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O'Learys Seafood Restaurant
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
38 reviews for O'Learys Seafood Restaurant
Review Highlights
"...over Mushroom Polenta, Lobster Cappuccino and the Grilled..."
(in 4 reviews)
"The lump crab meat coconut bisque special was amazing."
(in 3 reviews)
"...a great prosciutto-infused side of savory bread pudding."
(in 5 reviews)
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38 reviews in English
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Review from Cici W.
Edgewater, MD
1/31/2012
I've lived in the Annapolis area all of my life, and can't believe that it took me this long to try O'Learys! Tucked away off of Severn Ave, this cozy little restaurant was the perfect place for a date night dinner. I started with the "lobster cappucino" and it was fantastic! My husband had the escargot and he raved about them (though I will have to take his word on that one, as I am not much of an escargot fan). Each of our entrees were over the top delicious - bright, balanced flavors that offered generous portion sizes and just the right hint of spices. Even though I was completely stuffed, we opted to try the coconut cake and an after dinner scotch. Both were a great way to cap off a wonderful meal.
Aside from the food, the service and atmosphere were spot on. The interior is a good blend of rustic charm and modern eclectic stylings. Our waitress, wish I could recall her name, was very pleasant and offered great suggestions. As others have mentioned in their reviews, the place is a bit small and yes, some of the chatter from nearby tables can carry over, but I think it just lended to the cozy atmosphere.
We will definitely be back to O'Learys again and again now that we finally discovered this little gem! -
Review from Geoff G.
Olney, MD
11/11/2011
I have eaten at O'Leary's 6 times in the last 6 years I have lived in Annapolis. I lived next door to O'Leary's for 2 years and always had to fight my temptations of wanting to dine at one of the restaurant triangle establishments (Ruth's Chris, Lewnes' Steakhouse, and O'Learys are all within a block of each other and I lived on the middle of the block!)
I have debated for weeks before writing this review on how many stars they deserve. If I could rate them a 4.5, I would, but felt they deserved 5 stars moreso than 4. Look, this is going to be a great dining experience as long as you are OK with a few logistical things about the restaurant. The place is tiny, which means the restaurant is going to be loud. If you aren't OK with a small restaurant that is loud, then this is not the place for you. If you walk into the restaurant and your table is not ready, you will have to either wait outside or stand at the bar.... and the bar, again, is tiny. Those are the two major flaws of the restaurant, but it is what it is.
As far as the food is concerned, O'Leary's is in a small minority of GREAT restaurants in Annapolis. Look for my upcoming thread on "Best of the Best - Annapolis" edition, because I will have O'Learys listed as best fine dining for seafood, no questions asked.
The service has always been impeccable, the food always delicious, and the price tag always reminds you that you won't be back until the following year. Still, from a value standpoint in my opinion, you get more for what you pay for at O'Learys than their archrival Severn Inn and Carroll's Creek has had food quality issues the last several years.
The salads and appetizers are always very good, but may not be worth the money. I prefer the Lobster Cappuccino, Tuna Tartar, Calamari, Escargot, and Beet Salad.
The entrees, specifically the seafood, and more specifically the Crabcakes and Tuna, are why I come to O'Learys. In addition to the two entrees I mentioned above, the Grouper, Salmon, and Duck Breast are very noteworthy. The only forgettable meal in my opinion is the whole fish. Always a different white fish but always served teh same way.... it just isn't my thing. The balance of flavors and complexity of the entrees are detail oriented and 5 star quality. If you want to experience one of the best that Annapolis has to offer, look no further. -
Review from Kelly W.
Philadelphia, PA
12/19/2011
love when the city is dressed for the holidays. this place is great, service is great , love the zarzuela seafood!! nice wine list, Everything is artistically presented!!
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Review from Rob B.
Updated - 2/22/2011
OMG! This place is great on a regular day, but I went back for Annapolis Restaurant Week and for $29, got a huge, 5 star dinner. My date was sick and I went anyway and glad I did.
