We dined Saturday for lunch in the bar area; the dining room was empty. We had fish tacos, the Reuben and calamari. The calamari was excellent and well fried and the fish tacos were very good. The pastrami on the Reuben was tasteless but the bread was really well done. The service was a bit slow. My main complaint is a 4% credit card charge that hides in mouse print. First 4% is really high and seems like they are making money on it. Second the total includes 4% even if paying cash; you have to look for a size 8 font to find the charge. I left with a feeling that I was being taken advantage of for the hidden/high charges. read more

A celebration dinner found us at Black's, sipping on drinks and sucking down raw oysters. Black's is known for their oysters, and for good reason - these babies are really good! Followed by Addie's mussels, the best in town. Make sure you have enough toast to soak up all the sauce from the mussels! For the main course, I got the Mediterranean Branzino Filet with Grilled Artichoke, Garlic Confit Broccoli Rabe, Falafel, and an Olive Citrus Vinaigrette. Perfectly cooked fish with an interesting assortment of "toppings" and two felafels to the side. But it worked, and I ate every crumb. Finished off with a cup of coffee and a Pear & Blueberry Crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, my belly was full and happy. If you're interested in a fancy, delicious dinner, Blacks fits the bill! read more

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Nice cozy dinning space with good menu selection. Lightly populated on my Fri lunch visit. Unfortunately my chicken sandwich was over cooked and really dry. I've had better at this place. Server was attentive and adequate. read more

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The mussels were great, last evening! And, that was it...... 3 of us for dinner, last evening. The dining area was not active; maybe 10 or 12 other diners. We had reservations and were promptly seated and then left to ourselves for quite a while. Waiter finally came by and took our drink orders. Very little engagement and with a sullen attitude. Ordered starters, and to include oysters. Presented nicely but served without seafood forks and spoons for the two sauces. Had to capture server's attention, and again, wait. The restaurant has a very limited menu if you're looking beyond seafood.....two beef offerings, one to be a $55 8 oz strip steak. Only other non-fish offering was a non-remarkable duck starter. Ordered....and, waited. No beverage refills offered until late in the meal, and the two sides ordered for the table? The mac and cheese was cold and not edible; the asparagus simply didn't show up. No server inquiry as to meal satisfaction. We just just closed out our tab and left. Two folks at the entrance podium couldn't find the moment to inquire or wish us a good evening. Crossed town and had a good dessert. I dine at two of the other Black's venues in the area.......both have a more diverse menu and provide exceptional service. This Black's? Mediocre across the board. read more

Food was great! Happy hour had great deals. We had the mussels, oyster Rockefeller, shrimp tacos, calamari, and falafel. All delicious. This was our second time here. The first time we had a burger and chicken sandwich and it was just average. Seafood is definitely the way to go here! read more

Black's Bar & Kitchen - Apple crumble - New American Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

My first time here with two friends who are semi regular. We came for primarily oyster happy hour and it did not disappoint. The three of us sat at a round high top. The entire place is a lot smaller than I expected. Actually kind of nice and cozy but maybe fills up at times. We got 3 dozen oysters, duck nachos, and drinks. Oysters were superb. Got to try different varieties which is nice to compare side by side and also sprung for premium on the last dozen. The duck nachos were also good but I would say small portion for the cost. My lemon drop cocktail was as expected. Would definitely come back for HH oysters. My biggest concern was going to be parking at this location, but I was able to avoid since my friend lived within walking distance. There is a parking garage next door but unclear of the cost and if there is any possible validation. read more

Black's Bar & Kitchen - New American Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

