Baltimore Restaurant Files for Bankruptcy to Prevent Foreclosure

The Black Olive, a Greek restaurant open for over 30 years, takes legal action to save its Fells Point location.

Published on Feb. 19, 2026

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The Black Olive, a long-standing Greek restaurant in Baltimore's Fells Point neighborhood, has filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy in order to prevent the foreclosure sale of its building. The restaurant's attorney stated that this filing is due to a real estate dispute over loans, and that the restaurant remains open and operating at full strength.

Why it matters

The Black Olive's bankruptcy filing highlights the challenges facing long-established local businesses in Baltimore, as several well-known restaurants in the city have been forced to shut down in recent years due to financial pressures. This case underscores the importance of allowing small, family-owned businesses the opportunity to resolve disputes and preserve their place in the community.

The details

The Black Olive, which opened in 1997, has remained open in Fells Point for over 30 years. The restaurant's attorney stated that the Chapter 13 bankruptcy filing is due to a dispute over loans that the owners contend have been fully satisfied, but the bank disputes. The bankruptcy filing will halt the foreclosure sale and allow the owners to resolve the loan issues through a court-supervised process.

  • The Black Olive opened in 1997 and has remained open in Baltimore's Fells Point neighborhood for more than 30 years.
  • The restaurant filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy on February 17, 2026.

The players

The Black Olive

A Greek restaurant that has been operating in Baltimore's Fells Point neighborhood for over 30 years.

Adam Freiman

An attorney representing The Black Olive in the bankruptcy case.

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What they’re saying

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

— Adam Freiman, Attorney for The Black Olive (cbsnews.com)

“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.”

— Adam Freiman, Attorney for The Black Olive (cbsnews.com)

What’s next

The bankruptcy filing will allow The Black Olive to dispute the loan issues through a court-supervised process, with the goal of resolving the real estate dispute and preserving the restaurant's location in Fells Point.

The takeaway

The Black Olive's bankruptcy filing highlights the challenges facing long-established local businesses in Baltimore, as several well-known restaurants have been forced to close in recent years. This case underscores the importance of supporting small, community-rooted businesses and allowing them the opportunity to resolve disputes and maintain their presence in the city.