18th & 21st

Elegant and sophisticated speak easy spot. The food was spectacular, service was great and the drinks were the BEST!! Enjoyed dining to the jazzy live music ...

We made reservations for a Tuesday at 18th and 21st for our anniversary dinner. Had to push the reservation time back at the last minute and they were more than accommodating. When we arrived, everyone we interacted with was kind and seemed genuinely happy to have us there. We were given a "happy anniversary" card signed by the staff which is such a cute damn touch. There was a live musical trio performing, absolutely magical atmosphere. Minutes after sitting down, a manager (owner?) jumped on a mic with the band, wished us happy anniversary then dedicated a love song to us. Just so so fun. All the drinks and food we ordered were excellent. The strawberry thyme sour and smoked old fashioned in particular were delicious. We had raw oysters, the tuna tartare, lobster entree and hake special, followed by donut bread pudding (would come back just for this and the sour) and chocolate cake. The entire evening was an absolute celebration. We would recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a special night out. Cannot wait to return.

Thoroughly enjoyed my experience here. Our table ordered a shrimp appetizer, mushroom soup, fried green tomato appetizer, spring bucatini, and rockfish entree special. Each dish is full of its own unique and delicate flavor, with fresh, high quality ingredients. Service and atmosphere were both wonderful. There was a live jazz concert that was a cherry on top. I will 100% return!

I had to wait for an hour for a table for two but it was all worth it. Food taste great, staff are great too. So there’s two restaurant in one, make sure you ask at the reception. There’s the regular one in front and fine dining in the back. I was at the regular one and oh my the food was delicious. They also have arguably the largest selection of rye and bourbon in the area; 100 on the menu and the host said they have about 400 or so.

I had my Birthday dinner with my hubby here and I was greeted with a Signed Birthday card from the team- Thanks again! This place is upscale, nicely priced menus, top- notch customer service. It was a night well spent for me. Came back to this restaurant for another birthday, but this time to Cured because I was with my kids. It was almost perfect! From appetizers to entreé. I enjoyed my plate of food, and the great part was that my request was accommodated. The grilled salmon was the best part for me- well seasoned, moist and cooked to perfection. Let me mention its been a while I had such eating out, my husband totally enjoyed his salmon too. Everyone on our table enjoyed their order. The desert would have made it the best night for me, but the cakes were cold. Lastly, our waiter Chris, was exceptional! He paid attention to details, and did it joyfully- great customer service! Overall, nice 👌!

This is truly a 5 Star restaurant. I had an amazing time from beginning to end. I love the history told of the Harlem Renaissance. I love the clothes and the decor. The live band was incredible. The oysters and crispy brussels sprouts are a great choice to start of with appetizers. The drinks were strong and bold. The entrees are so delicious. The crème brûlée was a great dessert choice to end the tonight. Just incredible! An exquisite dining experience.

The shrimp & grit is the best… steak is too tenacious! Wish the bagels were toasted, Coffee was ok, but drinks are good! The servers and the vibe there were awesome!

Vibe is awesome, service is stellar, and food is delicious! We’ve been many times and it’s always great! You can build your own beer flight, which is always fun! The beyond burger is outstanding and vegan if you remove the aioli and swap out the bun. Very fun spot to hang out!

Great dining environment with great drinks and service. Food was average and the garnish was way too salty. Dessert was delicious though. Big call out to our amazing waiter! The five-star goes to him. Btw, I usually think of this place for drinks not food. Good for date night.

Dined at 18th & 21st. Amazing vibes and atmosphere all of the staff was friendly and attentive. The Live Jazz music was a great as well. All the food was amazing. Really enjoyed the Caesar Salad and the Branzino which was cooked just right, my date had the pork Tenderloin said was a little dry but nonetheless delicious finished with a brownie and the Donut Bread pudding for dessert. Definitely recommend for a date night.

I visited with my husband a few weeks ago for dinner and to see Marva. Everything was great! Wonderful ambiance, beautiful decor, very friendly waitstaff, and the food is amazing! I had a delicious filet, and my husband had the lobster pasta. We also tried their brussel sprouts and crème brûlée. Both were delicious! Although this is no longer considered a speakeasy, it’s a pretty cool experience going into the back part of the restaurant. Also, you can order from both menus no matter where you sit. All the waitstaff are very friendly, and made sure we had an enjoyable experience. I can’t wait to return to try some of their other dishes. I highly recommend!

