Cancel

Open app

Search

The Black Olive

3.7 (402 reviews)
Closed 4:30 pm - 9:00 PM

Order The Black Olive Takeout or Delivery

The Black Olive Photos

THE BLACK OLIVE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Outdoor seating
Good for groups

You might also consider

More like The Black Olive

Recommended Reviews - The Black Olive

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

Black Olive Lobster Pasta
Abigail R.

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.

Yelena A.

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!!

Receipt
Christia D.

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

Rose and bottled sparkling water
Julio M.

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:)

Filet mignon Souvlaki app
Jess L.

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!

Bourbon Choco-Cacao Cake
Spenser B.

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.

Arctic char and roasted vegetables
LaTia S.

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.

Strawberry Gelato
Andrea' C.

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.

Mediterranean Sea Bass
Ren H.

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.

Grilled Octopus Salad
Lisa G.

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.

See all

4 years ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 0
Love this 4
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Love love love this place! Go and go often. The food and service are amazing. Their outdoor space is so cute too.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Alex V.
293
47
17

5 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Hands down top 5 best meals of my life! The food and service was amazing. We will drive 3 hours just to come back for dinner again!

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

6 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Outstanding food; excellent service. Modest ambience but consistent with the overall vibe. Just exceptional.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

7 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Angela L.
150
24
22

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1
Photo of Darcie S.
38
75
32

5 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

7 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

7 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Meghan D.
70
34
56

5 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Visited for dinner with a friend. Great food and fast and friendly service! Will definitely be visiting again!!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

4 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Linda W.
30
21
47

7 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Business owner information

Photo of Dimitris S.

Dimitris S.

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Yui H.
0
30
24

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

So many different delicious options and amazing service! Ask to sit on the back deck, you'll feel like you're in Greece!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Business owner information

Photo of Dimitris S.

Dimitris S.

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 1

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Business owner information

Photo of Dimitris S.

Dimitris S.

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

5 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

6 years ago

Business owner information

Photo of Dimitris S.

Dimitris S.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

7 years ago

Business owner information

Photo of Dimitris S.

Dimitris S.

Helpful 3
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

4 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

Page 2 of 11

Ask the Community - The Black Olive

You might also consider

Samos Restaurant - Chicken Cheesesteak

Samos Restaurant

4.6(617 reviews)
2.1 miGreektown
$$

I couldn't wait to leave this review! My team and I stopped by on a Friday afternoon for lunch and…read morehad a blast. It's a very small restaurant but the vibes were perfect - the staff really made us feel like family. They don't have large tables but they put a few together just for us. My heart was so overjoyed by that because I've been to places that will just split you up when that happens. The food was IMMACULATE. First off, most of the menu is already dietary restriction friendly (for people who don't eat pork or gluten or have nut allergies) -- but I was really impressed by our waitresses knowledge and her intuitiveness. We didn't have to ask, she went over everything unprompted to make sure everyone ordered comfortably. Secondly, whoever is in the kitchen needs TEN THOUSAND KISSES. Don't you dare skip the salad! So fresh and so good. The homemade dressing was perfect. Foodie hack: Add a piece of feta to your pita and drizzle dressing over it, trust me. The branzino OMG - this dish alone deserves Michelin stars. You get the whole fish (bone included) and it's cooked to perfection. The sides were delicious but I didn't eat much because I was so focused on the fish. I love that they let you do half rice/half potatoes if you're indecisive like me. Both were so flavorful, I couldn't pick a favorite. The roasted veggies were also pretty fire, they put some kind of sauce on them that really turned them up, I finished these first btw if you wanted an indicator of how good it was. I had a bite of one of my team members moussaka - definitely will order this when I'm looking for a heartier belly-warming meal. It's like a Greek lasagna. Another 10/10. All the desserts are made in house and you can tell. I thought I hated baklava, turns out I never had good baklava until yesterday. It was so warm and sweet and full of spice. We loved the custard and rice pudding as well! Premiere entrees and dessert for 5 people for $150 is unheard of! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do yourself a favor and treat yourself (and loved ones) to this amazing authentic Greek spot.