I think the portions of the crispy grouper were smaller than regular, but I still took 1/2 home. The beet salad with Humbolt cheese was a 10 and the dessert, Zuppa Anglaise awesome and I had to much. Perfect service and it was empty, Huge Shame. See this, GO!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/30/2010
I just love this little place. it's one of my "never fail go to's" when company or business dinners… Read more »
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Review from Seth G.
Pasadena, MD
12/31/2010
Dinner and drinks. Reservation was for 8:00, and we got there a little early, so we waited at the bar and had a glass of wine. We were seated on time, and it was packed. So as fast as reservations go, it was great.
We started with the sea scallops in phyllo, which was out of this world. Two large sea scallops wrapped in phyllo and baked in garlic, served with an aoli, pesto, and red pepper puree. No joke,I could have easten only those the entire night.
The wife had the duck breast with mashed sweet potatoes and mushrooms. The duck was fairly tough, but had good taste.
I had the special which was a panko and parmesan encrusted salmon with three large grilled sea scallops and broccoli. It was excellent.
Finished with coffee and southern bread pudding, and the bread pudding was decent.
Service was excellent. No 5 stars because of duck issue. Will definitely be going back. -
Review from Stacey P.
Washington, DC
8/22/2011 2 photos
Filet stuffed w/jumbo lump crab meat boursin cheese with cous-cous and haricots verts was delicious!
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Review from Ian L.
Dover, DE
8/21/2011
Went with 3 generations, and everyone was happy. Very impressed with my barramundi - light flavorful sauce, and a great mix of vegetables that matched it. My 94 year old grandmother-in-law had a seared scallops appetizer that sounded plain on the menu but ended up being so good that (at her invitation) we were fighting over the right to mop up the spicy sweet sauce it was served with our (fresh) bread. Delicious food served in just the right atmosphere for a marina-side upscale place.
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Review from Frank G.
11/11/2010
The food at O'Leary's is nearly five star. It takes me *forever* to settle on a choice because everything on the menu looks good. Obviously, the seafood shines here (it's what I always get), but some dining companions have had the land options and been equally pleased. (From the tastes I've sneaked off their plates, I can see why!) The wine list is well-organized, listing light-, medium- and full-bodied options for both the reds and whites. The selections are a bit pricey, but in line with the rest of the menu.
The service at O'Leary's is nearly five star. The waiters are knowledgeable, friendly, and accommodating, some of the best I've had at any restaurant. We did have some issues with getting them to call us back when attempting to make a reservation for a large group (10), but it all worked out in the end.
So why the four star rating? The physical space itself. I don't usually like to ding a restaurant for stuff like this, but in O'Leary's case, I feel that it really detracts from of the overall experience. There's basically no indoor waiting area, which is fine assuming the weather is nice. The acoustics in the front dining area can make it very loud, meaning it's difficult to hear someone even across the table. The main dining area is more than a bit cramped, and tends to get *very* warm when at capacity. Don't bother with a sweater in the winter, you won't need it.
I went back-and-forth in my head about the fifth star because like I said, food and service are my most important considerations. I just felt that the negative impact of these space issues -- especially with everything else about the place being so good -- made them stand out even more. I might come in here next week and edit this review, but for now I'll keep it as is. -
Review from Greg G.
9/14/2010
Decent quality. Good not great.
I went with a group and the menu was planned and therefore limited. Several fish choices as well as one meat choice. I was not too wild about the types of fish and went with the meat.
I had some local crab cakes as an appetizer as well as some calamari, shrimp and mussels. Pretty decent but once again, good, not great. I am not sure what the rage is about Maryland crab cakes because it just does not compare in terms of flavor and texture to West Coast Dungeness crab. In fact, the meat is very similar to many types of white fish. I would be curious to try this place when I could choose from their entire menu. Annapolis is a very charming place and I am sure there area ton of great places to eat here (besides this one). -
Review from Christine P.
