Each year, thousands of locals and visitors cast their votes to recognize the best Ocean City has to offer—and the results are finally in! The 2025 Best of Ocean City® awards highlight the top places to eat, drink, and play, as chosen by YOU and our editorial team. From the most mouthwatering crab cakes to the best beachfront bars, here are the standouts that make Ocean City, Maryland, a must-visit destination.
Whether you’re searching for the best restaurants in Ocean City, the most iconic Ocean City boardwalk eats, or exciting things to do for your next vacation, this guide will point you in the right direction.
🍽️ Best Restaurants in Ocean City, MD
Ocean City is a food lover’s paradise, and the 2025 winners prove just how diverse and delicious the local dining scene has become.
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Best Crab Cakes
🏆 Voter’s Choice: Captain’s Galley Crabcake Shack
🏅 Local’s Pick: Captain’s Table -
Best Pizza
🏆 Voter’s Choice: Mione’s Pizza
🏅 Editorial Winner: Ripienos -
Best Seafood Restaurant
🏆 Harpoon Hanna’s
🏅 Shark on the Harbor
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Best New Restaurant
🏆 Kalamata Meze Bar
🏅 Berlin Beer Company
From family-friendly pancake houses to upscale waterfront dining, explore all of this year’s restaurant winners on our Best Restaurants in Ocean City page.
🍹 Best Bars in Ocean City, MD
Looking for the perfect cocktail, craft beer, or lively happy hour? These 2025 winners set the bar high:
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Best Overall Bar
🏆 Voter’s Pick: Seacrets
🏅 Editorial Favorite: Liquid Assets -
Best Local Craft Beer Selection
🏆 45th Street Taphouse
🏅 Pickles Pub -
Best Happy Hour
🏆 Coconuts Beach Bar & Grill
🏅 The Angler
Want to bar hop like a local? Start with the top picks on our Ocean City Bars page.
🎡 Best of the Ocean City Boardwalk
No trip to Ocean City is complete without strolling the iconic boardwalk. These spots are the very best on the boards in 2025:
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Best Boardwalk French Fries
🏆 Thrasher’s French Fries -
Best Sit-Down Restaurant on the Boardwalk
🏆 Harrison’s Harbor Watch
🏅 Shenanigan’s Irish Pub
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Best Candy
🏆 Candy Kitchen
🏅 Dolle’s -
Best Boardwalk Bar
🏆 Purple Moose
🏅 The Wedge
Explore more iconic boardwalk winners at OceanCity.com/boardwalk.
🌊 Best Things to Do in Ocean City, MD
From outdoor adventures to rainy-day fun, these winners offer the ultimate Ocean City experiences:
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Best Miniature Golf
🏆 Old Pro Golf
🏅 Nick’s Mini Golf -
Best Fishing Charter
🏆 The Angler
🏅 Saltwater Adventures
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Best Boat Tour
🏆 Sea Rocket
🏅 Assateague Adventure II -
Best SUP/Kayak Rental
🏆 48th Street Watersports
🏅 Assateague Outfitters
See all the top attractions on our Things to Do in Ocean City guide.
🏅 How the Best of Ocean City® Contest Works
The Best of Ocean City® awards are split into two major distinctions:
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Voter’s Choice: Determined by thousands of public votes.
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Editor’s Choice: Selected by our local editorial team based on service, experience, and community impact.
You can explore all the winners and check out who made the cut in each category by visiting our full Best of Ocean City® listings.
🎁 Win Prizes Just for Visiting the Best of Ocean City® winners!
Don’t forget—you can now explore these award-winning places with our free Best of Ocean City® digital trails! Check in, earn points, and enter to win monthly gift certificates to Ocean City hotels like the Cambria or OC Hotel Group properties. Learn more and download the trail passes here.
Congratulations to all the 2025 winners—and thank you to everyone who voted! Whether you’re planning your first Ocean City vacation or returning for another unforgettable summer, this guide helps you experience the best our beach town has to offer.
