I have gone here many times for a few large scale brunches and they are the best ever. The staff is absolutely friendly and the great thing about it, their staff doesn't change, they remember drink orders. The food is true Irish food! Also the Drinks are fantastic! The food amazeballs. I try something different every time!
Can get a little rowdy if a soccer game is one but it's an Irish Pub so it's expected :)
This place is a good irish chain that is consistent. We went on a friday night in between dinner and bar crowd hours to prime our evening downtown. Cheese puffs were good mac and cheese good. Pork belly was more fat than flavor (and I love pork belly if its cooked right). I couldnt even cut through it with a knife although the magners reduction was awesome. So a bit of a bummer there. Pints of Smithwicks... Im in! Cabbage and Bacon was great and bread pudding was good for dessert. So altogether a great stop for a pre-game of downtown annapolis.
Review Source:I came to Fado on my 21st birthday as a starting place for what would turn out to be a very long pub crawl. Since then, it has been one of my favorite pubs for its upscale look and fun atmosphere.
Fast forward a year later, and, while I still enjoy going to Fado for a pint or some bangers and mash, I have other places I frequent now. There are better places for Irish food in Annapolis, but those are more downtown, so I still come to Fado when I don't want to spend the extra 10 minute drive and am looking for a place whose atmosphere I enjoy.
Be forewarned though, it can get busy and LOUD. I mean struggling-to-hear-people-across-from-you loud. Also, expect a little bit of an older crowd here with a lot of business travelers from the nearby Westin and locals doing whatever it is that locals do. If you care about that sort of thing in a bar anyway.
Fado isn't a bad experience by any means. If I'm looking for a bar, I'll go here for the atmosphere and decor. Just be aware of how loud it can get, and if you're eating, know you can expect good (not great) food almost every time.
Stayed at the hotel next door so the location was great for me. Â I was surprised to find that a "chain" type of Irish Pub could be so fun and seem "local" but Fado's pulled it off nicely.
We had an informal reunion event on Thursday night and despite the fact that we had about 250 people or more in and outside the staff kept up with the demand nicely and nobody went thirsty. Â Reports on the food were encouraging, but I never got the chance.
On Saturday night they hosted an 80s cover band called "Weird Science" who absolutely kept the place jumping until close.
Overall, considering that I'm used to paying midwest bar prices ($4.50 mixed drinks, $3.50 beer) my tab each night was very reasonable.
I'll definitely return the next time I'm in Naptown!
If you're going here, I hope you're doing it for the trivia on Wednesday nights. The food and drinks are fantastic (particularly the warm, alcohol-filled cider they serve in the winter), and bar trivia is always fun. The prizes are pretty great, too. A $50 gift card awaits you if you're the first place winner, $25 for second place, and $10 for third. Not bad, right?
They also have a "pub quiz sandwich" and drink special to help you make financially sound choices on their otherwise fairly pricey menu. That said, you're going to want the lamb french dip. A lamb-wich, if you will. (And you will.)
The first time I went, the quiz-master had a wheel that you could spin for a dollar, and the proceeds went to a charity for kids.  The trivia MC awarded  fun prizes including free drinks and points for your team, depending on your spin.
The atmosphere of the place is pretty good. It's warm and inviting with cushioned couches lining the walls instead of your run of the mill table/chair setup. Â If you're looking for a decent Irish pub, this will do the trick.
Normal Food - Great, well done Americanized Irish food. Shepard's pie, Corned beef rolls, and the lamb dip sandwich are great.
Drinks - A bit pricey but this was the first place around to carry Kilkelly beer. I had been searching for it for two years after I returned from Argentina and I finally found a bar that served it. (Although after that night I am light $200 and some dignity) I digress.
BRUNCH - Good Value Good Food. The menu is limited, but good (I recommend the platter with the blood sausage, It's amazing). And all you can drink Mimosas for 6 or 7 dollars is always a win-win.
Atmosphere - this place is usually deserted unless there is a wedding party at the hotel across the street or they are showing a soccer or rugby game. It's a great place to go if you want to watch either of those sports.
It's a chain; so there is some standard to be expected here.
We went for the Annapolis Irish Festival Afterparty. Â There was ample outdoor seating; but it took 15 min before we had to go find ourselves a waitress to get served.
