A Rediscovery of Revolutionary Annapolis

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Reviews

A visit to O’Brien’s Oyster Bar and Seafood Tavern takes you back to 1774, on the cusp of the American Revolution in the British colony of Maryland—when the Chesapeake Bay’s freshly caught bounty was sold at Market House and the Rose and Crown Tavern opened its doors a few steps away. As America’s bicentennial approached, NFL lineman Fran O’Brien bought what was then called La Rosa Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge and converted it to O’Brien’s Steak and Seafood House. The name was shortened to O’Brien’s after it was sold following his death in 1999, the year I first visited on New Year’s Eve.

Recently, my family arrived at the end of Happy Hour, which runs 3–6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays promoting discounts on traditional pub fare and several regular menu delicacies such as oysters, mussels, and shrimp. The long, rectangular bar overlooks today’s Market House (since 1857) and exudes a tantalizing aroma reminiscent of fisherman hawking their catch inside that iconic landmark. 

We were taken to a splendidly adorned dining room with wooden floors, mirrored walls, and dozens of white linen-draped tables; it felt like the inside of a luxury ocean liner and soon, our amazing waiter, Brian, brought us four starters and captained our voyage. We were dazzled by the Oyster Sampler’s enticing array of plump, salty Primes; soft, sweet Choptanks; and silky, “swalty” Skipjacks arranged on crushed ice with Zesta crackers, horseradish, lemon wedges, cocktail sauce, and a tangy, garlic- and onion-infused champagne dressing. 

Next, the Hawaiian-inspired Tuna Poke presented a tall, wide, thick and densely packed wedge of ruby red, sushi-style ahi tuna cubes and ripe green avocado chunks lathered in two mayonnaise-based condiments—a zesty Siracha aioli sauce churned with lime juice and grated lemon peel, and a creamy marinade of wasabi and lemon juice. A crown of diced onions and cilantro adorned the dish. Each stratified forkful produced a swoon of succulent bliss; even my children, who’d never eaten raw fish, couldn’t gobble it fast enough. 

Macaroni and Cheese followed. A heaping bowl of cavatappi pasta immersed in a luscious ocean of orange, velvety béchamel sauce—a slowly cooked blend of five cheeses: Cheddar, American, Pepper Jack, Swiss, and Smoked Gouda—sprinkled with parmesan and panko. We portioned this luxurious ensemble into four servings that vanished even faster, just in time for my wife’s appetizer selection from the three-course “Restaurant Week” special, the Calamari. Big, chewy tubes were expertly fried in a light batter of eggs, milk, Old Bay and paprika—stacked high and doused with peppery Chipotle aioli and a sweet plum glaze that delectably tenderized the morsels with a bouquet of complementary flavors.

My youngest son chose Chicken Tenders with Fries from the Kids Menu—four gigantic slabs of poultry covered in that same tasty batter, remarkably crispy on the outside yet incredibly juicy on the inside. His older brother had the French Dip, an ample cluster of thinly sliced, savory roast beef and robust provolone piled across a toasted Baltimore-baked roll that masterfully absorbs the hearty au jus—a yummy, brothy bouillon of simmered beef stock, celery, carrots, and onions. Both dishes were served with made-to-order, golden French fries.

My wife picked the expansive Annapolis Crab Cake Platter featuring two bold, scrumptious sides. The ambrosial, roasted Brussels sprouts explode, ignited by a sharp, distinctive union of honey and Old Bay within a crumbly exterior; paired with a mound of fluffy, aioli-drenched baby potatoes that simply melted in our mouths. Nestled in between them is the star of the show—a mouthwatering, apple-sized ball of lump crabmeat that tasted deliciously fresh. 

There were no visible fillers of any kind and thus no discernible evidence of how it stayed together. I asked General Manager Salomon Urquia how this was possible to achieve. He smiled coyly and said, “It’s a trade secret that took us years to perfect. It wasn’t easy finding a way to fuse the crab cake so that it would hold, using nothing else, but we did it!” 

I chose the Grilled Seafood Mix, where a wooden skewer of barbequed, jumbo-sized shrimp and scallops partnered with a brick-sized filet of seared salmon are diagonally perched on each side of a butter-softened pyramid of julienne vegetables—stringy strips of zucchini, yellow squash, and carrots. A vibrant, smoky sensation permeates the piquant shrimp, the flaky salmon (with a veneer of crunchy skin on the bottom), and the enormous, meaty scallops. 

Salomon brought a fondue of honey garlic to brush on the salmon—composed of shallots, dry white wine, soy sauce, and “tons of honey” swirled into an incomparably delicious concoction balancing sweet, salty, and spicy. Refusing to be outdone by its maritime companions, the julienne vegetables are saturated with an equally delectable, bright green reduction of basil, heavy cream, and seafood stock that compelled me to scoop up every drop.

For dessert, the Créme Broulee Royal is a delightfully fruity combination; the strawberry and blueberry medley’s floral juices penetrate the caramelized shell and superbly augment the vanilla bean custard. The boys giddily shared a Maryland Sundae for Two—a warm brownie buried beneath an avalanche of rich vanilla ice cream, clouds of whipped cream, and chocolate syrup. The Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake has layers of foamy white chocolate mousse and an airy or “light”—yet decadent—dark chocolate mousse atop a chocolate cake, encircled by dollops of whipped cream and stripes of chocolate fudge and raspberry purée.

While it’s always hard to leave when such an enjoyable meal finally ends, O’Brien’s provides many great reasons to stay or return such as DJ-led dancing 10:30 p.m.–2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, brunch 10 a.m.–2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays (an impressive lineup of breakfast options and bottomless Mimosas and Bloody Maries), and Poker Night on Mondays 6:30–8:30 p.m. As our ship finally docked and my family disembarked, we were tremendously grateful for another wonderful experience at O’Brien’s, a birthplace of American seafood—Annapolis style!

O’Brien’s Oyster Bar and Seafood Tavern | 113 Main Street, Annapolis • 410-268-6288 • obriensoysterbar.com

Mark Croatti has worked all over the country from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. as a caterer, prep cook, and food server at both specialty restaurants and large chains, including preparing meals for major figures in the entertainment industry and professional sports.