Faidley's Seafood: Crab Cakes at Baltimore's Lexington Market

Since 1887, Faidley's Seafood has been operating at Lexington Market in Baltimore, Maryland — Since 1887, Faidley’s Seafood has been operating at Lexington Market in Baltimore, Maryland

Faidley’s Seafood, located in historic Lexington Market, is a Baltimore institution famous for jumbo lump crab cakes and fresh seafood. Founded in 1886, Faidley’s Seafood is one of the Chesapeake Bay region’s most well-known fresh seafood purveyors.

Crab cakes, a symbol of Baltimore cuisine, are balls of crab deep-fried until golden brown.

If Faidley’s Seafood is known for one dish, it must be its award-winning jumbo lump crab cakes. They sell over 1,500 of them daily using the same proven recipe and process they have used for over 30 years.

They are also proud of their accomplishments, which you will see prominently displayed around the restaurant.

History of Over 130 Years

Faidley’s Seafood uses jumbo lump-grade crab meat for their crab cake receipe, a larger and higher quality type of meat harvested from larger crabs.

Other restaurants use lower-quality crab meat along with extra fillers. Jumbo lump crab meat might be more expensive, but the quality and flavor are second to none.

The process of making a crab cake at Faidley’s Seafood starts with a generous portion of jumbo lump crab. The crab is then tossed in Old Bay seasoning before mixed with saltine crackers as a binder for the wet seasoning.

Next, the crab is formed into a baseball-sized ball. The balls are placed in the fridge to set overnight before being fried the following morning until golden brown.

Lexington Market

You might be surprised to hear that Baltimore’s historic Lexington Market is one of the longest-running markets in the world.

The market, located on its original site, has operated since 1782. Not only is the market the oldest public market system in America, but it is almost as old as America itself.

Today, Lexington Market consists of a main market and shops on Lexington Street between Liberty Street and Greene Street.

Inside the main market building are small eateries, shops, and stalls selling everything from meat to seafood to produce.

One of these eateries, probably the most famous and largest in the market, is Faidley’s Seafood.

Interior of Faidley’s Seafood

Interior of the restaurant, Faidley's Seafood, Baltimore, Maryland — Interior of the restaurant

While historic, Lexington Market isn’t your typical farmers market. The market sits in a neighborhood that might not be the best.

And Faidley’s Seafood isn’t your typical restaurant. It was less of a restaurant and more of a fish market and raw bar selling various fresh seafood, including crab, shrimp, oysters, clams, and lobster.

I found it remarkable how you could order and eat lunch from the restaurant and then take fresh seafood home. I enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the fish market, which reminded me of other fish markets I visited while traveling.

If you are planning to stay and eat, you should know a few things. First, don’t expect table service. I ordered from the cashier and picked up my food and found a place to eat in the market.

And don’t expect tables to sit down and eat at. Instead, circular standing tables and three communal-style tables were scattered around the fish market. I enjoyed this experience.

You could always take your order to go, but I wouldn’t recommend eating in the area directly surrounding the market.

While it hurts me to talk poorly about some of the people in the area, the constant harassment for food, money, and cigarettes was not enjoyable.

Faidley’s Seafood Menu

The menu at Faidley Seafood, Baltimore, Maryland — The menu at Faidley Seafood

The menu at Faidley’s Seafood was a seafood lovers dream. There was something for everyone. You had an assortment of crab, shrimp, fish, oysters, clams, calamari, mussels, sides, and soups.

I came to Faidley’s Seafood to try one thing and one thing only: the jumbo lump crab cake. As a lover of seafood myself, I had to try my best not to order anything else. Everything on the menu looked great.

I could order most items on the menu a la carte or part of a platter, except the shrimp basket and mussels.

Each platter included two sides. Sides included french fries, greens, coleslaw, macaroni salad, cucumber salad, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, carrot salad, marinated vegetables, and pickled beets.

There was also an assortment of drinks, including sodas and local beers like the Raven Special Lager.

Jumbo Lump Crab Cake Platter

As I mentioned before, I came here for one thing only, and that was the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake Platter ($22.95). I selected the french fries and macaroni and cheese for my sides. The plate also had a simple salad with sliced tomatoes.

I was surprised how large the ball of crab was. It was as big as my fist. Hidden inside the ball were large chunks of crab.

The crab was unlike anything I have had before. It was tender and meaty with a buttery, almost creamy texture. The crab tasted fresh and was naturally salty and sweet in flavor.

Without a doubt, the crab was the star of the dish.

Old Bay seasoning was mixed in, enhancing the crab without overpowering it or masking its flavors. I could taste some paprika, dried mustard, and celery seeds.

But I didn’t taste any saltine crackers, which were used as a binder to keep the crab together when fried. I only tasted the crab, which was fine with me. The less filler, the better.

I wasn’t as enthusiastic about the breading surrounding the crab meat. I expected it to be crispy and golden brown, but this wasn’t true. The breading was not soggy, but it wasn’t crispy. It was soft and lacked any texture.

As for the sides, both the french fries and mac and cheese were simple and forgettable.

The fries were basic. They were crispy on the outside while hot and steamy on the inside. The macaroni and cheese tasted like prepackaged al dente noodles and melted cheese.

Service at Faidley’s Seafood

The staff at Faidley’s Seafood was friendly, and their service efficient, even as they were getting ready to close. They all seemed to enjoy their job and made my visit memorable.

Conclusion

While not the best crab cake I have ever had, I appreciated the generous amount of jumbo lump crab in each ball.

I wish the crab cake was crispier on the outside. I wanted a crunchy bite to complement the soft, tender crab underneath.

So, was the crab cake at Faidley’s Seafood worth it?

While I wouldn’t order this every day, I didn’t mind spending extra to sample some of Baltimore’s famous jumbo lump crab. The platter was expensive, but you get what you pay for.

I also enjoyed the half-fish market and half-restaurant experience. Some people will feel differently, so try Faidley’s Seafood and see if you agree or disagree with me.