Middleton Tavern

Super cool Restaurant/Tavern, food and service are great, we sat outside, the view was great. We were able to see boats in the Marina. This entire section is historic and Beautiful. We also visited the Navel Academy and walked the campus. Well worth the time

Came here almost 20 years ago and the crab balls were just as remembered...DELICIOUS! Excellent location, incredible food, great service. Definitely get the crab balls and try the crab dip burger. Homemade Caesar dressing was spot on, too. Hope to be back sooner than 20 years next time!

great location! right near the water, a great view of everything. service was great, all of the servers and hostesses were super polite and nice. we were seated very quickly, and were given menus while considering dining here. everything came out in a timely manner, fresh and hot! the menu has a good variety of options if you’re not sure what you want. the mussels are a really generous portion, and the sauce is fabulous! the wonton tuna was excellent- loved the wasabi dressing! great food, definitely will be making our way back!

I gave the rating I did due to the food honestly. I got the crab dip burger and my partner got the crab cake. I also ordered the cream of crab soup (soup of the day it was) anyway my partner liked his crab cake. However I found my burger to be really bland. Even with the dip. Nothing made it that great. Our server was awesome tho. We sat at the smaller side tables outside so that was cool. Just wish there was more flavor in my burger and dip.

I couldn’t even bring myself to order after visiting the restroom and coming across a 2” American roach! After seeing this little guy (bugs don’t typically bother me) I got looking around… the ceiling was covered with black dust and visible different colored molds. I found nothing wrong with service or staff. Very friendly! But the place itself could use pest control and a good deep clean.

We had a great lunch at Middleton Tavern. We sat outside at this very historic tavern dating back to 1750. We had to try the raw oysters, which are local from the Chesapeake bay. They were excellent! Super fresh! My wife had the crab cake sandwich. She loves crab and said this was one of the best she has had. Fresh lump crab. I had the stacked roast beef sandwich which was also very good. Service was good, not rushed.

There was nothing special about today's lunch. My grilled cheese sandwich was overly greasy, on one side (the top side looked perfect). The "breading" on the fried green tomatoes had no taste, and they were placed on the plate, in a manner you would expect at a place with Grade D but edible food; four, lackluster sices, plopped on random lettuce slices [The lettuce made no sense as they looked like a few strands of scraps from a previous customer's plate]. The Tomatoe's taste was similar to a sweet mini pizza that a child might make for their afternoon snack covered in shredded cheese - definitely not worth the $15 (or $18) i spent. That made me really sad because every previous visit was amazing. The photo was withheld to save you the embarrassment, but my description should be sufficient! The server was on point. He was attentive and present. The oysters were presented nicely but approximately a 3 out of 5. The crabcake was great. Its taste was superior to the one we had at Bridges a few days ago. The fireplace was wonderful.

Ordered the mussels and kids chicken tenders and fries. The food was average, the ambiance inside was kind of weird. The service was fine. Not a place I’d probably come back to.

"Tired" Drinking Establishment with Good Oysters Apart from the tavern's 275-year history in Annapolis, Middleton's main distinction is that it remains a tired bar for weekend tourists. The tavern features Oyster Shooters with a Natty Boh chaser and turn of the century tables on its front patio with views of Ego Alley. Not going to win any James Beard awards and likely a one and done stop for this local.

This was the first little local spot by the water I went to being in Annapolis . Let's get into it . ( as a Oakland girly that loves seafood ) Sooo parking is hit or miss it's right by the water. Very touristy but also local spot . And I say that to say because of the vibe you get once walking around the waterfront and into the restaurant. But from the outside it's a big old brick building. We saw the menu on the outside and said let's go . Now here's my thing . I only came here for 3 things . lol so for my first experience I enjoyed my meal . I got dozen oysters which were fresh plump creamy oysters way bigger than I expected but highly appreciated lol . I got a Bloody Mary which was also made very nice the right amount of everything . And fries which came out first and were fresh hot ! Crisp . Simple but satisfying. I'd come back for what I know I want lol . Reading others reviews and also getting the vibe inside that it's a local spot that some of the entrees might be bland or simple .... I'd say they have great bar service the oysters are fresh drinks and apps are good ! Also the inside has an old school vibe inside that matches the outside but has a lot of vintage items all over it was cool to see so much I didn't even take pictures I wish I did ! This place gives local pub by the water . For my first time ( during lunch hours ) I'd come back next time I'm out there .

