From the moment we walked into Black Olive, we knew we were in for something special. The owner is one of the warmest, most welcoming people we've ever met. He greeted us like old friends and even surprised us with a complimentary plate of perfectly grilled Mediterranean sardines--a simple gesture that perfectly reflected the incredible hospitality. The Mediterranean sea bass was absolutely outstanding. It was cooked to perfection--fresh, delicate, flavorful, and expertly prepared. Every bite reminded us why authentic Greek cuisine is so beloved. The atmosphere is what truly sets Black Olive apart. It doesn't feel like you're eating at a restaurant; it feels like you've been invited into a small seaside village in Greece. The warmth, conversation, aromas, and genuine hospitality create an experience that makes you want to stay for hours. If you're looking for authentic Greek seafood, exceptional service, and an unforgettable dining experience, Black Olive is a true gem. We'll definitely be back. Highly recommended! read more

Food - we went for restaurant week and maybe our mistake. That said it was my bday and we remembered this place being good from our last visit. Gross. I couldn't get my original order of whole fish sea bass - reservation 8pm. I ordered something else and will post. Lobster pasta. Pasta looked like a child made it in their kitchen... broken and clumpy. Lobster looked like you got the end of the claw - no meat. Slimy and gross Paid an extra 10 for the octopus salad - that was good. We also got lamb chops for extra 10 not bad but nothing to write home about. We ordered a bottle of wine . They couldn't find it... brought two bottles out similar for us to pick from varying prices and the one we picked not the one that came out but they charged us for the more expensive. Words were had. Nothing adjusted on the bill. For a bday - a disappointment read more

The Black Olive - Lobster pasta. That's all the Lobster - Seafood Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

This restaurant was founded on the principle of serving the most nutritious and organic food. The number one priority is the diners. Actually it might be the food, but we had lots of love from Lisa. Lisa's service was very informative and interesting. She made us feel welcome. I love this Fells Point ambiance, local and devote. It reminds me of smaller great restaurants in Florence. We aren't in Baltimore but this is worth the flight read more

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Amazing time at The Black Olive! I had my birthday celebration here, and the experience was nothing short of amazing. Honorine was our server, and she was so kind and attentive. She really made my evening memorable with her hospitality and kindness.. For starters, complimentary bread and olive oil were brought to the table. Olives also accompanied the bread. We also tried the shrimp and chicken kabobs. Both were tasty; the shrimp were sizeable and cooked well! For my meal, I had the squid ink pasta with lobster. Listen! That squid ink pasta was some of the best squid ink pasta I have ever had! It was so good. The spice was great and the lobster was cooked well. I would definitely get that again. In terms of ambiance, inside is small, but cozy! It's dimly lit and perfect for date night. Cheers! read more

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Really enjoyed the squid ink pasta with tarragon lobster sauce. Rockfish was very good but the polenta below average and broccoli was good not great (a bit under roasted). Cannot say enough about the quality of service - our waitress was a true professional. Sadly they don't make fresh dessert each day so the menu is limited. We visited on Tuesday and they shared the desserts are made on Wednesdays, so most were not available. read more

I was so excited when I saw Mediterranean seafood on restaurant week 2025. I immediately made a reservation was so excited sharing the menu with my partner. We sat down and ordered cocktails, both of which we struggled to drink. He got the chocolate manhattan and I got the gimlet. We sampled each others drinks and both agreed they we not balanced and too strong. I poured water into my gimlet and it was still so strong it felt like a threat. The appetizers were.. fine. I got the lobster bisque and he got the sardines in grape leaves. We weren't thrilled but we weren't disappointed. The oysters were good! We each had three. Very clean and fresh. The entree was where I really felt the most let down. I ordered the squid ink lobster pasta.. no squid ink pasta came out. Just the regular. No biggie, it's slammed. But then when I tasted the pasta. Let down number two. The pasta was over cooked. There was no dente to be had. The lobster was good! No complaints on that portion. But the sauce and the pasta again. Just left me wanting more. My partner really really enjoyed his lamb. And I agreed. The lamb chops were stellar. 10/10 lamb. Perfectly cooked, a nice char, well seasoned. Really lovely. And the desserts were lack luster. I got the baklava and he got the cacao cake. The cake was incredibly dry and the baklava was pretty standard. The service was good. Very very attentive. I feel like this probably was just an off night. It just really stinks that I had set my hopes so high. read more

