Harold Black - Annapolis

Name: Harold Black - Annapolis
Address: 236 Main St, Annapolis, MD, United States, 21401
Telephone: (410) 304-3353
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.2

4.2

42 Reviews

$30 and under

Italian

Top Tags:

Harold Black is a warm, intimate bar that is quiet enough to hear your conversation yet lively enough to keep you talking. A list of house cocktails gives you a range of options, additionally, the bartenders are ready to work their magic if you have something else in mind. Harold Black serves a light-fare menu with a selection of cured meats, cheeses and desserts. Please be aware of a few house rules: 1. We look forward to having you join us and are happy to hold your table for up to fifteen minutes. 2. Your booking reserves your seats for 2 hours. 3. Due to our small size we cannot guarantee booth seating. 4. Our maximum party size is six people, no exceptions, and unfortunately we cannot book multiple tables for one group. To buy out Harold Black for a private event or book our private dining room, please email events@haroldblack.com.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Oct 4, 2023

7:00 PM

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Cuisines
Italian, Cocktail Bar
Hours of operation
Wed, Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–12:00 am Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–12:30 am
Phone number
(410) 304-3353
Website
http://www.haroldblack.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Private party facilities
featuring a private room for seating up to 100 as well as full bar buyouts, harold black is the perfect place to host your event. our experienced event team will help create the perfect experience. To learn more inquire here or call us at 410.304.3353

Location
236 Main St, Annapolis, MD 21401
Neighborhood
Annapolis
Cross street
located directly below acqua al 2 ( entrance on school st )
Parking details
Street Parking
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Wine

What 42 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.2

4.2 based on recent ratings

4.2Food
3.9Service
4.4Ambience
3.6Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Baltimore / Maryland
Innovative
Greater Annapolis
Innovative
Greater Annapolis
Hot spot
Greater Annapolis
Romantic
Greater Annapolis
Lively

