Home made potato chips with the sandwiches at lunch ! Yes ! More please ! :)
(5)
Howie C.
I just finished rockin' out with Carl St. Clair and the Pacific Symphony on a Tuesday night... where the heck can I find some late night grub in Costa Mesa? Surprisingly, there aren't that many places open after the show. Instead of doing TGIF or Karl Strauss, we opted to try Fireside Tavern. Just over the 405 freeway hill in the Crowne Plaza Hotel is this large restaurant/lounge. It's open until midnight. They have late night happy hour! 4 Stars for the 3 p.m. - 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. - 12 a.m. happy hours. They only serve the happy hour menu after 10 p.m. 3.5 stars if you had to pay full price for non-happy hour. Items we had for Happy Hour (happy hour prices noted): Moscow Mule ($6) - All margaritas and mules are $6 during happy hour! Smothered Fries ($7) - Fries with melted cheese and short rib on top. The short rib has a lot of flavor, they marinate it real good. It could use a little gravy or sauce to go on top of the fries, but other than that, they were good. Proprietor's 8 oz. Burger ($8) - Half Pound Burger with Taleggio Cheese, Nueske Bacon, Tomato Jam and Arugula on a Toasted Sesame Brioche with fries. It's not mind blowing, but it's good. I'd order this again. Tavern Grilled Cheese ($8) - Aged Vermont Cheddar, Gruyere, Nueske Bacon, Grilled Onions in Sourdough Bread. Served with pickles and thick cut potato chips. Everything tasted good, I just wished the bacon was cooked to a crisp before they put it in the sandwich. The fatty parts were a little limp which is ehhhh in my book. The interior here is sweet. It has a cabiney feel but in a modern way. There's a pig in the dining room and there are TVs in the bar area. There was only one server working the late shift and she didn't forget a thing. It was quiet when we went. If you are racking your brains to find an after-the-show place to get some eats at, Fireside Tavern is as good of a place as any. Their contemporary bar food is all around good, especially for the happy hour price. Where else are you going to find $4 Wines, Blue Crab Deviled Eggs ($4), Tater Tots with Baked Potato Toppings ($5), Pimento Cheese Fondue ($4) or Charcuterie & Cheese Board ($8) at 11 p.m. on a weeknight?
(4)
Andi D.
I never leave reviews... but this place deserves this one star. To be honest I would give the chef a 4 star and the staff and service a big goose egg. I was a waitress at one time in my life, and this was an embarrassment to all people in the service industry. I'm sorry chef but you will probably not have a restaurant in the near future.
(1)
Brittany P.
I really liked this hidden little gem. The service is ok and the food is actually very good. I tried the fish and chips and they were among the best I've had. I was pleasantly surprised. This is a great after-work or date spot because it's usually not too crowded and you don't feel rushed to eat/drink and move on.
(3)
Kim J.
2stars because the Server was very nice. (Jacqueline?) The decor is ok but it's to bright! Dim the lights! Get a Hostess! The food was terrible the shrimp app so tough! $35 Ribeye bad. Garlic Mash potato out of a box for sure. If I didn't have a $100 gift Cert. I would have been really upset. I was very disappointed though to say the least.
(2)
Julie H.
Fireside Tavern is located inside the Crowne Plaza Hotel off the 405 freeway. My friend and I stopped by for a late dinner on a Wednesday night and I was immediately relieved that I was still in my work attire because the atmosphere was a bit on the fancier side. The layout is a pretty diverse and I had to fully take in the scene before I could figure out where I should sit. The fireplaces and heater outside probably make for a great environment in which to relax and have a couple drinks. There's a bar area with high top seats and a couple TVs. There's a coffee table with couches in one area. There's a few more plush couches for lounging with drinks and there's also a bigger dining area. They really managed to pack their medium-sized venue with a handful of different seating options. Many of the reviews I've read recalled having bad service experiences here. Aside from our waitress forgetting our silverware when she brought out our food she was great! She checked on us often, our food was served promptly and she was friendly. We started with the meatball sliders. This appetizer comes with 3 small sliders for $7. They weren't bad. I appreciated the amount of sauce they provided, the brioche bun was soft and the meatballs were pretty big and tender. We then split the tavern mac n cheese and the proprietor burger (medium) with fries. I always try to sub normal fries for sweet potato fries--this wasn't an option here. The mac n cheese was disappointing. It was more milky than cheesy and the only flavor we got out of it was from the sizable pieces of ham and bacon mixed in with the pasta. I would have liked the pasta to actually taste cheesy to complement the chunks of meat. The one word that comes to mind when I recall the burger is salty. The brioche bun was sweet and the rest of the burger was way too salty. I didn't taste any district flavors in the additives and condiments in the burger. It really could've used some avocado or fried egg to add more flavor and help balance out the salt. The ketchup provided didn't help because I'm fairly certain it was mixed with a hot sauce which only added to the salty taste. For dessert we ordered the s'mores. We didn't get marshmallows and chocolate sandwiched between a couple graham crackers as predicted. Instead we got a jar filled with ice cream, toasted marshmallow, chocolate and a hard to reach graham cracker layer on the bottom. This was the best part of the meal but definitely the hardest to eat. I'm really curious as to how they managed to pack in all those ingredients into such a tight space. After tax and tip our meal totaled to about $50 which wasn't bad at all. This place has a lot of potential with its cozy interior, friendly staff and nice patio; I just wish the food hadn't been so unimpressive. I can't imagine I'll be coming back to dine here but I might stop by to catch a game or have a drink near the fireplace outside.
(2)
Terry L.
No matter for Breakfast, Dinner or Late Night Fireside Tavern is an easy great choice if you are staying in the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Fireside Tavern features a rotating selection of draft beers, wine and cocktails. Two flat screen TV's flank the back bar so you can keep up with all the sports. Outside they have ample seating around some cozy fire pit installations. Great Happy Hour Menu Options- I would have to recommend the Loaded Tater Tots as my favorite. No foolin= This is a Meal in itself! Massive Home made Tater Tots are covered by Tillmook cheddar cheese, Bacon, Chives and Sour Cream= only $5 for HH price. I also enjoyed their Tavern Grilled cheese Sandwich. Nowhere near healthy- but also loaded with cheesey goodness of Vermont Aged Cheddar and Gruyere with Caramelized Onions on Texas Toast-sized Sourdough Bread. Normally $13 - but $8 for HH price.
(4)
Caroline K.
Located in the Crowne Plaza Hotel (free parking), so it can be a little difficult to find if you didn't realize that. I've been here twice now, mainly for drinks, and the staff have always been friendly. Bartenders are pretty good, too. I've tried the Icelandic Mule and a few other drinks. They have Happy Hour every day (never been for HH though) along with a Burger and Beer night on Thursdays, which sounded pretty cool as the burger and beer changes all the time. As for the food, we tried the Proprietor's Burger (I think it's $13 but only like $8 during HH!) and the Ice Box Cake (a chocolate wafer cake w/ oreo flavoring). The burger was nice and juicy, but the dessert was super sweet. There's always plenty of seating as I've never seen this place crowded, but it's a nice spot to get a drink, a bite to eat, and be able to converse normally. They also have a nice outdoor seating area as well.
(4)
Raymond A.
this place was my first time visiting. the food was mediocre and it was pricy for the amount of food they gave us. the duck fries because of yelp reviews made me expect an amazing experience but it was just fries cook in duck fat which tasted just salty and greasy. the duck was okay but it was not worth $14 for a small pan of fries. the crispy tacos were $8 and have just two tacos so basically $4/taco. for that price the taco wasnt exceptionally delicious or special. i liked the pasta though and mac n cheese. the flatbreads too were decent but the bread was a bit too hard. overall, i wouldnt pay the price that i did for the dishes we bought. i would try cheesecake factory or somewhere else that delivers better quality and quantity of food for the same price.
(2)
Tom M.
Based on word of mouth, we took a work group to lunch. Walking in, we were struck by the fact that it was pretty cool for being located in a Crown Plaza Hotel. The outdoor fire pit was nice, and the rest of the interior looked inviting (I'll need to check it at happy hour). Before we ever took a bite, we were thrilled by the presentation of our meals. Wow. Considering the group was full of designers, it takes a lot to get their approval on something visual. But as one designer said, "Everything looks camera-ready." High praise indeed. Now, did everything taste good? Very much so! The burger is about the best I've had in the OC, and absolutely crushes nearby Umami Burger. The Rueben is another fav, and we loved the happy hour bites! They have a rotating list of excellent craft beers, and some great wine choices at seriously reasonable prices (bottle of B Wise Wisdom only $40--a huge deal). These guys truly work passionately to make you a fan. With their terrific prices and a hip vibe, the Tavern quickly won us over. Why don't people know about it? They don't have a sign in front yet (buried in hotel and city ordinance red tape, I hear). I've been there 5 times already, and definitely going back soon.
(4)
John H.
Fireside tavern was amazing! Breakfast was so good and Carmella is the sweetest waitress we have ever encountered. Must stay at the Crown Plaza next time you're here!
(5)
Beth T.
I recently came here on a Thursday night with a few friends, and our experience was a bit polarizing. It's located inside a hotel- the parking is easy, you don't have to valet, and we were seated immediately. The food was delicious, but It was overpriced (5.00 for a mediocre bread basket that most places would give away for free). They were out of some menu items, but overall no one had complaints about the food. The Service was TERRIBLE. We were there for 2.5 hours and spent 40 minutes basically just sitting there after our meal. No drink refills, no check up on how your food was. Our waitress had a permanent scowl on her face. I had ordered something spicy and trying to get a drink refill felt like trying to get a glass of water in the desert. The service staff changed 3/4 of the way through our meal and the guy was a bit more friendly but slowwwww. Considering we were one of maybe 3 groups total in the restaurant it was pretty awful. Overall very frustrating, food was good but I don't think I would go back.
(3)
Vy T.
Met up with some girlfriends here for a late night hang out. I've never been to a bar inside a hotel so I was definitely skeptical, but walking into this place I was amazed at how nice and upscale it was. It's fairly large with outdoor seating and a toasty fire pit outside, as well as couches and bar tables to hang out at. The atmosphere is very relaxed and seems like the perfect place to catch up with some friends or unwind after a hard day at work. We settled on the couch and looked through the menu, and lucky us it was late night happy hour!! All the menu items sounded amazing, so we asked the bartender (Andrew) for his recommendations. He suggested the burger and we ordered it to share . It was delicious, a perfectly cooked patty sandwiched between a brioche bun and crispy thick fries on the side for $8. Onto the drinks, Andrew was super friendly and recommended a new drink called the Juniata. When it came out, I was amazed because it looked gorgeous. It had tequila, mint, grapefruit, raspberries and freshly squeezed lime, adorned with a raspberry! All the flavors balanced each other without being too sweet. Overall, my experience was great and I can't wait to come back and try their other happy hour items such as the grilled cheese and tater tots!!
(5)
Martha V.
We just finished a delicious lunch at the Fireside Tavern. My Chopped Salad was delicious with inventive ingredients like goat cheese, tiny, baby beet slices and more. I ate every bite! My husband just had an order of fries and they were fantastic, hand cut and came with a spicy ketchup that we loved. We saw a cheeseburger go by on its way to some lucky guest and it was huge and juicy looking. Our server, Carmela was gracious and attentive, she is a new employee and will certainly be an asset to this charming restaurant & bar. The restaurant was super clean and had plenty of parking. Thank you for exceeding our expectations, we will be back.
(5)
gretchen c.
Good Happy Hour apps on a Thurs Nite. Service a tad lackluster but food was good, and ambiance was hip & relaxing. Good find!
(3)
Chris K.
Found out about this place after attending a yelp elite event. They were serving these delicious pork belly sliders! But sadly, they were no where on the menu. I hope they add them to the menu soon! Started off with the loaded tater tots and the meat & cheese board. The loaded tater tots were disappointing. The potatoes were hard and dry. Enjoyed the meat and cheese plate. Good variety of cheeses and meats! I also liked the fact that it came with some figs and apricot spread. A nice balance of sweet and salty. Of the two, I'd recommend the meat and cheese plate. The burgers were great. The meat was tender and juicy and came with a buttery bun. Good flavor in the burger. It was pretty big too and it came with some fries. I'm not a fan of ketchup, but I liked theirs. It had a hint of spice to it and definitely had a different taste than your typical Heinz. Came during happy hour and for what we paid, it was a good meal. It wasn't too busy yet the service was a bit lacking. My water cup stayed empty for quite some time before someone noticed. Also, I was bothered by the fact that there were a few flies that kept pestering us while dining here. A few small, what looked like fruit fries, and a typical house fly. I understand that the doors are open that connect to the patio, but something needs to be done to keep the flies out somehow. I don't like having to constantly swat flies out of the way while eating, espically when out at a restaurant.
(3)
Pablo S.
I usually visit this location 4 or 5 times a month for work events and I am never dissapointed with their service and quality of food. The staff really developes a rapport with their customers and takes the time to get to know you. I especially want to express my gratitude for Cesar and his great service. He always goes over and beyond the level of service. The food is amazing and the beer selection is great as well.
(5)
Robert D.
This place is great. Delicious food, great service, and excellent service. We loaded up on the happy hour menu. We got the loaded Tater Tots, guacamole, and Tavern Burger. Everything was very tasty. They have a good variety of draft beer too. This place is kind of hidden because it's inside the Crown Plaza hotel. I will definitely be going back.
(5)
Elizabeth Z.
I've dined at this restaurant twice for dinner while staying at this hotel and I loved it! Great food and an awesome staff. Definitely worth a try if you want a relaxed atmosphere in the Costa Mesa area.
(4)
Andie P.
Food is amazing at a great price. Was there for happy hour and their $8 burger is huge and delicious!!! $4 glasses of wine made it a nice pair. Tacos not worth ordering as you can get a big burger for just a couple more bucks. Icebox cake was yummy. Don't go if you are pressed for time as our server didn't really check on us especially after we were done eating. Regardless, totally worth going. Nice little hidden gem inside the Crown Royal Hotel.
(4)
Joshua G.
Wow this time around much better. Started with the guacamole appetizer. It was gone in no time. My wife got the Mac n cheese and I got the chicken and sweet potato mash. Both were amazing. Our waitress Agnes did a superb job as well!
(4)
Matthew M.
