Black's Bar & Kitchen

My son and I had a really nice meal at Black’s Bar & Kitchen in Bethesda. We ordered the Addie’s mussels and blackened chicken sandwiches with fries — everything was fresh and flavorful. The mussels were tender and came in a delicious broth, and the chicken sandwiches had a nice kick without being too spicy. The fries were crispy and well-seasoned. The atmosphere was relaxed but upscale, and the staff was friendly and checked in just enough. It was a comfortable space to enjoy a meal and talk.

Having loved my previous visit with friends, I was thrilled to return with my husband, and he enjoyed it just as much! We were seated almost immediately upon arrival and were happily accommodated with an outdoor table on such a lovely, breezy day. Our waiter offered excellent recommendations, and the servers were prompt in bringing out our dishes. The entire staff was professional, and the atmosphere was fantastic. Most importantly, the food was outstanding, especially the dessert. And I can't emphasize enough that the oysters are a must-try! I wholeheartedly recommend this place for any special occasion.

We stopped here for dinner on a Saturday evening in December prior to seeing a show at the Bethesda Theater. We looked on Google maps for something within walking distance of the hotel that served seafood. We sat at the bar and were greeted immediately by a bartender. We ordered a couple drinks and shared mussels and shrimp tacos. Everything was very good. That mussel sauce was delicious. The bartenders were very attentive and pleasant. The atmosphere was upbeat and lively but not loud. Prices were comparable to other similar restaurants we have been to. I would come here again for sure.

Loved their oysters and burger! My friends had ribeye and they love md it too! Great selection of wines too! Very fast and friendly service!

We’ve walked by so many times in the past but never stopped in. If we only knew what we had been missing we would have come here sooner. Upscale, quality food, trendy, and relaxing. Don’t be fooled by the name which suggests a lower end establishment. Even the bar area looked like a great spot for a meal or drinks with friends.

Top-notch restaurant with savory food. I had the Dayboat Scallops and they were amazzzeballs! Unfortunately no Jambalaya as it is seasonal but the chef still send us a lil sample which was great.

Update: Its awful that I have to downgrade one of my favorite restaurants, but the mosquitoes are making it impossible to enjoy a meal. It’s unfortunate because when they come to town this a place I like them to experience. But the most recent trip was so bad because that I literally walked to the CVS around the corner to buy insect repellent in order to make it through the meal. And I was sitting inside! I’m not sure why this is a problem, but I’m hoping that management gets this under control soon. Wow. This was an all around great dining experience. We were seated quickly and within just a few minutes we had our drinks. We had the Up and Cumber and the Old Fashion. Both were excellent. We also had salads, calamari, and the mussels—all delicious. The oysters were so good that we had 3 orders… 18 between 2 people and I could have eaten more! Shout out to our Jazmyn, our server, who was on top of everything. I’ll definitely be returning soon.

Came here this past Saturday for dinner and had a great experience. Had prior reservations so we were seated right away, on the bar side at a high top. For starters, would recommend the Crispy Shrimp Tacos (comes with 3 tacos) and the House Cornbread (or served as a side dish). For entrees, both the Pan Seared Day Boat Scallops and Grilled Blackened Chicken Sandwich (add guacamole and bacon) were delicious!! For desserts, the Chocolate Truffle Torte was okay—very chocolate-rich and thick texture. I’ll have to come back again to try their other dishes!

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.

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 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. 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.

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

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 =)

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.

I recently visited Black's Kitchen and Bar during their happy hour, and it was a great experience! The atmosphere was vibrant and welcoming, perfect for unwinding after a long day. The staff were friendly, attentive, and ensured that my needs were met promptly. The happy hour specials were fantastic, offering a great variety of drinks and appetizers at reasonable prices. The cocktails were expertly crafted and delicious, with my personal favorite being the strawberry basil martini. The food was equally impressive; the tacos were juicy and flavorful, and the mussels were also a hit. And you can't go to a raw bar and not indulge in some fresh oysters *chefs kiss* Overall, Black's Kitchen and Bar exceeded my expectations. It's the perfect spot for a relaxed and enjoyable happy hour with friends. I'll definitely be returning soon!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The food is always great!! The menu has terrific standards and creative specials. One of our favorites.

