Black’s Bar & Kitchen

My first time to this restaurant, and wow, what an amazing meal. Food tasted so fresh and flavorful, and the portions were pretty generous, too. I can 100% recommend this place!
Summary of my dining experience:
The highlights of my meal were the mussels and the shrimp and avocado salad. They had 3 mussel appetizer options, and I chose one with tomato and garlic broth (sorry I can’t remember the name). The sauce was so delicious, very balanced and flavorful… it also had a slight peppery taste, but not spicy. Mussels were fresh and there were lots of them! The shrimp and avocado salad was superb; the bed of greens, the avocado, grapefruit and grilled shrimp and the dressing were all very fresh and delicious.
We also enjoyed our order of a dozen oysters.
I ordered a couple glasses of the prosecco; very good wine and very generous pour, too (maybe 5 ounces)
Service was fine; no complaints… but it is the delicious food that makes me want to come back again.

My mother suggested that I take them out to dinner for my father’s birthday. Then she demurred, saying that it would be a waste of money. This was a test, and I knew better than to fall into her trap, so I insisted.
The balmy April night began with my mom barging in through the glass doors «Go help your father. I abandoned him.» I wondered if she meant for the moment or forever. Turns out she meant during the parking process. I went outside to find him struggling with the parking meter. He asked if he did it right and [surprise of the century] he did.
After that was resolved and we were seated, I asked the sommelier for «dry white wine» suggestions. She quickly veered towards a page of selections with triple digit prices, unaware that we are the type of family that hoards butter from Panera. I steered us back to the bargain bin with a selection that was perfectly fine. After the first sip my parents expressed amazement that white wine is served cold. I don’t know if Black’s or I can take credit for this Spring awakening.
As always, the free bread basket was another element of amazement. They inhaled the selection with urgency and efficiency. My mother loudly contemplated asking for another basket, hoping the waiter would overhear /​understand Chinese. My father dismissed the idea and then immediately asked the server for more bread. somehow playing the role of good cop and bad cop simultaneously.
The appetizers: Thai mussels and shrimp & avocado salad were probably the highlights of the meal. The mussels had a complex, rich flavor accentuated by peanuts, herbs, and rice. There was plenty of broth, though by this time the second bread basket was decimated and we resorted to drinking it with a spoon. The salad was bright and refreshing.
Of the entrees, (we ordered the scallops, duck, and ribeye), the steak was the most disappointing. The advertised weight must include the plate. It looked like a regular ribeye, but with one-​third sliced off laterally. It also had a toughness that belied it’s «wagyu» origin. For the price, I probably would not order again.
We asked the waiter if the cauliflower was greasy (as it oftentimes is when fried) and she said no. It was incredibly greasy. But it was good and we ate the whole thing, which revokes our right to complain. The omnipresent «brussel sprouts with bacon» was also available. This dish is so overdone waiters might as well ask diners «tap? or bottled? or brussel sprouts with bacon???»
By the end of the night my parents were drunk from cold white wine, and I was exhausted from my role as American-​culture ambassador and the realization that I fell into her trap after all.

You know a fantastic restaurant when your party decides to go there twice in one day! We originally made reservations for a party of 12 but had an activity and time ran short so at first just got drinks at the bar and appetizers. The calamari and soft shell crab was so amazing, that we all decided to come back for dinner after our event. The hostess was so accommodating I couldn’t believe it. They made room to accommodate our party two hours later with no fuss. We returned and our party ended up growing to around 16. It was large but so extremely comfortable with a large table up front, but felt somewhat private.
Our server was very knowledgeable about the menu and provided suggestions. The only thing I would change would be to have more than one server for our table. There were long periods of waiting in between course orders because she was handling our table and others.
We started with oysters which were some of the best I’ve had in the city! I decided to order appetizers instead of an entrée, but it was more than enough. The duck nachos really blew my mind. I also had the mussels with frites which surprised me that it was on the bar menu. It was delish, had bacon/​pancetta and a really robust sauce that I couldn’t help but drink with the mussels. I really thought it would have been more like tapas for $ 12 – 15 a piece, but they both were shared with others at the table it was so much food! The corn bread was ok, but the honey butter was worth writing home about… yum!
We had such an amazing night and closed down the restaurant. I can’t thank the staff for being so accommodating and compliments to the chef. I usually eat in downtown DC, but this is a restaurant worth the trip, especially for a fun night out!