Had the cheese dip and Guinness wings' no complaints there! Â Food is the same as it is in DC or Philadelphia.
Went indoors after eating to enjoy music; although... ok.. Irish band playing, CLEARLY you should play hip hop between sets, right? *scratches head*
While am not local; this bar gave me the vibe of being somewhat 'yuppy' with  groups of loud drunken frat-esque boys.
Drinks are on the pricy side, and the service was terrible. Â She was great; nice and cute; but the wait was ridiculous. We waited an hour for our food; and all we had ordered were things off the appetizer menu.
I will be back. I was here recently for a former coworker's farewell event and it was a great experience. The food was great for the occassion. Chicken skewers, mini burgers, smoked salmon bites and the fruit platter were enjoyed by all who attended..
The server assigned to our group was great and knowledgeable about the drinks and provided great recommendations to those who were unsure. She was smiling and happy to get whatever we needed in a timely manner.
I did not have my camera and I was more focused on catching up with everyone instead of taking pictures.I had not been here before but I think I will definitely be back for brunch or Happy hour.
Be sure to park in the affordable undergroung parking nearby since Annapolis is not known for its street parking.
If you like rowdy Irish bars, c'mon down.
A friend and I came over here on a Sunday morning after breakfast at Miss Shirley's because we needed wi-fi and Miss Shirley's doesn't have wi-fi. Â
This first question out of greeter's mouth was "Are you here for the game?" 10:00 on a Sunday morning? What game? Â Oh! Soccer. There was a soccer game.
The place was filling up fast and the fans were louder than any NFL fans I'd ever heard. We just had coffee (we had just eaten breakfast next door) and Guinness but the place was hoppin'.
Nice atmosphere (for an Irish bar), the waitress was plenty attentive and friendly. Prices were reasonable.
I liked it!
Decent but overpriced. Music is way too loud for comfortable dining and it's not often good music. Weekend nights they have terrible DJs that seem to be trying to cater to some obscure "frat culture" I'm not even sure exists here. It's a pub. It should BE a pub instead of trying to be a sports bar that serves Guinness and bridies.
Review Source:Stopped in for lunch for the first time this week. Â The mate had a "lamb dip" and I a prime rib hoagie. Â Basically they are just about the same thing. Â Meat was well, well done on each and, in fact, if one was beef and the other lamb, I could not discern it. Â The dip (same for both) was excellent. Â The Mate's lamb was pulled as in BBQ (think, a French dip with lamb, maybe?). I would prefer some sliced meat (especially if it could be rare). The Mate liked the chips (french fries)... I thought they lacked something and tasted of processed frozen fries with that sugar coating most frozen fry products have to make them brown and crispy. Â
I have been here now only three times.  Should come more often.  Once I was there on St Patty's day in me kilt  (there was one other Scots Lad in a kilt).  A tall blonde Lassie walked by and smacked my arse and said, "nice skirt!" So I replied, "You can only call it a skirt if'en there's panties worn under it!"  Well, that was then.  I'm not a panties kinda guy!
It's a bit pricey but reasonable for the service and food quality. I'll be back!
Great during happy hour. Â They have specials and appetizers on discount. Â I like sitting at the bar because the bartenders are super friendly. Â The cheese dip with boxty wedges appetizer is really good. Â I've been here for brunch and they have bottomless mimosas. Â I asked if I could get a splash of cranberry in my mimosa but was told no. Â I could order a glass of cranberry and add it. Â This seemed odd to me, juice is juice. Â Mimosas are mostly orange juice with little champagne. Â
The sandwiches are great. Â My friend had the Pulled Lamb French Dip and said it was superb. Â I had a cheese steak. Â It was okay, the bread wasn't my favorite and the cheese was not melted.
They have lots of outdoor seating with heaters. Â I hate bars that don't play the sound of games that are on. Â I had asked for the sound for a football game. Â They said that rugby gets priority for sound. Â But there was no rugby on.
