Baltimore restaurant files for bankruptcy to prevent foreclosure sale of Fells Point building

Baltimore restaurant, The Black Olive, has filed a bankruptcy case to prevent the foreclosure sale of its building in Fells Point, an attorney for the business said Tuesday. 

The Greek restaurant opened in 1997 and has remained open in Baltimore's Fells Point neighborhood for more than 30 years. The owners said the Black Olive remains open and "operating at full strength," despite the Chapter 13 bankruptcy case. 

"This filing has nothing to do with the viability of the restaurant," said attorney Adam Freiman. "This is a real estate dispute involving loans that the owners contend have been fully satisfied, and which the bank disputes."

A Chapter 13 filing, also called a wage earner's plan, allows the business to establish a court-approved repayment plan to pay back any debts. 

"As a small, family-owned business that has served Baltimore for nearly three decades, The Black Olive reflects the importance of allowing longstanding local institutions the opportunity to resolve good-faith disputes without being displaced by inflexible systems," Freiman said in a statement. 

The Chapter 13 case halts the foreclosure sale and allows the owners of The Black Olive to dispute the loan issues through a court-supervised process, according to Freiman. 

"Customers, employees, and vendors should understand this clearly: this is business as usual," Freiman said. "The restaurant is thriving, the doors are open, and the owners are confident this process will allow them to resolve the dispute and preserve a Baltimore institution."

While The Black Olive fights to maintain its location, other restaurants in the city have not been so lucky. In the past few years, several well-known restaurants in Baltimore have shut their doors. 

In early January, Morton's Steakhouse, along with its host Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel, closed its doors on S. Charles Street, the Baltimore Banner reported.

In March 2025, Banditos Tacos & Tequila closed its location in Federal Hill after 14 years. The location was sold and is expected to house GameOn Bar+ Arcade. 

In February 2024, employees complained about not getting paid after Fells Point Tavern suddenly closed.