Mickey’s Family Crab House
Mickey’s is a ‘down-and-dirty’ (not literally) crab shack that is best enjoyed as an all-you-can-eat hard shell joint with fried dishes thrown in for those who do not want to get (as) messy while smashing crabs. Eating inside or out, you are surrounded by butcher-block paper strewn on picnic style tables, with plenty of hammer crab pounding around you, along with buckets of beer and fun. Mickey’s caters to large groups and families, and the all-you-can-eat specials draw small crabs, inviting lots of smashing and (imitation) Old Bay spice flying around. Sure, there are salads, burgers, and bar food served in baskets (don’t miss the prized onion rings), but crab dishes are the draw. Crab cakes warrant attention from those who do not want to work for their meal, but the real attraction are the hard shells – pity the garbage collectors who have to remove large bags of shells every day, but somebody in Bethany Beach has to offer crabs, and somebody’s got to clean-up. And remember, any shoes you wear will inevitably stick to the uneven floor, so keep the Prada’s at home, but don’t forget the faux Berkin Bag, because upon your exit, you will need something to cool your on-fire mouth after ingesting pounds of seasoning dumped on the 30 crabs you just pounded into pick-and-eat submission, and a cold bottle of water and sanitary hand wipes must be imported.