Shitty food and shitty service in a restaurant that should have been renovated 50 years ago. Try the Outback across the street or Miyakos.
(1)
Karen H.
This is the place for red meat lovers like me. Great steaks, no frill. Don't go and do something silly like order chicken.
(5)
Joe M.
Two words... Old and Tired. Only a few tables sat on a Tues night and it took 40 min to cook 3 med rare steaks the size of a tennis ball. Hate to see what it'd be like when/ if they are busy. Then they weren't really MR...tasteless and a little dry (with too much crap on them). I don't understand...if your business is all about steaks THEN LEARN TO COOK A PROPER STEAK! Veggies had hard bits of rosemary that you had to spit out. Dinner definitely not worth $24/each. The bread w/ garlic butter and Baker was best part of meal. Ambiance is dated (60s western and dark). Sorry, unless they do a major reno..not going back, too many good restaurants in Fred.
(1)
Nick A.
Overall not bad ( don't think it's worth the price ) best part of my meal was the Bloody Mary get it you won't be disappointed the apps were good ( oysters on the half shell not bad just small and the tater tots were yummy ) the garden salad was not good very small salad for $6 some greens onion and a slice of cucumber which when my waiter asked after taking our dinner order would we like a garden salad we assumed the came with dinner ( had never been there before so lesson learned ) and when we got the bill it says on the website apps half off during happy hours...apparently only when you sit at the bar! That made me mad aswell. But like I said lesson learned then we got out dinner crab cakes that were really good and the prime rib which sadly had no flavor not the meat or the broth it was sitting in overall not bad food but certainly not worth the price and all the stipulations during happy hour
(3)
Bethany S.
Lovely atmosphere for a more Upscale evening. Sitting by the fire, watching our steaks cook on the grill, enjoying fresh warm tasty bread and creamy mushroom soup. The service is impeccable. Good very tasty and a very pleasant top-notch dining experience.
(5)
Wayne B.
My wife and I met some of her friends here for dinner while we were in Maryland. Unfortunately this place did not meet our expectations. The steaks (I had prime rib and my wife had the filet) were generally tough. Both of our baked potatoes were not cooked all of the way through. I did have to send my first prime rib back because it was significantly overdone. And the best part of the chocolate cake with peanut butter icing was the peanut butter icing -- the chocolate cake was quite dry. Not everything was a complete bust. The service here was not terrible, and the Red Horse cocktail that I had was tasty. Overall, however, we were disappointed and won't be returning.
(2)
Mark P.
My friend and I decided to try this place instead of the outback. Mistake. Actually I should spell that "miss steak". My steak was overdone and flavorless, the sides I ordered were not the sides I received. We decided we will not be back.
(1)
Sue M.
I had a surprise birthday party for my husband here. We had a nice private room downstairs and our own wait staff. The food was very good. I will be back for private parties. The crab dip is fantastic, a lot of our guests ordered the fried shrimp they were large and very good. The people who had prime rib said it was yummy. The filet Chesapeake was delish. All in all it was a great choice of venue.
(5)
J P.
I have not eaten here. This review is for service and atmosphere. If you are looking for a romantic and cozy place to eat or have a drink at the bar, this is the perfect place. The staff is so friendly and kind. There is a fireplace in the dining area, dim lighting, and rustic hardwood ceilings and walls. So nice!
(5)
Deidre C.
I dined here Valentine's Day evening with my best friend and my younger sister. I made our reservation through Open Table and we were actually seated early. Our server, Don, was fantastic! He was very friendly and efficient. Appetizers were onion rings and crab dip, both were delicious. 2 of us had the filet mignon, while the other had the sirloin topped with spinach, bacon and bleu cheese. The steaks were phenomenal. Cooked exactly to order, tender and juicy. The filets were topped with the chef's butter which gave amazing flavor without overpowering the steaks themselves. I also had a crab cake with my filet which was full of large lumps of crab meat and very little filler. Side dishes of baked potato and green beans were tasty as well. All 3 of us finished our dinner with chocolate mousse topped with whipped cream. Dessert was just a good as everything else. I'd recommend Red Horse over any of the chain steakhouses in the area with no hesitations.
(4)
Hosie R.
Stopped by without reservations and was accommodated immediately. The loaded tater tots with the spicy ketchup are a must have. Our server Ruth was great! She had a wonderful personality and was extremely informative about the entire menu to include drinks. She was very attentive to our needs without being over bearing. We will definitely request her during our next visit.
(5)
Nikki V.
