Thames Street Oyster House
Thames Street Oyster House
By: Lily Cope
Tucked along the cobblestone streets of Fells Point in Baltimore, MD, Thames Street Oyster House has been serving some of the Mid-Atlantic’s freshest seafood since 2011. At the helm is Chef Eric Houseknecht, who, alongside owner Candace Beattie, has built the restaurant into a cherished destination for both Baltimore locals and visitors.
Eric and Candace, both inspired by time spent in New England, envisioned bringing Cape Cod and Rhode Island flavors to Baltimore’s historic waterfront. For Eric, the connection runs deep—he grew up between two bays, Narragansett and Chesapeake, where he developed a lifelong appreciation for the seafood traditions of both coasts.
The result is an upscale yet approachable dining experience. Guests may arrive in jeans or dressed for a night out, but everyone discovers the same thing: a menu built on seasonality, scratch-made dishes, and uncompromising quality. Thames Street Oyster House is open for dinner seven days a week, with lunch service Friday through Sunday—perfect for a weekend outing or a weekday tradition.
Seafood is the star here. “Ninety-eight percent of our menu is seafood,” Eric explains. “We have one steak and one burger, but everything else comes from the water.” That commitment shows in the numbers during peak season:
• 5,000 oysters shucked each week, sourced from the Chesapeake to Nova Scotia
• 800 North Atlantic lobsters served weekly
• Maryland crab cakes, made exclusively with fresh local crabmeat whenever available
Clams, mussels, squid, octopus, fish of course and more round out a menu that celebrates the full breadth of East Coast seafood.
Eric credits Samuels Seafood as a vital partner in keeping his menu both consistent and exceptional. “Our driver Orlando is the best—he’ll even help other vendors unload their trucks. Samuels makes things easy, and I try to replicate that efficiency here,” he says. From oysters to lobsters, Samuels is his go-to for the products that define the restaurant.
At Thames Street Oyster House, freshness and service are the cornerstones. “We take pride in the quality of our food and the attention to detail—no matter what you order,” Eric notes. The restaurant’s team reflects that same dedication: several chefs have been there since the doors first opened in 2011.
The menu shifts with the seasons, weaving in local produce alongside East Coast seafood. This fall, diners can look forward to lobster polenta with chanterelle mushrooms and a Hubbard squash side dish served with their classic lobster roll. And for those in the know, “Meat Monday” has become a tradition—running strong for a decade, the braised meat special is gone by 6 p.m. most weeks, making early reservations essential.
