Went with a large group so got to try a lot of things and I'd say the apps were awesome. Grilled octopus, feta stuffed octopus, grilled scallops, grilled prawns, etc., were great. Also had a platter of various kinds of hummus and other spreads, which were very good. A shocking pink hummus (beet?) was delicious. Bread was very good too. Most people got various types of grilled fish, some of which were shared, and these were fine. My big disappointment was with my entrée order: crab cakes. It was a weird ball of fried mush, nothing resembling the meaty crab cake I am used to in Baltimore. The server said it had no filler, but I have no idea what was in it. Maybe it was some sort of Greek-style crab cake, but whatever it was it was unappetizing. Should have stuck with the fish and appetizers. read more

This is a wonderful place to go for dinner. I love the way the waiter's talk about the fish preparation. They walk you over to the seafood case. You pick out the fish you want and they prepare it wonderfully. The presentation at your table is excellent. read more

The view is gorgeous! The food has great potential. I happened to get there on a very busy day, so it took nearly 2 hours for my lunch...not cool. I would imagine that the rush also impacted the quality of the food. I'd certainly give the Black Olive another chance, but I've heard from others that the service took forever, so I'm not confident that I'll be any happier the second time around. read more

Spending a few days in Harbor East for work and wanted to Yelp a good spot for lunch. Most of the highly-acclaimed places are not open for lunch, so this was the lone, upscale place (near the hotel). Cozy, warm confines... lots of exposed brick and exudes a rustic, european feel. A couple of apps, a glass of wine, and lamb chops for lunch... all good, but nothing stood out - including the crab cake my friend ordered. Maybe dinner would stand out more? Overall, darn pricey for what you get, but the decor and charm is the draw, less so with the food. read more

I give the Black Olive four instead of five only because the price of the dishes were a bit high. Havring said that....the food and service were impeccable. My Aunt and I decided to take my parents to the Black Olive for their anniversary. They were visitibg from NC, and I from LA. I really enjoyed the lamb shank stewing in its own broth with couscous,carrots and currants...absolutely delicious. The rest of our party all had a fish entree. Everything was fresh and prepared in the most savory way. Everyone seemed happy and full. I would definitely return to this quality place:) read more

Owner very kind and gracious and attentive. Food awesome. Atmosphere cozy. Rated as a top restaurant in baltimore anyway and it lives up to its rating. read more

After reading some of the reviews on here, I think I either got very lucky with service or they have changed some of their staffing! I went here with my boyfriend for a birthday celebration dinner on a Friday night. We had a reservation and were greeted and sat right away. We say in the back room which had very dim lighting but I found it quaint and romantic (I do wish I would have known about the outside seating because it was a beautiful night and it looked so cute out there!). As far as service, our waters were continuously filled all night and the waiter was attentive but not too much so. One issue I did have was they did not come to check on us or see if we needed any more bread or oil (which we would have wanted but by the time our food came it was too late really). The bread and oil they did bring was delicious! I had to stop myself from eating too much - it is a black olive bread and the oil has seasonings and sesame seeds which I found very different and delicious. The menu is definitely is a mix of mezze plates and entrees so you could probably order a couple small plates instead of entrees and have a great meal! We ordered the stuffed, grilled calamari as an appetizer. It was very good, but very small and overpriced for what we got. I would definitely recommend it but also would love to try some of their other menu items! For dinner we ordered the beef tenderloin filet and fish of the day. I do have to say that they were out of a lot of the entree menu items but maybe this was because we went to a later dinner? The fish came out cooked whole and they filleted it at the table for you! It was absolutely delicious, flakey and fresh and cooked to perfection, smothered in a lemony butter sauce. The side that night was some sort of zucchini, cut into strips and I thought it went perfectly with my fish! My boyfriend's filet was cooked perfectly and was tender and flavorful. He felt it was too small of a portion and probably would have wanted a bigger side, but he generally is a much bigger eater than me to begin with. We got the baklava ice cream for dessert which was delicious!! I definitely recommend it. Overall I had a great birthday experience and am 100% planning to go back! You probably just want to note the prices before going to make sure its what you're looking to spend because it was definitely an expensive meal but I felt it was well worth it! read more