This place was so great in the past. You walk in now and it smells of cleaning supplies. The food was just okay. The pasta was mushy. The vegetables were not fresh. The meat was okay. We used to go out of our way to go here. No more. So sad.

Stopped in one afternoon while in town with friends for a break from the days heat, a little lunch and a cold libation. We were seated inside by the hostess walking in. An old landmatk eatery. This place is popular with the locals, service was friendly, professional and kind. Our server brought us all water glasses and then took our drink orders while we perused the paper menus. We started with a dozen of the house oysters and the fried Calamari. The oysters were fresh and flavorful but the shucker did not cut the membrane, making them difficult to eat. The calamari was okay, a bit tough though. I opted for the fish and chips, a single piece of beer battered Haddock with a small portion of both slaw and fries and some tartar. The fish was okay, not great but okay. The slaw was a tiny serving, and the same with the french fries. At the price paid, it felt short changed with the single piece of fish and minimal sides. It served its purpose for that moment but to leave still hungry, a let down. 3 Stars - it served its purpose but there are better options in the area. 01096

Recently dined at Middleton Tavern with a friend. The restaurant was pretty empty because we went for lunch in the middle of the week and it still look quite some time for a hostess to seat us. Once we were seated our server was friendly and efficient. We sat outside on the water and had a great view of the boats. The food was tasty. I got a lemon crush and she got the skinny dip (sweet tea vodka and lemonade). We shared a bunch of appetizers including the steamed shrimp, crab dip, steamed mussels, and a side of fries.

The history and location are what brought us to the Middleton Tavern. We ate here about 30 years ago and remember a great time. Not much has changed since that first visit. The crab meat sandwich was served with broken potato chips and a dry, uninspired bun. It could have been elevated with kettle chips and a brioche bun at least. The Ruben sandwich was good. The beer was tasty. Overall, the servers were awesome. Cheerful, attentive and engaging service. The patio/porch is a great place to enjoy a drink and watch the happenings in town. The ambiance inside is dark and dusty. Everything needed a freshening. There's a difference between historic and tired.

The 2,5 star surprised me! I was going to give 5 star... I like the ambience, fire place, decoration... It's very authentic and historical place! . The waiter who look after us was really nice! Kind helpful and with smiling face! . I like the oysters! Fried oysters was different but ok. My cocktail was under expectation! The other thing was ok. But service and the ambience that I like about the place...

Was okay. Was one of the first places I tried in Annapolis. Got the Crab Dip and Caesar Salad with Lump Crab. The Crab Dip was great. The Crab on the salad was great, but overall, it was a little underdressed. Came back a second time (the same week) and waiter told me they were out of salad? Eventually, I got a salad and then they forgot my Seared Tuna. She never poured us any water. We had to go to her stand and do it ourselves. Not the best service.

...if nothing else, feel free to come here for oyster shooters. Unfortunately, that is all I have to say about this location. Jay, the server, was decent. The food, my grilled Ceaser salad wrap, was also decent. That -- is about it. I'm usually more detailed with my reviews, but this place didn't give me much to review. Bland if you will, subpar if you will. More than likely, I will not be returning. There's plenty of other spots in downtown Annapolis that are better than this establishment, if you're looking for Annapolis dining.

Cool tavern. Nice outdoor seating. Food is good and not too expensive at happy hour. Service is slow but friendly. Decent tap list. Kid friendly. A place worth checking out.

I was headed to a Hip-Hop yacht cruise along with my friend and chose this place to get a small snack and the recommendation was crab balls and I was not disappointed! And that bread! Our server was awesome and friendly, can't remember his name, but I'll be back!! I want to explore other menu items!

