Mama's On The Half Shell

Good food and great atmosphere. Try the Maryland Crab Soup and the Crab Cakes. Can't be beat. Prices are good for what you get.

I have been eating lunch and an occasional dinner at Mamas for the past 4 years or so and feel I need to write a review. The food: some of the best "Baltimore" stylings that you could have. A crab cake to die for, Mac and cheese that my 7 yer old calls the best Mac and chees around and salads and drinks that are just great and plentiful. The Tuna Tar tare is a family favorite reminiscent of the best sushi restaurants in the city. What makes this place so good beyond the food and value is the service and management. I started out as a customer and truly feel like I belong here. LIke the song says everybody knows your name. Scunni, the erstwhile "Mayor" of Canton is here to please. The staff equally so and they take pride in what they serve and all of their guests. Fish and Chips Mate??? Oh My Cod! (sorry for the pun) It as if they are serving Moby Dick with Fries. I mean come at night for the incredibley delicious Cheese and crackers or for lunch but do come and if you are an out of tow... Read more

It's a charming little spot. Full of live Atmosphere. The Food is outstanding. Being a cater I am no critical of food, I could not find one flaw in this place. The Food was beyond great. That macaroni and cheese is to die for. I have never tasted a cesar dressing with such a lasting flavor.

My wife and I recently paid our second visit to Mama's and there could not have been a more pleasant place to toast her happy last appointment at Johns Hopkins Hospital. We chose a quiet corner in the late Fall afternoon by the fireplace with a view of Canton Square. Our server was quietly charming and accommodating. My wife shared my unbelievably heaping bowl of delcious Prince Edward Island Mussels in white wine, herb & garlic sauce, served with fresh baked bread. We sopped ALL of the sauce! She also sampled the best crab cake we have ever tasted. We live on the beach at the southern shore of the Chesapeake Bay in Norfolk, and know our crab. Her shrimp Caesar salad was perfect, with properly wilted Romaine lettuce, delicate Caesar dressing with shredded cheese, and crunchy croutons. The shrimp were perfectly grilled. We enjoyed our annual visits to Baltimore for 5 years, and Mama's gave us a wonderful last memory.

I love going to Mama's on the Half Shell whenever I get the chance. When you step inside the corner bar/restaurant, you immediately feel as...

I went two weeks ago with a group of friends..seven of us. They start you off with cheese and crackers. sSeveral of us orderd the crab cake, garden salad with the dressing, and mac-n-cheese. It was great! I cleared my plate. The drink of Malibu Rum and pineapple juice..needs more rum..but in a nice size glass. I enjoyed the atmosphere..steep steps and small restaurant, but overall great atmosphere. I enjoyed myself last week, that I returned the following week with a friend. She ordered the fried shrimp..they were huge and delicious! I would highly recommend this restaurants..the prices are great and reasonable. I cannot wait for my family to visit to entertain them there for dinner. Great place...worth trying..be your own judge. Just be prepared to drive around to park..let a someone out to put you on the waiting list, then look for parking.

I was in Maryland a couple of years ago and I made it to Mama's twice. Each time I had the crab cakes and they were the best ever! I've had cakes from all over, and I can't wait to get back. Great atmosphere, especially when there's a Steelers and Ravens game on.

This is my first time writing a review. And I never take the time to do these things, but I have to say that Mama's on the Half Shell is AWESOME! My husband invests in Real Estate in B-more (we're from Germantown, MD) so every time we go visit his properties, I make him take me to Mama's. The Fish & Chips are amazing--that's what my husband gets. And it's a huge portion, so we often have to take 1/2 home. I'm sorry to say that I've only gotten one thing there--and I LOVE IT--it's the Seafood Melt. It's crab, shrimp and scallops on a tomato-topped English muffin with cheese melted on top. It's incredible! I probably should stray from this, but I just can't go to Mama's and NOT order the Seafood Melt. It's too darn good to pass up. The side dishes are great, but I've found one I'm in love with...the macaroni & cheese. Incredible. It's by no means low-fat, but it's worth every single calorie. If you've never been to Mama's, what are you waiting for? Such a great place t... Read more

