Great restaurant in Frederick! Came for the bar scene and food on a Saturday night, the house was packed to the brim so we were given a table that included two seats and a couch. At first it seemed odd but if I could have a couch seat at every restaurant I'd be happy. We started with a round of cranberry/vodka, ciroc/pineapple and one oyster shooter. Every drink was super strong (GOOD!) and the oyster shooter was my first ever so I had no idea what to expect.. It was tangy, spicy and briny all at the same time. The shooter was quit huge so I had to sip the vodka/spice concoction first and then finished it off... Probably wouldn't try another oyster shooter AGAIN lol For entrees I had the Hangar Steak, my sister had the Diver Scallops and our friend just had a Cesar Salad. Hangar Steak was served with onion and cranberry braised kale and Rosemary roasted potatoes. I ordered my steak medium well but the server strongly suggested I try medium rare which I never get because I'm scared of the bloody aspect... But man, was I glad I took her suggestion, the steak was AMAZING! The outside perfectly charred, the inside perfectly cooked, tender, juicy and flavorful... Hands down one of the best steaks I've ever had. The kale could make any anti-kale person an avid fan. It was tender and mild but the onions and cranberry added that perfect touch. Potatoes were run of the mill but who cares? The steak and kale was all I needed. My sister had the diver scallops served with coconut saffron pulled pork vermicelli noodles... OH MY AMAZINGNESS! The pulled pork was just so perfect with the scallops, an absolutely breathtaking combination. Yeah I said it, BREATHTAKING. The Cesar salad looked delicious, fresh romaine, pungent cheeses and I saw anchovies which always makes for a well rounded salad. We also had lots of Midori Sour cocktails which were PERFECTLY poured. Every drink we order was well crafted the only thing I absolutely couldn't drink was a glass of red wine that was paired with my steak... Yuck... I'm not big on red wine so that could be it but this wine was a "Punch You In The Face" full bodied type of red wine.. Way too much for me. Service was great, the bar scene was nice but they don't play music so it was more chill than other bars downtown. Excellent food, great service and nice ambience. I will deff come back for more!
(5)
Victoria Z.
Until recently, I've only come here at night for drinks and sometimes dancing. It can be hit or miss. But, upon finally having a meal here, I have to say I am super impressed with the service and the food. It's right in line with what I've come to expect of some of Frederick's classier dining options.
(4)
Jazmin H.
Came here for my birthday, had the seared sea scallops, which were tender and delicious. Enjoyed the ambiance and the view, since we were sat next to the window on the second floor, it was very intimate and romantic. Will be back!
(5)
Rachel S.
Actually - 2 Stars...because of Frederick Restaurant Week, 3 Stars for the service and meal. Saturday...High Noon... Not sure...shame on me for not realizing it was RW, shame on them...cause....their menu just sucked for RW. Just to state - while I personally am not out and about because of Restaurant Week, I wholly embrace the entire RW initiative and of which it is intended to deliver. SO....certainly not the fault of the wait staff, but their RW menu.... sucked. sad and really. Walked in, was asked at the hostess stand if we had a reso, no... two please ...just a minute or so past noon on a Saturday, tables were booked apparently - and offered the bar area...included hi-tops, just not upstairs. Okay dokay...no problem, three or four high-tops available plus the bar stools. Sat ourselves at a high-top.... provided menu.... and... AND, (sorry) 80% of the menu had "sup + xx$" . .... breathing in/out.... before i write this... Okay, only this RW menu offered, but WHY participate in RW if you are going to sup the menu with add on charges?? JUST DO NOT PARTICIPATE!!!! Apologies - perhaps i am only commenting upon lunch... which is the only meal/experience i can provide my commentary for...but.... WHY, WHY, why? I had directed our meal here because....they had a brunch menu on their website... great, breakie for me, options that are not-breakie for him.... okay... okay...you are not serving brunch... and only offering the RW menu....but WTF... supplemental add on charges for more than 80% of your menu. Just effing make a RW menu - and your real menu.... stop your BS. Either you embrace the whole RW intention, or JUST DO NOT PARTICIPATE! Sorry, your margins will suffer, sorry. Period. It isn't my problem, and...i have an issue because you are completely gouging the masses...so, great you are listed on the RW website...but you are completely coming off as bait and switch... which is just sad, because...the food and service was decent, but...your management of RW menu and my experience, was just ...sub-par, at best. RW was $15.15 for choice of App, plus Main, but while reviewing the RW menu we only wanted Onion Soup, Monte Cristo & Spinach Salad with Chicken....three of four possible to not incur a supplemental charge....kudos...you win. Hey, how about give me a RW bruch/lunch menu --- AND a real menu?? Then i have the option to order off the RW menu, or....not. Your average check...may not actually suffer, and you may make a new patron. But no....you will not, just your BS RW menu with your sooooo many supplemental charges...just really turn me off. Onion Soup - ehh...a bit too greasy, flavour was okay, Was not strained enough Monte Cristo - good, best in the last few years, perhaps more cheese, but really good otherwise. Grilled Chicken over Spinach Salad - the warm bacon/balsamic.... yuck, luckily also ordered ranch..which was....far from good, but okay. Good parts - oyster mushrooms (should have been sauteed) and the grilled herb chicken juicy and gently wilted the spinach leaves, sliced roasted potatoes - ((reminds me of founding farmers, YUM!!)). Done. Maybe, one day... i will get over the bs... did not even know RW was going on...but your menu has soured my entire opinion.
(3)
Glenn F.
Group of six and loved it here. We had such a wide variety of food and all was great with the rack of lamb a bit too rare and thus the four stars. Even so was delicious and our entire table wants to come back. Other items we had were goat cheese, oysters, spare ribs, hanger steak and lots of drinks.
(4)
Nicole S.
The service and extra appetizers make this place a 5. The food was fantastic, but if give it a 4.5. The hangar steak and duck was so good. Some of the sides (like the kale) was ok. BUT- you can tell the chef and the servers really care about the taste and service. The environment was dark, romantic, and clean.
(5)
Abegail A.
Firestone's Culinary Tavern has a pretty decent sized bar area. On an early Saturday evening, practically all the bar stools were taken. Upon sitting down, we were greatly promptly and handed a beverage menu. They have a wide selection of beers to choose from (mainly bottled with a few on tap), several cocktails, and plenty of wine. I had the Afternoon Delight, which one of the bartenders just created the night before. It was really refreshing, but just okay. I honestly cannot remember what was in it, so that goes to tell you how memorable the drink really was. I also tried an IPA from the Victory Brewhouse in PA, which I surprisingly enjoyed. Service was good. There were two bartenders working and they both checked back on us frequently. For a tavern, the restaurant portion of Firestone's seemed somewhat fancy. All tables had white table cloths and were nicely decorated. Didn't really have that tavern feel to me. I did love the little nook area in the front of the restaurant. Seemed like a great place to people watch while grabbing a drink or bite to eat.
(3)
Emily D.
The food was excellent here, as you can probably tell from reading other reviews. The ambience is lovely, exactly what you would expect from a self-proclaimed "culinary tavern." The problem is that the ambience caters to a very specific customer, and I'm not it. I went with my grandfather-in-law following church one Sunday afternoon. We were seated on the balcony above the door. Unfortunately, there was live music that afternoon. It was good music, but very loud, so we were entirely unable to converse. There was no effort to mitigate the sound, either - all the surfaces are tile or polished wood, none of which absorbs sound at all. The service was slow but fine for a busy Sunday afternoon. We had to wave to get our waitress's attention, but it was fine. It was just a really noisy lunch and we were ready to be done and out of the din a good 15 minutes before the wait staff was ready to let us leave.
(3)
Judith D.
Maybe it's just the bar staff but I'm really not impressed with the service. I asked for water and was not given any until the bar back screwed up and gave me water intended for the customers next to my friend and I, I asked for the dressing on my salad to be on the side (it was not), I also told the bar tender that I have a gluten allergy and asked if he could double check with the kitchen that the salad i wanted would be ok. I guess he didn't because there was something in it that made me sick (no idea how - it was veggies and meat but regardless, it did). We had to ask for food menus (we sat there for 10 minutes and no one asked). I wouldn't bother going back. Customer service is important.
(2)
Jason S.
Great atmosphere. We went for Sunday brunch and there was live music - perfect background noise for our visit. We also got to sit upstairs, so we were right next to the big windows overlooking the street. Long and varied drink menu, with stiff cocktails. I got some sort of pesto burger which was delicious. Will definitely come back.
(4)
Yaka H.
Good ideas for food, but somewhat poor execution. We stopped by for lunch and this is a nice place with character, with seating located on the second floor of this building. The first floor consists mainly of the bar. Each sandwich comes with a choice of side. I tried the Franco American Burger. The foie gras was delicious and nicely seared on both sides. The problems with this burger was the brioche bun and the burger patty was overcooked. The brioche bun was too tender and thin for this burger. It basically fell apart, making it hard to hold the sandwich together. Bread integrity is important, as it makes sure each bite is perfectly composed of all the ingredients in the burger or sandwich. The peach mustard was present in flavor, but due to the problem with the brioche bun, failed to play a distinct role in each bite of the burger overall. The accompanying fruit salad was nice and fresh. This brioche bun problem was present in another sandwich that was ordered at the table, the fried oyster po boy. Since this is the wrong type of bread for a po boy in general and the bread falling apart made the experience all wonky. Overall, an okay lunch with good menu ideas, but just poor execution at times. Generous portion size.
(3)
David L.
A great experience. Tonight my wife and I took our new neighbors whom we like very much to Firestone's. They being new to the area,we wanted to show them the best of Frederick. In all fairness, my last visit was not great and I reviewed it as such. I was contacted by the GM (Chris) who read my review and contacted me. Just the fact that he takes the time to read reviews was impressive to me. He apologized and urged me to return. Well tonight's visit was as enjoyable as it gets. The food was cooked to perfection, my neighbor had one of Firestone's signature micro brews that he enjoyed very much. I had an Oyster shooter that was delicious. The Caprese Salad with heirloom tomato's was excellent. All in all a big success, the neighbors loved it, as did the wife and I. We will be back. Thank You Chris, you are an asset to Firestone's.
(5)
Cheri P.
As a restaurant this place really only deserves two stars. I usually go out in Bethesda, Clarendon, or DC. Friday night was an exception since my girlfriend and I were in the Frederick area trying out local wines. I think given that it this is Frederick and the clientel is not very restaurant savvy the 4 and 5 star reviews below may be over-blown. We arrived to see a a bar with a restaurant with white table cloths and a cute upstairs section. The bar was definitely crowded, and we enjoyed the attention we received being the only women in this place. One gentleman offered us his bar stool and we had a glass of wine before getting seated. Thank you, sir!!! We started off with the Crab dip and the French Onion. Both were good, but not particularly impressive. I am used to having the cheese all around the bowl of soup... perhaps they were running low. For dinner I had the snapper and my friend had the scallops. The snapper was very dry. I let our waiter know and he didn't offer to send it back.. hmmmm. Okay then. Sarah's scallops were better but a little fishy and maybe not so fresh. We had a glass of wine and by the time we were finished the bar area was packed. We didn't stay long as it gets a bit male aggressive there. I would make sure if you have dinner to leave before 8:30. Overall a cute place, poor quality for their prices (it was bar food really), and a little bit of a caveman environment. I'll pass on returning.
(2)
Lily H.
Definitely love the food here but the drinks .. They are OH EM GEE good! Grab a Midori Sour !! Such wonderful service and excellent food. Lunch is very well priced here. No complaints here!
(5)
linnea S.
Brunch was spectacular! We are from NYC, visiting for a wedding and came here for brunch. We couldn't believe how amazing this brunch was, especially for the price! The pastrami and eggs was out of this world!
(5)
Daniel M.
In the 6 years I have lived in the Frederick area, I have had a love / hate relationship with the restaurants in the downtown Frederick area. After several 'misses', I had taken a break from trying new places, and just relied on some of my old standbys. After much persuading from my wife, I decided to give some new places a try, and I am glad I did, because Firestone's is fast becoming one of my favorite places. I have yet to try them at dinner time, but for the several times I have been there for lunch on the weekends, they have never disappointed. Having tried both the lunch and the brunch menus, there is a fantastic selection to choose from, whether you are in the mood for a more traditional sandwich, something a little more exotic, or something more along the lines of an entree. I typically prefer a sandwich at lunch time, and have tried the various offerings of burgers (which they seem to rotate through... most likely according to seasonal availabilities) and all were fantastic. An upgrade to their truffle fries is always worth it if you are in to that sort of thing. The artisan cheese plate as an appetizer is also something very much worth checking out. A selection of 3 cheese varieties, with a small side of truffle honey...give it a try. The deviled egg trio os also very good, although I don't typically like caviar.. however, only one of the three will actually have that. Its not that its bad, I have tried plenty of caviar, I just don't personally care for it. If you like it, you will like theirs. One of the other things that is always a huge influence on my opinion of an establishment is the service. The wait staff here has always been helpful, attentive, and continually going out of their way to accommodate my sometimes oddball requests. I typically tip them well.. as they definitely earn it. if you are looking for a delicious and memorable meal the next time you are visiting downtown Frederick, stop into Firestone's. its well worth the visit!
(5)
Lulu H.
Truly has the largest beer selection I've ever seen! Excellent food, including original appetizer plates to steak. I went when they were participating in something like Farm to Table. Their dishes were unique and just delicious, which says lots because I'm a picky eater. They have formal upstairs seating with a few window tables. On the main level there are some comfy couches, high tops, and a long bar. The staff is very experienced, and professional. I love Firestone's because the food, the waitstaff, and the many seating options. Reservations are suggested for upstairs. Ask for a window seat so you can people watch from above! Market Street is alive, and well!! It's beautiful!
(5)
Carolyn H.
Being new to the area, we're trying to check out some of the restaurants downtown. We tried Firestone's out for brunch and the Bloody Mary was fantastic and the hollandaise sauce on the Eggs Benedict wasn't too heavy. Great food, great atmosphere including a jazz band, and great service. I definitely recommend this place.
(5)
Heather H.
The food and drinks were both hand down, great! It's a fun place to gather your friends! Can't wait to go back!
(5)
Mia R.
I love this place. Our food was amazing, the service was really good and we had a nice table by a window so we could people watch on the street. We ordered the crab dip appetizer and it was great. Then I ordered the steak salad and my husband ordered the short ribs and they were both delicious. Perfect size, temperature and presentation. The service was really good. I would recommend this to anyone
(5)
Lin C.
Just had a lovely, relaxed, casual dinner at Firestone's. We made a reservation but on this Sunday eve we could have walked in and gotten a table right away. We were glad we did though because we were treated to the table on the second floor in the middle of the big picture window - big score. No specials but the menu offered some interesting, nouveau twists on some classics, some drink specials, and everything from salad to duck to beef to seafood. Pub fare or full dinner - your choice. Our waitress and other staff were very attentive and friendly. We both had the onion soup gratinee as a starter. A bit sweet but not overly sweet. Before it arrived we were treated to a chef's treat - a roasted root vegetable cream soup served in an espresso cup. Tasty with a hint of smoke. I had a mixed green salad thinking I would hold out for dessert. The mustard vinaigrette was awesome. My dinner partner had the pastrami sandwich -- this my friend was a meatgasm. They make their own pastrami and it was the most tender and tasty pastrami I've ever had. The hand cut fries that came with it were crisp and hot and tasty. Generous portions - we doggy bagged over half the sandwich and cant wait to reheat it tomorrow.
(5)
Jason H.
Great food, great atmosphere and the staff were great too. Push for an upstairs spot by the window when you go. Gotta try the 'hanger' steak and scallops & grits...
(4)
Dennis G.
I've been eating occasionally for 7 or 8 years now and have never had a bad meal or service, never. The service is outstanding, the prices more than reasonable considering the quality and quantity of food. You simply cannot go wrong by trying this place.
(5)
Brian S.
I went here on a date and the food was decent. I was hoping to order something off their online menu but they had changed it and no longer had that option. I ended up going with the lemon sausage pasta. It was decent. Fresh pappardelle was well cooked and the sauce was good. Overall just didn't impress me too much. Probably had a lot to do with the fact that the 2 or 3 things I had decided on before hand were no longer on the menu.
(3)
Scott L.
Firestone's never disappoints. My wife and I have been here many times and have never had a bad meal. The cheese plate is as good as it gets. She ordered the cowboy steak and I had the lamb chops, both were great.
(4)
Jessica P.
Three of my closest friends and I went to Firestone's for a fun girl's brunch and it was sooo great! Way better than expected and the prices were very reasonable. We were happy to see they offered a variety of food and their signature cocktails were fantastic. Our favorite drink was the Lemon Meringue Pie, definitely recommend it! Also our waitress, Alice, was so great and made the experience even better. Will definitely be back to Firestone's soon :)
(5)
Rick A.
Fantastic food and the waiter was great. We made a reservation for 7:45 on a Saturday night. We showed up at about 7:50 ( misjudged the Frederick old town traffic and had to find a place to park) and were immediately taken to our table. Despite being a few minutes late we were given the best table in the restaurant. We sat at the window overlooking old town. I had the hanger steak and the rosemary potatoes. The potatoes were a perfect pairing for the steak. Ellen had the diver scallops which the waiter recommended because the did not always have them available. We are in the process of trying a lot of different restaurants but would definitely return.
(4)
Chris B.
Great Restaurant. The 18 oz Cowboy Ribeye is probably the best steak in Frederick.
(4)
Devon D.
I would have to say that Firestone's is by far my favorite restaurant. If I could eat there every day, I would. Too bad I live 45 minutes away! Haha (: Anyways, I have eaten here on multiple occasions. The most recent being last night. As for appetizers, the Terrine of Rabbit is one of my favorites. So, so, so yummy! And last night, we had "Steak and Eggs" and it was absolutely delicious. The egg was perfectly cooked and beef tartare was amazing! The Caesar salad is A MUST! As for entrees, I have to say the Hanger Steak with potato pave is a favorite. I had the Scallops with cheddar grits last night and I loved it! My boyfriend usually does the huge Cowboy Steak, but he tried the Veal last night and I had some of it. It was delicious. For dessert, whiskey ice cream is by far the best thing I have ever had. But, I love my whiskey! Honestly, whether you are going for a special occasion or just for dinner, IT IS A DEFINITE MUST TRY! You will not be disappointed.
