Pounding and eating steamed blue crabs is a D.C.-Maryland tradition.

Photo by aurelgroves.

The heat has certainly arrived in the nation’s capital, but a summer in D.C. would not be complete without the taste of steamed or boiled crabs — Chesapeake Bay blue crabs, to be exact.

If a mini-road trip to the Chesapeake is not in your plans this season, fear not. Bar Pilar, the 14th Street watering hole is laying out the brown paper and handing diners mini pallets to help bring the Bay Area’s crab-pounding and -eating summer tradition to the city on Tuesday nights.

Similar to last year’s special, Pilar’s Baltimore native Chef Justin Bittner is offering a mound of Maryland-style crabs steamed in cider vinegar, water and Old Bay seasoning. The dinner special also comes with dessert and two chef’s-choice seasonal sides. The sides, depending on availability, can either be heirloom tomatoes, steamed corn on the cob, shrimp with mussels, cornbread, housemade slaw or potato salad. The crab dinner, which debuted just last week, serves enough for two and costs $60. Bar Pilar doesn’t accept reservations, but it’s best to call ahead for large groups who want to indulge in this crustacean feast.

Bar Pilar
1833 14th Street NW
(202) 265-1751
Metro: U Street (Green), Dupont Circle (Red)

Filed Under: bar pilar, blue crabs, chesapeake bay, food, restaurant,