My wife and I have visited this establishment 2 times together. We went for lunch one day and it was good. We decided to go back on Easter for a quick lunch... that was the last time I will go to Mamma's. My wife does not eat seafood, but I love it. I ordered the Barbequed Shrimp wrapped in Bacon, along with a Diet Soda and the Oyster "PoBoy" Sandwich. My wife ordered a hamburger cooked MEDIUM (any cook should know how to cook a hamburger). My BBQ Shrimp arrived after a 10minute wait. The shrimp were chewy and overcooked, a total of 4 shrimp encased in Bacon making 2 wraps. The shrimp were so overcooked and somehow the bacon was raw I don't know how you cook shrimp "wrapped" in bacon and have the shrimp overcooked and the bacon raw. The sauce was pureed tomatoes with sugar in it. I was amazed that this appetizer cost 10 dollars for 4 shrimp that were so small. It is obviously a numbers game at Mama's when it comes to quality of ingredients. All together I think it was $1 worth of ingre... Read more

Highly recommend. I have never been disappointed, the menu is fantastic. The atmosphere is great. Oyster cans and collectibles decorate the space. Great place to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Great food (love the mussels), mixed crowd, and you've got to try an Orange Crush! The stairs are a bit tricky and steep but you can always sit at the bar or request a table on the first level.

My husband and I visit Baltimore a few times a year (we are from Phila). Every time we go we try a different restaurant until we find exactly what we want. Well, the search is over. Saturday night, no need to wait for a table. Service is amazing! Food, some of the best I've had. I highly recommend Mama's to anybody in the area.

What a find. Love Mama's! I have been here many times and am never disappointed. The food is delic. The service is great. The atmosphere is fun. The portions are priced right and are HUGE! The grilled ceasar salad is amazing, the tuna tartare is HUGE and delicious - so fresh. The crab dip and smoked oysters are so yummy. Drinks are large and perfectly poured! I def. suggest Mama's to anyone looking for a great seafood menu in a comfortable atmosphere. One of my all time favorite's.

Check out Mama's on the Half Shell, right next to Nacho Mamas on the square in Canton. They have great food and drinks! If you like oyster...

All the food portions are HUGE! It had some of the best calamari and scallops I have found in Baltimore. The decor upstairs is an eclectic collection of local memorabilia in a very Victorian dining room. Get the Ornage Crush Drink! Yummy! We got there around 6:45 on a Friday night and were seated right away. ou can make reservations everday but weeeknds.

Highly recommend the fresh catch of the day and the seafood chowder. Try a Mojito at the friendly and fun bar or ask Dilon to make you one of his specials. Fresh seafood, prof & friendly Staff and good music make this place easy to recommend.

mediocre food for 6 with few drinks $45pp. Calamari rubber bands. Overcooked angels on horseback and scallops too. Very oily overcooked crab cakes. Tilapia was apparently good with lobster hash (?). Too greasy. Creme brullee weak. Ice cold Irish brown ale, headless. Ugh.

The Scene Like its neighbor and namesake Nacho Mama's, this place has a sense of fun. With the bar area's tight layout and friendly atmosphere, you can't help but be a bit chummy with fellow patrons while slurping oysters and beer. Upstairs an eclectic collection of local memorabilia keeps this very Victorian room--decorated with fringed velvet, dark wood and tasseled chandeliers--from being stuffy. Flanking the fireplace, tables with built-in window seats offer a bird's eye view of O'Donnell Square. The Food A delicate red wine vinaigrette simply accents the huge oysters on the half shell, while the more complicated oysters Rockefeller are indeed rich enough for a millionaire. Just the right amount of Old Bay holds together the crab cakes' chunks of back fin. Small touches, like the crunchy dill pickle in the tartar sauce or the crouton slathered in a savory olive paste for the Caesar salad, prove that every detail counts.