(5)
Jake W.
Went to firestones for drinks . They have an impressive beer selection and the barstaff- not to be confused with the waitstaff- has excellent knowledge on the beers and the food. We enjoyed a small platter called charcuterie with cured meats, olives, pickles, and pate. I was recommended a couple of beers by the bartender that were excellent. My only gripe is that we had slow service at the table that we originally sat down at-which is why we moved to the bar. Great beer and good food-not much else you can ask for.
(4)
andrew n.
Firestone's is one of my favorite local places. Pros: 1. Great bartenders (everyone loves Ian) 2. Fantastic food. If I am entertaining clients in the Frederick area, I usually take them here for dinner because the food is consistently excellent. Brunch options are solid and the tavern burger is my favorite burger in Frederick. 3. Great wait staff. 4. Great place to drink (before the weekend bar crowd). Cons: 1. Noisy. If you're having dinner upstairs and the weekend bar crowd is starting, it's difficult to converse at times. 2. Crowded. The bar has kind of an identify crisis. You get a lot of younger patrons that want to drink and order domestic bottles and you have some patrons that want a nice wine (they have a good wine selection) or cocktail. If you're in the latter group, you can pretty much plan on avoiding Firestone's on Thursday night, Friday night and Saturday night. It's too crowded, and the crowds are pushy and obnoxious.
(4)
J M.
My wife had the hanger steak and I had Red Snapper wit crab. Both were excellent. Also, Michael was a very helpful waiter.
Atmosphere was cool, I sat upstairs which was quiet and nice. Food and service was excellent. Started with a salad, then I had the delicious hanger steak. Finished with apple cobbler and vanilla ice cream. Definitely will return.
(4)
Judy T.
The clam chowder is WOW! This is the second time I have had it and I thought it was a bit saltier this time than the last. But it was so good! And the toast that they put on the plate along with the soup was very tasty dunked in the soup. I had the chicken & spinach salad and it was just ok. I didn't like the potatoes in it and the chicken was kind of dry and flavorless. Disappointing after the clam chowder.
(4)
Monica P.
29 July 2012: Today I had lunch at Firestones Restaurant in Frederick MD with my dad, who took me out for my birthday (which was earlier this month). I didn't think to make reservations, so we waited 10 minutes or so for a table upstairs (a few high tops were available on the main level of the restaurant). Next time I'll be sure to reserve a table next to the window. However, there was one table near the window that was empty the entire time we were there (1.5 hours), so it was disappointing that we were not seated there. Firestones has a very nice brunch menu with lots of choices. Dad started with the smoked salmon that was topped with a corn salsa. We asked for some bread for the salmon, which he received thinly sliced garlic toast - perfect. I had the tuna tartare that came on top of a bed of julienne cucumber and some sesame crackers. Both were very good and beautifully presented. For my brunch entree, I had the eggs benedict, which came with Canadian bacon topped with a very light hollandaise sauce. Home fries were included. The eggs were perfectly cooked - runny. Dad had the crab cake, served with fries and red cabbage. He said the crab cake was good but has had better crab cakes in Annapolis where he lives. Fries were "okay" and the cabbage "just plate decor." Service from Kris was excellent. He was very friendly, polite, and attentive. Overall, a lovely brunch with my dad and a place I will return to in the near future.
(4)
K S.
The service at Firestone's was very disappointing, and we likely won't go back. We recently visited on a not-very-busy Saturday. The hostess told us that if we didn't mind waiting a few minutes, they'd clean a table by the front window -- a very nice place to sit, with a view of Frederick's main street. After we had already waited close to 10 minutes -- they obviously weren't cleaning that table very fast -- another couple came in. They were taken to the seating area immediately, and we followed with another hostess close behind. As we reached the seating area, we saw the other couple point to the table we had been waiting for, and they were allowed to take it by the same hostess who had told us it was being prepared for us. When I objected, the hostess was dumbfounded, at a complete loss about what to do about the situation that she and her colleague had created. I asked for a manager and told him that my wife and I had been made to wait 10 minutes for a window table, only to see the same table given to another couple that had come in well after us. He said a mistake had been made and seemed satisfied to leave it at that. When I asked what he was going to do to make things right, he only offered to seat us at any empty table -- in essence, he was willing to do absolutley nothing to make up for his staff's incompetence. He offered no other remedy, not even a free soda. We've been to Firestone's many times before, but it'll be a long time before we again visit a place that treats its customers so shabbily.
A fun atmosphere - we stopped by in the evening and had a few glasses of wine at the bar. It was crowded and we had a good time until it was time for bed.
(4)
Chris C.
Great food. A little loud. Service is ok. The food is very good. It can be a fun bar to hang in as well.
(4)
William F.
My wife and I had not been here for awhile, but lunch today was excellent. I had the sweet corn chowder with crab meat and the pepper shrimp salad. Both were terrific. My wife had the Eggs Benedict, which she said was perfect. And our waitress was super. We will be back.
(4)
Clara L.
I was in Frederick in early May to run the Frederick Half Marathon. So post-race brunch plans are always a necessity. My boyfriend, who used to live in Frederick, said we should go to Firestone's, since it's pretty good. We were also able to make a reservation, so I wouldn't have to wait too long after the race to have my post-race feast. We arrived about 15 minutes before our reservation, figuring we could hang out at the bar while they get our table ready. Nope, no need to. They were able to seat us right away. And right by the front window upstairs! Great view for people watching of Market St. I ordered a flying dog beer on draft (can't remember which one) and the eggs benedict. Hands down, it was the best eggs benedict I've ever had. Yes, I was very hungry after just running 13.1 miles around town, but no, seriously... it was the best eggs benedict I've EVER eaten! My boyfriend had a couple flying dog beers and an alcoholic version of an arnold palmer (forget the name) and the swordfish sandwich. He thoroughly enjoyed everything as well. I had a fantastic experience at Firestone's and would likely go back next time I'm in Frederick!
(5)
Julie A.
Food was awesome. Hanger steak and grilled pizza. Definitely worth another visit. Service was wonderful. E were seated early for our 9 pm reservation on Friday.
(5)
Josh T.
I got the "Pork & Beans" which was much larger that I expected. It lived up to the $26 price tag in both quantity and quality. I also got a $5 appetizer of onion rings and I must say, they were the best onion rings I have ever had. The atmosphere was very relaxed and had a fancy feel to it. But when me and all my friends sat down (we are all a little loud and and so people find us obnoxious in public but whatever were having a good time) the only people we got dirty looks from was the other customers. The waitresses played along with us and were laughing and having a good time. Overall a fantastic time, will definitely go again. Only reason I did not give it 5/5 is it is rather pricy.
(4)
Alice K.
Went on a Saturday evening and apparently they were booked until 9p! Thankfully, I found out that this was only for the dinner section on the second floor. We were able to grab a table in the lower floor next to the bar after a quick wait. To get a table on the the lower floor, you just hover around until you see someone leave- you seat yourself down and someone will come serve you. They also have full dinner menu downstairs so no need to reserve upstairs if it's full! We had the hanger steak (~$29)and 14 oz veal (~$31), both medium rare. Hanger steak was delicious with potato pave under it. The veal was alright with beets and grains surrounding it. Service was a bit slow since there seemed to be only one waitress for the lower seating area. The two hostesses had to help clean up tables too.
(4)
Jeffrey K.
Been here twice, and it's awesome and not at all your basic bar kitchen. Once for brunch, I saw on the menu a pastrami sandwich, and so I asked with no great enthusiasm the source of the pastrami. The reply--- they make it themselves and it's outstanding. That is true. Wow. The New Jersey in me still wonders why Maryland and D.C. cannot get the kosher-style deli thing right; we briefly had a branch of the Carnegie in Tysons Corner and it didn't last. Might be the only chap around the Beltway who misses it. Second time was last weekend, after Deb and I spent several hours of tasting and building an appetite at the Maryland Wine Festival in Westminster. The dinner menu had something cleverly called Pork & Beans. Deb ordered it. What arrived was the grandest pork shank I've ever seen, perfect in every respect, enough for several meals and worth 5 stars by itself. (I want to see a restaurant open somewhere called Shanksville that specializes in veal, lamb and pork shanks and other braisings). That I had a splendid hanger steak is almost overkill. Superb beer and wine offerings. TVs tuned to the right games but without annoying loud sound; this is a restaurant, not a sports pub. I bet Firestone could even master caipirinhas com frutas vermelhas and pasteis and coxinhas if they tried. One of the best establishments in the state and certainly number one in Frederick.
(5)
Heather H.
We showed up around 1pm on a weekday with 8 people. We were told that they couldn't accomodate us at all for the rest of the day (what?). When we asked to be seated separately so that we could sit down, we were then told we could sit but that we wouldn't be served for at least an hour. We asked if we could sit at the front table, which was plenty big enough, and were told they can't serve us there even though they've served us drinks there many times at night. Walked to JoJo's instead, and won't be back soon.
(1)
Pragna H.
Confession: When I made a reservation here, I expected decent food to end the day in the country (sorry I am a city girl) because I did my research, scoured the menu and chose this place over Acacia and Volt. What I didn't expect was to be blown away and have all my preconceived notions about small town dining shattered! Firestone's was awe-frickin-some. And that's an understatement! We had a 5 pm seating (yes early bird special, I know, but we had a long drive home) and was pleasantly surprised to see the tables near us fill up rather quickly. We were started off with an amuse bouche on the house. It was a small cup (espresso sized) of warm carrot ginger soup with a drizzle of mascarpone. Very delectably sweet, spicy and creamy. Great indication of the awesome dining experience that we were about to embark on. I got the French onion soup and he got the roasted beets and duck prosciutto. The soup was topped with melted, slightly browned gruyere which you break into to reach the pieces of baguette and onions smothered in cheese and soaked in rich, yet light onion soup. He really enjoyed his appetizer too. I tried a bite, but a little to vinegary for my tastes. I was in a French-y, onion-y, gruyere-y, soup-y heaven. Until the next course... Out came the Thai boullibaisse! The dish was lined with clams and mussels, sitting on the middle was a quarter of a bok choy, maitake mushrooms and some shredded cabbage (quick kimchi) and swimming in the ivory colored broth was, wait-for-it, a whole lobster! The meat, the claw meat and the meat of the little claws, all on my plate! And the lobster is not the best part of the meal. The liquid that brought all these seafood and veggies home had coconut milk, lemongrass, lime, a hint of cayenne and the sweetness of seafood broth. The was like being in the part of heaven reserved for the saints and Mother Teresa. That good! Oh the hanger steak that my boy-friend had was exceptionally good too! It sat on crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside piece of potato with veal demi glace drizzled on it. It was so good that I only got one bite. Well I did get another bite of the the crispy-creamy potato. I love to make food an experience rather than something to ease hunger. Firestone's delivered with great service and food to remember. You can get great food at a lot of restaurants, but it's the smaller things that make the difference - the amuse bouche, the sorbet between courses and the warm bread on the table with softened butter. Small things!
(5)
Amy M.
D Double Lish! I love this restaurant. Its next to the tasting room. I couldn't get a table at the tasting room and so I thought I'd give it a try. The food was spectacular, the service was amazing- had a tall, bald waiter upstairs. He was fantastic! I love the atmosphere and the pricing is perfect. I'd highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)
Pumpkin S.
What a gap between appearance and actual content. When I first walked in, the place looked really depressing. Like some dark, outdated bar in the middle of nowhereland USA. Our waitress took us upstairs, to a window seat, and then things started to transform. She was an excellent waitress. I ordered the grilled beet salad with duck prosciutto, and my dining companion ordered a steak dish of some kind. Both dishes were really good, and the beet/duck dish was memorable. I walked out happy that we'd chosen to eat there.
(4)
Lauren S.
Since I had never been to this part of MD before (shocking) and I was really hungry, I came here. From the outside it looked nice. On the inside it looked nice! It was a peaceful Saturday afternoon, so we go there in time for brunch. I got the french toast, which has a fruit dipping sauce, and home fries. The home fries were delicious. The fruit dipping sauce was also really good. Very sweet, not too tangy. The french toast was good, but I wasn't too keen on the cream cheese they had with it. Nice selection of beer and wine here. Worth a visit for lunch or brunch. Also, the service here is *great*. Our waiter was attentive without being intrusive, and very friendly.
(3)
Kyle B.
My boyfriend and I were passing through Frederick and wanted to get a good Sunday brunch. We stumbled into Firestone's and it was bustling; we were told there was a wait for a table. After chatting with the host for a minute he did some rearranging and was able to accommodate us instantly! We had a nice table on the balcony overlooking the buzz of the restaurant below. The waitress was extremely attentive and sweet. She gave me a great recommendation of the frittata (it was delicious!) and kept the drinks flowing. The frittata was light and fluffy, with chicken, onions, feta and red peppers serve on a bed of perfectly cooks & seasoned home fries. My boyfriend had the ancho crusted swordfish sandwich, which was equally delicious. As we ate there was soft live jazz in the background which just added to the pleasant vibe of the place. Overall, a 5/5 for atmosphere, service, and food. We will gladly make 45-minute journey from DC to come back to this place!
(5)
Chris R.
I have been here three times and each time we have enjoyed our meals. The servers are fun, knowable and helpful. Have to try the crab dip it awesome! The scallops were amazing..really you can't go wrong.
(4)
Ignacio S.
Went there last summer. The bar was busy, but the dining room upstairs was not noisy at all. The decor is understated and enjoyable. The appetizer was from the daily specials. It sounded like something you would have at Volt (the designer cuisine place up the street) instead of at Firestone. It was compressed watermelon with vinaigrette and olives. It was absolutely fantastic. I am usually conservative when it comes to food, but this appetizer really blew my mind. Extremely tasty, and it actually opened my appetite! I had the oyster po'boy and I really liked. The oysters were perfectly fried, crispy outside and juicy inside. The only thing about it that was not perfect was the consistency of the bread. You need something "sturdier" than challa bread for this sandwich. The fries were very good. I tried my wife's selection, the pastrami on sourdough, and it was great. The pastrami was thick and juicy. All in all, a great brunch. I'll be back to Firestone's even though I live 30 miles away. I would recommend it to everybody.
(5)
Karen T.
Per guest companion Tina Grohowski: Liz, our stellar server, was our facilitator and guide - thank you Liz! We started with a zucchini soup w/Greek yogurt amuse bouche. Nice and light with a bit of tang. For appetizers we ordered the deviled eggs w/olive tapenade and tuna tartare. Lovely presentation with both. I particularly loved the creaminess of the egg paired with the saltiness of the tapenade and the crunch of the toast. The eggs were topped off with a lovely orange roe. Before dinner they cleansed our palate with a fresh cantaloupe sorbet. Second course consisted of tender goat cheese gnocchi over a basil pesto and bacon wrapped grilled scallops served over creamy cauliflower rissoto with dots of balsamic vinegar and truffle oil circling the plate. After dinner we sipped on honey mead infused with hot pepper and cooled off with a buttermilk ice cream, biscuit & peach compote. We will definitely want to return to this restaurant. Five stars!!
(5)
Mimi R.
Great bartenders and servers were fast and courteous. Food was top notch. Suggestion from the bartender turned out to be an incredible culinary experience---they make their own pastrami, takes them 6 days to make it. It was superb, the best pastrami I've ever tasted. The truffle fries were wonderful, too. Had the local brewery Flying Dog on tap and was delish.
(5)
Dana Z.
WHY does a beer here cost $5?! If I wanted to overpay for beer I would go to a Nat's game
(2)
Bill M.
I have only had one meal here so don't take this review as gospel. I came in on a Sunday evening for a light dinner. They have exactly what I like in a bar; classic cocktails, a deep bourbon list, and wines by the glass that aren't blackstone or yellowtail. I sat at the bar, the bartender was attentive and polite. I ordered the moules frite. Mussels are some of my favorite bar food. Paired with good fries and you have me for life. These mussels did not impress me. The broth was OK but was missing flavor from something; herbs, chili..... I don't know but something. Also, I don't know how else to say this, either the mussels were under cooked or they were bad. I left more than a few in the bowl. The saving grace were the truffle fries. I ate every crumb of a large order. And the moscow mule that I had at the bar, that was top notch. I will not judge a restaurant by one bad batch of mussels, but when I go back I will expect my entree to be of higher quality.
(3)
Daniel A.
Excellent food/service/price and the atmosphere is also great. Admittedly Ken Firestone and I know each other because he purchases his Audis from us at FSK but his staff really execute and do a great job. Ask for Chris and tip him well he's the best there. You won't be disappointed dining here. Bunch is also great!
(5)
Bobby D.
This was chance find for us. We started out with "Deviled" Egg Trio, three deviled eggs one has caviar, the next has smoked fish and the third with bacon. Way worth it. Main dish was just as good. Our server was awesome.
(5)
Peter L.
Prior to this weekend Firestone's was a nice place to have dinner, but after my experience with the Manager Chris it will be the last time I ever set foot in the place. We initially had a reservation for 4 and then asked to add a place setting and this is when we I was told that we would need to think about going somewhere else..."Are you kidding"! Well...I will gladly never go back to Firestone's and let this be a lesson...My wife is a lifelong resident of Frederick and has a practice in Frederick...well...we are passing the word..sometimes you learn the hard way and this is one of those times. Adios Firestone's!
(1)
Pritha R.
Oh. My. Gods. Drink booze at the bar. Eat at Dairy Queen later.
(1)
Helen X.
My second time here, clean plates both times! A-must!
(4)
Christina H.
We've had quite a few good experiences at Firestone's, but our recent trip was really great! After perusing the menu I was torn between the Scallops and the Halibut, and when I discussed this with the waiter, he suggested that I order the Halibut with the sides that came with the Scallops (I wanted the risotto!) PERFECT compromise! My meal was excellent!!! Fiancee got the lamb sausage, and it was good, but he's not a huge lamb fan...wanted to try it anyway. The beet salad was good as always, but the french onion soup was to die for! It was my birthday so we got the seasonal tart for dessert, and it was on the house! Can't beat that! Waiter recommended a great wine and beers, and the service was great. I dont know why we go anywhere else! *** 3/19/12 - Just wanted to add...we've been many times for dinner and brunch, but it was just this Thursday that we went in to hang out downstairs for a few drinks and to try the bar food. It was FANTASTIC! We ordered the truffle fries and the grilled pizza. I guess they change the pizza pretty frequently...and we got this white pizza with kalamata olives and this tomato and onion jam mixture thing going on...so good! We went around 830 and our waitress told us that if you come before 7 PM most of the bar food is half price! Love love love Firestone's!!