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The food was delicious and the service was great!! Ambiance was relaxing and made me feel right at home :) it's a wonderful spot for casual dining . The stuff was very attentive, the only issue was the parking situation can be a little hard to find !! But overall it's definitely worth checking out .Great place!! read more

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Beautiful experience; very rustic, very charming, very Balmore. Went for a birthday during restaurant week I believe it's like 2/3 rowhomes combined for a very immersive space. Octopus salad was delicious, Zeus, the Greek beer as refreshing. Seabass was juicy and crispy ! Would go back to again read more

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Came here with high hopes of a tasty dinner based on the menu descriptions and background about the business on the website. Actually got an okay-tasting, terribly presented meal. If you are looking for a memorable meal, you'll leave disappointed. Complimentary Bread - Utterly bland and overly dense. However, both the herbed olive oil and marinated olives provided with the bread were quite tasty. Melitzanasalata (Eggplant dip w/ pita bread) - Dip was tasty, not nearly enough pita bread to go with it (and pita bread was not fluffy in the slightest). Was served as a blob on a plate and looked quite unappealing. Had to order additional bread to finish eating the dip. Greek Village Pie- Expected a much larger serving for the price point. Filling was well seasoned and delicious, crust was slightly underbaked. Asparagus was too vinegary, but sweet potato mash was fantastic. Ambiance was a throwback an 80s style of fine dining but without the elegance and charm. Greek posters and decor were nice. Waitstaff were nice enough and we got lots of prompt water refills. Would not return. For the price point, there are far better options in Fells. read more

Was there on a Friday night. Service was absolutely terrible. No apologies given to the table only to my other diner who got up to complain. Also, the thinly slice zucchini also know as saganaki was not thinly sliced. Very poor presentation as well as the mezza plate. Globs over the plate served without utensils for people to share. It's unfortunate because food was prepared nicely but wouldn't go back. read more

We shared the Greek salad and grilled octopus salad as the appetizer. The other dishes were the squid ink pasta with a small lobster tail ( she enjoyed it), the wife had the soft shell crab inside a phyllo pastry ( delicious) and I had the lamb chops cooked medium to perfection ( loved it). The service was outstanding and a perfect place for special occasions. TY:) read more

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Fine dining in Fells Point! My husband and I had never been to the Black Olive before and went to celebrate his birthday. While it's a nicer restaurant, people were dressed casually, and many were also celebrating occasions. There is a small bar you could sit at but other than that it was all tables, and many reservations. Our waitress Jeanine was very informative and patient as she explained a lot of the highlights on the menu for us newbies! We split a bottle of wine, got the stuffed calamari, Greek Avocado Salad, filet mignon souvlaki (appetizer size) and the soft shell crab in phyllo dough. Everything was excellent, I loved how the filet mignon was cooked - it was buttery and had a nice sear. But the star of the show was the soft shell crab in phyllo, never had anything like that before. Definitely a special dish here in baltimore - if you like soft shell crab, this is a must get! We are still talking about it! It's stuffed w/ feta and spinach. Absolutely phenomenal. For dessert we split an ice cream and they even put a little candle in it for my husbands birthday. Jeanine recommended several other dishes that we will definitely come back to try! Overall we had a great experience, spent about $200 total (though we did get a full bottle of wine!) and didn't have any leftovers. It's definitely a higher end place but we loved the ambience and how quiet it was. Plus, the extensive menu means everyone will have something to try! read more