42 Reviews

CF
ChrisF
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on September 23, 2023
overall3food4service2ambience5
Tables around the bar are cramped if your party has more than 3 people in it. Drinks are pretty good but more expensive than other nearby cocktail bars. Our particular server was not rude but definitely not personable either. Drinks took long enough to come out that we started talking about it as a group ("where are our drinks?). Ambiance is 10/10.
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MC
MeganC
New York Area
4 reviews
3.0
4 reviews
Dined on August 31, 2023
overall3food3service2ambience4
Cool bar, but underwhelming in terms of drinks and service.
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JF
JohnF
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 11, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience5
Waiter wasn't.the best though I think he was new but the hostess and lead bartender were awesome. Reasonably priced unique cocktails as well as many not so common liquors. Nice atmosphere. We made reservations on the open table app and our table was waiting when we arrived. (Seating is limited so definitely recommend reservations). Bar seating I believe is first come first served.
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AL
AbbyLR
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on July 22, 2023
overall1food3service3ambience1
If you like a speak easy that is filled with flip flops, tanks, loud music/drunks and one things that is truly the establishment’s fault-the least inspired cocktail list I have ever seen- this is the speakeasy for you. They had 6 cocktails and two were sold out. They need someone with some knowledge of cocktails. Please walk down to Dry 85- open their menu and educate yourself a bit. The bright white led lights around the bottom of the bar also killed the moody vibe. The booths were really nice, the old black and white photos of Annapolis were cool, and the candles & hanging lights were a great vibe. It has potential- just needs some rules and someone educated to take it from fratty speakeasy to something much nicer.
2 people found this helpful
M
Megan
Washington DC
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on July 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Really great drinks and food! Very attentive servers and loved the ambiance and decor as well.
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DW
DanielW
Washington DC
12 reviews
vip
5.0
12 reviews
Dined on July 8, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience5
As usual, Harold Black did not disappoint. Our food and drinks were great! The service was a little slow because it was a very busy night, but overall it was still a great experience.
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L
Larry
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on June 7, 2023
overall4food4service3ambience5
Made a reservation for 5:00. Walked in at 5:05 and the person behind the bar said they wouldn't open for another 15 minutes. She said we should get a drink at the bar upstairs. Upstairs didn't have the happy hour specials. Their cheese and meat boards are wonderful. Tacos are also on point. Downside: The music playlist was about 7-8 songs and on repeat. We heard O.P.P. play three times in our 2 hour stay. Hearing O.P.P once is fun. Three times and it's time to go.
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AM
AmberM
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 2, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
What a hidden gem! The ambiance was terrific, and the service was even better. Cayden was an absolute joy! The menu and drinks were simple, yet sophisticated. No need to overdo it when it’s a home run for everything on the menu! The music was upbeat yet relaxing, and not overpowering. It’s a perfect place to unwind after work, or bring your significant other for a date night! We had the charcuterie board and the tacos de Barbacoa. They were on point and so good we got another order. Everyone was so nice and hospitable. We will definitely make it our spot!
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O
Oliveeats
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on May 12, 2023
overall3food3service4ambience2
Cool, hip new place. Underground and very dark atmosphere. Great for taking a mistress, lover, or to conduct a discreet business deal. Not ideal for single women or a girls night. Don’t bother dressing up because no one will see you, you can barely read the menu by the candlelight. Food and drinks were amazing though!!!
Harold Black - AnnapolisResponded on May 25, 2023
Thank you so much for reaching out with your feedback. We always strive to provide a stellar dining experience for each of our guests and I apologize that this was not the case for you. We’d love to make it up to you and have sent you a private note. Cheers,
Is this helpful?
DH
DeannaH
Baltimore
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 11, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience5
Definitely going back! Loved everything about it !
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W
Willy
Washington DC
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on April 1, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
I great solution to reservations being unavailable upstairs. I love the dim lighting and it was quiet much of the time early on a Saturday. Food was limited but very good. Good choice before jazz show at Rams Head lounge.
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MF
MelanieF
Baltimore
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on March 25, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great for grabbing a drink and a few small plates.
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S
Spencr
Baltimore
32 reviews
vip
5.0
32 reviews
Dined on March 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Always perfect ! Thank you Harold Black for another wonderful gathering . Ricardo is a terrific server - professional, attentive and pleasant. He is a great representative of your brand !
1 person found this helpful
OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
2 reviews
vip
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on March 5, 2023
overall4food5service2ambience5
Great ambiance with expensive drinks. Service has been very bad both times I’ve been.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Antonio
2 reviews
1.0
2 reviews
Dined on February 20, 2023
overall1food1service2ambience1
