The first time I visited The Black Olive Restaurant (803 S. Caroline Street) was for an invite only champagne sip and tasting. I remember being excited because the location had a rooftop patio making it one of a few locations in Baltimore City. The Black Olive Restaurant is a rooftop restaurant above the Inn at Black Olive Hotel.  Located in Baltimore’s Harbor East district, the hotel website boasts that it’s the only eco-organic hotel in Maryland.

At the champagne event, I only drank champagne and did not order food from the restaurant.  On my second visit, I was invited to a birthday brunch and I was very excited to try the food because my best friend and her husband visited for dinner and they told me  the food was delicious.   The Black Olive Restaurant specializes in authentic organic Greek cuisine. Beforehand I looked over their website to see what the brunch menu had to offer, but I was surprised to find the website didn’t list a brunch menu, just lunch and dinner.  I did notice that the restaurant received many accolades and awards for their food and wine.

When I arrived on a Sunday for brunch, the restaurant and patio view were beautiful.  Sheer white curtains hanging from the ceiling mixed well with the warm breeze blowing through the patio doors.  The brunch menu presented to me had about six entree options.  There was not a bottomless mimosa option, but my friend managed to negotiate with the manager and worked out a deal for our party of 12.

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I ordered the Crabmeat, Spinach and Cheese Omelet accompanied by potatoes and fruit.  My friend ordered the French Toast, scrambled eggs and sausage.

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I must say that I was not pleased with the meal. I was expecting so much more from the rave reviews I’d gotten from my friends and with the obvious accolades and awards the restaurant received.

My omelet was bland and the eggs were rubbery.  My potatoes tasted like they were from a frozen pre-made batch. My friend’s French Toast was actually pretty good, light and flavorful.  The wait staff and the owner/manager were very friendly and attentive, they kept the mimosas coming.

I really want to give The Black Olive Restaurant another chance.  I plan on visiting again during lunch or dinner hours and I will update with a new post.

Have you had breakfast at The Black Olive Restaurant?  What did you think about it?