The Black Olive - Filet mignon Souvlaki app - Seafood Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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The bread here is so bad. It's extremely loud inside but grabbing a table outside is better. The stuffed calamari is delicious and I enjoyed the lamb shank. The fish soup is good too. read more

It started off great! The space is very cute, menu for restaurant week was appealing etc. The food overwhelmingly was tasty (dessert aside). My issue with this experience was when we were effectively boxed into a corner (photo attached) once a large party was sat. What was a cute and intimate dinner with my partner then became both loud & unserved...we watched as bussers and servers realized they could no longer reach our table and one after the other turned away. Got lucky when another patron went to the restroom so a busser could grab our old plates & I could ask for more water (had been with empty cups for ~30 min at that point). By the time dessert arrived we were entirely over being ignored in the corner & just requested the check. Food-wise the oysters, scallops were delish. I could have left the lamb meatballs personally. Whole sea bass was yummy - just watch for bones if you order, obviously - as well as the lobster pasta. For dessert we got the baklava ice cream and bourbon chocolate cacao cake - both hard skips. I'm sorry to give such a poor review given how good the food was but being completely boxed into a corner with no service & having to ask another patron to leave their seat just so we could shimmy out was absolutely insane to me. Our overall total time in the restaurant was 6:57 - 8:30. read more

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I actually decided to try this restaurant based on its restaurant week menu. It was my boyfriend's birthday this past week and The Black Olive had so many pescaterian options, I thought it would be perfect to give it a try. The restaurant week deal which runs from 1/26-2/4/24 is a three course meal for $45, some things like the octopus salad and lobster pasta have additional charges. I will say parking is quite challenging in this area, especially early in the evening during rush hour. There are parking garages, but they are a little walk in the cold. We arrived at the restaurant at our reserved time, only to find out our table had been given away. The hostess quickly found a solution, but it was beside a large party and I was bumped twice as soon as I sat down, so I asked to be relocated which she obliged my request. Like most restaurants in Baltimore it was quite quaint. The exposed brick I was immediately a fan of. We decided to order drinks, he had a Manhattan and I had a dirty martini.....very well balanced drinks, they were $16 each. He ordered the octopus salad as his appetizer choice in addition to a half dozen oysters, I chose the grilled sardines and grape leaves, I was disappointed at the portion size only being one, I expected at least two. He was happy with his choices, he said the oysters were very clean, not briney and flavorful. For our entreés we had the arctic char and the rock fish.....all entreés were served with roasted vegetables and this garlic aioli that tasted like garlic hummus, it was amazing. All of our food came out fresh and hot, we enjoyed our meals. We both chose the sorbet for dessert which was a perfect palate cleanser. Overall the meal was delicious, the star deduction was for the seating mishaps. Our final bill with tip was around $250 which included two rounds of drinks. Check this place out if you're in the area, I would come back for sure. read more

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Favorite restaurant in Baltimore. Beautiful restaurant, food and service. The food was excellent. The sardines wrapped in grape leaves and the branzino were amazing. The salads and tzatziki were perfect. Great ambience and staff. read more

I hadn't been here since pre-Covid but I came here with a friend for dinner. I got their raspberry Bellini to start which was good and then later got the same spicy mock tail my friend got which was also really good. I ordered the Mediterranean Sea Bass that was delicious and ate as much as I could around the bones. I love that it comes as a whole fish for me to pick at. Service though was ok. Our server was pretty absent throughout our entire dinner (had to ask someone else to place our orders, request more complimentary bread, and ask for our check). Besides that though, food was great as I remembered and I will still come back for it hopefully with improved service. read more