This is not a speak easy. The bar was very loud and the drinks were too sweet.
Harold Black - AnnapolisResponded on May 25, 2023
Thank you so much for reaching out with your feedback. We always strive to provide a stellar dining experience for each of our guests and I apologize that this was not the case for you. We’d love to make it up to you and have sent you a private note. Cheers,
Is this helpful?
T
Terry26
Washington DC
19 reviews
vip
5.0
19 reviews
Dined on February 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Delicious small plates of food and fun cocktails !
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Baltimore
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Just had drinks, great experience. It was a little to warm, didn’t wear my jacket when we walked to the next place I was so hot.
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D
Digisail
Washington DC
4 reviews
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on February 11, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience5
Only 1 waiter for many tables.
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RA
RayA
Caribbean
9 reviews
vip
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on February 11, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
It was just perfect
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DH
DavidH
Baltimore
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 2, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Second time at Harold Black. Tasty drinks and appetizers and the service was very good.
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AD
AliciaD
Washington DC
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on February 1, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had a fantastic time on all fronts. The ambience, customer vibe, food, service, music were all outstanding. The bad vs. good reviews here seem to directly correlate with weekdays vs. weekends. We came on a Wednesday evening with a reservation. Dark, cozy, open a little later, with good food and music...this is exactly what we've been looking for for months in Annapolis.
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BD
BarryD
Washington DC
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on January 22, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience5
Cool vibe. Top notch drinks and finishes. Expensive.
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TD
ToiD
Washington DC
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on January 21, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience5
The ambiance was lovely! Will return again!
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F
Francesxa
Baltimore
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on January 21, 2023
overall1food1service1ambience2
The waiter was extremely rude and nasty. Made a reservation at 9:00 and was not seated till 9:30. The waiter refused to service our table, slammed our drinks, rolled his eyes, wouldn’t serve certain people at our table. Pretty bad experience
Harold Black - AnnapolisResponded on May 25, 2023
Thank you so much for reaching out with your feedback. We always strive to provide a stellar dining experience for each of our guests and I apologize that this was not the case for you. We’d love to make it up to you and have sent you a private note. Cheers,
1 person found this helpful
TU
ThadU
Greater Boston
8 reviews
4.0
8 reviews
Dined on January 15, 2023
overall4food5service4ambience5
The guy at the host stand upstairs was dismissive and rude, which set a bad tone at the start. But rest of night was nice
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Baltimore
9 reviews
vip
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on January 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Our first time here. Definitely not our last. Drinks and food were fabulous. We tried the cheese and meat plates. Both were very good. I only wish they’d had crackers of some type for the cheeses. When we asked, though, the waiter quickly brought some great bread. And speaking of the waiter…Ricky was on point. He gave us our space, but also gave us everything we needed when we needed it. We also tried the chef’s special - a mushroom gnocchi - and that was a real highlight!
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K
meghanK
Baltimore
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on January 7, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Such a unique spot. Only place like it in Annapolis. The style, ambiance, drinks, and staff were absolutely fantastic. Love everything about HB
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DW
DanielW
Washington DC
12 reviews
vip
5.0
12 reviews
Dined on December 31, 2022
overall5food5service4ambience4
It wasn’t quite the same as the original place in DC, but it was still a great time and worth going back.
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d
dumbo
Baltimore
29 reviews
vip
3.0
29 reviews
Dined on December 23, 2022
overall3food3service3ambience1
Tried for first time had Ketel martini and ketel rocks for cocktails. Drinks were good. Had meatball appetizer which was good and had nice spice but not very warm. The music for us was too loud and overheard bartender tell other customer it was Spotify that plus were were expecting either holiday background or jazz /something from the speakeasy era made for an underwhelming experience. It’s a unique venue for Annapolis but not likely to return
Harold Black - AnnapolisResponded on May 25, 2023
Thank you so much for reaching out with your feedback. We always strive to provide a stellar dining experience for each of our guests and I apologize that this was not the case for you. We’d love to make it up to you and have sent you a private note. Cheers,
Is this helpful?
PP
PamelaP
Washington DC
10 reviews
vip
4.0
10 reviews
Dined on December 10, 2022
overall4food4service5ambience4
Our server, Ricky, was great. We did seem to get tossed around, though, when we arrived even though we had a reservation. So that felt awkward. And there was a smell of sewage in the basement bar but the food and drinks were good.
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RH
RobertaH
Washington DC
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on December 3, 2022
overall4food4service4ambience3
The venue is pretty and comfortable, service and food were great. But the downstairs bar was too loud and the air was stale. Perhaps consider baffles on the ceiling to make the voices less harsh and maybe some fans or ventilation of air. I will certainly return.
