This was a very cool spot in Fells, right on the water, that I weirdly have never noticed before! I only came here for drinks so I can't speak for the food (yet!!) but the drinks were great! Really well made high quality cocktails, and definitely one of the best Lambrusco's I've ever had. I've heard that the wings here are good. This bar has a very New Orleans speakeasy vibe and is definitely a hidden treasure in Baltimore! Can't wait to go back! read more

We live in the neighborhood and have been here a few times. The service is always terrible but it's convenient so we didn't mind. However, today our server told us three times in public how my kid made a mess when we were there and how it inconvenienced him to clean up after him. When the bill came, we had been charged the wrong order and when I went to clarify, he said "I'm not the one who has been drinking." It was mortifying. Do not go here if you have kids or if you don't enjoy being insulted by the server. read more

We came into Penny Black after walking out on another well known mussles restaurant in search of great seafood. We found it! Evin is so sweet and friendly bartender. This is a new must visit place on our Fells Point visits! Check it out! read more

Penny Black - Steamed jumbo shrimp - Bars Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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This is a great spot in Fells Point with delicious food and great drinks. It's a lot easier to grab a drink or a quick bite here than the other crowded restaurants in the area. The service was quick, friendly and provided great suggestions. The crab cakes here are excellent! Ton of meat, seasoned perfectly and cooked just right. You can also get the crab cakes in sandwich form and top it off with a fried egg if you're in the mood. We also tried the soft shell crab sandwich and it was delicious. Fried nice and crisp with just the right amount of seasoning. They have a great selection of beers on tap and in bottles/cans. Overall a nice spot to grab some delicious crab cakes and great beers. read more

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Seriously looonnngggg wait for our food as we sit with empty water glasses in a room where we were seated with a private party. Private party seems well attended to, but we apparently don't exist. Waited 45 minutes for my fish and chips ($16) and my husband's BLT ($12) my fries were ice cold and one of the two pieces of fish was almost ripped apart and the battered looked like it was removed. My husband's BLT had 2 pieces of bacon and virtually no mayo with burnt toast. Don't normally say anything but told myself I would if someone asked, which no one did and we didn't speak to our waitress again until we signaled for signed check from across the room. Honestly bummed that I spent any money here. Yikes. I've never seen a place mess up a BLT so bad! read more

A nice spot by the water in Fell's point. Since it's at the end of the Fell's point row of bars and restaurants, it is rather empty compared to others, but it's a great spot to sit with a group of friends at the terrace in the evening. They have a decent choice of beers (including some quite rare local ones on the tap) and an amazing BBQ quality smoker on the back. Overall, we all enjoyed the spot; I would absolutely recommend it, especially for the BBQ and if you are with friends who you'd rather hear talking. read more

I just got into Baltimore and it was late. Plus I was hungry lol. The bartender was super sweet and right there to great me as soon as sat down. It has a really laid back vibe. Super important when your traveling for work. A must if your visiting. read more

Penny Black - Old fashioned - Bars Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Fantastic! We weren't searching for this place - stumbled upon it... a diamond in the rough. Another more popular place we tried was an hour and a half wait- walked right in and we were seated right away. Food was delicious! Service was great! Loved it! My only suggestion is they need better signage lol. This place is a hidden gem for sure! Their crab cakes are amazing! read more

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This establishment is what a Bar/ Restaurant experience should be. The food is very tasty. You can't go wrong with any selections. The Bar is a fantastic throwback to another time. Excellent service and fun gathering of true locals. Worth the visit. read more

Since I moved down to Fells point this restaurant has been one of my favorites for food. They have a good variety from smoked bbq items to a baked Brie. They have happy hour specials as well and one thing I enjoy about this place is that you can get a decent priced bottle of wine if you're looking to share a bottle. One of my favorite foods i had tried recently was the French onion soup which came out extra hot and cheesy. When the weather is nice out this place has a side patio and a few tables and chairs out front so that you can enjoy some food while you enjoy the weather. read more

Had lunch outside at Penny Black yesterday. Food was delicious and the service was great. Will be back soon.