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.

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

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 ...

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.

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!

My wife and I ate here last night for the first time. We won't be coming back. Looking to have a nice date night, we felt rushed throughout the meal culminating in our entrees being brought to us when we were only halfway through our salad. The pork chop ($35) was very fat and unappetizing. The scallops were better and both salads we had (beet and blueberry/fig) were both okay but heavy on the dressing. As quickly as the plates came, they were slow to leave and stacked up on the table. A disappointing night.

I used to live in the Bethesda area for 20+ years, and enjoyed Black's very much. I moved to Florida 9 years ago, but returned this week for a family gathering, so I thought I would check this restaurant out again. What a disappointment. Tried the Shrimp Cocktail. Had to send it back. Not only were the shrimp undersized, but they tasted old and of freezer burn and turned to mush when I bit into them. The waiter was nice. No charge. In its place, I ordered the Oysters Rockefeller in its place. Not prepared the traditional way. They were covered by a large clump of bread crumbs and cheese (with an occasional fleck of spinach) and appeared to have been thrown under a broiler to cook. Unfortunately, while the cheese and breadcrumbs melted into a cohesive ball, the oyster itself was uncooked and sat in a puddle of water. The main courses were ok, but in no respects remarkable. When the waiter brought me the check, I noticed that I had been charged a penalty surcharge for using a credit card. When I complained that this surcharge fee policy was not previously brought to my attention, I was directed to some small print at the bottom of one of the pages on the menu. I looked at them with incredulity and advised that I would not be returning. The "Black's" restaurant that I had once known, with delicious food and service that made me feel welcomed no longer exists.

Had a nice time the , the service was excellent And my scallops were amazing. The ambience is semi casual.

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.

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.

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.

Black's is a the standard for happy hours over the years. Drinks and HH drinks are fabulous. I'm quite addicted to the cauliflower hh dish and the nachos! Good assortment to hh drinks and bar snacks, you really can't go wrong. Service is great and you I've heard they have the best tap water in the metro DC area, although I'm usually taking advantage of the hh specials.

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!

Great food and nice place to have a decent meal. High end establishment matched the delicious food. Extensive wine menu too.

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.

Oyster and mussels were good and that is the real reason why I gave 2 stars. A member of my party ordered a chicken sandwich that came out raw. We made the server aware, they took the sandwhich and said they would correct the issue. Well a few minutes later they came back with the same piece of chicken that I had taken a bite out of, cooked. Which only leads me to believe they removed the chicken from the sandwich and placed it on a cooking surface to finish cooking, I don't know about you but seems extremely unsanitary to me. Never experienced that before in my life.

My friend and I decided to meet here for a friend date. This spot is located in like downtown Bethesda area and it was super cute. I enjoy the ambiance in the restaurant and it was definitely romantic vibes. The drinks were really good and the food was amazing. It did take a long time for us to get our food but it was worth the wait. We did go during a busy time. I had fried calamari as well and it was amazing. My friend and I end up taking some cute pictures inside. So if you looking for a spot with good food and Ig worthy pictures come here. I did end up ordering food for homeless guy that was begging outside and I hope enjoy the steak.

Had an incredible experience at Black's for happy hour. The servers were so nice and friendly. Everything we ordered was delicious. I definitely recommend the calamari, duck nachos, and shrimp tacos. Can't wait to go back! The cake was delicious!

This is my favorite restaurant in Bethesda. The food and drinks here are amazing. The oysters were really good and fresh. The calamari was crispy and cooked well. The old fashioned cocktail was one of the best cocktails I've had in a while. It had just the right amount of sweetness. I also really liked the steak, which was cooked well. The service was good too and I would definitely come back.