(5)
Merida F.
we walked in looking for somewhere to eat dinner fast before going on a candle lite ghost tour of Frederick. We sat by the bar and ordered off of their menu. The chicken sandwich was excellent! We added on the basil pesto fries/sauce for an extra $2 and it was worth every penny. I never thought of using pesto as a sauce for fries but Firestone proved it to be a success. Great selection of wine and beer as well but we stuck with a home town classic, flying dog 60 minute. Great atmosphere for dinner and wonderful waitress as well.
(4)
Matt B.
Still my go-to place in downtown Frederick. The staff is always great, the food is always good. I've gone to most of the other restaurants in downtown Frederick and Firestone's is consistently good and reasonably priced. I've brought friends here from out of town, and they always ask for Firestone's when they come back to town.
(5)
Kate H.
Four of us enjoyed dinner here Saturday night. We arrived early and were seated immediately -- great server dropped by our table to take drink orders and introduce us to the restaurant. From the looks of things, the bar downstairs has pub-type food (wood grilled pizzas, sandwiches, etc.), and the dinner menu is upstairs. Three of us had the Autumn Squash Chowder ($5/bowl) to start - very flavorful and smooth, with some nice spice (too spicy for one in our group). Two salads shared ($6/each) -- both the mixed greens with the excellent apricot dressing! Two had the shrimp and grits ($24) - a little bit of a different take with soupier grits and fewer shrimp, but they both enjoyed it. One had the hanger steak ($25) with yummy potato pave. I had the evening's special ($27) -- a 16 oz. prime rib with potatoes and grilled asparagus. We shared desserts of the chocolate tourrine, apple cobbler and bread pudding ($6-7/each). Add in a couple glasses of wine/beer, tax and tip, and the bill for four was around $225. The food here is really good -- much larger portions than I would have expected, and the pace is good (nobody is rushed). DH was a little amused by the waiter who fully explained to us what an amuse-bouche was (maybe some people don't know?), and then warned him that his hanger steak might be over-cooked at medium. Strange, but since the service was good to me, I didn't pick up on any weirdness. :) This is a great place in Frederick -- the place was really packed when we left. I'd definitely recommend and plan to return!
(4)
Charles R.
Went to Frederick for a stopover on the way futher west and stopped at Firestone's for lunch. Staff was very nice, food was good and I would go back again if in the area. Spring Pea soup with mint was very good, and the field green salad was super fresh with a nice light dressing. The Oyster Po Boy was on a nice warm brioche bun and had several perfectly fried oysters with a tangy sauce. On the sandwich were fresh tomato's and crisp butter lettuce. It was about 5 inches high and was great. They offer several sides with the Po Boy, and I choose the orzo salad which was light and creamy. Street parking is available and they take all cards.
(4)
Emily T.
We went for brunch, and it was disappointing. The brunch menu contained nothing sweet - no pancakes, no French toast, no waffles. In my experience, most brunch menus have at least one of those. French toast was on the online menu, but not on the actual menu. I ordered the Belly Burger, named for the two thick slices of pork belly on top. I ordered medium, and received a burger that was grey and dry all the way through. The pork belly was also overcooked. Fries were decent enough, but for 12 dollars, I think not. The service was the high point of the meal - no complaints there. Waitstaff was friendly and attentive.
(2)
Marissa C.
This is the first Bar I have encountered in Frederick and I have to say I was a bit disappointed. Where is the music? You have got to have good tunes playing in a bar...come on. So I saw the bouncer get into a fight with a drunk frat guy...that was entertaining. I did meet a guy who looked like Jesus. So I guess I was decently entertained by the people watching. It was the best thing about the place. Oh and they have a cute bartender.
(2)
Brandon E.
I was down in Frederick visiting my fiance's family and friends, we decided to go out here on a Friday night. This place has apparently forgotten it is in Frederick, MD and not New York City. Living in Hoboken I'm accustomed to the prices of beer and liquor being high, it's expected. I was not expecting $4 bud lite bottles and $9 Jamesons in a small city like Frederick. Firestones is obviously trying to be swanky...fail. Now, I know I sound like a spoiled New Jerseyian, but c'mon get with it. There are some great bars in Frederick that have great prices and an even better atmosphere than this place. The bartender even tried to argue about which Jameson I was getting. DUDE I didn't ask for the 12 year, nor get served the 12 year I got the regular old Jameson, the bottle that you're holding in your hand (which he said they didn't have). Way overpriced and from the looks of it the crowd in there had to much Drakkur Noir on. Now, a day later we decided to go to brunch here as it was one of the few open on Sunday at 10am. We had 9 people, we went in to an empty restaurant and asked for a table. We were told they couldn't accommodate 9 people because of 2 parties coming in shortly. How big were these parties?! Then we asked if we could get 2 separate tables, they didn't even need to be near each other. Nope, couldn't do that either. Methinks the hostess was either new, lazy or just didn't care. No parties came in the 30 minutes we took to try and find another place. They could have easily sat us, but chose not too. To the janitor's credit he asked the neighboring restaurant if they were open for us, they weren't. Again, you're in Frederick, MD try to remember that. I don't think I'd go back. Check out Brewer's Alley, better prices, atmosphere and service.
(2)
Dominic L.
Went here on a Sunday afternoon. Didn't have a full menu but the food was excellent. The grilled chicken sandwich was tasty and the stead salad was great too. They had a band playing some music which was nice, but not exactly my taste. Service was very friendly and just a nice place off the main strip to visit.
(5)
Joe W.
The food is good, but it should be for the price. Tasty steaks. The interior is great, old wood and vintage art prints. Great bottled beer selection and a few decent taps. The biggest problem: the smoke. The downstairs bar has no way to isolate the smoke from floating upstairs and infringing on your otherwise tasty meal. When the smoking ban goes in effect the 3 star rating will automatically go to a 4. In the evening it becomes a crowded bar. Good or bad, that's your choice.
(3)
Jeff H.
I wish I could give this place zero stars but I obviously have to give it at least one....so here it goes we'll tonight we all had gone out for a pre wedding bar hopping so we literally just ended up here for about 40 minutes then totally gave up on Frederick and headed to Charlestown and just gambled instead....but back to the main story (sorry) when we arrived the door man was somewhat friendly and checked all our i.d's and let us in so we sat down at a dirty drink covered sticky table and the bar was almost empty but anyways.....some of us ordered drinks and some just gave up simply on the fact of the untrained bar tender who said he couldn't make 2 very basic drinks for a bar (a Mai tai and a hurricane) so half the party got drinks half didn't since it was kinda painful asking for simple drinks and they "couldn't make them"......and the "manager" was very rude by staring at the entire party the whole time and us basically being the only people in there we found it rude.....finally since the first round was done the entire party got up to order 5 shots of jaeger....and we were told we were cut off....and had to leave....WHAT THE HELL WE ALL SHOWED UP SOBER AND HAD ONE DRINK OR NONE AND NO MORE AND WE WERE TOLD WE WERE CUT OFF!!!!! obviously they don't care about repeated business or satisfied customers since that was my first time there....... I'll never return and tell everyone how terrible the business is there....HUGE FAIL but we did find out after we did leave that manager did try to pick up and ask out one of the people in our party prior to this and got nowhere with her so that might be why he acted so childish but I find it unexceptable....but it's there loss they lost repeat business and new business I'll never recommended them.....
(1)
Chris B.
Service was great. The waiter brought multiple samples of different items out for us to try. The food was made to perfection. Would definitely return any time
(5)
Brian S.
Firestone's was one of the best bars in Frederick. There was live music, a cool atmosphere and the bar tenders were friendly and a lot of fun. Today, Firestone's is a very different place. It is still a great place to go and see your friends or hang out with friends. The difference is the attitude. The drinks are overpriced and it takes forever to get served. The food is good and that is why I gave them a 3 star rating. I get what they are trying to do. But they need to decide who they are. Are you an upscale bar, or are you the neighborhood establishment where we all want to hang out?
(3)
Scott R.
I haven't actually been here during happy hour or bar-scene time ... but the space itself leads me to believe it's a great place to have a beer. I can't vouch for the smoke or the people ... the space is nice. Had a business lunch here today, and it was good. Soup was nothing spectacular, but reasonably good. Likewise with my salad, which was closer to starter size than lunch entree size. The other guy also got a salad - with steak/caramelized onions - and he liked it. But with 1 ice tea, 1 cup of soup, 2 fairly small salads and tip ringing up close to $30 - Joe W's earlier review is dead on - stuff ought to be good at this price. It is safely good. But it wasn't overtly great. Service was fine. No issues.
(3)
Shannon W.
I've eaten at Firestone's about 5 times now in their dining area and I'm in love with this restaurant. The service is always amazing and their timing of serving is always perfect. I've had many things on the menu because I always try to get something different when I go. Your definitely in for a treat here and I always look forward to their amuse bouche. For appetizers I've had the cheese plate, deviled eggs, crab dip, and salmon tartar. The cheese plate and crab dip are definitely my favorites. The cheese plate comes with a truffle honey that is to die for. If you spread it over the homemade complementary bread they serve in the beginning you'll be transported to heaven. For main courses I've tried the pork, hanger steak, white fish (seasonal), gnocchi, duck, and pot roast. The extras on the plate change with the season or even depending on what the chef has that day so that isn't consistent but the main protein is usually the same. My favorites have to be the pork, duck, and gnocchi but all of them are very delicious. The gnocchi literally melts in your mouth and for the summer its paired with fresh vegetables and a delicious homemade pesto sauce. I've always hesitated to get the gnocchi because the meat dishes are always to good but I'm telling you this is a must try. For dessert my favorite has to be the seasonal fruit cobbler they serve. It is always with an interesting flavored homemade ice cream and they just do it right. I've also had the chocolate ganache/cake-like dessert and the bread pudding, both which are very delicious. Overall if you're considering this restaurant I couldn't recommend it more. The atmosphere is nice but not stuffy and it always feels like a real treat every time I eat here.
(5)
Super U.
Had the cowboy steak. It was awesome. we've been there three times so far and each time we get the same great service. When we eat there we always feel speacial.
(5)
Ray K.
Went to dinner last Saturday,10/13/12, night with a group of 5. They sat us next to the window. Nice area to sit and probably have drinks and appetizers but not easy to eat dinner. The service was good however the meals were small portions and the price was high.
(3)
Carole D.
Lunch visit. Love the building and how the old architecture is worked into the decor of the restaurant. Crab dip was delicious. I was concerned with the cheese overpowering the crab- but it was perfect !! Chicken Spinach salad was good- but $15 for a lunch size salad seemed a bit high. Service was excellent.
(3)
Sharon S.
Went to Firestones for dinner last night with two other couples. The service was absolutely perfect, great atmosphere, the food was good, but the prices are way too high for what you get and for Frederick in general. $42 for a steak, really? I may try it again, but only for lunch. Hopefully, the prices are more reasonable at lunch. I still cant get over paying $176 for 2 in Frederick.
(2)
Shawn H.
Great location in Frederick, parking is close by, but you do need to pay in a garage. The main level is a bar, and they seem to have a pretty decent flow in there, still upscale, but loud. The dining is upstairs, but because of the way you sit, you look down on the bar, and the noise travels up - not a problem for me and my wife - we were prepared from reading the reviews. We started with the Deviled Eggs, which gets top notch for presentation although overall is somewhat basic, but if you love deviled eggs, this is a upscale version. We also had the classic caesar which was very good. Ordered an oyster shooter in-between. Then had Grilled Merguez Sausage and Grilled "Diver" Scallops - the sausage which was lamb on top of house made fettuccine, was terrific; but the Scallops were worth every bite, amazing to get all the flavors working together. Definitely check it out, it's on our list to try again, the whole menu looks good, we wish we could have tried more.
Very fancy, it's less crowded at lunch. Great sandwiches and my hubby loves the crab dip. It is a bit on the expensive side for Frederick, but it's a different experience and ambiance. Definitely worth it every now and then.
(5)
Jenn K.
We met our best friends here for lunch, where all but one of us ordered the eggs benedict, so let's just call this a benedict review, shall we? So how was it? Quite good. Eggs were not poached exactly as ordered, but hey, that's a hard thing to accomplish (soft vs. medium). Hollandaise was yummy, although I would have liked more of it on the plate. Canadian bacon was of a nice thickness (not too much!). Potatoes came on the side, but only half of them were really enjoyable as the other half seemed overcooked. Mimosas were good (although might have needed a spot more champagne!). Would definitely go back for brunch if I find myself in Frederick again!
On a rainy morning back in MD visiting my parents, my mother and I ventured to DTF and found ourselves at firestones just in time to discover that they served brunch. I was completely impressed by the selection, the quality of the food, the ambiance, and the service. We were seated on the top floor just above the stage area where a jazz singer was warming up. I was grateful that they let her performance be part of the relaxing morning atmosphere, rather than conflicting with it, and it was still perfectly easy to speak across the table at a normal volume while she sang in the background. We split the bizarre watermelon salad (watermelon and balsamic vinegar done in a beautiful presentation), which was a lot like a watermelon tomato salad, if you have ever had that before. I though it was delicious and a bit daring considering how traditional most food is downtown. I really wanted the lamb carpaccio, but I didn't do it because I was afraid it would be too much food. Next time! The eggs benedict was phenomenal. Seriously, I was impressed. What is normally a heavy, buttery, filling meal was surprisingly flavorful and light, with the home fries just hanging out on the plate waiting to be covered by hollandaise spillover. The whole thing was decadent without making me feel like a blimp. With my mimosa, I had enough room in my tummy to try a slice of chocolate torte, which was a lot like chocolate fudge. It was very, very rich, and I sort of regretted getting it because everything else had been so light - but it was so delicious that I couldn't harbor ill-will toward it. Overall, I went in with medium expectations and left very impressed and excited to return. This is much more upscale than some of the other destinations downtown, but I would strongly prefer it for the extra cost. This is definitely the kind of place that would be comfortable and unpretentious with friends but is still nice enough to bring a date and know they'll feel special. On a small last note: I would strongly suggest not bringing your kids here. The acoustics are not forgiving and the clientele are generally older and enjoying the well-stocked bar, so please respect that and let the ambiance be exactly as perfect as it has the potential to be. There are a number of kid friendly places downtown, but this is not one of them (neither is TR for that matter)
(5)
Julaine N.
I have had some very tasty meals here. At the bar, the grilled chicken sandwich was delicious. They have happy hour pricing on their bar food on certain evenings, which makes the meal taste even better. I have been here for lunch and dinner. The most memorable lunch was a fried green tomato sandwich. So delicious! The crab cakes are on point as well. At dinner, my favorite dish is scallops (usually served on risotto, but this changes seasonally). The waiters generally do a great job of allowing the perfect amount of wait time between courses. Their mojitos are great. The location is beautiful, though, sometimes overrun but a lame bar crowd.
(4)
Mike R.
We found ourself out in Fredrick for lunch yesterday and decided to give this a try. We had a pleasant experience and I'd give it another try if in the area. We had a vidalia onion gratin (yes my people call it french onion soup) and a field greens salad for starters. The soup was cheesy and oniony and bready....so I guess it was about perfect. The salad was also good. My wife had softshell crab sandwich which she liked and I had a monte cristo. I know I should be expelled from Yelp for saying this, but I miss Bennigan's Monte Cristo sandwich...It was such a guilty pleasure of mine and no one really makes it their way. At any rate, this monte cristo was likely true to form with turkey ham and cheese melted between 2 pieces of battered bread (ostensibly french toast). It was fine, but not what I was hoping for. We had truffled fries which were probably the highlight of the whole meal and onion rings which were kinda weird. The were doughy...like an onion wrapped in a savory doughnut. At any rate, it was a fine lunch and I'd give them another try. Nothing to write home about...just Yelp.
(3)
Diane D.
Firestone's is my favorite downtown restaurant for friends and business lunches! Last week we had one of the tables overlooking Market Street in full holiday mode. My friend had the Baked Onion au Gratin Soup, which was delicious, and then shared my Wild Mushroom Pizza, which was very tasty and there was plenty for the two of us! It's a great atmosphere for early evening cocktails as well!
(5)
Larry B.
Great bar. Very good appetizers and we enjoy the Sunday Brunch menu. The dinner menu disappoints because it is short, but ask for a table overlooking Market Street on an afternoon or early summer evening and enjoy a wood fired pizza, salad and a beer or glass of wine. People watching is great from this perch!
(4)
Veronica J.
I've never eaten here but I enjoy getting drunk here!
(3)
Mark R.
I would not suggest spending your money here... there are far better dining experiences available in Frederick. For the value here, your better off saving the money. The food was pretty bland; no creativity and sky-high prices! The bar tenders can open a beer and the servers can bring you bread... wow.... i liked the beer and wine selections, but no one could describe or recommend one over the other. At night, the entire restaurant turns into a trashy bar. People are crammed, literally, one against the other. When I was leaving, a bouncer spit on the ground in front of me and and blew cigarette smoke into my date's face! When I asked him what his name was, he told me to f' off. To the owner - whoever the classy gentleman is you hired to 'bounce' guests on Thursday, Nov. 19th, 2009, sure did a great job. I'm never coming back... Gross, gross, and more gross...
(1)
Ane L.
Always crowded. Food is just OK. Too expensive for what you get in my opinion. Nice atmosphere when you can get a table upstairs by the window but generally overpriced and average in my view.
(3)
Pengilicious E.
My husband and I went to Firestone for Sunday Brunch with 2 friends. We told the waittress that we requested to be seated by the window and was turned down when there's about 4 empty tables and said that every table is reserved..but we have reservations too! We were disappointed. So instead of ordering the full menu we just ordered the specials from the restaurant week menu. Me and my friend ordered the Eggs and hash and the guys got the Open faced rib eye which were both full size despite being on the specials menu. I think we paid $25 each for 3 course which included appetizer (Roast beet & Proscuitto- we loved!) and a dessert. Overall I would rate the food 3 star. I doubt it if we would go back there again though b/c of the way we were treated at the beginning but the service was good after that. FYI: they don't serve mimosas till after 11am.