We were just at this location waiting to be seated. The waitress that was sitting patrons outside (she was short with black hair in a ponytail) was extremely rude, to the patrons already seated and towards a coworker. In addition to this, when my husband asked about a table, she was rude, shouting at us and even told us "there are other restaurants out there". Now I understand why this place only has 2.6 star review.

The food was served hot/fresh with friendly, helpful service in an historic structure with great decor and various settings paying homage to the history of the area and the Naval Academy.

I only came to this place for the recommendation of the famous oyster shoots and I highly recommend it, great combination but I recommend ordering several, the atmosphere is typical of an American tavern and the place has years and a lot of history anthe super friendly staff! I recommend sitting at the bar

Middleton Tavern is a great location and ambiance. That said if I'm going to spend $100 for two people I can find a better place. First we were taken to an empty side room and told we could pick a table. We picked the only table for two that was set up. I liked the smoked bluefish (with ritz crackers and horseradish--authentic), but the fried oysters were encased in quite a solid thick crust it was hard to taste the oyster unless you pulled off half the coating. The fried green tomatoes should be labeled eggplant Parmesan because those were the dominant features (I assume the bottom was a green tomato but can't say for sure). There are so many places to try in Annapolis. For the price and quality I'll try some different next time.

We came to Annapolis for a day to walk around and grab a bite to eat. Came in on a Friday, and the place was pretty empty. We ordered a burger with fries and steamed mussels. The burger was okay, but the mussels were not. There was very little flavor to the broth. There was a very nice size portion of mussels, but they were just not that tasty so I ended up not eating a lot of them. Our server was okay, although we did have to ask for the check more than once, and the attentiveness should have been better with a very empty restaurant.

For history, haunts and hunger - all can be satisfied at the Middleton Tavern! Whether you wish to dine out or in, there's plenty of space. Service is quick and friendly and the menu is stacked with anything you'd expect from a tavern and more! I stuck with the fish and chips as default and because I like to test out that dish for a first time visit. The fish, chips and slaw were fresh and yummy! As for the haunts, nothing spooky on this visit but apparently there's quite a history of random activity - especially at the bar!

Stopped in on crappy rainy April day . Was cozy warm . Excellent coleslaw. Service was great . Friendly . Had tge fish and chips , very good and arrived hot .

Came here to sit at the bar. The atmosphere is very cool and unique! The crushes here are great. The bartenders were all great and so friendly. They gave us other suggestions on places to go. Their oyster and shrimp shooters were awesome!! We ordered the mussels to much on and they were done just right. So flavorful. I'll be back!

For a place to state on their menu to ask the food server about their extensive whiskey and scotch choices, was perplexed that ordering a Knob Creek Manhattan was something the new bartender had never heard of. Even had to explain to the food server that Knob Creek was a bourbon to use in the Manhattan, not that a Knob Creek Manhattan was some "type" of Manhattan. Oh well. I guess that's what you should expect when most of their signature cocktails feature Deep Eddy vodka. Beyond that, the tuna appetizer was very good and both our entrees hit the spot. Was shocked to see the 2.5 rating on Yelp post dinner, as Google Maps ( which we used to choose dinner) had them at 4.5 stars.

We sampled the French Dip, a salad, and a kids hot dog from the kids menu. We were readily seated with the lunch crowd. There was a pleasant hustle and bustle, the clink of plates, and a low hum of conversation. Food was excellent and service was pleasant and fast. The cool dining room was a welcome respite from the heat. Outdoor dining was also available. I would definitely visit again.

Family living in Alexandria, VA took us up for a Naval Academy tour...which is well worth the stop. Easy to do in a couple of hours. Staff takes You on carts...minimal walking. Had lunch afterward at the Middleton. The food was fabulous. We decided to start with oyster shooters woth their beer chaser. You can do with or without vodka...do the vodka. Of course, seafood is fresh. I ordered the steamer special off the luncheon menu. They brought them in a big bucket which more than filled my plate. Shared with four others and couldn't finish. Our table asl enjoyed grilled calamari, oysters rockafeller, fish....service was wonderful, Maddy! Maddy L was also sweet. There was so much more to be explored there. Would love to revisit again.