Unfortunately was disappointed. My partner ordered a steak which was way overdone. I don't normally send food back but had to this time. They returned with a near raw steak which was essentially inedible. If you cared enough for your costumers and the quality of food you serve that would never have happened.

I had folks from my work team come into Bethesda for meetings. We managed to get 10 folks from our team to agree to dinner and I was put in charge of planning where we were going to eat. All of us are scattered around the US so there was a lot of coordinating to be done. I had Black's and Woodmont Grill to choose from. Everyone decided on Black's as there menu had more options. None of us had ever been here before. It was absolutely amazing and worked out even better than we expected. The food, the service, the whole atmosphere. My husband and myself will definitely be going back. It's worth us driving 2 hours from Stephen's City, VA.

This is our second time visiting the establishment. Food again was delicious but our server and the employees are never courteous. Our server was a bit standoffish and never came to check to see how we were doing during our lunch. Our water was never refilled. Due to lack of employee interaction and nonchalant energy, I don't think I'll be returning.

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!

Wow! We happened to come here because the spot we went to had a long wait. Saw the menu outside and we decided to give it a try. Boy are we glad we did! Ambiance was great! We sat on the bar side To start we had Crispy North Atlantic Calamari and Chesapeake Oysters. Calamari had a little kick to it but was very flavorful . They oysters are super fresh and came with lemon wedge and two condiments(mignonette and cocktail sauce) which had a a little kick to it. For our entrees we had the 3 Crispy Shrimp tacos which where light and filling. The steak Frites a la Blacks was tender (ordered medium temperature) and flavorful. Comes with a chimichurri sauce on top. The roasted asparagus was crispy and yummy, and so were the shoestring fries. Even my kids liked it. Lastly the Wood Grilled cheeseburger which we added bacon to was mouth watering - good. Lastly we couldn't leave without dessert. We got the peach tart and cheesecake. Those I did manage to take a picture before we all dove in. Highly recommend. We will be back for sure!

Food was excellent. Our server Felix was great. The only minus was the front desk host today that needs customer service training. She could not have been worse if she tried!

Food, outstanding. Wood roasted fish and asparagus, oysters, fried cauliflower, shrimp tacos. All amazing. My wife's Bronzino was perfect. The shrimp tacos (everybody does them, right?) were the best I've EVER had. The fried chili cauliflower was just perfect. Their wine by the glass was not the cheapest we've seen, but the choices were spot on pairings with the food. Anyone in Bethesda should try this place. It felt like a celebratory dinner.

Ugh! Maybe 3 of us should have sent back our seafood stews, but that would mean the pork chop eater would be eating her pork chop alone & watching the 3 of us eat whatever we'd have re-ordered. Why? The seafood stew was SO SPICY! And not just flavorful spicy, but HOT spicy. The menu didn't suggest that at all. Neither did our server. Diners need to be better informed. Drinks & pork chops ( big, juicy chop) we're good, but beware of the seafood stew. !

***4.5*** Wow. What a nice treat to be able to vist and dine at this bar and restaurant. I was meeting with a few colleagues and they selected this place. Black's feature an exterior patio which is great for socializing and dining outside. The inside is very nice. A decent size bar featuring a variety of spirits...especially bourbons and whiskeys. The menu features two of my new favorite dishes, the Cowboy Steak and the seafood stew. The bartenders are truly masters as they crank out some of the finest mixed drinks around. You know I tried the long Island Ice Tea. It was exactly as I would like it made. The bourbons were smooth. Customer service was excellent. Highly recommend if you are in or passing by the Bethesda Row. Bon Apetit.

My colleague suggested we do happy hour at Black's Bar & Kitchen near Bethesda Row. When I arrived, I was disappointed that there were no tables available in the patio and was told that the only happy hour drink specials were discounted house wine and happy hour food specials were 2 for 1 oysters. Our server Marco was friendly and attentive. My colleague enjoyed a glass of House White Wine, Assorted Dozen of Oysters with Cocktail Sauce, Horseradish, and Lemon, and Crispy North Atlantic Calamari. I tried the Calamari, I didn't like how the creole seasoning was present in both the batter and tartar sauce. I enjoyed the Barrel Aged Spiced Old Fashioned, half dozen of Pickering Pass Oystees with Mignonette and Lemon, and French Onion Soup. The broth was flavorful but a bit peppery at times.