Came here while I was in town on an interview with some other interviewees. Only got a picture of my oysters– but EVERYTHING was soooo good. I had the pork chop and truffle Mac and cheese, along with a drink I don’t remember the name of but I like a lot. Nice atmosphere, the waiters were very good (mine recommended three types of oysters for me and arranged them from least to most salty so I would get a good variety). Would definitely come back if I ever make my way back to the Bethesda area.

Evening with the team from Virtustream. 8 people. Great evening and great staff. Had the ribeye. It was cooked to perfection. Will return.

I heard rave reviews about Black’s especially the brunch that they offer on the weekends.
So, special occasion, beautiful day, why not give it a go?
Alright, on Woodmont Ave in Bethesda, pretty easy to spot from the road, due to the outdoor seating and fairly large signage. Parking is on the street or in the nearby garages. We lucked up and found something on the street– I’m uncertain of the rates in the garage.
Once inside, the restaurant is just beautiful! I loved the set up, it was open and not overly crowded, There was a nice sized dining area as well as a nice sized bar area.
The brunch; although, one may consider pricey, comes with a lot. The unlimited option comes with the unlimited raw bar, hot line, the sweets, salads and several drink options. You also have the option of just getting the raw bar, the hot line (bling) or simply ordering from the menu.
For me, the raw bar was just simply a winner, think oysters, shrimp, calamari, salmon, etc. etc. etc. Everything was über fresh and seasoned to perfection. I can’t say that there wasn’t one thing on that bar that I tried that I didn’t enjoy. The stand outs for me were the swordfish, and the grilled calamari. Simply amazing!
After taking a wee bit of a breather, I tried the hot line which had an omelet station, prime rib, cheese grits, a craw fish benedict, a variety of meats and veggies.
The choices for the omelet were intense– from various veggies, meats and cheeses. I tried an egg white omelet, and it just didn’t hit the spot for me. I was less than please with the prime rib too, I think parts of it were a wee bit underdone for my liking. The flavors were alright though. The sausage was awesome, the cheese grits were phenomenal, they went up to just outstanding when I added the craw fish from that benedict to them. The french toast was nice and fluffy, and needed minimal syrup.
The dessert table had bite sized dessert which I totally dug. The peanut butter cheese cake was a winner, as was the almond bear claw.
All and all, the fam bam had an outstanding time. The food was great, the service was great, (Haaaaayyyy Kyle!) I’d totally come back if I’m in the area, and I want to eat until my food baby forms.

My family and I were restaurant hopping and came here for our second restaurant for the day. At every restaurant we tried ordering small plates. I ordered the duck nachos which turned out to be quite good. It’s loaded with duck, cheese, green/​spring onion. Very tasty. My grandmother ordered a salad which we thought would be small but it turned out to be huge.
The one thing I ordered that I have to rave about is the raspberry red pepper ice cream. Sounds crazy but it works!

My first choice was to go across the street, but went to Black’s instead. While it took me a while to find the right menu item for me, I had a great pork chop and mashed potatoes, which was good. It had a nice seasoned, smoky flavor. I like the dining room layout because while it has booths and tables you can see across the entire room.

I always pick a new spot to brunch at for the holidays. This yr Blacks was chosen for Easter. I had made 11:45am reservation but opted to sit at the bar instead (my first choice anyway). I was super pleased with my pick of this place for two reasons… first reason: Bottomless Champagne Cocktails, 5 different delicious champagne concoctions. I loved them all, the honeysuckle being my favorite with the champagne sangria a close second… second reason: the crab legs and the steamed shrimp on the raw bar. Delicious!!!