Came on a Thursday night and it was pretty quiet. The place is really well laid out and they have a nice outside patio as well. A+ on the design. Walked in and was told to sit where ever we want so we chose outside. Took a while before the waiter got to us as I think they are really slow but not sure why. Anyhow. Ordered: American Charcuterie - Pretty damn tasty. Cheese was delicious and the meat slices were packed with flavor. Grilled flatbread - Very flat and didn't like this one at all. Proprietors burger - Best burger I've had in a while. Grilled to perfection and all ingredients worked well together. Wow I'm coming back for this alone. Tilamook cheddar and chive mash - Pretty good as well. Could have been better if it wasn't whipped to death...no potato bite at all. Anchor batter beer fish and chips - It was one huge loin of pacific cod which caused the batter to be overly fried and messed up the texture of the bite. If cooked better or cut in smaller pieces this would have great potential. Overall it was good. Food quality and decor could make this place a hit but need to fine tune some things. I'll be back for the burger though and hopefully things improve.
(3)
David W.
This is a chill, low key, classy place. Good parking and great food. The chefs really know their stuff. Burgers are really good, pork chop had great flavor and was melt in your mouth tender. Best Cobb salad ever. Woot
(5)
Romuel Dave C.
Not a bad place to grab a drink and some food for Happy hour. The space is wide and open, though the tables close to the bar are a little congested, and enclose the people AT the bar on bar stools... Drink wise, they make them decently, depending on what bartender you get. The Old Fashions were ok, and most whiskey drinks were decent, but I guess im more intrigued that they had Allagash on tap.. one of my favorites. And during HH, the Pint is $6, not bad at all Fireside, not bad at all. Foodwise, I tried their Burger, their guacamole, and charcuterie platter... all were decent enough. The fries were crispy and wells seasoned to accompany a good grilled burger. The side of "sweet" slicked pickles help blend all the flavors together. The Guac was good too, nothing to rave about..but then again, guac is guac, if its fresh and salted, the avocado pretty much does all the work for you. The charcuterie was decent enough, had a good amount of cheese, meats, and fruit. The Bleue Chese was off the hook, and the goat cheese very pungent. Went well with the dates, pickles, and salami. Only thing I'd say, is it needs more grain items to help go with the rest of the dish (ie, MORE BREAD OR CRACKER!) This is inside the Crown Plaza, so parking can be a little hard if they are booked...which usually isn't the case, unless there is a convention, or something big happening in the South OC. The only problem I had with this place, is damn, we packed it, and the A/C was struggling! I was sweating like a pig in there! Not the bidness when you are trying to buy cocktails for the cute girl at the couch, and you have to keep wiping your forehead for sweat! Just kidding! Maybe...
(3)
Spencer W.
Breakfast buffet for $15.95 - decent quality food - cooked to order eggs. Very nice, clean ambiance and setting. The coffee was outstanding! Great way to start the day.
(4)
Sarah L.
Before I start, most importantly, happy hours times are... 3-6 pm and 10-12 am :) This place is a solid 3.5 stars. Ambiance: -It is located inside Crowne Plaza and the decor of the place is very inviting. -Quiet -If you want to sit outside, they have 2 separate areas where there is a gorgeous fireplace. Perfect for lounging! Service: -The servers and bartenders are very friendly and polite Food: -Chop shop salad was very delicious. They used pulled chicken which was soft and moist, plentiful avocado, corn, tomato, bacon, dates with goat cheese. The goat cheese tasted like a perfect tangy cream cheese. (this salad is delicious, but nothing special) -Roasted cauliflower- It's very cool how the cauliflower is all fused together into one piece.. so you cut it like a steak to eat. This has a lemony taste to it with an anchovy piece on top. -Maine scallops served with corn risotto and corn pudding with the rhubarb on top. In my opinion, the rhubarb didn't really go with the dish. -Tavern steak- this was not my dish, but looked delicious -Ice box cake- This basically looks like a mud cake and oreo had a giant baby. This has a chocolate wafer cake, which tasted a tad soggy with scharffen berger ganache with 1 raspberry on top.
(3)
Tami W.
A surprising gem in the Crowne Plaza on Bristol with no signage. Once you know it's there, parking and accessing the restaurant is easy. Hands down, this was the best burger and fries I've ever had, and was served with homemade ketchup with a kick, and delicious crisp pickle chips. Interior is beautiful, very well done. I rarely review, but the restaurant was nearly empty and I'd like to see this one flourish. Lost one star for the mediocre wait staff. Pleasant enough, but certainly not a match for the outstanding food we experienced.
(4)
Stephen S.
The food was four stars (five, except one steak dish was raw). However, the service was horrible. I made my reservation for a party of ten for a birthday through OpenTable. I heard nothing from them, and on the day of the event, called to make sure and to increase the party to 11. I left a message and they never called back. I called later in the afternoon and the gal said, no I don't have access to the voice mail. Then what good is it? When we arrived, no table for 11. They set it for 8. Why??? Even then, the table was cramped and I had to drag over another small table to add to our comfort. Not a soul was there except us. No water service. We had to constantly waive over the waiter to assist. There was no suggestion of appetizers. Plates were cleared haphazardly or not at all. A stack of dirty plates were left in front of my guests for half of the meal. I brought a cake and paid $2 per plate for service. They did not even bring me the leftover cake. Nor did anyone wish us a good night at the end of the meal. Did I mention we were the only ones in the place? Literally. Too bad, as the food was really tasty and nicely presented. When I invite ten of my friends for an event like this, I expect much more. Goes to show that when gratuity is added for large parties, the incentive is to not work for it. At least for this waiter. My last time here.
(2)
John S.
Foodie-grade hotel restaurant in a pleasant setting. What's cool here is the chef has taken American classics, such as tater tots and mac&cheese and reimagined them in a modern way. Happy hour is a great way to sample his wares. Plus I enjoy breakfast here; simple poached eggs on toast becomes a gourmet experience!
(4)
Matt V.
This review covers a special event, so may not be typical of service, etc. in the Tavern itself. We went to a surprise birthday party which was set up in the back room of the Tavern, away from all the tables and booths off the main lobby. It was very cozy and home-like with all the sofas and decor. There was access to the outside patio which had the heaters on and a small bar set up along with high top tables and stools, pretty much all set aside for our group of about 40+ people. Another room adjacent had food in large pans to keep the food warm. The food consisted of: mini empanadas with a cheese sauce on the side, battered deep fried fish, chopped chicken, cheese quesadillas, tortillas, salsa, queso fresco, guacamole, shredded lettuce and cabbage, basically a build your own taco bar. Everything was good enough I went back a second time. Not high end food but plenty of it and it was customizable. Again, your mileage may vary. There are more offerings on the regular menu which we did not get. Ambiance: A+ Service: A+ (private event, extra hands on deck, good bartender) Food: B I can't say about prices since our host picked up the tab. If you are thinking about a gathering you might want to check the event or catering manager for prices, we all had a nice time.
(3)
Ming T.
Gosh, I really wish I loved this place more. The decor is so awesome and great outdoor seating, but the food is very courtyard Marriott (i.e. overpriced bad hotel food). BTW, this little hidden "gem" is located in the Crown Plaza. Came here last Saturday for a late lunch and it was very quiet. It was us and one other table. We ordered the pretzel as an appetizer, the cobb salad, and the patty melt. Pretzel was ok, nothing special. The cobb salad was something you would buy at a Trader Joe's and definitely not restaurant quality. The patty melt was tasty, but forgettable. The lunch menu overall wasn't very exciting. Based on the yelp pictures, I'm thinking the dinner menu or happy hour menu might be more inspired. So why the 3 stars versus something lower? Because I would come back here to grab a drink and hang out. The service was attentive and friendly. Plenty of free parking. Now if they can only do something about the food. There is so much potential for this place!
(3)
Peter N.
Found this gem after a concert at The Observatory. Finally a place not only open late but they have a late happy hour!! The drinks where quite good. We ordered the tater tots, Tavern burger, and flat bread pizza. Food was amazing and hit the spot after a wicked concert. This will definitely be our new fav pre concert meet up spot and late night grub spot! If you cant figure out where it is then you don't deserve to eat here :)
(4)
Manny S.
Good food here and great service. The setup is nice and eating here can be addictive while staying at the hotel. Room service is good too
(5)
Johnny P.
COOL HIDDEN GEM! Came here for our team's dinner and drinks. Great little hidden restaurant located in the Crown Plaza Hotel. Pros: - Plenty of indoor space and seating - Outdoor fireside lounging/seating area to share drinks or plates (really enjoyed the fire pit area) - Get too drunk, no problem...get a hotel room! Cons: - It was kinda quiet when we came and still had a hotel guest/patrons vibe to it (yes, I know its in a hotel) THE FOOD (Happy hour: 4 to 7 PM & 10 PM to Close): - Charcuterie Platter: nice combination of cheeses and meats, really liked the salami pieces. The bread could've been better. Recommended if sharing or pairing with wine - Loaded Tater Tots: a very sophisticated version of tater tots on a skillet. Pretty good, a must try it once, platter. - Short-Rib Pie with Bone Marrow: had high expectations, but the pie was mediocre. The crust was simple, short rib was a okay. Bone Marrow was cooked perfectly, seasoning was good. - Grilled Cheese Sandwich: this was probably my favorite platter, bread was toasted perfectly and the cheese and bacon was perfectly balanced! Recommended! - Deviled Duck Eggs: was really good to me, nothing special though. May be salty for some people. - Sauteed Mushrooms: this was a surpriser, lots of flavor and saucey, if you like mushrooms, you will enjoy this! Overall, really liked the decor and layout. Service was good and would recommend if you wanted to go somewhere more intimate and/or a small group gathering with a lounge vibe. The only drawback was just the hotel patrons-vibe, so it can feel a little quiet at times.
(4)
Jeff H.
Tried Fireside for the first time recently, based on the reviews here. The decor is nice, the bar is surprisingly small I thought, but the outdoor seating with the fire-pits are well done. The burger like others have mentioned is amazing! Tried some other appetizers such as the fried mac and cheese balls, and a few others, nothing was above average. This place needs some polish in terms of service/personnel. On my one visit here early Thursday night they ran out of Jack Daniels....who does that?
(3)
Di N.
I was in town for a wedding and was stranded with no car at the hotel tonight. I came down to grab a bite at the hotel and had an awesome experience thanks to the bartender (Andrew) and the other patrons at the bar. I ordered the tater tots (which was on the late night happy hour menu) and whatever Andrew recommended on tap. The tater tots were PERFECT...it came with bacon and spicy ketchup. And it was 5 bucks. What. I had the Golden Road IPA and Carpe Dia (tequilaaaaaa), which I was very happy with. I have never been to a bar where the bartender actually cared about my day and my interests. Since I was traveling alone, it was great to be in such a comfortable and socialable environment. The restaurant was also VERY clean with huge tvs (for the sports fans). Needless to say, it was a great (and yummy) late night dinner. Thanks for the recommendation Andrew!
(5)
Imran H.
This place is a sleeper! Apparently my friend has been coming here and made some good claims on a lot of things from atmosphere to drinks and service all being on point. Usually that all doesn't come together majority of the time. We came in during happy hour and grabbed the house cab at $4.00 a pour. Good wine and well priced. The bar had a good selection of craft beers and full selection of whiskey to choose from. Nice. I also grabbed this drink that was recommended called the Honey Badger. Good refreshing ginger beer, some mint leaves with whiskey. I had about 4 of these. Not strong, but great on warm night. Everyone would love this drink if you haven't tried one already- better version of a mojito. The bartender is a cool dude. He nodded some great recommendations. Service was great. Head in there and ask for Andrew. Now the location is straight up hidden. You have to be paying attention if your not from the area. It is located inside of the Crowne Plaza hotel. The atmosphere is super chill. They have a fresh outdoor area with fireplaces and couches to lounge on. There is a good amount of space outside to hold a lot of people. I was surprised at how empty the place was. I'll be back to try the food.
(5)
Thuy-Vy N.
what to order: loaded tater tots and Tavern burger with fries tip: its inside the hotel, you have to park in the structure and walk in woo hoo! another place that is open late for me to eat when I get off of work AND they offer a Happy Hour menu its a very nice, new and modern looking restaurant/bar the hotel customers come here to eat and drink the tater tots were really good, a little too think so they we're mushy in the middle I got the grilled cheese but I lost interest half way through the meal my boyfriend loved his Tavern burger though we had a great server, I forgot his name but he was really easy-going, friendly and experienced in the restaurant business definitely a place to try out if its late, will be back
(4)
Jason W.
Was disappointed that the Gruyere grilled cheese with bacon sandwich (shown in other Yelp reviews) is no longer in the menu. But opted for the French dip instead. A worthy alternative.
(4)
William N.
What can I say. Second time here and I love it even more. Talk about great service and great drinks/food. Wailea has been our server for the second time and she is down right amazing. She remembered me and my girlfriend from the last time we came which was a month or two ago. She remembered what beers I had because I told her I like trying new beers and she remembered the two beers I ordered prior. Chris is an amazing manager I was speaking to him and he is new to this establishment. This restaurant is very lucky to have these two working here. They give off great vibes and make it enjoyable to be here. Chris even gave us a taste of bruschetta off the menu that the chef made. They are quick as well. Will be coming here more and more down the road. Cheers to Chris and Wailea.
(5)
Robert G.
The remodel looks nice, but it's a little bright for a restaurant. They would out of two beers on the beer list they gave us. And out of their signature steak which was also in the menu. Not sure why they couldn't have printed a new menu, or told us when they handed us the menu. I felt really bad for the server, she kept having to come back and give us the bad news. Not sure we will go back. Sucks because it's close to our house.
(2)
Larry N.
First and last time here. Let me explain... Service sucked, never once did our waiter check up on us or ask us if we needed any condiments, refills, or anything else for that matter. When our orders came out, our waiter looked like he was annoyed because he couldn't find which party had which order. Extremely unorganized. If you're reading this, cock asian waiter with glasses; please find another career you're actually half decent at. Ordered the hush puppies, bad. Fish and chips, bad. This tasted like burnt oil, the batter was gross. Tasted the steak that we asked for medium rare and came out well done, mediocre. If you're looking to catch a buzz here go elsewhere. Drinks are overpriced and the atmosphere isn't all that great. I honestly think I would've had a better time next door at McDonald's, seriously.
