We stopped here for Sunday brunch and the food was amazing and fast! We had excellent service and everyone was super friendly. We ended up with a nice table outside and got to watch all the people passing by. I definitely recommend this place if your in the area. Excellent food and service! read more

See all

How about restaraunt with guests wifi that employees and mgt tell guests "they are not allowed to give guests the password. Wow...bad start...oysters were virtualy tasteless even when garnished...gritty..and so small....there beer selection was not available by 2/3rds.....entree was crabcakes, which if stand alone were a 4.5...veggies...almost raw....the rice...4.0...overall very bad experience for first visit to Annapolis....NOT RECOMMENDED! read more

I went to this place, I'm 22 from out of state, and have a vertical ID. They denied to serve me because of having a vertical ID. They said I could bring in a birth certificate or a passport but who brings either of those to a damn bar? I'm so irritated. Completely ruined my group's party. read more

Food was very subpar. Slow service. Would not serve me alcohol and got the manager, despite me being VERY of age!

Yesterday was my first time in Annapolis, and chose to try Federal House after seeing the words "Crabby Patty" on the menu. As a huge spongebob fan, I had to go!! We ended up ordering the crab cake sandwich and the crabby patty sandwich (crab dip and a huge onion ring on top of either beef or chicken- we got chicken). Everything was so good!! The crab cake sandwich was delicious-- the only complaint I had was that for $20, I thought the size of the sandwich was a little small and they charged a dollar extra for me to get tomato and lettuce added. The star of the show was the Crabby Patty for sure! The sandwich was truly unlike anything I've had before, and the crab dip was smoky and warm and just so so delicious. Will definitely return for that sandwich! read more

Federal House - Top-- crabby patty, bottom-- crab cake sandwich - American Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

This place is extremely unprofessional. I went in for a job and got hired on the spot and gave them all of my personal information and never heard from anyone again. I tried for several weeks to contact via email and phone to never get a response back until recently and was told the manager never hired me in the first place which was an absurd lie. This place is not a place you want to work for or eat at if they can't even value their employees. It's pathetic. There are plenty of better places to spend your time and money at. read more

Very disappointed. Can't comment on the food just lousy service. Four of us stopped by on Sunday Labor Day weekend for a beer. It wasn't very busy at the bar. We waited about 5 minutes before a bartender came by. I asked for a sample of the blood orange firkin cask and waited another 5 minutes. The bartender was more focused on filling the bins with ice than paying attention to customers. I made eye contact with him and he realized he forgot about the sample then brought it out. Another 5 minutes and no bartender to place an order. Ice was more important. So after 15 minutes and no opportunity to order a drink we left. Two stars because they had a good selection of beer...too bad we couldn't order any. read more

I am making this post solely based on one dish and the outside seating area. The chicken diablo is one of my favorite dishes I have ever had. The sauce on it is so delicious and has a nice spicy kick to it. The outside seating is perfect for relaxing and being by the water, and it has individual fire places in each table so if it is cold then you can stay warm while sitting outside. The service was also terrific read more

We stopped here for lunch while walking around downtown Annapolis. It is very close to the harbor. The inside resembles a pub having high top seating and a full bar. We ordered a couple cups of soup (cream of crab and a shrimp chowder) to start. Both were very delicious and we were extremely pleased that we ordered them. For our meals we ordered a salmon BLT and a margarita flatbread and added shrimp on top of it. The flatbread was a cauliflower crust that was extremely good and crisp. Both meals were overall very delicious. We will definitely go back here if in town again. read more

Just not okay. We were back with friends, drawn in by the good happy hour deal. The food was good. The crab dip disappeared as if we had used vacuum cleaners. I'm not a personal fan of chicken wings but they disappeared rather quickly also. The problem is the lack of service. Every single time we needed drinks or more appetizers we had to go hunt someone down. We ended up sending out search parties. Six times. Completely inexcusable performance by staff. So horrid that we discussed how to have the server tip US. Back of house - 3 stars. Front of house - 0 stars. Such a downer the total review is down to 1 star. Pass. There are lots of better choices in Annapolis. read more

The food is not that great and is over priced the only thing that is decent is the service

I'm an annapolis native and have been here many times, but for us, this time was lacking. The crap dip was awesome, 10/10, the best in annapolis IMO. Everything else was very meh. We were being bombarded by flies the entire time we ate (inside). My dad and i got the siracha honey chicken sandwich, and the chicken was good, but something about the bun or the coleslaw was really really bad. We both just ate the chicken with a fork and knife and left the rest of the sandwich. My sister got the fish and chips which she said was "very soggy". My mom got the crab cake sandwich, which she said was descent. I think they do have good food options here, we just got unlucky with we ordered. Stick to the crab dip! read more

Arrived at 9:35 knowing the kitchen closed at 10pm and was blatantly ignored by any and every server until 10:01 on the dot despite asking for one well before then. Was then told by the waiter he'd get a manager to come and see us. Finally left after 5-10 minutes with no manager in sight. read more

Service was fine, but the food wasn't good and incredibly overpriced for the quality.

