This place was terrific for breakfast! A wonderful tea selection, and the food was very tasty. I had the multigrain waffle with just butter and what a wonderful meal it was! Tea selection was wonderful, and it comes with loose leaves in a ball so the tea steps in a large glass mug while you watch. The hot chocolate looked delicious, too! The wait staff was attentive and friendly. There was even live music playing placidly while we ate! Highly recommended.
Review Source:I only stopped here for some wine on a nice walk through Annapolis, but it seemed like a great little spot. They seemed to have perfected their 'artsy cafe' vibe. My wine was, as wine should always be, delicious. There was a candy machine behind me that dispensed choc-coated java beans by the quarter. I was 75 cents down and feeling feisty by the time we left. The menu seemed decent on the look-over I gave it.
I would return.
49 West has multiple personalities--it is a coffee shop, a wine bar, and a place to get a nice lunch/dinner. Â We decided to go there for dinner and a few drinks on a Friday night. Â We were able to grab a seat in their outside seating which was pretty (but we could have dealt without people smoking). Â For an appetizer, we ordered the spinach and artichoke dip which was a nice, creamy, good start to our meal. Â M ordered the pesto tuna sandwich with the potato salad. Â The sandwich was good--it had a nice piece of tuna that was cooked well and had food flavor. Â K got the hot roast beef sandwich which was good--but could have used a little more horseradish sauce. Â The side salad was also good. Â K had the lemonade martini which was basically a lemon drop--but still made well. Â M had a dirty martini that he said was well-balanced. Â The martinis also come with an extra "shot" of your drink. Â The prices are reasonable and we will return.
Review Source:Dirty, slow service, food was cold by time it finally arrived. Wait staff addressed yet another long Wait. Table was "cleaned" before we sat down but lots of food remains still there - major yuck factor. Ducted taped seats, dirty upholstery, carpet needs replacing. I've been going here for years though less frequently. The best that can be said for this great location, charming place is that it needs a "Gordon Ramsey Makeover". Lets hope the owners cough up some cash to make improvements before it goes under on its own. There are too many good Annapolis places to put up with such poor quality.
Review Source:Heard a few jazz bands in the back and ate lunch up front.
Despite the place being packed, every single staff person was very friendly and attentive. Â So no complaints there.
I ordered a grilled cheese w/tomato. Â I thought it a fair bit overpriced at nearly $9.
Came with a wilted pickle. Â Sandwich would have been better but it wasn't bad either. Â Just not worth $9.
Overall, I'd go back but probably stick to coffee and a snack.
I visited 49 West for the second time for dinner last night & once again the food & service were great. Â Chelsea, who waited on my table last time, was my server again & I was very pleased because she is polite, helpful & friendly. Â She highly recommended the specials for the night if we liked Korean food. Â We do & we ordered bulgogi & it was amazing ... tasty & well seasoned! Â My son ordered the melted ham & Swiss with the green salad on the side & he enjoyed every bite. Â My martini was well made and I enjoyed every sip if it. Â I will return again with hopes of another good nightly dinner special & great service from Chelsea!
Review Source:The day...my birthday. The mood....determined. I had an unwavering desire for decadent dessert and wine to match. Having heard positive things about the selection of desserts at 49 West and learning of its ambiance through a few nose against glass moments in the past, we decided to give it a try.
I loved it from the moment I walked in. It absolutely feels like a warm and cozy cafe you'd find tucked away off a side street in Europe somewhere and having lived there for awhile (across the pond, that is)...it is something I miss greatly and don't find often. Dim overhead lighting, candles, friendly staff (they said had they known it was my birthday before they brought out the dessert, they would have put a candle in my Tiramisu. *sigh* charming:). Oh and it was love at first bite....the dessert is amazing and the wine didn't disappoint either.
The prices are very reasonable and though I can't speak for any other time of day....it certainly wasn't overly crowded for a random Tuesday night.
Good vibe, people, food and drink...49 West is a gem. I can't wait to go back.
My family and I have been going here for close to 20 years. We LOVE 49 West! Â I've been here for lunch, breakfast, dinner, many, many times!