(1)
christie l.
My friends and I came wanting the taco Tuesday deal that we read about. Unfortunately, taco Tuesday doesn't exist any longer. But they do have good food on happy hour! We ordered flatbread pizza, fish tacos, wings, fries, and guac. I really liked their guac and fish tacos! Ashley was helping us out that nice and she is so sweet, kind, patient, and fun! It was busy in there but she never rushed us, and always checked in on us. She made us feel comfortable and welcome especially since we were younger than the average crowd that comes through. I've been to places where they neglected is bc we were younger than the average crowd, so Ashely made a difference! She made sure our order was right and out in a good time. I'll definitely be coming back here again.
(5)
Janey H.
I normally don't write reviews because I don't know if my personal preference is merit to applaud or criticize a business, however this place has really left a bad taste in my mouth. I've visited this establishment 3 times in the last 2 weeks. I thought it was a great little spot with good food for value, nice decor, and casual seating. I was really rooting for this place to become a popular nightlife location. LA is known for hotel nightlife and bars. I wanted to see OC grow into its own as well. So I decided to drag my 10 friends from HH at Morton's on a Friday afternoon to visit this place that I was so smitten over. Got there and asked for their HH menu. They had 2 drinks and draft beers on special. We said ok, that's fine. We ordered some desserts and appetizers. Ice cream came out melted and chocolate milk was warm. Did I mention, the server spilled 2 glasses of water on us.We asked if we could buy a bottle. The server came back with a price and we accepted. Later, she said they didn't have enough and had quoted the wrong price. After going back and forth on a few different options, she then said the manager couldn't sell us a bottle. They wasted an hour of our time. No one apologized. The manager didn't come explain or see how we were doing. We are understanding of your rules, however it was the lack of professionalism on the management's behalf. By quoting us a price, giving us options, then all of a sudden saying you can't serve us makes it seem as though it was discrimination rather than procedure. You are not ready to run a restaurant. I will never come back nor will I tell any of my friends about this establishment. Fireside Tavern has turned a supporter into an adversary.
(1)
Matt C.
Made reservations which was clearly unnecessary. There wasn't even a hostess to seat us, we had to seat ourselves. Like other reviews mentioned, service is slow. Food was pretty awful. All the delicious looking dishes on yelp aren't even available anymore. Came here for the short rib pot pie with bone marrow, but it was removed from the menu. - Special of the day, mahi mahi was bland and under seasoned. Wasn't tasteful at all. - Cedar plank salmon was a little bit more flavorful, but overly oily which actually gave my buddy a stomach ache! - Mexi corn was cold, too sour, and too spicy. I actually sent this back. - Pretzel with cheese fondue... a small ketchup metal cup full of cheese sauce isn't what I had in mind. I wouldn't even consider this fondue! What a disappointment! - Free dessert since the mexi corn was sent back, ice box cake, this was basically big oreos which chocolate sauce. Yuck! Took one bite and didn't touch it again. If it wasn't for the manager trying to make it right to us, I would give this nasty restaurant a one star!
(2)
Maria G.
This cute little gem is hidden inside of crowne plaza hotel. Very nice atmosphere with not a lot of people Inside, which is nice...gave you tons of seating option. We were helped by a nice bartender named Andrew, he makes the drinks strong and sweet, with a nice kick to it. Came around happy hour and they got a good deal on the wines. We ordered a bunch of other drinks and the tab came out to be impressive. I was also eyeing the fries, didn't get a chance to try it out, but I will be back for those. They looked very delicious! Gave me a damn eye boner just by looking at it. Good atmosphere plus good drinks, can't go wrong with that.
(5)
jonathan s.
good happy hour till 7pm each night i think. nice little patio. place was empty on a friday at 645 - 8pm. i hope people catch on. would be a cool place to have in the area. big charcuterie and cheese plate for $12. burger and fries for $8. good value. burger had some type of bacon jam. i'd rather have proper bacon but i'd order it again. came out slightly over the requested med rare. hh also has margaritas for $6.
(4)
Elle B.
Pretty decent little happy hour. Wine is good enough that I enjoyed a second glass. The meatball sliders were tasty, but the shrimp appetizer was super rubbery. I'll probably try it again though.
(3)
Bad L.
its the restaurant in the Crowne Plaza hotel. It's not like you have any other choice. It's not a bad bar and the food is typical. I went there for breakfast and ordered the Benedict, but they couldn't do it because the guy in the kitchen either didn't know or didn't have the time to make it. It "works" for a hotel bar, but not worth going out of your way for.
(3)
Jorge C.
I went on a Sunday.. there was no host, so I sat at the bar. They took forever to serve me the fish and chips platter. The bar smelled dirty and the phone was ringing in an annoying tone.
(3)
Nieko G.
A friend of mine recently stayed at the hotel where this restaurant/lounge resides, he is the one that recommended I give it a try. My girlfriend and I came in later in the evening due to their late night happy hour that my friend mentioned to us. I don't remember the exact details of the happy hour but I remember it being a GREAT deal on drinks. They have a well trained bar-tender who can do anything from serve a beer to mix up a fancy cocktail. My girlfriend ordered the Carpe Dia cocktail and I ordered a Dark Seas Stout. She definitely enjoyed the drink which was made right in front of us, as it should be, with fresh ingredients. I enjoyed the Stout I ordered and also the selection of beers they actually had on tap. A craft beer selection instead of the normal bud light, miller light, etc... THANK YOU! One of the other positives things about this place is the SERVICE. The bar-tender (believe his name was Andrew or Drew) helped us choose some of the tasty items off the menu, suggested the cocktail to my girlfriend (never knows what she wants to drink, lol), and overall made great, friendly conversation. Forgot to mention exactly what we ordered above: We came mostly for the drinks, but my girlfriend and I shared the burger, although it sounds simple, it's far from it, and very delicious. I'm new to this yelp thing.. I should have taken a photo of it and been more specific! In the end, I would DEFINITELY recommend this restaurant to other people. Place is great just for a few drinks or a full on meal. PS: They have 2 fire-pits outside and comfy chairs!
(4)
Tuong T.
This place has a good atmosphere. Went with a group of friends. We were seated inside but outside looked interesting with little tables and a fireplace type scenario. Theres also a bar inside with unique cocktails. The menu also had unique items such as the short rib pot pie with bone marrow(I has a small taste and it was good). The Strozzapreti Bolognese was decent. One of my friends was disappointed with her $8 salad though. It was just some whole lettuce leaves and dressing on the side. We had a chance to enjoy a couple of their desserts. I am a big chocolate fan so I really liked the Ice Box Cake. The Warm Chocolate Chip Cookies and Adult Chocolate Milk was delicious also, but make sure to get a bite of the cookie and milk together. The Strawberry Rhubarb pie in a jar was good also but not my style. Careful because the pie in the jar comes out fresh and HOT. Service was very friendly. I believe we were helped at some point by every server there that night plus greeted by one of the owners. I would come back when I have the chance and try to get a seat outside.
(4)
Alison F.
Great setting. Plenty of seating so that you can find your own secluded spot. There was settee seating (like a living room), over sized chairs, tables & chairs for eating which was segregated from the lounge area. The outdoor patio w/fire pits is set up the same way. It's all very elegant, I was a bit worried it was going to be "western". The waitstaff was attentive without being bothersome, this was appreciated. Yes, there are two Happy Hours, even on Saturday. The first is from 4/5-7 and the second is from 10 until "not sure". I got exactly what I wanted to drink without question or hesitation (50/50 Stella & Hard Cider). I plan on visiting this place A LOT more in the future.
(5)
Matt W.
My lady and I visited the Fireside as a celebration of her recent accomplishments, and therefore I had high hopes/expectations for the evening. This place delivered! We grabbed a quiet table in the corner and made an evening out of it. The food was fantastic. The crab cake is a must. I had the spaghetti and meatball for dinner. My lady was very pleased, which made me a happy guy. During our evening, Steve (the GM) would check in on us, and seemed to really share our excitement for the cuisine. Looking forward to our next visit.
(5)
James Z.
This place is a gem! Chef Scott Brandon has really created a great menu! The steak with peppercorn sauce was incredible! Check this place out!!!!
(5)
Clint R.
This place is awesome. I came in at last call after a long day and Andrew took great care of me. What a friendly bartender. He was knowledgable and efficient. Next time I'm in Costa Mesa I'm definitely staying at the Crown Plaza and chillin at the bar here at Fireside! Thanks Andrew.
(5)
Stef A.
Our food took forever to arrive and then was mediocre for the price.
(2)
Mahesh S.
In the world of food bloggers there is way more free loaders and basement bloggers now than ever so it's hard to tell a real deal from a white noise. I trust madhungrywoman Anita L tremendously as she is one of the very few people that is still left with their integrity and unique trustable palette. When she declared fireside tavern as one of her most liked up and coming restaurant I really wanted to check the place out myself as it's not an easy credit coming from here. And It has won my heart already. I visited the bar for afternoon drinks on Memorial Day and the prices were super cheap. 10$ drinks for craft cocktails. And a reasonably priced bar menu. And a generous happy hour price to sweeten tr deal. 4$ wines, 6$ mules and margaritas 3pm to 6pm and 10pm to closing and everyday. That's some serious deal. The vodka mule I tried was refreshing. Also I tried their cheese board which was priced at $8 another solid deal. I want to come back for their grilled cheese and other items on the bar menu. The place itself is nicely decorated open and inviting. A real lounge if you want to hang out. It's inside crowne plaza which is not a bad thing but you have to look for it. I am a fan!!
(4)
Adam B.
Everyone loved their food. The guac and chips were perfection and my friend loved the burger. Drinks were great as well as the atmosphere.
(4)
Erica W.
This place has great potential. Service was poor, but I'm hoping that is only because they're still fairly new. While tucked away in the Crowne Plaza hotel on Bristol, the decor of the restaurant is inviting and they have a nice outdoor patio. Cocktails were good, the burger and fries was delicious as was the steak. Deviled eggs were weird. We'll definitely give this place another try in a few months.
(4)
Matt S.
Went for restaurant week and what a let down. Food was mediocre at best, and some parts were outright bad. Our waiter was one of the worst we have ever had in Orange County. It's a shame because it's actually a nice space for a hotel restaurant. Nice outside area but I can't imagine a reason we would eat here again. Total let down and it makes me wonder what other yelpers saw in this place....
(2)
Chris C.
Caught mention of this place in O.C. Weekly, and it just sounded good to me, so I arranged a visit for a party of four this past Saturday. We were seated in one of their comfortable booths, with plenty of room to settle in. Our server Brenda greeted up with a big smile & our menus. Was so happy to find they stock my favorite gin (Hendrick's) so of course martinis it was & they were able to do the requested cucumber garnish - perfection. Their wine selection is short but offers some quality vineyards to choose from We ordered the charcuterie plate to share (@ the HH price of $8, a steal, tho' it should come with more of that great bread) Next up the Caesar salads, 1/2 dozen oysters, the (wonderful!) steamed mussels, Mary's chicken & fish & chips, all perfectly cooked & presented. Oh & almost forgot to mention - a noise level that was comfortable, inducing the ability to carry on conversations without having to shout at each other, which seems to be more & more the norm these days when going out for dinner . I wish every hotel I'd ever stayed in had food 1/2 as good. This place seems to be doing everything right , & I recommend checking them out for yourself. I need to get back there soon for that steak w/ marrow butter & more of those mussels.
(5)
Robert H.
The dining room and staff were nice. It doesn't appear to get real busy so reservations may not be needed. The food was just OK. I might return for happy hour instead of dinner.
(3)
Kyle L.
The manager, Ashley, was our waitress and she was very friendly and was very accommodating. It was our first time there and we kind of looked out of place because everyone was wearing business attire, but Ashley made us feel comfortable by making small talk with us and sharing a few laughs. Planning on going back soon!
(4)
Taylor C.
I came here for the third time last night to attend a local meetup. The restaurant team was courteous and helpful in getting us some tables and chairs set up for our group. We ordered some food before the crowd arrived and I enjoyed their "proprietor's burger" once more, along with a margarita, a draft special "Mermaid" red ale and a cheese and charcuterie plate. All in, I think I paid about $30 plus tip... definitely got my money's worth for the burger, fries, two drinks and after-tizers. The best part was the wonderful service we got from Kacey (who I kept thinking was named Stacey). She checked on us frequently, refilled our waters and made sure we had what we needed. She also put up with our goofy sense of humor! Thanks Kacey! I am going to keep coming back to this place for a variety of reasons, good food, good environment, friendly people. I couldn't believe I saw the head chef wandering around the dining area, and he looked just like he did on the promo table placards. Most of the time a restaurant claims it has some big shot in the kitchen but you never see the guy!
(5)
Patricia B.
I had heard about this new restaurant through my network of friends in Corona del Mar. This past Saturday night I decided to take my husband there to check it out and I am so glad that I did. We arrived around 8 and the restauraunt was not very crowded so we decided to sit at the bar and have dinner. We started with some delicious coctails and oysters. We then split the steak with some french fries and a salad - everything was exceptional. Our server was the bartender Dante. He was very personable and made sure we always had exactly what we needed. So glad he was there to help us. If you are looking to escape the crowds of Cdm and have a nice gastro pub experience, this is a great place to have a wonderful culinary adventure.
(5)
Krista C.
I had high hopes for this place after seeing the reviews, pictures and menu. The good: nice atmosphere, daily happy hour. The bad: the restaurant was not very clean. When we were sitting and waiting for our food I looked down to notice the carpet was heavily stained and filled with crumbs. That ruined my appetite, as well as a fly that kept buzzing around our food. We ordered the charcuterie and crostini, however I didn't think either were that great, partly due to my lack of appetite. This place has potential, but has a long way to go.
(1)
D. J.
Really cool place to get a drink. i have come back countless of times! they have really good deviled eggs. The atmosphere is very laid-back and the staff is really friendly. I would recommend this place to anyone who wants to enjoy a drink.
(5)
M R.
