Looney's Pub was started down in the Canton section of Baltimore back in 1993. The vision was simple: open a place with great food, lots of beer, things to do while hanging out with your friends, and be able to watch any sports you want on the televisions. Things must have gone well, because ten years later, the Bel Air location was opened. Now Looney's has 4 locations, the other two being in Maple Lawn and College Park. Looney's Pub has won some accolades over the years, the most recent being the Harford Award in 2013 for their contributions to economic and civic life in Harford County. With the promise of awesome food, we set our sights on the beloved crab cake. Read on to see if the crab cake is on par with the expectations set!

The Crackpot Restaurant has been around since 1972, and was one of the first crab houses to fly crabs in from Louisiana year round. The crab house is termed "retro" for its decor that most likely hasn't changed since they opened. Despite the decor, they have earned numerous awards for their crabs and crab cakes, most recently being featured in 2013 by Towson Magazine and Baltimore Magazine (making their Top 25 Crab Cakes of 2013 list). The Crackpot is also one of the few places in Baltimore who dare to offer flavored crab cakes, as well as claim to have the largest crab cake in town (20oz!). With such history and reputation on the line, we, naturally, had to see if the Crackpot is all that it's cracked up to be. Curious? Read on and see what we thought!

Part of the original 42 lots of Bel Air, the Main Street Tower's location has been many things over the past two centuries. A hotel, another restaurant, a barber shop, a stationary store, and a pool hall, amongst other things. But since 2002, it has been Main Street's family-oriented Italian restaurant and lounge owned and operated by the Buontempo family (who also own a pizzeria on the same block). Despite being mainly Italian, they do offer one of the region's favorited delicacies -- crab cakes! Read on to see how they were!

We're sure you are familiar with the name Heavy Seas (or rather, the Clipper City Brewing Company, its founder Hugh Sisson, or Sissons in Federal Hill). Their beer is everywhere. And, we have it on good authority, it's delicious. Open since February 2012, the Alehouse provides a comfortable space to enjoy food, friends, and of course, beer! Alehouses are typically known for their beer first, and their food second. But once you see/smell one of their monster burgers walking by, you may have to reconsider. So now that Heavy Seas is fast becoming an iconic name around Maryland for quality locally brewed beers, how do they fare with our beloved crab cakes? Read along and see if they have the booty to please the foodies!

As we all know, a riptide typically refers to a dangerous ocean current. And while Riptide By The Bay is really in Fells Point, Baltimore's Inner Harbor is often known as being the gateway to the Chesapeake Bay. While Riptide may not pose any immediate danger to you, it will attempt to pull you out of your ordinary day and entice you with local seafood from the Chesapeake, culinary innovation, and of course, entertainment. Voted Baltimore's Best Crab House in 2010 and Best Crab Dish in 2011 by Baltimore Magazine, Riptide By The Bay is certainly a place you should visit on your next trip to Fells Point. But the real question is -- do you stop in for the crab cakes? We took the plunge, so read along and find out!

For over 20 years, The Olive Tree has been serving fresh, local, authentic Italian cuisine in the Aberdeen area. What started out as 10 bar stools and 8 booths has quickly grown to two newly renovated locations with a loyal (and growing!) customer base. In July 2013, friend of the CCR and one of the owners, Mindy H., invited us to come sample their local seafood offerings, particularly the crab cakes, which have been one of their top sellers since they opened. Look online at any of the reviews for The Olive Tree, and they will all mention crab cakes. So we recently stopped by to pay them a visit, and check out one of our favorite treats. Read on to see if the crab cakes are as good as the pasta looks!

Bel Air's most recent restaurant, the Main Street Oyster House, has a good bit of history to it, as well as boasting Harford County's longest oyster bar. Yes, this very location dates back to the post civil war area, and has been home to John's Barbershop, a watch repair store, the original headquarters of the Aegis newspaper, and most recently, the Dark Horse Saloon. But a new era has come into this very location, and bills itself as an upscale seafood venue. If you've been here during the Dark Horse days, things seem very familiar, yet slightly different. But with new management and identity in place, were the crab cakes on par with what an upscale seafood restaurant should be? Read on and find out!

Open since 1971 and Zagat rated since 1999, Costa's Inn is certainly a Baltimore institution. For over 40 years, the Costas family has been serving up some of Baltimore's finest seafood and pit beef. But don't take our word for it. Check out all of the awards they've won as you walk into the restaurant. Year after year, Costa's has been voted the best of something, whether it's for their seafood, crab cakes, or pit beef. So do the crab cakes live up to the hype and legendary status after all these years? Follow along and find out!

It's not often that the CCR reviews crab cakes outside of the MD/DC area. But this week, Daddy needed a new pair of shoes, so we packed up the car and headed to Lancaster, PA, home of the Pennsylvania Dutch, outlet malls galore, and The Brasserie. If you've been in the area, but haven't happened upon The Brasserie, located between the outlets and downtown Lancaster, has been around since 1925. Originally a traditional home for over 50 years, it is now a casual restaurant that captures the essence of the countryside. Their Tomato Bisque Soup was featured in Bon Appetite Magazine, and they share the recipe with you on their website. They also mention that their crab cakes are equally as delicious, a claim that we needed to see for ourselves. Read on and see how they were!

Pratt Street Ale House is home to Oliver Breweries, Baltimore's longest-running brew pub. The original building was built back in 1888, having housed the Pratt Furniture Company until 1980, when a bar by the name of P.J. Circketts was established. In 1992, P.J.'s turned into the Wharf Rat. A year later, the brewery was created, and life has been good ever since! While their beers may be delicious, we really wanted to see if their food was equally as tasty. Read on to see how this story ferments!