As chains go, this is one of the best. My former employer was located down the street, so this became a very regular lunch spot for my co-workers. Fado's staff treated us like we were fellow Park Place tenants. We were all given the resident discount and they always remembered our preferences. It's the only place I have ever visited that I could say "the usual" and my drink and entree of choice would be delivered promptly. It's been about a year since I have visited Fado, but I still have fond memories of the service. If you're looking for a heavy meal, I highly recommend the chicken and shrimp boxty. My only complaint is that they take the irish pub thing a little seriously for a chain restaurant. If there is even a re-run of a soccer game playing, the manager will refuse to turn on other sports channels such as espn news.
Review Source:Have loved this spot since it opened. If you love traditional Irish pub food this is the place for you!
Not only do they have a great selection of Irish beer, but their food is great! I'd recommend any boxty they have, my favorite is the corned beef. If you're hesitant to try new things they also have amazing fish & chips and make one heck of a burger! They have wonderful fries and great happy hour menus.
If its nice out, sit outside. It's right in Park Place and it's a very fun atmosphere!
**UPDATE**
I went here with a girlfriend for brunch and LOVED it. Not a huge menu but just enough to please everyone. Entrees were not too expensive and portions were large. Also for 6.75 you get bottomless mimosas!
Stopped at Fado's yesterday for the first time. Â I had the Classic Cheese Sandwich, my wife had a SW omelet. Â Food was very good, the order was exactly as we asked it, and best of all when our friends and I asked if we could get the pilsner glass the beer came in the waitress said no problem, and brought out two clean ones in bags! Â Couldn't have asked for a better brunch experience while out and about in Annapolis.
Review Source:This Irish girl is still a fan. Â We arrived on a busy Saturday night around 7:00. Â They had a party of 100 taking up half of the restaurant so, there was a 20-30 min wait. Â No big deal. Â The hubby and I found some comfy chairs in the bar area and waited patiently. Â 15 min later we were seated at a high top and our excellent server brought our menu's. Â I started with the soup of the day: MD vegetable crab and a side salad. Â Both were fresh and delicious! Â The soup wasn't too salty, had enough crab that I was satisfied and tasted amazing when you soaked up the broth with some of the dense brown bread. Â The salad was a great size with fresh veggies and made me happy to have my vegetable fix. Â Now, for the entree! Â I ordered the corned beef and cabbage with the mustard sauce on the side. Â I highly recommend you order the sauce on the side too. Â The cabbage was cooked perfectly (crisp, but still soft). Â I only wish there had been more of it! Â The boiled red potatoes were also cooked perfectly and the silky texture went great with the sauce and potatoes. Â The corned beef did not disappoint! Â It wasn't too salty, perfectly tender and more than an adequate portion. Â I couldn't have been happier. Â Its been a long time since I've eaten out and enjoyed everything I ordered. Â Way to go Fado's!
Review Source:Went to Fado tonight to see what Happy Hour there was all about there. I tried it a long time ago and fondly remember the Irish strew with soda bread. Well, seems that is off the menu. Really? Did I miss it?
 It was Thursday and 1/2 price bottle of wine. They suggested I buy a bottle if I was going to have more than a glass. So, I am not sure what the drink deals are for Happy Hour.
 Happy Hour menu has about 6-8 items from $4 to $6.  I had the mussels for $6 and a bottle of Pino Grigio for $11. Mussels were nice, smallish the bread that came along was toasted in oil and unfortunate. Total with tip $21. It's a nice place and authentic, but there are better cheap eats from 4-7 in town. Nice service, they screwed the cap on the wine and I bought home the doggie bottle.
I have been going here since they opened. Â It is well run, the food is consistently good and the staff has always been very nice and professional.
The only thing I don't like about it is that some of the tables have really deep bench seating which I find uncomfortable. Â Easy Fix - I just use one of the many chairs or eat at the bar.
I would highly recommend the black and tan brownie with the ice cream.
Parking is easy in the garage (about $3.00) but there is street parking as well if you take the time to look.
Never had a bad meal or service
Been to the Annapolis Fado dozens of times. Â I've never had a bad meal and the service has been great. Â Wait staff is very friendly. Â I really enjoy the bleu crunch salad and also the tomato mozzarella baguette sandwich. Â Not your typical greasy pub food. Â You can eat healthy here. Â And for not healthy, you've got to try the black and tan brownie dessert. Yum!
It should be noted that I consider myself a regular of the Fado in downtown Washington, DC. On a whim, I decided that I would take a tour of all the Fado Irish Pubs. My latest was the Annapolis restaurant.