Went there with some friends to watch the Army-Navy game....keep in mind this restaurant is In Annapolis... We went early to make sure we got a table. As game time approached we asked the waiter if the game sound would be turned on. He went to ask the manager... came back to say no it wouldn't... we asked to talked to the manager. She came over to our table and I pointed out to her that everyone in the bar was there to watch the game... apparently that didn't matter to her.. her response was It is policy to have sound on for only the Monday and Thursday night games... keep in mind this is a bar in Annapolis and the Army- Navy game is the most significant game of the year. If I could give less than 1 star I would... I will never set foot in this restaurant again. read more

My new favorite Annapolis stop. 1. Dog friendly 2. Awesome dog menu. 3. People menu was awesome as well Raven and Dylan give the place two paws up! They got the dog burger. It came in special dog bowls. The waitress came by three times to fill the dog's water which I thought was way beyond the call of duty! Overall menu is excellent. The crab dip is out of this world. The rest of the party (I am trying to be careful in what I eat) had great meals. There were a couple of burgers. One regular one Bison both pronounced excellent. French dip - no pronouncement other than I'm done. THere wasn't anything left. Food was good, outside seating is really a great place to sit and watch Annapolis walk by! read more

Great food in a beautiful, friendly and historic environment that honors your four-legged family members w/ a "Doogie Menu" all their own... We enjoyed people watching from the sidewalk patio on a beautiful sunny afternoon. But the real draw was the service and food. I got the Crab Cake Sandwich which was just fantastic! Tender, steamed crab served on a brioche bun that did not disappoint. I ordered the creamy coleslaw side that was a perfect compliment. But after tasting my wife's french fries, I ordered a side of those as well... they're close to french fry perfection; golden brown and tasty! My wife ordered the Hogan's Hero, pulled siracha bbq chicken and chorizo sausage with cole slaw, peppers and aioli on a ciabatta bun. Mouth watering... Our pup got the ground burger and a fresh water bowl. Just a wonderful afternoon lunch event. Next time I'm trying the soft shell crab! read more

See all

We sat outside with fire at the table. It was nice. Food is salty and oily for us. Service was very good though.

Wonderful little place in the heart of Annapolis. I went for lunch with Neil one day as I was taking a class down at the USNA. Well this was the only place that had something we both really would enjoy. The host graciously sat us in the window just around noon on a Friday, and the joint was not too busy. There were mostly tourists, but I saw plenty of folks at the bar area who were onsey/twosies... probably locals of the base. I ordered a water and a waldorf Salad, Neil ordered an "Almost Cuban" Sandwich. Both meals were wonderful, service was quick and not over bearing. The salad had plenty of walnuts, grapes, apple, and Gorgonzola on top... it was loaded, soooo yum. They gave me a balsamic upon request on the side. It was YUMMY.... very fulfilling for 10.50! Neil's Cuban sandwich was just as yum looking. It was on a pretzel roll(yes I said pretzel... very yum), pork, and ham and cheese and mustard. He utterly enjoyed it. The fries that came with his sandwich must have had a special seasoning.. probably garlic but it was subtle and made their crispiness so delish. Ok so about the place, very old brick building next to City Dock Coffee. You can sit inside, outside, or at the bar, and I even think there is an upstairs. It's a lot of wood everywhere, got very old fashion appeal with a modern swing of the smiling employees. I recommend this place and I am looking back to going for dinner one night. The prices were a little touristy but reasonable. read more