I'm not rating the food. I hope it's great... My sister and I went for happy hour. We went directly there because I was pretty sure it was going to be a nice place to have a cocktail. We were wrong. To start, the hostess was somewhat dismissive. Surely everyone has their off days but it was early in the shift and the beginning hour of happy hour. What I did notice though was when we sat at the bar and my sister asked what beers were on draft she was referred to the printed menu. I used to tend bar and if I only have three beers on draft I would certainly let the person know, and give a description rather than tell them to read it for themselves. So we ended up ordering from the cocktails. We asked a couple of questions and the answers were so vague. we just decided to take a stab at what they had to offer. My bourbon martini had big flakes of ice after being vigorously shaken, and had no flavor of bourbon at all. It was some tasty OJ though. My sister's "strawberry basil" martini has zero evidence of basil. Zero. The alcohol content of either one of these drinks I would've ordered for a table full of kids had I not known that there was supposedly alcohol in them. Any potential chitchat to try to get better service with the bartender resulted in a stiff arm of an attitude that seem to suggest that I was in the way. The place was at 15% capacity and I don't understand how two people who were there to pretty obviously spent some money were treated like we were there just a dirty up the dishes. I dunno. I really expected more but got so much less than that that I went to leave this review. By the way, here is my sister's commentary that made it through the voice to text: "The garnishes were clunky. The service was hostile, and we got out of there as quickly as we could." We went across the street to Seventh State and got what we were looking for!

Poor service (the waitress literally tried to ignore us...), and the other one did us a favor when servicing us . Corn bread was frozen inside ... I would not come back

Came here on a date with my fiancé and it was just an ok experience. Nothing to say "wow". Maybe because I was excited to be in Maryland visiting I had high expectations for the restaurants around here? But food was okay. I got a burger and my fiancé got scallops.

A fun time with some good and bad and no ugly. We sat at the bar. Good: The bartenders were very good. The flatbread dan calamari appys were good, although some marinara sauce would be a good option. Bad: The pork chop was dry. Not many places serve a pork chop, so I assume it's special. The broccolini and grilled asparagus were good. The margarita was only fair. In fairness, I edited the recipe, but no $20 drink should be subpar.

My second time here and it never disappoints. I do not think the brunch is open yet. Came for a late lunch. Grabbed a dozen oysters- chose two locals from Chesapeake and Virginia. One was very large and meaty and the other Briney. Both very good. Had the prime ribeye as my main with spinach- medium rare. Cooked to perfection. Location is perfect in downtown Bethesda.

My sister was in town from Philly so we were looking for some good eats locally. We came across this American bar and restaurant searching on the Yelp app. Ok reviews, but we figured we still give it a shot anyway since the ambience and pictures of food looked really modern and aesthetically pleasing. We didn't make reservations but had the option of sitting in the bar or cafe. We chose the latter and were greeted by the friendliest server. We ordered the cauliflower and fried oyster for appetizers. The cauliflower was 5/5- cooked to perfection with a tangy, sweet teriyaki sauce. On the other hand, the fried oyster was 3/5- could've been fried harder and lacked some flavor; however the dipping sauce was tasty. I ordered the seafood stew for my entree and my sister and I shared the cornbread. The stew was 5/5- good tomato sauce with plenty of flavor without being salty. The seafood consisted of shrimp, mussels, salmon, squid, spinach, potatoes and bread. They put a lot of meat and not much filler (potatoes, spinach, bread) in the stew which is a major plus. My sister and I had a wonderful experience. She ordered the scallops, potatoes and spinach; It was tasty and cooked to perfection but somewhat tepid. Our food came out fast, our food was good and our server was extremely friendly and attentive!