Have been to the Black Olive twice & must say my second trip was much more enjoyable . The food is good but would not say spectacular especially considering the price , service was good but the parking is challenging. read more

This small Mediterranean restaurant was amazing. We showed up on a Friday afternoon at 220 pm, lunch ended at 200 pm. They served us a 3 course meal for $20, plus a couple of upcharges. The grilled octupus appetizer, was perfectly prepared. The grilled bread service, delicious. My wife's crab cake, Celine is originally from Maryland, delicious. And my sea bass, another small upcharge, was a whole grilled fish, beautifully fileted, by a young waitress on her first day, magnificent. I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

We went for lunch during restaurant week - good value and good food but I probably wouldn't pay full price. The shrimp and feta orzo dish was delicious, and I also enjoyed the baklava. My husband had carrot cake for dessert, which I didn't care for though it's typically one of my favorite desserts. There appears to be a patio which would probably be nice in warmer weather. read more

My wife and I went there for lunch. For $20 plus tip I got three smallish lamb chops and a handful of (pretty good) slaw and (pretty good) bread. The problem is that the lamb chops were so grossly over-salted I should have known better than to eat them, but we had been there a over a half hour when they arrived and we had a plane to catch. Service was pretty slow. I don't enjoy having to be confrontational about the food I am served. But I did mention it to the owner (??) when we ran into him in the elevator and he asked how we liked our meals. When I reported, he shrugged it off and said "drink plenty of water." No apology in any form. So here I am stuck with an unpleasant nagging thirst and constantly salivating mouth and trying to flush out sodium poisoning with so much water that I have to pee every five minutes while flying from Baltimore to Texas -- not good! A good chef prepares food that is rich in flavor without using extreme salting as a sleazy cheap crutch. That crutch is typical of fast food and cheap mass produced packaged meals. The salt on the chops I was served exceeded even the crappiest of fast food -- at least as far as I have experienced. I don't eat much fast food. Salt addict are free to use a salt shaker if salt levels are too subtle for their taste. We won't be back in any case. If you are the kind of person who puts tablespoons of salt on your food before even tasting it you should love this place, otherwise you have been warned. Don read more

For the price of the dishes, I'd like to be blown away by the food. It's good, but I think I've made better dishes myself (and I'm usually a terrible cook). That said, it's a cool experience to have the selection of fish explained to you, then have it filleted in at your table, and to expertly waited on. It's worth coming here if you have a discount, but not for full price. read more

Let me start by saying that I would not believe it possible that such an amazing meal could be outdone by such incredibly poor service. Let's start with the meal. Their specialty is whole, fresh fish, so my wife and I had the black sea bass for two. It was incredible. It had a meaty consistency like lump crab meat rather than a typical flaky white fish. The very light lemony garlic sauce that they added was perfect. The seasoned vegetables were awesome, too. I wanted to lick the plate. My wife was disappointed that she was too full to finish. Now the service. First, they didn't have enough servers, so the bartender stepped in to help. Seemed like a nice guy and we felt bad because he told us that it was his first week on the job. The appetizers and food came out just about on the edge of a reasonable amount of time. However, we asked for another round of drinks during our meal and that's when everything went radio silent. My wife saw the bartender get pulled back to the bar because it was getting crowded, and she saw him ask who was going to take over our table. Well, about 20 mins after we had finished our meal, he came over, apologized and gave us desert menus. We thought about desert, but were worried that we wouldn't get home in time for the babysitter. Well founded concern. Another 20 mins later a different server finally came over to ask us what we wanted. At that point we just took the check, waited around a little bit for her to bring it back and left - literally 45+ minutes after we had finished our meal. Really too bad, because it was a great meal. I asked my wife the next day if she would go back given the trade-off. Her answer: No. read more

