Ouzo Bay received a lot of hype getting the #1 restaurant in Baltimore title in Baltimore Magazine for 2013 so my expectations were quite high. I would say that I was very pleased with the overall experience, but I wouldn't call it the best restaurant in Baltimore. We arrived a little late for our 5:15p reservation and were seated right away. The décor is well done, a modern take on Greek. I ordered a Rodos Buck cocktail, and my date a glass of Malbec. The cocktail was an interesting mix, but there wasn't anything Greek about it. The menu offered many delicious options, even as a gluten-free dinner. We began with the Grilled Calamari. It was prepared simply with capers and a vinaigrette. The calamari was tender, with a great grilled flavor. Next, we shared a Horiatiki Greek Salad. Again, great flavors, although I prefer a fresher, redder tomato. For our entrée, we shared a Black Sea Bass. It was incredibly fresh and filleted beautifully. I only found one small bone. As a side I was happy to see they offered Horta. It's a traditional Greek side dish that you don't see at every Greek restaurant, but the good ones have it. The meal was healthy, fresh, and simply prepared. We passed on dessert as the options didn't really intrigue me. We did order tradition Greek coffee. The small espresso for $7 was a bit of a surprise, but gave us the jolt of caffeine we were looking for. The did bring a complimentary shot of Ouzo with the check. It's a lovely gesture, but I am not of fan of Ouzo. I've spent time in Greece and the food brought me back. Ouzo Bay is a sophisticated take on the traditional Greek favorites. read more

Pretty darn expensive but a good place for a special night out. Grilled octopus was very good, I liked the bed of hummus it was on I know some reviewers did not. Waiter was very good, definitely one of the professional types you see at expensive restaurants. Drinks were very expensive but strong, didn't have dessert so can't speak on that. Braised lamb shank was very good. read more

We had shrimps saganaki, calamari roasted, cheese pie and ouzo! Everything was just perfect! Well cooked with good ingredients! It was an authentic Greek experience with delicious food and greek music! The venue is also nice! read more

Very tasty food. Nice atmosphere. Service- traditional Greek in some ways. Fairly plain flavors but that's Greek style. Only exception was chicken souvlaki sandwich (lunch) that was very mediocre. read more

I was there on May 28 and the temp in Baltimore was 90 with 90% humidity. I walked from the Pendry hotel to Ouzo which was about 8 blocks. I came to town for a business dinner and I was shocked to find the place had no air conditioning and the doors were wide open. It was embarrassing as we were all sweating and uncomfortable as the temp/humidity was high inside. We almost left for another restaurant. The food was good and service was great but the temp controlled the conversation and that turned out to be what was discussed the most throughout dinner (how uncomfortable we all were). Certainly overshadowed the food, company and service. read more

Nicholas our server was incredible! He was so knowledgeable about the food and extremely attentive to our table and every detail. The food was great and Nicholas' service made it even better. read more

Everything I had this evening was excellent, especially the grilled octopus and grilled calamari. Both of those dishes can be tricky to get right, and both were outstanding. I highly recommend Ouzo Bay. read more

They are known for their fish, however I wasn't in a fish type of mood for dinner that night and went for the pork chops and unfortunately it was a bit dry and wasn't too amazed by that. Next time, I won't make the mistake of ordering pork from a seafood place. 3 stars because for the price, I was expecting a better dish. read more

Husband and I had dinner tonight at Ouzo Bay. It was the best dinner we've had in Baltimore so far. The staff and food was superb. Our waiter, Steve K. was fantastic. I highly recommend. read more

I see so many reviews of A+ Service and how awesome the food is, but unfortunately I was unable to experience any of this here. Immediately when I walked in, the condescending hostess set the tone for my brief yet memorable experience at Ouzo. After reviewing the website several times and seen no dress code apparently camouflage is not welcome. There's no issue with dress code establishments but there is an issue with a host seating you and stating she "prefers for me to keep my coat on just Incase the owner walks in". Again there isn't a dress code listed in sight or online. Although after the the snarky remarks, My boyfriend kindly left $20 for untouched half poured glasses of still bottled water and untouched bread. Wouldn't even come back in proper attire. I rather spend my money at the bar next door. Thanks but no thanks. 0 stars. read more