Please do not order their poboy sandwich!! We ordered fish and chips and a poboy sandwich to go, it took almost half an hour for the food to be ready though there were only a few customers. We thought it was ok to wait since we like po boy sandwich but after two hours of eating that (we were hungry so though we noticed the fried oysters in the po boy didn't taste as fresh as we would like to we ate the whole thing) we got so sick threw up multiple times. We knew it was the poboy since that was the only thing my son and I shared the whole entire day. My daughter who ate the fish and chip was ok thankfully. Please do yourself a favor and not eat here. Or at least avoid the po boy sandwich And to the restaurant, you made us really sick! Please do not share spoiled seafood it can really ruin someone's day! We had to leave Baltimore early and had to keep finding bathrooms on the way back all because of food poisoning from your restaurant read more

We loved it back then.."in the day", and find a bit of our history in the charm and welcoming spirit of all Penny Black has to offer ...the fish and chips and chicken pot pie were equally a delicious choice! We will be back..it's been far too long. read more

Reliably good food, reliably available. This is my go-to, especially when there's no chance of a table at Thames Street. Cocktails are great. Steamed shrimp are as good as anywhere. The cream of crab soup is one of my favorites in Baltimore. And oh, the crawfish pie. It's huge. It's full of chunks of crawfish. It's wrapped up in full and sat on some sort of deliciously tasty sauce. Do it. read more

The definition of mom and pop, the family run restaurant/bar is one of the BEST places I had the pleasure of trying in Baltimore. The service leaves a lot to be desired. It's so slow. But the wait is well worth it. The baked Brie appetizer was incredible and so was my burger. Simple food executed to perfection! Go here!! Put up with the long wait, you will not be disappointed! The food really speaks for itself. read more

Penny Black - View of the cobble stone streets of fells point from the window by our table :) - Bars Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

We've been to this place three times now and it's been good every time. They do their own meat smoking and people say it's amazing. I usually order mussels. Their sauce is a butter garlic and tomatoes that's very light. We also had Creer brûlée which was average. The hummus plate was very good. 52.00 for two light fare items, three glasses of wine coffee and crepe brûlée. read more

We stopped by after an Orioles game starving and the crew at Penny Black fixed us right up! Our waiter Harold was awesome!! Very attentive and gave us so many great tips about the menu and Fells Point! We loved the brisket and the drink menu! Plus it was a calmer scene before the wild crush of the rest of Thames Street. read more

Penny Black is a real oasis on Thames Street. Separated by Ann Street from all of the hectic and saturated bars lining the face of Fell's Point, this place is just out of the way enough to maintain a quiet and mellow vibe without going too far. Pretty much everything on the menu is great, from the aperitifs to the digestifs, from the steamers to the creme brulee. This is my personal favorite place to get steamed shrimp, and the crawfish pie they're known for is incredible! Now they don't have a huge staff, so this isn't exactly a quick bite kind of joint, but the service is great just the same, and they serve lunch every day. I strongly recommend Penny Black to anyone in the area, especially if you're looking for a more laid back Fell's Point experience. Don't forget to get the Last Word (that's a drink) before you leave, either! read more

Nice local hangout. Not touristy. Great Drinks! Our group of four went there both nights we were in Fells Point. We enjoyed the low key atmosphere. I will go again if I'm ever back in the area. read more

Great place! Great food. Even better service. Highly recommended. Jumbo shrimp, and the mussels are incredibly delicious. Perfect for a date night, or a night out with friends. Awesome outdoor patio area out back, and also seating in the front of the building- perfect for people watching! We went there last night, and I look forward to returning soon. read more