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In the swirl and eddy of restaurants coming and going, its easy to forget the old timers that are still with us. Black's Bar and Kitchen is one of those. Once the darling of the foodie scene, it is barely mentioned at all anymore. But it is still there, tucked away in the less frequented upper part of Woodmont Avenue, and it is still good. Black's is especially known for its fish, and also for its happy hour. In fact, the happy hour is an integral part of its brand and the bar area takes up a full half of the restaurant space. We are not talking only high tops and barstools here - there are plush booths where you can settle in and partake in comfort to your hearts delight. We ordered oysters on the half shell, the renowned Addie's mussels, and the calamari. Addie's mussels lived up to their reputation. So delicious and the portion was ample, even though the waiter cautioned us that the happy hour portion was smaller. We ordered two different oyster plates, one milder and sweeter, and one more briny. This is a very individual preference but I really love the briny ones, and ordered them even though they were not part of happy hour. Well worth it. The calamari was just ok. The wine specials were generous and of good quality. Probably the only thing we did not enjoy was the beet salad from the main menu. It was way overdressed, so if you order salad, you might want to ask for the dressing on the side. In sum, this is a fun happy hour where you can get excellent quality if you favor variety and value for money over a full blown, single entree meal. I haven't tried the restaurant side recently, but I so enjoyed getting reacquainted with Black's that it is top of my list next time I am craving fish. read more

Went here for dinner. Our server was nice and professional. We sampled 2 appetizers which were delicious. We all had different entrees- 2 meat dishes and 2 fish dishes. Portions were good. They were delicious. The ice cream and gelatos were great ways to end the evening. read more

I like Black's. Great wine list and even wines by the glass - Paul Hobb's Chardonnay by the glass and a generous pour. The fresh oysters are great - shucked at the bar - and the oysters Rockefeller are amazing. All the seafood is fresh, and Black's has the best looking burger in Bethesda. I think the restaurant needs updating but the bar booths are comfy and happy hour is the best deal in town! read more

We ate here last night and both of us loved our food. I had mussels for an appetizer and scallops for the main course. The service was excellent and tables were not too close together. It is also right next to a public parking lot. I would enter that lot from Old Georgetown road instead of Woodmont. read more

Black's Bar & Kitchen - Scallops with chard and mashed potatoes - New American Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

I'm biased I've come to this area a whole lot, and not once have I ever ventured to any other restaurant on the street. I mean they named the street after my favorite place. On this particular day I was invited to go to Black's. I agreed. I was so upset when I put the address in Uber and found out it was across from my playground. I already had agreed to come so this girl turned her frown upside down. Glad I did! Staff is GREAT! Food was good! Loved my salmon. Tried a taste of the burger which was actually super decent. I must admit, there are now three places on this street I'd frequent. Will be back to try more items on the menu. read more

Black's Bar & Kitchen - New American Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

Food was almost excellent except the branzino came with a lump of mushy broccolini I think it was. It was difficult to cut up and eat. Odd! But the fish was delicious! Salmon, chicken sandwich, fried calamari, apple crumble and gumbo were excellent. Lovely ambience! Great service. read more

Very sorry to report that my meal of steak frites was not acceptable for an expensive, well-regarded venue. As noted in another reviewer's comments the steak, though cooked to my request, was full of gristle (beyond "chewy") and under-seasoned and the fries were limp, soggy and fairly tasteless. I would have sent it all back but didn't want to cause a fuss at our table. My partner's poke bowl was very tasty. Service was good as was ambience which was sufficiently quiet that conversation was easy. read more

Came here for a large gathering. Blacks bar was able to workout a special menu and the service was spot on. I ordered a few drinks and some Oysters Rockefeller. The drinks were really good and they oysters were basics. 9$ special for 3 oysters isn't bad. The bar area was spacious and the restaurant looked busy. read more

Black's Bar & Kitchen - New American Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

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It was the perfect day to dine out but some members of our party preferred to dine in. The outdoor seating is on a first come first served basis. Inside, Black's has a typical above-neighborhood-restaurant type vibe. It would be perfect for many things: casual dining, business meetings, happy hour meets, celebrations, etc. It took a while to get our food ordered the restaurant started to fill up. Not a problem since we had our drinks in place. The food at Black's has been constantly good but tonight there were two people who were not so satisfied with their food. Two people had the well seasoned poke bowl (plate) which was good but there was nothing unique about it. Two people had burgers and one of them was served well done when medium rare was requested. The crispy fries pleased me but not some. The person who ordered the Seafood stew was in heaven but the pork chop order didn't deliver. Coffee was served with a cookie which is a very nice touch (a temptation too hard to resist for some). Although I ordered decaffeinated coffee-- I lay awake till the wee hours of the morning wondering if the coffee was really decaf. Our server was pleasant and attentive. Black's is a nice restaurant. In the future, however, I would stick with Addie's mussels and suggest to diners to emphasize their desired temperature for burgers/meats. read more