Ouzo Bay is by far the best restaurant in Harbor East. Everything is good here, the fish, the chicken, desserts, and the service is fantastic. I've never had a bad experience and it's always my goto spot for business dinner or a date with my wife where we like to sit at the bar. Also nice to sit outside in warm weather. read more

The setting is perfect...next to the water, breezy and open to the sky, pretty decor, and comfortable seating. It could be a restaurant on the Italian coast. As visitors to Baltimore on a recent Friday afternoon we saw it and thought we had really found a gem. HOWEVER when we sat at the bar 3 ft. away from the 4 servers we found that we were invisible. The staff couldn't have cared less that we were there. We had to signal that we wanted to order, and even when we finished our first drink and held the bottles up, the 3 servers behind the bar continued their conversation amongst themselves. It was another 10 min. before they looked over when my husband said "excuse me, another please?" The servers didn't smile at us or seem to want us there. It was truly embarrassing. It has all the promise of a beautiful experience but it sure let us down. It made for a bad introduction to Baltimore. We won't be back. read more

I loved this place! The decor is swanky, the service is great, and the food is good. My fiance and I went here for a birthday dinner, and they gave us an adorable birthday dessert without us even ordering one. We really enjoyed our evening there. It is a little bit pricey, so we saved it for a special evening. I will definitely be back! read more

Had an incredible dining experience here last night. Our server Paul was exceptional. His expert knowledge and incredible service were at a 5 star level. Along with the food being so very delicious, flavorful and with so many great textures, having a server at Paul's level amplifies a great experience out of the stratosphere! I had, and can recommend the octopus, stuffed calamari, and the large prawns paired with a very light, crisp Lebanese Blanc recommended by The Sommelier at a previous visit for cocktails only. Ouzo Bay is the new standard of measurement for dining in Baltimore. read more

Absolutely fantastic! Went on a busy night, sat at the bar, and had spectacular service and meal! I will definitely be back for seconds of this place! read more

Really yummy tuna, and really great wine. Went for appetizers one evening and loved it! Fits what you would expect from a restaurant on the waterfront in the inner harbor. read more

The tapas here are delicious. The lamb meatballs and the fried cheese are amazing! They bring out this Greek cheese in a pan and flambe it right in front of you. Wow. Our table also got the calamari and grape leaves. They were good too. The main courses were fine. The portions for the veal and lamb shank are big. The only thing, for which I knock off a star for, is that someone at our table ordered the langoustines. It was $12 per langoustine, and the waiter said 3 pieces should be enough. No joke, there was less meat in those shells than a jumbo shrimp. Huge disappointment. Waste of money. Other than that, nice ambiance, nice wait staff. Will definitely go back for the tapas. read more

Hands down best restaurant in Baltimore. Sleek, sexy, modern but with a classy menu. Perfect portion sizes. If you only have one night of top-end dinning in Charm City this is the place to go. read more

Great service and fantastic food! This foodie highly recommends!!! A great place for VIPs, business colleagues, or great dates. Cocktails are extremely tasty and I recommend saving room for dessert! read more

See all

Definitely a place with a cool vibe and ambience- I wouldn't come here in sweats. Great selection of liquor behind the bar (try the skinos on the rocks) and the food is solid. Outside of Greece itself, this place is tied with Zaytinya for the best octopus dish I've ever had- and Ouzo Bay may win- great grilled flavor and perfect texture (which I think is difficult to pull off with octopus). However, it is NOT worth the price to come here on a regular basis. This is a great place for a bit more of a special occasion or a night you're just feeling fancy. The outdoor seating in the summer is definitely an added bonus. read more

Food was WAY overpriced. I don't mind spending $ on a good meal, but neither me nor my husband liked anything served. Staff was standing over us during dinner which became quite annoying. Don't go if you're looking for scenery! There is massive construction on both sides of restaurant with windows. We made reservations at 8:45 pm and heard construction equipment the entire time. We both agreed we made a mistake with this choice. read more