New York, NY
5/30/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Ehhh ... not as good as it was a few years ago, or I just hit it on an off night. The food was good, don't get me wrong, but a pit pricy for the quality. If the quality was better, $35/entree wouldn't have been as painful. My boyfriend and I tried a few different dishes (ordered 4 appetizers between the both of us) and I'd say that 2 of the 4 were really good, and the other 2 were just OK. Not sure I'll be back the next time I am in town visiting.
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Review from Stephen H.
San Francisco, CA
9/29/2010
Now THIS is a seafood restaurant. So many places out there call themselves seafood restaurants, as if they specialized in seafood. So many times, not the case.
But O'Learys, these guys (or girls) know how to rock a fish. We ordered the following on decently sized budget, and everything was 5 stars:
Seabass - whole fish, the best, most tender I've had. A bit tough to get out the bones, but my Chinese parents taught me well.
Tuna Sashimi
Crab cakes - so far, the best crab cakes I've found in Maryland, and I've been all over now.
Salmon - excellent
Prawns
If you're looking for great seafood, the kind of seafood that rivals experiences in Hawaii, come to O'Learys. Well done.
Uh, I mean medium rare? -
Review from Patrick H.
Melrose, MA
3/3/2009
Ok, so if you want to feel like a complete, totally insensitive American A**hole, go see "Slumdog Millionaire" followed by an 8:30 reservation at O'Leary's seafood.
If the food wasn't so damn good, the guilt could be overwhelming.
So, it is with the humblest of apologies to Salim, Latika and Jamal that I tell you how fantastic our dinner at O'Leary's this past Saturday was.
Myself, the dining partner in crime and our good friend C just made our 8:30 reservation after hurridley rushing from the theatre. We were welcomed warmly and escorted to our table nestled gently in the corner. We had a charming bayside view which gave way to the twinkly lights of boats moored in Eastport and over to Annapolis.
We started with three appetizers. Seared Scallops over Mushroom Polenta, Lobster Cappuccino and the Grilled Romaine Salad. The scallops were perfectly seared with an aggressive crust giving way to a tender opaque center over the creamy polenta. The grilled romaine was nice but I don't know that I would order it again. The Lobster Cappuccino, however, I will order each and everytime I visit O'Leary's. A deep rich Lobster bisque topped with a generous dollop of Lobster foam and served with a spoon of Lobster Ceviche. Our lovely server told us to stir in the ceviche and enjoy. Indeed we did.
O'Leary's is a seafood house and the chef clearly knows his way around a fish or two. For entrees, we had the crab cakes, which are baked rather than broiled or fried, the Sea Bass and the Crispy Grouper.
Crab Cakes: Extraordinary. No filler, all jumbo lump crab meat with a simple beurre blanc and a nice roasted root vegetable hash.
Crispy Grouper: Extraordinary. Simple seasoned grouper battered and flash fried at an ultra high temp, sealing in all the juicy goodness of the fish and creating an almost impossibly crisp exterior which was light and greaseless. It was served over a Succotash and a very simple sauce.
Sea Bass: Holy Moly! One large simple generous piece of bass, seasoned with nothing more than salt, pepper and olive oil, oven roasted and served over candied brussels sprouts with crisp pancetta lardons and a saffron rice gallette. The rich and sweet brussells sprouts mixed with the salty, fatty pancetta was the perfect foil for the luscious and creamy bass.
For desserts we had the Bread Pudding, Carrot Cake and the Coconut Cream cake with Mango Sauce. All were exceptional but I have to say the bread pudding is something transcendant.
I love it when a chef realizes that quality ingredients, cooked properly need nothing more done to them.
Service was delightful. Casual, friendly, suggestive and efficient. All in all a charming restaurant worthy of the high price you will pay to dine there. Next time I go, though, I will try to see a movie that is a little less challenging to my moral compass.
Hmmm... when is the next showing of "He's Just Not that Into You"? -
Review from John K.
