The Nation’s Premier Seafood & Crab Supplier

Finding a seafood and crab supplier is not only about locating a box that can reach your zip code. A dependable supplier should clearly explain the species, size, preparation, package weight, delivery schedule, cold-chain packaging, and support available if something goes wrong. Those details matter whether you are planning one family crab feast or buying seafood for a restaurant, catering event, or company gathering.

Harbour House Crabs has shipped Maryland-style seafood nationwide for more than 25 years. This guide explains what to compare before ordering and how our steamed blue crabs, soft-shell crabs, crab cakes, crab meat, crab legs, shellfish, and meal packages travel from our facility to customers across the United States.

What Makes a Reliable Nationwide Seafood Supplier?

A useful supplier listing should make the order understandable before checkout. Look beyond broad words such as fresh, premium, or jumbo and confirm the measurable details behind them.

• Species and source: The listing should identify what seafood you are buying and explain seasonal sourcing when relevant.
• Size and quantity: Compare crab size, count, net weight, cluster or leg format, and package contents instead of relying on grade names alone.
• Preparation: Confirm whether an item is live, raw, cooked, steamed and seasoned, cleaned, refrigerated, or frozen.
• Delivery timing: Check available arrival days, order cutoffs, transit options, and any Saturday or remote-area fees.
• Cold-chain packaging: Perishable seafood should travel in insulated packaging with the refrigerants appropriate for the product and transit time.
• Issue resolution: Read the supplier's delivery and quality policy before placing a time-sensitive order.

The FDA advises buyers to pay attention to refrigeration, packaging condition, shellfish labels, and signs that frozen seafood may have thawed and refrozen. Its seafood selection and handling guidance is a practical reference for both shipped and locally purchased seafood.

Maryland Blue Crab Supply Is Seasonal

Blue crab supply changes through the year. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources states that Maryland's commercial crabbing season runs from April 1 through December 15, and its commercial landing reports show that harvest is generally highest during summer. Size, weather, catch volume, and market demand can all affect daily availability.

Harbour House sources Chesapeake blue crabs when they are available. Outside the Maryland season, or when the Chesapeake catch cannot meet demand, blue crabs may come from the Carolinas or Louisiana. They are prepared in the same Maryland style, but shoppers who care about the current harvest origin should ask before ordering rather than assuming every crab sold year-round was caught in Maryland.

For current information about the fishery, see the Maryland DNR commercial blue crab landing reports and NOAA's blue crab overview.

Steamed Hard-Shell Blue Crabs Delivered Nationwide

Our hard-shell blue crabs are steamed to order on the day they ship and are not sold live. Choose the available grade, sex, quantity, and seasoning preference on the product page. Blue crabs are measured point to point across the shell, so the stated inch range is more useful than a marketing adjective by itself.

For a crab-centered meal, a common starting estimate is 6 to 8 crabs per adult, adjusted for crab size, appetite, and the amount of other food being served. Larger grades give each guest fewer, heavier crabs; smaller grades create a taller pile and a longer picking session.

Soft-Shell Crabs, Crab Cakes, and Crab Meat

A seafood supplier should explain when similar-sounding crab products require very different handling:

• Soft-shell crabs are blue crabs harvested shortly after molting. Ours are cleaned and frozen so they can be thawed and cooked when needed.
• Maryland crab cakes are sold by individual cake size and package count. Compare full-size 5+ oz cakes with smaller appetizer bites before planning portions.
• Crab meat is available in formats such as jumbo lump, backfin, and claw, depending on current inventory and season.

These products serve different menus. Soft shells work as sandwiches or plated entrées, crab cakes reduce preparation time for events, and packaged crab meat gives a kitchen flexibility for soups, dips, pasta, and its own crab-cake recipe.

Crab Legs and Other Seafood for Delivery

A broad seafood supplier can help complete a menu without splitting the order among several stores. Harbour House selections may include:

• King crab legs and snow crab clusters
• Maine lobster tails
• Jumbo Gulf shrimp
• Oysters, clams, scallops, and other shellfish
• Seafood dinners, surf-and-turf combinations, and crab feasts

For crab legs, compare species, net weight, and package form. King crab has larger leg sections and rich meat; snow crab is generally sold in slimmer clusters. For shrimp, review both package weight and the count range per lb because a lower count usually means a larger individual shrimp.

Planning Restaurant, Catering, and Bulk Seafood Orders

Restaurant and catering buyers need more information than a household ordering dinner. Before requesting a larger quantity, prepare the delivery date, destination, guest or serving count, desired species, acceptable size range, preparation format, and storage capacity at the receiving location.

Availability and pricing can change with the catch and market, so bulk needs should be discussed before building the menu around one exact grade. Ask these questions:

• What quantity and grades are available for the required arrival date?
• Does the quoted weight include shell, glaze, or other package components?
• Will the product arrive cooked, raw, refrigerated, or frozen?
• How much refrigerator or freezer space will the complete order require?
• What lead time is recommended for the destination and event date?
• What happens if weather or harvest availability affects the shipment?

Restaurants, caterers, event planners, and other high-volume buyers can contact Harbour House Crabs with these details. Our team can confirm current products and shipping options because species, grades, and bulk quantities change with season and supply.

How Perishable Seafood Ships

Harbour House orders travel in insulated coolers with gel packs and/or dry ice selected for the products, route, transit time, and season. Some frozen items can thaw in transit while remaining cold, and dry ice can partially freeze freshly steamed crabs when different formats share a cooler. Review our complete seafood shipping information before choosing an arrival date.

Someone should be available to receive the package, inspect it, and move the contents into appropriate cold storage promptly. The FDA recommends keeping seafood at 40°F or below when refrigerated and freezing it when it will not be used within the recommended refrigerated window. Always follow the product-specific directions supplied with the order.

For a holiday, wedding, restaurant service, or another fixed occasion, schedule delivery early enough to leave a buffer for carrier or weather delays. Our Quality Guarantee and Return Policy explains how delivery and product issues are handled.

Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Crab Supplier

1. What exact species and product format am I ordering?
2. Is size shown as a shell-width range, count per lb, individual weight, or package weight?
3. Does the seafood arrive live, raw, cooked, cleaned, refrigerated, or frozen?
4. Where is it sourced during the requested season?
5. Which arrival days and shipping methods are available for my zip code?
6. What storage and preparation steps are required after delivery?
7. Who should I contact if the shipment is delayed or arrives with an issue?

A supplier that answers those questions clearly makes it easier to compare value, plan portions, protect food quality, and avoid surprises on the day of the meal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Harbour House Crabs sell live blue crabs?

No. Our hard-shell blue crabs are steamed to order on the day they ship and packed cold for delivery.

Does Harbour House ship seafood nationwide?

Yes. Available crabs and seafood can be shipped throughout the United States. Delivery methods, days, and fees depend on the destination and selected product.

Can restaurants and caterers request larger orders?

Yes, they can contact our team with the products, quantity, arrival date, destination, and serving plan. Current availability must be confirmed before the event menu is finalized.

Are soft-shell crabs shipped fresh or frozen?

Our soft-shell crabs are cleaned and frozen shortly after processing, then shipped cold with product-specific thawing and cooking instructions.

How far ahead should seafood arrive for an event?

For a fixed event, schedule delivery at least one day before the seafood is needed whenever product storage and preparation instructions allow. This provides a buffer for carrier or weather delays.