I know a dark, secluded place,

A place where no one knows your face,

A glass of wine, a fast embrace —

It’s called Hernando’s Hideaway!

That lyric and its tango tune from the old Broadway musical “The Pajama Game” was running through my head as we spotted the almost hidden entrance to Fox’s Den on Main Street in Annapolis, descended the darkened flight of stairs to underground Annapolis, and landed in one of the more pleasant and laid-back spots in the sea of pubs and restaurants nearly strangling downtown these days.

One almost breathes a sigh of relief upon entering the room. Unlike so many of its competitors, this gastropub has an easy, open feel. The tables are decently spaced away from the long bar. The decibel level, even when the place is busy, makes actual conversation possible.

And, also unlike its competition, Fox’s Den suffers no identity crisis. It opens most every day (closed on Tuesdays) at 4 or 5 in the afternoon and closes at 11 p.m. or midnight. It sports an affordable happy hour and menu geared to courting the everyday working crowd into becoming regulars.

The well-stocked bar, featuring more than 30 American beers (drafts, cans and bottles); a well-chosen all-American wine list and a whiskey menu should temper that terrible thirst that afflicts so many at the end of a long work day.

The food? “Trendy comfort” best describes it, and it’s jacked up notches above pub grub, making it easy to let happy hour drift into a good dinner.

Chef Josh Brown directs a cooking team using locally sourced ingredients and working in an open kitchen ringed by a bar where customers can observe the action.

Salads and vegetable dishes are gathered under the heading “Market.” A house salad and a good Caesar were very fresh and well made. But the standout was a winning mix of beets, mandarin oranges, spicy arugula and walnuts dressed with balsamic vinaigrette and a dollop of whipped bleu cheese ($9).

Other vegetable choices center on the unusual and include fried Brussels sprouts with hot honey and goat cheese, cauliflower with lentils and green harissa, that peppery condiment common in Middle Eastern cuisine; and eggplant. Healthy eating. Tucked at the bottom of the vegetable list were “duck fat fries.” Not so healthy, but oh, so good.

Chef Brown’s 10 “Shared Plates” combine the comfort category (braised short ribs, mac ’n’ cheese) with the trendy (lamb meatballs, shrimp and grits, mushroom gnocchi) with nary a misstep.

We shared the braised beef short ribs ($14), meltingly tender, nestled on a bed of cream cheese grits that would easily be a soothing meal for a solo diner (or one too greedy to share).

A one-pound bowl of Prince Edward Island mussels ($14) in a broth of garlic, white wine and yellow onions displayed the kitchen’s expert steaming. The mussels were small, but flavorful, and came with a heap of those duck fat fries topped with garlic aioli. It was heavy eating — good, but fewer fries would be less frightening.

Friends have bragged to me about the Fox’s Den pizza menu and I can see why. One pie can feed a pair.

Longing for a simple, straightforward, no-fuss pie? The Original ($14) with marinara, cheese, oregano and basil, or the Traditional White will fill the bill nicely. More adventurous eating can deliver toppings such as fig preserves, country ham, vegetables, seafood, a fistful of Italian meats and more. All are served on good crusts carefully baked.

Fox’s Den features live music from time to time, and special nights with deals on pizzas and wine. You’ll have to stay alert walking along Main Street or you might miss the door to Fox’s Den.

Once inside, though, the atmosphere and the perky young serving team seem committed to helping you decompress at the end of the day. During our visit, as the tables filled and the happy hour crowd came in, you couldn’t help but notice the difference between Fox’s Den and what can be found on the street above.