipops and a grilled chicken Caesar salad) and I expect alot more effort if you are charging those kind of prices. I have never walked out of a restaurant to go somewhere else to eat but I did on this day. I would think twice before going here. read more

Amazing bloody Mary's and crushes but food can be hit or miss. The calamari is fantastic.

I've recently begun to frequent Mama's on the Halfshell and I have received nothing but great food, drinks, and customer service. The manager,Marcus is absolutely amazing and goes above and beyond to ensure that customers are satisfied and having a great experience. read more

Great seafood with those familiar Baltimore flavors. The beer mussels are my favorite dish on the menu. Unique, fun decor both upstairs and downstairs. This is the perfect place to take visitors, not only because of the classically Baltimore-y food, but also because it's in a nice, comfortable part of Canton just a few minutes' walk from the water. Upstairs is a bit quieter. I would recommend making a reservation at busier times (like Friday and Saturday nights)! read more

Atmosphere is great, drinks are great, but I ordered the lobster roll and it was still frozen..still would go back, but not for the lobster roll. read more

Probably my favorite restaurant in Baltimore. I recently moved here and we decided to check this place out on our first night in Baltimore. The customer service was the best I've ever had, the food and drinks were amazing! I started with calamari, and then had the shrimp dish. It was seasoned with onions and old bay, and the flavors were perfect. My mom had the titanic wedge salad and loved it! The crab cakes that came with it were amazing and delicious. We returned again in the same week and had amazing food then too. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting Baltimore, or for anyone craving some good seafood! read more

This place has the best food and service!! Such great staff and of course the crab cakes were killer!!!

My honey and I came here for a seafood happy hour and were thoroughly impressed. Neither of us are well versed in crab but ordered a delicious broiled crab cake that was packed with fresh flavorful crab. We were told that broiled is the way to go vs. fried, which is a decision we didn't regret. We also had 6 oysters for 6 bucks, which is a steal coming from Texas. I can't wait to explore the menu further! read more

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

See all

After reading many kind reviews regarding this establishment I thought I'd give it a go with my boyfriend as it is within WAlKING distance to the marina we are staying at...BIG mistake! Upon taking our first drink order the barmaid then passed us off to her "superior" who made it her mission to see if we were "walking" as she thought something other than the truth. Our first round was a sweet tea and Coors. We were laughing and having a great time until they believed something other than the truth. Sad to think people are working these days for their 18%-20% without even getting to know those they are waiting on. What happened to the hospitality industry as the two barmaids were nothing but rude and judgmental to two willing and able to pay patrons laughing and trying to have a good time??? read more

We were in Baltimore for one night and chose Mama's on the Half Shell because the reviews were good. We're pretty easy to please, uncomplaining and, when something is not great, we are inclined to think they are having an off-night. Unfortunately, this was, literally the worst meal we have ever been served in a restaurant. I ordered the crab soup with a soft shell crab. The soup was thick, grainy, bitter and without flavor. The base seemed to be breadcrumbs/ recycled rolls. The soft shell crab was heavily battered and dropped in a fryer of, apparently, rancid oil. The crab tasted tasted dry and close to expiration. Both were genuinely inedible. There were four bits of crabmeat on top of the soup. They were fresh and delicious, made less delicious by the soup that stuck to each tiny piece. My spouse's meal meal was also inedible. A withered bagged salad with bottled dressing and a greyish, gloppy seafood risotto-like dish that looked and tasted like wallpaper paste. (I'm not being mean or it When we sat down we told the waiter that we were very hungry. When he cleared the table he didn't ask why our plates were still full. He knew the food was a disaster. We gave him a nice tip because the restaurant was empty both upstairs and down save an unhappy-looking couple and their toddler. All three of their places were just about untouched. Baltimore has many great restaurants and some marvellous chefs. Find one. If you can't get a snack at a Royal Farms. read more

Baltimore has the best food scene in all of the DMV. This place is so good. I'll travel from DC to Baltimore for the good food.