One of the striking things about this particular Fado is that it is in a very nice area near a Westin hotel. The place is pretty new - it has been around for about 2-3 years - and that's one of the things that disorients you. If you're used to Irish pubs/bars then there's a nice, warn in and almost grungy feel to it (but in a nice way). This pub still has that recently unwrapped feel to it. There is also outdoor seating near a fountain in the courtyard.
There are  number of televisions on the walls showing a variety of programs: soccer, the news, ESPN, baseball. On the walls are the banners of football clubs as well as U.S. Navy memorabilia. There is also a showcase in the middle of the restaurant with even more Navy items. Well, you are in Annapolis and the Naval Academy is about a stone's throw away.
In order to do an 'apples-to-apples' comparison I ordered what I always order at Fado, a cider and a corned beef sandwich. Sure enough, everything pretty much measured up to the other pubs I've been to. According to their menu the sandwich consists of "warm corned beef, horseradish mayo, and our own apple and onion relish served with pickles on a toasted hoagie roll." The hoagie roll had a nice crust to it while the rest of the bread was still soft and spongy. The pickles and the apple and onion relish are what sets this sandwich apart. You get a nice crisp crunch which balances the flavor of the corned beef. Add to that the steak fries and you've got yourself a pretty darned good meal.
Our server that evening was named Chris. He was very attentive and timely, chatting us up and telling us about the area. He let the manager, Bernie, know that we were there and that my wife and I were regulars at the DC Fado. It was fantastic! Bernie came over to talk to us and we were treated like we were part of a big family.
This pub is a little bit away from the rest of the other establishments in Annapolis. It's ideal if you don't want to deal with all the people milling about near the water. Â This is definitely a place that I'll be visiting again whenever I travel to Annapolis.
Ya know, I wanted to not like this place at all. My husband's from the UK, we just moved from Manhattan, etc, so I know one or two things about an Irish pub, and I thought "there's no way this is an Irish pub". I mean, Irish pubs are old - this place was built only a few years ago. And how could a chain possibly do a decent Irish breakfast?
Well, after 5 or so visits and no posts, my husband told me to stop being so chain-a-phobic and write a review since we find ourselves repeat customers (which does not occur often).
Their breakfasts are awesome. And it's not just their breakfasts, their appetizers are too!
Here's what I've had:
Mini Burgers: mediocre
Corned Beef Rolls: awesome
smoked salmon bites: very good
Bloody Marys: awesome
All Day Irish Breakfast: nearly the best Irish breakfast i ever had (would be #1 if they served baked beans)
Breakfast sandwich: my husband's favorite thing on their menu
Seriously, their boxty's are ridiculous. Try it.
Also, if you're foreign, this is the place to be. They play soccer and rugby. I'm pretty sure this is the only place around you can watch the six nations rugby. Also, the managers are Irish, and they take hospitality seriously. If there's a problem, it'll be fixed. We had an issue on Saturday lunch, and it was taken care of immediately and my friend's lunch was comped.
Since we live nearby, we'll be back. Often. Not to mention now that the weather is warming up and they have TONS of outdoor seating.
I go here a lot because it is directly across the street from the office.  That being said, it is still pretty good food.  I haven't really had a bad meal there.  I feel strange giving it four stars, but I  can't find a real reason to  take another star away.  I guess you could say it is more like 3.5 stars.
They have turkey, brie and apple grilled cheese type sandwich that is very good and very filling.  It is not a skimpy portion, even for me and I am fat.  I also recently tried their barley soup and was pleasantly surprised.  Their burgers and  chips are pretty good as well.  My boss tends to get the shepherd pie (which I have also tried and enjoyed). Â
I personally haven't had a bad meal here, although there has been nothing that was truly outstanding. Â My SO had some type of brie sandwich (not the turkey brie and apple mentioned earlier) Â that I don't think is on the menu anymore that she didn't like.
I have also had the bread pudding dessert with a brown bread ice  cream that I thought was pretty good if you like bread pudding.  It is very rich, but when I am getting bread pudding and brown bread ice cream that is what I expect.
Being a pub, they have a nice selection of whiskys/whiskeys. Â One negative is that they always seem to have soccer on the TV.