The owners are the sweetest little people ever so cute and hospitable I really enjoyed this place the food was great. Seafood is their speciality you can pick a fish you want before they grill it for you . You MUST try the baklava ice cream seriously craving it now so amazing !!! read more

Paleo friendly. Grilled seafood, very fresh, and simply prepared. Think lemon, garlic, herbs, extra virgin olive oil. Everything is fresh and organic. Good prices. We loved it and will be back soon. I highly recommend the chargrilled scallops and whole fish. Wife loved the fish soup. read more

Sucks It was a generic Saturday night. The place wasn't even full. It took us 20 to 30 mins to get seated even with a reservation Took an additional hour to bring out the appetizers. Seafood appetizers were good. Lamb was good. But neither were worth the price or the time. Take a pass on the desserts. They're not that good. You're better off leaving room to get other dessert in the area. Won't be coming back. Paying 60 for one person, without alcohol is pretty egregious for the service and food we got. read more

We had a birthday dinner here Saturday night with friends. 4 people total. All of us have been many times and typically loved it. However, I will not be going back any time soon. First, we were not seated until 9:15 for an 8:15 reservation! This was particularly annoying because we had a hungry/tired pregnant woman and they have no bar area to speak of, so we were constantly ducking and scooting to get out of the way of service staff. Then, we ordered a 2010 Pinot that was particularly good (and expensive), and they brought us a 2011 without commenting about the switch. We had to bring it to their attention. In summary, the food is excellent, but not worth that kind of hassle when there are so many other fabulous restaurants in Charm City. read more

Absolutely divine Greek food. We had a selection of spreads and they were delicious. Spinach pie was incredible with fresh asparagus. It's a vegetarians heaven. The cocktail and wine selection is all organic or biodynamic, probably one of the top wine cellars in the region. I didn't have room for dessert sadly but want to go back for the baklava. read more

We just enjoyed a wonderfully delicious dinner at the Black Olive. We tried Greek wines which were yummy upon the recommendation of our excellent server. The ambience is lovely, the service was great, and the food delicious! Who could ask for more? After dinner we had the pleasure of meeting Dimitri, the owner who was most cordial. All in all a great dining experience. read more

Had dinner there last night and it was one of the best seafood dinners that I have had in awhile. The service was excellent and also thanks to the owner for giving us the potato recipe. Can't wait to go back and try the menu read more

I had dinner in at The Black Olive last weekend after reading favorable reviews from Balitmore Top Restaurant websites. Upon arriving at the restaurant we were greeted by a frazzled hostess and asked to wait at the bar until our table ( for 2) was ready. The bar was mearly a way to shuffle us out of the way as not only was there no bartender, we watched several other people be seated while we waited for a cocktail that never happened. The ambience was dated and dusty. Someone came to our table with water and a small bowl with 2 OLIVES. We simply laughed at the presention. There seemed to be only one waitress running the majority of the tables on a Saturday night which was surprising. Our seafood entrees were tasty, but portions were small and the presentation was terrible for a restaurant charging $30-40 per entree. Overall I cannot recommend dining at this restaurant due to my initial experience. Hope that it sees improvements for furture guests. read more

Service is slow with one server for 5 tables at lunch. The manager just sitting the bar. I filled my own water my whole visit. The towel dispenser in the bathroom was just hanging open with a roll of paper towels sitting on top. The food was good but for the prices it seems the manager would be much more attentive to the guests and check in with them. read more

Food was very fresh, big portions, but extremely plain--could have used more sauces or something. Very overpriced in my opinion. I was disappointed since work colleague had recommended it so highly. Regretted picking it. read more