I stopped by the Fireside Tavern during lunch. Therefore I was on a time limit. The restaurant has a great feel to it. The ambiance of it, and the location is perfect. They had the news playing on one channel and sports on the other. Which was really nice to be able to enjoy during my one hour. The server Eric was a very sweet guy. Very talkative and friendly. I watched him multi task with helping me and several other customers at once. Ensuring that we were all pleased with the service in a timely manner. Their menu is small, but full of delicious options. Most importantly, it was affordable! I was torn between the French Dip sandwich and your typical cobb salad. The manager Chris suggested I give the French dip a try. It was possibly the best decision I could have made that day. It was phenomenal! It was a decent size sandwich, I substituted the chips for fries. Despite the fact that I was stuffed, I couldn't stop eating! And it came out really fast! So I still had time to just sit back and relax! Chris was very professional, yet really funny! I talked to him about the hotel and restaurant, the cocktails they served, and different types of food. This guy really knows his stuff. I was so impressed by my entire 45 minutes here that I brought a few of my friends here the same night for dinner! Again, not a single complaint! We sat on the patio next to the fire pits, enjoyed our cocktails, food, and music! Whoever is behind this entire restaurant should give themselves a pat on the back! Your staff is hard working, and your food is the best!! I'm bringing my boss here next week for a lunch meeting, and I look forward to bringing the rest of my office here during our lunch breaks! Thank you Fireside Tavern, you have a regular customer for life!
(5)
Cyndi V.
Greg our server was terrific. He made great recommendations. The pork belly sliders, roasted cauliflower, marys half chicken were fabulous.
(5)
Ikhide A.
Good food, nice ambiance in the most unlikeliest of locations... It's in the lobby (duh!) Bartender Andrew is the man!!! Nuff said!
(5)
Christina W.
I came here last night and I definitely won't be back. I am very surprised that this place has so many great reviews because I was utterly disappointed. We walked in and were not treated by anyone at all. We wandered around a little confused because we weren't sure if we should seat ourselves or continue to wait at the empty podium to be seated. My BF spotted a guy sitting at the bar who had a name tag on his shirt staring at us so he asked him if he worked there and what we should do about seats. He said he did in fact work there and that we can sit anywhere we like. Why wouldn't the employee show us our seats??? Number 1 you should be at the podium for this very reason and Number 2 you probably shouldn't just stare at confused customers while you chill at the bar like a customer. We ended up ordering burgers. The french fries were pretty good The burgers had good flavor but were EXTREMELY dry. They need to do something to keep some moisture in that burger. Dry meat + thick dry bun is not good. But the flavors were on point. The ketchup was weird. I am not sure if it is homemade? It tasted like a watery marina sauce. The server did not come back to fill our drink glasses despite our ice melting in empty cups so we had to call him over for refills. He was completely inattentive and unconcerned with the customers he was there to serve. I will not be back although I must say that the happy hour pricing is excellent.
(2)
Sara B.
Andrew is great and why I'll come back! Drink was potent and tots were inventive and tasty. I look forward to my next experience!
(5)
Rebecca B.
We like taverns, pubs and casual bars with good food. Even though Fireside is inside of a moderate-budget hotel, we decided to give it a try. The inside atmosphere is sadly lacking that tavern vibe. The lights are too bright, the furniture is like a Dennys and the floor is ceramic bath tiles. There is no feeling of happy, relaxed community eating and drinking. I was hopng for the joy and vibrance of a neighborhood pub. The Holiday Inn aura is a hard one to overcome, I guess. The fire part is outside, so that could be a possibilty for cooler weather. It looks comfortable, maybe a little too comfortable if the two peoole out there smooching it up were any indication! This place needs to work on the atmosphere....because the food, drinks and service are pretty darn good. I want to support their chef and bartender because they are talented and use fresh ingredients to make yummy stuff. The fish and chips were crispy and fresh. The chef salad was weak. Burgers looked good, but we did not try them yet. I only hope they can see in their budget to remodel just a little bit more to make the place more inviting.
(3)
Lil A.
Pepper crusted filet mignon is really good! Service is also great. Nice ambiance and nice people. Oh and they haven't the most amazing dessert- warm chocolate chip cookie with adult milk (Kahlua, vodka, milk) Yum, never had anything this good!
(5)
Nancy D.
We had a dinner here with a large group that continued to grow and they were fully accommodating for our large group. After dinner we had friends join us for drinks. Being they just recently opened I'm sure they have not seen a crowd this large with close to over forty more people joining us, the servers and bartenders had no problem taking care of all of us. Thank you Sheryl and Steven for an amazing event!
(5)
Jennifer B.
This Tavern is a hidden gem. We started with the flat bread and drinks by the outside fire pits. We continued inside the dining room with the chop shop salad, Mac and Cheese and the rib eye. We went back outside for more drinks and the warm chocolate chip cookies and adult chocolate milk. Everything about this meal was awesome! Great service and great food!!!
(5)
Jason S.
Great experience. Drinks were great, food was great, and service was great. We had the homemade tots, salads, and cookies and adult milk. Good stuff and good portions. Leah was our server. She did an excellent job and was extremely friendly. Fun time. We will be back.
(5)
Thania G.
Good happy hour. A some of the items are a little pricey but overall really enjoyed the ambiance and warmth of the place. Don't be discouraged that it's in a hotel. They have outdoor patio fireplaces and it's an overall trendy and romantic vibe. Perfect for happy hour w/ the girls or a date w/ the bf
(4)
Kim H.
I'm a sucker for the word "Tavern." I will try any restaurant with "Tavern" in the name. It's a problem. This is, most definitely, not a Tavern. It's a restaurant in a hotel. It's better than a lot of hotel restaurants, but it's still a hotel restaurant (and the food reflects that). I started with the pesto flatbread, which was tasty. It's very thin and I could have easily eaten the whole thing myself, but I wanted to save some room for a proper entree. Since it was 100 degrees outside, I thought a salad sounded refreshing. I got the South Coast salad with salmon added. This was pretty much one of the worst salads I've ever had. The "mixed greens" were bottom-of-the-bag mixed greens. I swear some of them looked wilted and brown. It was just...bad. And, with the salmon added, it was $22. No. Just no. I highly doubt we'll be back. They do have a happy hour menu with some decent items, so I guess you could come here for that (and a couple drinks). The service is decent--nothing great, not bad. Just keep your expectations low and you'll probably have a nice time. I was expecting too much.
(2)
Tamara J.
Scan the other reviews and skip it. They hit all the points- lackluster service, out of stock menu items, marginal food, high hotel prices. Cold sweet potato fries...we ordered duck fries and weren't told they were out until after we received what we didn't order. A steak ordered med-rare. The mid 2 inches were, but one end was well and the other was mooing. Soggy, flavorless fish and chips not even malt vinegar could save. Star for the slaw, though. There are only about 30 better options for spending $200 on dinner for 5 within walking distance.
(2)
Christine K.
A hidden gem. If you're looking for a quiet and relaxing place to lounge around with some friends over good food and drinks, this is the place to be. My friends and I came on a Friday night, around 8pm, and it was almost empty. There were a few people at the bar and more people outside on the patio. Food can be a bit pricey but they currently have a late night HH from 9pm-11pm where their beers, well drinks, flatbreads and hot wings are all $5!! Aside from the food, I wanted to write about their absolutely phenomenal service. Our main server, Wailea, was very attentive and knew about everything the bar and restaurant served. She would come by ever so often to make sure we had everything we needed. Not only that, she even split our bill (for a party of 10) and individually charged each one of our cards. WHAT SERVER NORMALLY DOES THIS?!? This alone made me want to tip her more. Hahaha!! Amazing! Erik was another person who checked up on us. Seemed like he was the restaurant manager or something...not sure... But he helped me out since last night when I called in to make a reservation. He assured me that he would have a perfect place outside on the patio for my group of 10. Once I and my party got there, he continued to assure us that he would take care of anything we needed. Oh, and he had quite a sense of humor! My friends and I had a few good laughs with Erik. Anyways, if you're ever in Orange County and want to get away from the crazy, loud, and dirty bar scene, check out Fireside Tavern! You won't be disappointed!
(5)
Rosie Y.
LOTS OF FREE PARKING, thank goodness. Big dining space too, inside and outside. Service was good, I sat near the bar. They have two television screens and on one of the TVs, the Food Network Channel was on! Score. Anthony Bourdain, Parts Unknown. I ordered the fries. It's a lot of food. Plus, they gave me two dipping sauces + ketchup. Very tasty. Then came the sliders. It's a lot of bread on the bun but overall, it was pretty good. The price was too good to be true. If I had gone anywhere else, it would have been double what they normally charge. As if that wasn't enough, they have happy hour prices on their food and drinks too, which I must partake in soon. There were a lot of loud patrons there, guess they were getting loaded before going up to their room. The server I had was great!
(5)
Tiffany D.
Fine selections of wine! I got their French Dip and it was lacking true thickness of meat. It was more shredded meat, a bit on the oily side, but it hit the spot. Wings were of the standard. Yum! I like their Charcuterie platter that consisted of Truffle Brie cheese, marinade Balsamic vinegar, Blue cheese, grapes, salami and other cured meat! It's great for happy hour and this place has a nice spacious lounge with open space near the fireside! There's outside patio that has contemporary fire as well! Nicely named and located in the Crown Plaza hotel! My only complaint would be the staffing. They seemed a bit lacking because I had to get the attention of one waiter, who was the only one there running the show the entire time I was dining. I wasn't patient enough to wait so I went to the bar counter to order my wine. I was thirsty. On another lounging time I was here, I had to fetch for my own tap water because the limited staff members were preoccupied. I couldn't wait. I was thirsty. Besides staffing, this will be feasible as a kickback on the hotel grounds!
It's always great having dinner with our awesome Yelp friends, Laina and Rohlin A. When we met them at Fireside Tavern the other night, it was so nice to catch up. Nothing's better than wonderful friends, good food, and great service! We started with some appetizers. Smothered with just enough duck confit and cheese, the Duck Fries were great. The Grilled Flatbread was delicious too! With the right amount of chicken, BBQ sauce, and gouda cheese on the perfectly grilled flatbread, this was incredibly yummy! I ordered the Tavern Cobb Salad. With lots of fresh turkey, bacon, avocado, tomato, egg, and blue cheese, with a wonderful creamy dressing, this was one great salad. Although I'm not exactly sure what was in this dressing (I noticed the delicious avocado), this dressing helped make this salad terrific. Although my son said his kid's Mac n Cheese was "just okay" (it really lacked flavor), my husband liked his burger. The Proprietor's Burger had two unique cheeses (taleggio and dolcelatte), bacon, and tomato, and was very filling and tasty. My husband said the burger was "very good", which is unusually high praise coming from him! I thought the service was good here too. The staff was friendly and helpful. We were checked on often, and our waitress was really nice. The restaurant had a cool, relaxed vibe as well. When we wanted to see the score to the Ducks game, they changed one of the channels for us. Even though the Ducks lost, it was nice using the time to catch up with friends. With the relaxed atmosphere, good food, and friendly service, I look forward to stopping by this restaurant for their Happy Hour sometime in the near future!
(4)
John H.
This is really an unfortunate review to write. Overview and then details. 15 minutes -- no greeting + no server + no menu = no food. July 4th .. four guys cross the street from the Hilton to get a taste of something different than what we've been eating at our rooming house. I was looking forward to coming here as I had bookmarked it before the trip to Costa Mesa. Located inside the Crown Plaza Hotel, it looked inviting and warm with table and casual seating. It was very quiet with only a few other guests this early afternoon on this Saturday holiday. We entered and stood at the entrance for a moment and then sat ourselves as the staff buzzed around. Two wait staff were standing at a station counting the bank (or tips), a staff person behind the bar drinking something dark, and another zipping around not accomplishing much BUT did pass us twice without a glance. Within moments, the entire staff disappeared. The zippy one re-appeared to buss a table that had left before we arrived. I grabbed a complimentary newspaper and we split up the sections in our group and began to browse the news. Waiting. Another wait staff appears in the room. "If anyone walks by one more time without saying a word or even a smile, we're out." We left after 15 minutes. No greeting. No menu. No food. This review is solely based on the lack of service.
(1)
Dennis L.
Happy hour here is superb. Great service. Friendly. Good atmosphere. This review is only for the happy hour because well, I'm a huge happy hour guy. Anyway I ordered the guacamole and chips. They gave us a ton of guacamole. Yummy!! Ordered the duck fries too. Loved it even more. I also ordered the proprietary burger. Was delicious, practically tasted like the happy hour burger over at Flemings! Loved this place. I'll be back!!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Breakfast, Dinner Parking : Garage, Private Lot Bike Parking : No Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Lisa G.
Home made potato chips with the sandwiches at lunch ! Yes ! More please ! :)
(5)Howie C.
I just finished rockin' out with Carl St. Clair and the Pacific Symphony on a Tuesday night... where the heck can I find some late night grub in Costa Mesa? Surprisingly, there aren't that many places open after the show. Instead of doing TGIF or Karl Strauss, we opted to try Fireside Tavern. Just over the 405 freeway hill in the Crowne Plaza Hotel is this large restaurant/lounge. It's open until midnight. They have late night happy hour! 4 Stars for the 3 p.m. - 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. - 12 a.m. happy hours. They only serve the happy hour menu after 10 p.m. 3.5 stars if you had to pay full price for non-happy hour. Items we had for Happy Hour (happy hour prices noted): Moscow Mule ($6) - All margaritas and mules are $6 during happy hour! Smothered Fries ($7) - Fries with melted cheese and short rib on top. The short rib has a lot of flavor, they marinate it real good. It could use a little gravy or sauce to go on top of the fries, but other than that, they were good. Proprietor's 8 oz. Burger ($8) - Half Pound Burger with Taleggio Cheese, Nueske Bacon, Tomato Jam and Arugula on a Toasted Sesame Brioche with fries. It's not mind blowing, but it's good. I'd order this again. Tavern Grilled Cheese ($8) - Aged Vermont Cheddar, Gruyere, Nueske Bacon, Grilled Onions in Sourdough Bread. Served with pickles and thick cut potato chips. Everything tasted good, I just wished the bacon was cooked to a crisp before they put it in the sandwich. The fatty parts were a little limp which is ehhhh in my book. The interior here is sweet. It has a cabiney feel but in a modern way. There's a pig in the dining room and there are TVs in the bar area. There was only one server working the late shift and she didn't forget a thing. It was quiet when we went. If you are racking your brains to find an after-the-show place to get some eats at, Fireside Tavern is as good of a place as any. Their contemporary bar food is all around good, especially for the happy hour price. Where else are you going to find $4 Wines, Blue Crab Deviled Eggs ($4), Tater Tots with Baked Potato Toppings ($5), Pimento Cheese Fondue ($4) or Charcuterie & Cheese Board ($8) at 11 p.m. on a weeknight?
