Pappas Restaurant & Sports Bar

A playful nickname like "Dirty Bernie" sets the tone at Pappas Restaurant & Sports Bar in Glen Burnie, a spot boasting a legendary recipe unchanged for fifty years. While their crab cakes have graced magazine covers, I was here to document the cream of crab soup, a dish rarely captured by professional standards. The bowl arrived with a lovely orangey hue and a light cream base that felt delightfully thick and velvety. It hit the palate with great temperature, delivering that buttery, salty classic Maryland flavor profile everyone loves.

The visual presentation was charming, with fresh crab meat generously placed right on top. However, once I started eating, it became clear that most of the crab stayed put; the rest was stringy rather than big lump chunks, though still undeniably tasty. I even found a shell or two, which is just part of the authentic blue crab experience. The strong Old Bay seasoning shone through, making every spoonful feel distinctly local. It’s definitely an appetizer-sized cup, perfect for sharing but not for filling up entirely on its own.