Washington, DC
3/10/2009 1 photo
Sample take: I'll always remember the aroma of the creosote wafting from the pilings on the docks that warm night. It simply smells like Annapolis.
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Almost a four. I'll give it a 3.5 for now.
Rounded up some old friends to see the musical, "Into the Woods" in Annapolis. If you haven't heard of it, this Sondheim vehicle hit Broadway in the late 80s, picked up some Tonys, including one for Bernadette Peters, but suffered from the misfortune of coming out the same time as Phantom of the Opera. It was edgy, not your typical feel-good musical á la "42nd Street," but still fun.
We had reservations for O'Learys afterwards. I think it was the first time for all 3 couples. We were seated in a cozy booth, and the server took our drink orders. The Guenoc chard was a good deal at $10/glass. It had a touch of oak (but not too much) on the front end, some green apple notes, and a hint of butter on the finish. I wish I would have taken a pic of the awesome "legs" as it returned to the bottom of the glass.
Our server, it seems I didn't get her name, was amazingly efficient. She took care of us throughout our 2-hour repast, kept the water glasses full, checked in at just the right moment, but could have benefited from just a wee more warmth and personal touch. She did light up at the end when she saw that we were generous tippers.
Sunday through Thursday they have the $29.95 price fixe menu with a wide variety of appetizers and entrées. I really wanted the top sirloin steak with garlic mashed potatoes and green beans, or even the pork chop, but that just seemed wrong in so many ways. I opted for baked oysters followed by pan-seared swordfish served with spicy sautéed broccolini (it looked like a cross between broccoli and asparagus) and garlic-oiled sweet potato rounds topped with fried sage leaves. Other main course choices sampled by our party included mahi mahi, and crispy fried grouper. Not on the value meal plan was rockfish which one of the ladies ordered á la carte and evidently was incredible.
The swordfish was a good-sized steak that was very moist but cooked a few minutes longer than would have been my preference. I know, I should have expressed my desire when I ordered it. My bad. It had a good flavor but could have benefited from a drizzle of sauce or better yet, a light rub.
Dessert choices were chocolate mousse, crème brulee, key lime custard, and bread pudding. I had the custard which came in a light pastry shell and had that characteristic tang and tartness. The crème brulee, however, lacked the ground vanilla beans.
Maybe because my expectations were so high and because Annapolis has so many good seafood restaurants, or because we were in blazers and slacks and there was a guy at the table next to us in cut-offs, or perhaps because it isn't right on the water with a view of the city, but I'm not sure I'd come back. But I'll always remember the aroma of the creosote from the pilings on the docks that warm night. It simply smells like Annapolis.Listed in: Annapolis Escapes
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Review from Haruka I.
Leesburg, VA
4/23/2009
Maybe my expectation was too high.
Lobster cappuccino (light lobster bisque with ceviche) was delicious. I would add half the size of lobster bisque as an appetizer to the prix fixe menu instead of fried calamari. The fried calamari was very good but was a bit too much as an starter. Because it is an oily food, it doesn't really work as an appetizer.
The main course salmon wasn't seasoned well (or maybe not at all) though it was perfectly, beautifully cooked and presented.
The creme brulee was too thick and so was the caramel on top. I had to eat some uncaramerized granulated sugar.
Also, it's about time to get new plates. They looked all beat up. And please wipe off greasy fingerprints on the edge of the plate and warm up the plates before serving. I only ask this because this restaurant is considered 'high end' according to the price. The waiter was well trained though.
Basically, all American restaurants should serve 2/3 of what they are serving for 2/3 the price. They are helping Americans, 60% of which are already overweight or obese, die from heart attacks. -
Review from Kate M.
Annapolis, MD
6/7/2011
EXCELLENT service. Their crispy grouper is amazing! And if they have the fried oysters as a special app, you should definitely get it. The sauce has a bit of a kick and is fantastic. Great wine list too!
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Review from Ranya B.
Staunton, VA
6/4/2011
Had a wonderful first experience at O'Leary's last night.