Went for thw first time for Sunday brunch. Food was delicious. Really enjoyed the small plates. Didn't feel over full Expected a little more on the menu - not sure if the brunch menu is smaller or if it's the two different restaurants in one location. I'll be back for the full menu and the jazz performances I overheard the other waitress talking about to another table. Food and service were fantastic.

Every time i have a family member or friend come into town, I bring them here. The atmosphere is great, the good is good and the service is good also. I love the wide variety of whiskey they have, and the bartenders make really good drinks. The calamari and smoked wings are probably my favorite appetizers. My only complaint is that the steak could use a little more seasoning, but it was cooked perfectly.

Love the name and vibe of this place. Who wouldn’t love a speakeasy style restaurant (though we opted for an early dinner on the Cured side of the restaurant)?!?!? We also opted for a tapas style dinner of appetizers: bean and ham soup, duck fat fries, herbed falafel, and grilled chicken skewers with peach BBQ sauce and cucumber/radish salad. The bean and ham soup surprised us with a red base but was excellent. The duck fat fries were perfectly crisp on the outside and soft inside. Incidentally they were tasty with the Peach BBQ sauce. The chicken skewers were perfectly done. I was disappointed by the falafel. It came sandwich style in a pita pocket with 2 falafel balls in each half. The tzatziki was very unusual- finely shredded, long strips of cucumber mixed with what I assume was yogurt. It was very thick but also the yogurt had been watery and left small puddles on my plate. By the time it was delivered both the bottom sides of pita and falafel were soggy. I ended up pulling the falafel out to just eat them. They were soft and smoothly blended which is not my preferred consistency for falafel. They were also somewhat bland. For drinks I had the Cardi Peach which was very good! My husband, a whiskey guy, had a sampling of whiskeys. If you like whiskey they have a HUGE menu- almost 500 between the two sides. From all over the world. For dessert we had warm stone fruit clafouti and donut bread pudding. I would have preferred the clafouti with more fruit. The donut bread pudding was very good! It tasted just like a warm Krispy Kreme donut. Service was phenomenal. The bartenders were friendly and knowledgeable. I prefer to chat with bartenders about the alcohols and food I am tasting, history of the establishment, etc and they were very accommodating 😊 We will be coming back soon to try the 18th and 21st side of the restaurant. This was a great find and if you are a whiskey person, they have whiskey club that sounds like a ton of fun.

Amazing service and great food! Great NA option for the spiritless drinker. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful. I will definitely return.

One of the best meals I've ever had. Atmosphere was lovely, food was fabulous, service was 100% on point. We celebrated my husband's 60th birthday with our family. Our son and his wife are local and dine here often. We had a private room which was AMAZING! Very personalized attention from our server, Emily, and also the "whisky wizard" who customized a very impressive bourbon flight for the birthday boy.

Very speakeasy vibes and was there on a Saturday night when live jazz was playing. Only ordered the desserts which were delightful and amazing. Was not super unique foods but did have a Pavlova as a dessert option. Reservations are highly encouraged because they really do not take walks in since it is hidden behind the Cured restaurant. The whiskey/spirits list was extensive and decent prices. Many rare whiskeys were enjoyed such as Willet Bourbon, Old Carter, and Weller 12.

Great atmosphere, love the live music. Really sets the romantic mood. The service is really great. The food are smaller portions, so don't expect large amounts of food. The flavor is really good. Free parking in the garage.

Food was good. Pork tenderloin, with fried rice and green beans, steak and potatoes, and for dessert: one doughnut bread pudding and one chocolate CHOCOLATE cake. The ambience was a nice wind down for the weekend into the work week. Sara, the Jazz vocalist who also played the piano, has a very soothing relaxing voice. It was a very pleasant Sunday evening. Next visit will be to the other side.

