Glen Burnie doesn’t always get its flowers, but Nomsters, this little stretch of Anne Arundel County is quietly one of the best eating towns in Maryland right now. I’ve spent a ton of time pulling off Ritchie Highway and digging through strip malls and food trucks around here, and the range is wild, think Korean-Chinese noodles, Philly cheesesteaks, 75-year-old soft serve, massive Mexican plates, all-you-can-eat sushi, and some of the best crab cakes in the state. This is my running guide to the Glen Burnie spots I keep sending people to, whether you want a quick lunch deal, a date-night arcade, or a 2 AM plate of pancakes.
As usual, these are in no particular order, just the places I genuinely love and go back to. A lot of them are family-owned, mom-and-pop spots that have been feeding this town for decades, which is exactly the kind of place I live to put a spotlight on. I tried to keep it varied too, so whether you’re after a sit-down Korean lunch, late-night pancakes, bottomless sushi, or a cheesesteak from a truck, there’s something here for the mood you’re in. Save this one for your next drive down Ritchie Highway, and let’s get into it.
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1. Capri Pizza & Sub Express
You guys put me on to this one, and I am forever grateful. Capri’s a family-owned joint that’s been going since 1990, and their Phili Steak and Cheese ($12.25) is seriously one of the best subs I’ve ever had, juicy steak with lettuce, tomato, mayo, and hots all packed into a housemade roll. Run, don’t walk!
The Grilled Chicken Caesar ($12.25) genuinely surprised me too, and I’m not even a salad person, the chicken’s seasoned perfectly and the homemade caesar’s ridiculously yum. They also hook you up with a big piece of freshly baked bread on the side, which is such a nice touch.
Even the Neapolitan Pepp 14″ ($15.75) holds its own, with dough that’s hard to stop eating and pepperoni that’s on point. More than three decades in, this family’s clearly still got it. If you’ve ever wondered where to find the best steak and cheese in the Glen Burnie area, this is my answer, and it’s a 10/10 for me.
📍337 Hospital Dr # V, Glen Burnie, MD
2. Ja Kum Sung
Ja Kum Sung’s my pick for a budget-friendly lunch in Glen Burnie, and the lunch deals here are no joke. It’s a cozy, wallet-friendly little spot, and my favorite of the spread was the Soondoobu Jjigae (tofu stew) at just $11.99, a pipin’ hot bowl that’s a must for spicy food lovers, especially in winter with rice and banchan.
Their Jjajangmyun’s a close second, a HUGE bowl of Korean-Chinese black bean noodles for $8.99, which is an amazing deal IMO (pro tip: add chili powder and eat it with raw onion and pickled radish). The Tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork) comes small or large, but the small eats like a large, so it’s a great value for the portion. Lunch deals run weekdays 11 to 2:30, and heads up, they’re closed Tuesdays, so plan around it.
📍7523 Ritchie Hwy, Glen Burnie, MD
3. Tijuana Tacos
This hidden gem cracked my top five taco spots in the whole DMV, and I stand by it. You can get three different tacos for $13.99, and I went with carne asada, al pastor, and chorizo, all on perfect tortillas with juicy, savory meat and two out-of-this-world salsas (the verde and roja both pack a spicy punch, so load up). I know, bold words, but I stand by them!
The Sope and Tostada ($4.50 each) were solid but needed that salsa to really sing, and the tacos reigned supreme over the Milanese de Pollo Torta ($11.99), which had nice soft bread but just couldn’t compete. A couple of things worth knowing. Dine in and you get complimentary chips that are perfectly crispy and so crave-worthy, and they carry proteins like tripa, cabeza, and buche if you want to go deeper. Don’t skip the Mexican sodas either, there’s a flavor for everyone.
📍7703 Quarterfield Rd, Glen Burnie, MD
4. Ann’s Dari Creme
Okay, this is my favorite soft serve spot of all time and I will feature it over and over, lol. I’m genuinely obsessed! The texture’s next level and I crave it on the regular. Ann’s has been a Ritchie Highway institution for over 75 years, opened way back in 1950, and if you grew up around Anne Arundel County, you already know. The story I love: when Marley Station Mall went up in the ’80s and wanted the land, Ann’s refused to budge, so they built the mall around it.