(4)Andi D.
I never leave reviews... but this place deserves this one star. To be honest I would give the chef a 4 star and the staff and service a big goose egg. I was a waitress at one time in my life, and this was an embarrassment to all people in the service industry. I'm sorry chef but you will probably not have a restaurant in the near future.
(1)Brittany P.
I really liked this hidden little gem. The service is ok and the food is actually very good. I tried the fish and chips and they were among the best I've had. I was pleasantly surprised. This is a great after-work or date spot because it's usually not too crowded and you don't feel rushed to eat/drink and move on.
(3)Kim J.
2stars because the Server was very nice. (Jacqueline?) The decor is ok but it's to bright! Dim the lights! Get a Hostess! The food was terrible the shrimp app so tough! $35 Ribeye bad. Garlic Mash potato out of a box for sure. If I didn't have a $100 gift Cert. I would have been really upset. I was very disappointed though to say the least.
(2)Julie H.
Fireside Tavern is located inside the Crowne Plaza Hotel off the 405 freeway. My friend and I stopped by for a late dinner on a Wednesday night and I was immediately relieved that I was still in my work attire because the atmosphere was a bit on the fancier side. The layout is a pretty diverse and I had to fully take in the scene before I could figure out where I should sit. The fireplaces and heater outside probably make for a great environment in which to relax and have a couple drinks. There's a bar area with high top seats and a couple TVs. There's a coffee table with couches in one area. There's a few more plush couches for lounging with drinks and there's also a bigger dining area. They really managed to pack their medium-sized venue with a handful of different seating options. Many of the reviews I've read recalled having bad service experiences here. Aside from our waitress forgetting our silverware when she brought out our food she was great! She checked on us often, our food was served promptly and she was friendly. We started with the meatball sliders. This appetizer comes with 3 small sliders for $7. They weren't bad. I appreciated the amount of sauce they provided, the brioche bun was soft and the meatballs were pretty big and tender. We then split the tavern mac n cheese and the proprietor burger (medium) with fries. I always try to sub normal fries for sweet potato fries--this wasn't an option here. The mac n cheese was disappointing. It was more milky than cheesy and the only flavor we got out of it was from the sizable pieces of ham and bacon mixed in with the pasta. I would have liked the pasta to actually taste cheesy to complement the chunks of meat. The one word that comes to mind when I recall the burger is salty. The brioche bun was sweet and the rest of the burger was way too salty. I didn't taste any district flavors in the additives and condiments in the burger. It really could've used some avocado or fried egg to add more flavor and help balance out the salt. The ketchup provided didn't help because I'm fairly certain it was mixed with a hot sauce which only added to the salty taste. For dessert we ordered the s'mores. We didn't get marshmallows and chocolate sandwiched between a couple graham crackers as predicted. Instead we got a jar filled with ice cream, toasted marshmallow, chocolate and a hard to reach graham cracker layer on the bottom. This was the best part of the meal but definitely the hardest to eat. I'm really curious as to how they managed to pack in all those ingredients into such a tight space. After tax and tip our meal totaled to about $50 which wasn't bad at all. This place has a lot of potential with its cozy interior, friendly staff and nice patio; I just wish the food hadn't been so unimpressive. I can't imagine I'll be coming back to dine here but I might stop by to catch a game or have a drink near the fireplace outside.
(2)Terry L.
No matter for Breakfast, Dinner or Late Night Fireside Tavern is an easy great choice if you are staying in the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Fireside Tavern features a rotating selection of draft beers, wine and cocktails. Two flat screen TV's flank the back bar so you can keep up with all the sports. Outside they have ample seating around some cozy fire pit installations. Great Happy Hour Menu Options- I would have to recommend the Loaded Tater Tots as my favorite. No foolin= This is a Meal in itself! Massive Home made Tater Tots are covered by Tillmook cheddar cheese, Bacon, Chives and Sour Cream= only $5 for HH price. I also enjoyed their Tavern Grilled cheese Sandwich. Nowhere near healthy- but also loaded with cheesey goodness of Vermont Aged Cheddar and Gruyere with Caramelized Onions on Texas Toast-sized Sourdough Bread. Normally $13 - but $8 for HH price.
(4)Caroline K.
Located in the Crowne Plaza Hotel (free parking), so it can be a little difficult to find if you didn't realize that. I've been here twice now, mainly for drinks, and the staff have always been friendly. Bartenders are pretty good, too. I've tried the Icelandic Mule and a few other drinks. They have Happy Hour every day (never been for HH though) along with a Burger and Beer night on Thursdays, which sounded pretty cool as the burger and beer changes all the time. As for the food, we tried the Proprietor's Burger (I think it's $13 but only like $8 during HH!) and the Ice Box Cake (a chocolate wafer cake w/ oreo flavoring). The burger was nice and juicy, but the dessert was super sweet. There's always plenty of seating as I've never seen this place crowded, but it's a nice spot to get a drink, a bite to eat, and be able to converse normally. They also have a nice outdoor seating area as well.
(4)Raymond A.
this place was my first time visiting. the food was mediocre and it was pricy for the amount of food they gave us. the duck fries because of yelp reviews made me expect an amazing experience but it was just fries cook in duck fat which tasted just salty and greasy. the duck was okay but it was not worth $14 for a small pan of fries. the crispy tacos were $8 and have just two tacos so basically $4/taco. for that price the taco wasnt exceptionally delicious or special. i liked the pasta though and mac n cheese. the flatbreads too were decent but the bread was a bit too hard. overall, i wouldnt pay the price that i did for the dishes we bought. i would try cheesecake factory or somewhere else that delivers better quality and quantity of food for the same price.
(2)Tom M.
Based on word of mouth, we took a work group to lunch. Walking in, we were struck by the fact that it was pretty cool for being located in a Crown Plaza Hotel. The outdoor fire pit was nice, and the rest of the interior looked inviting (I'll need to check it at happy hour). Before we ever took a bite, we were thrilled by the presentation of our meals. Wow. Considering the group was full of designers, it takes a lot to get their approval on something visual. But as one designer said, "Everything looks camera-ready." High praise indeed. Now, did everything taste good? Very much so! The burger is about the best I've had in the OC, and absolutely crushes nearby Umami Burger. The Rueben is another fav, and we loved the happy hour bites! They have a rotating list of excellent craft beers, and some great wine choices at seriously reasonable prices (bottle of B Wise Wisdom only $40--a huge deal). These guys truly work passionately to make you a fan. With their terrific prices and a hip vibe, the Tavern quickly won us over. Why don't people know about it? They don't have a sign in front yet (buried in hotel and city ordinance red tape, I hear). I've been there 5 times already, and definitely going back soon.
(4)John H.
Fireside tavern was amazing! Breakfast was so good and Carmella is the sweetest waitress we have ever encountered. Must stay at the Crown Plaza next time you're here!
(5)Beth T.
I recently came here on a Thursday night with a few friends, and our experience was a bit polarizing. It's located inside a hotel- the parking is easy, you don't have to valet, and we were seated immediately. The food was delicious, but It was overpriced (5.00 for a mediocre bread basket that most places would give away for free). They were out of some menu items, but overall no one had complaints about the food. The Service was TERRIBLE. We were there for 2.5 hours and spent 40 minutes basically just sitting there after our meal. No drink refills, no check up on how your food was. Our waitress had a permanent scowl on her face. I had ordered something spicy and trying to get a drink refill felt like trying to get a glass of water in the desert. The service staff changed 3/4 of the way through our meal and the guy was a bit more friendly but slowwwww. Considering we were one of maybe 3 groups total in the restaurant it was pretty awful. Overall very frustrating, food was good but I don't think I would go back.
(3)Vy T.
Met up with some girlfriends here for a late night hang out. I've never been to a bar inside a hotel so I was definitely skeptical, but walking into this place I was amazed at how nice and upscale it was. It's fairly large with outdoor seating and a toasty fire pit outside, as well as couches and bar tables to hang out at. The atmosphere is very relaxed and seems like the perfect place to catch up with some friends or unwind after a hard day at work. We settled on the couch and looked through the menu, and lucky us it was late night happy hour!! All the menu items sounded amazing, so we asked the bartender (Andrew) for his recommendations. He suggested the burger and we ordered it to share . It was delicious, a perfectly cooked patty sandwiched between a brioche bun and crispy thick fries on the side for $8. Onto the drinks, Andrew was super friendly and recommended a new drink called the Juniata. When it came out, I was amazed because it looked gorgeous. It had tequila, mint, grapefruit, raspberries and freshly squeezed lime, adorned with a raspberry! All the flavors balanced each other without being too sweet. Overall, my experience was great and I can't wait to come back and try their other happy hour items such as the grilled cheese and tater tots!!
(5)Martha V.
We just finished a delicious lunch at the Fireside Tavern. My Chopped Salad was delicious with inventive ingredients like goat cheese, tiny, baby beet slices and more. I ate every bite! My husband just had an order of fries and they were fantastic, hand cut and came with a spicy ketchup that we loved. We saw a cheeseburger go by on its way to some lucky guest and it was huge and juicy looking. Our server, Carmela was gracious and attentive, she is a new employee and will certainly be an asset to this charming restaurant & bar. The restaurant was super clean and had plenty of parking. Thank you for exceeding our expectations, we will be back.
(5)gretchen c.
Good Happy Hour apps on a Thurs Nite. Service a tad lackluster but food was good, and ambiance was hip & relaxing. Good find!
(3)Chris K.
Found out about this place after attending a yelp elite event. They were serving these delicious pork belly sliders! But sadly, they were no where on the menu. I hope they add them to the menu soon! Started off with the loaded tater tots and the meat & cheese board. The loaded tater tots were disappointing. The potatoes were hard and dry. Enjoyed the meat and cheese plate. Good variety of cheeses and meats! I also liked the fact that it came with some figs and apricot spread. A nice balance of sweet and salty. Of the two, I'd recommend the meat and cheese plate. The burgers were great. The meat was tender and juicy and came with a buttery bun. Good flavor in the burger. It was pretty big too and it came with some fries. I'm not a fan of ketchup, but I liked theirs. It had a hint of spice to it and definitely had a different taste than your typical Heinz. Came during happy hour and for what we paid, it was a good meal. It wasn't too busy yet the service was a bit lacking. My water cup stayed empty for quite some time before someone noticed. Also, I was bothered by the fact that there were a few flies that kept pestering us while dining here. A few small, what looked like fruit fries, and a typical house fly. I understand that the doors are open that connect to the patio, but something needs to be done to keep the flies out somehow. I don't like having to constantly swat flies out of the way while eating, espically when out at a restaurant.
(3)Pablo S.
I usually visit this location 4 or 5 times a month for work events and I am never dissapointed with their service and quality of food. The staff really developes a rapport with their customers and takes the time to get to know you. I especially want to express my gratitude for Cesar and his great service. He always goes over and beyond the level of service. The food is amazing and the beer selection is great as well.
(5)Robert D.
This place is great. Delicious food, great service, and excellent service. We loaded up on the happy hour menu. We got the loaded Tater Tots, guacamole, and Tavern Burger. Everything was very tasty. They have a good variety of draft beer too. This place is kind of hidden because it's inside the Crown Plaza hotel. I will definitely be going back.
(5)Elizabeth Z.
I've dined at this restaurant twice for dinner while staying at this hotel and I loved it! Great food and an awesome staff. Definitely worth a try if you want a relaxed atmosphere in the Costa Mesa area.
(4)Andie P.
Food is amazing at a great price. Was there for happy hour and their $8 burger is huge and delicious!!! $4 glasses of wine made it a nice pair. Tacos not worth ordering as you can get a big burger for just a couple more bucks. Icebox cake was yummy. Don't go if you are pressed for time as our server didn't really check on us especially after we were done eating. Regardless, totally worth going. Nice little hidden gem inside the Crown Royal Hotel.
(4)Joshua G.
Wow this time around much better. Started with the guacamole appetizer. It was gone in no time. My wife got the Mac n cheese and I got the chicken and sweet potato mash. Both were amazing. Our waitress Agnes did a superb job as well!
(4)Matthew M.
Came on a Thursday night and it was pretty quiet. The place is really well laid out and they have a nice outside patio as well. A+ on the design. Walked in and was told to sit where ever we want so we chose outside. Took a while before the waiter got to us as I think they are really slow but not sure why. Anyhow. Ordered: American Charcuterie - Pretty damn tasty. Cheese was delicious and the meat slices were packed with flavor. Grilled flatbread - Very flat and didn't like this one at all. Proprietors burger - Best burger I've had in a while. Grilled to perfection and all ingredients worked well together. Wow I'm coming back for this alone. Tilamook cheddar and chive mash - Pretty good as well. Could have been better if it wasn't whipped to death...no potato bite at all. Anchor batter beer fish and chips - It was one huge loin of pacific cod which caused the batter to be overly fried and messed up the texture of the bite. If cooked better or cut in smaller pieces this would have great potential. Overall it was good. Food quality and decor could make this place a hit but need to fine tune some things. I'll be back for the burger though and hopefully things improve.
(3)David W.
This is a chill, low key, classy place. Good parking and great food. The chefs really know their stuff. Burgers are really good, pork chop had great flavor and was melt in your mouth tender. Best Cobb salad ever. Woot
(5)Romuel Dave C.