(3)
Bekki L.
French style service juxtaposed in an American bar, great food, recommended if you have time
(4)
Lee D.
Came in on Sat afternoon about 2:00 with a party of five. Definetly not crowded. The hostesses said 30-45 min wait ..right away we felt unwelcomed and that we were getting the brush off .. But we gave our name anyway. The hostesses glanced at each other .. Then offered us a rather large low seating area in the bar with the added bonus that we could only get cocktails and bar food. We declined and sat down in the waiting area. In looking around my immediate reaction was that maybe they didnt want kids but in looking up at the dining area there were others with kids seated upstairs. As we waited a man came up to the hostess station, shook his head, and then left. One of the hostesses came over and told us she could not accommodate us. I was shocked! 2:00 in the afternoon in Frederick? I could not believe it.. No explanation .. I am stunned an establishment would turn away customers .. We were dressed nicely, kids are older .. No clue .. But very disappointed .., too bad .. We had big appetites and were in the generous christmas spirit ....
(1)
Alan F.
I have had breakfast and dinner at Firestone's, and have enjoyed both. The wait staff is quite receptive and good, and the food is excellent. Drink service has a decent selection. We were lucky enough to be seated at the upstairs windows for dinner, and really enjoyed the view. Not a quiet place, but lots of fun with friends.
(4)
Wade L.
Amazing food! An interesting mix of bar atmosphere combined with seated dining of high quality. Not a secluded nor romantic getaway, but an excellent place to bring friends or family for a fun night out at dinner - just expect it to be boisterous as the bar is always packed. The cowboy steak is amazing. Throughout the meal, the wait staff will bring out little palate clearing and fun creations from the kitchen that are very interesting. Highly recommended.
(5)
Josh J.
A friend was celebrating her birthday this weekend and we decided to extend the celebration further than your average Friday and Saturday night hoorah into an eventful Sunday Brunch at Firestones. We came to the agreement to make reservations for brunch at this establishment from word of mouth and a friend's previous experiences with the restaurant, but outside of brunch. We called to make our reservation for our party days in advance and was given the option between 11am or 1pm for brunch (with them preferring the reso at 1pm) -- the preferred time slot was not available to us, but the idea of such a busy brunch made us look forward to it even more, and were fine with the later reservation time. My friend confirmed the bottomless mimosa special when making the reservation. We arrived slightly earlier for our reservation, to which we were asked to wait since our table was not ready. We waited and the group discussed how it is vital that guest also share responsibility in the dining experience in order to fully enjoy their time at a venue -- so we waited patiently. They asked us to wait, with no real seating available... we crowded into their bar area where two of us could have a seat, the others stood for what became on the cusp of a half an hour wait. The manager, Bobby, and hostess were good to give us updates as far as when our table would be ready, and we waited patiently in the bar area. Upon ordering our drinks while we waited, the Bartendress told us they no longer did bottomless mimosas because of the Liquor Control Board (contrary to what was confirmed when making the reservation) and we settled for a la carte cocktails while we waited. Our group gets seated. The building is beautiful and it is obvious that the jazz brunch is a hit. We are very excited to be celebrating with our friend and immediately order additional cocktails while looking at the wine list. An abundance of starters ordered to share at the beginning -- the Chacuterie, wonderful!, the artisan cheese plate, fun!, the oysters on the half shell tasted fresh ( really loved the mignette) -- the crab dip very good! We also got the deviled eggs with caviar as a starter to share, wonderful presentation! Really enjoyed the food. We simply relax, enjoy the food and music and relish in our friends company. After finishing appetizers, we order a bottle of wine and our brunch entrees -- the kitchen is nice enough to make the eggs benedict more pescatarian friendly by negating the canadian ham for a spinach substitution ( also, to add, our server Logan was an absolute treat -- very knowledgeable and courteous!) and the meals were wonderful! Because of the birthday celebration ( really, the amount of food ordered has been insane at this point) we push and order deserts...the warm apple cobbler and a creme brulee...coffee for our friend and after brunch cocktails ( kentucky snowman and espresso martinis) -- we were really enjoying ourselves. The cobbler arrives, and then the drinks... my friend ( birthday) awaits her coffee and myself the creme brulee... to which we wonder what has occurred ( nearing 20 minutes at this point ) ... the Manager Bobby comes approaches the table ( in my mind to apologize for the wait) to tell us that we can't order another thing and he needs the restaurant in 30 minutes for a private party, directly implying us to leave ( there were multiple tables remaining in the restaurant at this point) -- I had to explain that we first, waited patiently for nearly 30 minutes past our reservation time for the table, and then also, that we would have been asking for our check prior to this point if our full order had come out. His attitude towards the table was apparent -- even a concurrance from a member of the staff -- never did an apology come out for the misunderstanding. Why not simply ask us if there was anything else rather than refusing any further service? At the end of the meal we spent $350 on a brunch (group of five) to be remembered for our friend...and the price doesn't bother us, but the way we left that restaurant does. Our group of friends love to go out, splurge on eachother, and have a great time -- but I am more proned to give every other restaurant a chance before committing to Firestones again. There were many other ways to have handled that situation, an apology of any sort would have been suffecient -- scratch that -- a recognition of any sort would have been enough. Had fun because of the company we keep -- delicious food, but bad taste in mouth from Management behaviour.
(2)
Mr. S.
Though I wasn't "wowed" by this place it was pretty good. The food was nicely plated (although a little sparse on the salad portions) and service was timely for our large group for a holiday meal.
(3)
Laurie W.
I've never eaten here, so maybe I'd like it better if I did. After hours it's a bar. A loud, smoky, loud, meat market loud bar. Hated it. There aren't enough places to sit so people just crowd around in a big group. Even when I went out to places like this in college, I was never thrilled to be there. It's one of those places that probably improves if you're drinking excessively, because then you might get louder too and the annoyance factor goes down. But then, is it ever better to be a part of the problem? That's a rhetorical question. I'm not sure I could handle the mob scene downstairs if I was eating here, no matter how good the food is. Two stars for random but enjoyable music (Zeppelin's The Ocean, hello.) that had my guitarist friend sticking around while we were leaving to hear a song that I can't remember (that somehow inspired a desire to purchase a Nazareth album.) Weird mojo afoot at Firestone's.
(2)
Brian H.
Yes, it can get loud inside. Yes, some people around the bar can be heard throughout the restaurant. But if you are looking for a great crab dip, steak, and wine to match, you won't be disappointed. The wait staff is very attentive, and although the menu is a little pricey, I think it is worth it.
(4)
Taylor H.
I went to Firestone's last night with a bunch of girlfriends as a "girl's night out". We made reservations a week in advance for a 7:00 sitting, and it paid off. They only accept reservations up to 8, which was, luckily, the size of our group. We were seated immediately upstairs in a little area overlooking the downstairs and bar. It was absolutely perfect, and then we were able to shut the blinds around us for some privacy later on. We were first served our drinks, which came pretty quickly. The bread was brought to us shortly after, and it was a light sourdough-tasting bread with little cranberry colored speckles throughout. Later we were given these teacups of tomato soup tasting stuff, and there were little brown dots in it. We didn't order this, but it was very good. About 3 minutes after it was brought to us, however, the waiter whisked them away with little notice. I wasn't done, and neither was anyone else. Next came the salads, and we all ordered the grilled Caesar with Caesar balsamic vinaigrette dressing. It was topped with shredded Parmesan cheese and egg halves. The next course that I had ordered was the crab cake. It took them around 20 minutes to bring out our main courses, which I thought was a little ridiculous. Eventually it was brought out, and it was plated beautifully. There was a delicious pan fried crab cake with little crunchies on top. Then there were cherry tomatoes and mini egg halves. On the bottom of this was a gribiche sauce. It was absolutely delicious, I just wish the crab cake would have been a bit bigger. But hey, for a 12 crab cake, that's a steal. Firestone's was an excellent dining experience for me, the only downside were the small portion sizes and the long wait. The grilled caesar, a soda, and the crabcake all came down to an even $20 for me.
(4)
laura m.
Wow, what a treat today for lunch ! Arrived around 12:30 on a Thursday. Not too busy but a few tables,,,,,,was cold for a spring day. I am sure it gets much busier. Host sat us upstairs with a view of Market St. Great people watching seats. . So onward,,,,we split the duck proscittiou, duck not so great but the beets were good.. Will try something else next time and there will be a next time. ! Love had the grilled chicken sandwich , which he quite enjoyed,,,,,comes with a green mustard sauce, and he is not a big fan of mustard.....also a choice of ff. fruit cup or cuke and onion salad,,,He had the fruit cup which I finished,,,,,,,,refreshing pineapple, blueberries, grapes. A full cup. Ok , so I ordered the Crab Cake sandwich because,, I don't know why, I never order cc. sandwiches because they usually suck...... drum roll This was the best crab cake ever,,,,,,,I ordered it without the pepper relish that it comes with because I don't know why you would drown out the crab with that and,I don't like peppers, glad I did,,,,,,,Fantastic. Bread great...I had tihe side cuke,onion salad,,,,,,,,once again very good tasted like I had just made it... Also the service was good and attentive,,,,,,but thankfully not overly, none of the my name is so and so, etc......Can't wait to go back again.!
(4)
Luisita S.
Very good brunch. They do not do well with more complicated dishes. I avoid it for lunch and dinner. Smoke smell from the bar drifts all over the restaurant. Stick to the brunch and you'll be fine.
(3)
Preet M.
Service: Timely, efficient, helpful. Came here to grab a quick bite as a part of a long Sunday bar crawl with some friends. We were in and out in about 15 minutes and had no questions or concerns. Food: We ordered truffle fries, a charcuterie board, and some other small bites. I highly recommend the Truffle fries. We were all satisfied with the quantity and enjoyed the drinks as well! Environment: The place is VERY cozy. Seating is close quartered and the bar takes up most of the first floor. The benefit of the place is that it is two floors, so despite the somewhat crowded seating, the venue can seat a good amount of people. The whole building is old town style just like most of Frederick's restaurants and makes its patrons seem at home and relaxed. Highly recommend this place as a convenient pit stop for anyone in the area.
The food is really good, probably some of the best pub fare in Frederick. They also have a nicely stocked bar with a solid tap list (albeit small). Highly recommend their Bloody Mary. The gentleman who is (I would imagine) their lead server is super friendly and knowledgable. The brunette bartender...not a very nice person, or at least she wasn't when I sat at the bar. Definitely was made to feel like my business wasn't wanted there by her. I'd probably give them four stars if it weren't for her. Shame.
(3)
Jennifer R.
My family and I had Sunday Brunch at Firestone's and enjoyed our experience. I would definitely recommend their Sunday Brunch options. They had live music with a singer and band playing during our meal. The food was excellent and our server, Emily was very attentive and helpful. I ordered the eggs, hash and pastrami and the coffee. My husband ordered the eggs benedict and my son had the chicken tenders and fruit. All of the food was delicious. We even had the creme brulee for dessert, which was yummy and creamy. We would definitely return here again.
(4)
Jim R.
This is one of Frederick's really good watering holes. And the food is pretty darn good, too. The prices are a bit on the high side, but hey ... you get what you pay for. In this case, you can choose from the menu -- which features a variety of delectable dishes -- or settle for whatever the special happens to be on the day of your visit. The atmosphere is always friendly and warm, and the service is genuinely outstanding. If you're going here for dinner, you'd be wise to make a reservation ahead of time. I recommend getting a table on the second floor, near a window overlooking Market Street. Nice view. And great for people watching!
(4)
Meredith J.
The food here was amazing. My boyfriend and I split the rabbit ravioli and the halibut entree. One thing we really loved is that they went and split the plates for us, serving us on separate plates. We don't mind sharing plates (and most often do) but this was very helpful. The ravioli could be (and should be) made into a meal. It was delicious and the sauce on the side complimented the ravioli perfectly. The only thing that should maybe be changed would be making it to-order. I'm guessing they make it ahead of time and the pasta just didn't seem very fresh. The halibut was perfect. Came with asparagus and butternut squash risotto. I can't say more than perfect. We ate every bit on our plate. I took off a star unfortunately for something that the restaurant can't control: noise. The meal was so delicious and perfect that to be in a bar setting and having to listen (and see) a bunch of drunk people, it really made for a crappy ambiance. I really don't want to sip on a glass of wine and yell to my boyfriend across the table, while peering down to the bar to see some bro hitting on a bachelorette party by wearing the bride-to-be's crown on his head.
(4)
Beata K.
This place is always full and we finally got to have dinner here after weeks of waiting...and it was totally worth it! The service was awesome, our waitress was so friendly, helpful and attentive. Everything we ordered was fantastic: the deviled egg appetizer was great; really creamy filling and interesting flavors. The pastrami is out of this world and can't recommend it enough. The burger is also very good along with the duck fat fries. I also really liked how they gave you some little sample if their soup before the meal and some honeydew sorbet between the app and entree; it was actually one of the better sorbets that I've had. The atmosphere is neat too- downstairs has a nice bar and the tables are either corks or barrels and the upstairs is quaint and great for people watching (either look outside or downstairs). Will absolutely be back.
(4)
Danielle A.
Love this place, we are new to Frederick and Maryland in general. Went here for my boyfriends birthday the upstairs dining and food was amazing, no complaints at all. Have frequent back a few times for drinks and live music always a fun atmosphere! The lemon meringue martini is to die for!
(4)
Rob N.
Firestone's joins the seasonal farm-to-table pack that continues to sprout up in the Baltimore/DC/Frederick triangle. They do a solid job of offering craft beers, local produce, tasty mixed drinks, and well-prepared fresh food. The high-ceilinged bar space and balcony dining room, with some nice street views and cozy seating, make for a comfortable if a bit boisterous atmosphere. The menu changes with the seasons, so our meals tended toward the heavier cold-weather comfort food side of things. Charcuterie with really fantastic crusty bread and complimentary sweet-savory and perfectly crispy/creamy corn fritters. Homemade potato gnocchi with goat cheese and roasted veg. Pork tenderloin, grits, and mushrooms with really nicely cooked collard greens. Here, they really nail the upper end of the gastropub/tavern spectrum. If there is any fault, it's that the big open downstairs space fails to contain the volume level of a full house. If noise really bothers you, keep that in mind.
(5)
Evie V.
My boyfriend and I came in for dinner and on a Friday evening and luckily got seated right away. The service as very good as the waitress was very attentive. We were very impressed that the Chef sent a few different amuse-bouches to the tables that evening. The cocktails were great and we didn't wait long for our entrees. I got a very decadent clam chowder- the most beautifully presented clam chowder I've ever had. Excellent first experience for the both of us. We will be back!
(5)
Sarah T.
Their food is delicious. A great spot in downtown and an environment for everyone! We went for lunch and it was calm. Had to wait a bit for a water refill but it came!
(4)
Marisa J.
Did not disappoint. After receiving hostile service from the staff at Wag's (to be shared , my husband and I opened the Yelp App to see which restaurant and had the best reviews and were in close proximity of us and Firestone's came up. We were quickly seated and greeted by our waiter. We ordered the crab dip (which was absolutely divine.) My husband ordered the steak while I ordered the swordfish sandwich -- both of which exceeded our expectations. You know it's good cooking if the plate has been licked clean. (No, we did not actually lick the plates clean but they looked it since the food was just THAT good!)
(5)
Sissy C.
Firestones is just plain good. I have been here several times and they do not disappoint. You can sit downstairs near the bar area or upstairs away from all the noise. They have a wonderful crab dip served in a bread shell that is delicious. I really haven't had anything here that was bad. I will be back.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Brunch, Dinner Parking : Garage, Street Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Music : Live Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Fri, Sat, Sun Coat Check : No Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Marley D.
Great restaurant in Frederick! Came for the bar scene and food on a Saturday night, the house was packed to the brim so we were given a table that included two seats and a couch. At first it seemed odd but if I could have a couch seat at every restaurant I'd be happy. We started with a round of cranberry/vodka, ciroc/pineapple and one oyster shooter. Every drink was super strong (GOOD!) and the oyster shooter was my first ever so I had no idea what to expect.. It was tangy, spicy and briny all at the same time. The shooter was quit huge so I had to sip the vodka/spice concoction first and then finished it off... Probably wouldn't try another oyster shooter AGAIN lol For entrees I had the Hangar Steak, my sister had the Diver Scallops and our friend just had a Cesar Salad. Hangar Steak was served with onion and cranberry braised kale and Rosemary roasted potatoes. I ordered my steak medium well but the server strongly suggested I try medium rare which I never get because I'm scared of the bloody aspect... But man, was I glad I took her suggestion, the steak was AMAZING! The outside perfectly charred, the inside perfectly cooked, tender, juicy and flavorful... Hands down one of the best steaks I've ever had. The kale could make any anti-kale person an avid fan. It was tender and mild but the onions and cranberry added that perfect touch. Potatoes were run of the mill but who cares? The steak and kale was all I needed. My sister had the diver scallops served with coconut saffron pulled pork vermicelli noodles... OH MY AMAZINGNESS! The pulled pork was just so perfect with the scallops, an absolutely breathtaking combination. Yeah I said it, BREATHTAKING. The Cesar salad looked delicious, fresh romaine, pungent cheeses and I saw anchovies which always makes for a well rounded salad. We also had lots of Midori Sour cocktails which were PERFECTLY poured. Every drink we order was well crafted the only thing I absolutely couldn't drink was a glass of red wine that was paired with my steak... Yuck... I'm not big on red wine so that could be it but this wine was a "Punch You In The Face" full bodied type of red wine.. Way too much for me. Service was great, the bar scene was nice but they don't play music so it was more chill than other bars downtown. Excellent food, great service and nice ambience. I will deff come back for more!
(5)Victoria Z.
Until recently, I've only come here at night for drinks and sometimes dancing. It can be hit or miss. But, upon finally having a meal here, I have to say I am super impressed with the service and the food. It's right in line with what I've come to expect of some of Frederick's classier dining options.
(4)Jazmin H.
Came here for my birthday, had the seared sea scallops, which were tender and delicious. Enjoyed the ambiance and the view, since we were sat next to the window on the second floor, it was very intimate and romantic. Will be back!