My favorite thing on the menu is the brie plate. They USED to pour the honey over the warmed brie (drool!), but now they put it in a little tin server next to the brie. Ah well. Â I have had just that for lunch, despite the looks of crazy I got from my servers, but sometimes that's all I need. I am a brie addict!
I've also had the omelets here, which are delicious - and the fresh squeezed OJ. YUM! Â They also used to have Eggs Benedict as a staple for breakfast, but that went away, which is my go-to when eating breakfast at a snazzy restaurant. Those were the days!
Tonight my dad and I had dinner there, and I got the meatloaf special, and my dad got the tenderloin medallion. Â The meatloaf was good, if not just a wee bit overspiced. Dad's medallions were good too, a bit more cooked than I like them though, but it was his meal, not mine!
I highly recommend 49 West. Â I mean, if you can't trust a reviewer who has been coming back for 20 years for more, who can you trust?!
Love this spot for lunch.
Very cozy, great to come on a work break, bring your laptop - everyone is doing it!
Staff is friendly and attentive. Feel free to order to-go or ask to grab a cozy table.
Soups are fresh and new daily, the desserts behind the glass are dangerous! If you're looking for a sandwich, my favorite is the Veggie Pita paired with one of their salads and you have a great lunch.
I keep meaning to try the quiche because it looks amazing!
We were walking back to our car to leave Annapolis when we past by 49 West Coffeehouse. The live music was what drew us in. I got a very good spiced iced tea and the servers were so nice in letting us stay to watch the music even though I only got one thing. I was such a fun, cool place.
Would love to go back!
I went in there with 2 other people for breakfast, and I was pleased by all the reading material, games and the general ambiance. Â However, it took a very long time to get service, and the lack of a hostess and crazy-busy servers meant people who came in after us got service first. Â I heard the man behind the counter cursing the customers - twice- "There's more f$&%ing people coming in." Â My mom's food was cold (english muffin and scrambled egg), and they just couldn't give good service with the number of staff there. Â I did really like the housemade granola with yogurt and fruit, but we weren't checked on once. Â It just wasn't possible with all the other things the server had to do.
49 West could be amazing if they had more staff. Â If you have an hour or more to kill it seems to be a good place to go.
I was going to write a gloriously snarky and passive agressive review after a horrible lunch experience here, but I don't want kharma to come after me. Â I'll keep this review short and sweet.
Here's the bottom line: don't come here if you are expecting great service and have a time limit. Â Also, if you are expecting really good food.
My friend enjoys coming here for coffee. Â I've heard the music is great too. Â
Your call!
The service here has ranged from mediocre to horrendous every time I've been to 49 West. But the food is delicious, the music is good, and you can use their internet for hours without getting dirty looks from the staff.
Just don't go in a huge group of people here, ever. I remember one waitress saying 'they better tip us well...we had to deal with all of their shit tonight'.
Came here for an after-dinner drink after hearing a bluegrass quartet performing in the back.
The hostess was unenthusiastic that we'd walked in the door, and her enthusiasm waned further as she guided us to a table and unceremoniously thrust menus upon us. The two orders in which it was impossible to err, were executed adequately. The espresso drink arrived covered in canned whipped cream despite that detail's omission from the menu. The server promptly abandoned these beverages to the table-top without providing even a sideways glance as to whether or not we had any issues. Fortunately, I'm not lactose intolerant and was able to scoop up a fork from the table-service tray and extract the offending dairy from the espresso's surface.
Other than that, I really enjoyed my time. The music was outstanding, the chronologically advanced crowd were fun and the decor was interesting. No experience with the food leads to no opinion thereof.
I'd go back and be a more explicit with my order.
Another little spot in Annapolis to which I am quickly becoming a regular. My first time there, loved the "feel" of it. It's a heavy meld of warm and cozy. One could easily blend with the decor. But... the coffee I ordered wasn't so grand. I didn't go back for a while until by chance one night I met the owners: Brian and his wife, Sara. Great people! When I told Brian of my experience, he insisted that I return for try number 2. I was blown away. I had a great Malbec, an amazing cup of espresso that was so decadent, it was akin to a liquid dark chocolate. I ate both the crab and the spinach dips, some ultra fresh bread, and a bowl of their cream of chicken curry soup. WOW!! I was blown away... I will go back again and again and again...