The Black Olive - Mediterranean Sea Bass - Seafood Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Unfortunately this experience was mediocre at best. Several people raved about this restaurant so I will definitely give it another try when it isn't restaurant week so I can try the entire menu. The restaurant is quaint and has a very intimate feel. We had a party of 6 and so we were tucked away in a nice corner. Our server was Rafael and he was hilarious and did well with our large party. Since it was restaurant week there was a 3 course menu. I had the lamb meatballs, whole sea bass and strawberry gelato. The gelato was my favorite! So delicious. The fish was pretty good as well but the lamb meatballs left a lot to be desired. There were also several flying insects and we had to cover our glasses so they wouldn't fly into our drinks. read more

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Came here for dinner before a show. We made reservations but we would've been able to walk in without much wait as we arrived at 6:30pm and there were only a few tables occupied. By the time we left an hour and a half later, it was bustling and most tables were full. The service was good and the food was tasty. We ordered some kind of small fish as an appetizers and they were cooked perfectly. My partner got grilled octopus and I was not a fan but she liked it. We also asked for more of the complimentary olives as they were so yummy. For dinner I got the scallops and she got a whole fish which she really liked. We took home left overs and were quite satisfied. Oh, she also got two dirty martinis, both of which she said were strong. read more

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Very disappointing . $175 meal I'm giving it a 5 out of 10. Sole fish was bland , sea bass very good , asparagus was literally cold as chilly . Unless it was supposed to be served cold . The mashed sweet potato tastes like orange mashed nothing like sweet potato . The best part of my wife's birthday dinner was the bread and melted butter . read more

The food, the service, the hospitality, the quaint & wonderful space indoors and outdoors---and the kindness --- are all swept up in this Baltimore gem. It is worth the trip to see where heart and food intersect. read more

What a great find! New to us, but it's been around a long time. It took me back to my time in Greece. Love that you can get Mythos beer and Assyrtiko wine. The sardines in grape leaves are off the hook. They are not anchovies - they are sardines (like Spanish boquerones). The black olives are seasoned with a.fantastic herb combination. Oysters were fresh and came with an onion and apple mix instead of horseradish. Every plate had a generous Greek helping of lemon wedges. The tarama is super mild, more mild than I like, but probably better for the majority of customers. The grilled octopus had a mild char and strong chew - Cooked perfectly. You don't get pita here, it's a sourdough bread. It was good, but I prefer good pita. The chicken souvlaki had bold flavor and was not dry. Baklava is a strong finisher. Service was very friendly, but a bit inattentive. They were busy and didn't have enough help for a number of large parties. They still tried hard. Remember to tip well. Overall, this is a great place. read more

The Black Olive - Seafood Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Service today was very poor. I've been ordering food from black olives for at least 5 years because I enjoy the great food and usually the hospitable service. Today while I was waiting inside restaurant for my food a hostess by the name of Barry asked me to step outside the restaurant to wait for my order because I was on speaker phone. In all my years of coming here I have never been asked to do that and he could have asked me if I would like to continue my call off speaker instead of waiting outside in 90 degrees. Unfortunately due to this experience today will no longer be coming back . read more

The original Greek seafood on Baltimore and still the best! Before it was trendy it was Black Olive. For over 25 years on Fells Point, Black Olive has served the best and freshest seafood. Staff is terrific. Attentive, friendly, informative, everyone at Black Olive is here to make you feel special. Standouts are the dorade, the bronzino, the eggplant dip, the squid ink pasta (unreal!!) and the lamb chops. nothing will disappoint you. And then the wine list. Varied and extensive and the team is most knowledgeable. We had the treat this last time w Alain serving the wine and Janine serving the food. We were introduced to some great wine recommendations and pairings. It's a must eat and one of the few great Baltimore restaurants that's independent and unique. Enjoy! read more

In all my years of dining out, I have never encountered such a combination of professionalism, warmth, and attention to detail. I can't recommend this restaurant enough for anyone who values truly outstanding service, great food and wine and all with a touch of class and devotion. If you are really lucky, you will meet Dimitris the man behind this gem who truly puts his heart and soul into this establishment. We will continue to go back every single time I'm within shouting distance of the old Fells Point location. read more

