5 Best Restaurants in Ocean City, The Eastern Shore

This fine-dining restaurant, adjacent to and operated by the same owners as the Lighthouse Club and the Edge hotels, gives you white-linen treatment and views of soothing wetlands and the Bay, and stunning sunsets through its large windows. In addition to ubiquitous fresh-catch seafood, Fager's is renowned for its prime rib. There's an outside deck for more informal dining and a raw bar with lighter fare. Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture is played every evening, with the tumultuous finale timed to coincide with the setting of the sun.

When the children need a break from the standard boardwalk fare, take 'em to this incredibly family-friendly restaurant, where children are part of the action. Youngsters can play on an awesome pirate ship or on the soft beach with the Frisbee that comes with their meals. The food is as easygoing as the atmosphere, from a fried chicken and barbecued ribs combo to skewered surf and turf. There's also a slew of economical offerings "From the Dock" and "From the Farm," as well as an extensive menu for "L'il Skippers," like pizza and mac and cheese. At night, a bit of a rowdy (yet civilized) older bar crowd likes to congregate on the waterfront benches.

This unusual watering hole is a welcome breeze of creative cuisine. Appetizers are light and delicate, like seared foie gras and asparagus shrimp risotto. Equally innovative mains include homemade manchego cheese gnocchi, seared duck with sun-dried cherries, and a pistachio-encrusted rockfish. The second and third floors open up to outdoor seating and views of the Bay. The cosmic Star Bar is a hot spot for local celebs and those looking for creative cocktails in a dark hideaway—and it serves tapas until midnight.

Feast on crab cakes, crab imperial, or stuffed and fried shrimp at the 1956 home of an O.C. institution that is the original of three Phillips locations here and has since grown into a regional chain (Phillips By the Sea 1301 Atlantic Ave.Phillips Seafood House 14101 Coastal Hwy.). Considered the city's most popular dining site, the restaurant has a dark-panel dining area with decorative stone floors, Tiffany-style hanging lamps, stained-glass windows, and funky wall art. Expect big crowds in the summer months. Its seafood buffet is served in an upstairs dining room.

Don't let the name scare you: The namesake shark is meant to be your dinner, prepared any way you like. This off-the-beaten-path place in West Ocean City is worth the trek and takes advantage of every bay view, including from the sweeping rooftop bar. Dishes experiment with unusual flavors like the tuna with wasabi-cream sauce and pineapple meringue. Go for the Eggplant Tower stuffed with layers of shrimp, lump crab, and wild mushrooms with fresh-shaved Parmesan. Entrées are $5 from 3 pm to 5 pm, and a live jazz band plays on Thursday nights.