Review Source:In a new city and on a quest for a really good cup of coffee I stopped in 49 West my only option that wasn't a Starbucks. Â
We chose a small table near the front and found that many of the tables around us were full with an eclectic group of people wining and dining and getting their caffeine fix. Â Our waiter Ian was a nice young kid if not preoccupied with business. Â I asked if the coffee was good and he stated that often they have customers say the coffee reminds them of Italy. Â
I opted for my favorite espresso-based drink, a traditional macchiato. Â My beau chose a red eye. Â The coffee was excellent. Â The service slow....kind service, but Super slow.
You want good joe....stop at 49 West. Â It is pretty much your only option save the DD and Starfux. Â You'll be happy you supported the local Coffee House.
Sadly I have waited too long to write this review, so I've forgotten some of the food I ate. But I remember the crab dip - it was great!! I couldn't go to Maryland without having crab dip. Recommended!
Also, as seems to be well-known amongst regular customers - the service is hit or miss. But this is a casual lollygagging type place, so I excuse that a little.
So the deal with this place is that it's where all the semi-hipsters in Nap Town congregate. Â I'm not at all opposed to the hipster scene (see all my excellent Seattle reviews) but in this case it only detracts from the experience.
It's a coffee shop, but you don't order at the counter... it's table service, which is a bit confusing. Â I have tried several of their coffee drinks- the drip is very sour, bland and stale tasting, and the cap had the worst foam top I've ever seen. Â It wasn't even flat on top... it looked like a pile of crap made of foam, excuse my language. Â The coffee is poor quality and the baristas don't know what they are doing. Â Starbucks does it better, ouch.
They have a limited food menu that offers some nice looking options, depending on if you want a sandwich or a wrap. Â The breakfast foods sucked... the eggs were totally flavorless and the presentation lacked character. Â
What this place does have is character, but that can only get you so far. Â It has a nice vibe with lots of people chatting, and it's never empty. Â They even have an attractive patio out back. Â While they do have wifi, I wouldn't recommend doing homework there as it tends to get loud and they often have live music. Â
Last note: don't expect much from the service. Â While you, the customer, pay the employee's bills, the servers make it obvious that your presence is an inconvenience to them and would prefer to be left alone chatting with their friends, who seem to linger at the tables nearest the counter.
Edited to add: after about 4 weeks, they did process the refund. I haven't seen the waitress who made the mistake since that night to get her explanation about what happened.
I'll probably continue to come back here for Elena Byrd's jazz groups, but from now on in, it's cash only.
-------------------------------------------
The good: the food, the variety, the atmosphere, the live music.
The bad: I don't expect great service when the room is full but given that my friend and I tipped our waitress $20 on a $75 check (and $40 of that was the cover charges), I was beyond annoyed when the charge came in with the cover added on top of the charge, so we were charged double on the cover.
And then they wanted me to drive back to their restaurant to process the refund, about 30 miles from where I live.
And then they didn't refund the charge.
And then I find out their management only works on weekends.
I love the live music here, and I give that 5 stars. Too bad they want to steal from their customers. If you go, pay cash only.
The coffee and food are good. The atmosphere is comfortable, the decor nice, the games and books a fun addition. Really, one of the better places to just sit with a sketchbook in Annapolis. The frequent in-house music and rotating art shows are really nice as well. I like it here, I really do.
The -2 stars is really for the waitstaff. Went tonight and ordered coffee, chai, and an appetizer to share. The waiter (she didn't give her name... tall, thin, with bird tattoos on her hands) didn't take our dishes, nor did she come back much. She seemed to have friends at the next table over, who she spent most of her time with (out back, smoking). We were there for an hour and a half, maybe 2 hours, and we only spoke to her three times. She pointedly ignored us after that. We had to go up to the front to get our check, then up again to hand in payment (again, she glanced at the check and walked on by).
This is the worst waiter experience I've had here, but it's not the only bad one. Same waiter's been there a while, and nobody seems to have mentioned to her that actually helping customers is part of her job.