Very bland unseasoned food. The place was empty on Friday night. Only 1 meal of the 4 could be recommended.

Eat here at your own risk. 1/2" of dust on everything. Windows are moldy and the bathrooms were worse than a truck stop. Can't imagine what the kitchen looks like.

Walking through Annapolis and saw Middleton Tavern, we came here because it said established in 1750 so assumed it had to be good for being open that long. Sadly we were a bit disappointed and not sure if they changed the menu but it was super underwhelming. We started with the calamari and it wasn't bad but the sauce it came with just didn't match the atmosphere and wasn't great. I got the tri tip sandwich, and the flavor was decent but the meat was ice cold and the bread was hot so it had a weird overall temp, unsure if that was done on purpose. Fries are not seasoned and ranch is not good. My partner got the Catalina burger and he was a fan of that so maybe I just got the wrong thing. Atmosphere was quirky which I do like but overall was an ok experience.

Went to the Middletown tavern to have a nice dinner before fireworks last night, which didn't work out to be. The hostess at the tavern was the most rude hostess I have ever encounter. She point blank said there was no tables available and told us there was a a 30 minute wait and didn't even write down any info about our inquiring for a table. She had a very disrespectful attitude and should be formally trained on how to be a hostess at a restaurant when it comes to talking to potential customers. I only reason I gave one star is because I had no choice to be able to post this comment.

Unfortunately the food here was incredibly BAD. 0 stars for the food, but 1 star because I feel really bad for the servers who work there :( we ordered fish and chips, oyster shooter and beer. Oyster shooter was ok, but too expensive ($4). Fries were so mooshy, felt like they were 2 day old. Fried fish was also not crispy, fish itself wasn't great either. Cole slaw wasn't fresh at all. The worst part was, we paid $20 for this insensible food. Skip this place spend your money elsewhere

So good!! The crab cakes were amazing our waiter claimed them to be the best in town. Such a cool place you can tell there's a lot of history. Would defiantly go here again!

My son and his family joined me yesterday for lunch at Middleton Tavern. The food was excellent and our server Kathryn was efficient and very friendly. We will definitely be back and hope to have Kathryn wait on us again. Ray Gordon Bel Air, Md.

Ambiance only thing available was sports bar where we were informed could order pizza and tostie out of lunch hours on phone. Got to pub not packed had few people in there. got to the bar and told him we had call and we knew was out of lunch time. Said no pizza tostie only premade and ham and cheese only. not what we were told 30min prior on phone. Places order for tosite and got rushed to paid on the spot not mention of drinks . We asked if could order drinks so had a second transaction with misable blunt and rude (older bar staff) he was not busy and two other there at the bar helping. With the attuide we collected drinks placed them on the bare area table and walked out to find better service. Highly recommend Goolwa saltwater cafe. Great food service thaks for saving the day. Had a fulltime carer with first outing away from person she was caring for in over twelve months. (there was a carer with her) was a chance at restbite.

Very Disappointed. My family and I have been loyal patrons of Middletons, celebrating Christmas Eve which is also my birthday there for the past seven years. We always make our reservations at Thanksgiving, ensuring we secure the table in front of the fireplace for our party of six. This year, I placed a reservation as always and confirmed this same reservation on Monday the 23rd. I was told, "We have your reservation." When we arrived on time, we found that our reservation would not be honored, that a larger party (including the owner of Twains) arrived just before we did, and that our table had been given away to what we could only assume a more profitable party. When questioning this action, we were told we could wait an hour and a half for the reserved table and then offered a table in the hallway by the hostess stand, where the servers gather to talk much too loud, as our only option. I didn't find this a fair way to be treated for loyal patronage and asked to see the manager. When the manager arrived, I was treated with an indifferent and unprofessional attitude: of basically "It sux to be you." I hope that you will take this feedback seriously and consider implementing measures to prevent such incidents in the future. Remember, next time, choose McGarvey's or O'Brian's for good food, service, and adult service staff that values the customer.