Really great crab cakes. Delicious mac and cheese, and peas. Friendly service. I don't think it needed to be quite so pricey. It is not a fancy place. Easily spent almost $50 for a great meal with no beverage. Specials were even more expensive. Overall I was very happy I got the recommendation to check this place out. read more

Mama's on the Half Shell - 2 crab cakes mac and cheese and peas. - Bars Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Must go to spot! Sat at the bar and enjoyed a classic orange crush! Definitely a unique drink with lots of flavor options for a cocktail. Next we had the crab dip which was heavenly and creamy, finished off with a Mac and cheese that filled my soul. Alex was our bartender and was extremely helpful as was the rest of the staff! We made a late night reservation and didn't have to wait. read more

Always a decent place to go. The building is very old but the seafood is very good and the prices are ok. When we come into baltimore for happy hour this is the place to go. Love the area and recommend Mama's read more

Delighted. Came for brunch on a Saturday, expected a crowd but there wasn't one. We split the scotch egg, and the steak and eggs. Was looking forward to the steak and eggs with chimichurri, but was really impressed with the scotch egg. Super crispy exterior and the egg was cooked perfectly - soft in the middle and slightly runny. The steak and 3 eggs were delicious as well, perhaps lacking salt, but the meal was done so well overall that I stand by a 5-star rating. The scotch egg came with a side salad that was also surprisingly fantastic...pickled onions and vinaigrette that cut through the richness of the fried scotch egg. Do yourself a favor and try the Bellini crush - mixed with sparkling wine and not overly sweet despite the wine. read more

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

See all

I hate to leave a negaitve review when the restaurant industry is struggling... But I was incredibly disappointed with the quality of food. The chicken chesapeke was bland and dry. The alfredo pasta sauce was drippng with grease and oil, yet tasted watery. It was like eating bulk cafeteria food for triple the cost. My husband and I came to Mama's last summer and it was delicious - one of our favorite restaurants in baltimore. Since Mama's reopened after covid, they kept the same menu, but it was very obvious they have completely changed the ingredients. We brought our parents here from out of town and were very embarrassed by the low quality dishes and recipes. We will not be returning. read more

We discovered this place by experience. The signature oyster Rockefeller is the best. The crab cake is not blue crab but cook and prepared is outstanding. highly recommended. read more

What a fun spot! Great food. Giant portions. And stuff that's on-brand gruff-but-not-quite-rude. It's exactly the Baltimore experience we had hoped for. read more

The drinks were whack. Ordered a drink with mezcal tequila and it tasted like it had no mezcal in it. Mezcal tequila has a VERY Smokey taste, there's no missing it. Asked the bartender if he put any in there and he immediately coped an attitude so I ordered a modelo which they were out of so I settled for a corona. The food tasted good I won't come back because of the service. Seemed like they were young and didn't really give two sh!ts about their job. read more

I used to like this restaurant a lot but my recent visit was disappointing. We had fried calamari and oysters on the half shell as appetizer, the oysters were fine, but the fried calamari is obviously over cooked and the batter is so crispy that it hurt our month! I did mention this to our server and she just casually told us that there's a new guy in the kitchen working on the fried stuff today... and that's it. It's totally cool to hire new cook, but at least train them well before serving over cooked items. And then we also had the steamed mussels with white wine sauce, somehow the sauce was thicker than a regular white wine sauce and it also had a weird sour taste in it. The only item that didn't disappoint us was the bouillabaisse. Lots of sea food cooked in red sauce served over rice and a price of delicious cheesy bread. Overall, I think I might not be going back again. read more

See all

The bartender made my drink absolutely perfect ! The food was good. If you pkan on going it's better to make reservations so you're not going waiting long. Overall it's a nice spot I went on a Sunday afternoon. Real Chill spot read more

See all

This was my third visit to Mama's and this time I brought a friend from out-of-town. We made reservations and were glad we did since it was packed yesterday (Sunday night). Mama's is my local go-to place for quality seafood with an inviting pub vibe. Every time I come here, I order the seafood chowder to start! The soup is very flavorful, has a hint of smoky bacon, and has a variety of seafood in it (shrimp and scallops and clams). My friend and I both ordered the grilled oysters, half with the Parmesan and half with the paprika butter. We both preferred the paprika butter, as the oyster got lost in all the Parmesan. My friend also had the scallops on a potato cake. Our service was great as always. Overall, the ambience is warm and friendly, the seafood is fresh and not overly expensive, and the service is consistently good. I will definitely continue to frequent Mama's. read more