I vaguely remember my experience at Cured 18th & 21st many years ago, so when a colleague suggested we meet there for lunch the other day, I was happy to try it again. I love that there’s a parking garage nearby, so that’s nice. The service was very friendly and I enjoyed my meal. I had the fish and chips, and the fish was served fresh and hot with fries and coleslaw. I’m not a coleslaw girl, so it wasn’t for me. My colleague had the Caesar salad and added salmon, which is her usual go to. Overall, it was a great Columbia spot for lunch.

This is a fine jazz club tucked in behind a nice restaurant. Have yourself an evening of sublime music, delicious foods, amazing crafted drinks, great bartenders, and good company at 18th & 21st. We made a last-minute decision to try for some of the nightly jazz (except Monday) at 18th & 21st on a Friday evening (Oct 2025), hip-ly named for the prohibition amendment and repeal :-) There’s a free parking garage right across from the entrance of the building they share with a sister restaurant, Cured. We arrived in the bright seasonally-decorated welcoming lobby about 7:50pm. We ought to have made reservations, but in under 10min, the reception staff took us to the more intimate room towards the back where we were seated at at the bar, which is really what we wanted. When we arrived, the 6pm jazz band had just gone on break, so we felt free to chat with friendly regulars and with the bar staff. They have a changing list of ten craft beers from $6 to $21, plus one $6 non-alcoholic brew. Five of the $14-$35 per-glass vintage wines from their list of 17 are preserved with the “corovin” system that keeps air out, so they are never “corked”. We focussed on their list of 11 crafted $13-$22 cocktails plus 5 non-alcoholic ones, all made with quality ingredients, each naming the staff member(s) (and guests) who formulated the recipe! We found Alex’s $16 Fernetinez sublimely sweet: of bitter fernet amaro, Frederick-based locally-sourced award-winning McClintock One Last Time gin (exclusive for 18th&21st), smooth Luxardo liqueur, and a sweet vermouth. We loved the aroma and flavor of the classic Smoked Old Fashioned of bourbon from Kentucky’s 10th-oldest distillery, Green River, moved to a mild well-rounded sweetness by brown sugar simple syrup, smoked in front of me by Mike (if i remember), with added richness from smoky bitters. They have a creative menu of $30 to $65 entrees, plus salads, small plates, apps, and sides, and they have a changing menu of small plates. We really hadn’t planned on eating, but we couldn’t resist. The $17 duck bao buns had thin tender filets with a sweet lightly-salty apricot-soy glaze and a tangy crunchy pickled cucumber slaw on a soft folded yeasted slightly-sweet white-flour bun. The $12 pair of fried fresh-tasting oysters were sweet and juicy with a light-flavored crunchy crust. They were so yummy, and easy to enjoy with our cocktails. Rodney Kelly’s jazz band was excellent, playing with spirit, joking with each other and the audience, even staging a song or two with a skilled member of the restaurant staff. Afterwards we had brief moments with some of the band members, like an intimate jazz club. Later in the evening, i also had a Turkish Sunset, a Manhattan-variation created in a collaboration among the staff and a guest (Well-done Ozzie!). I love Elijah Craig, and wanted to try their dry toasted rye, with housemade allspice dram syrup, Small Hands grenadine, and bitters. By now, i felt very much at home with the staff, and when i learned that one of them had helped formulate this beverage, i confided that its amazing complexity was, for me, just a touch too dry. Alex (if i remember) considered the ingredients and the target flavors, and added just a touch of a sweet lemony liqueur, perfectly complimenting the recipe’s flavors! Real-time crafting goes above and beyond, Thank you! (And when they next update the menu, maybe they’ll have a custom option named for me :-)

My mom and I had early dinner at 18th & 21 earlier in January 2026. We didn't have a reservation but staff got us a table within 10 min, I guess we got lucky. It was a fancy and relaxing atmosphere with live music (Friday evening). Everything we ordered was delicious. I would come back again!

I had the most beautiful experience here celebrating my 5 year anniversary with my boyfriend. Our waitress Amanda, was extraordinary! She was extremely sweet and accommodating. My boyfriend has severe nut and shellfish allergies and she was able to make us feel at ease and knew the menu well. The food was delicious! The burger was juicy and flavorful, and my boyfriend loved the chicken sandwich. We will be back!