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Good service Great seafood par Oysters Rockefeller Really good Happy Hour food and drinks! read more

I think this restaurant was good, but not a place that I would rave about. I ordered the calamari for an appetizer which was ok. There wasn't much flavor in the breading of the calamari, but it wasn't awful. For my entree, I had the mussels and had a side of macaroni. Both were good, but again not something I'd rave about. The chocolate cake tasted pretty standard. We came in on a rainy evening and before the big dinner rush. It was practically empty when we got there. I will say that since we were one of the only ones there, I wasn't a fan of having them seat another group of guests directly next to us of all of the open tables. The vibe was nice though. I liked the upscale and sleek design of the restaurant. read more

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The food was delicious, especially the beet salad, scallops and chocolate mousse. The service was a little awkward, they tried to be a high end type of restaurant, but the staff was awkward about it. The noise level was good and it seemed like an older crowd. read more

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Came here after we had dinner at Woodmont grill. We were full so and really came in for the oysters. I got dozen of their premium oysters, 4 of each. It was nice. I haven't had a full meal there but service was decent and the oysters were delicious! I would totally come back for their oysters. read more

Black's Bar & Kitchen - New American Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

Great happy hour and a short walk from the Marriott ! Where do I begin? Oysters Rockefeller- amazing. Even my mom who doesn't like oyster enjoyed these. Shrimp tacos- went back for seconds. Mussels- plenty of bread provided to sop up the sauce! Entree sizes were perfect for this heavy seafood focused restaurant. read more

Black's Bar & Kitchen - Shrimp - New American Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

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We giving this place 5 stars. But let me tell you why... 1. This place was conveniently located within walking distance from our hotel, across the street from the Marriott headquarters. It's in a lovely neighborhood, so traveling to this spot was an enjoyable feat. 2. This place is upscale hipster chic. Cute patio adorned with the obligatory round string lights and boasting an equally chic indoor seating area, you will feel at home if you are used to the finer things in life. What could be better than fine dining? 3. BUT THE FOOD is good. We had oysters on the shell, salad, salmon, scallops and cornbread. The Caesar salad was a tad bland but other than that, the food was perfectly executed. The "Up & Cumber" cocktail was delightful. Just good stuff man, this is a good solid place to eat for the buck, 4. Service wasn't anything special but it was on point. Isn't this all one wants? Service was prompt enough, polite enough and just right for the evening. Yo. We (my love and me) will be coming back when we are in Bethesda. If you're staying at one of the MANY hotels on Wisconsin Blvd., you will enjoy the dinner stroll, you'll enjoy the food and you'll enjoy yourself. read more

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I love this place, great food, ambiance, servers, happy hour is AWESOME! Its better than Woodmont grill and SaltLine! Iv never left disappointed or hungry. Try it out for sure. read more