(5)Rachel S.
Actually - 2 Stars...because of Frederick Restaurant Week, 3 Stars for the service and meal. Saturday...High Noon... Not sure...shame on me for not realizing it was RW, shame on them...cause....their menu just sucked for RW. Just to state - while I personally am not out and about because of Restaurant Week, I wholly embrace the entire RW initiative and of which it is intended to deliver. SO....certainly not the fault of the wait staff, but their RW menu.... sucked. sad and really. Walked in, was asked at the hostess stand if we had a reso, no... two please ...just a minute or so past noon on a Saturday, tables were booked apparently - and offered the bar area...included hi-tops, just not upstairs. Okay dokay...no problem, three or four high-tops available plus the bar stools. Sat ourselves at a high-top.... provided menu.... and... AND, (sorry) 80% of the menu had "sup + xx$" . .... breathing in/out.... before i write this... Okay, only this RW menu offered, but WHY participate in RW if you are going to sup the menu with add on charges?? JUST DO NOT PARTICIPATE!!!! Apologies - perhaps i am only commenting upon lunch... which is the only meal/experience i can provide my commentary for...but.... WHY, WHY, why? I had directed our meal here because....they had a brunch menu on their website... great, breakie for me, options that are not-breakie for him.... okay... okay...you are not serving brunch... and only offering the RW menu....but WTF... supplemental add on charges for more than 80% of your menu. Just effing make a RW menu - and your real menu.... stop your BS. Either you embrace the whole RW intention, or JUST DO NOT PARTICIPATE! Sorry, your margins will suffer, sorry. Period. It isn't my problem, and...i have an issue because you are completely gouging the masses...so, great you are listed on the RW website...but you are completely coming off as bait and switch... which is just sad, because...the food and service was decent, but...your management of RW menu and my experience, was just ...sub-par, at best. RW was $15.15 for choice of App, plus Main, but while reviewing the RW menu we only wanted Onion Soup, Monte Cristo & Spinach Salad with Chicken....three of four possible to not incur a supplemental charge....kudos...you win. Hey, how about give me a RW bruch/lunch menu --- AND a real menu?? Then i have the option to order off the RW menu, or....not. Your average check...may not actually suffer, and you may make a new patron. But no....you will not, just your BS RW menu with your sooooo many supplemental charges...just really turn me off. Onion Soup - ehh...a bit too greasy, flavour was okay, Was not strained enough Monte Cristo - good, best in the last few years, perhaps more cheese, but really good otherwise. Grilled Chicken over Spinach Salad - the warm bacon/balsamic.... yuck, luckily also ordered ranch..which was....far from good, but okay. Good parts - oyster mushrooms (should have been sauteed) and the grilled herb chicken juicy and gently wilted the spinach leaves, sliced roasted potatoes - ((reminds me of founding farmers, YUM!!)). Done. Maybe, one day... i will get over the bs... did not even know RW was going on...but your menu has soured my entire opinion.
(3)Glenn F.
Group of six and loved it here. We had such a wide variety of food and all was great with the rack of lamb a bit too rare and thus the four stars. Even so was delicious and our entire table wants to come back. Other items we had were goat cheese, oysters, spare ribs, hanger steak and lots of drinks.
(4)Nicole S.
The service and extra appetizers make this place a 5. The food was fantastic, but if give it a 4.5. The hangar steak and duck was so good. Some of the sides (like the kale) was ok. BUT- you can tell the chef and the servers really care about the taste and service. The environment was dark, romantic, and clean.
(5)Abegail A.
Firestone's Culinary Tavern has a pretty decent sized bar area. On an early Saturday evening, practically all the bar stools were taken. Upon sitting down, we were greatly promptly and handed a beverage menu. They have a wide selection of beers to choose from (mainly bottled with a few on tap), several cocktails, and plenty of wine. I had the Afternoon Delight, which one of the bartenders just created the night before. It was really refreshing, but just okay. I honestly cannot remember what was in it, so that goes to tell you how memorable the drink really was. I also tried an IPA from the Victory Brewhouse in PA, which I surprisingly enjoyed. Service was good. There were two bartenders working and they both checked back on us frequently. For a tavern, the restaurant portion of Firestone's seemed somewhat fancy. All tables had white table cloths and were nicely decorated. Didn't really have that tavern feel to me. I did love the little nook area in the front of the restaurant. Seemed like a great place to people watch while grabbing a drink or bite to eat.
(3)Emily D.
The food was excellent here, as you can probably tell from reading other reviews. The ambience is lovely, exactly what you would expect from a self-proclaimed "culinary tavern." The problem is that the ambience caters to a very specific customer, and I'm not it. I went with my grandfather-in-law following church one Sunday afternoon. We were seated on the balcony above the door. Unfortunately, there was live music that afternoon. It was good music, but very loud, so we were entirely unable to converse. There was no effort to mitigate the sound, either - all the surfaces are tile or polished wood, none of which absorbs sound at all. The service was slow but fine for a busy Sunday afternoon. We had to wave to get our waitress's attention, but it was fine. It was just a really noisy lunch and we were ready to be done and out of the din a good 15 minutes before the wait staff was ready to let us leave.
(3)Judith D.
Maybe it's just the bar staff but I'm really not impressed with the service. I asked for water and was not given any until the bar back screwed up and gave me water intended for the customers next to my friend and I, I asked for the dressing on my salad to be on the side (it was not), I also told the bar tender that I have a gluten allergy and asked if he could double check with the kitchen that the salad i wanted would be ok. I guess he didn't because there was something in it that made me sick (no idea how - it was veggies and meat but regardless, it did). We had to ask for food menus (we sat there for 10 minutes and no one asked). I wouldn't bother going back. Customer service is important.
(2)Jason S.
Great atmosphere. We went for Sunday brunch and there was live music - perfect background noise for our visit. We also got to sit upstairs, so we were right next to the big windows overlooking the street. Long and varied drink menu, with stiff cocktails. I got some sort of pesto burger which was delicious. Will definitely come back.
(4)Yaka H.
Good ideas for food, but somewhat poor execution. We stopped by for lunch and this is a nice place with character, with seating located on the second floor of this building. The first floor consists mainly of the bar. Each sandwich comes with a choice of side. I tried the Franco American Burger. The foie gras was delicious and nicely seared on both sides. The problems with this burger was the brioche bun and the burger patty was overcooked. The brioche bun was too tender and thin for this burger. It basically fell apart, making it hard to hold the sandwich together. Bread integrity is important, as it makes sure each bite is perfectly composed of all the ingredients in the burger or sandwich. The peach mustard was present in flavor, but due to the problem with the brioche bun, failed to play a distinct role in each bite of the burger overall. The accompanying fruit salad was nice and fresh. This brioche bun problem was present in another sandwich that was ordered at the table, the fried oyster po boy. Since this is the wrong type of bread for a po boy in general and the bread falling apart made the experience all wonky. Overall, an okay lunch with good menu ideas, but just poor execution at times. Generous portion size.
(3)David L.
A great experience. Tonight my wife and I took our new neighbors whom we like very much to Firestone's. They being new to the area,we wanted to show them the best of Frederick. In all fairness, my last visit was not great and I reviewed it as such. I was contacted by the GM (Chris) who read my review and contacted me. Just the fact that he takes the time to read reviews was impressive to me. He apologized and urged me to return. Well tonight's visit was as enjoyable as it gets. The food was cooked to perfection, my neighbor had one of Firestone's signature micro brews that he enjoyed very much. I had an Oyster shooter that was delicious. The Caprese Salad with heirloom tomato's was excellent. All in all a big success, the neighbors loved it, as did the wife and I. We will be back. Thank You Chris, you are an asset to Firestone's.
(5)Cheri P.
As a restaurant this place really only deserves two stars. I usually go out in Bethesda, Clarendon, or DC. Friday night was an exception since my girlfriend and I were in the Frederick area trying out local wines. I think given that it this is Frederick and the clientel is not very restaurant savvy the 4 and 5 star reviews below may be over-blown. We arrived to see a a bar with a restaurant with white table cloths and a cute upstairs section. The bar was definitely crowded, and we enjoyed the attention we received being the only women in this place. One gentleman offered us his bar stool and we had a glass of wine before getting seated. Thank you, sir!!! We started off with the Crab dip and the French Onion. Both were good, but not particularly impressive. I am used to having the cheese all around the bowl of soup... perhaps they were running low. For dinner I had the snapper and my friend had the scallops. The snapper was very dry. I let our waiter know and he didn't offer to send it back.. hmmmm. Okay then. Sarah's scallops were better but a little fishy and maybe not so fresh. We had a glass of wine and by the time we were finished the bar area was packed. We didn't stay long as it gets a bit male aggressive there. I would make sure if you have dinner to leave before 8:30. Overall a cute place, poor quality for their prices (it was bar food really), and a little bit of a caveman environment. I'll pass on returning.
(2)Lily H.
Definitely love the food here but the drinks .. They are OH EM GEE good! Grab a Midori Sour !! Such wonderful service and excellent food. Lunch is very well priced here. No complaints here!
(5)linnea S.
Brunch was spectacular! We are from NYC, visiting for a wedding and came here for brunch. We couldn't believe how amazing this brunch was, especially for the price! The pastrami and eggs was out of this world!
(5)Daniel M.
In the 6 years I have lived in the Frederick area, I have had a love / hate relationship with the restaurants in the downtown Frederick area. After several 'misses', I had taken a break from trying new places, and just relied on some of my old standbys. After much persuading from my wife, I decided to give some new places a try, and I am glad I did, because Firestone's is fast becoming one of my favorite places. I have yet to try them at dinner time, but for the several times I have been there for lunch on the weekends, they have never disappointed. Having tried both the lunch and the brunch menus, there is a fantastic selection to choose from, whether you are in the mood for a more traditional sandwich, something a little more exotic, or something more along the lines of an entree. I typically prefer a sandwich at lunch time, and have tried the various offerings of burgers (which they seem to rotate through... most likely according to seasonal availabilities) and all were fantastic. An upgrade to their truffle fries is always worth it if you are in to that sort of thing. The artisan cheese plate as an appetizer is also something very much worth checking out. A selection of 3 cheese varieties, with a small side of truffle honey...give it a try. The deviled egg trio os also very good, although I don't typically like caviar.. however, only one of the three will actually have that. Its not that its bad, I have tried plenty of caviar, I just don't personally care for it. If you like it, you will like theirs. One of the other things that is always a huge influence on my opinion of an establishment is the service. The wait staff here has always been helpful, attentive, and continually going out of their way to accommodate my sometimes oddball requests. I typically tip them well.. as they definitely earn it. if you are looking for a delicious and memorable meal the next time you are visiting downtown Frederick, stop into Firestone's. its well worth the visit!
(5)Lulu H.
Truly has the largest beer selection I've ever seen! Excellent food, including original appetizer plates to steak. I went when they were participating in something like Farm to Table. Their dishes were unique and just delicious, which says lots because I'm a picky eater. They have formal upstairs seating with a few window tables. On the main level there are some comfy couches, high tops, and a long bar. The staff is very experienced, and professional. I love Firestone's because the food, the waitstaff, and the many seating options. Reservations are suggested for upstairs. Ask for a window seat so you can people watch from above! Market Street is alive, and well!! It's beautiful!
(5)Carolyn H.
Being new to the area, we're trying to check out some of the restaurants downtown. We tried Firestone's out for brunch and the Bloody Mary was fantastic and the hollandaise sauce on the Eggs Benedict wasn't too heavy. Great food, great atmosphere including a jazz band, and great service. I definitely recommend this place.
(5)Heather H.
The food and drinks were both hand down, great! It's a fun place to gather your friends! Can't wait to go back!
(5)Mia R.
I love this place. Our food was amazing, the service was really good and we had a nice table by a window so we could people watch on the street. We ordered the crab dip appetizer and it was great. Then I ordered the steak salad and my husband ordered the short ribs and they were both delicious. Perfect size, temperature and presentation. The service was really good. I would recommend this to anyone
(5)Lin C.
Just had a lovely, relaxed, casual dinner at Firestone's. We made a reservation but on this Sunday eve we could have walked in and gotten a table right away. We were glad we did though because we were treated to the table on the second floor in the middle of the big picture window - big score. No specials but the menu offered some interesting, nouveau twists on some classics, some drink specials, and everything from salad to duck to beef to seafood. Pub fare or full dinner - your choice. Our waitress and other staff were very attentive and friendly. We both had the onion soup gratinee as a starter. A bit sweet but not overly sweet. Before it arrived we were treated to a chef's treat - a roasted root vegetable cream soup served in an espresso cup. Tasty with a hint of smoke. I had a mixed green salad thinking I would hold out for dessert. The mustard vinaigrette was awesome. My dinner partner had the pastrami sandwich -- this my friend was a meatgasm. They make their own pastrami and it was the most tender and tasty pastrami I've ever had. The hand cut fries that came with it were crisp and hot and tasty. Generous portions - we doggy bagged over half the sandwich and cant wait to reheat it tomorrow.
(5)Jason H.
Great food, great atmosphere and the staff were great too. Push for an upstairs spot by the window when you go. Gotta try the 'hanger' steak and scallops & grits...
(4)Dennis G.
I've been eating occasionally for 7 or 8 years now and have never had a bad meal or service, never. The service is outstanding, the prices more than reasonable considering the quality and quantity of food. You simply cannot go wrong by trying this place.
(5)Brian S.
I went here on a date and the food was decent. I was hoping to order something off their online menu but they had changed it and no longer had that option. I ended up going with the lemon sausage pasta. It was decent. Fresh pappardelle was well cooked and the sauce was good. Overall just didn't impress me too much. Probably had a lot to do with the fact that the 2 or 3 things I had decided on before hand were no longer on the menu.
(3)Scott L.
Firestone's never disappoints. My wife and I have been here many times and have never had a bad meal. The cheese plate is as good as it gets. She ordered the cowboy steak and I had the lamb chops, both were great.
(4)Jessica P.
Three of my closest friends and I went to Firestone's for a fun girl's brunch and it was sooo great! Way better than expected and the prices were very reasonable. We were happy to see they offered a variety of food and their signature cocktails were fantastic. Our favorite drink was the Lemon Meringue Pie, definitely recommend it! Also our waitress, Alice, was so great and made the experience even better. Will definitely be back to Firestone's soon :)
(5)Rick A.
Fantastic food and the waiter was great. We made a reservation for 7:45 on a Saturday night. We showed up at about 7:50 ( misjudged the Frederick old town traffic and had to find a place to park) and were immediately taken to our table. Despite being a few minutes late we were given the best table in the restaurant. We sat at the window overlooking old town. I had the hanger steak and the rosemary potatoes. The potatoes were a perfect pairing for the steak. Ellen had the diver scallops which the waiter recommended because the did not always have them available. We are in the process of trying a lot of different restaurants but would definitely return.
(4)Chris B.
Great Restaurant. The 18 oz Cowboy Ribeye is probably the best steak in Frederick.
(4)Devon D.
I would have to say that Firestone's is by far my favorite restaurant. If I could eat there every day, I would. Too bad I live 45 minutes away! Haha (: Anyways, I have eaten here on multiple occasions. The most recent being last night. As for appetizers, the Terrine of Rabbit is one of my favorites. So, so, so yummy! And last night, we had "Steak and Eggs" and it was absolutely delicious. The egg was perfectly cooked and beef tartare was amazing! The Caesar salad is A MUST! As for entrees, I have to say the Hanger Steak with potato pave is a favorite. I had the Scallops with cheddar grits last night and I loved it! My boyfriend usually does the huge Cowboy Steak, but he tried the Veal last night and I had some of it. It was delicious. For dessert, whiskey ice cream is by far the best thing I have ever had. But, I love my whiskey! Honestly, whether you are going for a special occasion or just for dinner, IT IS A DEFINITE MUST TRY! You will not be disappointed.
(5)Jake W.
Went to firestones for drinks . They have an impressive beer selection and the barstaff- not to be confused with the waitstaff- has excellent knowledge on the beers and the food. We enjoyed a small platter called charcuterie with cured meats, olives, pickles, and pate. I was recommended a couple of beers by the bartender that were excellent. My only gripe is that we had slow service at the table that we originally sat down at-which is why we moved to the bar. Great beer and good food-not much else you can ask for.
(4)andrew n.
Firestone's is one of my favorite local places. Pros: 1. Great bartenders (everyone loves Ian) 2. Fantastic food. If I am entertaining clients in the Frederick area, I usually take them here for dinner because the food is consistently excellent. Brunch options are solid and the tavern burger is my favorite burger in Frederick. 3. Great wait staff. 4. Great place to drink (before the weekend bar crowd). Cons: 1. Noisy. If you're having dinner upstairs and the weekend bar crowd is starting, it's difficult to converse at times. 2. Crowded. The bar has kind of an identify crisis. You get a lot of younger patrons that want to drink and order domestic bottles and you have some patrons that want a nice wine (they have a good wine selection) or cocktail. If you're in the latter group, you can pretty much plan on avoiding Firestone's on Thursday night, Friday night and Saturday night. It's too crowded, and the crowds are pushy and obnoxious.
(4)J M.
My wife had the hanger steak and I had Red Snapper wit crab. Both were excellent. Also, Michael was a very helpful waiter.
(4)Savannah B.
My friend and I chose this place at random. We wanted to go out in Frederick, and he found this listed on his phone, so there we went. The place is upscale and classy, which I enjoy. I had a Jack-o-Lantern to start. I don't usually like whiskey, but pumpkin-infused Jack with syrup & spices may be the one way I do like it. It came with a little candy corn pumpkin, which was a nice touch. They say you can judge a restaurant by its bread, and they had really good bread. I got the caesar salad and butternut squash soup. They were really considerate about my being a vegetarian. I pretended not to worry about the chicken stock in the soup, and they gave me my salad without anchovies. They brought out a pâté as an amuse-bouche on a spoon to start, and when I declined as that's not in my diet, they quickly returned with a little beet salad amuse-bouche. I appreciated that. I can't remember what my friend had, but I know he enjoyed it. I also had an oyster shooter. It wasn't bad... They served it at my table, which proved to be quite a process. The last one I had came in the shot glass. Not sure why they want to do it at the table...if the oyster'd been properly shucked, it would've been fine. We split a crème brûlée for dessert, which was great. If you're looking for a great dining experience, I would definitely recommend this place.