Best Panini I've Ever Had *************************** Until yesterday, patty melts were my favorite sandwich. It wouldn't matter if I were in Lewnes or Ruth's Chris and you were buying my lunch. Once I see Patty on the menu, forget Mr. New York Strip or Mr. Ribeye Esq., I look no farther. Sorry Patty, I still really, really like you, but we can only be friends now. The Federal Club Panini is my new squeeze. The menu description of "Ham,turkey,bacon, Swiss and Boursin cheeses, tomato and our honey mustard on marble rye bread" doesn't do it justice. It's huge! I could only eat half so took the other half home and plopped it on the scale. It weighed in just at under 8 oz. Darling wife, a Maryland girl, and an afficionada of all things blue crab , was all smiles with the soft shell crab sandwich. She was talked out of substituting her fries by the server, and I'm glad she did. You know that crusty glaze on cococut shrimp. That's what the outside of the surprisingly light fries are like. There was a festival going on at the City Dock and the place was packed. You'd expect the service to be at least a tad overwhelmed. But the restaurant was well-staffed and managed. Our service, and that of the tables around us, was competent and well-paced. A final kudo on the mojitos. The Federal House has its own mint garden just for mulling fresh little greeen leaves in your glass. How cool is that? read more

I wish I discovered this gem sooner! Firstly the service was great, especially considering our server was serving all the tables at the time we were there (early lunch time)! I ordered the crab dip, 10/10! Best crab dip i've had in the area. I had the chicken salad sandwich, which i wasn't super crazy about, BUT the veggie soup with crab meat DEFINITELY made up for it. I'm definitely going back before leaving! read more

Our server was a sweetheart. He was attentive to us even with a full house. It's a dog friendly place and this restaurant even has a doggie menu and several treats! My dog was a happy camper :) we got crab dip for appetizer (absolute heaven), the crab cake and the halibut with a round of mimosas. There isn't anything that wasn't absolutely delicious! Annapolis was a bit of a hike for us but definitely worth the drive. Will definitely have to make my way back again for the delicious nomz!! read more

The security staff was horrible, the roided up cue ball of a bouncer, TJ was more concerned with drinking and harassing the customers than actually doing his job. The bartender was slow despite the fact that it was rather empty early in the night. read more

I highly recommend Federal House in Annapolis for a private event! I threw my daughter a surprise birthday party there yesterday and it was great! The food was so delicious. The two appetizers ordered for the party were Guacamole- super yummy and fresh and the Signature Maryland Crab Dip is truly amazing!! Everyone couldn't stop raving about it! Luckily we had enough left for several people to take some home. Dinner entrees were big and tasty! I had the Rockfish Annapolitan, which was stuffed with lump crab... oh mmmmgeee so good!! A few family members ordered Champagne Chicken, pic attached, it looked really good... huge portions! My boyfriend and several others ordered the Crabcakes and after trying a couple bites can attest to them being delicious too! Another family member got the filet mignon, looked so good and another friend had the bourbon salmon, that she loved. Everything was superb and the service was STELLAR!!! Plus it's located right in the heart of historic Annapolis and it's a beautiful place to celebrate! read more

Federal House - Champagne Chicken - American Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

On the menu, Federal House claims that their crab soup was rated the best in Maryland. One bite, and we were convinced. The super-creamy soup has a sweet, cheesy nuanced flavor, highlighted by the generous chunks of succulent crab. Oh, heavenly. The food is not only well-priced, but delicious. The fish tacos (with mahi-mahi) were exactly what fish tacos out to be. Warm tortilla, huge and deliciously seasoned fish fillet, fresh garnishes with a bit of spice. The mussels are another favorite -- the white wine sauce is just rich enough without being overpowering. $10 for 1 lb of these freshly steamed goodies = such a bargain. Service was also impressive. The attentive waiter even came by to fix our wobbly table and made sure to ask us the order in which we wanted our several dishes served, knowing we were splitting everything. Excellent. We'll definitely be here again next time we come to Annapolis! read more