It was decided we would come to Black’s Bar & Kitchen for my birthday dinner and, having never eaten here, I was excited to find out why our friends decided this would be the place for my day. They made reservations for a Friday evening and off we went.
We were given a table for six, but instead of the standard rectangle «three chairs on one side, three on the other,» it was circular, making it much more conducive for group conversation. It takes up a little more space in the restaurant, but I love this concept. We looked over the wine lists, drink lists and menus as our awesome and attentive waiter gave us a run-​down of the specials (he was on-​point the whole evening with excellent service).
Everyone wanted to order various appetizers to share so we enjoyed oysters and Addie’s mussels, the latter which were plentiful and delicious. I could’ve easily gotten an order of them just for myself as my meal, a note for next time (yes, there will be a next time). However, I went big and ordered the 12oz Australian Wagyu Ribeye steak and a side of the Truffle Mac n’ Cheese. Long story short, both were excellent and I was completely stuffed by the time the meal ended.
However, since it was my birthday and all, we did get some dessert of assorted mini-​cakes to go, some of which somehow didn’t even make it home. I guess I wasn’t that full after all. 4.5 Stars.

After Plan A and Plan B fell through, we found ourselves at this really cool spot, Black’s Bar and Kitchen. This was actually a better fit for everyone because we had ample amount of space and several food and drink options to choose from… and if you know this group, good food and drinks are a must! Mainly seafood options are offered, they have everything from oysters, to mussels. I did see steak and pork-​chops on the menu.
Dimly lit, Black’s has a very sexy and sophisticated vibe. So much so, instead of paper towels in the ladies room, they have actual towels to wipe your hands. Fancy! While at the table, my attention kept being drawn toward the wall with a mural of life like trees. Pretty cool décor.
The service was really good, considering it was about 12 of us at the table. Usually with a crowd like this paying would be an issue, but our server handled it with ease and got all of our requests correct.
On to the food! Everyone’s food looked delicious! Not a complaint at the table and that’s pretty difficult when you’re with a bunch of seasoned Unilocalers. I ordered the Pan Seared Day-​Boat Scallops, accompanied with crawfish, sautéed Swiss chard and whipped potatoes. I was also curious about the truffle mac n’ cheese, so I ordered that too. My scallops were succulent and cooked to perfection. The Swiss chard was seasoned perfectly and had such an amazing flavor. Of course my whipped potatoes were good, but that mac n’ cheese was pretty bland. I’m glutton for punishment because this is my second time ordering mac n’ cheese out and I’ve been highly disappointed. Won’t be ordering that again.
The drinks were flowing, the table was covered with food and we all had a fabulous time. Who knew Plan C would be better than Plan A. Even though he already patted himself on the back (side eye) S/​O goes to Spencer H for suggesting Black’s. Of course, he couldn’t have done the suggesting without Jonathan H and none of this would’ve even been possible without Veronica R’s idea. A fabulous time had by all!

The lovely Veronica R organized a bday HH for her bestie. Only thing was, she had 15 people going to a super popular spot on a Friday with no reservations. Hmmm.#Fail. Here comes Jonathan H and myself to the rescue. Let’s get to restaurant row in Bethesda and try our luck there. Woodmont Grill was another pipe dream but Black’s Bar and Kitchen, which was right across the street, saved the day!
Me and JH walked into this cool, super modern Seafood/​Steakhouse and asked for a table for 15. We could not believe when they said they were able to accommodate… DOPE! Even though their policy is not to seat tables larger than 8 they made an exception for yours truly!
The food and service were both top notch. For appetizers I believe we had everything on the menu (two types mussels, shrimp cocktail, fried and raw oysters). All got rave reviews. I had the Waygu 16oz Ribeye for an entrée (predictable I know), but Ribeyes are my thang, what can I say. Lol The steak was perfect! I had brussel sprouts for a side dish and had a scoop of Veronica R truffle Mac and Cheese. My only negative report was the Mac and Cheese, too soupy for the kid but I guess you can’t do everything right. lol The cocktails were strong and tasty, leaving us all with big smiles on our faces except for the bday girl and Rae M, who had their own reasons to miss out on the adult beverage fun. The rest of our party had everything from roasted chicken to seared scallops and again, everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meals.
The motto of this review is, when all else fails, always bet on Black… I mean, Black’s Bar and Kitchen. Lol!