A friend who'd recently moved out of state returned and made reservations for 10 for us to get together. We arrived at 7 and our table was ready. One of our guests arrived at 7:15 and was told that our paty had not arrived. She waited for 40 minutes at the front of restaurant while we "dined" in the back. I say "dined" because she didn't miss much besides the appetizers. The service was incredibly slow. The complimentary bread was very good (raisin was a nice touch) but unfortunately the rest of the meal was unimpressive and not worth the price. Our table shared appetizers including the lamb meatballs (tasty), calamari (too chewy), assorted pita bread and spreads (surprisingly good). I had the red snapper (unseasoned but for some capers) the wife had the bronzino which she says was very good. To top it off, their valet service broke my key fob on my hybrid vehicle. No apology, no accommodation, just attitude from the manager, denial of liability and some duct tape so I could move my car from in front of their restaurant. $180 for unremarkable food, and terrible service plus another $100 to repair my broken car key means I won't be back. read more

Ouzo Bay - Wished I'd skipped the dinner and saved $300 - Greek Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Way overpriced. I mean I'm okay with paying $40 for salmon if it blows my mind. This place didn't. Atmosphere was dead, food was average. Nothing special. Not worth the pricy price. read more

Not going back. I've lived in the neighborhood for several months and had been meaning to try this place. We made reservations for 8, and after several trips to see the manager and hostess, we were finally seated just after 8:30. I thought that was the point of reservations? I mean after all we're not in Manhattan here. Once we were seated the service was rather inattentive. I was hoping that the food would make up for it, but it didn't. The appetizers were good, if a bit overpriced, but then my $30 seafood pasta was pretty gross (to use an industry term). Really, it was barely edible. My friend said his salmon dish wasn't great. And my husband enjoyed his moussaka, to be fair, but overall just a bad experience. Plenty of other restaurants in the area from which to choose... read more

Celebrated our second anniversary here and were very impressed. We weren't sure what to expect but the entire restaurant/bar is gorgeous, and there was a mix of business and casual which gave a relaxed feel. The wait staff was awesome and really knows the menu like the back of their hand, and the food was unique and delicious. I could eat the flaming cheese appetizer and avgolemono soup every day I liked it so much. read more

Food was fine. They seem to try too hard to be "cool." Food was good. Wine list seemed solid.

Loved everything, great service, melt in your mouth grilled squid and octopus, delicious shrimp

Fine. It's part of a chain, and it feels like it. I can't identify exactly how, but it just felt like less of a find or special.

Everything was delicious. It was super pleasant to sit outside and we were seated immediately, granted we came during an "off" hour. We got the lima beans, spanikopita, lamb meat balls, tuna tartar, and octopus, and baklava. Everything was delicious. I am rather salt sensitive so everything tasted way oversalted to me, but my friend said it was just me... He notably puts salt on everything. However, I could tell that the quality of the meats/seafood was good. I really liked our waiter. Oh, and the olive oil they bring out with the bread is definitely very high quality. I would recommend this place and if I could afford it, I would eat there again! read more

The food is very good - especially the fresh fish dishes. I mean really good. It is a little on expensive side and a little pretentious. It is one of those hip places to be seen. I just want good food. Service was solid - and very knowledgeable about the food. If you want to treat yourself, this is a good place to drop some coin on a good meal. read more

