Faidley's Seafood
7.5Friend Score / 10#5 of 20 Restaurants in Baltimore
Known forjumbo lump crab cakeshe-crab soupclam chowderseafood gumbo
The crab cake against which all Maryland crab cakes are measured — a softball of jumbo lump with almost no filler, served since 1886 from a stall in Lexington Market. Around $27 and worth it; this is the one place on this list a friend might tell you to fly in for. Closed Sundays, and it's counter service, not a sit-down restaurant.
Key facts
| Hours | Mon–Thu 10:00–17:00 Fri–Sat 10:00–17:30 |
|---|---|
| Price | $$ |
| Phone | — |
| Website | — |
| Nearest transit | Lexington Market Metro SubwayLink station and Light RailLink stop, both adjacent |
| Time needed | 45-60 minutes |
| Best time to go | Weekday lunch; go before 2pm — closed Sundays and crab cakes can sell through late in the day |
| Last verified | July 12, 2026 |
Friend Score
7.5/10- Value8.0
- iconic8.0
- Freshness9.2
- Crowd level6.5
- Authenticity9.5
- Accessibility8.5
Frequently asked questions
- What are Faidley's hours?
- Monday-Thursday 10am-5pm, Friday-Saturday 10am-5:30pm, closed Sundays. It follows Lexington Market's rhythm, so weekday lunch is prime time.
- Is Faidley's still in Lexington Market after the renovation?
- Yes — after 130+ years in the old building, Faidley's moved into a new stall in the rebuilt Lexington Market. Same family (the Devines), same recipe, shinier digs.
- How much is a Faidley's crab cake?
- The famous jumbo lump crab cake runs about $27 as of 2026 — up sharply from pre-pandemic, like all Maryland crab. It's the size of a softball and nearly all crab, so it's honest money.
- Jumbo lump vs. regular lump at Faidley's — which one?
- If it's your one visit, pay up for the jumbo lump: big sweet chunks of backfin, minimal binder. The cheaper lump cake is still better than most restaurants' best.
- Broiled or fried at Faidley's?
- Fried is the classic and holds the cake together; broiled shows off the crab. Locals argue this forever — you can't lose, but first-timers usually go fried.
- Can I sit down at Faidley's?
- It's counter service — historically eaten standing at chest-high tables, though the new market has plenty of shared seating. Don't expect waiters; that's not the genre.
- Can Faidley's ship crab cakes to me?
- Yes, they ship nationwide (including via Goldbelly), and they take phone orders. It's genuinely good, but the fresh-off-the-flattop version in the market is the real experience.
- What's a coddie?
- A Baltimore original — a fried codfish-and-potato cake traditionally eaten on saltines with yellow mustard, and Faidley's is one of the last places doing them right. A couple bucks of pure old Baltimore; get one as an appetizer.
Nearby in Ask Baltimore
- Lexington MarketMarket0.04 km · 0 min walk
- Edgar Allan Poe's Grave and Westminster Hall & Burying GroundAttraction0.24 km · 3 min walk
- Dear Globe CoffeeCafé0.32 km · 4 min walk
- David and Dad's CafeCafé0.53 km · 7 min walk
- Basilica of the AssumptionAttraction0.53 km · 7 min walk
Where to stay near Faidley's Seafood
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