Ask people their favorite place to get a crab cake, and you’ll likely hear at least one of three names thrown in somewhere: G&M, Koco’s and Faidley’s. (Or maybe they’ll insist their mom makes the best crab cake around.)

We set out to try seven popular crab cakes in the Baltimore area to see which one was our favorite. A few themes emerged during our travels.

Freshness is key — and elusive: Only one of the seven we visited carries the state’s “True Blue” logo, meaning it’s reliably Maryland crab meat. (It may be surprising, given how emphatic Marylanders are about our crabs, but most area restaurants, including high-end spots, rely on out-of-state or even international crab meat.)

Texture is hard to get right: The cake should be moist on the inside but retain its shape; it shouldn’t fall apart when you stick a fork in it. It’s not the kind of dish with a lot of room for creativity, as the chef for Alexander Brown Restaurant told me when explaining why he refused to put a crab cake on the menu.

Here’s what we thought of each crab cake.

The Prime Rib

After decades in business, the classic Baltimore steakhouse gets almost everything right, and their crab cake is a shining example. Delicately broiled and brown on the outside, it retained the perfect amount of inner moisture while still holding up beneath the fork. It tasted great, too. One caveat? The crab is from Florida, not Maryland. “If that were made with Maryland crab it would have cost $60,” our server informed us. Instead, it’s $18 as an appetizer. Well, you can’t have everything, can you? 1101 N. Calvert St., Midtown-Belvedere. 410-539-1804. theprimerib.com/baltimore-md

Duda’s Tavern

Crab cake texture is spot-on at this family-owned Fells Point tavern: Huge hunks of crab meat stick together with just the right amount of filling. But Maryland crab lovers may have their claws out: General manager Scott Curlee says the restaurant sources the meat for their $21.99 crab cake from Indonesia. 1600 Thames St., Fells Point. 410-276-9719. facebook.com/DudasTavern/

Pappas Restaurant and Sports Bar

This 8 oz. bad boy from Pappas Restaurant and Sports Bar in Parkville is a favorite of Oprah Winfrey’s, a fact that you’ll no doubt be reminded of anytime Pappas comes up in conversation. The crab is sourced from around the world, according to a manager. During a recent visit, our $20.99 crab cake tasted wonderfully fresh, though the subtle meat flavor was nearly overwhelmed by an eggy filler. 1725 Taylor Ave., Parkville. 410-661-4357. pappasparkville.com

Koco’s Pub

“Goliath” is the first word that comes to mind when facing the 11 oz. crab cake at Koco’s Pub, a pleasant corner pub on Harford Road. A hunk of crustacean the size of a baseball is gorgeously broiled and held together with only the slightest hint of filler. It’s $23.99 for a crab cake and crackers. While tasty, the crab meat had just a hint of fishiness during a recent visit. An employee says the restaurant uses local crab when they can, but the meat can come from many different places. 4301 Harford Road, Lauraville. 410-426-3519. kocospub.com

G&M Restaurant

and Lounge

The cakes at this perennial favorite are so popular that folks have been known to pick them up on their way to nearby BWI Marshall Airport. We loved the texture of this crab cake ($24 for an 8 oz. crab cake with two sides), which boasted a gorgeously crispy exterior and perfectly moist interior with huge chunks of jumbo lump crab. As is the case at most Baltimore-area restaurants, the crab meat comes from “all over”; an employee declined to get specific about origins. 804 N. Hammonds Ferry Road, Linthicum Heights. 410-636-1777. gandmcrabcakes.com

Gertrude’s

Gertrude’s is one of very few Baltimore restaurants that carries the “True Blue” logo, which means that customers can safely assume that the crab they’re eating is actually local. Unfortunately, while some crab cakes are too dry, the $26 Gertie’s cake goes the other direction and is overly mushy in the middle, tasting a bit like a crab salad rolled into a ball. Maryland crab purists may be willing to overlook the wet texture for the sake of local meat. 10 Art Museum Drive, Baltimore. 410-889-3399. gertrudesbaltimore.com

Faidley’s Seafood

In many people’s eyes, there’s Faidley’s, and then there’s everyone else. It’s not the biggest, it’s not the cheapest ($22.95 for a crab cake with two sides), but the Lexington Market stalwart still manages to stand a notch above the rest; made with fresher-than-the-rest lump crab meat, perfectly rounded and evenly cooked according to Nancy Devine’s top secret recipe. Was there a shred of seaweed in my bite? I didn’t care. In season, the crab meat mostly comes from Hooper’s Island in Maryland, says owner Bill Devine. After crab season ends around Thanksgiving, they’ll use blue crabs from the Gulf Coast. 203 N. Paca St., Downtown. 410-727-4898. faidleyscrabcakes.com