Great food, attentive service, and a beautiful waterfront view. Great place to stop for dinner.

We've been here a handful of times, and it's been a bit of a mixed bag. We came this past Friday, and it was not a good experience. My husband and I traveled over an hour by boat to celebrate his birthday. He knew he wanted a crab cake sandwich and he had already picked his drink out from the menu on their Facebook. We arrived, ordered our drinks and the server came back and said they couldn't make the drink he ordered. No big deal. He ordered another drink and we ordered the crab dip. The dip came out extremely quickly, and was barely warm. The bread they served it with was an odd choice, it was so soft. Not a bread for dipping. The dip was also full of shells. So then we ordered our entrees, they tell my husband they're out of crab and don't have crabcakes....a waterfront restaurant is out of crab cakes? What about the crab dip we had just ordered? That tells me that dip wasn't fresh. He ended up getting the smoked Rachel. The sandwich itself he said was fine. We shared his fries and they were soggy. I ordered a wedge salad, and the dressing was gross. I don't even know what it was, it didn't taste like any blue cheese dressing I've ever had before. It was so sweet it was nearly inedible. It tasted like Cole slaw dressing that had been made with too much sugar. There was another table within ear shot of us and a patron was complaining about everything. I felt bad for the server so for that reason, I didn't say anything. I just asked for a box and threw away my salad when we got home. We certainly won't be making anymore special trips just to eat here. The creek crushes were good. read more

Only customers on a weekday afternoon. We are local and this was our first time here. She got the stuffed ham sandwich which was OK but not the real southern MD stuffed ham. I got the lamb gyro which was shall I say below expectations - lamb was on the dry side and tzatziki was not tangy. Even more disappointing was the price: $28....which had I known I would not have ordered (it was a special). The citrus salad side was good at least but the gyro-at that price was a no go. Its a nice location and decorated nicely but I think its more oriented towards the DC crowd than the locals. We'll stick to Happy Harbor. Waitress (Grace) was excellent. read more

Hands down one the best restaurants in Southern Maryland. Tucked away with a beautiful view of the water. The creativity of the menu in the quality cannot be beat. Had the crabcake sandwich that was full of lump crab meat and cooked to perfection and my husband enjoyed their soft shell crab that was encrusted in a hush puppy batter and was the best I've ever had. We had other diners coming up and they ended up ordering the same softshell crab sandwiches. And don't skip out on there, stewed tomatoes, and add that lump crab meat on that also! Keep up the good work! read more

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We truly had a wonderful time at Wharf 38. We arrived and there was a wait so we sat outside for about 20 minutes until our table is ready. We had let them know we were going to eat crabs so we ate outside by the water on a picnic bench. We ordered a lot of different things to try first my daughter wanted the orange crush and enjoyed that. Second, we ordered the steam shrimp with potatoes and onions. They were cooked perfectly and a nice size next, we ordered the crabcake dinner and shared that the two crabcakes. They were phenomenal, excellent flavor, no filler and perfectly prepared . Being a crabcake snob I have to say it was one of the best ones I've had and I had top Maryland crab cake contender from O'Donnells Market in Potomac Md the day before. We ordered it with french fries brussels sprouts both were prepared nicely. The crab dip was good as well Finally, we ordered six crabs to crack open size large. When they arrived, they looked very small for a size large I asked our waitress to confirm Those were a large crabs. at that point the owner of the restaurant, Jay, came out and sat down with us and shared what is considered a large in terms of the size. Jay was friendly, extremely knowledgeable and just wonderful to take the time to educate us . In Maryland, the legal size for harvesting male crabs is 5 inches or more across. After our discussion, we enjoyed eating the crabs which were very sweet. We had a wonderful night. It was like a mini vacation sitting outside with the boats in the water and the seafood. We will definitely be back . I definitely recommend as a place to visit. A shout out to Nick our waiter. who was very attentive and customer service oriented. read more

