The East Coast of the United States is known for its seafood and seafood restaurants. Maryland and Virginia boast exceptonal fishing and crabbing along their coasts and the Chesapeake Bay. For those who have trouble deciding on what to choose, seafood buffets are an option, allowing you to taste a variety of dishes, from salmon to clams to a variety of crab. Whichever way you go, you'll find a bounty of fresh seafood awaits.

Phillips Crab House started in 1956 as a small carryout restaurant in Ocean City, Md. It was begun as a way to sell excess crabs from a family crab processing plant. It gradually expanded into three locations--Ocean City, along with Baltimore and Rockville, Md., as well as franchises in Atlantic City, N.J., Myrtle Beach, S.C., Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Phillips Crab House serves an a la carte menu as well as its all-you-can-eat seafood buffet. Phillips boasts 50 years of serving authentic Maryland-style seafood, including crab, shrimp, oysters and mussels. The restaurant is open March through October.

Phillips Seafood House 2004 Philadelphia Ave. Ocean City, MD 21842 401-289-6821 phillipsseafood,com

This seafood restaurant in Ocean City is open from March through October. The restaurant offers a seafood buffet that includes steamed crabs and shrimp, fried clams, hush puppies and corn on the cob. As of October 2010, the buffet was offered for $28.99. Hooper’s also offers an a la carte menu, including a New England clambake for two. Specialties at Hooper’s include steamed crabs and their fresh seafood.

Hooper’s Crab House 12913 Ocean Gateway Ocean City, MD 21842 410-213-1771 hooperscrabhouse.com

Captain George’s is a seafood restaurant in Virginia Beach, Va., with other locations in Williamsburg, Va., and Myrtle Beach, S.C.,. Captain George’s Virginia Beach opened its doors in 1982 with seating for over 700. The food at Captain George’s is prepared fresh daily with over 70 items on the all-you-can-eat seafood buffet, which includes steamed shrimp, clams, mussels and crawfish, fried oysters, scallops and shrimp, as well as broiled salmon. Crab choices include softshell crabs, blue crabs and deviled crabs. The buffet also includes homemade soups and salads, corn on the cob, cole slaw and breads. The all you can eat buffet is $28.99 for adults with children being half price, as of October 2010. On Sundays there is an early bird special from noon until 4 p.m. for $23.99. Captain George’s is open every day except Christmas.

Captain George’s Seafood Restaurant 1956 Laskin Road Virginia Beach, VA 23454 757-428-3494 captaingeorges.com

Captain Pell’s opened in 1977 in Merrifield, Va., and moved to its current location in Fairfax, Va., in 1999. Captain Pell’s is open year-round, and offers an a la carte menu with fresh seafood entrees, including shrimp, oysters, clams and crabs. The All U Can Eat Crab Feast consists of Chesapeake Bay blue crabs steamed in seasoning and corn on the cob. It is truly a crab lovers feast as you get little else with the meal unless you order sides from the menu. The feast is $36 per person, as of October 2010.

Captain Pell’s Fairfax Crabhouse 10195 Fairfax Blvd. Fairfax, VA 22030 703-560-0060 captainpell.com