I would have sworn the I had previously reviewed the Black Olive, but I appear to be mistaken. Seeing some of the at least modestly unfavorable reviews, however, I feel constrained to state my case simply: The Black Olive may be the best seafood restaurant in the world, I don't use that line lightly. I have visited, at last count, 51 different countries. I have lived in the Caribbean, traveled extensively in Europe, and wandered all over the Middle East, Central Asia (admittedly not a hotbed for fish), Southeast Asia, and China. My maritime credentials are at least satisfactory; I even lived on my boat in Boston and Philadelphia, so I have some affinity for aquatic life! I also owned, waaaaay back when the glaciers still covered the earth, a seafood restaurant in Baltimore, so I can appreciate how hard the Spiliades family works to acquire quality seafood and to prepare it imaginatively. Yes, there are a couple of other restaurants in Baltimore that tout their own fishy dishes, but some of them are owned by thugs whose establishments I choose to avoid. I have eaten at The Black Olive literally dozens and dozens and dozens of times since the week the family opened in the first single townhouse. Yes, the service can be spotty (which is why I offer "only" four stars, not five), but with food this good (and with un-cheap prices), you would never want to eat there at anything but a leisurely pace. Because Greek wines are totally under-appreciated in America, you will probably need some help with the wine list (some of the bottles are veddy, veddy expensive), but ask questions! Long-time oenophile that I am, I am being taught! It's a tough job, but someone has to do it. Highlights? Octopus salad, tomatoes to die for, super-fresh fish (insist on going to the ice table and look for bulging eyes and pink gills), splendid bread, stuffed squid, well, gosh, the list of my favorites just goes on and on. For example, don't be afraid to eat lamb chops or even beef shish-kabob; it's all high-quality, prepared perfectly, and presented beautifully. And, unless you are a master of filleting, accept the offer to have them de-bone your selection at table-side. It's less work and fun to watch, to boot. If you think this review is a little over the top, check some of my reviews of other restaurants. I am perfectly pleased to pan places when they disappoint me! read more

Having never been to Fells Point I was impressed with how quiet the area is being in such close proximity to the inner harbor. The Black Olive is tucked away in a quant space with tons of character and charm. The fish selection is excellent and the chef knows his fish. The pairings were perfect and the fish cooked to perfection. Highly recommend it! read more

The service and food were wonderful. We came during the week for the $20 pre fix lunch menu. The spread appetizer was great and came with delicious bread. The crabcake came with the best broccoli we ever had. Will definitely be back! read more

How is this place still open? It's disgusting! The food was terrible. We barely ate anything. So disappointed. Gross!!! Don't waste your money!!! read more

I HAD to Yelp! When in Baltimore, I normally make a stop at Tio Pepe's, one of my favorite restaurants. But after I did a Zumba session, I could not bring myself to gorge on the monumental portions you are compelled to try to tame in one seating... Thus, I turned to Yelp and a very friendly cab driver. It is definitely a seafood restaurant, and oh me oh my, in a city plagued with old bay seasoning and the bad greasy and old grease smelling Phillps (YUCK), were we surprised. The restaurant was empty on a Wed evening, so we had the pleasure of having great service, in a very pretty restaurant (with a horridly expensive and unimpressive wine menu). The seafood is magnificently prepared - their claim to fame is their grilling, which really is nailed to a state of as second nature as brushing one's teeth... Really. The stuffed squid and the grilled octopus are truly delightful, simple yet very well prepared, as was the whole fish of the evening. Really good food, slightly on the higher end of pricing, but worth every morsel. They offer wonderful greek olive oil and a very nice olive bread (dry-ish but good). Definitely would go back when in town - unless I'm tempted to try another place or am seduced by my Spanish trough... In the mean time, Black Olive satisfies the seafood lover, and they do so very simply and tastefully. read more

In the bar centric neighborhood of Fells Point in Baltimore, Black Olive is an expensive representation of the city's Greek heritage. While the food was quite good, it wasn't earth shattering and except for the fixed price lunch, eating at Black Olive can be very expensive. My fish soup was excellent, but far from the best I have eaten. All the fish is fresh, but prepared in the simplest manner, a poor indication of the exorbitant check. What was most concerning was the slow service, an epidemic infecting most of Baltimore's restaurants. We ordered the fixed price lunch and waited and waited and waited........ The restaurant was close to empty, and yet we waited, and waited and waited......Whether it was the fault of the kitchen or the service is besides the point, as we waited and waited and waited. After two hours we crawled out of Black Olive with restaurant rigamortis, an affliction caused by dining service that takes longer than a papal election. read more

So Good! Great place to go for a splurge! Everything tasted wonderful. I would definitely suggest getting a seafood dish!

