Best Restaurants in Ocean City, Maryland

The Best Restaurants in Ocean City, Maryland for 2026

What are the best restaurants in Ocean City, Maryland? According to more than 34,600 votes cast by Ocean City locals and visitors, the 2026 favorites include Spain Wine Bar for upscale casual dining, Harpoon Hanna’s for seafood and waterfront dining, Crab Bag for steamed crabs, Captain’s Galley Crab Cake Shack for crab cakes, Barn 34 for breakfast and brunch, and Lombardi’s Trattoria for pizza and Italian food.

But there is no single restaurant that is best for every occasion. A family looking for steamed Maryland crabs wants something different from a couple planning a waterfront dinner, a visitor searching for a great breakfast or someone who needs a restaurant experienced with dietary restrictions.

That is why the Best of Ocean City® awards cover 19 different restaurant and food categories. Use the winners below to find the right restaurant for your appetite, budget and vacation plans.

Want to experience them for yourself? Download the free Best Restaurants in Ocean City Trail, check in at participating locations, discover available offers and earn entries toward OceanCity.com prizes.

How We Choose the Winners

How We Choose the Best Restaurants in Ocean City

The Best of Ocean City® restaurant awards are determined through an annual community vote. For 2026, Ocean City locals, frequent visitors and vacationers cast more than 34,600 votes across 19 restaurant and food categories.

The restaurant receiving the most verified votes in each category is named the Poll Winner. In most categories, OceanCity.com also recognizes an Editorial Pick, selected by people familiar with the local dining scene. This provides a second carefully considered recommendation alongside the public’s choice.

The awards are not based on a handful of anonymous ratings. They reflect votes from people who return to these restaurants, recommend them to friends and make them part of their Ocean City traditions.

You can see the complete results across restaurants, bars, attractions and Boardwalk businesses on the 2026 Best of Ocean City® winners page.

Find the Best Ocean City Restaurant for Your Visit

Ocean City’s restaurant scene stretches from the Inlet and Boardwalk through Midtown and North Ocean City, across the Route 50 bridge into West Ocean City and north into Fenwick Island. The 2026 winners include everything from casual carry-out counters to rooftop dining, crab houses and restaurants overlooking the bay.

Here is how to choose among them.

Best Seafood Restaurants in Ocean City

Seafood is central to the Ocean City dining experience, whether you want locally inspired fish dishes, shrimp, oysters, steamed crabs or a traditional Maryland crab cake.

Harpoon Hanna’s Restaurant & Bar received the most votes for Best Seafood in 2026. Located on the water just north of Ocean City in Fenwick Island, Harpoon Hanna’s is also the Poll Winner for Best Waterfront Dining. Its combination of seafood, water views and extensive seating makes it a popular choice for families and groups.

Delmarva Boil Company earned the Editorial Pick for Best Seafood. Its seafood boils offer a different experience, with combinations of seafood and traditional accompaniments prepared for groups, gatherings and vacation dinners.

For more choices throughout the resort, explore the Ocean City restaurant directory.

Best Steamed Crabs in Ocean City

For many visitors, an Ocean City vacation is not complete without covering a table in paper and ordering a pile of steamed Maryland blue crabs.

Crab Bag is the 2026 Poll Winner for Best Crabs. The longstanding North Ocean City crab house is known for the lively, casual experience people expect from a traditional crab feast.

Assateague Crab House received the Editorial Pick. Located in the West Ocean City area, it is convenient for visitors staying outside the resort or returning from a day at Assateague Island.

Find additional crab houses and advice about ordering Maryland blue crabs in our guide to the best crabs in Ocean City.

Best Crab Cakes in Ocean City

The Maryland crab cake deserves its own category—and inspires some of the strongest opinions in the Best of Ocean City® contest.

Captain’s Galley Crab Cake Shack in West Ocean City won the public vote for Best Crab Cakes in 2026. Its focus on crab cakes makes it a destination for visitors who want to try one of the Eastern Shore’s signature foods.

Coin’s Pub & Restaurant received the Editorial Pick for its crab cake. Coin’s is a longtime Ocean City restaurant offering a traditional sit-down experience on Coastal Highway.

Best Waterfront Restaurants in Ocean City

A meal beside the water can become one of the most memorable parts of an Ocean City vacation. Depending on the restaurant, the view may include the bay, the Inlet, the ocean or the marshes surrounding the resort.

Harpoon Hanna’s won the 2026 public vote for Best Waterfront Dining, giving it two Poll Winner awards this year.

Oyster & Scales received the Editorial Pick for both Best Waterfront Dining and Best Brunch. Its setting and seafood-focused menu make it an appealing option for diners seeking a more intimate waterfront experience.

