A Seafood Feast and Fish Market Stop at Feby’s Fishery

A warm loaf of bread with a crunchy crust, a bowl of Maryland crab soup, a plate of crab legs waiting for a dip in house sauce: Feby’s Fishery makes a meal out of the pleasures that bring people to a longtime seafood restaurant in the first place.

The Delaware restaurant has the comfortable, familiar character of an old-style fish house, but its range goes well beyond a simple fried-seafood stop. Diners can settle in for shellfish, fish, pasta, soups and sandwiches, then browse an on-site market before heading home.

It works nicely for a casual dinner with friends, a family table with several different appetites, or a lunch built around one particularly rich seafood entrée. The menu is broad enough that the person craving a crab feast and the person who wants a neatly cooked piece of fish need not negotiate too hard.

The headline order is the all-you-can-eat Dungeness crab. The crab legs are known for being meaty, moist and well cooked, and the format keeps the meal pleasantly simple: work through a plate, ask for another when ready, and take your time with it.

The meal includes two sides. French fries and coleslaw have appeared alongside the crab, with the slaw providing a cool, crisp counterpoint to the richer shellfish. Hot sauces are also on hand for diners who like a brighter, more assertive bite.

Feby’s house, or “secret,” sauce gives the crab another route besides melted-butter territory. It is a small touch, but one that invites a little experimentation as the plates keep coming.

Dungeness legs are only one expression of crab here. Crab ravioli is a notable entrée, offering a more composed, fork-and-knife alternative to the hands-on work of cracking shells.

The crab-stuffed flounder is another substantial choice. Flounder is filled with crab imperial and paired with mixed vegetables; a lunch combination has also paired the dish with Maryland crab soup.

For a lunchtime sandwich that does not sidestep the seafood theme, the menu has included a Crab Cake BLT. It is a good example of the restaurant’s willingness to take a familiar format and give it a more coastal center.

The fish selections make Feby’s Fishery useful for diners who want a full seafood dinner without committing to crab legs. Blackened grouper with lump crab brings together thick, flaky, gently sweet fish and a seasoned crust with noticeable heat.

Blackened rockfish and seared scallops offer still more ways to go. The broiled seafood platter is built for a bigger appetite, with salmon and sides such as coleslaw, mixed vegetables and mashed potatoes.

Then there is the fried lobster tail: large, juicy and coated lightly rather than buried under a heavy crust. It is a more celebratory order, and a reminder that the kitchen has room for a little indulgence.

Maryland crab soup and crab bisque give the opening course two distinct personalities. One is savory and familiar; the other heads in a creamier, richer direction.

For a table that wants to sample around, appetizers have included oysters Rockefeller, clam casinos, shrimp le jon and stuffed mushrooms. That gives a group several textures to pass around before the main plates arrive.

Warm bread is worth saving room for, especially if soup is on the table. A freshly baked loaf with a crisp exterior can be a modest beginning, but it sets a satisfying, unhurried tone.

Feby’s has indoor dining spread across two floors, and a bar area near the exit provides a separate place to stop for a drink. The dining room is welcoming and comfortable rather than formal, well suited to a long lunch or an easygoing evening meal.

Service has a friendly, conversational style, with staff ready to help first-time diners sort through a menu that can offer plenty of choices. That is particularly handy when a table is deciding between a special, an entrée and the all-you-can-eat crab option.

Cocktail choices have included a Poinsettia made with prosecco, cranberry and vodka, along with pomegranate martinis and other vodka-based drinks. A fudgy chocolate-raspberry layer cake is a fitting finish after a meal that has been generous from the start.

One of Feby’s most useful features is that dinner does not have to be the end of the seafood plans. Its on-site fish market sells fresh fish, shrimp and other seafood for cooking at home.

The cases also bring in more varied and unusual seafood alongside the expected standards. Selection can change, which is a sensible reason to browse rather than arrive with a fixed shopping list.

It is an appealing arrangement: enjoy crab, flounder or scallops at the table, then pick up something different for a home dinner later in the week. The restaurant and market make a natural two-stop visit without requiring a second drive.

A free parking lot has plenty of spaces, including ample handicap parking. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner, with no brunch service noted.

Reservations are not always necessary, though they can be useful for dinner and larger groups. Since individual dishes, lunch combinations and the all-you-can-eat crab offering can change, the current menu is the best guide before planning a meal around a particular order.