We were promptly seated for our reserved table. The host was professional but perhaps a little distant and cold. Maybe having a bad day like most of us do from time to time. No harm, no foul.
Our drinks were brought quickly and well executed. The waitress gave very thorough descriptions of the daily specials and did so with some enthusiasm which ended up selling us on the oyster appetizer which was brought out extremely hot and also well executed.
The lobster cappuchino was excellent, if not a bit overpriced but you know this restaurant isn't exactly cheap when you make the reservation.
The barramundi was wonderful and our first experience with this Australian fish. The fish itself was light and flaky with an almost neutral to sweet flavor. It was offset by the stronger flavors of the capers and artichokes and made for an interesting and balanced dish.
The zarzuela was delicious and was amply apportioned with clams, mussels, shrimp, scallops and lobster.
The creme brulee' for dessert was a nice end to a great meal.
Our server was attentive yet not smothering and our water glasses were always full.
Love the decor.
Was a bit disappointing to have a couple seated after we arrived and the man was wearing flip flops, wife beater and cut off shorts. One doesn't go to a fine dining restaurant just for the food. It's about the total experience and to have someone walk in like they were going to Chipotle detracts from the overall experience.
Would like to see management have some expectations of a minimal level of acceptable dress for this otherwise wonderful restaurant. -
Review from Brendan D.
Kensington, MD
1/24/2008
Terrific food. Went here every now and again when I was an Annapolis resident, and frankly I lament the commute it would take now. Crabcakes are the signature dish, but really all the seafood is fresh and delicious. Underrated Caesar salads too. Its pricy, but your getting excellent quality for your bucks.
Check it out, make reservations- its filled every night. -
Review from Jay N.
Arlington, VA
1/1/2010 5 photos
A great dinner to close out the year. I came with my family on New Year's Eve, and although we had a reservation, were told when we arrived there would be a short wait for the table. The manager brought us complimentary glasses of wine while we waited.
We shared a trio of great appetizers. The lobster "cappuccino" is a bisque soup delightfully made up to look like the drink. Two specials were available, one the Chincoteague oysters, which were good (even though I'm not normally an oysters fan), and the thoroughly enjoyable shark bites.
My entire family raved about their entrees (crab cakes, trout, shelffish medley), but the most talked about was my branzino (Meditteranean sea bass). The fish itself was huge, with a wealth of soft, delectable flesh subtly affected by lemon juice and salt. It came with a great prosciutto-infused side of savory bread pudding..
Dessert was the only time I wasn't wowed, by a mediocre bread pudding with currants. But the creme brulee (of which I'm also not normally a fan) was very good, as well as the coffee. Further, O'Leary's bartender made such a good sidecar, I had two.
In 2009, I only gave three 5-star reviews to sit-down restaurants. Scarpetta in NYC, Rasika in DC, and now O'Leary's. Bravo! -
Review from Toya R.
Arlington, VA
2/12/2011
This was a great choice for a girlfriend's birthday. We tried a lot of appertizers: the calarmari, the crab and lobster cake, and the scallop pastry, they all were great. The entrees were tasty as well, from the crab cakes, to the fried grouper, to the pork tenderloin and the mahi mahi was also great. The coconut cake was one of the best I have ever tasted. Service was great as well. I will return soon!!
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Review from Kara T.
Drexel Hill, PA
3/18/2011
We were so excited to try out a higher end restaurant in Annapolis since we've been disappointed thus far. We go out pretty often and do not mind spending more on good food. OLearys was extremely unseasoned, overrated and overpriced. The menu doesn't make sense. It's all over the place and all of our food was cold (appetizer, entree, and coffee later on). Our server was polite but very awkward. He was not very attentive, but again very nice. Unfortunately, we will not be back to OLearys. Great location though!
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Review from Janet K.
Annapolis, MD
5/11/2010
Ok, let's start by saying this is really a 4 1/2 star review---Yelp, I want those half stars please!!!