We just hosted my daughter’s baby shower at 18th & 21st and everything was wonderful! The food was incredibly delicious and the setting was perfect. Abel, our “go-to-guy,” was phenomenal and made the party flow so easily. We can’t wait to visit again!

Wonderful place. My wife and I went for our anniversary. We didn't even know this place existed so I searched for "upscale restaurants" and up popped 18th & 21st. The food is fantastic. We had the Brussel Sprout app, and the Lamb Rack and Scallops for our mains. Prepared and tasted great. The waitstaff was incredible. Attentive but not at all overly so. In the background they had a jazz pianist playing, adding to the already-nice ambiance. Yes this place is expensive but you get what you pay for. Definitely well worth it, especially for a special occasion.

We had such a great dinner at 18th & 21st! The vibe was awesome. Classy but still relaxed and the live music really set the tone for the night. The appetizers were amazing, especially the lobster and vegetable tempura and brussels sprouts -- definitely worth getting! I had the mushroom pasta for my entree, which was rich and flavorful but not too heavy. The drinks were also delicious. Our server, Trevor (I think that was his name!), was fantastic. Super attentive, friendly, and really made the whole experience even better. We’ll definitely be back!

18th & 21st was everything to make my friend happy for her birthday . We both had a great experience . The jazz band was playing and the atmosphere was so intimate that my friend wants to go there for her anniversary. The food was so good like me and her are like girl I’m still thinking about that dry aged burger .

We were celebrating and my server Juliette was excellent. The food and service were equally as great. One of our best celebrations ever thanks to their commitment to making it a top to bottom good experience!And the band duo was the cherry on the top!

We arrived at this popular destination on an early Friday evening for dinner. I hadn’t checked earlier but having a concert at near by Merriweather Post Pavilion also added to their crowd. We also found ourselves within the Happy Hour time frame. Service- was good and attentive. Food- I would think twice before ordering the Fried Oyster appetizer. The pickled cucumber slaw was a nice touch, the flavors complementing each other but left me wishing there were more oysters to enjoy. The brussel sprouts were tasty but overwhelmed with sauce. I did like the flavor, and they were tender to bite into but I would have enjoyed the crispy bits that wasn’t as charred. I ordered the Fish and Chips which was a large portion. The fish was tender but a bit heavy due to the batter it was dipped in but the French fries were thin and crispy. The coleslaw was tasty and constructed differently than your typical type of coleslaw. I did enjoy that. My daughter seemed happy with her grilled salmon dinner. I would say my favorite choice of our meal was their classic Creme brûlée dessert. That was creamy, smooth and delicious. We are not drinkers but they have a huge bar that was very busy and appeared to have a wide selection of Whiskeys, wines, beer flights, specialty drinks and other beverages. I would like to return on a less busy day to try other selections of their seasonal menu.

Good atmosphere and service at this location. The options are a bit limited but the food is tasty and the cocktails are delicious. We ordered a variety of dishes and left happy. Only comment is that the food feels very heavy but other than that, this place is a good alternative to the traditional spots in Columbia.

18th & 21st was a vibe! It had a cute ambiance. The jazz band was a nice touch as well. We had outstanding service with your server. She was so pleasant, knew the menu very well and even made recommendations for each course. The food was also pretty delicious. The appetizers including the Brussels (not pictured) and the shrimp were very flavorful. The lamb shank was also flavorful and very tender. I had a great time and would recommend to anyone looking for a place to dine in Columbia!

This review is for 18th & 21st. *Reservations only* My wife and I were very excited to dine here on a Sunday. We figured that Sunday would be the best day hoping that it would not be crowded, giving a more exclusive feel. (which was the case) We did not know what to expect going into this experience. When we arrived, The hostess left us feeling nothing short of suspenseful, authentic, "speak eazy" vibes that cater to that time period... The staff was very accommodating. There are some little things that I would nit pick, but honestly the overall presentation and performance desolved those critics. We did find out that their food options get more limited as the week progresses, Sunday had a "condensed" menu. This was not an issue for me at all. I did overhear some other tables ask for menu items that were not available due to no stock. If you're coming here for something specific, I would definitely recommend checking If they have it available, or just come on a Monday. Best beef short ribs and brussel sprouts i've had. This might sound a little crazy. But i'm very glad I chose the beef short rib over a steak option. We were invited back for half-price wine bottle wednesdays. It was also nice that the Jazz Band was taking requests... they played one of my favorite songs, by request, and it made the night that much more romantic. I am honestly looking forward to coming back to enjoy another peaceful night at 18th and 21st.