D & I got together for dinner and drinks and I was totally amazed by Black’s Bar & Kitchen! Where have you been all of my life? As someone who absolutely loves eating seafood and washing it down with a nice drink I mean seriously does it get better than this?! I am so pleased that I went with my gut pun intended (go ahead and laugh) and tried a new place last night.
Here’s what we got:
Drinks: Mojito and Pinot Noir (let’s pause for one second and give thanks to the drinks at this establishment) they did not disappoint. We left feeling like we could conquer the world.
Joey our waiter was incredible, he went over the menu with us and kept it upfront. He helped make our first time memorable. Then this bread basket arrives and that made our eyes pop out. Delicious homemade bread and biscuits served with fluffy whipped butter wow having a moment it was that good.
D & I were mindful at this point not to fill up on the bread. The wait time for our food was perfect it allowed our drinks to kick in and begin the much needed conversation. Next thing you know our entrees were rolling out the kitchen. So my Addie’s mussels were glistening and floating in this delightful garlic, shallot, lemon, and parsley broth AH amazing! I knew the mussels wouldn’t fill me up so I ordered the lip smacking truffle mac n cheese. Here’s what D ordered filet mignon, braised seasonal greens, and truffle mac n cheese. Based on D’s review the filet mignon was decent, wanted it medium well and instead it was a little too dry.
We enjoyed our time at Black’s and I will be back. Thank You Joey for taking care of us. If you are looking for a nice place that only the locals know about then Black’s Bar & Kitchen is your new best friend. Perfect place for girl’s night out, date night, host a business meeting, or simply sit at the bar and indulge. I added pictures to highlight our meal.

Five stars for Black’s Bar & Kitchen. I used to frequent Addie’s before it closed and have dined at Black Market Bistro before (both restaurants owned by the same group as this location), and out of the three I’ve been to, Black’s Bar & Kitchen was definitely the best for atmosphere, food, and service!
We arrived on a Tuesday night and it was packed, but truthfully what restaurant in Bethesda isn’t?! We were seated promptly and our water glasses were filled immediately and our waiter came to introduce himself and offer us a couple minutes to peruse the drink and food menu.
We opted for this delicious bottle of wine for the table, and ordered the Addie style mussels, fried oysters, and a couple of green salads for appetizers. The Addie style mussels were divine, the broth was so delicious and I was so glad they brought over extra bread for us to dip into the broth! The oysters were delicious as well, with just the right amount of breading and not greasy at all. The salad greens were super fresh as well, as I was told since I didn’t eat any.
For entrees, I opted for the Saffron-​Tomato Seafood Stew, while others at my table opted for the market fish of the day (Maryland Rockfish) and Pan Roasted Salmon. I loved my seafood stew, all the seafood was super fresh and the stew had just the right amount of kick to it! And the chive aioli croutons were SO good, I wish I had more of the chive aioli to spread over bread all the time! While I didn’t try anyone else’s dishes, everything seemed to be delicious since everyone was a member of the clean plate club that night!
We were all so stuffed after our meal that we didn’t have room for dessert, but I sure wish I did! I can’t wait to come back here for dinner again or to try out the brunch. Highly recommend!