5 stars to me means flawless and this wasn't, but most of the glitches--like cold coffee--were quickly and pleasantly corrected.
I have eaten at O'Leary's a number of times over the years and almost always the food is to die for.
We went this time for Mothers' Day.
We were thrilled when we walked in to see Chef Russell Brown (former owner of Northwoods) He had been briefly at Rockfish where I suspect his considerable skills were wasted.
The creamy red pepper/crab soup was so fabulous I threw vanity to the wind and sopped up the bottom of the bowl with my bread. (I would like to see more bread variety--ciabatti just is not my favorite at all--Chart House offers a wonderful basket of mixed breads and crackers)
My mother pronounced her soft shell crab dinner to be the best ever---and she has eaten quite a few in her 80+ years.
I was just not into seafood that night so had the beef--wonderful!
My nephew had a pasta dish that was divine--except--please remove the bay leaves before serving! Also, I am not a big fan of whole cloves of garlic in a dish (We counted 10 of them)
Now here comes the downer--the leftovers were brought out in Chinese style paper conainers. When you serve a beautiful gourmet dinner and then dump leftovers into a box, something is greatly amiss.
Also--a BIG pet peeve of mine is when the kitchen decides to pick through what is on the plate to determine what goes home and what doesn't. (The thought of someone doing this is a bit revolting) I always tell the server that I want everything on the plate to go home--and when I get home and find some of the food missing I am mightily ticked. It is SO presumptuous! So, O'Leary's, if you don't want your customers to be so gauche as to scrape their leftovers into containers themselves at the table, STOP picking through their food deciding what goes and what doesn't! And get some decent containers where the food can go home in as lovely a manner as it is originally presented. (You might want to check Cheesecake Factory--it is about the only thing they do well..)
And now for a final positive note--I love that O'Leary's has it's own free convenient parking lot! I think that makes up for it's lack of water view...
So, all in all, some pretty spectacuar food, top knotch service, lovely ambiance, but lousy take home department...
I'm sure Chef Russell will fix the little problems in no time...
We're SO glad you are back!!!! -
Review from Holly T.
Annapolis, MD
11/12/2010
Oh boy, I go to a seafood restaurant and order duck! Living near Annapolis I get my fill of seafood pretty regularly, but always order duck when it's on the menu. I loved it! It had a been a fantastic afternoon of fishing with a friend and enjoying a beautiful day on the water and to follow it up with a great duck dinner, was wonderful. I visited with a friend who is an owner of a nearby restaurant. They wanted to revisit O'Learys as they had not been in while and wanted to patronize their neighboring business. We both agreed the atmosphere was enjoyable, the service was attentive and the food was delicious. I look forward to returning and sharing this little gem with good friends and family. Dined on 10/20/10
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Review from Greg B.
Annapolis, MD
2/19/2009
All I've ever heard about O'Learys is that it is an amazing restaurant, so when I saw it on the list of restaurants participating in the 2009 Restaurant week I figured it would be good to give it a try. Now let me prefice this with the fact that I believe that Restaurant Week is not about quality, but more about getting people in and out of the door as quickly as possible. Now that you understand this, I'm not going to knock the restaurant; however, I felt that the fish entree that was served was far too dry and lacked any taste whatsoever. Now where the chefs fell short on the fish, they more than made up for on the dessert! The bread pudding I chose was more like heaven than actual food! If you have a chance to stop in for dessert, please do! Also, they have a very extensive wine list to boot. I am looking forward to trying this restaurant again sometime soon!
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Review from Kristy B.
Aldie, VA
12/12/2008
Amazing, eclectic food. Expensive but worth every penny. It's been quite a while since we've eaten there (out of our price range unless it's for a special occasion) so I don't remember what we ordered, but I do remember that we left there fat and happy!
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Review from Nathan W.
Nashville, TN
1/6/2009
Probably the best staple for high end dining out in Annapolis. O'Learys combines the charm of the Eastport section of Annapolis with the bold flavor profiles of a much larger city. Its a seafood lovers haven, but dont fear for there are plenty of options for our more terrestrial gastronomes.
