Baltimore’s Atlas Restaurant Group has already conquered much of this city’s dining scene. Now the company is setting its sights on Annapolis.
Atlas will take over Pusser’s Caribbean Grille inside the Annapolis Waterfront Hotel, transforming a 37,000-square-foot space into two separate restaurants and an expanded banquet space that will open in 2025.
Pusser’s, which opened in 1994, is known for its views as well as its signature “painkiller,” a rum cocktail. According to the restaurant’s website, it is run separately from the Compromise Street hotel, which is owned by the Pennsylvania-based Hersha Hotels and Resorts. The restaurant’s co-owner, Chris Townsend, expressed disappointment at the hotel’s decision to not renew the lease on the space.
In a statement on Facebook, he said that “Pusser’s will forever be a long-time part of the unique fabric of Annapolis” and expressed hope that it could add new locations in the future. Events booked through November 2024 will be held as planned; Pusser’s will stay put until then.
Following a multimillion-dollar renovation, the two new Atlas eateries will include a dockside bar and another enclosed rooftop bar with views of the Chesapeake Bay. Atlas will also take over the hotel’s in-room dining and catering operations from Pusser’s.
It’s not Atlas’ first foray into Maryland’s capital city; The Choptank opened in 2022, also on Compromise Street. In a statement, company founder Alex Smith said that with the two restaurants, “Atlas will now operate three waterfront restaurant concepts with unique food and beverage offerings at three different price points, creating a regional waterfront dining and entertainment district for the city of Annapolis.”
Atlas recently announced plans to relocate its headquarters and launch a new restaurant in the former Bar Vasquez space. Its Ruxton steakhouse is set to open in December.