(4)Chris K.
Atmosphere was cool, I sat upstairs which was quiet and nice. Food and service was excellent. Started with a salad, then I had the delicious hanger steak. Finished with apple cobbler and vanilla ice cream. Definitely will return.
(4)Judy T.
The clam chowder is WOW! This is the second time I have had it and I thought it was a bit saltier this time than the last. But it was so good! And the toast that they put on the plate along with the soup was very tasty dunked in the soup. I had the chicken & spinach salad and it was just ok. I didn't like the potatoes in it and the chicken was kind of dry and flavorless. Disappointing after the clam chowder.
(4)Monica P.
29 July 2012: Today I had lunch at Firestones Restaurant in Frederick MD with my dad, who took me out for my birthday (which was earlier this month). I didn't think to make reservations, so we waited 10 minutes or so for a table upstairs (a few high tops were available on the main level of the restaurant). Next time I'll be sure to reserve a table next to the window. However, there was one table near the window that was empty the entire time we were there (1.5 hours), so it was disappointing that we were not seated there. Firestones has a very nice brunch menu with lots of choices. Dad started with the smoked salmon that was topped with a corn salsa. We asked for some bread for the salmon, which he received thinly sliced garlic toast - perfect. I had the tuna tartare that came on top of a bed of julienne cucumber and some sesame crackers. Both were very good and beautifully presented. For my brunch entree, I had the eggs benedict, which came with Canadian bacon topped with a very light hollandaise sauce. Home fries were included. The eggs were perfectly cooked - runny. Dad had the crab cake, served with fries and red cabbage. He said the crab cake was good but has had better crab cakes in Annapolis where he lives. Fries were "okay" and the cabbage "just plate decor." Service from Kris was excellent. He was very friendly, polite, and attentive. Overall, a lovely brunch with my dad and a place I will return to in the near future.
(4)K S.
The service at Firestone's was very disappointing, and we likely won't go back. We recently visited on a not-very-busy Saturday. The hostess told us that if we didn't mind waiting a few minutes, they'd clean a table by the front window -- a very nice place to sit, with a view of Frederick's main street. After we had already waited close to 10 minutes -- they obviously weren't cleaning that table very fast -- another couple came in. They were taken to the seating area immediately, and we followed with another hostess close behind. As we reached the seating area, we saw the other couple point to the table we had been waiting for, and they were allowed to take it by the same hostess who had told us it was being prepared for us. When I objected, the hostess was dumbfounded, at a complete loss about what to do about the situation that she and her colleague had created. I asked for a manager and told him that my wife and I had been made to wait 10 minutes for a window table, only to see the same table given to another couple that had come in well after us. He said a mistake had been made and seemed satisfied to leave it at that. When I asked what he was going to do to make things right, he only offered to seat us at any empty table -- in essence, he was willing to do absolutley nothing to make up for his staff's incompetence. He offered no other remedy, not even a free soda. We've been to Firestone's many times before, but it'll be a long time before we again visit a place that treats its customers so shabbily.
(1)Susan M.
We've experienced better in the past at Firestone's, truly one of our favorite restaurants in downtown Frederick. We had dinner Saturday evening at 7:30, and had no problem getting a reservation just the day before..... not the greatest sign. There were open tables upstairs when we were taken to our table at the window......hmmmm? Something seems to have changed here. Service is still attentive; view from the upstairs windows is still charming, and prices are still on the high side but were always well within the acceptable range for the overall high quality of the food and experience in the past. Our most recent dinner was a little disappointing, with the fried tuna sushi tempura appetizer being lukewarm when it was brought to the table, and one fish entrée being dry and overcooked. It seems like the kitchen is suffering from issues which we hope are remedied sooner rather than later........Firestones is a treasure in downtown Frederick but will quickly lose their fine-dining reputation without taking care of some issues in the kitchen.
(2)Bonnie C.
A fun atmosphere - we stopped by in the evening and had a few glasses of wine at the bar. It was crowded and we had a good time until it was time for bed.
(4)Chris C.
Great food. A little loud. Service is ok. The food is very good. It can be a fun bar to hang in as well.
(4)William F.
My wife and I had not been here for awhile, but lunch today was excellent. I had the sweet corn chowder with crab meat and the pepper shrimp salad. Both were terrific. My wife had the Eggs Benedict, which she said was perfect. And our waitress was super. We will be back.
(4)Clara L.
I was in Frederick in early May to run the Frederick Half Marathon. So post-race brunch plans are always a necessity. My boyfriend, who used to live in Frederick, said we should go to Firestone's, since it's pretty good. We were also able to make a reservation, so I wouldn't have to wait too long after the race to have my post-race feast. We arrived about 15 minutes before our reservation, figuring we could hang out at the bar while they get our table ready. Nope, no need to. They were able to seat us right away. And right by the front window upstairs! Great view for people watching of Market St. I ordered a flying dog beer on draft (can't remember which one) and the eggs benedict. Hands down, it was the best eggs benedict I've ever had. Yes, I was very hungry after just running 13.1 miles around town, but no, seriously... it was the best eggs benedict I've EVER eaten! My boyfriend had a couple flying dog beers and an alcoholic version of an arnold palmer (forget the name) and the swordfish sandwich. He thoroughly enjoyed everything as well. I had a fantastic experience at Firestone's and would likely go back next time I'm in Frederick!
(5)Julie A.
Food was awesome. Hanger steak and grilled pizza. Definitely worth another visit. Service was wonderful. E were seated early for our 9 pm reservation on Friday.
(5)Josh T.
I got the "Pork & Beans" which was much larger that I expected. It lived up to the $26 price tag in both quantity and quality. I also got a $5 appetizer of onion rings and I must say, they were the best onion rings I have ever had. The atmosphere was very relaxed and had a fancy feel to it. But when me and all my friends sat down (we are all a little loud and and so people find us obnoxious in public but whatever were having a good time) the only people we got dirty looks from was the other customers. The waitresses played along with us and were laughing and having a good time. Overall a fantastic time, will definitely go again. Only reason I did not give it 5/5 is it is rather pricy.
(4)Alice K.
Went on a Saturday evening and apparently they were booked until 9p! Thankfully, I found out that this was only for the dinner section on the second floor. We were able to grab a table in the lower floor next to the bar after a quick wait. To get a table on the the lower floor, you just hover around until you see someone leave- you seat yourself down and someone will come serve you. They also have full dinner menu downstairs so no need to reserve upstairs if it's full! We had the hanger steak (~$29)and 14 oz veal (~$31), both medium rare. Hanger steak was delicious with potato pave under it. The veal was alright with beets and grains surrounding it. Service was a bit slow since there seemed to be only one waitress for the lower seating area. The two hostesses had to help clean up tables too.
(4)Jeffrey K.
Been here twice, and it's awesome and not at all your basic bar kitchen. Once for brunch, I saw on the menu a pastrami sandwich, and so I asked with no great enthusiasm the source of the pastrami. The reply--- they make it themselves and it's outstanding. That is true. Wow. The New Jersey in me still wonders why Maryland and D.C. cannot get the kosher-style deli thing right; we briefly had a branch of the Carnegie in Tysons Corner and it didn't last. Might be the only chap around the Beltway who misses it. Second time was last weekend, after Deb and I spent several hours of tasting and building an appetite at the Maryland Wine Festival in Westminster. The dinner menu had something cleverly called Pork & Beans. Deb ordered it. What arrived was the grandest pork shank I've ever seen, perfect in every respect, enough for several meals and worth 5 stars by itself. (I want to see a restaurant open somewhere called Shanksville that specializes in veal, lamb and pork shanks and other braisings). That I had a splendid hanger steak is almost overkill. Superb beer and wine offerings. TVs tuned to the right games but without annoying loud sound; this is a restaurant, not a sports pub. I bet Firestone could even master caipirinhas com frutas vermelhas and pasteis and coxinhas if they tried. One of the best establishments in the state and certainly number one in Frederick.
(5)Heather H.
We showed up around 1pm on a weekday with 8 people. We were told that they couldn't accomodate us at all for the rest of the day (what?). When we asked to be seated separately so that we could sit down, we were then told we could sit but that we wouldn't be served for at least an hour. We asked if we could sit at the front table, which was plenty big enough, and were told they can't serve us there even though they've served us drinks there many times at night. Walked to JoJo's instead, and won't be back soon.
(1)Pragna H.
Confession: When I made a reservation here, I expected decent food to end the day in the country (sorry I am a city girl) because I did my research, scoured the menu and chose this place over Acacia and Volt. What I didn't expect was to be blown away and have all my preconceived notions about small town dining shattered! Firestone's was awe-frickin-some. And that's an understatement! We had a 5 pm seating (yes early bird special, I know, but we had a long drive home) and was pleasantly surprised to see the tables near us fill up rather quickly. We were started off with an amuse bouche on the house. It was a small cup (espresso sized) of warm carrot ginger soup with a drizzle of mascarpone. Very delectably sweet, spicy and creamy. Great indication of the awesome dining experience that we were about to embark on. I got the French onion soup and he got the roasted beets and duck prosciutto. The soup was topped with melted, slightly browned gruyere which you break into to reach the pieces of baguette and onions smothered in cheese and soaked in rich, yet light onion soup. He really enjoyed his appetizer too. I tried a bite, but a little to vinegary for my tastes. I was in a French-y, onion-y, gruyere-y, soup-y heaven. Until the next course... Out came the Thai boullibaisse! The dish was lined with clams and mussels, sitting on the middle was a quarter of a bok choy, maitake mushrooms and some shredded cabbage (quick kimchi) and swimming in the ivory colored broth was, wait-for-it, a whole lobster! The meat, the claw meat and the meat of the little claws, all on my plate! And the lobster is not the best part of the meal. The liquid that brought all these seafood and veggies home had coconut milk, lemongrass, lime, a hint of cayenne and the sweetness of seafood broth. The was like being in the part of heaven reserved for the saints and Mother Teresa. That good! Oh the hanger steak that my boy-friend had was exceptionally good too! It sat on crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside piece of potato with veal demi glace drizzled on it. It was so good that I only got one bite. Well I did get another bite of the the crispy-creamy potato. I love to make food an experience rather than something to ease hunger. Firestone's delivered with great service and food to remember. You can get great food at a lot of restaurants, but it's the smaller things that make the difference - the amuse bouche, the sorbet between courses and the warm bread on the table with softened butter. Small things!
(5)Amy M.
D Double Lish! I love this restaurant. Its next to the tasting room. I couldn't get a table at the tasting room and so I thought I'd give it a try. The food was spectacular, the service was amazing- had a tall, bald waiter upstairs. He was fantastic! I love the atmosphere and the pricing is perfect. I'd highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)Pumpkin S.
What a gap between appearance and actual content. When I first walked in, the place looked really depressing. Like some dark, outdated bar in the middle of nowhereland USA. Our waitress took us upstairs, to a window seat, and then things started to transform. She was an excellent waitress. I ordered the grilled beet salad with duck prosciutto, and my dining companion ordered a steak dish of some kind. Both dishes were really good, and the beet/duck dish was memorable. I walked out happy that we'd chosen to eat there.
(4)Lauren S.
Since I had never been to this part of MD before (shocking) and I was really hungry, I came here. From the outside it looked nice. On the inside it looked nice! It was a peaceful Saturday afternoon, so we go there in time for brunch. I got the french toast, which has a fruit dipping sauce, and home fries. The home fries were delicious. The fruit dipping sauce was also really good. Very sweet, not too tangy. The french toast was good, but I wasn't too keen on the cream cheese they had with it. Nice selection of beer and wine here. Worth a visit for lunch or brunch. Also, the service here is *great*. Our waiter was attentive without being intrusive, and very friendly.
(3)Kyle B.
My boyfriend and I were passing through Frederick and wanted to get a good Sunday brunch. We stumbled into Firestone's and it was bustling; we were told there was a wait for a table. After chatting with the host for a minute he did some rearranging and was able to accommodate us instantly! We had a nice table on the balcony overlooking the buzz of the restaurant below. The waitress was extremely attentive and sweet. She gave me a great recommendation of the frittata (it was delicious!) and kept the drinks flowing. The frittata was light and fluffy, with chicken, onions, feta and red peppers serve on a bed of perfectly cooks & seasoned home fries. My boyfriend had the ancho crusted swordfish sandwich, which was equally delicious. As we ate there was soft live jazz in the background which just added to the pleasant vibe of the place. Overall, a 5/5 for atmosphere, service, and food. We will gladly make 45-minute journey from DC to come back to this place!
(5)Chris R.
I have been here three times and each time we have enjoyed our meals. The servers are fun, knowable and helpful. Have to try the crab dip it awesome! The scallops were amazing..really you can't go wrong.
(4)Ignacio S.
Went there last summer. The bar was busy, but the dining room upstairs was not noisy at all. The decor is understated and enjoyable. The appetizer was from the daily specials. It sounded like something you would have at Volt (the designer cuisine place up the street) instead of at Firestone. It was compressed watermelon with vinaigrette and olives. It was absolutely fantastic. I am usually conservative when it comes to food, but this appetizer really blew my mind. Extremely tasty, and it actually opened my appetite! I had the oyster po'boy and I really liked. The oysters were perfectly fried, crispy outside and juicy inside. The only thing about it that was not perfect was the consistency of the bread. You need something "sturdier" than challa bread for this sandwich. The fries were very good. I tried my wife's selection, the pastrami on sourdough, and it was great. The pastrami was thick and juicy. All in all, a great brunch. I'll be back to Firestone's even though I live 30 miles away. I would recommend it to everybody.
(5)Karen T.
Per guest companion Tina Grohowski: Liz, our stellar server, was our facilitator and guide - thank you Liz! We started with a zucchini soup w/Greek yogurt amuse bouche. Nice and light with a bit of tang. For appetizers we ordered the deviled eggs w/olive tapenade and tuna tartare. Lovely presentation with both. I particularly loved the creaminess of the egg paired with the saltiness of the tapenade and the crunch of the toast. The eggs were topped off with a lovely orange roe. Before dinner they cleansed our palate with a fresh cantaloupe sorbet. Second course consisted of tender goat cheese gnocchi over a basil pesto and bacon wrapped grilled scallops served over creamy cauliflower rissoto with dots of balsamic vinegar and truffle oil circling the plate. After dinner we sipped on honey mead infused with hot pepper and cooled off with a buttermilk ice cream, biscuit & peach compote. We will definitely want to return to this restaurant. Five stars!!
(5)Mimi R.
Great bartenders and servers were fast and courteous. Food was top notch. Suggestion from the bartender turned out to be an incredible culinary experience---they make their own pastrami, takes them 6 days to make it. It was superb, the best pastrami I've ever tasted. The truffle fries were wonderful, too. Had the local brewery Flying Dog on tap and was delish.
(5)Dana Z.
WHY does a beer here cost $5?! If I wanted to overpay for beer I would go to a Nat's game
(2)Bill M.
I have only had one meal here so don't take this review as gospel. I came in on a Sunday evening for a light dinner. They have exactly what I like in a bar; classic cocktails, a deep bourbon list, and wines by the glass that aren't blackstone or yellowtail. I sat at the bar, the bartender was attentive and polite. I ordered the moules frite. Mussels are some of my favorite bar food. Paired with good fries and you have me for life. These mussels did not impress me. The broth was OK but was missing flavor from something; herbs, chili..... I don't know but something. Also, I don't know how else to say this, either the mussels were under cooked or they were bad. I left more than a few in the bowl. The saving grace were the truffle fries. I ate every crumb of a large order. And the moscow mule that I had at the bar, that was top notch. I will not judge a restaurant by one bad batch of mussels, but when I go back I will expect my entree to be of higher quality.
(3)Daniel A.
Excellent food/service/price and the atmosphere is also great. Admittedly Ken Firestone and I know each other because he purchases his Audis from us at FSK but his staff really execute and do a great job. Ask for Chris and tip him well he's the best there. You won't be disappointed dining here. Bunch is also great!
(5)Bobby D.
This was chance find for us. We started out with "Deviled" Egg Trio, three deviled eggs one has caviar, the next has smoked fish and the third with bacon. Way worth it. Main dish was just as good. Our server was awesome.
(5)Peter L.
Prior to this weekend Firestone's was a nice place to have dinner, but after my experience with the Manager Chris it will be the last time I ever set foot in the place. We initially had a reservation for 4 and then asked to add a place setting and this is when we I was told that we would need to think about going somewhere else..."Are you kidding"! Well...I will gladly never go back to Firestone's and let this be a lesson...My wife is a lifelong resident of Frederick and has a practice in Frederick...well...we are passing the word..sometimes you learn the hard way and this is one of those times. Adios Firestone's!
(1)Pritha R.
Oh. My. Gods. Drink booze at the bar. Eat at Dairy Queen later.
(1)Helen X.
My second time here, clean plates both times! A-must!
(4)Christina H.
We've had quite a few good experiences at Firestone's, but our recent trip was really great! After perusing the menu I was torn between the Scallops and the Halibut, and when I discussed this with the waiter, he suggested that I order the Halibut with the sides that came with the Scallops (I wanted the risotto!) PERFECT compromise! My meal was excellent!!! Fiancee got the lamb sausage, and it was good, but he's not a huge lamb fan...wanted to try it anyway. The beet salad was good as always, but the french onion soup was to die for! It was my birthday so we got the seasonal tart for dessert, and it was on the house! Can't beat that! Waiter recommended a great wine and beers, and the service was great. I dont know why we go anywhere else! *** 3/19/12 - Just wanted to add...we've been many times for dinner and brunch, but it was just this Thursday that we went in to hang out downstairs for a few drinks and to try the bar food. It was FANTASTIC! We ordered the truffle fries and the grilled pizza. I guess they change the pizza pretty frequently...and we got this white pizza with kalamata olives and this tomato and onion jam mixture thing going on...so good! We went around 830 and our waitress told us that if you come before 7 PM most of the bar food is half price! Love love love Firestone's!!