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Review from DML K.
Falls Church, VA
1/24/2008
One of the best dining experiences I have had. On our spur of the moment trip to Annapolis, we chose O'Leary due to the rave reviews on several sites. This place lived up to the expectations.
First and foremost, if you want a view -- this is not the place. O'Leary's is situated in a little house with what looks like a little porch. The inside is warm, inviting and cozy. We had dinner at 9:45 so the restaurant was not crowded but it is also January (not the height of tourist season).
The waitress was friendly and engaging. She gave several great recommendations. She was helpful but not intrusive.
The food -- to die for. Just writing this makes me want to take the hour trip right now. From what I understand, the menu changes with the seasons and what is available. Our appetizer and bread were wonderful. The crab cakes -- they are what crab cakes should be.
Hubby's dish was great too but all I remember are those crab cakes. -
Review from Phil B.
10/10/2009
I overheard a bartender at the Westin recommend this as the best place in Annapolis. I tend to agree. I thought the food was excellent, the restaurant atmospheric without being too much, and the parking lot is large enough for the establishment. Plus you can see the harbor from the front door. Its a bit on the pricier side, so expect to pay 40, 50 dollars a person with a drink & gratuity.
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Review from L D.
McLean, VA
8/13/2010
Lovely. Enjoyed everything, from martinis to dessert. Fish was very good, in the top 20% I've had this year. And Eastport is such a great neighborhood; with a nice walk afterwards to watch the boats (and of course the right company) this can be part of a wonderful evening.
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Review from Derek D.
Stevensville, MD
5/27/2006
The food here is nothing less than phenomenal! The lump crab meat coconut bisque special was amazing. The Panko-Wasabi Scallops were the best I've ever eaten. And just when I thought it couldn't get any better the Cedar River Farms Filet Mignon melted in my mouth, again the best I've ever eaten. I recommend coming from far and wide to sample the cuisine here I guarantee you won't be disappointed.
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Review from alex m.
Odenton, MD
3/31/2010
I guess this is a 3.5.
Boyfriend's parents were in town for his mom's birthday so we took a trip down to Annapolis. The restaurant was small but pretty funky. My wine was too sweet for my taste, but I guess that's my problem.
Starters: boyfriend and his dad got the mussels, I got the fried oysters. SO disappointed--I felt like I could taste the old oil they were fried in. Yuck. Mussels were good but DC Coast set a really high bar that has yet to be topped.
Mains: I got cornmeal fried trout--zillions of tiny bones on the edges of the fillet. Again, my problem? Not sure. But not enjoyable. Flavor of the fish was great though! His mom got the Thai mahi mahi that she said was great; his dad got the crabcakes which were WAY overpriced, although didn't have a lot of fillers. He said they were good but not stellar. Boyfriend got the rockfish special, topped with lump crab. It was very tasty though I can't remember a thing about it at this point...
Dessert: Best part of the night. His dad got carrot cake and refused to share, it was that good. The rest of us got dessert martinis which was so fun! My double espresso was amazing; boyfriend's white chocolate raspberry was great and his mom enjoyed her "candy bar." All in all, a great dinner but not necessarily because of the food.... As enjoyable way to drop $300 as any I guess. -
Review from David H.
Arlington, VA
8/9/2009
This place is surviving on a fairly good reputation from 8 to 10 years ago. Not so today. The restaurant has a thread-bare feel about it and is in need of a face-lift. If you expect truly fresh seafood, it might be best to seek it elsewhere. O'Learys is past its sell-by date.
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Review from Brian S.
Norfolk, VA
8/23/2010
I would give it 5 stars, but my wife said 3 at the most, so I'll average. I loved the selection of fish that you can't find elsewhere, and they're prepared in a myraid of ways. Our service was excellent and the waitress did a good job of recommending wine. The dining room is a little cramped and there is no view at all, but I had a great time. Highly recommended.
