There are more Ocean City restaurants than you could possibly visit so OceanCity.com helps you find exactly what you want. Ocean City has developed one of the most diverse restaurant selections available on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Maryland is famous for its blue crabs, but the fresh and local seafood options are far more diverse than that. Get local fish, scallops, shrimp, as well as crabs and crabcakes.
Breakfast is another big meal in Ocean City, and even the most laidback of vacationers will wake up for a good Sunday brunch. Pizza, fries, funnel cake and caramel corn are all staples of the boardwalk, and their smells are hard to resist — but when you’re looking for a little more than a boardwalk snack, there’s a host of Mexican, barbecue, sushi, and burger restaurants scattered throughout town, not to mention all the restaurants that serve chicken and produce straight from Maryland’s Eastern Shore. That’s just a delicious benefit of living in a region where vegetable farming, seafood, and chicken are the cornerstones of the local economy.
During peak season, you may want to see if reservations are accepted at some of the more popular Ocean City restaurants. Many restaurants do not accept reservations, however, so you may want to go early or late to avoid the crowds. Ocean City has become a year-round resort, so you have many Ocean City restaurant options in the off-season as well.
Everybody wants to see as much of the water as possible when they come to Ocean City, MD, and visiting a waterfront restaurant is high on most people’s agendas. Because Ocean City is between the bay and the Atlantic Ocean, you can visit oceanfront restaurants with views of the sunrise and bayfront restaurants that have fabulous sunset views. Here are some of our favorite waterfront restaurants:
Dig your feet in the sand and enjoy some drinks with friends with the sights and sounds of Ocean City by your side. Do you know the best beach bars? Find out the best spots around town for some day drinking or to let loose and have a night out on the town.
Ocean City’s nightlife offers lively bars, dancing, djs and live music, and some classic more laid back local watering holes if that’s more your thing.
View our Ocean City Bar Guide page, for more about bars, clubs, and nightlife.
Did you know there are close to 20 local craft breweries? Many have tasting rooms and tours and most can be found on draft at local restaurants and in retail locations.
Learn about Ocean City Craft Beer and drink local!
If you’ve spent the morning on the beach or walking the boards, you may want to grab a quick snack at a local place without having to run back home and dress. Conversely, if you’re looking for great food with iconic views of the boardwalk and inlet, there really is no limit to downtown dining opportunities.
While Downtown has the boards, midtown has the bay and some of the legendary Ocean City eateries. Setting aside the spectacular ocean and bay views, the great atmosphere and the diversity of food choices, it also is a little less congested in midtown Ocean City. That said, there still is great beach access and parking is also a tad easier.
There are not as many restaurants above the Route 90 bridge, but you do have some good options. Many of the restaurants are actually inside the larger hotels, but they are definitely worth trying whether you are staying there or not. Horizon’s, the oceanfront restaurant inside the Clarion Resort Fontainebleau Hotel has an award-winning wine list and great specials during the off-season. They also have Lenny’s with great tropical drinks poolside or served on the beach. The Princess Royale has recently renovated and added an outside bar, better outdoor dining options, and a great craft beer selection.
West Ocean City, Berlin and the Delaware beaches all have their own culinary delights and cultures. Sometimes you want to get away from the Ocean City crowds. If you’re a regular visitor to Ocean City, sometimes you just want to get out and explore the surrounding area. Whatever the case, the restaurants in town near Ocean City are well worth the visit.
Berlin was named America’s Coolest Small Town for a very good reason. After years of redevelopment and a massive branding initiative, Berlin has attracted some of the finest restaurants in the area to its classic Main Street. From the iconic bistros to fine dining choices it is easy to find a great meal in Berlin.
West-O as it’s often called, is more a region than a city, sprawling around Route 50 Bridge and up toward Assateague, it has plenty of fine destination restaurants and enough fast food to keep the kids from chattering for too long.
Drive up through North Ocean City into Fenwick and you’re in Delaware. The Delaware beaches are fast becoming known for their boutique restaurants and fashion-forward approach to the culinary arts. It isn’t as if the area lacks burger joints, but people looking for a great meal at a reasonable price are a lot less likely to be disappointed in any of the Southern Delaware towns than they were at, say, the turn of the century.
One of Ocean City’s greatest advantages is that its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean as well as the spectacular coastal bays and estuaries provide diners some of the freshest choices around. Add to that a chef culture that emphasizes highlighting the ocean harvest and it’s seafood lover’s heaven.
Clearly, the region is known for seafood and particularly Maryland blue crabs, but there is so much more on offer in most Ocean City restaurants and the surrounding areas that you never need to eat the same dish at the same place when you visit. Unless, of course, that is your thing. While we’re always happy to provide restaurant listings, discount gift certificates to save you 40%, coupons, articles, a guide to local beer, and the Best of Ocean City® winners.
There’s nothing like enjoying a meal at the edge of the water in the afternoon or high above the ocean as the sun sets and the evening begins to cool. Ocean City has restaurants oceanside and bayside that make fantastic food to accompany their breathtaking views.
Plan on arriving a little early or staying a little later to take advantage of some of the best brunches in the region. There is something luxurious about dawdling over brunch before reconciling yourself that Sunday afternoon is upon you.
Whether you’re looking for a little something to put on your stomach before setting out, or a sprawling breakfast fit for a late morning nap, there are plenty of great places all along the spectrum of breakfast delights. While there are no lack of diner-style restaurants there also are plenty of traditional breakfast places as well as coffee shops and more elegant, sit down establishments.
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