I can't review the food or ambiance because the service at the door was horrible. We were asked where we wanted to sit, at a table close to the entrance, or at a table in a corner of the porch. We chose the corner table. As we were waiting for the greeter to escort us, a waiter came up and B took over. As we walked toward the corner, he stopped us at the table I did NOT choose and said "This is good". I said we had chosen the corner table. He said it wasn't available, and this table is good. I stated, "It's good for you but not for me." Without any explanation or reasoning he just walked away. And so did we.

My party was seated immediately, I got a Bloody Mary and a chicken Caesar wrap with chips. Beautiful view fast service and food was good.

Wonderful service and atmosphere! Accommodated our group of 9 for Happy Hour beautifully. Good menu options and fresh seafood!

Ok so a friend recommend it. I believe it has potential to be great. The history is amazing and you can totally see the presidents hanging out here. My wife ordered the caprese salad and the Maryland crab soup. It was just ok. The caprese salad was the best thing we had. I ordered the salmon Oscar it was good but not worth the money. Everything's felt like it had sat on the heater too long. Was disappointed with paying a lot of money for subpar food. Probably won't return to this place.

When I heard about the Middleton Tavern being the oldest bar (established 1750) establishment around, I had to visit for myself. And what a cool place it is. The Tavern was frequented by members of the Continental Congress meeting in the State House on such historic occasions as the resignation of General Washington's commission, December 23, 1783, the ratification of the Treaty of Paris ending the Revolutionary War in January 1784, and the Annapolis Convention which laid the groundwork for the Federal Constitution Convention held the following year in Philadelphia. It was a dreary damp afternoon and only had a few hours, but if I missed this, I would never forgive myself. I wasn't there to eat, just to enjoy an ice cold beer, just as history would have been back in the day. I bellied up to the bar, with only a bartender to greet me. And since I was here for my first time, I had to try a Middleton Oyster Ale. What a delicious ice cold draft beer. I really enjoyed it. After a few pictures of the place and a visit upstairs to see what was up there, I exited to the streets and walked around a little while longer before leaving with a great big grin on my face. Be sure to stop in and let them know I sent you.

We loved this place! Maddie L, took great care of us! The oyster shooters were yummy!! As were the oysters on the half shell. Delicious seafood tower and mussels. Good beer and wine and atmosphere. Check it out; it's worth your time. And it was reasonable (that was a surprise).

Spent the day at the holiday market at the docks with old friends. We decided to have lunch at the Middleton Tavern. It was very busy and the waiter let us know the service would be slow. We ordered a dozen oysters which were fresh and good. I ordered fried green tomatoes it may have been one of the worst things I've ever been served. The breading was dark brown with the taste of old Grease. I still never figured out what they were topped with. Ugh. My husband had an orange crush that was watered down and tasteless. I had pasta Primavera and it was swimming in grease. My hubs had an undercooked crab cake. My friend had fish and chips and again the Grease tasted old. We were seated upstairs near the fireplace and I looked up at the vent and it was encircled with black dust so thick it was actually dripping down. My husband so a live cockroach in the bathroom. The whole place was dirty and could use a scrubbing. We paid $184 for four and felt truly ripped off.

It's a shame, such a great location but the food is mediocre at best and way over priced for what you get. How do you burn fried green tomatoes yet cold when you get them. It is a great place for Music though

Location location location. This is a good bar in a great location. We had catered food for an event, which was good--but I don't know anything about the menu. The service was all it needed to be.

Service was great, food was okay. Lately, DTA restaurants have been severely lacking. My most recent experience with Middleton Tavern was no different. The location is great, and the staff were very accommodating, however, the food was overpriced and "mid". The fried fish tasted obviously frozen, sauces were store bought, and the portions were all small, however the price was not. Maybe visit for the drinks, decor, and history, but skip the food.

The people are great along with the service, mussels and crab cakes! The happy hour menu is worth trying!

First trip to Annapolis in December we found this place. We are here everyday we were here. The place is full of history. It has a great happy hour. The food is good, the place is clean, and the staff is friendly. Just came back to Annapolis and we have already been here twice. I've had the oyster shooters, crab tater tots, and steamed mussels. My son has had the old bay wings and the buffalo wings. Everything has been delicious. We will be back again before we leave. If you are in the area you must stop here!