I came here for lunch on a Wednesday afternoon around 1 pm with a couple of my friends because we were really craving some good quality oysters. The restaurant was immediately pretty empty so it was fairly easy to get seated right away. It seemed as if we were one of the 2 tables on the restaurant side which made it super cozy and quiet for us to enjoy our meal. We ended up getting a dozen mixed of the oysters from out of state and a dozen of those locally, the Allen's brother's prime ribeye with a side of sautéed asparagus, calamari and an order of cocktail shrimp. Right off the bat when we ordered the server was asking us if we wanted everything to come out together or would we like to space things out according to what dish and we said all together. However we didn't realize he actually meant all the dishes we ordered would literally all come out all at once which was an error on our part since he tried to explain but we didn't realize. As for the food, this is where I took off a star because although the food was pretty good, there was some minor things we didn't like and for the price of the food and what we ended up getting didn't seem to justify for it. The cocktail shrimp was definitely not what I was expecting, they were crispy pan fried shrimp with old bay seasoning on it which wasn't terrible but also looking back wasn't worth getting and wasn't what I was expecting. We did however really like the calamari as it was super crunchy and the batter wasn't overly thick and chewy so we could still taste the squid and had a nice touch of small crunchy pieces on it almost like breadcrumbs, both dishes the sauces paired with them went really nice with it. The ribeye we got medium (since one of friends wanted it cooked a bit more) but came out to more of a medium rare which was fine by me, and my friend who usually doesn't eat rare ended up liking it more this way. It was nicely seasoned and it wasn't overly tough or chewy which we enjoyed but there wasn't anything special about it in my opinion to justify it being $50. Now for the oysters, we all really liked the out of state ones the best even though they were a lot smaller looking than the in state ones. This was cause they tasted a lot cleaner and less creamy/rich than then the in state oysters. Now for the second reason why I took off a star was the service. Although our server seemed like a nice guy and he was pretty attentive during the beginning of our meal (taking our order and checking in on us when the food first came out) he totally disappeared after which was very frustrating on our part. We initially came to eat oysters as me and my friends were craving them so we only ordered a dozen of each to see which one we liked more. When we finished and tried to ordered more our server or any worker was NO WHERE TO BE FOUND. So instead of trying to flag someone down or get up to find them we just ended up not ordering more food which left us kind of disappointed. There was also times when we needed more sauces, or utensils or had questions about our food and we ended up having to ask the food runner since our server was again NO WHERE TO BE FOUND during this time. This really sucks because like I mentioned earlier we were one of the 2 tables he had, but you know what they say when the restaurant is slow is typically when you get the worst service so this could just be one of the off days. It just kind of sucks because I do really like the oysters from here and I would love to come back but for the price we ended up paying and how things turned out I wouldn't say it was entirely worth it in my opinion. read more

Black's Bar & Kitchen - New American Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

Really nice restaurant with great ambiance and great service. I really enjoyed my drinks and the food was delicious. I would highly recommend, but you need to make a reservation. read more

Honestly, I showed up only bc they have $1.50 oysters on happy hour. They don't advertise it on the website, but it's still there. I was underwhelmed. Maybe it's the season, but those Chesapeakes were just bland. So was the cocktail I tried, the "burnt orange bourbon martini", which was as far as I can tell just a glass of orange juice with a little booze. I'm glad I wasn't here for a full meal. Service is attentive enough, and it's a nice quiet bar, but I'm here for the food. read more

One of the longest tenured restaurants in Bethesda continues to provide solid food and drink as well as a comfortable atmosphere. Service can be on the slower side (20-30 min for entree) compared to Woodmont and Seventh State down the street , but otherwise awesome. Had the rockfish special on a recent visit - it was crispy , fresh and didn't require a separate side - and the Oysters Rockefeller are my go to appetizer. Good cocktails also. read more

Black's Bar & Kitchen - Rockfish special - New American Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

Great spot for happy hour! From Monday to Friday between 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM you can treat yourself to $8.00 cocktails, $6.00 beers, $7.00 glasses of wine, and appetizers which are heavy on the seafood options anywhere from $6.00 to $12.00. Highly reccomned getting to happy hour EARLY. This place gets quite busy. So busy that the noise gets overly loud. As if there is nowhere for the vocals to escape and bounce off of so you all end up screaming at each other. Also, there appears to be a dress code. Not many come here not dressed in business casual or suits, just FYI! Get cute =) read more

