Captain Billy’s Crabhouse
11495 Popes Creek Rd
Newburg, MD 20664-2125
(301) 932-4323
Reviewed: July 26, 2009
There are crab joints you go to savor the crabs, and there are crab joints you go to enjoy who’s with you and the view. Captain Billy’s ranks as the latter.
Situated on the picturesque Potomac River with a view of the Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge, this restaurant literally sits over the water. The view of the sailboats and ski jets is worth the drive past the cornfields to the waterfront.
The large crabs at $50 a dozen did even out to be large, once we factored in that a couple would have been jumbos elsewhere and a couple definitely qualified as mediums or extremely light larges.
With large booths inside and tables on the riverfront deck, Captain Billy’s is clearly set up to handle volume and to handle the crab-leg and fried food crowd. And they were coming in six and eight to a table. We were there for a Southern Maryland delicacy — steamed crabs.
The restaurant’s service wasn’t immediate once we sat down, but once the waitress figured out we were there, it was reliable.
On a scale of 5, Captain Billy’s delivers a 3. The Maryland blues lacked flavor. Clearly, they had seasoning, but they just didn’t leave you with any reason to order a second dozen. OK, Captain Billy’s gets credit for fast service. The crabs came to the table less than 5 minutes after ordering them. Unfortunately, they were cold before I finished the first one. Hey, they’re crabs. I’ll eat them hot or cold. The hush puppies were generic (don’t waste the $4). And, after driving past all that tall corn, we could have gone for an ear or two, but corn didn’t make it to the menu or the vegetable of the day list.
The table next to us ordered a second dozen. The $50/dozen crabs (an upgrade from their first dozen of $40 mediums) came to the table piping hot with a promise to deliver the four that were missing. They ended up getting a fifth for their wait, and they seemed to be really pleased with their second dozen.
Aside from the fact our dozen was lukewarm-to-cold, I might have ordered a second, except that Captain Billy’s ran out of larges. It was a bit of a bummer since it was mid-afternoon on a Saturday, not even prime-dining time.
Overall, Captain Billy’s delivers – if you’re looking for a gathering spot with a great view.