I was really looking forward to trying this restaurant because my husband and brother-in-law had been here and really liked it. We were seated in the back dining room which was very quiet and peaceful - not very crowded with guests. Tabby, our server, was very pleasant, but was not very well trained as a server. She did bring water right away. We asked to taste two different white wines to see which one we would like to order by the bottle. Tabby quickly brought us the samples. Our friend arrived and we ordered dinner. This is where things started to fall apart. Tabby brought our meals. We did not have any silverware or napkins; we had to wait while she went to get them. That should be the first thing that is placed on the table even before someone sits down. We ordered two Chicken Pot Pies on her recommendation. They were tasty, but small for the price that we paid ($9.95). My husband had the Scallops with house bacon, ratatouille, toasted fennel and mustard seed in a tomato broth. We felt that this dish was way overpriced at $20.00+. It looked more like a soup. We all needed spoons, which we had to ask for. We requested bread and Tabby brought 3 small pieces - no butter.....This meal was not very satisfying. read more

Penny Black - Delicious Pinot Grigio! - Bars Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

I ordered the BLT here with house-cured bacon and French fries. It was delicious! The bacon was flavorful and not too fatty with large chunks of flavorful tomato and crispy lettuce with mayo. The sandwich was buttery and crunchy. Absolutely wonderful! The fries were also good. As a side note, I thought this restaurant would have crab artichoke dip since it seems to be so popular, but they don't serve it so be aware if you have a craving for that. read more

This was my former manager's hangout and I can see why. While waiting for my shift to begin I grabbed some much needed food and a Natty Boh. I got the BLT with fries and I know you're thinking it's a BLT. But is pretty tasty plus the fries are actual fried fingerling potatoes which was a pleasant surprise. read more

Great service. Food is good. Drinks are amazing. Cool atmosphere. What else can you ask for!

I love Fells Point, its by far my favorite area in Baltimore. My friend, who is a Baltimore Firefighter recently relocated with his cohorts from another Fells spot to the Penny Black and we went out there the other week for a few drinks. Well, quite a food drinks. And some food. So as for the atmosphere, this place is small and memorable. The staff is friendly and fun, and the beer selection would be described as middle of the road. Its a good tap selection but not an overwhelming one. I'll just cut to the chase: Go there. Eat there. Drink there. Socialize there. You won't be disappointed. read more

A throwback .... Classic corner bar and restaurant. Outstanding service. Highly recommended. read more

Penny Black - Bars Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Penny Black on afternoon. The paper menu is jacked up and half folded in the closed case from the street view so we can't read it. The Bar is empty (its Tuesday at noon) The entire place is empty at lunch. We order lunch. Fish and chips end up all bread with a little bit of fish. Salad comes so drenched in vinaigrette nobody can finish, it's so sour We are eating outside and our table is wobbly, but our umbrella opens outside. Others' umbrellas won't work and nobody helps to make that right. People next to us sit in sun without working umbrella. Penny Black is a mediocre experience in place of John Stevens. Something more interesting needs to happen to Pay this rent, Yo! read more

We stopped by Penny Black while on a weekend trip to Baltimore. We loved the dark, antique atmosphere and the waitress was great. They accommodated our large party of seven with ease and served delicious cocktails. I would say don't grab dinner if you're in a hurry, but if you have the time to wait (we waited an hour), the food is worth it! read more

Oh Penny. I wish you were better than what you are. I wasn't a regular at John Steven's, but I did miss this place and was always hoping it'd open again. I finally went with friends last night, and it was okay. As in just oookay. We got mussels and escargot which were flavorful but no bread (just one piece each?!), so my friend actually ran to Pitango and bought a loaf of bread so we could sop up the juices and eat the rest of our food. Yeah. We're piggies, or they just really didn't provide us bread. Drinks were fine, but the service was so slow. I know they just opened, and maybe they're figuring out their kinks. Please do. Because this is such a tourist spot in Baltimore, and I want Bmore to be well represented! read more

