About Us

The Crab Shanty restaurant is a family-owned & operated business. The King family has been satisfying the cravings of Maryland seafood lovers for over fifty-five years with fresh, delicious seafood.

In 1963, husband and wife team, Bill and Rolande King, purchased a Catonsville gas station and transformed the property into Sea King Seafood Market, a thriving seafood carryout. This was the first of several carryouts to open during the next 12 years. The King family joined together forming a strong love of the restaurant business to establish Sea King carryouts - the finest in raw, cooked and prepared seafood in the Baltimore area. All spices, rubs and recipes are developed in-house and created to bring out the best of Maryland’s seafood.

In 1978, the King family opened The Crab Shanty Restaurant in Ellicott City, a fast-growing area of Howard County. Established as the best seafood restaurant and best crab cake in Howard County, the Crab Shanty continually receives industry awards for outstanding seafood and service due to the efforts of owners, management and staff.
A lot of our guests ask us why we used the name "shanty." Shanties, by definition, are crudely built shelters made of various salvaged materials, usually occupied by seafaring folk. We know we’re not crudely built, but our décor is comprised of many antiques & architectural pieces from churches, Victorian homes and other projects from the Maryland/Pennsylvania area. For more details about where specific items in our décor are from, please visit our photo tour.

In 1986, the King family answered the requests of local patrons by introducing another great taste: Pig Pickers, slow-cooked Bar-B-Que! Customers can now satisfy their tastebuds for authentic Memphis style Bar-B-Que at our Ellicott City carryout location.

In 1990 the father and son team, William King Jr. and William King III, proudly accepted the Restaurant Association of Maryland’s Restaurateur of the Year Award. In 1999 the Crab Shanty earned the Seal of Commitment from the Maryland Hospitality Education Foundation and in 2001 the Crab Shanty was proudly inducted into the Restaurant Association of Maryland’s Hall of Fame. In 2006 Bill Jr & Bill III also received the Good Scout award from the Boy Scouts of America National Pike chapter for their good works for the greater good of the local community. In October 2008, Bill was recognized by the Howard County Chamber of Commerce as entrepreneur of the year. Today, Bill & MaryAnn King, their daughter, Michelle, their son Eric, and his wife, Jeanne, join forces with management and staff to fulfill a family dream—serving their best to customers. One taste will tell you why!

Each Crab Shanty creation is flavorful and fresh, satisfying even the most discerning palate—from tender, juicy prime beef to our heart-healthy, fresh catch prepared your style. Signature dishes grace every table on a nightly basis-leaving customers with a smile and a reason to return.

In 2007 we renovated our lounge to create a warmer, more social & relaxing atmosphere for our guests to unwind in. Check out our daily happy hour specials on our events page.

The year 2008 brought more new changes to the restaurant. In June, executive chef, Chris Cherry, joined our excellent management team. During the fall, our Hooper’s Island dining room will be undergoing a major renovation to create a quieter, cozier and more soothing atmosphere for our guests. The Shanty also celebrated it 30th birthday.

With over 55 years of experience and success, the King family looks forward to expanding our services in the areas of catering, curbside service and internet ordering. Maryland is the place for seafood and we make it our FAMILY business to bring you the best. Whether you’re dining at the Crab Shanty restaurant or picking up a complete dinner-to-go from Sea King Seafood Markets or our Crab Shanty Curbside service you'll always be more than satisfied.

Staff

Eric S. King & William C. King, III, Owners

Eric S. King: Growing up in the business, Eric has been in foodservice his entire life. Working through school, he has risen from his beginnings as a dishwasher all the way through management. Eric has taken some time away from the family business to attain both bachelor’s and master’s degrees, as well as gaining valuable experience with the world-renowned Greenbrier Resort. Eric has also done foodservice and business consulting for some well-known restaurants in the New York City Area. After returning home in 2004, he has focused on ensuring that the different locations are running smoothly and are meeting the strict food quality and customer service standards that The Crab Shanty and Sea King have been known for.

Certifications & Degrees: M.M.H. in Hotel/Restaurant Administration (MBA) Cornell University 2004, B.S. in Business Administration (Accounting & Finance) West Virginia University 2001, Foodservice Management Professional (FMP) 2001, Alcohol Awareness, Serv-Safe Food Safety & Sanitation, Serv-Safe Train the Trainer, HACCP.

Cliff Hughes FMP, General Manager Cliff Hughes came to the Crab Shanty 20 years ago from Chez Fernand. Prior to the Crab Shanty, Mr. Hughes had 12 years of cooking and management experience, with the majority under Fernand. As general manager, Cliff is responsible for the overall operations of the restaurant. He is actively involved in all aspects of dining room operations, staffing, and even menu design. Certifications & Degrees: Foodservice Management Professional (FMP), Serve-Safe, & Alcohol Awareness.
Chris Cherry, Executive Chef Chef Cherry comes to the Crab Shanty with over 30 years food service experience. He has been featured on the covers of Chef Magazine, Southern Living Magazine, CBS Good Morning and numerous local publications. Having trained in Atlantic City N.J. and arriving in the greater Baltimore Metropolitan area in 1987, he enjoyed positions as the Executive Chef of Tabrizi's, Viccino's, Baltimore Museum of Art, Chestnut Ridge Country Club and Chartwell Country Club. The Chef has also done extensive work at the Fretz Kitchen where for 6 years he was the demonstration chef for Wolf/Sub-Zero products, providing live cooking demonstrations. Most recently Chef Chris was Corporate Chef of Silver Eagle Marketing, specializing in state of the art cooking systems for large hotel and resort properties, including the Ritz-Carlton and Colonial Williamsburg. Chris lives in the area with his wife of 20 years and his four children.
Irene Ravit, Assistant General Manager Irene Ravit, joined the Shanty’s Management Team in the fall of 2007. Born & raised in Queens, NY, she has spent the last 12 years as a general manager & the regional management trainer for the UNO Restaurant Corporation. Certifications & Degrees: BA in Illustration & Ad Design from the NYC Fashion Institute of Technology, ServSafe, & Alcohol Awareness
Jim Harlow, Sous Chef Jim is a native of Sykesville and has been one of the  Renaissance men on our staff for the last 5 years. He has a degree in history from Towson State University, was in a successful rock band, and also has certificates in accounting & computer information systems. He also has over 20 years of cooking experience & is Servsafe certified. We look forward to him donating his talents to help our restaurant grow for many years in the future.