I want to review after my last experience here. Â I have been to 49 West a handful of times and live close to downtown. Â The appetizers, sandwiches, dessert and drinks (wine, spiked coffee drinks) are delicious. Â The entrees are not very good and are way too expensive. Â I also love the artwork and music. Â
That being said, I am not sure I will go back and support this place after my last experience. Â I was there with a large table full of people and got there around 6pm. Â Got wine and an appetizer and socialized for awhile. Â More people came and went from our table and ordered food and drinks. Â Around 7:30 the waitress came and brought a couple of people their entrees. Â I began to get hungry and was planning to order dinner. Â AN HOUR LATER the waitress had not come back to the table. Â Who doesn't come back to a table after AN HOUR to check in? Â Especially knowing most people had only ordered drinks and maybe a small appetizer. Â I was starving. Â So I left and got carryout sushi from Nano. Â Sorry but if I ever go back here it will just be for drinks or dessert, if at all.
I had a hard time deciding what to say about 49 West. It is a tricky place to review. While I think that they have the best coffee in Annapolis, it is hard to get the waiter to bring you that coffee in the first place. The desserts are so beautiful, but the food is over priced and not as good as it used to be.
The staff is controversial. Some of them are very nice and attentive - they usually serve in the morning. However, the rest of the time, I feel ignored. Since when is it hip to ignore a table? The crowd at the back is so incredibly hipster that it makes your hipster gene hurt.
All and all, go every once in awhile for some dessert. If you are writing a paper, just plug in and get some bottomless coffee. If you want a soup/sandwich date for lunch you cannot do much better. A hard call, but I do not really miss the place.
Oh, 49. The first place I ever went to in Annapolis and always a favorite. Maybe I am biased because I am one of the dirty kids who drinks $2.50 bottomless coffee out back, but this is the greatest hang-out downtown. Get to know the staff, tip well, and don't sass and you'll get great service. They're good people and have always put up with me and my friends.
Foodwise, it's a little spendy, but get to know the menu and you can eat well for $10 or so. I suggest tomato rosemary soup with bagel chips, Tuscan bread and cheese (sometimes not on the menu?), spinach artichoke dip, coronation chicken salad, crab-nicoise salad, or the brie plate. It's worth it to ask for a wine recommendation too; they have a nice selection.
It's always fun to listen to the live jazz (there is a cover charge), but sometimes you can catch free music in the front room, too (try holidays like Easter or Mother's Day). Talk to your table neighbors, make some friends, check out the rotating art selections, and kick back with a crossword or your laptop and enjoy yourself. If you try to make this place something other than a loungey cafe, you're going to hate it.
49 West Coffeehouse, Winebar & Gallery
"Nice hangout, good desserts"
I love to slip into this coffeehouse and relax. If you can get a window seat it's a great place to spend the afternoon or evening and people-watch. Lot's of people kind of park here with laptops nursing a beverage for hours. They have a good selection of wine and great tasting desserts.
I've been here several times and had different friendly waitresses. They are very nice but none are really attentive. You usually have to chase them down for more of whatever you need and to get the check. The place is very laid-back and so are they.
The establishment also has live music.
This place became "our place to go" this weekend while we visited Annapolis.
They even saved us one night when we ate at another place down the block and were so bummed by the terrible food and service we stopped there for something to eat and it were thrilled with the food and the service.
We had 2 breakfast meals there as well.
The service if great, the tea and coffee and food all worth it!
I hesitate to review this place after only one visit, but I wanted to put my thoughts out here ASAP.
I popped in for an early lunch one day with a colleague while we were waiting around the courthouse. Â It is located on West Street and less than a 5 minute walk to the court.
For lunch I ordered a tuna steak pesto sandwich. Â The tuna steak, pesto, and bread were all pretty good. Â The tuna was not overcooked which is always good.
I was asked if I wanted the cole slaw or green salad. Â I went with the green salad and it wasn't very good. Â First of all it was not tossed together. Â All the ingredients were separate and the plate was too small to mix it without getting food all over the table. Â Additionally it had way too many sprouts. Also, the salad dressing that came with it (they never asked me what type of dressing) was pretty vile. Â All together it was like eating rabbit food (coincidentally that is the name of one of the dishes on the menu).
Also, the pop was flat.