(5)Merida F.
we walked in looking for somewhere to eat dinner fast before going on a candle lite ghost tour of Frederick. We sat by the bar and ordered off of their menu. The chicken sandwich was excellent! We added on the basil pesto fries/sauce for an extra $2 and it was worth every penny. I never thought of using pesto as a sauce for fries but Firestone proved it to be a success. Great selection of wine and beer as well but we stuck with a home town classic, flying dog 60 minute. Great atmosphere for dinner and wonderful waitress as well.
(4)Matt B.
Still my go-to place in downtown Frederick. The staff is always great, the food is always good. I've gone to most of the other restaurants in downtown Frederick and Firestone's is consistently good and reasonably priced. I've brought friends here from out of town, and they always ask for Firestone's when they come back to town.
(5)Kate H.
Four of us enjoyed dinner here Saturday night. We arrived early and were seated immediately -- great server dropped by our table to take drink orders and introduce us to the restaurant. From the looks of things, the bar downstairs has pub-type food (wood grilled pizzas, sandwiches, etc.), and the dinner menu is upstairs. Three of us had the Autumn Squash Chowder ($5/bowl) to start - very flavorful and smooth, with some nice spice (too spicy for one in our group). Two salads shared ($6/each) -- both the mixed greens with the excellent apricot dressing! Two had the shrimp and grits ($24) - a little bit of a different take with soupier grits and fewer shrimp, but they both enjoyed it. One had the hanger steak ($25) with yummy potato pave. I had the evening's special ($27) -- a 16 oz. prime rib with potatoes and grilled asparagus. We shared desserts of the chocolate tourrine, apple cobbler and bread pudding ($6-7/each). Add in a couple glasses of wine/beer, tax and tip, and the bill for four was around $225. The food here is really good -- much larger portions than I would have expected, and the pace is good (nobody is rushed). DH was a little amused by the waiter who fully explained to us what an amuse-bouche was (maybe some people don't know?), and then warned him that his hanger steak might be over-cooked at medium. Strange, but since the service was good to me, I didn't pick up on any weirdness. :) This is a great place in Frederick -- the place was really packed when we left. I'd definitely recommend and plan to return!
(4)Charles R.
Went to Frederick for a stopover on the way futher west and stopped at Firestone's for lunch. Staff was very nice, food was good and I would go back again if in the area. Spring Pea soup with mint was very good, and the field green salad was super fresh with a nice light dressing. The Oyster Po Boy was on a nice warm brioche bun and had several perfectly fried oysters with a tangy sauce. On the sandwich were fresh tomato's and crisp butter lettuce. It was about 5 inches high and was great. They offer several sides with the Po Boy, and I choose the orzo salad which was light and creamy. Street parking is available and they take all cards.
(4)Emily T.
We went for brunch, and it was disappointing. The brunch menu contained nothing sweet - no pancakes, no French toast, no waffles. In my experience, most brunch menus have at least one of those. French toast was on the online menu, but not on the actual menu. I ordered the Belly Burger, named for the two thick slices of pork belly on top. I ordered medium, and received a burger that was grey and dry all the way through. The pork belly was also overcooked. Fries were decent enough, but for 12 dollars, I think not. The service was the high point of the meal - no complaints there. Waitstaff was friendly and attentive.
(2)Marissa C.
This is the first Bar I have encountered in Frederick and I have to say I was a bit disappointed. Where is the music? You have got to have good tunes playing in a bar...come on. So I saw the bouncer get into a fight with a drunk frat guy...that was entertaining. I did meet a guy who looked like Jesus. So I guess I was decently entertained by the people watching. It was the best thing about the place. Oh and they have a cute bartender.
(2)Brandon E.
I was down in Frederick visiting my fiance's family and friends, we decided to go out here on a Friday night. This place has apparently forgotten it is in Frederick, MD and not New York City. Living in Hoboken I'm accustomed to the prices of beer and liquor being high, it's expected. I was not expecting $4 bud lite bottles and $9 Jamesons in a small city like Frederick. Firestones is obviously trying to be swanky...fail. Now, I know I sound like a spoiled New Jerseyian, but c'mon get with it. There are some great bars in Frederick that have great prices and an even better atmosphere than this place. The bartender even tried to argue about which Jameson I was getting. DUDE I didn't ask for the 12 year, nor get served the 12 year I got the regular old Jameson, the bottle that you're holding in your hand (which he said they didn't have). Way overpriced and from the looks of it the crowd in there had to much Drakkur Noir on. Now, a day later we decided to go to brunch here as it was one of the few open on Sunday at 10am. We had 9 people, we went in to an empty restaurant and asked for a table. We were told they couldn't accommodate 9 people because of 2 parties coming in shortly. How big were these parties?! Then we asked if we could get 2 separate tables, they didn't even need to be near each other. Nope, couldn't do that either. Methinks the hostess was either new, lazy or just didn't care. No parties came in the 30 minutes we took to try and find another place. They could have easily sat us, but chose not too. To the janitor's credit he asked the neighboring restaurant if they were open for us, they weren't. Again, you're in Frederick, MD try to remember that. I don't think I'd go back. Check out Brewer's Alley, better prices, atmosphere and service.
(2)Dominic L.
Went here on a Sunday afternoon. Didn't have a full menu but the food was excellent. The grilled chicken sandwich was tasty and the stead salad was great too. They had a band playing some music which was nice, but not exactly my taste. Service was very friendly and just a nice place off the main strip to visit.
(5)Joe W.
The food is good, but it should be for the price. Tasty steaks. The interior is great, old wood and vintage art prints. Great bottled beer selection and a few decent taps. The biggest problem: the smoke. The downstairs bar has no way to isolate the smoke from floating upstairs and infringing on your otherwise tasty meal. When the smoking ban goes in effect the 3 star rating will automatically go to a 4. In the evening it becomes a crowded bar. Good or bad, that's your choice.
(3)Jeff H.
I wish I could give this place zero stars but I obviously have to give it at least one....so here it goes we'll tonight we all had gone out for a pre wedding bar hopping so we literally just ended up here for about 40 minutes then totally gave up on Frederick and headed to Charlestown and just gambled instead....but back to the main story (sorry) when we arrived the door man was somewhat friendly and checked all our i.d's and let us in so we sat down at a dirty drink covered sticky table and the bar was almost empty but anyways.....some of us ordered drinks and some just gave up simply on the fact of the untrained bar tender who said he couldn't make 2 very basic drinks for a bar (a Mai tai and a hurricane) so half the party got drinks half didn't since it was kinda painful asking for simple drinks and they "couldn't make them"......and the "manager" was very rude by staring at the entire party the whole time and us basically being the only people in there we found it rude.....finally since the first round was done the entire party got up to order 5 shots of jaeger....and we were told we were cut off....and had to leave....WHAT THE HELL WE ALL SHOWED UP SOBER AND HAD ONE DRINK OR NONE AND NO MORE AND WE WERE TOLD WE WERE CUT OFF!!!!! obviously they don't care about repeated business or satisfied customers since that was my first time there....... I'll never return and tell everyone how terrible the business is there....HUGE FAIL but we did find out after we did leave that manager did try to pick up and ask out one of the people in our party prior to this and got nowhere with her so that might be why he acted so childish but I find it unexceptable....but it's there loss they lost repeat business and new business I'll never recommended them.....
(1)Chris B.
Service was great. The waiter brought multiple samples of different items out for us to try. The food was made to perfection. Would definitely return any time
(5)Brian S.
Firestone's was one of the best bars in Frederick. There was live music, a cool atmosphere and the bar tenders were friendly and a lot of fun. Today, Firestone's is a very different place. It is still a great place to go and see your friends or hang out with friends. The difference is the attitude. The drinks are overpriced and it takes forever to get served. The food is good and that is why I gave them a 3 star rating. I get what they are trying to do. But they need to decide who they are. Are you an upscale bar, or are you the neighborhood establishment where we all want to hang out?
(3)Scott R.
I haven't actually been here during happy hour or bar-scene time ... but the space itself leads me to believe it's a great place to have a beer. I can't vouch for the smoke or the people ... the space is nice. Had a business lunch here today, and it was good. Soup was nothing spectacular, but reasonably good. Likewise with my salad, which was closer to starter size than lunch entree size. The other guy also got a salad - with steak/caramelized onions - and he liked it. But with 1 ice tea, 1 cup of soup, 2 fairly small salads and tip ringing up close to $30 - Joe W's earlier review is dead on - stuff ought to be good at this price. It is safely good. But it wasn't overtly great. Service was fine. No issues.
(3)Shannon W.
I've eaten at Firestone's about 5 times now in their dining area and I'm in love with this restaurant. The service is always amazing and their timing of serving is always perfect. I've had many things on the menu because I always try to get something different when I go. Your definitely in for a treat here and I always look forward to their amuse bouche. For appetizers I've had the cheese plate, deviled eggs, crab dip, and salmon tartar. The cheese plate and crab dip are definitely my favorites. The cheese plate comes with a truffle honey that is to die for. If you spread it over the homemade complementary bread they serve in the beginning you'll be transported to heaven. For main courses I've tried the pork, hanger steak, white fish (seasonal), gnocchi, duck, and pot roast. The extras on the plate change with the season or even depending on what the chef has that day so that isn't consistent but the main protein is usually the same. My favorites have to be the pork, duck, and gnocchi but all of them are very delicious. The gnocchi literally melts in your mouth and for the summer its paired with fresh vegetables and a delicious homemade pesto sauce. I've always hesitated to get the gnocchi because the meat dishes are always to good but I'm telling you this is a must try. For dessert my favorite has to be the seasonal fruit cobbler they serve. It is always with an interesting flavored homemade ice cream and they just do it right. I've also had the chocolate ganache/cake-like dessert and the bread pudding, both which are very delicious. Overall if you're considering this restaurant I couldn't recommend it more. The atmosphere is nice but not stuffy and it always feels like a real treat every time I eat here.
(5)Super U.
Had the cowboy steak. It was awesome. we've been there three times so far and each time we get the same great service. When we eat there we always feel speacial.
(5)Ray K.
Went to dinner last Saturday,10/13/12, night with a group of 5. They sat us next to the window. Nice area to sit and probably have drinks and appetizers but not easy to eat dinner. The service was good however the meals were small portions and the price was high.
(3)Carole D.
Lunch visit. Love the building and how the old architecture is worked into the decor of the restaurant. Crab dip was delicious. I was concerned with the cheese overpowering the crab- but it was perfect !! Chicken Spinach salad was good- but $15 for a lunch size salad seemed a bit high. Service was excellent.
(3)Sharon S.
Went to Firestones for dinner last night with two other couples. The service was absolutely perfect, great atmosphere, the food was good, but the prices are way too high for what you get and for Frederick in general. $42 for a steak, really? I may try it again, but only for lunch. Hopefully, the prices are more reasonable at lunch. I still cant get over paying $176 for 2 in Frederick.
(2)Shawn H.
Great location in Frederick, parking is close by, but you do need to pay in a garage. The main level is a bar, and they seem to have a pretty decent flow in there, still upscale, but loud. The dining is upstairs, but because of the way you sit, you look down on the bar, and the noise travels up - not a problem for me and my wife - we were prepared from reading the reviews. We started with the Deviled Eggs, which gets top notch for presentation although overall is somewhat basic, but if you love deviled eggs, this is a upscale version. We also had the classic caesar which was very good. Ordered an oyster shooter in-between. Then had Grilled Merguez Sausage and Grilled "Diver" Scallops - the sausage which was lamb on top of house made fettuccine, was terrific; but the Scallops were worth every bite, amazing to get all the flavors working together. Definitely check it out, it's on our list to try again, the whole menu looks good, we wish we could have tried more.
(4)Chris G.
We were here around 4PM looking for some drinks and snacks. From 4-7 they don't serve the full menu, only the tavern menu, which was perfect. The interior is great, the perfect place to spend the afternoon We had the charcuterie plate and the cheese plate. The charcuterie plate was fantastic, with generous portions of pâté and proschiutto as well as good mustard. The cheese plate was okay, but what made it worth the expense was an amazing truffle honey. It was so good we went next door to their market and bought some. Neither plate came with enough bread, but the server brought us more. Overall a great experience.
(4)Sean M.
Very fancy, it's less crowded at lunch. Great sandwiches and my hubby loves the crab dip. It is a bit on the expensive side for Frederick, but it's a different experience and ambiance. Definitely worth it every now and then.
(5)Jenn K.
We met our best friends here for lunch, where all but one of us ordered the eggs benedict, so let's just call this a benedict review, shall we? So how was it? Quite good. Eggs were not poached exactly as ordered, but hey, that's a hard thing to accomplish (soft vs. medium). Hollandaise was yummy, although I would have liked more of it on the plate. Canadian bacon was of a nice thickness (not too much!). Potatoes came on the side, but only half of them were really enjoyable as the other half seemed overcooked. Mimosas were good (although might have needed a spot more champagne!). Would definitely go back for brunch if I find myself in Frederick again!
(4)Louis N.
I highly recommend this restaurant to any and all foodies. Our meal was awesome from start to finish. The "Deviled" eggs appetizer was beautifully presented and tasty, the gnocchi was brilliant like I've never seen before, Alaskan King Salmon (over sautéed spinach) exceptional, for desert gingerbread with basil ice cream - unreal. The wine list was impressive and the beer list even more so, lots of microbrews. The waiter was great, happy to answer questions. He was "still the new guy... After working there for three years." I look forward to heading out to Frederick just to take in this extraordinary restaurant again.
(5)Ginger W.
On a rainy morning back in MD visiting my parents, my mother and I ventured to DTF and found ourselves at firestones just in time to discover that they served brunch. I was completely impressed by the selection, the quality of the food, the ambiance, and the service. We were seated on the top floor just above the stage area where a jazz singer was warming up. I was grateful that they let her performance be part of the relaxing morning atmosphere, rather than conflicting with it, and it was still perfectly easy to speak across the table at a normal volume while she sang in the background. We split the bizarre watermelon salad (watermelon and balsamic vinegar done in a beautiful presentation), which was a lot like a watermelon tomato salad, if you have ever had that before. I though it was delicious and a bit daring considering how traditional most food is downtown. I really wanted the lamb carpaccio, but I didn't do it because I was afraid it would be too much food. Next time! The eggs benedict was phenomenal. Seriously, I was impressed. What is normally a heavy, buttery, filling meal was surprisingly flavorful and light, with the home fries just hanging out on the plate waiting to be covered by hollandaise spillover. The whole thing was decadent without making me feel like a blimp. With my mimosa, I had enough room in my tummy to try a slice of chocolate torte, which was a lot like chocolate fudge. It was very, very rich, and I sort of regretted getting it because everything else had been so light - but it was so delicious that I couldn't harbor ill-will toward it. Overall, I went in with medium expectations and left very impressed and excited to return. This is much more upscale than some of the other destinations downtown, but I would strongly prefer it for the extra cost. This is definitely the kind of place that would be comfortable and unpretentious with friends but is still nice enough to bring a date and know they'll feel special. On a small last note: I would strongly suggest not bringing your kids here. The acoustics are not forgiving and the clientele are generally older and enjoying the well-stocked bar, so please respect that and let the ambiance be exactly as perfect as it has the potential to be. There are a number of kid friendly places downtown, but this is not one of them (neither is TR for that matter)
(5)Julaine N.
I have had some very tasty meals here. At the bar, the grilled chicken sandwich was delicious. They have happy hour pricing on their bar food on certain evenings, which makes the meal taste even better. I have been here for lunch and dinner. The most memorable lunch was a fried green tomato sandwich. So delicious! The crab cakes are on point as well. At dinner, my favorite dish is scallops (usually served on risotto, but this changes seasonally). The waiters generally do a great job of allowing the perfect amount of wait time between courses. Their mojitos are great. The location is beautiful, though, sometimes overrun but a lame bar crowd.
(4)Mike R.
We found ourself out in Fredrick for lunch yesterday and decided to give this a try. We had a pleasant experience and I'd give it another try if in the area. We had a vidalia onion gratin (yes my people call it french onion soup) and a field greens salad for starters. The soup was cheesy and oniony and bready....so I guess it was about perfect. The salad was also good. My wife had softshell crab sandwich which she liked and I had a monte cristo. I know I should be expelled from Yelp for saying this, but I miss Bennigan's Monte Cristo sandwich...It was such a guilty pleasure of mine and no one really makes it their way. At any rate, this monte cristo was likely true to form with turkey ham and cheese melted between 2 pieces of battered bread (ostensibly french toast). It was fine, but not what I was hoping for. We had truffled fries which were probably the highlight of the whole meal and onion rings which were kinda weird. The were doughy...like an onion wrapped in a savory doughnut. At any rate, it was a fine lunch and I'd give them another try. Nothing to write home about...just Yelp.
(3)Diane D.
Firestone's is my favorite downtown restaurant for friends and business lunches! Last week we had one of the tables overlooking Market Street in full holiday mode. My friend had the Baked Onion au Gratin Soup, which was delicious, and then shared my Wild Mushroom Pizza, which was very tasty and there was plenty for the two of us! It's a great atmosphere for early evening cocktails as well!
(5)Larry B.
Great bar. Very good appetizers and we enjoy the Sunday Brunch menu. The dinner menu disappoints because it is short, but ask for a table overlooking Market Street on an afternoon or early summer evening and enjoy a wood fired pizza, salad and a beer or glass of wine. People watching is great from this perch!
(4)Veronica J.
I've never eaten here but I enjoy getting drunk here!
(3)Mark R.
I would not suggest spending your money here... there are far better dining experiences available in Frederick. For the value here, your better off saving the money. The food was pretty bland; no creativity and sky-high prices! The bar tenders can open a beer and the servers can bring you bread... wow.... i liked the beer and wine selections, but no one could describe or recommend one over the other. At night, the entire restaurant turns into a trashy bar. People are crammed, literally, one against the other. When I was leaving, a bouncer spit on the ground in front of me and and blew cigarette smoke into my date's face! When I asked him what his name was, he told me to f' off. To the owner - whoever the classy gentleman is you hired to 'bounce' guests on Thursday, Nov. 19th, 2009, sure did a great job. I'm never coming back... Gross, gross, and more gross...
(1)Ane L.
Always crowded. Food is just OK. Too expensive for what you get in my opinion. Nice atmosphere when you can get a table upstairs by the window but generally overpriced and average in my view.
(3)Pengilicious E.