Love the atmosphere. The band was pretty good. Great food options and entertainment. Some of the menu items have nuts added which seem unnecessary. They should consider removing the nuts from the lobster dish.

I believe that is my third time coming to 18th & 21st, I gave it four stars only because I was not a fan of the music nor did I like the House Rules. Conversely, there was no band during those times. I was thinking, maybe reserving for a birthday party, but scratched. I wouldn’t even be able to throw a work gathering in this section. The 8oz Filet I had was good no complaints, everything was cooked to the specifications requested. The service was not a problem, in fact Angel the waitress was very attentive, accommodating, and pleasant. I recommend this restaurant if you like was you see and are a fan of Slow Jazzy music.

Employees were very helpful and friendly.I went on a Friday and the 18&21 area had live jazz music. The drinks were very good. The vibe was smooth. The presentation of the plates were very fancy. The taste of the food was not in accordance with the price. A New York steak was $58 and the flavor was like an Outback steak. For that price I was expecting more like a Ruth’s Chris flavor. For the price we pay I prefer a more quality flavor place. I would not repeat the spot.

Great atmosphere and excellent service. I can’t take anything away from the vibe. However, it's not worth the price tag. The experience was one of a high-end restaurant with a child-size portion of food. Expect to pay a minimum of $100 for three items. The best part was the brussels sprouts. Again, the service was excellent, but I was hungry afterward.

It was a bad choice to have dinner whenever a concert is in Merriweather. Parking was limited. We parked in the Columbia Mall and walked several blocks to locate the restaurant. We were greeted by the hostess and she took us back to bar area for seating. Live jazz duo was in action as well as a dozen customers in a nearby table. Not my choice. Our son had made the reservations. The dining area is nicely decorated with a painting depicting several well known skyscrapers from Chicago on the ceiling. I saw fried oysters on the menu and haddock too. Only 2 oysters per plate or $10 a piece. My bad. I do not recommend them. They were all over fried and hard as a rock. My Caesar salad was a kit, that is, assembly is required. A very messy thing to do when served on a small flat plate. The haddock was ok but covered in a tasteless sauce with waffled potato chip which weren't crispy since the sauce had been soaked up by them. Our waitress was attentive but mia a few times. Based on the parking, cost, and food, I won't be back.

I’m giving only three stars for service because I frequent once every couple weeks and without fail when we’re trying to leave it takes a minimum of 30 minutes and once an entire hour to get the check. The service is good - when they show up. But completely running out of water and having to go to the bar to ask for the check because you’ve been sitting an additional 45 minutes after asking for a water refill is wild. My husband didn’t even get more than an apology after we sat for so long. I love the food, but I’m tired of dining taking an extra 30 minutes to an hour (thus 1.5-2 hours) because we can’t find anyone for a check. As good as the food is I’ll skip losing an extra hour of my life every time I dine here

Out to dinner with friends and received terrible service. The waiter forgot things, forgot to take an order, delivered wrong items, etc. The waiter recognized this, as he muttered "it's been a long day." To boot, the restaurant automatically added a 20% tip (even though there were only 6 of us). Not much incentive to give good service when you've already been paid. Postscript: The Owner responded to my review with a very courteous and customer-focused reply. I thought the Owner's comments were first-rate, and hopefully reflective of the customer service typically provided at Cured. The Owner invited me to reach out on Facebook. I don't do Facebook, but based on the Owner's response I will be giving Cured another shot.

We left after being seated & waiting for about 20-25 mins. The hostess was friendly but no one else said anything to us. People that were seated at the same Time as us got attended to quickly and even got cocktails, without any waiter saying anything to us. We got up and left.