There have been some criticisms of the service here and I can sympathize with some people's perspectives. Â My service, however, was pretty good. Â The staff are not what I would call professional, but they were pleasant and attentive even if they do look like hipster douches.
The atmosphere is nice and there are some interesting paintings on the wall and for sale if you are in to that.
It is a solid 3, but could possibly be a 4 after a few trips and a few more selections on the menu.
Really good coffee and very nice staff. Â
Really need to work on the breakfast menu. Healthy or not steamed eggs are not good! Â Oatmeal for 6.25 with some sliced bananas needs to be hot at least---maybe that is not what they were going for but then it should be called muesli.
Not a big fan of the early morning live preformance but that is just me.
Get coffee and read the paper.
I was greeted by two Bernese Mountain dogs standing outside the restaurant/coffee house. I figured if two exotic dogs were hanging out here, the place must be good.
There were three of us for breakfast. We were seated in the front window. The place is cozy, lots of artwork, nice environment to dine in. Tables are close together.
We ordered two types of Quiche (Broccoli-Cheese & Mushroom-Bacon) and Bagel with Salmon. The food portions were very large. The Quiche was served with a delicious salad and the Salmon portion was generous. $40 with tip for three.
We enjoyed the food and talked for what seemed like hours over Cappuccino. I know the service can get shaky in this place, but they were on the mark today.
SO we went for a Sunday morning breakfast and to read the paper... and we were pretty happy with what we got. Â I got a mocha (big honking mocha) and he got a latte. Â
I got Fruit with Vanilla Yogurt and fresh made granola and it was pretty good. Â It's almost one of the most expensive breakfast items ($8.25), but when the bowl came I understood, it was huge and it had melon, banana, strawberries, blueberries, and pineapple. Â It was yum, and my hubby had a croissant sandwich (egg, cheese, bacon). Â He ate it all so it must have been good. Â But we sat and enjoyed our papers and huge coffee drinks. Â The drinks were ok, the service sufficed. Â Can't complain. Â I would probably go back for a Sunday morning breakfast.
Okay, not the perfect coffee shop. Â Actually, if you want a coffee shop as such, you should go to City Dock. Â However, if you want coffee and a light meal for a lazy afternoon, it's great.
Yes, service is often slow. Â Seriously, if you're in a hurry to go, you probably ought to get up and chase down the server, because there's no guarantee he or she will stop by in less than 15 minutes.
However, the atmosphere is great, and the quiche is the best anywhere.
This place would be great if the staff actually cared about the customers. I've been there loads of time and have had many friends on staff. It's just not what they do there. The staff goofs off and speaks amongst themselves. I don't care how great the ambiance of a place is, ignoring guests is no fun. I know that's part of the deal when you go there, and I knew what to expect every time, but every time I was amazed by how bad the service was.
On the other hand the food is good and relatively inexpensive, the staff is a bunch of "cool kids" there are fun to hang out with after work. The drinks are always a treat and there always some kind of cool live music in the back.
Just don't go to this place if you want someone to wait on you because that is sort of your privilege here.
I still love you Walker, Meredeth and everyone else. I'm sorry to bash you, but I still think it's not cool.
Located at, well, 49 West Street, in Annapolis, 49 West is the perfect coffee shop.
Before I go further, let me rave about their vanilla chai for a moment. It is seriously the best stuff on earth. I prefer it to alcohol. And I don't prefer anything to alcohol. It's amazing.
It's little hippieish, as all coffee shops tend to be. At least the real ones. Starbucks doesn't count.
The waiters there are SO friendly---a lot of them even end up coming out to parties, bars, whatever, after I go there with us. My friends and I frequent this place a lot, just cause it's so cool.
They have a backroom, where they have small concerts with cool local/semi-local bands, which is nice if you are into music at all. They have a wide variety.
It's in downtown Annapolis without being right down town, so it's a short walk to City Dock and all of the other attractions down there.
They've got an outdoor seating area out back, which is nice for a sunny autumn afternoon or a summer night.
They have a lot of regulars---people reading books, playing chess, etc. Go there a few times and the waiters will recognize you and know you by name.
I love the atmosphere the best. And the chai tea. Mmmm....
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