It's been a mess of years since my family and I dined here. My sister chose it to get her pescatarian on for her birthday--and we were not disappointed. The atmosphere, food and service are all superb! Key were our scallops, shrimp and pita with tzatziki appetizers. Then we had/shared the the lobster and fetuchini in light red cream sauce and fish with sautéed cauliflower. Dessert was a slice of flourless chocolate cake. Our waiter also showed me the diminutive wine cellar with one long table for overflow or special group seating. All good! Note: No visiting fish in display cases anymore because of COVID restrictions. :-( Sorry no pictures this time--too involved with conversation and eating! :-) read more

Talk about something good. Talk about umbeyonce. Talk about great food. This place is a Check plus plus plus for me. Staff friendly and the service is outstanding. The Owner is a down to earth guy that loves what he does. I will always make this recommendation when it comes to Mediterranean food!! read more

Fantastic food fantastic service fantastic ambience. The appetizers were amazing. The main course selection was awesome. So many wonderful choices and everyone loved their food in our big party of 13. Thank you so much, Dimitri. read more

It's date night and we finally get to try a restaurant that has been on our radar for quite some time. As we walked up, we noticed the outdoor seating that was extra cute. We still opted for inside as to our dismay in May, it was still a little chilly. We stepped inside and after a brief maybe 30 sec to 1 minute wait, the bartender let us know someone would be right with us. Someone came over shortly and gave us a choice of where we would like to sit. We were led a table in the back room that worked out perfectly. We had plenty of space and ended up seated near a family from Greece that made great recommendations. Our server, Christina was amazing. She was very attentive and very down to earth. She came and took our drink orders almost immediately and brought us fresh bread and olive oil. The olive oil was good. I had to make myself stop eating to save room for dinner. I went for coffee versus whiskey on this particular day but I was very happy with the huge cup coffee I received. I started with the fish soup which was so fresh and amazing. I highly recommend as it was well seasoned but not salty. After receiving a great recommendation, I had the lobster pasta. It was so delicious. Very healthy portion. I loved everything about it except the fact that I had to take the meat out of the lobster shell. I wish the meat was pulled out and put in the pasta for me. What can I say I'm lazy and also did not have utensils to do so. Otherwise really great experience. read more

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quaint rustic greek restaurant! service started off a bit crazy, due to reservations not clear in their system, but quickly rectified and we were sat quickly. our server was awesome, attentive & patient with our questions about the difference of foods. delicious saganaki plate, grilled colossal shrimp! one of the very best chilean sea bass i have had in a while! read more

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Restaurant week is upon us & The Black Olive was definitely our first choice. They had the prix fixe restaurant week menu for $45 but you can also order from the regular menu if you prefer. I had the Savory bread pudding which was in our opinion, bland & otherwise boring. My husband chose the baby stuffed calamari which was quite good! Although slightly chewy, the feta & manouri cheese mixture gave the dish an interesting taste coupled with the grilled calamari . My daughter had the lamb meatballs which was the best tasting of our choices. It was perfectly seasoned, moist and very tasty! Our entrees consisted of lamb chops which were meaty and again, perfectly seasoned & served at a perfect temperature. The Mediterranean Sea Bass was served whole, and delightfully grilled to perfection . I had the Chilean Sea Bass which was the best dish! It had a light coating, was full of flavor and cooked to perfection - it was scrumptious! All were served with a couple of asparagus spears & mashed sweet potatoes. Our desserts consisted of tiramisu - yummy! , chocolate mouse, also yummy and fresh berries that was supposed to be served with XO orange brandy cream . Well , we think they forgot to add the orange brandy because there wasn't even a hint of such in that dish Altogether a good dinner for the price ! We'd love to go back & try the rest of the menu sometime! read more

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Food was top notch. Service and ambiance was as good as the food. Stopping into this gem will serve you well !