This place was okay. The staff was great and the waiter was on point. The food was okay. They cook the steak in an area where you can see the chef cooking the food. That was kinda neat, but that was about it. The restaurant itself is different and spacious. The food was okay. The desert was auuhhh not good. We had the bread pudding and it looked good but tasted bad. I doubt we'll return unless we just want to try something different. The menu was pretty simple as well with limited choices as well.
(2)
Douglas M.
Had the Crab en Casserole and loved it. I also really liked the stuffed shrimp. My girlfriend had the chicken piccatta and really liked that as well. There were only about 5 filled tables on a later thursday evening. We were very happy with the atmosphere and found the service very good.
(5)
Shelly D.
over priced...stuffy...dark...old...and bland. brought our two children (boys 12 and 14) straight from the Color Festival in Thurmont. Evruthing was so crowded so tried to go off the beaten path. Should have known that was a sign. I was willing to spend the money on a steak and a seat...the wait at other places was hours. First ordered the crab stuffed mushrooms. That is exactly what I got...crab on top of a mushroom...no salt, pepper, butter, sauce or seasoning of any kind. Then I ordered the New York Strip, my favorite cut. I asked for medium rare and when I received it, it was medium well. Not good for a steak house to mess that up. Again, no season, no sauce, and no fluff. It was just a boring meal in a boring place that gauged my wallet slightly.
(2)
John P.
I can't believe this place only has 2 1/2 stars. I'd probably rate this a 4 star review, but I'm tossing in the extra star to offset the others stupidity. My companion and I, Mr. X, had a wonderful dinner experience there last Saturday night when we visited en-route to Pittsburgh from Baltimore. Our server, Tim, was so polite and sweet, and very attentive. The food runner/busboy (we didn't get his name) was really helpful, and told us a lot about the foods we had ordered. The service by these fellows was just great, 100%. For appetizers we got the Stuffed Tater Tots. They were yummy, and our busboy told us they are hand-made on the premises by one of the chefs in the kitchen. They are really great (red pepper flakes make them a touch spicy which I loved-- and they come with a side of ketchup!) and I highly recommend them. We also ordered the bacon-wrapped scallops and they were delightful. For an entree, I ordered crab cakes and they were full of chunks of crab meat, not mealy and sparse like some others you might get. Very tasty! The french fries were well made and hand-cut. Mr. X got salmon, and he said it likewise was awesome. Our experience was very nice, I'm not sure what others are expecting here, but this is a very OLD SCHOOL establishment, started decades ago when things were done RIGHT. If you don't understand that-- then DON'T GO! Today, in the fast paced world of highly commercialized casual dining, and a general lack of breeding, in combination of the very real devolution among the general population (yes, devolution is real folks-- look it up on Wikipedia), it's no wonder that a lot of people don't understand what real dining experiences are supposed to be like. Yes, the place has that old building smell. That's because it IS AN OLD BUILDING. For you people that don't get it, take your dollars to Outback or TGIF for God's sake and enjoy your slop force fed to you from freezer bags. But for those of us who appreciate things done the real, old classy way, I highly suggest a visit to the Red Horse. My only complaint might be that the bartender wasn't very professional,although I want to add that she was very likeable to the customers and did her job well from what I could tell. We were seated in the small dining room associated with the bar nearby, and we heard her entire illustrious life story rife with speeding tickets, previous dating disasters, questionable "semi-prescription" drug use, and just overall general non-professional talkativeness. She seemed like a nice gal and it certainly was not near offensive at all, but I just didn't feel that that type of conversation was appropriate for a classier restaurant dining room. The decor is quaint, very much what you'd expect from a restaurant that has existed for a very long time. It's very clean, with original knotty pine paneling throughout. I'd remove the rope light LED's behind the bar in the three bottle cartouches, but that's just me, I think they made it look tacky, but then LED lighting done the wrong way is inherently tasteless. Dress is casual, no reservation was required, but also we were very early, around 6:00 p.m. for dinner. Go and enjoy yourself. Ask for Tim to help you.
Really a four but had to make up for the winers on this site. I had the prime rib rare and the wild rice. My wife had the small fillet rare and it was more medium rare which she really likes and also a great baked potato. I brought her here for her 18 and 19 th birthday when we lived in Frederick and now for 60th birthday as we were visiting friends.
(5)
Donald C.