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Had such high hopes. Beautiful location, and little wait for our party of 7 on a Sunday afternoon. Server was initially very attentive, but then stopped coming by. Crab dip was good, but the ahi devlied eggs had tiny pieces of tuna, and were disappointing for the price. Loaded Bloody Mary took a while for the "bacon and shrimp" garnishes, then came out with no shrimp (which had to be asked for and was brought out later). Food came out at different times, and 4 of us were almost finished by the time the other 3 entrees came out. Soft shells of the sandwich special had funnel-cake sweet batter and 2 of the 3 we ordered seemed like the crabs were past the prime of soft and were hard and chewy. Skate special had a "unique" flavor and texture, but was tolerable. Saved room to try dessert and got both the carrot cake (more like layers of blondie separated by regular cream cheese) and the blueberry creme brulee, which tasted good but did not have a smooth texture. Bussers were great at clearing the table, and brought boxes since we hadn't seen the server. When check came, we decided to pay with cash to avoid the 3% fee. When reviewing it, we found we had been charged for 2 beers that had not been ordered (which we may not have noticed if we had paid by card). The manager was responsive after we were able to get her attention and quickly corrected the check and took the payment because our server did not return. Highlights were the sides of stewed tomatoes and mac and cheese- oh, and the water was good when we were able to get refills. read more

Horrid experience. Two hours,one of our party didn't get a dinner, management offered a glass of wine in its place. Husband asked if his dinner was taken off the bill and got laughed at by management. Laughed at.NOT COOL. CONDESCENDING doesn't even come close to the treatment we got. We had been there before and it was ok, but management really needs to get a clue. I would leave no stars if I could. read more

Nothing was bad, but it was not what we expected. It seems like they picked really good dishes to make, but then wanted to reinvent a new version of them. That can go well or not well and I don't think it went well. We started with the crab dip with bread and crackers. Bread was not toasted and the crackers were ritz crackers. It wasn't the usually cream cheesy crab dip. It was just like a hard cheese like Parmesan and havarti, lump crab, and too much rosemary. The rosemary overpowered the crab flavor. It wasn't bad, but we would not order again. The mussels in "a creamy white wine sauce" was actually a red sauce with tomatoes? If I knew it had tomatoes or was a red sauce I wouldn't have ordered it. The noodles were pad Thai noodles which was odd and not very good. I had pad Thai earlier in the week and wouldn't have ordered it if I know they were pad Thai noodles. The garlic bread that came with it was really good. The side wedge salad was great but only came with ranch or blue cheese? I don't like ranch and can't have blue cheese because I'm pregnant. Plus I just don't like blue cheese. My husband got the fried chicken. He said it tasted like the batter had coconut in it. If it did have coconut in it, it should be in the description on the menu. He said it was good other than the coconut flavor. Not sure why they took good solid dishes and put weird spins on them. Would have preferred normal pasta with mussels and regular crab dip. The server was great, she checked in multiple times and even refilled my water without me having to ask. read more

Wharf 38 - Mussels with pasta - Wine Bars Near Me - Deale, Maryland

We had to sit inside due to threatening storms. They only allow crabs to be eaten outside unfortunately but we ordered some to go which were large and meaty. It was very loud inside, almost to the point of annoying. Several large parties were the main culprits almost yelling from one end of the combined tables to the other. I ordered oysters on the half shell which were very good but saltines were rationed. Delivered with two packs and subsequent requests were only two packs each. Service was very slow. Our server spent her time at the hostess stand so it was difficult to get more crackers, drink refills etc. Nice place, decent food but very disappointing service. read more

Four friends met today at Wharf 38 for a birthday lunch. There is plenty of parking in a couple of lots, although when you are driving in, you need to look for the signs out on the road because the place is tucked in back by the water. The inside seating looked nice, with window views, but we chose to eat outside. The outside seating is picnic tables with umbrellas, on a deck overlooking the water. We shared the crab dip, which was pretty tasty (you can ask for bread, Ritz crackers, or celery with it). Two of us ordered wines (wine & water are served in plastic cups outdoors). I had the Shrimp Succotash entree, which was outstanding (the server had recommended it). Two friends had the smash burger (huge--two patties--comes well done). One person had the crab cake sandwich. The sides are interesting--stewed tomatoes have a kick, and the brussel sprouts were good. We finished up with the orange creamsicle dessert (there are two desserts to choose from). That was good--not memorable. Overall, it was a nice lunch. The staff was pleasant and the setting is pretty. read more

