Chesapeake blue, Dungeness, snow, king—whatever the crustacean type, the satisfaction is the same when you ease the tasty meat from the shell. Here are a few places to get cracking on your next seafood supper.
Quarterdeck
Weave through a residential neighborhood near Fort Myer to find what our food critic calls “Arlington’s go-to spot for steamed crabs since 1979.” Made to order and encrusted in the restaurant’s custom spice blend, the blue crabs are sourced locally from June to November and brought in from Louisiana and Texas the rest of the year, meaning you can feast on them all year long. To guarantee yourself a table, make a reservation. 200 Fort Myer Drive, Arlington (Fort Myer Heights)
Hook & Reel
Part of a nationwide chain, this nautical restaurant near Wakefield High School invites guests to order snow or Dungeness crabs by the cluster and seasonal blue crabs by the half or full pound. Choose a sauce, such as seasoned garlic butter or the Hook & Reel Special Blend, and select your preferred spice level. Meals include sides like corn on the cob, ramen noodles and broccoli. 3539 S. Jefferson St., Falls Church (Baileys Crossroads)
Ocean Shack
Crab—snow or Dungeness—is among the all-you-can-eat seafood boil options at this Arlington eatery near the Lee Heights Shops, and you can pair it with shrimp, lobster tail, green mussels, crawfish and more. You can even customize your bag to include the specific crustaceans you want. Find the picking process to laborious? Opt for a crab cake sandwich or the crab fries appetizer. 2163 N. Glebe Road, Arlington (Waverly Hills)
Chasin’ Tails
Super hungry? Treat yourself to all-you-can-eat king and snow crab with ribeye and prawns at this Viet-Cajun eatery in Founders Row. Or go classic with a heaping pile of steamed blue crabs. For the ultimate indulgence, spring for the $599/person No Limits Experience, a “bespoke seafood feast.” Also on the menu are seafood pots packed with king or snow crab legs and blue crabs (in season), with flavor combos such as the Oh Dang! (Cajun, garlic and citrus seasonings) or Dragon-Fire (pineapple, chili and sambal). 944 W. Broad St., Falls Church
Hot N Juicy Crawfish
The only Virginia location of this nationwide chain offers Dungeness, king, snow and blue crabs (seasonally) by the pound with the seasoning and spice level of your choice. Options include garlic butter, Louisiana, and Hot N’ Juicy. Want more than crab? Make it a combo with andouille sausage, corn on the cob and potatoes. 116 W. Broad St., Falls Church
Captain Pell’s
Take a short drive west on I-66 to reach this longstanding Fairfax seafood mecca specializing in steamed crabs that you crack and eat on their finest paper table coverings. Jump-start your appetite with a bowl of homemade cream of crab chowder, then dive into a deep-fried softshell crab sandwich or the Steamer Bucket, which comes with a pound of snow crab legs, plus shrimp, clams and corn on the cob. Or skip the extras and get a dozen steamed blue crabs, available in sizes from medium to jumbo. Feeling really hungry? Go for the All You Can Eat Crab Feast. // 10195 Fairfax Blvd., Fairfax
Crazy Crab
Across from Captain Pell’s, this restaurant sits in a strip mall between a sushi restaurant and a Subway. The outside may be understated, but inside it’s hopping with pop music and waitstaff slinging trays of crabs served with other seafood in the sauce of your choice. Try the Crazy Crab combos in differing amounts or go for an all-you-can-eat feast. 10160 Fairfax Blvd., Fairfax