Parking was a nightmare. Once I got in, staff were hostile and telling me that I couldn't get a table and seemed to want me to shut up and leave. I had to insist I had a reservation. They finally looked in the system and saw I had a reservation. Good service -- at first. Throughout the meal, the waiter progressively ceased to appear. I had to call the waiter over for the last half of the meal. I asked for my steak to be cooked medium well -- aka slightly pink in middle. Steak came medium rare. Tasted good, but too bloody for my tastes. So I asked them to cook it to medium well, please. They left, then came back with it only warmed up -- not even cooked more. The amount of pink was the same. At that point, five waiters -- not even kidding -- five waiters kept asking us if we were done, if we wanted the check. Keep in mind our plates were only half empty and we were still actively eating. After the third time, we told them if we were done eating, we'd let them know. They acknowledged it, but asked us again three more times afterwards anyway if we were done. Very pushy and anxious to get our table cleared away. There were three others dining with me. Their steaks were cooked exactly to specifications, but had no flavor. Two things they had going for them were a good atmosphere and quite a variety in food selection. All in all, all four of us concluded afterwards that due to how pushy the staff were, and due to substandard service, we would not be returning to the Red Horse cafe. My wife and my meal in total cost me $75, not including tip. My two other dining companions' bill cost them $95 not including tip, but that was due to their ordering a bottle of wine. Plates' cost averaged $20 to $50. Pricey, so if you're budget-conscious, this is not the place to eat at.
(2)
Jason H.
The special steak of the evening (grilled ribeye) sounded really good. My friend and I both ordered it. The waiter came back a few minutes later and told us that it was all gone, except for the end cuts, so if we still wanted it, it wouldn't be cooked rare, it would be medium at best. He suggested that if we wanted a rare cooked steak, we should go with the strip steak. I opted for the strip, he decided to stick with the ribeye. My steak was ok, slightly tough. Nothing special. For half the price, I could have gotten the same or better quality at any other restaurant. My friend's ribeye was tender on one side, tough on the other. The other two friends with us got the salmon and another strip steak. All four of our meals, along with the sides, were average at best. Considering the prices I paid, the whole experience was below average. The service, again, was adequate, nothing special. We could have gone to most of the other high quality restaurants in Frederick for half the price and left happier. We won't be back to Red Horse.
(1)
Dan B.
In my opinion, my steak was not very good. My family and I ate their sometime back and I order the NY strip steak. I found the steak very average and not worth the price. The steak seemed dry to me and lacking a genuine steak flavor. I probably could have gotten the same steak at Ponderosa. This is not based on fact, only my opinion.
(2)
Corey C.
Was looking forward to a great steak and some crab cakes...what a disappointment. Wait staff was slow and drinks were usually empty for 5-10 minutes before someone would ask if we needed refills. Then you would wait another 10 or 15 to get them. Several of the steaks were over cooked and the replacement took 20 minutes. The grill room is scary! It looks like a place where a horror film could be made. It might impress a date if the best place she ever at was Denny's. Waiter followed us out the door because he thought we screwed him on the tip. It's a tip!!!! The better you do, the more you get. I think a big part of the problem is the bar and the kitchen...way too slow. Find somewhere else to go. 5 star prices should get you 5 star service and food. This place won't be around long.
(1)
Wang C.
Way over price for the portion you get and quality of food. There is a funky smell when you first walk in. Lighting isn't the best, and I have 20/20 vision. The waitress claimed her bf only gets the ribs and loves their special sauce they put on it. Having ketchup as part of your special sauce, does not make your sauce special or tasty. Ribs and ketchup does not go together.
(2)
Doug K.
It gets one star because Red Horse did NOT meet expectations. My wife & i expected this to be a top-shelf steakhouse, given the high cost (steaks were $23-38 per entree). Our total bill was $100. Was confused by the cheese ball and packaged crackers, especially when we saw bread & butter on other tables. Our butter came, but it took 20 minutes for the bread to arrive. The steaks looked as we asked them to be cooked- medium and pink in the middle, but they tasted dry and basically tasteless. And, they were the special- NY strip with a balsamic reduction. The wine list was impressive and we really wished the dining experience and meal would have been as well. The wait-staff was young and awkward. We left thinking we should have gone Longhorn Steakhouse and saved some cash.
(1)
Mike H.
I am wishing I'd read the yelps before dining here. Service was very poor, food was overpriced, bland, cold, etc..., This place rates 0 stars. I will never go back. The 50'something ex-hippie waiter with the earring is trying hard, but not cutting it. The 18 year old bus girl did a better job taking orders and communicating to us!
(1)
Amberly W.
Divey in a good way. I prefer the bar area. The restaurant needs a decoration intervention.
(4)
Mary M.
Three of us went here last Sunday night, we have been here a few times before but a few years ago. Service was fine, we had a young man and he really tried to please. Two orders were okay, lots of shell in the "broiled crab cakes", I put this in "" because they were more like baked. The prime rib was only okay although it was cooked as ordered. The last of us ordered beef at medium and it arrived well done, she sent it back and it took over a half hour to get it back, the other two gals had finished their meal by then. The waiter took it off the bill and we did ask for the manager, he came out and basically gave us the impression that he could care less. We will never go back there again.
