Preserve — Restaurant in Annapolis

I was excited when I read the article about this restaurant opening (seriously – the owners seemed passionate.) I grew up in Annapolis and started working in restaurants when I was 14 years old – and subsequently traveled around the world for work and not a surprise became a big foodie. I have kids now and do not eat out often, so am always bummed when I spend the money and it is disappointing. I brought my family to Preserve this summer for lunch and it was very disappointing – from the service to the food. So, passing by this evening after leaving the Naval Academy with my 13 year old son I was hungry and thought I would give it another chance. (Everyone has a bad day, right?) My son had already eaten so asked if he could go to the comic book shop. So, while he was gone I ordered 3 appetizers and glass of wine. The scallop dish was a good dish, but the scallops were very over salted (and I like salt). I mentioned this to the waiter and he told me it was a savory dish – as if I was so moronic that I did not know savory dishes used salt. I corrected him and said the broth was delicious, but the scallops very over salted. My son then came back to the restaurant letting me know that the comic book shop was closed and brought with him a small ice cream container (the 2” size of the frozen ones served at birthday parties with cake). I let my son know that generally it is not polite to bring in food to a restaurant and that next time he should wait. Then I began to eat the shrimp lettuce wraps that I ordered, which unfortunately was the blandest dish I have eaten for quite some time. They looked pretty, but frankly, my 10 year old daughter could make something as tasty with mayo, spices and cooked shrimp. I was even ok with that and asked for the check with a happy heart. That is when the waiter brought me the check and then reprimanded me for my son bringing in outside food! I bought $60 worth of food myself! Are you kidding me? There were hardly any people in the restaurant and my son is a kid! The waiter did not even clear my plates away when I was finished eating! And did not even ask if I wanted another glass of wine – I had to flag him down. All of the staff here seemed to be having fun with each other – but none were including the patrons to make them feel welcome. That’s it. I am done. Not a place to feel pampered and I wonder if the owners encourage this behavior or just have no idea what...

Preserve is easily my favorite place to go for lunch or dinner in all of Maryland. My wife and I moved to Odenton in 2019 and quickly discovered Annapolis Main street and what would become our favorite place to eat. The atmosphere is very cozy and relaxing, though the restaurant is small inside it doesn’t feel crowded or too loud. Their cocktails and mixed drinks are very creative and unlike what you might find in other restaurants in the area. It’s hard to suggest a specific food from the menu only because they have a rotating menu where things are often switching up. Normally when I find a restaurant I like, I will also find a dish that I love and stick with it. With Preserve on the other hand, unlike my wife who gets the fish and chips every time we go, I always get something different, and I am NEVER disappointed. The ingredients being used are things you don’t often get to experience, and the way Jeremy, Michelle, and their team incorporate all of their unique ingredients reflect their true love and passion for their craft. I cannot suggest this restaurant enough, go with an open mind, try something new, and I promise even the pickiest of eaters will not be disappointed.

My wife and I are moving to Hawaii in 7 days and will GREATLY miss this restaurant and all of the wonderful staff that make it what it is. Hopefully we will have enough time to stop in one last time...

This was our first visit to The Preserve, we made reservations to ensure that our part of 4 would be seated. We were charged $10 per person to make the reservation. It was credited to our bill at the end, I still don't like that. The service was okay, I expect better when we pay as much as we did. Our waiter had tables on the sidewalk as well as ours, he had to walk by our table but didn't stop. The appetizers of perogis and the cheese (called something else) was excellent. The entree was wonderful, the pork with sauerkraut was delicious, we loved the sauerkraut, the pork was done perfectly. The desserts were very mediocre, it as if they try to make it too fancy but miss the target. I wish they had a simple scoop of homemade ice cream or sorbet. The Tandy Cake is not cake, it's like a peanut butter dessert bar. The butterscotch mousse is not what you'd expect, it's like a mousse/whipped topping on a rice bar. The vegan chocolate pot with fruit was decent but the sea salt overwhelms the flavor of chocolate and fruit. The noise level was insane, we couldn't hear each other at the table. People at the bar were very loud and got louder. When we got out of the restaurant it was like a decompression, we all stopped and said "wow, it's nice and quiet out here". The food quality earned 4 stars, definitely not the dessert, service, or noise (6:00 on a Sat night). I don't think...