I had the unfortunate experience of dealing with the unprofessional and rude manager at Black's Bar & Kitchen. We noticed when we received our bill that there was a non cash charge on the bill. I did not see this listed in the menu or on their website. I am not familiar with being penalized for not paying cash. When we inquired about this charge with the manager, he behaved in an unacceptable manner. He said "it's above me" and that he could not do anything about the charge. Eventually, with additional questioning he said that he would remove the charge. For us, it was the principle that we were being charged for not using cash. He also used triggering language, accusing one of us of being "hostile." We all know that certain words are triggering and insulting to some people. When he returned after removing the charge, he nastily informed us that he took off more than $8.18. He took off $8.93, not enough to inform us of doing us a favor. We asked for a menu after he stated that the additional charge is in the menu. I have included a picture of the menu that we were given to check for the non cash charge notification. There is nothing about a charge. I have blacked out the server's name on the receipt as we had no issue with our server, only the manager. I have previously patronized this restaurant, I can no longer recommend this restaurant due to the manager's actions. I had the unfortunate experience of dealing with the unprofessional and rude manager at Black's Bar & Kitchen. We noticed when we received our bill that there was a non cash charge on the bill. I did not see this listed in the menu or on their website. I am not familiar with being penalized for not paying cash. When we inquired about this charge with the manager, he behaved in an unacceptable manner. He said "it's above me" and that he could not do anything about the charge. Eventually, with additional questioning he said that he would remove the charge. For us, it was the principle that we were being charged for not using cash. He also used triggering language, accusing one of us of being "hostile." We all know that certain words are triggering and insulting to some people. When he returned after removing the charge, he nastily informed us that he took off more than $8.18. He took off $8.93, not enough to inform us of doing us a favor. We asked for a menu after he stated that the additional charge is in the menu. I have included a picture of the menu that we were given to check for the non cash charge notification. There is nothing about a charge. I have blacked out the server's name on the receipt as we had no issue with our server, only the manager. I have previously patronized this restaurant, I can no longer recommend this restaurant due to the manager's actions. read more

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Black's is a great option for downtown Bethesda, but also popular as a destination so try to make a reservation if possible. We recently stopped by in a beautiful day for happy hour and it was quite busy. We opted for outdoor seating but there's also ample space inside. We got a couple of drinks which were nice and refreshing, plus the tacos and mussels which came hot and ready from the kitchen. There was a little mix up with our orders but it might have been due to how busy the place was during Friday happy hour. Great spot for large and small groups alike, and also family friendly. Stop by if you're in the area. read more

Black's Bar & Kitchen - Crispy Shrimp Tacos - New American Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

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With a heavy heart ... I used to be a regular here as my parents live in the area and absolutely loved it, but my recent few experiences were quite disappointing. On the bright side, the staff is still friendly and attentive, especially this one guy (Felipe I believe) who's been bussing tables here forever - he's just awesome. That's a big reason for 3 stars instead of 2, TBH. But let's talk about the food. What in the world happened? The butternut squash, which used to be my go-to, tasted like it came straight out of a can. And don't even get me started on the steaks - we ordered medium-well and medium, but both came out raw... the cut too was subpar... Plus, the knives they gave us were just useless... Honestly, I'm not sure when or if I'll be back. They seriously need to get their act together in the kitchen. It's such a shame to see a place I used to love go downhill like this. I would love to see them bounce back though, but we shall see if that happens or not. #bubblytip: Their HH is pretty decent and you can get 2 for 1 oysters ... read more

Black's Bar & Kitchen - The stake that started raw, but ended up well-done after being sent back.... I ordered medium-well... - New American Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

We have been here before so we know the type of service they provided and compared to the service we received recently. Let's just say that the service, or lack there of + the waiter NOT informing us of the credit card surcharge (I think it was 9%) ADDED to the bill is enough to NOT COME BACK. 1. There were a whole lot of options for people who have Gluten or Soy issues so we opted for the salmon dish. Way overpriced for sub par food 2. I ordered the Duck nachos which were ok. They were lukewarm 3. We ordered the Panko Cauliflower - that might have been the best thing and I think fried oysters or something like that (it was clearly forgettable) The restaurant had just opened - in our section, by the time we finished, there were only three other couples/families seated- so total (w/out us) 7 people. The restaurant was NOT busy. We were given a round of waters when we sat down. Our water glasses were empty. The waiter walked by SEVERAL times - not once did our water glasses get replenished Our bill came to close to 100.00 for the three of us- and NO we don't mind paying that for lunch if the food - service are good It was a rip off - esp with the surcharge if using your CC. You don't get that surcharge added to your bill if using CASH- and we didn't notice it until the final check was given. In either case the waiter or even the restaurant should do a better job in informing the customer. Never going back there or to ANY other Blacks establishment read more

Food, great! Service, amazing! Atmosphere, cute and chill. Highly recommend when in town! read more

Black's Bar & Kitchen - Duck Nachos - New American Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

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Went here for my birthday dinner. The shrimp tacos I had were pretty good. There weren't many people around the time we went and service was still some what slow and not so welcoming. read more

Black's Bar & Kitchen - Crispy Shrimp Tacos - New American Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