Black’s and I can be friends again. Since it’s one of my husband’s favorite restaurants we kept returning and service has gotten remarkably better. Brunch rarely ever disappoints and they do a fine job of keeping the raw bar stocked. Maybe skip the mimosas or other champagne cocktail combos because they never seem to taste very good. Must be the type of champagne they use.

Went for happy hour
Good deals on wine of the day $ 5 /​glass and deals on appetizers
Oysters are 2 for 1 and very fresh
Fried calamari is honestly the best I have ever had! Crisp, fresh and not chewy and minimally greasy !!
Mussels were also fresh and terrific
We got the «Addies» style with shallots, tomato garlic and parsley … Again delicious!
Staff was very knowledgeable and attentive!
I look forward to going again!

Here’s how to get happily fat at happy hour:
Unhinge jaw. Inhale all below, and leave both servers and fellow suit and tie patrons staring agape in horror. Lick your lips. Lick the plate. Heck, lick the person sitting next to you. Then run away because you realized no one hangs out in Bathesda on purpose.
–6 Happy Hour Oysters ($ 6.75). Tasty sea snot
–Happy Hour Duck Nachos ($ 10). Delicious, with bbq style juicy pulled duck
–Beet Salad ($ 15). Okay, but beet salads are so 2012. Beet salads on a menu are tackier than a knock off Louie Vuitton at this point.
–Salmon Entrée ($ 33)
–Tres Leches Cake Dessert ($ 11). This was NOT weepy white mush, the way all good tres leches should be. It was a bit too dry.
–Key Lime Pie ($ 11). Someone had fun plating this, I can tell. Soo pretty.

Prosciutto-​wrapped brie appetizer was barely enough food to share between two people. Ambivalent about the truffled mac & cheese. Stout braised cubano is tasty but wildly overpriced for the portion. Trout could’ve been cooked a little less, but fortunately it was saved by a fantastic sweet potato mash. Very sad that the Thai mussels came with so.little.broth. BROTH IS HALF THE FUN AND MUCH OF THE FLAVOR. Fortunately both the crawfish chowder and seared yellowfin loin were flavorful and delicious. Pecan-​crusted fried chicken is rustic and moist.
Happy hour menu is a little limited, and I feel like their cocktails trend too sweet (which leaves me stranded with the limited beer menu), but I’ve been satisfied with the food more often than not. With the aggressive Bethesda pricing, I tend to come in for dinner rather than lunch… especially since they pulled Addie’s fried chicken off their menu! Future hit list: duck breast, seared sea scallops, confit royal trump & shiitake, malt mussel & frites, barbecued duck nachos; salmon hash.

Brunch buffet has an awesome selection of fresh shucked oysters, clams, shrimp, tuna, salmon, roe, mussels, etc!
There’s an omelet station, prime rib, waffles, sausage, bacon, etc.
The yummiest things were the perfectly crispy bacon and the waffles! I tried to resist the waffles because I didn’t want to fill up on it but it was so delicious I had three –_​–
Desserts were whatever. Nothing hit my sweet tooth but I did enjoy the fresh fruit and chocolate chip cookie.
The seafood was definitely so fresh and made the buffet worth it but it was a tad pricey, over $ 40 per person. Thoroughly enjoyed the experience though!

Use to come here quite a bit for its happy hour some 8 years ago. Anyone remember when their bar looked liked a Joe’s Crab Shack way back when it first opened?
Anyways, came here for birthday celebration and glad to see good, service, and upscale main dining room atmosphere hasn’t missed a beat after all of these years.
Addie’s mussels were good (miss Addie’s on the Pike), fried oysters great as was antipasti app. I had their simple grilled branzino fish (striped bass) and was good. Wish they had deboned the fish, like Fiola does. The server was nice for one of our dining companion to order from bar menu (burger with fries). Thanks for that!
Skip the fried Oreos dessert (way too much batter). Great recommendation for celebration dining and happy hour at the bar side area.