They’re famous for two things, the soft serve and the hot dogs, and they reportedly sling around 600 of those foot-longs a day. One of my favorite little details is that the staff take zero written orders, everything’s memorized, which never stops impressing me. Come for the creamy chocolate dipped cone and stay for the foot-long chili dogs and thick milkshakes, all budget-friendly. It’s old-school roadside nostalgia done right, and the second I’m anywhere near Glen Burnie, I’m pulling in.
📍7918 Ritchie Hwy, Glen Burnie, MD
5. Willy’s Kitchen
If you want proper, Southern-leaning comfort food in Glen Burnie, Willy’s Kitchen is the move. This charming lil diner’s been slinging American staples since 2002, and the thing that really sets it apart is how seriously they take sourcing, they list their farm partners right on their site, and you taste it in the fried green tomatoes, the chicken and waffles, and the corn nuggets.
Being in Maryland, they also lean into the Chesapeake, so you’ll spot crab cakes, a Chesapeake crab Benedict, and a loaded crab omelette alongside the Southern-diner stuff. It’s an all-day spot doing breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a catering arm on the side, so it scratches a lot of itches, whether you’re in a chicken-and-waffles mood or a crab-and-eggs one.
Save room for the Boston Creme Cake too. It’s a seriously well-loved neighborhood spot, so come hungry, and on a weekend, come patient, because the great ones always draw a crowd.
📍7271 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd, Glen Burnie, MD
6. Pappas Seafood Company
No Glen Burnie eats guide’s complete without Pappas, which has a location right here in town. Pappas is a Baltimore institution, family run since 1972 and known coast to coast as the Home of the Traveling Crab Cake. I did a whole write-up on their goodies, and I think they have some of the best crab cakes in Maryland, jumbo lump with very little filler, which is exactly what you want.
Beyond those famous crab cakes, my absolute faves were the Maryland crab soup and the cream of crab soup, and their stuffed shrimp is right up there too. They’ve racked up serious hardware over the years, including Best of Baltimore nods, and they’ll even ship the crab cakes straight to your door, which makes a ridiculously good gift for a homesick Marylander. Whether you’re craving real crab locally or sending some love across the country, this one earns its spot every time.
📍6713 Ritchie Hwy, Glen Burnie, MD
7. Honey Bee Diner
Some nights you just need pancakes at 2 AM, and Honey Bee Diner is exactly the spot for it. Yes, it’s open 24 hours, every single day, which makes it one of the few true all-night options on Ritchie Highway, clutch for a post-shift meal or a late-night craving.
It’s a classic American diner, the kind with a giant laminated menu, neon out front, and breakfast served around the clock, and it regularly lands on lists of the area’s best 24-hour diners for a reason. The hotcakes are a genuine must (my go-to is the banana Nutella). It’s affordable, it’s casual, and it’s chaotic in the best way, so snag a booth if you can, or grab a seat at the bar and soak in the action. On weekends it’s PACKED, so don’t be shocked by a wait, Nomsters.
📍7346 Ritchie Hwy, Glen Burnie, MD
8. Mali Thai
Mali Thai sat on my list so long it started to feel like a dare, and I’m a little mad at myself for waiting, because the food here is the kind of Thai I’d happily drive back for. It’s a family-owned spot tucked into the Glen Burnie Town Center, and from the first bite of the Crispy Chicken Basil ($17.95), I got it, that one’s a must-order!
The Drunken Noodle ($15.99) is a forever-order for me, and the Crispy Chive Cake and Chicken Curry Puff ($6.95 each) make great starters, with Mango Sticky Rice to close it out. The flavors are bold where they should be, the portions are generous, and the whole spread came in way more reasonable than I expected. For good Thai in the Glen Burnie area, this is the one I’d send you to first.
📍7477 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd #111, Glen Burnie, MD
9. Crabtowne USA
Okay, this one’s a little different, but it’s too fun to leave off. Crabtowne USA is a restaurant with a secret arcade tucked inside, and with 100-plus games it’s an absolute blast. Deke and I went for date night and totally geeked out, splitting up to play whatever we wanted (I spent most of my time on Tekken, Mortal Kombat, and Street Fighter, with a little Pac-Man and Ninja Turtles for the N64 nostalgia).
