St. Mary's Landing - Charlotte Hall, MD

Posted By Michael Stern on September 5, 2010 4:31 PM

“How are the crab cakes?” we asked Lynda the waitress one evening at St. Mary’s Landing.

“They’re huge!” she replied. “Softballs! And very, very crabby.”

We love the enthusiasm with which food is served in this comfy St. Mary’s Country Roadhouse along Route 5 on the Western Shore. When we enquired about the local specialty, stuffed ham, we were treated to a veritable homily on the subject, including how to cook it (boil, then quickly refrigerate) and how to serve it (preferably, cool). It is a corned ham prepared with heaps of kale, cabbage, onions, and spice, served here for breakfast on a plate with delicious potato cakes or for supper as a main course.

Other than ham, the menu here includes all kinds of the seafood that makes Chesapeake Bay dining such a pleasure. In addition to those crabby crabcakes, we enjoyed a big, snapping-firm spiced boiled shrimp on a half-and-half plate with barbecued ribs. The ribs were terrific, with a delicate crunch to their outermost edges and meat that slid right off the bone.

Like so many of the worthwhile restaurants in this part of the world, St. Mary’s Landing is a tavern as well as eatery. There’s a bar room in back; and the booths and tables out front all provide views of ceiling-mounted television sets that offer a continuous, minute-by-second countdown to the next keno game.

Overall Rating

Stuffed Ham

Spiced Boiled Shrimp

Potato Cakes

Crab Cakes

Liver & Onions

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Posted By Jane Doe on September 19, 2011 2:23 PM

If you want to dine in a musty smelling place with dust on the window sills and blinds, this is the place to go. The bathroom smells like a stinky locker room, making me wonder what the kitchen is like. We have eaten here a few times, each time hoping things will be different and they are not. Don't waste your time or money on this place.

Overall Rating

Short Ribs

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Posted By everett on May 13, 2011 10:58 AM

The food is very good. Service is a pain. One of the waitresses is more interested in borrowing money from you and talking about how the owners and staff are cheating her. She is rude and loud and a big trouble maker. Always ask for Jamie or Shelly.

Overall Rating

Stuffed Ham

Potato Cakes

Crab Cakes

Liver & Onions

Scrapple

Spiced Boiled Shrimp

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Posted By edward on February 17, 2011 3:49 PM

The stuffed ham is too fatty. Steamed shrimp were undercooked. The scallops were good; same with the fried chicken. Will never go back. The owner was a very rude, foul-mouthed ass.

Overall Rating

Crab Cakes

Stuffed Ham

Spiced Boiled Shrimp

Potato Cakes

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Posted By Lisa Mills on July 27, 2010 8:12 AM

Food is very good, but then again, there is not much to choose from in the area. 3 burger joints, 2 pizza places, one new chinese place. In a 2 stoplight town.

The only sit down and order kind of place. Dinning rooms are very bare bones, one of the dinningrooms has what you would consider picknic furniture. So if your looking for fancy this is not the place. The food is good. They have some of the best fried chicken in the area. The sides all taste like they came out of a box. The rolls are out of a bag. Enough said the meats are fresh cooked but the sides are just like you would get in any cheap deli. The salads are ok, but the dressings again are out of a bottle.

The service is spotty at best. You really need to pick your server, there are several that should not be in the food service business. Never smile and rude. The manager is just as bad, she is just a hot mess. Her face would crack if she were to smile. You want good service ask for Jamie. Happy and seems glad to be of service.

They also have a weekend breakfast bar, not too bad. Many choices, and hear is a tip, ask for 2 eggs from the kitchen the way you want. So your not tied into just the scrambled on the bar. You can also get some toast. OH and yes the coffee is good.

Overall Rating

Spiced Boiled Shrimp

Crab Cakes

Liver & Onions

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