People Visit One Place In Maryland For Crab Cakes The Size Of Baseballs

If there's one thing people go looking for when they visit the East Coast, it's seafood, and there's no shortage of it in Maryland — especially when it comes to crab. More than a third of the blue crab eaten in the U.S. comes from the Chesapeake Bay, and the state is the home of the classic Old Bay Seasoning we all know and love. Locals are particularly proud of their signature crustaceans, so you can find fresh crab on menus across the region. But if you're in the mood for Maryland crab cakes, then forget the festivals and fancy restaurants. You need to head straight to Koco's Pub in Baltimore.

A family-run institution that's been serving the Hamilton area since 1985, Koco's started out as a tiny hole-in-the-wall that barely had a functioning kitchen. Joanna Kocovinos, who opened the location with her husband John, would head out to the store every day and pick up stuff to cook for the customers. Her baseball-sized Maryland crab cakes, which she cooked in a small countertop pizza oven, became her specialty. At first, Koco's dished out about 20 portions a week. Today, the pub sells over 2,000 crab cakes every week, which are praised across the region for their giant portion size and minimal filler.

The ginormous, crab-heavy patties have earned Koco's a number of awards, and customers now travel from all over to try them. The cakes are made using jumbo lump crab meat, and they're served with sides, which include coleslaw, fries, crackers, or a salad. They are also available as sandwiches. The "original" platter features one 11-oz crab cake, while a double platter is also available. From Wednesday to Friday, a "junior" portion (6 ounces) is served until 4 pm.

People have praised the gigantic portion sizes and fair pricing online, with the 11-oz cakes costing $43 to $48. Koco's also has a loaded crab soup on the menu, as well as a creamy crab dip. All of it comes highly recommended. One Facebook user said in an online review, "This place did not disappoint, with [its] crab cake being hefty and full of jumbo lump crab meat!" A TikTok user has also called Koco's "seafood heaven," while the eatery has a 4.6-star rating on Yelp, where one user said it was "the best crab cake you can get in the country."

Luckily, you don't need to drive to Baltimore to try them. Instead, just order the cakes online and have them shipped to your home. You can purchase the 11-oz uncooked cakes in increments of 2, 4, 6, 8, or 12 through the pub's website, all of which will be shipped fresh and individually packaged. All you need to do is heat the oven, close your eyes, and pretend you're right on the Maryland coast.