I’ll be real with you, I haven’t eaten here yet, I just grabbed drinks and dropped a good $20 to $30 on the arcade alone, but I hear the crabs are good so they’re on my list, and beer and seltzers feel like the move. We 200% will be back, and you might catch me here solo too, because hitting an arcade alone is a legit form of self care for me, lol. If you love a good vintage game with a cold one, this is a great date-night or solo spot!
📍1500 Crain Hwy S, Glen Burnie, MD
10. Pho Miss Saigon
Rainy days call for noodle soup, and Pho Miss Saigon is exactly where I’d chase a bowl down. They’ve been slinging Vietnamese staples in the same neighborhood since 2005, and if you want a good bowl of pho in the Glen Burnie area, this is the spot I’d point you to. The pho’s the headliner, built on a broth that holds up without any gimmicks, but the real sleeper is the fried shrimp egg rolls (Cha Gio), which are quite possibly the best fried Vietnamese rolls I’ve ever had.
The fresh summer rolls (Goi Cuon) are a lighter way to start, and don’t sleep on a Thai tea to go with your bowl. My friend and I came in hungry and left defeated in the best way, because the portions are no joke and the pricing stays reasonable. There’s something reassuring about a spot that’s been doing this in the same neighborhood since 2005. Come hungry and start with the rolls.
📍111 Crain Hwy N #5, Glen Burnie, MD
11. Mi Pueblo
A bunch of you kept recommending Mi Pueblo, so I finally rolled through with Deke, and yeah, I get it now. This family-run spot does NOT play about portions, and I legit gasped when my food came out! We walked away with leftovers for breakfast the next day, no regrets.
The Grilled Chicken Quesadilla ($15.75) was the standout of the whole meal, the Tacos Al Pastor ($18.75) held their own, and the Flan ($6.50) was a lovely finish. The menu’s huge too, from sizzling fajitas to a molcajete built for sharing, so there’s something for every mood.
There’s a full bar (the Cadillac margarita gets a lot of love), they make the guac tableside, and the lunch specials and build-your-own combos are a great value. If you want big, generous Mexican plates in Glen Burnie that won’t break the bank, this one’s worth the trip.
📍7556 Ritchie Hwy, Glen Burnie, MD
12. Koi Sushi & Bar
If you followed me a while back, you knew Fukuya in Glen Burnie, well, they moved a few doors down, glowed up the whole space, and rebranded as Koi Sushi & Bar, and the food’s just as good as I remember. The headline’s simple, this is all-you-can-eat sushi done at a level that actually impressed me, and I’m not usually an AYCE person.
At $30.99 a head, the fish is genuinely fresh (not the tired stuff a lot of bottomless spots serve), the new interior’s really nice, and there’s serious range beyond the rolls, sashimi, nigiri, udon, teriyaki, and a bunch of hot apps, so even your non-raw-fish friends will eat well. The specialty rolls were a highlight, and the mango ice cream’s a sweet way to cap it off. It’s one of the better bottomless sushi deals I’ve come across in the area, so consider this your heads up before the wait gets long.
📍7389 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd Ste A, Glen Burnie, MD
13. 5th & Steaks
Last but not least, 5th & Steaks gives me that midnight-Philly-cheesesteak-line feeling every time I pull up. It’s a Philly-rooted truck slinging real ribeye (not the mystery chopped stuff) on Aversa’s seeded rolls out on Ritchie Highway, right next to the Citgo. My personal go-to is The 5th ($17), their signature ribeye with Cooper Sharp, but you honestly can’t go wrong with any of their subs, from The 9th ($17) to the Pepper Jawn ($18), and they even do halal chicken cheesesteaks.
They started with a Catonsville truck and have since added a College Park one, which tells you how fast word’s gotten around. If you’re a cheesesteak person, or trying to become one (no judgment), this Glen Burnie truck’s an easy yes!
📍7237 Ritchie Hwy, Glen Burnie, MD
And that’s my ever-growing list of must-try eats in Glen Burnie, Nomsters. From soft serve that’s older than most of us to bottomless sushi and some of the best crab cakes in Maryland, this town really does have it all, and I’m always finding more.
Which of these have you tried, and which Glen Burnie spot should I hit next? Drop your go-tos in the comments, I read every single one, and send this to the friend who still thinks there’s nothing to eat off Ritchie Highway. Happy eating, you guys!