BlackFinn

DowntownBethesda.com User Ratings and Reviews:

• 2 Stars by karletay on 11/18/08
  

  We used to like going to their happy hour, every appetizer was available at a nicely reduced price. Now, with each subsequent visit, the choices on the happy hour menu get more and more limited. The only items left on it are actually not very good.
  
  This brings me to the food itself. There's nothing impressive on the menu, there are a few items that are actually good, like the buffalo chicken bites, but you get so little blue cheese dressing with it, it's tiring to always have to ask for more. They recently changed the ranch dressing, so there went that out that window. The nachos are mostly chips with just a small amount of toppings. The burgers and fries are non-descript. You see where this is going....
  
  The establishment has three levels, kind of like a split-foyer house. You walk into the main bar, which is situated in the middle layer. It is nice there, dark wood and a nice Irish bar feeling - but they always keep it FREEZING in there, and pretty bright, too.
  
  So, your eyes drift to what looks like a warmer upstairs bar/dining area - too bad, that area is closed 90% of the time, and when you do get to go up there, the idle staff is chatting and chowing down right behind the bar. Oh, and it's even colder up there! It's a shame, there's more of that dark wood up there, it has a lot of potential.
  
  If you don't want to sit in the main area (which is the only place you can order the happy hour menu - but watch out, not all staff is aware of that), they try to put you downstairs. Now, I think they do that because there are large picture windows that face the sidewalk (at ground level), and if all the booths and tables have people in them, the joint actually appears to be hopping. That's fine, except the ambiance in that room is practically non-existent and most of the time, it smells like mildew down there.
  
  Bottom line - not good for a regular meal, no longer good for happy hour, best bet is just to go and drink. The Irish Car Bombs are surprisingly tasty!

• 3 Stars by dragon1 on 03/29/08
  

  This place was horrible, lousy bartenders and rude doorman.I could have had 100 bill in my hand and not gotten a drink.....and alot of old,tired looking bartenders that did not care what was up.

• 5 Stars by tekaryma436 on 03/06/08
  

  This restaurant is excellent! I have eaten at Black Finn twice now and can't wait to go back. The food is exceptionally good and although the waitstaff may be a little inexperienced, they are very friendly and extremely attentive. We always felt as if we were being taken care of. And the best part about this place (besides their delicious sliders) is their prices - this restaurant is more affordable than it appears to be. Hopefully, this won't change with its increasing popularity. Overall, I highly recommend this restaurant to everyone!

• 2 Stars by paravour on 02/02/08
  

  Novice wait staff. 30 minutes to get watered down martinis. We were told the wait was because the bartender had to open a new bottle of vodka. Food was just above McDonalds quality. Vinaigrette was a tasteless oil. Basalmic wine sauce on very very small chicken breast just balsamic watered down with broth. The place was not very busy we got there at about 6:20 on a sat.