My husband and I went to Firestone for Sunday Brunch with 2 friends. We told the waittress that we requested to be seated by the window and was turned down when there's about 4 empty tables and said that every table is reserved..but we have reservations too! We were disappointed. So instead of ordering the full menu we just ordered the specials from the restaurant week menu. Me and my friend ordered the Eggs and hash and the guys got the Open faced rib eye which were both full size despite being on the specials menu. I think we paid $25 each for 3 course which included appetizer (Roast beet & Proscuitto- we loved!) and a dessert. Overall I would rate the food 3 star. I doubt it if we would go back there again though b/c of the way we were treated at the beginning but the service was good after that. FYI: they don't serve mimosas till after 11am.
(3)Bekki L.
French style service juxtaposed in an American bar, great food, recommended if you have time
(4)Lee D.
Came in on Sat afternoon about 2:00 with a party of five. Definetly not crowded. The hostesses said 30-45 min wait ..right away we felt unwelcomed and that we were getting the brush off .. But we gave our name anyway. The hostesses glanced at each other .. Then offered us a rather large low seating area in the bar with the added bonus that we could only get cocktails and bar food. We declined and sat down in the waiting area. In looking around my immediate reaction was that maybe they didnt want kids but in looking up at the dining area there were others with kids seated upstairs. As we waited a man came up to the hostess station, shook his head, and then left. One of the hostesses came over and told us she could not accommodate us. I was shocked! 2:00 in the afternoon in Frederick? I could not believe it.. No explanation .. I am stunned an establishment would turn away customers .. We were dressed nicely, kids are older .. No clue .. But very disappointed .., too bad .. We had big appetites and were in the generous christmas spirit ....
(1)Alan F.
I have had breakfast and dinner at Firestone's, and have enjoyed both. The wait staff is quite receptive and good, and the food is excellent. Drink service has a decent selection. We were lucky enough to be seated at the upstairs windows for dinner, and really enjoyed the view. Not a quiet place, but lots of fun with friends.
(4)Wade L.
Amazing food! An interesting mix of bar atmosphere combined with seated dining of high quality. Not a secluded nor romantic getaway, but an excellent place to bring friends or family for a fun night out at dinner - just expect it to be boisterous as the bar is always packed. The cowboy steak is amazing. Throughout the meal, the wait staff will bring out little palate clearing and fun creations from the kitchen that are very interesting. Highly recommended.
(5)Josh J.
A friend was celebrating her birthday this weekend and we decided to extend the celebration further than your average Friday and Saturday night hoorah into an eventful Sunday Brunch at Firestones. We came to the agreement to make reservations for brunch at this establishment from word of mouth and a friend's previous experiences with the restaurant, but outside of brunch. We called to make our reservation for our party days in advance and was given the option between 11am or 1pm for brunch (with them preferring the reso at 1pm) -- the preferred time slot was not available to us, but the idea of such a busy brunch made us look forward to it even more, and were fine with the later reservation time. My friend confirmed the bottomless mimosa special when making the reservation. We arrived slightly earlier for our reservation, to which we were asked to wait since our table was not ready. We waited and the group discussed how it is vital that guest also share responsibility in the dining experience in order to fully enjoy their time at a venue -- so we waited patiently. They asked us to wait, with no real seating available... we crowded into their bar area where two of us could have a seat, the others stood for what became on the cusp of a half an hour wait. The manager, Bobby, and hostess were good to give us updates as far as when our table would be ready, and we waited patiently in the bar area. Upon ordering our drinks while we waited, the Bartendress told us they no longer did bottomless mimosas because of the Liquor Control Board (contrary to what was confirmed when making the reservation) and we settled for a la carte cocktails while we waited. Our group gets seated. The building is beautiful and it is obvious that the jazz brunch is a hit. We are very excited to be celebrating with our friend and immediately order additional cocktails while looking at the wine list. An abundance of starters ordered to share at the beginning -- the Chacuterie, wonderful!, the artisan cheese plate, fun!, the oysters on the half shell tasted fresh ( really loved the mignette) -- the crab dip very good! We also got the deviled eggs with caviar as a starter to share, wonderful presentation! Really enjoyed the food. We simply relax, enjoy the food and music and relish in our friends company. After finishing appetizers, we order a bottle of wine and our brunch entrees -- the kitchen is nice enough to make the eggs benedict more pescatarian friendly by negating the canadian ham for a spinach substitution ( also, to add, our server Logan was an absolute treat -- very knowledgeable and courteous!) and the meals were wonderful! Because of the birthday celebration ( really, the amount of food ordered has been insane at this point) we push and order deserts...the warm apple cobbler and a creme brulee...coffee for our friend and after brunch cocktails ( kentucky snowman and espresso martinis) -- we were really enjoying ourselves. The cobbler arrives, and then the drinks... my friend ( birthday) awaits her coffee and myself the creme brulee... to which we wonder what has occurred ( nearing 20 minutes at this point ) ... the Manager Bobby comes approaches the table ( in my mind to apologize for the wait) to tell us that we can't order another thing and he needs the restaurant in 30 minutes for a private party, directly implying us to leave ( there were multiple tables remaining in the restaurant at this point) -- I had to explain that we first, waited patiently for nearly 30 minutes past our reservation time for the table, and then also, that we would have been asking for our check prior to this point if our full order had come out. His attitude towards the table was apparent -- even a concurrance from a member of the staff -- never did an apology come out for the misunderstanding. Why not simply ask us if there was anything else rather than refusing any further service? At the end of the meal we spent $350 on a brunch (group of five) to be remembered for our friend...and the price doesn't bother us, but the way we left that restaurant does. Our group of friends love to go out, splurge on eachother, and have a great time -- but I am more proned to give every other restaurant a chance before committing to Firestones again. There were many other ways to have handled that situation, an apology of any sort would have been suffecient -- scratch that -- a recognition of any sort would have been enough. Had fun because of the company we keep -- delicious food, but bad taste in mouth from Management behaviour.
(2)Mr. S.
Though I wasn't "wowed" by this place it was pretty good. The food was nicely plated (although a little sparse on the salad portions) and service was timely for our large group for a holiday meal.
(3)Laurie W.
I've never eaten here, so maybe I'd like it better if I did. After hours it's a bar. A loud, smoky, loud, meat market loud bar. Hated it. There aren't enough places to sit so people just crowd around in a big group. Even when I went out to places like this in college, I was never thrilled to be there. It's one of those places that probably improves if you're drinking excessively, because then you might get louder too and the annoyance factor goes down. But then, is it ever better to be a part of the problem? That's a rhetorical question. I'm not sure I could handle the mob scene downstairs if I was eating here, no matter how good the food is. Two stars for random but enjoyable music (Zeppelin's The Ocean, hello.) that had my guitarist friend sticking around while we were leaving to hear a song that I can't remember (that somehow inspired a desire to purchase a Nazareth album.) Weird mojo afoot at Firestone's.
(2)Brian H.
Yes, it can get loud inside. Yes, some people around the bar can be heard throughout the restaurant. But if you are looking for a great crab dip, steak, and wine to match, you won't be disappointed. The wait staff is very attentive, and although the menu is a little pricey, I think it is worth it.
(4)Taylor H.
I went to Firestone's last night with a bunch of girlfriends as a "girl's night out". We made reservations a week in advance for a 7:00 sitting, and it paid off. They only accept reservations up to 8, which was, luckily, the size of our group. We were seated immediately upstairs in a little area overlooking the downstairs and bar. It was absolutely perfect, and then we were able to shut the blinds around us for some privacy later on. We were first served our drinks, which came pretty quickly. The bread was brought to us shortly after, and it was a light sourdough-tasting bread with little cranberry colored speckles throughout. Later we were given these teacups of tomato soup tasting stuff, and there were little brown dots in it. We didn't order this, but it was very good. About 3 minutes after it was brought to us, however, the waiter whisked them away with little notice. I wasn't done, and neither was anyone else. Next came the salads, and we all ordered the grilled Caesar with Caesar balsamic vinaigrette dressing. It was topped with shredded Parmesan cheese and egg halves. The next course that I had ordered was the crab cake. It took them around 20 minutes to bring out our main courses, which I thought was a little ridiculous. Eventually it was brought out, and it was plated beautifully. There was a delicious pan fried crab cake with little crunchies on top. Then there were cherry tomatoes and mini egg halves. On the bottom of this was a gribiche sauce. It was absolutely delicious, I just wish the crab cake would have been a bit bigger. But hey, for a 12 crab cake, that's a steal. Firestone's was an excellent dining experience for me, the only downside were the small portion sizes and the long wait. The grilled caesar, a soda, and the crabcake all came down to an even $20 for me.
(4)laura m.
Wow, what a treat today for lunch ! Arrived around 12:30 on a Thursday. Not too busy but a few tables,,,,,,was cold for a spring day. I am sure it gets much busier. Host sat us upstairs with a view of Market St. Great people watching seats. . So onward,,,,we split the duck proscittiou, duck not so great but the beets were good.. Will try something else next time and there will be a next time. ! Love had the grilled chicken sandwich , which he quite enjoyed,,,,,comes with a green mustard sauce, and he is not a big fan of mustard.....also a choice of ff. fruit cup or cuke and onion salad,,,He had the fruit cup which I finished,,,,,,,,refreshing pineapple, blueberries, grapes. A full cup. Ok , so I ordered the Crab Cake sandwich because,, I don't know why, I never order cc. sandwiches because they usually suck...... drum roll This was the best crab cake ever,,,,,,,I ordered it without the pepper relish that it comes with because I don't know why you would drown out the crab with that and,I don't like peppers, glad I did,,,,,,,Fantastic. Bread great...I had tihe side cuke,onion salad,,,,,,,,once again very good tasted like I had just made it... Also the service was good and attentive,,,,,,but thankfully not overly, none of the my name is so and so, etc......Can't wait to go back again.!
(4)Luisita S.
Very good brunch. They do not do well with more complicated dishes. I avoid it for lunch and dinner. Smoke smell from the bar drifts all over the restaurant. Stick to the brunch and you'll be fine.
(3)Preet M.
Service: Timely, efficient, helpful. Came here to grab a quick bite as a part of a long Sunday bar crawl with some friends. We were in and out in about 15 minutes and had no questions or concerns. Food: We ordered truffle fries, a charcuterie board, and some other small bites. I highly recommend the Truffle fries. We were all satisfied with the quantity and enjoyed the drinks as well! Environment: The place is VERY cozy. Seating is close quartered and the bar takes up most of the first floor. The benefit of the place is that it is two floors, so despite the somewhat crowded seating, the venue can seat a good amount of people. The whole building is old town style just like most of Frederick's restaurants and makes its patrons seem at home and relaxed. Highly recommend this place as a convenient pit stop for anyone in the area.
(5)Kaylee Z.
This place is extremely overrated. I'm not from Frederick so maybe this is the standard that the town accepts but I wasn't impressed. Our waitress was very friendly but a little too up in our bubble -- it was a group of 5 of us and we were celebrating an engagement. She came over way too frequently and made us feel rushed to place our food order when we were clearly taking our time and talking. We placed an order of 4 appetizers and she immediately asked for our dinner orders. We were caught up in conversation and didn't even look at the entrees yet. I asked for wine recommendations and she gave only one. The green tea palate cleanser was a nice touch and I did appreciate that sentiment. Because of the occasion, the chef did send out a "spoon" of something to taste but it didn't blow me away. We tried the deviled eggs which were portioned nicely and overflowing but they all tasted the same which was boring. The goat cheese balls were flavorless and cold and tasted like they had been sitting for quite some time. The crab dip paired with the zucchini was actually very delicious and I appreciated the zucs cause I don't eat much bread. Before ordering, and because we were all debating between entrees, I specifically asked the waitress if the short rib was overly fatty and she insisted it had been cooking for 12 hours and there was no fat on it whatsoever. I ordered it and more than 1/2 of it was gristly, chewy fat that I couldn't even eat. Very disappointing. The brussels sprouts weren't even cooked, they were hard as a rock and I couldn't slide my fork through them. They were also drenched in glaze that seemed silly, almost like the glaze needed to overpower them. When I asked for them to be cooked more she argued with me that they are only "lightly steamed". I'm a brussel sprout connoisseur (if there ever was such a thing) so maybe I expect too much but for a $30 entree, you need to wow me. These tasted like old salad and were very stinky. After that, the aroma around our table smelled like a dumpster. The only good thing about this dish was the polenta with bacon but really, how hard is it to mess that up? We got 4 desserts and the cheesecake was mediocre, not a fan of creme brûlée but my mates liked it, peach cobbler was great too. Overall, this place was very yuppie and unnecessarily hyped up, especially for the price -- $30-45 entrees for what? Mediocre food? My friend argued that the portions are big, but I'm more about quality vs quantity. Rather pay more for something that actually tastes good. I would recommend going somewhere else like Isabella's or The Tasting Room next door.
(2)S. Paul L.
The food is really good, probably some of the best pub fare in Frederick. They also have a nicely stocked bar with a solid tap list (albeit small). Highly recommend their Bloody Mary. The gentleman who is (I would imagine) their lead server is super friendly and knowledgable. The brunette bartender...not a very nice person, or at least she wasn't when I sat at the bar. Definitely was made to feel like my business wasn't wanted there by her. I'd probably give them four stars if it weren't for her. Shame.
(3)Jennifer R.
My family and I had Sunday Brunch at Firestone's and enjoyed our experience. I would definitely recommend their Sunday Brunch options. They had live music with a singer and band playing during our meal. The food was excellent and our server, Emily was very attentive and helpful. I ordered the eggs, hash and pastrami and the coffee. My husband ordered the eggs benedict and my son had the chicken tenders and fruit. All of the food was delicious. We even had the creme brulee for dessert, which was yummy and creamy. We would definitely return here again.
(4)Jim R.
This is one of Frederick's really good watering holes. And the food is pretty darn good, too. The prices are a bit on the high side, but hey ... you get what you pay for. In this case, you can choose from the menu -- which features a variety of delectable dishes -- or settle for whatever the special happens to be on the day of your visit. The atmosphere is always friendly and warm, and the service is genuinely outstanding. If you're going here for dinner, you'd be wise to make a reservation ahead of time. I recommend getting a table on the second floor, near a window overlooking Market Street. Nice view. And great for people watching!
(4)Meredith J.
The food here was amazing. My boyfriend and I split the rabbit ravioli and the halibut entree. One thing we really loved is that they went and split the plates for us, serving us on separate plates. We don't mind sharing plates (and most often do) but this was very helpful. The ravioli could be (and should be) made into a meal. It was delicious and the sauce on the side complimented the ravioli perfectly. The only thing that should maybe be changed would be making it to-order. I'm guessing they make it ahead of time and the pasta just didn't seem very fresh. The halibut was perfect. Came with asparagus and butternut squash risotto. I can't say more than perfect. We ate every bit on our plate. I took off a star unfortunately for something that the restaurant can't control: noise. The meal was so delicious and perfect that to be in a bar setting and having to listen (and see) a bunch of drunk people, it really made for a crappy ambiance. I really don't want to sip on a glass of wine and yell to my boyfriend across the table, while peering down to the bar to see some bro hitting on a bachelorette party by wearing the bride-to-be's crown on his head.
(4)Beata K.
This place is always full and we finally got to have dinner here after weeks of waiting...and it was totally worth it! The service was awesome, our waitress was so friendly, helpful and attentive. Everything we ordered was fantastic: the deviled egg appetizer was great; really creamy filling and interesting flavors. The pastrami is out of this world and can't recommend it enough. The burger is also very good along with the duck fat fries. I also really liked how they gave you some little sample if their soup before the meal and some honeydew sorbet between the app and entree; it was actually one of the better sorbets that I've had. The atmosphere is neat too- downstairs has a nice bar and the tables are either corks or barrels and the upstairs is quaint and great for people watching (either look outside or downstairs). Will absolutely be back.
(4)Danielle A.
Love this place, we are new to Frederick and Maryland in general. Went here for my boyfriends birthday the upstairs dining and food was amazing, no complaints at all. Have frequent back a few times for drinks and live music always a fun atmosphere! The lemon meringue martini is to die for!
(4)Rob N.
Firestone's joins the seasonal farm-to-table pack that continues to sprout up in the Baltimore/DC/Frederick triangle. They do a solid job of offering craft beers, local produce, tasty mixed drinks, and well-prepared fresh food. The high-ceilinged bar space and balcony dining room, with some nice street views and cozy seating, make for a comfortable if a bit boisterous atmosphere. The menu changes with the seasons, so our meals tended toward the heavier cold-weather comfort food side of things. Charcuterie with really fantastic crusty bread and complimentary sweet-savory and perfectly crispy/creamy corn fritters. Homemade potato gnocchi with goat cheese and roasted veg. Pork tenderloin, grits, and mushrooms with really nicely cooked collard greens. Here, they really nail the upper end of the gastropub/tavern spectrum. If there is any fault, it's that the big open downstairs space fails to contain the volume level of a full house. If noise really bothers you, keep that in mind.
(5)Evie V.
My boyfriend and I came in for dinner and on a Friday evening and luckily got seated right away. The service as very good as the waitress was very attentive. We were very impressed that the Chef sent a few different amuse-bouches to the tables that evening. The cocktails were great and we didn't wait long for our entrees. I got a very decadent clam chowder- the most beautifully presented clam chowder I've ever had. Excellent first experience for the both of us. We will be back!
(5)Sarah T.
Their food is delicious. A great spot in downtown and an environment for everyone! We went for lunch and it was calm. Had to wait a bit for a water refill but it came!
(4)Marisa J.
Did not disappoint. After receiving hostile service from the staff at Wag's (to be shared , my husband and I opened the Yelp App to see which restaurant and had the best reviews and were in close proximity of us and Firestone's came up. We were quickly seated and greeted by our waiter. We ordered the crab dip (which was absolutely divine.) My husband ordered the steak while I ordered the swordfish sandwich -- both of which exceeded our expectations. You know it's good cooking if the plate has been licked clean. (No, we did not actually lick the plates clean but they looked it since the food was just THAT good!)
(5)Sissy C.
Firestones is just plain good. I have been here several times and they do not disappoint. You can sit downstairs near the bar area or upstairs away from all the noise. They have a wonderful crab dip served in a bread shell that is delicious. I really haven't had anything here that was bad. I will be back.
(5)