Simple. Sublime.Super. A lot of great meals in restaurants often have one small element that was less than 100% - the soup was not as hot as you'd like, the vegetables were overdone etc. Expectations get compounded by word-of- mouth reviews. I proclaim, that in my recent dining out memory, my meal at Ouzo Bay hit 100% of everything measurable from cocktails through a shared dessert. The setting: midweek birthday dinner with a four top. Drink orders were taken (one rechecked just to be sure), a bread delivery was made and the pacing of the meal began. Ouzo Bay absolutely nailed three traditional appetizers - grilled calamari, spanakopita and a feta cheese dish. All three were perfect with the preparation of the calamari worthy of a museum. The momentum builds for the entrees...... Sea bass, tuna, lamb chops and land shanks all rung the bell. The bass was sauced with a tomato based and perfumed concoction that was almost hypnotic. Lamb chops were charred with plumb kiwi-sized meat displayed the unmistakably pink center of a perfectly cooked chop. The shank was cotton-soft , grease-free and large. Having eaten lamb shanks in a lot of restaurants, I will say this was the best preparation I have experienced. It was a textbook example of what this dish is all about. Table tending was spot on (wait staff- bus staff -water - bread service) unobtrusive and professional. Layer on the Greek-inspired décor, an interesting bar for before and after, and an iced fresh fish selection and you have the essence of Ouzo Bay. Simple. Sublime. Super. read more

We finally came here after passing by it hundreds of times. I'm not attracted to trendiness, but food. It did not disappoint. The Grilled Octopus lived up to its reputation - so tender and flavorful. We had the Chilean Sea Bass and the Lamb Shank. The sea bass was fresh and melted in our mounts. The sauce was perfect. The lamb was falling off the bone tender, though I would like the flavor to be a bit bolder. The service was perfect, attentive but not intrusive. Our waitress asked if it's a special occasion. Well it was hubby's birthday! After she collected our dinner plates she put down plates and spoons without asking if we wanted desert. We were puzzled that she seemed to be assuming that we would. Then she brought up a complementary coconut cake with a candle! It was delicious, light and not overly sweet. It was a perfect meal! read more

This was all around an incredible culinary experience traditional Greek dishes some of the best unique flavors incredible fusions of spices taste fire crunch anything you can imagine to enjoy the taste buds from the ambience of the facility to the friendliness of the staff and the management read more

We have been there 3 times and yet never been disappointed. The ouzo cocktails they make are delicious, must try!

I cannot stress enough that this is a must place to visit. Service was amazing and it complemented the food. I dined there on Saturday night with a party of 8. Even though it was off to a slow start, the night kept getting better and better. Because we had to wait to get seated, the staff really took care of us. They were super accommodating and helpful. They sent out an appetizer tray and champagne to apologize for the wait. As the dishes kept coming out the food kept getting better. All you heard from my table was this food is AMAZING. All of us cannot wait to come back. I only have positive things to say about this place. Octopus was one of the best I have ever had. Keep up the great work Ouzo Bay! read more

Bartenders and their cocktails were excellent. Very well made, just the right buzz for dinner. Lamb meatball app was tasty. Lamb shank killer! Seafood orzo killer! Service was a step behind the entire meal however and actually ruined how terrific everything else was. Darn shame too bc this place is 5 star otherwise. Drinks kept coming halfway through the meal we intended them for and there were 10-15 minute lags between courses without seeing her. Eh. Maybe next time. Everyone else was spot on. read more

Very nice restaurant. Very elegant and has that city feel. The food is very good if your into Greek cuisine that contains many items using olives, cheese & fish. I would definitely recommend this place for a nice dinner. read more

Atmosphere is upscale but warm and welcoming. The Staff is tentative and courteous and the food is always delicious. Definitely the place to go if your looking for some delicious authentic greek food. read more

Just walked two miles to get to this establishment. I was turned away because I am wearing a hat. This establishment has no business because there is construction in front of it, and they dare turn me away because of a hat. I travel for the living and have eaten in the best restaurants in this country. This place takes itself so seriously that the customer service is abysmal. PS the manager was outside sipping drinks on the patio with two guys in hats. Ridiculous. PPS I'm wearing a hat because I was in a car accident and had surgery on my scalp recently. Thanks for being complete assholes about that. read more

Rude Bartender!! We dined there this Saturday Night. The food and ambiance were wonderful. However the blonde girl behind the bar was very rude. Her knowledge of the menu left much to be desired. It seemed as though she did not want to be there. All my experiences at Ouzo Bay have been wonderful, so I will give them another chance. Hopefully they wont have the same girl working behind the bar. A top dined spot like this should have people who are friendly and actually care about their customers. read more