Maryland may be famous for its crab cakes, steamed crabs and Chesapeake Bay seafood traditions, but Yelp’s latest ranking of the best seafood restaurant in every state has listed a surprising winner: an Indian restaurant in Howard County.
In its list of the freshest seafood destinations across the country, Yelp named Tandoor Spice, located at 10805 Birmingham Way, Suite 22, in Woodstock, as Maryland’s top seafood spot. Yelp highlighted the restaurant’s “ultra-fresh seafood, generous portions, and balanced, customizable heat,” pointing to dishes such as sizzling shrimp tandoor, mango garlic shrimp, shrimp pakora, and a mixed grill featuring salmon and shrimp.
The selection may come as a surprise in a state known for its seafood shacks and crab houses. Tandoor Spice’s seafood offerings include dishes such as Prawn Tikka Masala, featuring jumbo shrimp in a tomato-based cream sauce, Shrimp Bhuna, made with broccoli, bell peppers and fresh vegetables, and a traditional Fish Curry prepared with salmon and Indian herbs and spices.
For Marylanders looking for a more traditional seafood ranking, however, there is no shortage of local acclaim for the state’s signature dish. Earlier this year, Chowhound included six Maryland restaurants on its list of the Best Crab Cakes in the United States, reinforcing Maryland’s reputation as the nation’s crab cake capital. The recognition came shortly after Mr. MoCo shared his own picks for the best crab cakes in Montgomery County and across Maryland, naming O’Donnell’s Market in Potomac as his local favorite and Jimmy’s Famous Seafood in Baltimore as the state’s best overall. Jimmy’s was also recently ranked the No. 1 crab cake in America by Food & Wine, a distinction that many Maryland seafood purists would argue is a more fitting title for the Old Line State.
According to Yelp, the rankings were determined using the total volume and ratings of reviews for seafood restaurants and seafood markets nationwide. The review platform noted that all businesses included on the list were open as of March 2026.