Even if you don't like olives, you'll still like the food at Black Olive. They have a beautiful display of fresh fish so you can see your fish before you order it. However, our appetites weren't a big as usual so we opted to order several appetizers instead of entrees. We had the hummus which was good but it was green. I'm not sure why it was green. The octopus salad was so tender and tasty. The fresh sardines were absolutely divine. For those who fear that sardines are too fishy, this will change your mind. The crabcake was serious business - all crab and no breadcrumb filler. They serve baklava ice cream but unfortuantely I was too full to have room to try it. read more

Came here for Valentine's day. Wasn't told they were only offering a special valentine's day (gimmick) prix fixe when we made the reservation so was a bit surprised when we arrived that they had a like $100 ish one. We felt a bit cheated, but were hungry, so decided to stay. Were disappointed when at least two of the limited items on the prix fixe were sold out. Note to restaurant: if you're going to have a gimmicky prix fixe, mention that when customers make the reservation and try not to run out of half of the options on it. read more

Great place- the fresh whole fish is so so delicious and the ambiance-especially the back patio in summer- is great. Always attentive service. read more

Incredible. Service outstanding. Exceptional wine and intimate knowledge of the wines, their history and origins. Menu is more then fun. A vast horizon of flavors. The fish, from soups to whole fish, octopus to sardines, were exceptionally fresh and well prepared. Leave the harbor for this gem. read more

I never wrote a review for this place after dining here last summer. I do remember that my wife and I along with our friends totally loved our meal. Service was far above average. I would definitely visit again when in town and would refer to others. read more

This place will always be special to me. First valentines day with my husband. Small intimate restaurant with a romantic presence. I love a authentic Greek salad and these guys didn't disappoint. The stuffed calamari was a bit chewy but the wonderful white wine recommended made up for it. Walking into this restaurant I felt as if I had transported to a local Greek families kitchen and dining room( not that I know what that's like). The servers and hostess where pleasant and the food fairly good. I would say this restaurant is a local gem. read more

Excellent world class restaurant, Greek, yet not the typical. It is amazing artistic upscale seafood and more. enjoy.

I finally went to this place today after eyeing this place for about a year now. Had a google offer deal. I read many of the reviews on yelp and I have to say that I agree with a lot of what other people had to say. 1. grilled octopus salad is amazing. It's not a salad though, it's just pieces of grilled octopus. The grilled flavor on top the vinaigrette marinade makes it amazing. It's very soft and not chewy. 2. The service is mediocre for a restaurant of this caliber. They filleted the fish in front of me, but i thought it was done rather poorly. Lots of fish meat was lost. Also, it takes forever to get your food. We waited a good 30 min or so to get our appetizer after ordering. 3. the best part of the meal was the side of potatoes. They were amazing. I've never had potatoes so naturally sweet. As far as the rest of the meal, I thought the stuffed calamari was a little too salty for my palate. Also, the bf ordered lamb that was supposed to be medium rare but was well done. Service was so slow, and we were in a rush so we didn't send it back to the kitchen. Overall good food, but without my google offer deal, I would have thought that it was overpriced. read more

A much quieter alternative to the noise and hustle on Thames Street. The wife and I ended up here after our original choice on Thames street was packed full. We received friendly service and the dishes were tasty and healthy. I ordered the Village Pie small plate/app and my wife got the stuffed calamary small plate/app. I also ordered a gin and ginger drink. Everything was great and waitress was very friendly. Enjoyed and would return if/when we're in Fell's Point again. read more

I went during the restaurant week on a Saturday for lunch. The food was great and the service was average.