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Happy hour deserves a 4.5. The cocktails had good amount of alcohol, unlike some restaurants. The shrimp tacos were yummy. The pan-seared scallops were cooked perfectly and came with seasoned mash and greens, not just a handful of washed leaves. The vegetable risotto was delicious, with more chunks of veggies than I could wish for. 3 drinks, 2 appetizers, and 2 entres for $120 before tips. What else to ask for! read more

Terrible place! Jayna (?) the hostess was a total sour puss. Restaurant was EMPTY and they couldn't relocate our table. Now we are by the hostess stand and the feckin door. She refused to reseat us because they "had lots of reservations." Um. They didn't. As evidenced by the many empty tables. Plus, the food was awful. Those crab rangoons. Ew. read more

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Stayed at the Marriott across the street and this is quite convenient for a bite. Cool updated bar food vibe. Clean appearance with a spacious feel, which I love. Took a guest from London to experience "modern American cuisine" for dinner and he appreciated it. Staff very attentive and pleasant. Food prepared and presented very nicely. Duck nachos is a winner. Seafood Stew is scrumptious - generous pieces of fish and shrimp and mussels with nice garlic bread. Broth is perfectly done. Two reasons why I rated this four (and a half) stars instead of five. 1. Pork chop was flavored very very nicely but just a little bit dry on the dry side. 2. Side of shoestring fries were over-cooked - too crispy and darker brown with lots of small pieces. Maybe I got the bottom of the batch (?). Saw other dishes with long golden brown fries but not ours. Next time I'm in DC I would definitely think about a follow-up visit and order the duck nachos and Seafood Stew! read more

Black's Bar & Kitchen - Seafood Stew ... delicious! - New American Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

There is something terribly wrong with a restaurant review when I talk about the broth more than the seafood in my seafood stew - but that is exactly what I am going to do about my seafood stew from Black's Bar & Kitchen. I ordered the seafood stew because I love seafood uber alles. And, don't get me wrong, the seafood was spectacular, no question about that. The mussels, the shrimp, the calamari, the tuna and the salmon were all very nicely done. BUT OH THAT BROTH!!! The rich, thick and slightly spicy tomato based broth (with some fish stock thrown in for good measure) was the absolute highlight of my evening. If that broth was a person, I would get naked and make love to it! I enjoyed the broth MORE than I enjoyed my spouse and our good friend who ate there with us. Really was very good. There was so much food in the stew that I could not eat all of it and I had the leftovers today. That brought me back to my loving dinner and that gorgeous broth!!! Next time I go to Black's - and there will definitely be a next time - I am going to order a bowl of that broth (with nothing else). We started our meal with the fried cauliflower and the mussels. They were good, but that were not nearly as good as my seafood stew. The other main dishes were scallops and Atlantic halibut. They raved about them but I really wasn't listening because my seafood stew was so damn good. The service too was quite good. Felix, our server, knew a lot about the menu. He was very helpful as we navigated the dishes and the food. He steered us to some great cocktails and was, generally, one of the best servers ever! Friendly, funny and fast - the 3 F's of server-dom! If you go to Black's, ask to sit at one of Felix's tables. Black's Bar & Kitchen is not one of those places that I expected to rave about - but I am! And I guess it is really those unexpected successes that are the best. read more

I have a major bone to pick on a new policy at this restaurant. They added 4% to the check for a "non-cash" payment. I call b.s. on that policy. I know for a fact that it does not cost them 4%. For the prices they charge, one of the costs of doing business is a credit card fee. This is a new policy and they deserve to be called out on it. I am fine paying premium prices for great food. I am not ok with this obvious money grab. read more

I've been here more than 10 times over the past 2 years but not close together in time. It was always a quick stop for a drink, so I can't comment too much about the food other than oysters, which are always pretty fresh. They're displayed at the front, which is why it's always so darn hard to resist! Service is always great. I usually sit at the bar and the bartenders have been friendly, easily approachable, and accommodating. I like the decor- good for dates! read more

Black's Bar & Kitchen - 5.5.21 - New American Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

Food choices are excellent. Service is fast. Ambience is great. Price is not bad for the ambience. read more