Awesome spot for an authentic Baltimore (and Fells Point) experience. It's been a few years since the owners of Penny Black took over the now defunct John Stevens, but I still thank my lucky stars every time I drive or walk by. I've been told that the proprietors are the children of the property owner, and maybe it's because of that fact, but you can tell that they take pride in the restaurant and the quality of the food. I would argue that they have the best soft-shell crab sandwich in Baltimore. And they smoke their own brisket, which is legit. Late night when other restaurants are closing, local kitchen staff often come here to eat. That tells you something. read more

The former John Stevens Ltd lives on!!! Best hangout and restaurant, EVER! RIP Chuck. read more

Super nice bartender and food prices for food and drinks. Friend got the mussels and loved them and I got the chicken pot pie and it was delicious! Really cute atmosphere and vibe in the place. read more

They're still finding their groove. I went for the first time a few days after they opened. They have great drinks and AMAZING food. It sounds like they're planning to expand their menu so I'm excited to see how it turns out! I love the kalettes, and the wings are phenomenal - they're seared before their fried. The burger is a pretty safe bet always too. Great food, excellent service. I go there really often.... read more

Good food, good drinks, and amazing customer service. The owner and his wife are committed to excellence and it shows. Also, the Bloody Mary doesn't disappoint. read more

Just doing the usual Fells thing, meeting friends and drinking after the O's game. My friends decided on Penny Black and I wanted to get something to eat. Unfortunately for me, I didn't see anything I liked. I figured there wasn't any harm in a PB&J sandwich. Boy was I wrong! The bread was toasted :-s (this isnt a school lunch); they couldn't even spread the jelly to the edge of the sandwich. Although this was a kids meal option, I would assume for $4 the sandwich would be better. Pro: mixed drinks I came to Penny Black following an O's game to meet some friends. I was planning on just drinks, but hunger took over. I read through the menu, not seeing anything I was in the mood for aside from the PB&J sandwich on the kid's menu. Say what you will. It felt right for the time. What came out of the kitchen was a sub-par toasted white piece of bread with an uneven spread of filling. The ratio of peanut butter to jelly was just wrong. This is a childhood classic that any adult should learn how to master. The For $4 a sandwich at a place like this I expected at least better than what I make myself at home. The orange slices were good, though. read more

Penny Black - Bars Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Great spot in Fells Point-enough off the main square but feels very old and authentic in a good way. Great drinks-and drink selection (deep Eddy's Vodka-yay),and great beer and wine selection. I had Clams to start which were excellent and fresh, and then on another guests recommendation the crawfish pie, which was different in a great way. Service was excellent and crowd was having fun-miss having my favorite game on TV, but will gladly live without to go back. read more

Penny Black - Bars Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Analog in a digital world. Whatever you need it to be. Food, drinks, staff, all epic.

Family owned and run, the ORIGINAL John Stevens owners have reclaimed this spot and have brought back the beauty and class of this truly beautiful Baltimore local. Try the silver fizz cocktail; it is ah-mazing. Aliza (sp?), part owner, is often behind the bar and is really quite interesting; jazz music background. Great food and good service. read more

Great spot recommended by a friend. We had a delicious pound of very large steamed peel and eat shrimp with generous Old Bay seasoning. It was perfect with a Hibiscus Gose draft from Boulevard. Crab cake sandwich was also delicious, almost all crab with a pronounced mustardy flavor. I only wish it had been deep fried longer as it had no discernable crispness to it and fell apart a bit too easy, which made for messy, but tasty eating. Great view of the Fell's Point pier and Baltimore Harbor from the tables outside. Owner popped out onto the patio to say hello and ask about the food. Good service as well. read more

Penny Black - Drinks out front - Bars Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

When we can't get seat in the other restaurant, we come here and find some nice seating and the waitress service is very good. When she knows that we need hurry to send our nephew to bus station, she send us take out boxes and bills early enough. I ordered crab cake platter, it comes with two crab cakes, cole slaw, and fingerling potatoes. The crab cake has huge lumps of crab meat and of course, old bay seasoning, the fingerling potatoes also taste delicious. I'll recommend this place if you don't mind find parking in Fells Point. read more

Penny Black - Bars Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland