There’s something about eating crab right on the water that just hits different, and Tidewater Grille in Havre de Grace nails the whole package. This waterfront spot sits on the lower Susquehanna, and @labellemel31 and I spent our visit watching boats and trains roll by while we worked through a pile of crab apps, lol.
It’s easy to see why locals love it here. Was every single bite perfect? Not quite, but the cream of crab soup and the seafood quesadilla were absolute standouts, and the view alone makes it worth the trip. If you’re planning a day in Havre de Grace and want a laid-back seafood lunch or dinner with a killer view, this is a spot you gotta know about. Let me put you on, Nomsters.
View this reel on Instagram
What Makes Tidewater Grille a Standout Waterfront Spot in Havre de Grace
The setting is the headline here. Tidewater sits right at the foot of Franklin Street on the lower Susquehanna, near where the river opens into the Chesapeake Bay, so you get water views from just about every seat. There are outdoor decks, a lawn closer to the water, and a four-seasons porch for when the weather doesn’t cooperate. You can even pull up by boat, there’s a dock out front. Beyond the view, it’s a proper Maryland seafood spot: crab shows up all over the menu, from soups to crab cakes, and it’s been a reliable local go-to for years. It’s the kind of place that works whether you want a quick happy-hour bite or a full waterfront dinner.
What to Order at Tidewater Grille
Cream of Crab Soup ($6)
Start here. I LOVED this soup. It was rich, velvety, and super comforting without being heavy, which is a hard balance to pull off with a cream of crab. At six bucks for a cup, it’s a great deal, and I’d order it again in a heartbeat.
Seafood Quesadilla ($18.50)
This one tied with the soup as my favorite of the visit. It’s loaded with shrimp and crab meat, tomato, and cheddar jack, served with Old Bay sour cream. Hard to go wrong, lol. If you want one thing that isn’t the usual crab-app suspect, get this.
Crab Dip ($18)
Yummy and very shareable. It comes out warm with pretzel sticks, and the portion’s generous enough that @labellemel31 and I still had a good amount left over after digging in. A solid pick for the table.
Crab Bites ($19.50)
Here’s my honest one. These are pint-sized versions of their crab cakes, served with fresh lemon and homemade cocktail sauce, and they were just ok for me. They had a little too much filler for my taste, though they weren’t bad by any means. Since Tidewater’s actually known for their full crab cakes, those might be worth trying on a future visit. If crab cakes are your mission, I’ve got a whole roundup of the best crab cakes in the Baltimore area too.
A few other things they’re known for, if you want to build a bigger meal:
- Their famous broiled crab cakes and the crab cake sandwich.
- Maryland crab soup (the tomato-based one) if you want an alternative to the cream.
Watching the Trains (and Boats) Roll By
One of my favorite parts of the whole meal was just watching the trains go by, lol. Tidewater sits right near the Amtrak bridge that crosses the Susquehanna, so between the passing trains and the boats out on the water, there’s always something to look at, and it makes for the most laid-back people-watching. And yes, you actually can arrive by boat here, they’ve got a dock out front you can tie up to at no charge, which is peak Havre de Grace summer energy if you ask me.
The Vibe and Experience
This is a comfortable, unfussy spot that leans into its waterfront setting. There’s a bar with a fireplace for cooler months, live music on Friday and Saturday nights, and the deck’s even pet friendly, so you can bring the pup. It works for a casual date, a family lunch, or a bigger group catching up over apps and drinks. And since it’s right by the Havre de Grace promenade, Concord Point Lighthouse, and the local museums, it’s an easy anchor for a full day out. Check out the Explore Havre de Grace guide if you want to make a day of it.
Good to Know
- Location: 📍 300 Franklin St, Havre de Grace, MD 21078, right on the waterfront at the foot of Franklin Street.
- Hours: Monday through Thursday 11AM to 9PM, Friday and Saturday 11AM to 10PM, Sunday 9AM to 9PM (Sunday breakfast starts at 9).
- Price range: moderate, roughly $20 to $30 per person, with plenty of shareable apps if you want to keep it lighter.
- Parking: free on-site lot plus street parking, and it’s wheelchair accessible.
- Reservations: accepted, and worth grabbing on weekends. You can also do takeout and curbside.
- Happy hour: Monday through Friday, 3 to 7PM.
- Arriving by boat: there’s a dock out front, free for guests.
- Menu and info: browse Tidewater Grille’s site before you go.
Is Tidewater Grille Worth A Visit?
Yes, especially if you’re after that waterfront view and a laid-back seafood meal. It’s not the fanciest crab house around, and the crab bites were a slight miss for me, but the cream of crab soup and seafood quesadilla more than made up for it, and the setting is genuinely hard to beat. For a Havre de Grace day trip, it’s an easy call. If you’re chasing more Maryland crab, my pick for the best steamed crabs in Maryland is worth a read too.
So that’s my take on Tidewater Grille, Nomsters, a scenic waterfront spot worth a stop on your next Havre de Grace adventure. Have you guys been yet? Let me know your go-to order in the comments, and if you’ve got other Havre de Grace favorites I need to try, put me on. Save this one for your next day trip.