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SD
StephenD
Baltimore
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 27, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
We only had drinks, no food, but fantastic cocktails, great atmosphere and super friendly service.
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BH
BrianneH
Washington DC
8 reviews
4.0
8 reviews
Dined on November 20, 2022
overall4food4service2ambience5
We loved the ambiance and vibe of the restaurant, but the service was so so, they need more staff. I arrived and ordered a drink within 15 minutes the rest of my party waited almost 45 minutes. I know they were slammed, which is why we didn’t complain. But don’t go with expectations of having speedy drinks. A few staff were quick to refill our waters as we were waiting for drinks. It’s a small menu, but you can find something to eat. It’s a very cool vibe for annapolis. I would definitely go to check it out. I think sitting at the bar you would have quicker service.
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K
Kris
Baltimore
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on November 13, 2022
overall5food3service4ambience5
My husband and I came by after dinner, we had a reservation for 9 but came an hour early and we were seated immediately. The ambience was fun, the drinks were good but service was a tad slow. It took forever to get our drinks, but feel like many places are trying to do more with less so it wasn’t a big deal. We ordered the chocolate cake and it was just OK. Fun for a date night or night out with friends.
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JE
JeanetteE
New York Area
3 reviews
2.0
3 reviews
Dined on November 13, 2022
overall2food2service2ambience3
I'll start off by saying very disappointing. Alcohol is overpriced especially for the wine pours. Cheeseboard was just okay, but also overpriced. For the Speak easy atmosphere their looking for which is quite nice, it was extremely loud. Service was very slow, not sure if they were shorthanded or not.
Harold Black - AnnapolisResponded on May 25, 2023
Thank you so much for reaching out with your feedback. We always strive to provide a stellar dining experience for each of our guests and I apologize that this was not the case for you. We’d love to make it up to you and have sent you a private note. Cheers,
Is this helpful?
JC
JuanitaC
Washington DC
7 reviews
2.0
7 reviews
Dined on November 12, 2022
overall2food2service1ambience4
Cute speakeasy but the service was terrible! The waiters were friendly but were slammed and there were only two bartenders to serve far too many customers. We waited forever for our drinks. The music was so loud, it was impossible to have a conversation. I would like to try it on a weeknight to see if it would be less crowded and more enjoyable.
Harold Black - AnnapolisResponded on May 25, 2023
Thank you so much for reaching out with your feedback. We always strive to provide a stellar dining experience for each of our guests and I apologize that this was not the case for you. We’d love to make it up to you and have sent you a private note. Cheers,
Is this helpful?
MN
MadelineN
Philadelphia
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 3, 2022
overall5food4service4ambience5
Date night out. Cool vibes, great bartenders…food not the best just ok
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NJ
NJfoodie
Washington DC
16 reviews
vip
4.0
16 reviews
Dined on October 30, 2022
overall4food3service3ambience5
Annapolis so needed a speakeasy like this, but it's obviously in its infancy. The atmosphere is amazing, reminding us of cocktail dens in NYC and London. The drinks were exceptional, but the drink menu needs to be more extensive and the food more refined given the price point. The meat and cheese boards were good quality, but very uninspiring in presentation. Our server was new and uninformed about the nuances of the menu, but very attentive. We will definitely return and look forward to the staff perfecting the experience.
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RZ
RickZ
Washington DC
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on October 29, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had a lovely time. The decor was super-interesting and our server Hannah was delightful.
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RF
RareFoodie
Minneapolis
14 reviews
vip
3.0
14 reviews
Dined on October 22, 2022
overall3food5service5ambience3
The place actually should not be on OpenTable because it’s a bar, not a restaurant!! We booked this with the expectation that we were going to an Italian restaurant, which is how it’s described. That said, the drinks and snacks were very good! The service was decent, but the space was kind of quirky and insanely loud!
Harold Black - AnnapolisResponded on May 25, 2023
Thank you so much for reaching out with your feedback. We always strive to provide a stellar dining experience for each of our guests and I apologize that this was not the case for you. We’d love to make it up to you and have sent you a private note. Cheers,
Is this helpful?

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Digital, disposable or sanitized menu provided
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily

Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

Harold Black - Annapolis is rated 4.2 stars by 42 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Oct 4, 2023

7:00 PM

236 Main St, Annapolis, MD 21401

Additional information

Cross street
located directly below acqua al 2 ( entrance on school st )
Neighborhood
Annapolis
Hours of operation
Wed, Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–12:00 am Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–12:30 am
Cuisines
Italian, Cocktail Bar
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
Street Parking
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Wine

Website
http://www.haroldblack.com/
Phone number
(410) 304-3353
Private party facilities
featuring a private room for seating up to 100 as well as full bar buyouts, harold black is the perfect place to host your event. our experienced event team will help create the perfect experience. To learn more inquire here or call us at 410.304.3353

Harold Black - Annapolis

Make a reservation

Additional information

Menu

What 42 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing

Screening

FAQs

How is Harold Black - Annapolis restaurant rated?

Is Harold Black - Annapolis currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information