Not a bad place to grab a drink and some food for Happy hour. The space is wide and open, though the tables close to the bar are a little congested, and enclose the people AT the bar on bar stools... Drink wise, they make them decently, depending on what bartender you get. The Old Fashions were ok, and most whiskey drinks were decent, but I guess im more intrigued that they had Allagash on tap.. one of my favorites. And during HH, the Pint is $6, not bad at all Fireside, not bad at all. Foodwise, I tried their Burger, their guacamole, and charcuterie platter... all were decent enough. The fries were crispy and wells seasoned to accompany a good grilled burger. The side of "sweet" slicked pickles help blend all the flavors together. The Guac was good too, nothing to rave about..but then again, guac is guac, if its fresh and salted, the avocado pretty much does all the work for you. The charcuterie was decent enough, had a good amount of cheese, meats, and fruit. The Bleue Chese was off the hook, and the goat cheese very pungent. Went well with the dates, pickles, and salami. Only thing I'd say, is it needs more grain items to help go with the rest of the dish (ie, MORE BREAD OR CRACKER!) This is inside the Crown Plaza, so parking can be a little hard if they are booked...which usually isn't the case, unless there is a convention, or something big happening in the South OC. The only problem I had with this place, is damn, we packed it, and the A/C was struggling! I was sweating like a pig in there! Not the bidness when you are trying to buy cocktails for the cute girl at the couch, and you have to keep wiping your forehead for sweat! Just kidding! Maybe...
(3)Spencer W.
Breakfast buffet for $15.95 - decent quality food - cooked to order eggs. Very nice, clean ambiance and setting. The coffee was outstanding! Great way to start the day.
(4)Sarah L.
Before I start, most importantly, happy hours times are... 3-6 pm and 10-12 am :) This place is a solid 3.5 stars. Ambiance: -It is located inside Crowne Plaza and the decor of the place is very inviting. -Quiet -If you want to sit outside, they have 2 separate areas where there is a gorgeous fireplace. Perfect for lounging! Service: -The servers and bartenders are very friendly and polite Food: -Chop shop salad was very delicious. They used pulled chicken which was soft and moist, plentiful avocado, corn, tomato, bacon, dates with goat cheese. The goat cheese tasted like a perfect tangy cream cheese. (this salad is delicious, but nothing special) -Roasted cauliflower- It's very cool how the cauliflower is all fused together into one piece.. so you cut it like a steak to eat. This has a lemony taste to it with an anchovy piece on top. -Maine scallops served with corn risotto and corn pudding with the rhubarb on top. In my opinion, the rhubarb didn't really go with the dish. -Tavern steak- this was not my dish, but looked delicious -Ice box cake- This basically looks like a mud cake and oreo had a giant baby. This has a chocolate wafer cake, which tasted a tad soggy with scharffen berger ganache with 1 raspberry on top.
(3)Tami W.
A surprising gem in the Crowne Plaza on Bristol with no signage. Once you know it's there, parking and accessing the restaurant is easy. Hands down, this was the best burger and fries I've ever had, and was served with homemade ketchup with a kick, and delicious crisp pickle chips. Interior is beautiful, very well done. I rarely review, but the restaurant was nearly empty and I'd like to see this one flourish. Lost one star for the mediocre wait staff. Pleasant enough, but certainly not a match for the outstanding food we experienced.
(4)Stephen S.
The food was four stars (five, except one steak dish was raw). However, the service was horrible. I made my reservation for a party of ten for a birthday through OpenTable. I heard nothing from them, and on the day of the event, called to make sure and to increase the party to 11. I left a message and they never called back. I called later in the afternoon and the gal said, no I don't have access to the voice mail. Then what good is it? When we arrived, no table for 11. They set it for 8. Why??? Even then, the table was cramped and I had to drag over another small table to add to our comfort. Not a soul was there except us. No water service. We had to constantly waive over the waiter to assist. There was no suggestion of appetizers. Plates were cleared haphazardly or not at all. A stack of dirty plates were left in front of my guests for half of the meal. I brought a cake and paid $2 per plate for service. They did not even bring me the leftover cake. Nor did anyone wish us a good night at the end of the meal. Did I mention we were the only ones in the place? Literally. Too bad, as the food was really tasty and nicely presented. When I invite ten of my friends for an event like this, I expect much more. Goes to show that when gratuity is added for large parties, the incentive is to not work for it. At least for this waiter. My last time here.
(2)John S.
Foodie-grade hotel restaurant in a pleasant setting. What's cool here is the chef has taken American classics, such as tater tots and mac&cheese and reimagined them in a modern way. Happy hour is a great way to sample his wares. Plus I enjoy breakfast here; simple poached eggs on toast becomes a gourmet experience!
(4)Matt V.
This review covers a special event, so may not be typical of service, etc. in the Tavern itself. We went to a surprise birthday party which was set up in the back room of the Tavern, away from all the tables and booths off the main lobby. It was very cozy and home-like with all the sofas and decor. There was access to the outside patio which had the heaters on and a small bar set up along with high top tables and stools, pretty much all set aside for our group of about 40+ people. Another room adjacent had food in large pans to keep the food warm. The food consisted of: mini empanadas with a cheese sauce on the side, battered deep fried fish, chopped chicken, cheese quesadillas, tortillas, salsa, queso fresco, guacamole, shredded lettuce and cabbage, basically a build your own taco bar. Everything was good enough I went back a second time. Not high end food but plenty of it and it was customizable. Again, your mileage may vary. There are more offerings on the regular menu which we did not get. Ambiance: A+ Service: A+ (private event, extra hands on deck, good bartender) Food: B I can't say about prices since our host picked up the tab. If you are thinking about a gathering you might want to check the event or catering manager for prices, we all had a nice time.
(3)Ming T.
Gosh, I really wish I loved this place more. The decor is so awesome and great outdoor seating, but the food is very courtyard Marriott (i.e. overpriced bad hotel food). BTW, this little hidden "gem" is located in the Crown Plaza. Came here last Saturday for a late lunch and it was very quiet. It was us and one other table. We ordered the pretzel as an appetizer, the cobb salad, and the patty melt. Pretzel was ok, nothing special. The cobb salad was something you would buy at a Trader Joe's and definitely not restaurant quality. The patty melt was tasty, but forgettable. The lunch menu overall wasn't very exciting. Based on the yelp pictures, I'm thinking the dinner menu or happy hour menu might be more inspired. So why the 3 stars versus something lower? Because I would come back here to grab a drink and hang out. The service was attentive and friendly. Plenty of free parking. Now if they can only do something about the food. There is so much potential for this place!
(3)Peter N.
Found this gem after a concert at The Observatory. Finally a place not only open late but they have a late happy hour!! The drinks where quite good. We ordered the tater tots, Tavern burger, and flat bread pizza. Food was amazing and hit the spot after a wicked concert. This will definitely be our new fav pre concert meet up spot and late night grub spot! If you cant figure out where it is then you don't deserve to eat here :)
(4)Manny S.
Good food here and great service. The setup is nice and eating here can be addictive while staying at the hotel. Room service is good too
(5)Johnny P.
COOL HIDDEN GEM! Came here for our team's dinner and drinks. Great little hidden restaurant located in the Crown Plaza Hotel. Pros: - Plenty of indoor space and seating - Outdoor fireside lounging/seating area to share drinks or plates (really enjoyed the fire pit area) - Get too drunk, no problem...get a hotel room! Cons: - It was kinda quiet when we came and still had a hotel guest/patrons vibe to it (yes, I know its in a hotel) THE FOOD (Happy hour: 4 to 7 PM & 10 PM to Close): - Charcuterie Platter: nice combination of cheeses and meats, really liked the salami pieces. The bread could've been better. Recommended if sharing or pairing with wine - Loaded Tater Tots: a very sophisticated version of tater tots on a skillet. Pretty good, a must try it once, platter. - Short-Rib Pie with Bone Marrow: had high expectations, but the pie was mediocre. The crust was simple, short rib was a okay. Bone Marrow was cooked perfectly, seasoning was good. - Grilled Cheese Sandwich: this was probably my favorite platter, bread was toasted perfectly and the cheese and bacon was perfectly balanced! Recommended! - Deviled Duck Eggs: was really good to me, nothing special though. May be salty for some people. - Sauteed Mushrooms: this was a surpriser, lots of flavor and saucey, if you like mushrooms, you will enjoy this! Overall, really liked the decor and layout. Service was good and would recommend if you wanted to go somewhere more intimate and/or a small group gathering with a lounge vibe. The only drawback was just the hotel patrons-vibe, so it can feel a little quiet at times.
(4)Jeff H.
Tried Fireside for the first time recently, based on the reviews here. The decor is nice, the bar is surprisingly small I thought, but the outdoor seating with the fire-pits are well done. The burger like others have mentioned is amazing! Tried some other appetizers such as the fried mac and cheese balls, and a few others, nothing was above average. This place needs some polish in terms of service/personnel. On my one visit here early Thursday night they ran out of Jack Daniels....who does that?
(3)Di N.
I was in town for a wedding and was stranded with no car at the hotel tonight. I came down to grab a bite at the hotel and had an awesome experience thanks to the bartender (Andrew) and the other patrons at the bar. I ordered the tater tots (which was on the late night happy hour menu) and whatever Andrew recommended on tap. The tater tots were PERFECT...it came with bacon and spicy ketchup. And it was 5 bucks. What. I had the Golden Road IPA and Carpe Dia (tequilaaaaaa), which I was very happy with. I have never been to a bar where the bartender actually cared about my day and my interests. Since I was traveling alone, it was great to be in such a comfortable and socialable environment. The restaurant was also VERY clean with huge tvs (for the sports fans). Needless to say, it was a great (and yummy) late night dinner. Thanks for the recommendation Andrew!
(5)Imran H.
This place is a sleeper! Apparently my friend has been coming here and made some good claims on a lot of things from atmosphere to drinks and service all being on point. Usually that all doesn't come together majority of the time. We came in during happy hour and grabbed the house cab at $4.00 a pour. Good wine and well priced. The bar had a good selection of craft beers and full selection of whiskey to choose from. Nice. I also grabbed this drink that was recommended called the Honey Badger. Good refreshing ginger beer, some mint leaves with whiskey. I had about 4 of these. Not strong, but great on warm night. Everyone would love this drink if you haven't tried one already- better version of a mojito. The bartender is a cool dude. He nodded some great recommendations. Service was great. Head in there and ask for Andrew. Now the location is straight up hidden. You have to be paying attention if your not from the area. It is located inside of the Crowne Plaza hotel. The atmosphere is super chill. They have a fresh outdoor area with fireplaces and couches to lounge on. There is a good amount of space outside to hold a lot of people. I was surprised at how empty the place was. I'll be back to try the food.
(5)Thuy-Vy N.
what to order: loaded tater tots and Tavern burger with fries tip: its inside the hotel, you have to park in the structure and walk in woo hoo! another place that is open late for me to eat when I get off of work AND they offer a Happy Hour menu its a very nice, new and modern looking restaurant/bar the hotel customers come here to eat and drink the tater tots were really good, a little too think so they we're mushy in the middle I got the grilled cheese but I lost interest half way through the meal my boyfriend loved his Tavern burger though we had a great server, I forgot his name but he was really easy-going, friendly and experienced in the restaurant business definitely a place to try out if its late, will be back
(4)Jason W.
Was disappointed that the Gruyere grilled cheese with bacon sandwich (shown in other Yelp reviews) is no longer in the menu. But opted for the French dip instead. A worthy alternative.
(4)William N.
What can I say. Second time here and I love it even more. Talk about great service and great drinks/food. Wailea has been our server for the second time and she is down right amazing. She remembered me and my girlfriend from the last time we came which was a month or two ago. She remembered what beers I had because I told her I like trying new beers and she remembered the two beers I ordered prior. Chris is an amazing manager I was speaking to him and he is new to this establishment. This restaurant is very lucky to have these two working here. They give off great vibes and make it enjoyable to be here. Chris even gave us a taste of bruschetta off the menu that the chef made. They are quick as well. Will be coming here more and more down the road. Cheers to Chris and Wailea.
(5)Robert G.
The remodel looks nice, but it's a little bright for a restaurant. They would out of two beers on the beer list they gave us. And out of their signature steak which was also in the menu. Not sure why they couldn't have printed a new menu, or told us when they handed us the menu. I felt really bad for the server, she kept having to come back and give us the bad news. Not sure we will go back. Sucks because it's close to our house.
(2)Larry N.
First and last time here. Let me explain... Service sucked, never once did our waiter check up on us or ask us if we needed any condiments, refills, or anything else for that matter. When our orders came out, our waiter looked like he was annoyed because he couldn't find which party had which order. Extremely unorganized. If you're reading this, cock asian waiter with glasses; please find another career you're actually half decent at. Ordered the hush puppies, bad. Fish and chips, bad. This tasted like burnt oil, the batter was gross. Tasted the steak that we asked for medium rare and came out well done, mediocre. If you're looking to catch a buzz here go elsewhere. Drinks are overpriced and the atmosphere isn't all that great. I honestly think I would've had a better time next door at McDonald's, seriously.
(1)christie l.
My friends and I came wanting the taco Tuesday deal that we read about. Unfortunately, taco Tuesday doesn't exist any longer. But they do have good food on happy hour! We ordered flatbread pizza, fish tacos, wings, fries, and guac. I really liked their guac and fish tacos! Ashley was helping us out that nice and she is so sweet, kind, patient, and fun! It was busy in there but she never rushed us, and always checked in on us. She made us feel comfortable and welcome especially since we were younger than the average crowd that comes through. I've been to places where they neglected is bc we were younger than the average crowd, so Ashely made a difference! She made sure our order was right and out in a good time. I'll definitely be coming back here again.
(5)Janey H.
I normally don't write reviews because I don't know if my personal preference is merit to applaud or criticize a business, however this place has really left a bad taste in my mouth. I've visited this establishment 3 times in the last 2 weeks. I thought it was a great little spot with good food for value, nice decor, and casual seating. I was really rooting for this place to become a popular nightlife location. LA is known for hotel nightlife and bars. I wanted to see OC grow into its own as well. So I decided to drag my 10 friends from HH at Morton's on a Friday afternoon to visit this place that I was so smitten over. Got there and asked for their HH menu. They had 2 drinks and draft beers on special. We said ok, that's fine. We ordered some desserts and appetizers. Ice cream came out melted and chocolate milk was warm. Did I mention, the server spilled 2 glasses of water on us.We asked if we could buy a bottle. The server came back with a price and we accepted. Later, she said they didn't have enough and had quoted the wrong price. After going back and forth on a few different options, she then said the manager couldn't sell us a bottle. They wasted an hour of our time. No one apologized. The manager didn't come explain or see how we were doing. We are understanding of your rules, however it was the lack of professionalism on the management's behalf. By quoting us a price, giving us options, then all of a sudden saying you can't serve us makes it seem as though it was discrimination rather than procedure. You are not ready to run a restaurant. I will never come back nor will I tell any of my friends about this establishment. Fireside Tavern has turned a supporter into an adversary.