Jay waiter, he was iight. My corned beef sandwich was mediocre. The oysters really didn't look appetizing and the vibe was giviing...we kinda dont like your people here smh. The bathroom is up like 3 flights of stairs and it's December and the heat wasn't on. My OYSTER SHOOTER was probably my best part!!

AWFUL wedding weekend service!! Discriminatory towards a person with down syndrome and an unbelievably rude staff member. Had my wedding weekend in Annapolis last weekend. On Thursday night, I walked over to Middleton to ask them if they were expecting any large parties over the weekend bc we were planning on sending 50-100 people there for more drinks and live music after our welcome party (no bar tab or event planned or anything...just to go casually and get some drinks). When I approached the door, one of the employees comes out and just screams, "we're closed!" When I proceeded to ask my question about the weekend, he responded "I don't care who you are or who you come with, you can wait in line like everybody else." I literally wasn't asking for any special favors or treatment...I was only asking if they were expecting other large parties or had any planned events. What a rude way to answer a question like that! The next night when we showed up after our welcome party, there were no issues until the same rude employee from the previous night refused to let one of the people in our party into the bar...she happened to be a 25 year old girl with down syndrome accompanied by her mother!!! Yes, 25 years old with a valid Maryland photo ID and refused to let her into the bar!!! He resisted for no reason for a while but finally relented once another member of our party told him he was being discriminatory, so he begrudgingly let her in. On Saturday night after the wedding, about 25 of us decided to go to Middleton for one last drink. It was 1:10am. Middleton closes at 2:00am (so last call maybe 1:30am?). Everybody gets inside until the bride (yes literally the bride) is the last one trying to get in. That same employee then says "nope, nobody else is coming in." He refused to let the bride into the bar at 1:10am. The bar was not crowded whatsoever. He did not give any reason to refuse her entry other than that "It's 1:10am, nobody else is coming in." I've literally never written a single yelp review before, but I just couldn't let this guy's behavior go. We were not disrespectful to the bar or its employees all weekend. We literally spent hundreds, if not THOUSANDS, of dollars at Middleton that weekend and then he just refused to let the bride in the bar and acted like a complete jerk about it. All the other staff at the bar were friendly and accommodating all weekend. It was only the one rude guy's behavior that ruined it.

We were in town for one night. I thought this would be the perfect place to get some crab because of the location. All of the food we ordered was basically microwaved. We tried to order the Maryland crab soup and the waiter said not to because people have sent it back and we wouldn't like it. Ok? We ordered crab bisque. It was like a pudding consistency, not hot and seemed to be from a condensed soup can and not thinned. Crab dip was the soup but with cheese on top, also cold. Crab balls tasted a little turned, definitely frozen not fresh crab meat. Restaurant was overall a little dirty and the bathrooms are up three staircases, definitely not handicap friendly. Bathrooms were not clean. I suggest driving to Mike's on Riva rd for crabs, much better and the restaurant is on the water.

A big thanks to Mike and Omar for making our Christmas party a success. Admittedly this place is a bit rough but then again it's a pub and older than the United States proper! In previous lives it's been a boarding house and rented rooms "hourly" if you get the picture. Don't come looking for a Williamsburg setting but hospitality flows, the legal kind. The oysters Rockefeller were very nice and the crab cakes well seasoned and a properly lumpy. A nice choice of beverages and even Heineken 0.0 for those keeping things sane over the holidays. Raw bar is excellent!

The service was a bit slow in the beginning but picked up as time passed. I was satisfied. The food was delicious. I RATE THE CRAB DIP AN A

A nice boat ride to Annapolis last weekend and my friend's family said we had to go here. First order of business: oyster shooters. I'm weird about seafood and so when I heard about these it sounded kinda gross... however, they were so good! It's an oyster with cocktail sauce and you shoot it back with a little beer chaser. They're only $2.50 each so you can easily order a bunch. We also tried to crab balls which were hella yummy. A really cool thing about Middleton Tavern is that our 1st president, Mr. George Washington, used to go here. How freaking awesome is that?!