The service can be a bit iffy. Â There is no hostess or anything, so you just walk in an grab a table. Â There are plenty of places that do this, but they are usually smaller and only have one entrance. Â This place is pretty big and has three entrances. Â Sometimes you can slip through the cracks when one person sees you, but your waiter/waitress does not. Â Then you end up hanging around trying to flag someone down for service.
That being said it is a pretty good place to grab lunch or even dinner.
I liked this place, and I definitely want to go back, but it didn't quite warrant a 4 or 5 star rating in my book.
We went during brunch on Sunday and the place was pretty empty. Â Apparently there was some kind of big soccer match on tv the night before and the place had been insane. Â Kind of glad I wasn't there for THAT...
Anyway, Â my husband and I were there with another couple. Â We shared the crab dip, which was really delicious. Â Great amount of crab, nice amount of melty cheese, and they brought more bread for us when we requested it.
I had wanted to try the pulled lamb sandwich, but they were out of lamb after the crazy night before, so I opted for the Bailey's French Toast. Â It was pretty good, but honestly not that much better than I could make at home. Â The potatoes were mostly undercooked, and the fruit was about what you'd expect for out-of-season melon...which is to say pretty bland.
My husband got the bacon cheeseburger and said it was a little more cooked than he usually prefers, but overall it was good. Â He said the fries were good, and they must have been because I didn't even get a chance to steal any!
Like I said, I liked it overall - and I am interested in trying some of their other specialties like the lamb, and the Guinness ice cream for dessert - but this experience could have been better.
Fado is a great chain Irish restaurant, emphasis on the chain part.
I personally love the decor inside of the Annapolis Fado, it is all rich dark wood, done with beautiful engraving and complimented with brass. It may not be authentically Irish, but it does give off a warm, old world, richness. It is pretty big inside and is nice for large groups. Be sure to get a group together and check out their trivia night!
It is usually pretty crowded, so be prepared to wait on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday night. Parking can usually be found across the street, out front, or in the below ground parking garage (expect to pay around $3.00 + for the garage)
My all time favorite menu item is the boxty quesidilla. Something about it is amazing. I would usually just go and get this and some drinks. They also serve up some strong martinis here, which I'm surprised by being it an Irish pub. Last time I was here, I got a Lemon Drop martini and only after just one I found myself stumbling to the bathroom. A okay in my book!
I have eaten at the DC location and I like that one b/c more people watching and stuff to do but, anyway I tried the Annapolis location with my bf's sister and it was busy on the weekend they have a dj and dancing . Â It is located in Park Place and across from Mortons and alot of really good restaurants so expect to spend between $25-$45 per person when you go out . Must try the black & tan brownie, it is delish and their appetizers are really good too- I have yet to eat dinner here..we were mostly there to hang out and drink and enjoy appetizers.
Review Source:I honestly can't believe this is the same chain of Irish-themed restaurants I've visited in D.C. and Atlanta, though it says so on the sign and some of the menu items look familiar. The Fados in D.C. and Atlanta actually look like an Irish theme park of sorts, while Annapolis' chain reminded me of a  trendy L.A. hotel bar that was anything but Irish.
The beer is great and they keep it flowing in Imperial pint glasses - not those typical 16 ounce pub pints that are great for Budweiser, but not for enjoying a proper pint Guinness. One attempt at eating the food when the restaurant first opened, however, left a bad taste that will not soon be forgotten.
I can't claim I've eaten canned dog food, so forgive me if I'm slightly off on my comparison, but the shepherd's pie smelled and looked like ALPO, and I can only imagine that its taste wasn't far off. It was absolutely awful and when I questioned the waitress about it, she noted that a lot of people don't like the way it tastes, and that it's been kind of "hit-or-miss."
Instead of featuring an authentic Irish staple on their menu that is admittedly hit-or-miss with customers, they should try revising the recipe and sending out a dish that is agreeable with the vast majority of their patrons. As Chef Gordon Ramsay tells cooks, "Taste your food before sending it out." I don't believe Fado's chef has ever tasted his shepherd's pie, otherwise, he'd know it tastes awful.
Seating on the floor next to the bar scene with a large crowd hovering over our table was less than enjoyable, but certainly entertaining watching cougars on the prowl on a Friday evening.