(1)Matt C.
Made reservations which was clearly unnecessary. There wasn't even a hostess to seat us, we had to seat ourselves. Like other reviews mentioned, service is slow. Food was pretty awful. All the delicious looking dishes on yelp aren't even available anymore. Came here for the short rib pot pie with bone marrow, but it was removed from the menu. - Special of the day, mahi mahi was bland and under seasoned. Wasn't tasteful at all. - Cedar plank salmon was a little bit more flavorful, but overly oily which actually gave my buddy a stomach ache! - Mexi corn was cold, too sour, and too spicy. I actually sent this back. - Pretzel with cheese fondue... a small ketchup metal cup full of cheese sauce isn't what I had in mind. I wouldn't even consider this fondue! What a disappointment! - Free dessert since the mexi corn was sent back, ice box cake, this was basically big oreos which chocolate sauce. Yuck! Took one bite and didn't touch it again. If it wasn't for the manager trying to make it right to us, I would give this nasty restaurant a one star!
(2)Maria G.
This cute little gem is hidden inside of crowne plaza hotel. Very nice atmosphere with not a lot of people Inside, which is nice...gave you tons of seating option. We were helped by a nice bartender named Andrew, he makes the drinks strong and sweet, with a nice kick to it. Came around happy hour and they got a good deal on the wines. We ordered a bunch of other drinks and the tab came out to be impressive. I was also eyeing the fries, didn't get a chance to try it out, but I will be back for those. They looked very delicious! Gave me a damn eye boner just by looking at it. Good atmosphere plus good drinks, can't go wrong with that.
(5)jonathan s.
good happy hour till 7pm each night i think. nice little patio. place was empty on a friday at 645 - 8pm. i hope people catch on. would be a cool place to have in the area. big charcuterie and cheese plate for $12. burger and fries for $8. good value. burger had some type of bacon jam. i'd rather have proper bacon but i'd order it again. came out slightly over the requested med rare. hh also has margaritas for $6.
(4)Elle B.
Pretty decent little happy hour. Wine is good enough that I enjoyed a second glass. The meatball sliders were tasty, but the shrimp appetizer was super rubbery. I'll probably try it again though.
(3)Bad L.
its the restaurant in the Crowne Plaza hotel. It's not like you have any other choice. It's not a bad bar and the food is typical. I went there for breakfast and ordered the Benedict, but they couldn't do it because the guy in the kitchen either didn't know or didn't have the time to make it. It "works" for a hotel bar, but not worth going out of your way for.
(3)Jorge C.
I went on a Sunday.. there was no host, so I sat at the bar. They took forever to serve me the fish and chips platter. The bar smelled dirty and the phone was ringing in an annoying tone.
(3)Nieko G.
A friend of mine recently stayed at the hotel where this restaurant/lounge resides, he is the one that recommended I give it a try. My girlfriend and I came in later in the evening due to their late night happy hour that my friend mentioned to us. I don't remember the exact details of the happy hour but I remember it being a GREAT deal on drinks. They have a well trained bar-tender who can do anything from serve a beer to mix up a fancy cocktail. My girlfriend ordered the Carpe Dia cocktail and I ordered a Dark Seas Stout. She definitely enjoyed the drink which was made right in front of us, as it should be, with fresh ingredients. I enjoyed the Stout I ordered and also the selection of beers they actually had on tap. A craft beer selection instead of the normal bud light, miller light, etc... THANK YOU! One of the other positives things about this place is the SERVICE. The bar-tender (believe his name was Andrew or Drew) helped us choose some of the tasty items off the menu, suggested the cocktail to my girlfriend (never knows what she wants to drink, lol), and overall made great, friendly conversation. Forgot to mention exactly what we ordered above: We came mostly for the drinks, but my girlfriend and I shared the burger, although it sounds simple, it's far from it, and very delicious. I'm new to this yelp thing.. I should have taken a photo of it and been more specific! In the end, I would DEFINITELY recommend this restaurant to other people. Place is great just for a few drinks or a full on meal. PS: They have 2 fire-pits outside and comfy chairs!
(4)Tuong T.
This place has a good atmosphere. Went with a group of friends. We were seated inside but outside looked interesting with little tables and a fireplace type scenario. Theres also a bar inside with unique cocktails. The menu also had unique items such as the short rib pot pie with bone marrow(I has a small taste and it was good). The Strozzapreti Bolognese was decent. One of my friends was disappointed with her $8 salad though. It was just some whole lettuce leaves and dressing on the side. We had a chance to enjoy a couple of their desserts. I am a big chocolate fan so I really liked the Ice Box Cake. The Warm Chocolate Chip Cookies and Adult Chocolate Milk was delicious also, but make sure to get a bite of the cookie and milk together. The Strawberry Rhubarb pie in a jar was good also but not my style. Careful because the pie in the jar comes out fresh and HOT. Service was very friendly. I believe we were helped at some point by every server there that night plus greeted by one of the owners. I would come back when I have the chance and try to get a seat outside.
(4)Alison F.
Great setting. Plenty of seating so that you can find your own secluded spot. There was settee seating (like a living room), over sized chairs, tables & chairs for eating which was segregated from the lounge area. The outdoor patio w/fire pits is set up the same way. It's all very elegant, I was a bit worried it was going to be "western". The waitstaff was attentive without being bothersome, this was appreciated. Yes, there are two Happy Hours, even on Saturday. The first is from 4/5-7 and the second is from 10 until "not sure". I got exactly what I wanted to drink without question or hesitation (50/50 Stella & Hard Cider). I plan on visiting this place A LOT more in the future.
(5)Matt W.
My lady and I visited the Fireside as a celebration of her recent accomplishments, and therefore I had high hopes/expectations for the evening. This place delivered! We grabbed a quiet table in the corner and made an evening out of it. The food was fantastic. The crab cake is a must. I had the spaghetti and meatball for dinner. My lady was very pleased, which made me a happy guy. During our evening, Steve (the GM) would check in on us, and seemed to really share our excitement for the cuisine. Looking forward to our next visit.
(5)James Z.
This place is a gem! Chef Scott Brandon has really created a great menu! The steak with peppercorn sauce was incredible! Check this place out!!!!
(5)Clint R.
This place is awesome. I came in at last call after a long day and Andrew took great care of me. What a friendly bartender. He was knowledgable and efficient. Next time I'm in Costa Mesa I'm definitely staying at the Crown Plaza and chillin at the bar here at Fireside! Thanks Andrew.
(5)Stef A.
Our food took forever to arrive and then was mediocre for the price.
(2)Mahesh S.
In the world of food bloggers there is way more free loaders and basement bloggers now than ever so it's hard to tell a real deal from a white noise. I trust madhungrywoman Anita L tremendously as she is one of the very few people that is still left with their integrity and unique trustable palette. When she declared fireside tavern as one of her most liked up and coming restaurant I really wanted to check the place out myself as it's not an easy credit coming from here. And It has won my heart already. I visited the bar for afternoon drinks on Memorial Day and the prices were super cheap. 10$ drinks for craft cocktails. And a reasonably priced bar menu. And a generous happy hour price to sweeten tr deal. 4$ wines, 6$ mules and margaritas 3pm to 6pm and 10pm to closing and everyday. That's some serious deal. The vodka mule I tried was refreshing. Also I tried their cheese board which was priced at $8 another solid deal. I want to come back for their grilled cheese and other items on the bar menu. The place itself is nicely decorated open and inviting. A real lounge if you want to hang out. It's inside crowne plaza which is not a bad thing but you have to look for it. I am a fan!!
(4)Adam B.
Everyone loved their food. The guac and chips were perfection and my friend loved the burger. Drinks were great as well as the atmosphere.
(4)Erica W.
This place has great potential. Service was poor, but I'm hoping that is only because they're still fairly new. While tucked away in the Crowne Plaza hotel on Bristol, the decor of the restaurant is inviting and they have a nice outdoor patio. Cocktails were good, the burger and fries was delicious as was the steak. Deviled eggs were weird. We'll definitely give this place another try in a few months.
(4)Matt S.
Went for restaurant week and what a let down. Food was mediocre at best, and some parts were outright bad. Our waiter was one of the worst we have ever had in Orange County. It's a shame because it's actually a nice space for a hotel restaurant. Nice outside area but I can't imagine a reason we would eat here again. Total let down and it makes me wonder what other yelpers saw in this place....
(2)Chris C.
Caught mention of this place in O.C. Weekly, and it just sounded good to me, so I arranged a visit for a party of four this past Saturday. We were seated in one of their comfortable booths, with plenty of room to settle in. Our server Brenda greeted up with a big smile & our menus. Was so happy to find they stock my favorite gin (Hendrick's) so of course martinis it was & they were able to do the requested cucumber garnish - perfection. Their wine selection is short but offers some quality vineyards to choose from We ordered the charcuterie plate to share (@ the HH price of $8, a steal, tho' it should come with more of that great bread) Next up the Caesar salads, 1/2 dozen oysters, the (wonderful!) steamed mussels, Mary's chicken & fish & chips, all perfectly cooked & presented. Oh & almost forgot to mention - a noise level that was comfortable, inducing the ability to carry on conversations without having to shout at each other, which seems to be more & more the norm these days when going out for dinner . I wish every hotel I'd ever stayed in had food 1/2 as good. This place seems to be doing everything right , & I recommend checking them out for yourself. I need to get back there soon for that steak w/ marrow butter & more of those mussels.
(5)Robert H.
The dining room and staff were nice. It doesn't appear to get real busy so reservations may not be needed. The food was just OK. I might return for happy hour instead of dinner.
(3)Kyle L.
The manager, Ashley, was our waitress and she was very friendly and was very accommodating. It was our first time there and we kind of looked out of place because everyone was wearing business attire, but Ashley made us feel comfortable by making small talk with us and sharing a few laughs. Planning on going back soon!
(4)Taylor C.
I came here for the third time last night to attend a local meetup. The restaurant team was courteous and helpful in getting us some tables and chairs set up for our group. We ordered some food before the crowd arrived and I enjoyed their "proprietor's burger" once more, along with a margarita, a draft special "Mermaid" red ale and a cheese and charcuterie plate. All in, I think I paid about $30 plus tip... definitely got my money's worth for the burger, fries, two drinks and after-tizers. The best part was the wonderful service we got from Kacey (who I kept thinking was named Stacey). She checked on us frequently, refilled our waters and made sure we had what we needed. She also put up with our goofy sense of humor! Thanks Kacey! I am going to keep coming back to this place for a variety of reasons, good food, good environment, friendly people. I couldn't believe I saw the head chef wandering around the dining area, and he looked just like he did on the promo table placards. Most of the time a restaurant claims it has some big shot in the kitchen but you never see the guy!
(5)Patricia B.
I had heard about this new restaurant through my network of friends in Corona del Mar. This past Saturday night I decided to take my husband there to check it out and I am so glad that I did. We arrived around 8 and the restauraunt was not very crowded so we decided to sit at the bar and have dinner. We started with some delicious coctails and oysters. We then split the steak with some french fries and a salad - everything was exceptional. Our server was the bartender Dante. He was very personable and made sure we always had exactly what we needed. So glad he was there to help us. If you are looking to escape the crowds of Cdm and have a nice gastro pub experience, this is a great place to have a wonderful culinary adventure.
(5)Krista C.
I had high hopes for this place after seeing the reviews, pictures and menu. The good: nice atmosphere, daily happy hour. The bad: the restaurant was not very clean. When we were sitting and waiting for our food I looked down to notice the carpet was heavily stained and filled with crumbs. That ruined my appetite, as well as a fly that kept buzzing around our food. We ordered the charcuterie and crostini, however I didn't think either were that great, partly due to my lack of appetite. This place has potential, but has a long way to go.
(1)D. J.
Really cool place to get a drink. i have come back countless of times! they have really good deviled eggs. The atmosphere is very laid-back and the staff is really friendly. I would recommend this place to anyone who wants to enjoy a drink.
(5)M R.
I stopped by the Fireside Tavern during lunch. Therefore I was on a time limit. The restaurant has a great feel to it. The ambiance of it, and the location is perfect. They had the news playing on one channel and sports on the other. Which was really nice to be able to enjoy during my one hour. The server Eric was a very sweet guy. Very talkative and friendly. I watched him multi task with helping me and several other customers at once. Ensuring that we were all pleased with the service in a timely manner. Their menu is small, but full of delicious options. Most importantly, it was affordable! I was torn between the French Dip sandwich and your typical cobb salad. The manager Chris suggested I give the French dip a try. It was possibly the best decision I could have made that day. It was phenomenal! It was a decent size sandwich, I substituted the chips for fries. Despite the fact that I was stuffed, I couldn't stop eating! And it came out really fast! So I still had time to just sit back and relax! Chris was very professional, yet really funny! I talked to him about the hotel and restaurant, the cocktails they served, and different types of food. This guy really knows his stuff. I was so impressed by my entire 45 minutes here that I brought a few of my friends here the same night for dinner! Again, not a single complaint! We sat on the patio next to the fire pits, enjoyed our cocktails, food, and music! Whoever is behind this entire restaurant should give themselves a pat on the back! Your staff is hard working, and your food is the best!! I'm bringing my boss here next week for a lunch meeting, and I look forward to bringing the rest of my office here during our lunch breaks! Thank you Fireside Tavern, you have a regular customer for life!
(5)Cyndi V.
Greg our server was terrific. He made great recommendations. The pork belly sliders, roasted cauliflower, marys half chicken were fabulous.
(5)Ikhide A.
Good food, nice ambiance in the most unlikeliest of locations... It's in the lobby (duh!) Bartender Andrew is the man!!! Nuff said!
(5)Christina W.
