Restaurant Q&A With the Crabcake Factory Bayside

There are lots of places to enjoy a crabcake on the Delmarva Peninsula, but the Crabcake Factory’s Executive Chef and CEO Johnny Brooks argues that his are the best around — and he has the awards and recognition to back up his claims. The Crabcake Factory Bayside overlooks the Assawoman Bay on the West Fenwick Waterfront. The original Crabcake Factory is located just a short drive away on 120th Street in Ocean City, Maryland, but the Bayside location is building its own following of loyal customers.

Q: What brings people to the Crabcake Factory?
A: “We try to make the food and drinks something special. You can go anywhere on the Eastern Shore and get a crab cake, but can you get an 8-oz. crab bomb? No. Can you get a triple-threat bloody mary? No. Some of these items that are a little over the top, really draw people in. People take pictures, they post them and they spread like wildfire.”

Q: What are the most popular items on your menu?
A: “People always want crab cakes. We got entered in the USA Today Best Crab Cake in Maryland competition, which we won. And then the bloody marys. We’ve been making our own secret recipe for years. Along with all the other standard drinks on the Eastern Shore, like the orange crush.”
“We developed and started a specials board,” added Johnny’s wife, Krista. “We go down into our kitchen and we create these awesome, different menu items that you can’t get on the actual menu, you can only get off the board, and once it’s gone it’s crossed out. Sometimes, we’ve had a few that became so popular that we had to put them on the menu. Every week we have something different. Will that be here next week? Probably not, better get it today.”

Q: What’s the atmosphere like here? 
A: “People expect something different. They expect it to be more of a bar or a huge factory or seafood house. But when you walk in here, it’s more of an Eastern Shore shanty. We try to make it warm. The employees are really what make this work. We want you to have a good time and we want you to come back.”

Q: If you could tell readers one thing, what would it be?
A: “We’re always changing and we’re always improving. We’re always looking to do something better. This is our livelihood; it’s what we do, and we’re not going anywhere. This is all our heart and soul. You are family when you come here.” The Crabcake Factory Bayside is never empty. No matter what time of day it is, there’s always someone enjoying a crab eggs benedict in the morning or a glass of a “mermaid water” cocktail at night, with numerous families, tourists and regulars stopping by in between. 

Hours:
Sun.-Thurs.: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Fri.-Sat.: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
37314 Lighthouse Rd., 
Selbyville, DE 19975