Discover more restaurants overlooking the bay, ocean and Inlet in our Ocean City waterfront restaurant directory.

Best Upscale Casual Restaurants and Date-Night Dining

Ocean City has increasingly developed a sophisticated dining scene that goes well beyond traditional resort food.

Spain Wine Bar won Best Upscale Casual Restaurant for 2026. Located on a rooftop overlooking the bay, Spain combines Spanish-inspired small plates, wine and sweeping views of Ocean City.

Vista Rooftop received the Editorial Pick. Located atop the Fenwick Inn in North Ocean City, Vista offers elevated views extending across the resort and surrounding coastline.

Both are strong choices for date nights, celebrations and visitors who want a more polished meal without an overly formal atmosphere.

Best New Restaurants in Ocean City

The local restaurant scene continues to change, and the Best New Restaurant category recognizes businesses bringing something different to the area.

The Hideaway at Seacrets won the 2026 public vote for Best New Restaurant. Although located beside one of Ocean City’s best-known entertainment destinations, The Hideaway has its own identity and dining atmosphere.

Bai-Tee Bakery & Cafe received the Editorial Pick. The bakery and café adds another distinctive option to Ocean City’s growing collection of independently operated restaurants.

Best Breakfast and Brunch in Ocean City

Barn 34 swept the breakfast categories in the public vote, winning both Best Breakfast and Best Brunch for 2026. Its convenient location near the beach and substantial breakfast menu have made it a favorite for starting an Ocean City day.

Crawl Street Tavern received the Editorial Pick for Best Breakfast, while Oyster & Scales received the Editorial Pick for Best Brunch.

These selections give visitors three different experiences: a popular breakfast restaurant, a relaxed downtown tavern and a waterfront brunch destination.

Best Pizza and Italian Food in Ocean City

Lombardi’s Trattoria won both Best Pizza and Best Italian Food in the 2026 public voting. A longtime North Ocean City restaurant, Lombardi’s has become a tradition for generations of returning families.

Mione’s Pizza and Italian Restaurant received the Editorial Pick for Best Pizza, while Sello’s Italian Oven & Barreceived the Editorial Pick for Best Italian Food.

Together, the winners cover casual pizza, family dining and a more complete Italian dinner experience.

Best Mexican and Asian Restaurants

Papi’s Tacos won the 2026 public vote for Best Mexican Food, while Cantina Los Agaves received the Editorial Pick.

For Asian food, Blue Fish retained its place as a community favorite and won the public vote. OC Wasabi received the Editorial Pick.

These restaurants demonstrate how much Ocean City dining has expanded beyond its traditional seafood and Boardwalk roots.

Best Wings and Barbecue

Shotti’s Point is the 2026 Poll Winner for Best Wings, with Longboard Cafe receiving the Editorial Pick.

For barbecue, Bull on the Beach won the public vote, while Pit & Pub received the Editorial Pick. Bull on the Beach also won Best Raw Bar, making it one of several businesses recognized in multiple categories.

Best Subs and Carry-Out Restaurants

Sometimes the best vacation meal is the one you can take back to the beach, hotel or condo.

Anthony’s Liquor won both Best Subs and Best Carry-Out Restaurant for 2026. Its oversized deli sandwiches have made it a longtime Ocean City favorite.

Ocean Bites received the Editorial Pick for Best Subs, while Belly Busters earned the Editorial Pick for Best Carry-Out Restaurant.

These restaurants are particularly useful for beach lunches, travel days and groups that would rather eat at the condo than wait for a restaurant table.

Best Ice Cream in Ocean City

Dumser’s Dairyland won Best Ice Cream in the 2026 public vote. The familiar Ocean City name has been part of countless family vacations and remains one of the resort’s most recognizable dessert traditions.

Justine’s Ice Cream Parlour received the Editorial Pick, providing another popular option for sundaes, cones and an after-dinner treat.

Best Restaurants for Dietary Restrictions

Longboard Cafe won the public vote for Best Restaurant for Dietary Restrictions, while Kalamata Meze Bar received the Editorial Pick.

Dietary needs and kitchen practices can change, and individual sensitivities vary considerably. Diners with food allergies, celiac disease or other serious dietary restrictions should contact a restaurant directly before visiting and discuss ingredients, preparation methods and the possibility of cross-contact.

Taste Your Way Through the Best of Ocean City

The Best of Ocean City® winners include longtime family traditions, newer restaurants and hidden local favorites. Use the results to find the right restaurant for each part of your vacation—from breakfast before the beach to steamed crabs, waterfront cocktails and ice cream after sunset.

Download the free Best Restaurants Trail to keep the winners on your phone, check in as you visit and discover available offers along the way.

You can also browse the complete Ocean City restaurant directory or see all 2026 Best of Ocean City® winners.