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Review from Maureen P.
Annapolis, MD
2/22/2009
Although Annapolis is thought of as a "fish" sort of town I have never found very good fish restaurants here. O'Learys is the total exception and has been for about 10 years. I recently visited during restaurant week with a friend. My friend chose the mushroom bisque as the first course. It was hot, yummy, and rich. I chose the grilled romaine with warm whole grain mustard dressing and bacon fat croutons. Hmm well a little disappointment here...not warm and not a lot of flavor in the dressing and the croutons were, well unexciting. I think I should have had the mussels. For the entree we both chose the Mahi-Mahi with sweet potato chips, green beans and gorgonzola balsamic vinaigrette. It came hot and moist with a nice crust on the outside. The vinaigrette was tasty but not really distinguishable as gorgonzola so I was a tad disappointed. But overall the dish was cooked perfectly and was very tasty! Both the creme brulee and chocolate mousse we good and a nice end to the dinner. As always the wait staff if the best in Annapolis. I really mean that. Knowledge of food and wine, thoughtful, engaging and everything you always want a wait staff to be...attentive, but not annoying. Not surprising the "restaurant week" menu was not quite as good as the normal menu, but it won't really stop me from going back to O's or telling others to try it.
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Review from tracey s.
Severna Park, MD
8/9/2010
We went here when our friends were in town from Boston. I had to send my food back 3 times and everyone else's food was average....barely average. The atmosphere was nice and espresso martinis were very good though. Overall, it was very overpriced mediocre overrated food.
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Review from Michael B.
Annapolis, MD
2/23/2011
I gave it 5 starts because it is exactly as it say's it is. It is not the best food in the world but for the price it was darn good. This is on my short list of good Annapolis restaurants. My GF and I went here for restaurant week. I was expecting diluted service and food but what we got was an excellent meal. Without going into every detail about what we got I will just say that this place has the attention to detail I have been looking for. Everything that was served was prepared and executed properly. This may seem simple but really so many places can't even fry something right. i.e. calamari was perfect and not chewy at all with a nice sauce. Everything served was tasty and the flavors blended nicely. The service was attentive without being overbearing and offered good input when asked. No beer on tap but an ok selection in bottles. I am not a wine drinker so I can't comment on the wine list but it seemed fairly extensive. The atmosphere was nice and cozy, warm on a cold rainy night and high enough ceilings to feel more open then it is. Long story short I would go back.
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Review from Monica S.
Washington, DC
8/18/2008
I travel quite frequently for my job so I have eaten at many fine restaurants around the country and the food at O'Leary's would absolutely fall in the top 5 best meals. I had the pleasure of dining there for my anniversary and found it was worth every penny. The pairings of the sides with the entree are perfectly complimentary. We started out sharing the lobster bisque and the arugula salad and for entrees I had the crab cakes with potato salad and asparagus and my boyfriend had the encrusted tuna with wasabi mashed potatoes. All of it was truly amazing. Definitely recommend this if you are looking for a food experience that will leave your mouth watering as you reminisce the evening. I mentioned it was our anniversary in the comments of the reservation and when we decided to pass on dessert, they surprised us with one anyway to celebrate our special occasion. We loved it!
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Review from Angela K.
McLean, VA
5/24/2010
We had a wonderful family dinner to celebrate our sons graduation at Oleary's. If you want good seafood then this is a great choice. We each had a starter and each one was delicious. I had the grilled calimari, others at the table had the Tuna Sashimi (excellent), crab cake, and clams. The best dish was the soft shell crab dinner and the Grouper with Gulf Shrimp. The light batter on the grouper allowed for all of the flavors to come out. Our server set the right tone for our dinner which was not to rush and to enjoy each others conversation. The owner made a number of rounds to make sure everything was done well. On the way home we were discussing when we can go back again.
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Review from edward m.
Riva, MD
2/1/2008
the most overrated fish house in annapolis. nyc prices in a small confined space.