See all

Bottom Line: Good for dog owners with pooch in tow, cream of crab soup, drinking and admiring M.E. Warren photography. Federal House is a casual bar and grill with a prime location in downtown Annapolis. Overall, the experience here is average at best but there are some nice features of Federal House that should be promoted. Aside from location, one of the really nice things about Federal House is that they are dog friendly. Not only can you sit outside with Fido, but they will even bring your pooch water. If your dog needs a snack, they even have a dog menu. I'm not a dog owner but I definitely give Federal House credit for rolling out the red carpet for canines and I know other touring Annapolis with their four legged friends will appreciate this. Another really good things about Federal House is their award winning Cream of Crab soup. There are some things that a visitor to Annapolis must try and I think those include steamed crabs, crab cakes, crab dip, vegetable crab soup and cream of crab soup. Federal House promotes their delicious, rich and creamy crustacean soup and I applaud them for doing the soup justice. There is nothing more sad then someone serving mediocre crab dishes and insulting the Chesapeake Bay. I think one of the bigger draws for this place is the well stocked bar. In fact, I think if you just come here to drink rather than eat, you'll have a better experience because the food is generally just ok. Aside from cocktails and wine, the bar has a good number of taps pouring craft beer. You can even get a beer sampler/flight if you are undecided. I think the Federal House Golden Ale, brewed by Heavy Seas, would go well with the Cream of Crab soup. One more thing I like about Federal House is the M.E. Warren photography throughout which features life in Annapolis and around the Chesapeake Bay. Rest of the decor here is very tired. I remember when this used to be Griffin's and much of the décor seems the same to me. For example, there are still griffin statues on the wall and griffins etched into the glass dividers. Something that really makes a dining experience great for me is when the décor is cohesive and appropriate for the restaurant. A remodel shows commitment to the business. Here the décor is "leftover griffins." After being curious about Federal House for so long I am glad I finally tried it. It's probably more like a 2.5 stars kinda place but I'm rounding up in favor of a local businesses. I'll leave this one for the tourists. read more

What a cool spot downtown! The orange berry crush was delicious. Great local beer selection. We just had some appetizers, the crab dip was awesome and I am an eastern shore girl so I know my crab dip. The wings were also very good. Service was great, the bartenders made good suggestions. read more

I have to admit up front this review doesn't involve food. Just drinks and atmosphere. I have visited Federal House three times over the past few years. The drinks are a little weak but the bartenders are very friendly. Yea, I know. The interior is terrific. It may have the longest bar I've ever seen. Music isn't loud. Customers are cool. Just a great place to go for a couple of beers and conversation with someone. read more

Just finished our lunch! It was awesome. The service was great, loved the food! Try the vegetable crab soup! Fish and chips were wonderful, large portions. We will be back for sure. read more

I visited Annapolis with my friend who goes to the Naval Academy. He showed me around and insisted to have lunch at the Federal House. I'm glad we went there. The waitress was incredibly nice and made us feel homey immediately. She fulfilled all our extra wishes and even chatted with us for a while. The food was great. Amazing burgers and huge burgers. I loved it. The prices were average. Not too expensive, but also not super cheap. The location was very cute. The exterior reminded me of a Scottish town by a loch which was beautiful. The interior was nothing special. A couple of TVs with sports on. It was clean and inviting though. So if you happen to be in Annapolis and look for a great place to have lunch I would recommend the Federal House, but it's not worth a trip to Annapolis just to eat there. read more

Federal House - American Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

We checked this place for launch. Stuff was nice. Food was great too. We got tortilla chips, bacon burger, fries and chicken wings. Everything was crispy, hot and seasoned good. Prices are fair. Portion size was good. Definitely will visit again. read more

Everytime me and my girlfriends make a trip to Annapolis--we always end up at Federal House. The food selection is just amazing--when it comes to the quality and the taste. I haven't come across anything on the menu I wouldn't get. The fries has a crunchy texture to it. All the appetizers are good. I enjoy the crab dip thats served with nacho chips. I honestly have no idea about their dessert. I've always went down the street to get ice cream. read more

See all

Seated and then ignored for 20 minutes. I'd say terrible service but never received any. Seven servers stood around at the host desk but not a soul came over to us. read more

We came in for the annual chocolate festival in Annapolis and decided to grab lunch really quick. We've never been here before and wanted to try something new. Everyone ordered their food but something was off. I ordered the Academy Grilled Cheese, my fiance ordered a dozen oysters and also the grilled cheese. Everything was delicious but we just could not get over how sloppy and poorly the grilled cheese sandwiches were. They were soggy underneath and were very challenging to pick up. All of the flavors were outstanding but we just couldn't get past how soggy everything was. The atmosphere was great. The wait staff was phenomenal. We give three stars for the quality of food. Thank you for a great experience. Hopefully our next visit will not be as soggy. read more