I came here last night and I definitely won't be back. I am very surprised that this place has so many great reviews because I was utterly disappointed. We walked in and were not treated by anyone at all. We wandered around a little confused because we weren't sure if we should seat ourselves or continue to wait at the empty podium to be seated. My BF spotted a guy sitting at the bar who had a name tag on his shirt staring at us so he asked him if he worked there and what we should do about seats. He said he did in fact work there and that we can sit anywhere we like. Why wouldn't the employee show us our seats??? Number 1 you should be at the podium for this very reason and Number 2 you probably shouldn't just stare at confused customers while you chill at the bar like a customer. We ended up ordering burgers. The french fries were pretty good The burgers had good flavor but were EXTREMELY dry. They need to do something to keep some moisture in that burger. Dry meat + thick dry bun is not good. But the flavors were on point. The ketchup was weird. I am not sure if it is homemade? It tasted like a watery marina sauce. The server did not come back to fill our drink glasses despite our ice melting in empty cups so we had to call him over for refills. He was completely inattentive and unconcerned with the customers he was there to serve. I will not be back although I must say that the happy hour pricing is excellent.
(2)Sara B.
Andrew is great and why I'll come back! Drink was potent and tots were inventive and tasty. I look forward to my next experience!
(5)Rebecca B.
We like taverns, pubs and casual bars with good food. Even though Fireside is inside of a moderate-budget hotel, we decided to give it a try. The inside atmosphere is sadly lacking that tavern vibe. The lights are too bright, the furniture is like a Dennys and the floor is ceramic bath tiles. There is no feeling of happy, relaxed community eating and drinking. I was hopng for the joy and vibrance of a neighborhood pub. The Holiday Inn aura is a hard one to overcome, I guess. The fire part is outside, so that could be a possibilty for cooler weather. It looks comfortable, maybe a little too comfortable if the two peoole out there smooching it up were any indication! This place needs to work on the atmosphere....because the food, drinks and service are pretty darn good. I want to support their chef and bartender because they are talented and use fresh ingredients to make yummy stuff. The fish and chips were crispy and fresh. The chef salad was weak. Burgers looked good, but we did not try them yet. I only hope they can see in their budget to remodel just a little bit more to make the place more inviting.
(3)Lil A.
Pepper crusted filet mignon is really good! Service is also great. Nice ambiance and nice people. Oh and they haven't the most amazing dessert- warm chocolate chip cookie with adult milk (Kahlua, vodka, milk) Yum, never had anything this good!
(5)Nancy D.
We had a dinner here with a large group that continued to grow and they were fully accommodating for our large group. After dinner we had friends join us for drinks. Being they just recently opened I'm sure they have not seen a crowd this large with close to over forty more people joining us, the servers and bartenders had no problem taking care of all of us. Thank you Sheryl and Steven for an amazing event!
(5)Jennifer B.
This Tavern is a hidden gem. We started with the flat bread and drinks by the outside fire pits. We continued inside the dining room with the chop shop salad, Mac and Cheese and the rib eye. We went back outside for more drinks and the warm chocolate chip cookies and adult chocolate milk. Everything about this meal was awesome! Great service and great food!!!
(5)Jason S.
Great experience. Drinks were great, food was great, and service was great. We had the homemade tots, salads, and cookies and adult milk. Good stuff and good portions. Leah was our server. She did an excellent job and was extremely friendly. Fun time. We will be back.
(5)Thania G.
Good happy hour. A some of the items are a little pricey but overall really enjoyed the ambiance and warmth of the place. Don't be discouraged that it's in a hotel. They have outdoor patio fireplaces and it's an overall trendy and romantic vibe. Perfect for happy hour w/ the girls or a date w/ the bf
(4)Kim H.
I'm a sucker for the word "Tavern." I will try any restaurant with "Tavern" in the name. It's a problem. This is, most definitely, not a Tavern. It's a restaurant in a hotel. It's better than a lot of hotel restaurants, but it's still a hotel restaurant (and the food reflects that). I started with the pesto flatbread, which was tasty. It's very thin and I could have easily eaten the whole thing myself, but I wanted to save some room for a proper entree. Since it was 100 degrees outside, I thought a salad sounded refreshing. I got the South Coast salad with salmon added. This was pretty much one of the worst salads I've ever had. The "mixed greens" were bottom-of-the-bag mixed greens. I swear some of them looked wilted and brown. It was just...bad. And, with the salmon added, it was $22. No. Just no. I highly doubt we'll be back. They do have a happy hour menu with some decent items, so I guess you could come here for that (and a couple drinks). The service is decent--nothing great, not bad. Just keep your expectations low and you'll probably have a nice time. I was expecting too much.
(2)Tamara J.
Scan the other reviews and skip it. They hit all the points- lackluster service, out of stock menu items, marginal food, high hotel prices. Cold sweet potato fries...we ordered duck fries and weren't told they were out until after we received what we didn't order. A steak ordered med-rare. The mid 2 inches were, but one end was well and the other was mooing. Soggy, flavorless fish and chips not even malt vinegar could save. Star for the slaw, though. There are only about 30 better options for spending $200 on dinner for 5 within walking distance.
(2)Christine K.
A hidden gem. If you're looking for a quiet and relaxing place to lounge around with some friends over good food and drinks, this is the place to be. My friends and I came on a Friday night, around 8pm, and it was almost empty. There were a few people at the bar and more people outside on the patio. Food can be a bit pricey but they currently have a late night HH from 9pm-11pm where their beers, well drinks, flatbreads and hot wings are all $5!! Aside from the food, I wanted to write about their absolutely phenomenal service. Our main server, Wailea, was very attentive and knew about everything the bar and restaurant served. She would come by ever so often to make sure we had everything we needed. Not only that, she even split our bill (for a party of 10) and individually charged each one of our cards. WHAT SERVER NORMALLY DOES THIS?!? This alone made me want to tip her more. Hahaha!! Amazing! Erik was another person who checked up on us. Seemed like he was the restaurant manager or something...not sure... But he helped me out since last night when I called in to make a reservation. He assured me that he would have a perfect place outside on the patio for my group of 10. Once I and my party got there, he continued to assure us that he would take care of anything we needed. Oh, and he had quite a sense of humor! My friends and I had a few good laughs with Erik. Anyways, if you're ever in Orange County and want to get away from the crazy, loud, and dirty bar scene, check out Fireside Tavern! You won't be disappointed!
(5)Rosie Y.
LOTS OF FREE PARKING, thank goodness. Big dining space too, inside and outside. Service was good, I sat near the bar. They have two television screens and on one of the TVs, the Food Network Channel was on! Score. Anthony Bourdain, Parts Unknown. I ordered the fries. It's a lot of food. Plus, they gave me two dipping sauces + ketchup. Very tasty. Then came the sliders. It's a lot of bread on the bun but overall, it was pretty good. The price was too good to be true. If I had gone anywhere else, it would have been double what they normally charge. As if that wasn't enough, they have happy hour prices on their food and drinks too, which I must partake in soon. There were a lot of loud patrons there, guess they were getting loaded before going up to their room. The server I had was great!
(5)Tiffany D.
Fine selections of wine! I got their French Dip and it was lacking true thickness of meat. It was more shredded meat, a bit on the oily side, but it hit the spot. Wings were of the standard. Yum! I like their Charcuterie platter that consisted of Truffle Brie cheese, marinade Balsamic vinegar, Blue cheese, grapes, salami and other cured meat! It's great for happy hour and this place has a nice spacious lounge with open space near the fireside! There's outside patio that has contemporary fire as well! Nicely named and located in the Crown Plaza hotel! My only complaint would be the staffing. They seemed a bit lacking because I had to get the attention of one waiter, who was the only one there running the show the entire time I was dining. I wasn't patient enough to wait so I went to the bar counter to order my wine. I was thirsty. On another lounging time I was here, I had to fetch for my own tap water because the limited staff members were preoccupied. I couldn't wait. I was thirsty. Besides staffing, this will be feasible as a kickback on the hotel grounds!
(3)Rohlin A.
Bookmark Saturday was put on hold last week so we could meet up with Tami and Greg D. and their Yelper in Training Jacob at Fireside Tavern. The Fireside Tavern is located inside the Crowne Plaza Costa Mesa Hotel ( yelp.com/biz_photos/fire… ) on Bristol Street in Costa Mesa right next to the McDonald's. Visitor parking is available at the front of the hotel facing Bristol. By the time we arrived (fashionably late), Tami and Greg had already grabbed a table and ordered drinks. We had to move from the table we were at because the AC vent was blowing cold air down on the table. Fortunately, the place was virtually empty, so finding a new table was not an issue. The décor is modern with a good looking bar area ( yelp.com/biz_photos/fire… ) and a comfortable patio ( yelp.com/biz_photos/fire… ) area. Once we were seated at our new table, our server informed us we were also fortunate to be catching the end of Happy Hour and gave us HH menus in addition to the regular menus. Actually we were a little past HH once we started ordering, most places have a firm cutoff, so it was nice we weren't rushed into ordering. The Happy Hour menu consists of Snacks, Grilled Flatbreads and Sandwiches discounted between 2 and 4 dollars. In addition, Select Wines are $4, Draft Beers are $5 and $6 for Mules and Margaritas. The regular menu consists of Share Plates, Small Plates, Large Plates, Sides and Sweets. Our server Kammy was very patient while decided what to order to drink and eat. We started with two of the snacks off the Happy Hour menu: ( yelp.com/biz_photos/fire… ) ( yelp.com/biz_photos/fire… ) ( yelp.com/biz_photos/fire… ) We were also given some complimentary bread: ( yelp.com/biz_photos/fire… ) The guacamole had a decent flavor, but I found the portion to be on the smaller side. The chips tasted like they were a generic version of market chips. It was nice we were able to get this snack at the Happy Hour prices, I would have been very unhappy paying full price. The flatbread had a good combination of flavors and there was a decent amount of toppings. The last of the three snacks was the Duck fries. There could have been a little more gravy and cheese, but there was excellent flavor from the gravy. I was happy with the portion of duck and fries, but the fries were nothing special. After we finished most of the snacks, Tammy came back and took our entrée orders. My better half and Greg both went with the Proprietor's Burger (8 oz. Burger with Dolcelatte and Taleggio Cheese, Bacon, Tomato and Arugula on a Brioche Bun with Hand Cut Fries), Tami selected the Tavern Cobb Salad (Gem Lettuce, Nueske Bacon, Nueske Turkey, Avocado, Heirloom Tomatoes, Hard Cooked Egg, Point Reyes Bleu Cheese), Jacob chose the Kid's Mac 'N Cheese and I opted for the Chorizo Grilled Flatbread ( yelp.com/biz_photos/fire… ) with Spicy Tomato Sauce, Smoked Mozzarella and Arugula. Our food came out in a reasonable amount of time and was a mixed bag. Tami seemed to really enjoy her salad and there seemed to be a good amount of ingredients. The Proprietor Burger were a big hit as well. My lovely wife had more burger than she could handle, so she happily gave me about half her burger. The burgers were cooked to the requested temperature and it was a pleasant surprise to see two cheese I have never seen on a burger before this visit. I felt this gave the burger an unique twist and a very good flavor. Jacob's Mac 'N Cheese was bland and it looked watery and not very cheesy, he barely touched the bowl. Since there is all this talk about food porn on Yelp I have decided to use a sexual reference to describe my flatbread. Rohlinism: Adapting to new trends keeps things fresh! Think for a moment of the hottest sex scene you have ever seen and that would represent a "10" on the spicy scale. This chorizo and flatbread was the equivalent of walking in our your grandparents in mid stroke. This analogy accomplishes two things: For those of you who say my reviews make you hungry ... I am not sure if this is a complaint ... but I bet you won't be hungry after reading this review. Secondly, I have now joined the world of food porn ... this does count as food porn doesn't it? Overall, it was a surprisingly good experience for a bar inside a hotel.
(4)Tami D.
It's always great having dinner with our awesome Yelp friends, Laina and Rohlin A. When we met them at Fireside Tavern the other night, it was so nice to catch up. Nothing's better than wonderful friends, good food, and great service! We started with some appetizers. Smothered with just enough duck confit and cheese, the Duck Fries were great. The Grilled Flatbread was delicious too! With the right amount of chicken, BBQ sauce, and gouda cheese on the perfectly grilled flatbread, this was incredibly yummy! I ordered the Tavern Cobb Salad. With lots of fresh turkey, bacon, avocado, tomato, egg, and blue cheese, with a wonderful creamy dressing, this was one great salad. Although I'm not exactly sure what was in this dressing (I noticed the delicious avocado), this dressing helped make this salad terrific. Although my son said his kid's Mac n Cheese was "just okay" (it really lacked flavor), my husband liked his burger. The Proprietor's Burger had two unique cheeses (taleggio and dolcelatte), bacon, and tomato, and was very filling and tasty. My husband said the burger was "very good", which is unusually high praise coming from him! I thought the service was good here too. The staff was friendly and helpful. We were checked on often, and our waitress was really nice. The restaurant had a cool, relaxed vibe as well. When we wanted to see the score to the Ducks game, they changed one of the channels for us. Even though the Ducks lost, it was nice using the time to catch up with friends. With the relaxed atmosphere, good food, and friendly service, I look forward to stopping by this restaurant for their Happy Hour sometime in the near future!
(4)John H.
This is really an unfortunate review to write. Overview and then details. 15 minutes -- no greeting + no server + no menu = no food. July 4th .. four guys cross the street from the Hilton to get a taste of something different than what we've been eating at our rooming house. I was looking forward to coming here as I had bookmarked it before the trip to Costa Mesa. Located inside the Crown Plaza Hotel, it looked inviting and warm with table and casual seating. It was very quiet with only a few other guests this early afternoon on this Saturday holiday. We entered and stood at the entrance for a moment and then sat ourselves as the staff buzzed around. Two wait staff were standing at a station counting the bank (or tips), a staff person behind the bar drinking something dark, and another zipping around not accomplishing much BUT did pass us twice without a glance. Within moments, the entire staff disappeared. The zippy one re-appeared to buss a table that had left before we arrived. I grabbed a complimentary newspaper and we split up the sections in our group and began to browse the news. Waiting. Another wait staff appears in the room. "If anyone walks by one more time without saying a word or even a smile, we're out." We left after 15 minutes. No greeting. No menu. No food. This review is solely based on the lack of service.
(1)Dennis L.
Happy hour here is superb. Great service. Friendly. Good atmosphere. This review is only for the happy hour because well, I'm a huge happy hour guy. Anyway I ordered the guacamole and chips. They gave us a ton of guacamole. Yummy!! Ordered the duck fries too. Loved it even more. I also ordered the proprietary burger. Was delicious, practically tasted like the happy hour burger over at Flemings! Loved this place. I'll be back!!
(5)