We went here before a comedy show at the Port Comedy club which is right around the corner. It was restaurant week so they had a limited menu. I do wish they had the full menu available but it's okay because the restaurant week items were still delicious- I got the appetizer spreads - 4 dips on 4 separate slices of cucumber (I do wish the spreads came with pita as well). As my main, I got the filet Mignon souvlaki platter and the meat was tender and cooked to perfection. Finished with the chocolate mousse which was light but flavorful and just the right amount of sweetness. read more

The Black Olive - Filet Mignon Souvlaki Platter - Seafood Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

I love this restaurant!!!! The staff is so friendly, always with a warm greeting. You are seated quickly and out comes delicious bread, olives and addictive olive oil. The menu has too many outstanding dishes to name but my favorite is the Char and stuff sardine grape leaves. It's always served along side a medley of vegetables. Excellent service, food and ambiance! read more

My wife and I were in town for a concert and came across this restaurant online and decided to give it a shot since we love Mediterranean. We got three appetizers which all blew our minds, especially the Taramasalata and the stuffed calamari. She got the Chilean sea bass and I got the lamb chops. We both agreed it was probably the best meal we ever had! We got there early so we were the only guests in the place for a while. Our waiter was very personable and friendly. Highly recommended and we will be back! read more

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Visited during restaurant week. The ambience of this restaurant was romantic and moody! Our waiter was friendly and helpful but I was no wowed by the food at all. I had the lobster pasta and lamb meatballs. The lobster and pasta were definitely fresh but needed a bit more flavor so took it home and doctored it up. The tiramisu was okay, however, the baklava ice cream was good! The margarita was standard. At the end of meal, I saw a baby roach on the table and that was a total turn off but thankfully had finished the meal already. Will not return and likely would not recommend. read more

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Last night I tried the Black Olive for the first time and was very impressed! My go to Greek restaurant is Samos, but for something equally authentic, extremely delicious and a little higher end, Black Olive is a great choice! Our server August was very polite, attentive and did a great job answering any questions we had. The drinks were generous and delicious, but the food was the BEST! You're started off with bread and marinated olives which were full of flavor. The octopus salad was my favorite part of the night - so tender and a must order small plate. For my entree I got two small plates - chicken souvlaki and the village pie. Very impressed with both. My husband got the lobster pasta. So fresh, light but rich flavor and good portion of lobster. I will definitely be back!! read more

The Black Olive - Chicken souvlaki and Village Pie small plates - Seafood Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

I had my daughter's birthday dinner here and the ambiance, the service and the food was incredible. I've been here previously and loved it so it was very special to be able to share this gem with my family. read more

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We enjoyed a delightful dinner on the patio of the Black Olive. The service was excellent -- attentive without hovering -- and the food was fresh and delicious. We had a few small plates along with the Greek lamb chops & shrimp and the whole Mediterranean Sea Bass, and everything was cooked perfectly. The patio ambience was fantastic -- the best way to enjoy a warm, summer evening. All in all, we couldn't have asked for a lovelier dinner. I'm so glad we chose this restaurant out of the many options, and we will keep it on our list for the next time we are in Baltimore! read more

I'm sorry but I cannot give less than 5 stars. Service top notch, owner or manager walking around checking on everyone, waitresses attentive and fast enough considering the crowd. Food...the food yall...the FOOOD YALLL . You know when you're on vacation to Spain and you get some REAL Spanish food and you want to sink down in your chair a bit and do the 5 yr old dance while you're eating...that's the LAMB. Yes. Perfection, seriously everything was delicious, we had the grilled shrimp app (be sure to eat the greens it comes on too because the lemon dressing is to die for!), the lobster pasta and grilled lamb and shrimp dinner...the lamb was so good that when the owner/manager walked by we had to order another plate to share. It was $48 a plate so that should tell you something. It was just cooked to perfection, tender and flavorful throughout the bite. the shrimp were huge and perfectly cooked and flavored. Our neighbor's fish looked and smelled delicious as well but we didn't order that this time. Give this place a visit it's worth every penny!!! read more