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Went to Wharf 38 for the first time on a Friday, which happened to be Halloween, and had a great experience. Food, drinks & service were all superb. Unfortunately, this review is about our return visit two days later on Sunday night when we had a horrible experience. It started when we arrived by dinghy. We passed through the outdoor seating area where we saw many people eating huge platters of crab. We got to the hostess stand & asked about the crab and people sitting outside and she looked at us like we were crazy and said she didn't think that they even served crab? So we were seated inside and asked our Server there about the crab and she said we could not order it because we would have to sit outside. It's not served indoors due to the smell and mess involved - understandable. So we ordered drinks, which were the same drinks we had on Friday night. However, tonight the club soda was flat and ruined my drink. The glass top table next to us had been vacated & was being bussed just as our food arrived, and they felt the need to use a terrible smelling glass cleaner on it which basically ruined our meal. But in all fairness, I think the crab cakes would have been mediocre even if they didn't taste like glass cleaner. Finally, just to add a little insult we were charged a 3% fee for using a credit card to pay for the meal. Definitely will never return to Wharf 38. read more

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This place had such good food amazing view excellent service! Mckenzie was such a pleasant and accommodating person- loved her! I had the Cobb salad incredible one of the best salads I've ever had steamed shrimp was incredible D-vaned and clean, and my girlfriend had the shrimp succotash!!!YUM!!! We also had the crab dip and it was delicious! read more

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Food was good. It's a small town restaurant on the water so prices are higher, if you're in the area looking for waterfront dining this is the spot. One of the better places in South County. Waiters were good, I was there for a party so they were busy but attentive. read more

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The Wharf 38° CRUSHED it! The new hot spot in Deale is exactly what this area needs. A modern and clean environment, with a great creekside location with docks to boat up for lunch. I came and enjoyed the watermelon salad and fries. Fries were excellent, cooked in fresh peanut oil. The salad was rich and juicy watermelon cubes on a bed of freshmixed greens with an absolutely delicious dressing that had hints of sesame. The simple yet robust menu of classy farm to table selections had lovely options across the board. The drinks are also something to mention. They have a ton of fresh fruit crush options and even a special called the Creek Crush that had jalapeño in it, so good. Fast and efficient staff, friendly and knowledgeable owner. My first trip was a success! read more

Wharf 38 - Wine Bars Near Me - Deale, Maryland

Our party of 4 visited on a recent Wednesday evening. The weather was quite pleasant, so we opted to dine outside and were seated right away. There were a few other parties of varying size, but it was not what I'd consider busy. Our drinks were a couple of draft beers and 2 specialty cocktails: the blackberry margarita, and the I'll Be Your Huckle Berry. The blackberry margarita had an unexpected cucumber flavor, so not a fave. The Huckle berry was a hit. The guys were perfectly happy with the loose canon drafts. We were tempted to share an order of hush puppies, but decided that $12 was too overpriced when we learned there were only 5 in an order. We had 2 orders of steak fajitas, the pork loin, and the furikake tuna with side of lemon-thyme zucchini & squash. The tuna and the squash side were outstanding! Also the yummy pork loin did not disappoint! The 2 orders of steak fajitas did not arrive together, and the late-arriving one had its steak overcooked. That was a disappointment and won't be ordered again. This anomaly was cause for me to take off a star from the review. Most of us were too full for dessert, but we got an order of the "Right-side Up Pineapple Cake" to share. It's described on the menu as "Vanilla cake, brule pineapple, bourbon cherries." Despite this description, we really expected something that would look like a piece of cake. The plating was bizarre and an immediate turnoff: 4 separate fork-sized "bites" of cake spread apart in the dish with a few pieces of pineapple, some cherries, on a bed of vanilla crème sauce. Although the individual bites tasted fine, it looked really like someone's leftovers. We commented on it to our server, who said it was supposed to be "deconstructed." To us, this was an excuse to serve a paltry sized dessert and get away with charging far too much. It tasted ok but looked unappealing. Another star removed. I would definitely return for the furikake tuna alone. It was superbly delicious and perfectly tender--really first rate! read more

Have been to Wharf 38 multiple times. A splendid place to dine, with amazing views, an attentive staff and great food and drinks. Most recently went on a Sunday for drinks, some of their incredible crab dip (plus some other delicious apps) and great live Music (gotta love Chesapeake Sons)! Our server, Erika, was fantastic! Always a good time at Wharf 38! read more

Had dinner at Wharf 38 with another family, and overall it was a good experience. The food was tasty--nothing particularly unique, but solid and satisfying for the area. Prices were average. One heads-up for families: they only have one highchair. We had to run out to the car, grab the car seat, and strap it to a chair so our baby had a place to sit. Definitely something to be aware of if you're dining with little ones. The space is small, so if the weather's not great and you can't sit outside, be prepared for a possible wait. I came back a second time and brought my sister--she ordered the steak and enjoyed it. I had the mussels with pasta, and while the flavor was good, I felt like there weren't quite enough mussels for the price. Still a nice place overall, just with a few things to keep in mind. read more

Shady waterfront dining with an interesting menu done well. Service was as expected for a weekday lunch.

Excellent! ! I had best seat in the house!!!. Staff was so friendly! Great customer service from start to finish! read more

Wharf 38 - Front row - Wine Bars Near Me - Deale, Maryland

The service was fine and the atmosphere is nice but so loud it's hard to have a conversation. The smashburger is good but not great. We had the Brussels sprouts and cauliflower sides. The Brussels spouts had minimal taste and were undercooked. The cauliflower was tasty but also undercooked. (Personal preference probably applies on the level of cooked a vegetable requires) read more

This restaurant is located on the waterfront. The food is good and so is the service. This is the best restaurant in the area.

Food was not great and cleanliness of the bathroom was terrible! I notified one of the servers and hopefully it got corrected! read more

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crab cakes were very good! But they should be in a dock bar and priced at $31 each. But we had to try to find our server several times for simple stuff like silverware and extra sauces. Meals got cold as we waited for the necessary hardware to eat is a shame. Menu is the product of a chef trying to put an unnecessarily new spin on simple menu items, other than the clams, which were dry rather than coming with a broth, which was fine because they were delicious. And I was surprised to see a 3% charge for using a credit card. We were not informed nor was it in the menu. I don't blame business people for trying to recoup those expenses but it should be disclosed. read more

Food was absolutely delicious. I had the smash burger with fries. The fries were amazing and the ash burger hit the spot. Wifeah had bacon asparagus salad that she reported was very good. Son had the cheesesteak and he stated it was also delicious. I had an orange crush and a mule and they were both delicious. Prices were in line with current economic conditions. read more

The food, service and ambiance of Wharf 38 were all outstanding. We had a large party and all of our needs were met and the entire evening exceeded our expectations by a mile. 5 stars all day long. We will be back. read more

A new fav go-to place for a crab cake sandwich! Our whole table got one with different sides . Will come again. Great service! read more

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Me and my husband came for lunch and music. Because we are just 2.. we were asked to wait even though there are open tables!!! Just in case a larger party shows up!! The owner dismissed our complaint then told us to leave the property because I was taking pictures of the open tables!! So unless you have a crowd don't bother with this rude establishment!! Nothing is worth this kind of treatment!! read more

This place is amazing!!!! The view, the staff and the food were all top notch. We decided to sit outside. In an another few months, warm summer days will be a thing of the past and we wanted to take full advantage while we could. The view was great. We saw several boats cruise by. Definitely a relaxing way to start off a great meal. We started with the soft shell clams, very good. I'm more of an oyster kind of girl, but these were quite tasty. They came with drawn butter, cocktail sauce and broth. For my main I got the Shrimp Succotash. It was very reminiscent of shrimp and grits. The grits were replaced with a creamy polenta, roasted corn & tomato succotash, hush puppy croutons and garlic roasted shrimp. The corn tasted local and very fresh. Everything about this dish was spot on. I would absolutely order this over and over. I got Brussels and fries as my sides. Brussels were flashed fried and had some sort of sauce and thick bacon. Although, I couldn't quite place the flavor, I really enjoyed it. The fries were good as well, typical hand cut. Nothing special, but they were fine. All in all a really great experience. This is definitely a sweet little spot. The only drawback is they don't do carry out orders. We were able to order an additional entree and boxed it ourselves. I also didn't notice any desserts. Something using fresh seasonal ingredients would have been a great sweet ending to a delightful meal. If you're ever in the area, I highly suggest you give this place a try. You will not be disappointed. read more

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There was a large group of us from out of town that had lunch here this week. The food was amazing, crab cakes, brussel sprouts, sweet potato mash-it was all good. This is a hidden gem and worth the 12 miles out of our way to drive. The restaurant was clean, the service was good (the grilled cheese took a bit longer than expected) we will be back! read more

Great views of the Rockhold Creek with great food and service. We tried the new fall menu and were pleasantly surprised with how creative they were. The brie cheese appetizer was like a fancy mozzarella stick appetizer so it was very easy to share. The deviled eggs were on point and we tried the burger, bone in pork chop, carmelized carrots, fries, and cornbread. Everything was delicious but, you should definitely always add a side of fries. We sat at the outside porch railing for the great weather and view. read more

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The universe finally listened and my little Italian heart is now happy! At first glance, you look at the limited menu and go "mmhhh... they're definitely proud of their food." But then you come and realize that this isn't your typical dock-bar. It has all of the elements of what makes a waterfront establishment in this area of Maryland special... the crabs, the view, the water access, and even a great crush... but the food? Forget all you know about dock bar food. These are restaurant quality dishes made with fresh ingredients, prepared by someone with care and creativity. There's nothing in this area that quite measures up... and if you're lucky to have Grace take your order, you'll leave with a full belly and a smile! Her peppy, engaging attitude was really the cherry on top! Apologies for the pics of the half eaten dishes... that buffalo artichoke was just too good! read more

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The food is made fresh with a rotating menu, service is great and the ambiance is amazing.

Amazing atmosphere with the best water views. Awesome food and drinks with a variety of cocktails. Boat access as well.

Had lunch here today, with a great waterfront view: Grilled chicken Parmesan sandwich and a choice of side. Not only was the marinated chicken sandwich cooked perfectly and absolutely delicious, but the choice of side can be fries, etc or one of their main dish gourmet salads as a smaller portion at no extra charge. I chose the spinach, asparagus bacon salad with green goddess dressing topped with fresh burrata which is not to be missed!!! SO DELICIOUS! Also their crab dip is the best I have ever tasted. Our sever, Ashley was absolutely top rate. She was friendly, fun, accommodating, and checked on us just the right amount. Wharf 38 is a huge addition to the Deale dining scene! read more

Wharf 38 - Grilled marinated chicken Parmesan sandwich and spinach asparagus bacon salad with fresh buratta. Super yum. - Wine Bars Near Me - Deale, Maryland

The crabcake was delicious and the Smashburger was excellent. Erica, our server was attentive and really sweet. The place is new and clean and beautiful on the water I would definitely come back read more

Food is amazing. I got the ribeye steak, Mac and cheese and the creamed spinach. Busy Friday night. Sat at the bar and the service was amazing. Andrew was great. Very attentive and professional. He had a great attitude. Atmosphere was great. Food was cooked to perfection and the old fashion was perfect. read more

I saw the menu on social media this morning and here we are at this new-to-us SoCo restaurant. It's a cold day, so we went the comfort food route. My husband ordered the meatloaf sandwich. He said it was perfectly cooked and he specifically called out the bread and aioli. The fries are hand cut and crisp.. I decided to try the fried chicken - so tender beyond the crunch. Mac n cheese was delish. I ordered a glass of wine and received a generous pour. We'll definitely be back to explore more food from the menu! This should be a hot spot during the summer with great food and waterfront vibe! read more

Wharf 38 - Wine Bars Near Me - Deale, Maryland

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Wharf 38 has an incredible location and a great community. We really do want to support them, but their food is terrible. If they could match the food with the atmosphere, they would have a 5 Star place. The food is overcooked and the wait staff look bored and inconvenienced by the guests. I had a dinner tonight that was absolutely dreadful as was my husbands. How do you screw up a meatball sub? read more

I'm gonna start out with a good stuff first one is our waitress was amazing and the view was pretty spectacular but after that it all went downhill took us forever to get our food portions were very small quality was not that good and if you sit on the high tops Near where you come in on the deck, you get eaten up by mosquitoes I tried the place three times inside is so loud french fries was good but that's a shame that that's it but a lot of people are having craps and a small menu. read more

First time eating at Wharf 38. I was pleasantly surprised. Not only was the staff and service great but the food was incredible. Can't wait to go back! read more