Let me get this out of the way: The bathroom is incredible. Not only clean but beautiful. I love the sinks. And the copy of the Irish Times on the wall every day makes it! So I go for lunch in the middle of the week with a girlfriend and have a pint, I not working or driving so what the hell. I got a perfect pint of Guinness and expected no less. My friend orders the Smithwicks Mini Burgers and loved them. They came with Sweet Potato straws that were a little over cooked. I got the Smoked Turkey RLT. The turkey didn't have an overwhelming smoked flavor (and that was good), the rashers were a nice change from American bacon. The bread was great. The sandwich cut in two was huge, and really I couldn't eat it all. The chips (fries) were warm and cooked all the way through. I loved the basket of condiments: Coleman's mustard, cider vinegar, mango chutney and HP sauce! HP sauce rocks and its amazing on chips. Forget ketchup, I will put HP sauce on anything and everything. It made my heart (and tummy) happy to see the condiment basket, nice touch. Another thing that made this lunch so good, was sitting outside on a beautiful autumn day. Â And they have pub quiz on Wednesday nights, now that should be fun! Plus they support Navy sports, with posters all over the bathroom.
Review Source:This place was not much on the outside, but you walk in and it's a beautiful bar and restaurant. Â Lots of detail in the decor - walls stamped with fleur de lis and the wood working is everywhere. Â The chairs are all ornate and have unique fabrics on them that really give them a homey touch. Â
We went for lunch and it was a quiet day. Â Mostly business people (it was about 1300 on a weekday). Â But we got great service from Justin. Â He made sure our drinks were refreshed and our meals were great. Â
I had a Guinness Mac and Cheese. Â It was more like a sauce than a cheesy, but it was wonderful. Â Topped with bacon and bread crumbs, and the Guinness gave it a wonderful flavor.
Husband had a philly cheese steak and boasted it was tasty - not over the top but just tasty. Â So overall because of the great service that every employee in there displayed and the food was great, I gave it 4 stars. Â I liked their menu which included authentic sounding meals such as Boxty's, Shepard's Pie and Fish Chips.
For the two lunches and sodas we spent 20 bucks, so I must say this will not break your bank either. Â
Oh they also boast live entertainment on Thursdays. Â
Enjoy!
After frequenting the DC location of this Irish Pub Chain, we went to the new Annapolis location without high expectations that they would produce a memorable meal. Â I have to say I was completely wrong. Â Where the DC location truly feels like an Irish bar (a sports bar to be more exact), the Annapolis Fado, has the feel of a true public house with Victorian decor and some damn good food. Â
We started with the Smoked Salmon bites on mini potato blini's. Â The perfect start to a good meal. Â Crisp potato with generous servings of smoked salmon, slathered with a nice horseradish cream and capers. Â
For entree's we both ordered a "boxty", and this is what will keep me coming to Fado over and over again. Â Essentially a potato crepe filled with either corned beef and cabbage, cajun chicken and shrimp or steak and mushrooms with a whiskey garlic sauce. Â I opted for the corned beef and cabbage; the large crepe was filled with a generous amount of good steamed cabbage with hand cut, house roasted corned beef. Â It was served with an addictive mustard sauce that I would wallow in if they gave me enough of it. Â
My dining companion had the cajun chicken and shrimp boxty with a creamy cheese sauce that was as rich and intoxicating as any sauce I've ever tasted. Â Loaded with spice and wine and cheesey goodness. Â Both meals came with a fresh salad and veggies.
For dessert we shared the Harvest Bread Pudding with Brown Bread Ice Cream. Â The bread pudding was good, but not out of the ordinary, but the Brown Bread Ice Cream is a real treat. Â They take their homemade brown bread and caramelize it, then blend it into a vanilla based homemade ice cream. Â Ben and Jerry should take note. Â
Service was friendly and suggestive. Â Overall I think Fado is a great addition to the Annapolis dining and drinking scene.
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Fado is a chain of upscale Irish Pubs with a bunch of Locations in major cities. The original is in Atlanta. This place is in the new Park Place Westin Development, across from the New Morton's. It was pretty good food, nothing stupendous. I'm not really sure how to score this one. It was good food, but it was overall just average. No surprises good or bad, so a 3 is in order.
If you are a soccer fan, they show that on TV here.