All right here's the thing. I'm sitting here, biding my time, stuck in this place, trying to wait out this torrential downpour. Windows are literally leaking, thunder is booming, and honestly, it's not too bad to be here. Our waiter has been super accomodating, even splitting our salad on 2 different plates. Right now he's moving his car, since the area where he parked is flooded up to the cardoor. UPDATE. He just got back, totally soaked, and said "Are you doing all right?" What a sweetie. However, despite the atmosphere romanticized by the Noah-level flood outside, the food was hit or miss, which, unfortunately, is usually not what people are looking for when they go to a restaurant. When we came in (before God himself smited us with his power), we were disappointed with oily table and chairs. We started with the shrimp bruschetta salad, which was fine. It was tasty but overdressed and way too many tomatoes. Then we had the soft shell crab dinner. The rice and asparagus were boring, but the crab was not bad at all. We actually got the bill and paid, and right before we left, we were hit with this apocolyptic storm. And then we were informed by our AirBnB host that the power went out, so, we threw caution to the ever-increasing wind, and ordered dessert. We got the skillet brownie, which was, unfortunately, terrible. The brownie was scorched, burnt to oblivion, probably because the cook was staring with wonder and disbelief at the end of times occurring outside. If it were bright and sunny out, I wouldn't give them the pass I'm giving them now. But, Federal House, I salute you. (See what I did there? We're in Annapolis.) read more

Went New Year's Day around 9pm. Everything was perfect. The crab soup had a little spice to it, which was excellent. Also ordered the fish and chips / big portion, and tasty, meaty fish. Really good friendly vibes throughout, and great pub. We visited from out of town, and our server Robyn answered all of our questions. She was wonderful and friendly. There's a few statues of lions with healthy breasts in the side room, which was an added bonus. If you're visiting, you can't go wrong with this. read more

Federal House - American Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

So I am from MD and eat in Annapolis a lot, but jus had not made it to the Federal House yet. Today was the day. I ordered the pick two. Picked soup and a salad because I am on a diet. It came with French fries! Have you ever heard of that? I got the MD crab soup. Once I put a ton of black pepper in it, it was pretty good. Lots of crab meat. The Caprese salad was weird. Instead of nice ripe tomatoes, they grilled them and took out all of the flavor. What's the point? I took one bite and pushed it aside. My husband got the "best in MD" cream of crab soup. Not bad, but we've both tasted better. Then he had a shrimp and lobster roll. It was completely dry. Not a stitch of mayo or dressing on it. We have never seen any form of a lobster roll like that. Lots of meat, but he was literally choking on it because it was so dry. Will not go back. I will say that the host and the server were great! read more

Federal House - Outside table at lunch. Not much of a view - American Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

Had a quick bite here after the navy academy tour. Very spacious and well-decorated interior and antique feeling. Friendly and quick service from waitress. Drought beers from Union tavern brewer is a surprise, much better than their can or bottle beer in the original market. We had the pilsner version and it is crispy and filled with rich flavor. Oysters are HUGE! Much larger than anything I've seen. And as fresh and juicy as you could imagine. Summer salad with a lot of strawberries, blue berries and nuts is also excellent with the house vinaigrette: sweet, sour and chilly, perfect for summer time. Fish and chip is just to fill our stomach, but chips are well fried. Located right at the main street and the yacht harbor, perfect place to have a meal and an after-meal sea side wander. read more

Federal House - Gigantic raw oysters. And delicious too. - American Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

See all

It was a beautiful, sunny and mild day and we were in Annapolis Maryland. Suddenly images of the colonial definitions of America come into mind. A stately red brick colonial inspired state house on the hill and an authentic trade seaport with memories of that peculiar institution and the arrival of Alex Haley and an epic tale of folklore. We were immediately aroused by the grumblings and rumblings of our stomachs and began the never ending quest for sustenance. Suddenly, a voice rang out, "The Federalist Papers?". "NO, NO, No, What? Oh wait, The Federal House!" Either that or something called Preservatives. Ummm Lets try the Federalist House and Preservatives next time. OK! Needless to say, It turned out very positive. A wonderful tasty cup of creamy goodness called crab soup. The Haddock delightful even though it was fried (prefer baked with seasoned bread crumbs but that's me). The French Dip was quintessential with real roast beef, crusty soft roll, and delicious Au Jus. Finally, my son's Bang Bang shrimp roll made him a happy camper. The service was fast and friendly with a side of attention to detail. A perfect afternoon outing. May your experience be as pleasant! read more

Food was fine, service was off. The waiter brought the mains while we were stilling eating our apps and brought the check while my wife was still eating her main and told us no rush...then came to pick it up while she was still eating. We had been thinking of getting dessert and coffee but apparently they wanted us out of there. read more