There are places to get steamed crabs in Washington DC.

Memorial Day is the first weekend of crab season in Maryland, and it is a good time to get a big crew together and spend some time picking crabs.Crabhouses known for their all-you-can- eat experiences are shifting gears, offering steamed crabs to eat at home and even bringing them to customers via food truck.

In the last week, we have seen a dozen large crabs ranging from $75 to $105 per bushel, so it can pay to shop around.

American Ice is known for its all-you-can- eat July 4 crab feasts, but this summer it is offering a to-go version every weekend.You can have a dozen crabs from Kent Island steamed and delivered to your door on Saturday or Sunday if you order by 5 p.m. on Thursday.Prices start at $80 for crabs and a quart of potato salad, and go to $116 for a package with sides, beer and pickleback shots.There is a building at 917 V St. NW.amicodc.com is a website.

The Fairfax staple is open for to-go orders but has also begun sending a food truck to Loudoun County on Sundays.The location is posted on the restaurant's Facebook page.The truck sells crab cakes, broiled scallops, hush puppies and fried pickles.The restaurant allows customers to reserve crabs, but the truck is first come, first serve.10195 Fairfax Blvd. is in Fairfax.captainpell.com is a website.

Crab Galley sells certified Maryland blue crabs by the dozen or bushel, as well as crab cakes, fried shrimp platter and homemade sides.There are 7410 and 1351 Odenton Rd.There is a website called crabgalley.com.

Customers used to wait for hours to eat crabs overlooking the water at Jimmy Cantler's, now the line of cars outside is for people to pick up live or steamed crabs, soft shell crab sandwiches, mussels or po' boys.Cantler's doesn't let customers reserve crabs, so the staff suggests calling and placing an order once you're on the way, especially if they need to be steamed.The address is 458 Forest Beach Rd.Cantlers.com is a website.

These restaurants have been in business for decades.They are adapting.

Crowds put the fish market in the headlines for the wrong reasons back in April.A new social distancing plan with limited capacity means a maze of metal barriers and long lines just to get in and shop, whether you are coming on a weekend afternoon or a weekday morning.Jesse Taylor Seafood and Captain White's are open for business, though they are no longer allowed to steam seafood on demand to prevent crowds from gathering.Captainwhitesseafood.com is located at 1100 Maine Ave. SW.

Most of the menu is available for takeout, including crab dip, crab cakes and hush puppies, but whole blue crabs are still the draw, and they are sold by the half-dozen for smaller parties.They can be steamed to order if they call 45 minutes ahead.1200 Fort Myer Dr. is in Arlington.There is a website called quarterdeckarlington.com.

Some people complain that picking crabs is a lot of work.Try shucking your own oysters.A new package from the Salt Line includes a dozen fresh oysters from Harris Creek Oyster Company and a link to an instructional video.It's easy to make jokes about slicing your fingers off, but shucking is a relatively easy skill to pick up, and while you probably won't feel like a pro after five or six, you'll at least have the hang of wiggling your knife into the shell.The address is 79 Potomac Ave.SE.Thesaltline.com is a website.