Came here with a friend for a casual lunch when visiting her, and the atmosphere was bright, clean,…read moreand inviting. We were greeted right away by super friendly staff who made us feel right at home. To start things off, we split an order of their Tzatziki served with pita. The Tzatziki was creamy and fresh, with just the right balance of garlic and dill, and the warm pita was perfectly soft. It's a must-get if you're a fan of Mediterranean appetizers; it really set the tone for the meal. For my main, I went with the Sliced Gyro pita wrap. Let me just say: this is a classic done right. The meat was tender and flavorful, with those crispy edges that make a gyro amazing. It came loaded with fresh veggies and a generous drizzle of more of that delicious Tzatziki. Everything was nicely wrapped up in a fresh, fluffy pita, making it super easy (and not too messy) to eat. Service was quick. Our food came out in what felt like no time at all, even though the place was comfortably busy. The staff checked in just enough without being overbearing, and the space was spotless. If you're looking for great Greek food in Baltimore in a relaxed setting, Samos Greek Island Grill is definitely worth a visit. Between the welcoming staff, fast service, and tasty food, I'll absolutely be back to try more from the menu. Highly recommend!

Photos
Samos Restaurant
Samos Restaurant - Melitzanosalata

Melitzanosalata

Samos Restaurant - Shrimp Haloumi

See all

Shrimp Haloumi

Konstantine’s Greek Taverna

Konstantine’s Greek Taverna

4.1(195 reviews)
20.7 mi
$$$

This lovely house turned restaurant has been on my go-to list for a long time and it did not…read moredisappoint. We started with the calamari and hummus dip. The calamari was perfectly breaded and crispy. The hummus had a great blend of garlic, parsley, a bit of cayenne and red chili flakes with lemon and paprika. All these ingredients make a plain hummus extra tasty. Our two main entrees consisted of the broiled Atlantic salmon with asparagus and Greek potatoes and the Yero plate containing rotisserie beef and lamb slices serviced over pita, with tzatziki, and salad. The salmon was impressively at the perfect temperature. I thoroughly enjoyed my entire meal. The Yero plate had the best slices of beef and lamb. They were soft and absolutely well prepared. Our dinner was accompanied with two musicians who played lovely traditional Greek songs. The music was not too loud and we were able to have a nice conversation at our table. Service was a tad slow towards the end of our meal. We were seated in the basement and there was a time when not a single server was on the floor. Water service was lacking and odd -- we waited quite some time for a refill and when someone did come, only one of us got the refill when we both needed water! Still, I loved the food and atmosphere. Parking: Plenty in the back of the restaurant.

Overall, we were disappointed with our experience…read more Pros: The restaurant jtself is nice--the location is convenient, the open air dining was lovely, and there was ample parking. Cons: The service was not great. They have lots of staff--someone to light the candles, someone to bring the water, someone to take our order, someone to bring out the appetizer, someone to bring out drinks, someone to bring out entrees, etc. But there was very little follow up along the way. Our waters never got filled again. Our server took our drink order right away, but took a long time to come back to take our food order. Despite that, we still got our drinks well after the appetizer came out. The next time we saw the server was when we were done eating. The food should have been better for the price as well. We shared the grilled halloumi cheese appetizer. The cheese was cold by the time it got to us, and the plate came with two small olives--just two. At that point, don't bother. I had the bronzini, which had a good flavor, but was mostly skin. There was very little fish attached to two filets. My wife had the scallops. The entree came with five or six (can't remember exactly) medium-sized scallops. My wife described them as "forgettable," with very little thought to presentation (some of the scallops were laying on their side on the plate. The asparagus was overcooked. Unfortunately we both left still kind of hungry, and definitely put off.

Photos
Konstantine’s Greek Taverna
Konstantine’s Greek Taverna
Konstantine’s Greek Taverna

See all

Smyrna Restaurant - Branzino in parchement. Baked branzino filet with sauteed veggies in paper. Served with baby potato, olive, cherry tomato & preserved lemon.

Smyrna Restaurant

4.7(189 reviews)
46.8 mi
$$

Lots to like at Smyrna!…read more I highly recommend the 3-course express lunch menu, which includes a starter and dessert. At $24 as of this writing, this is a great value! Decorated in clean blue and white colors, Smyrna has an appealing feel. Smyrna also has a rear patio open during good weather. We were started out with very decent complimentary warm pita bread. For my first (starter) course, I ordered the chicken avgolemono soup. While the soup was packed with tender chicken, I was disappointed that the soup didn't really have much of a tart, lemony flavor. It actually was bland. But what more than made up for the avgolemono soup was the beef Keftdedes I chose for my second course. This dish came with absolutely the best tomato-based sauce I've ever had anywhere anytime! Delicious and fabulous!! The beef keftdedes were plump ground beef patties served over little squares of pita bread and topped with the tomato sauce and also a yogurt sauce. JP ordered the Imam Bayildi, which was good. It came with roasted eggplant, diced tomatoes and diced onions. For our third course (dessert), I ordered the Revani, which was a moist dense semolina cake topped with ice cream and chocolate shavings. Outstanding flavor and texture. Perfect! JP ordered the walnut baklava which was excellent. Service was friendly and fine. Other than the avgolemono soup, this was indeed a five star dining experience.

Smyrna is a very unassuming Mediterranean restaurant located at a shopping center. If you blink you…read moremiss it, but you do not want to miss it. I visited on a Sunday evening with some friends who hosted me in Alexandria when my flight out of DCA was postponed. I would recommend bringing a couple of friends here to dine, ordering a lot of items and sharing. We started with a couple of spreads, and the Baba Ghannush was my favorite. I also had a Greek salad, and we had some chicken souvlaki. The entrees are shareable and a large portion, and my friend also got an order of soup for the next day, since we knew we'd be snowed in. The service was wonderful, and the inside of the restaurant itself is gorgeous. One word of advice- do NOT sit near the door on a cold day because that wind kept coming into the building. The happy hour and lunch deals are excellent, so if you're nearby, it is worth stopping in.

Photos
Smyrna Restaurant - Aegean bar

Aegean bar

Smyrna Restaurant - Greek potato has thyme and lemon zest marinated roasted baby potatoes, kalamata olives, and cherry tomatoes.

Greek potato has thyme and lemon zest marinated roasted baby potatoes, kalamata olives, and cherry tomatoes.

Smyrna Restaurant - Back patio

See all

Back patio

Estiatorio Plaka - Pita Bread Side

Estiatorio Plaka

4.5(113 reviews)
2.1 miGreektown
$$

I took myself on a little solo date here since it's a short walk from my house. What a cute place!…read moreIt's a restaurant and bakery and the decor is gorgeous. I wish I could remember my servers name because he was so funny and so helpful. He also didn't judge me for getting basically one of everything for just myself lol. I got the grilled calamari, octopus, and lamb chops. I was NOT expecting the calamari to be so huge haha it was so delicious and flavorful though. I always prefer grilled over fried calamari. The lamb chops were juicy and seasoned so well (not gamey at all). And octopus is a favorite of mine anywhere I go, this was a 10/10. I'll 100% be returning here before I move out of this neighborhood!

We came for the Greek Tasting Wine dinner. So much food. The tasting menu consist of three…read moreappetizers. Yes that's correct. I stated three. I have photographed the menu. It also included a salad. With two entrees one being the Spitroast Lamb, the other was the Lavraki (Branzino) filet fish. This was my favorite!! Seasoned perfectly with the lemon oil and capers. It also included two desserts. There was a wine sample that went with every meal. So a total of seven different wines. All pretty much on the dry side. With the exception of the wine that went with the desserts. It was called Paleokairiso,2023. That had a slight sweetness to it. I'm actually a semi sweet wine person. So everything paired well with the meals. I would have to pass on all dry wines but I'm always open to the possibilities. This was an enjoyable experience. We don't live in Baltimore but if you live or work nearby. I highly recommend checking them out. Parking was about a block away. For twenty five cents an hour. Also metered street parking available if you can find it. We would not hesitate to attend another event here. It was definitely worth it.

Photos
Estiatorio Plaka - Seating area

Seating area

Estiatorio Plaka - Easter eggs

Easter eggs

Estiatorio Plaka - Avocado Toast

See all

Avocado Toast

The Black Olive - seafood - Updated May 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...