(2)
Tara G.
We were really looking forward to eating here, but we found that it was not worth the cost of the food, which is mediocre. Entrees range from $23-$35 ish and are underwhelming. Ate with two other guests (my fiance and his dad) and no one's steak had been cooked as ordered. The service was pretty poor and we virtually never saw our server. I don't plan to go back.
(2)
Denise D.
Everything about this place is fine, but not spectacular. The wine list is okay at best (very few wines are available by the glass). The steaks were good, but not life-changing. The steamed veggies and the caesar were the highlight for me, and that seems a little sad. We didn't have dessert or coffee. Our server didn't write anything down, which was impressive, and he did get our entrees right, but the sides and beverages were wrong for several of us . . . it seemed to me that sometimes you have to suck it up, admit that your brain isn't a steel trap, and write orders down! There were 6 of us-- frankly, I wouldn't judge anyone harshly for writing down orders for 6 people. It would have saved time, money, energy, and our frustration. Still, he was a very nice guy and gave good suggestions and genuinely seemed to care if we enjoyed our meals. Which we did, to a moderate degree.
(2)
Andy J.
If you like chunks of shell in your imperial crab casserole this place is for you. Service wasn't great either and it's expensive.
(2)
Michael M.
They cut the steak to check how it was cooked which drained all of the juices. The steak lacked flavor.
(1)
Bill P.
The GRILL WINDOW!!!!! The GRILL WINDOW!!!!!! Large window with grill......Impress your dates watch your meat cook and tap on window if you think getting overdone :) That is all I have to say....in this very ski lodgey wood paneled fireplace special place....this restaurant NEEDS MORE RESPECT.....would do just fine in Mo Co where there are several steakhouses so Frederick pump up the volume!!!!! Took cover here after the HUGE storm!!!!!! Dined early with daughter 12 (a steak expert....loves Bond 45's filet Mignon $32)..... We ordered off the lighter and less expensive menu......two steak dinners for $45 with sides, bread, tax and beverages!!!!! Nice.... Daughter got the Filet mignon $18 cooked perfectly medium with fluffy mashed potatoes...... I got the NY strip $23 medium rare large great cut......with steak fries..... Two servers worked as a team and as it got close to 6PM and getting busy on a Sunday nite......they didn't let up friendly and accomodating to the very end...... if you are from outta town or a staycation......book next door at the Comfort Inn and then eat here!!!!!!
(5)
Mark E.
Based on some good online reviews, we decided to give Red Horse a try. The place seems pretty run down and is pretty dark and depressing. It was so dark it was hard to read the menu, and we weren't the only people who complained about that during our meal. Although the place was not very crowded when we arrived, he service was pretty rude and inattentive. Nobody ever told us the specials, although we did overhear other servers telling other tables about them. We were first presented with a bowl of crackers in cellophane, and some butter. A bit later we did get some warm bread and more butter which was pretty good. We each ordered the New Your Strip and found them to be cooked correctly but quite under seasoned. The baked potato and the grilled asparagus were very good. Overall it was OK but nothing special. We will probably not go back.
(2)
Tim K.
I was interested to try the Red Horse because it has been a Frederick dining establishment for longer than I've been alive. A group of us decided to go there recently and I genuinely looked forward to it. The waitstaff was prompt for the first half of the night and nearly missing the second. The drinks were all correct and at the table, and the meal was brought out all together (no doubt good choreography by the cooks) and presentation was fine. for me, where the restaurant fell flat was the meal itself. the bread for the table was unremarkable, the Caesar salad was unremarkable, and my entree was unremarkable. I got the 12 oz NY Strip (called the Jeff Recommends) and it seems Jeffs tastes are more attune to Denny's steaks than fine dining. It had a greasy feel in my mouth and limited flavor. It came with a vegetable medley and baked potato. The potato seemed slightly undercooked, but I didn't mind it so much. The vegetable medley consisted of green beans. Someone may want to let them know what a medley is. Regardless, the green beans were quite good, tasting the freshest out of all the meal. Alls said and done at the end of the night, I've paid $50 for a 12 oz steak, green beans, a baked potato, Caesar salad, and a pepsi. Sorry, but I don't think I'll be going back. For $30 I can get the exact same thing at Outback, but with bigger portions and more flavor. As a sidenote, everyone seemed to at least enjoy their meal, but I did recieve confirmation from another member of the party that they wouldn't be returning. Another sidenote: the $50 included an 9 dollar tip. The waitstaff averaged fantastic throughout the meal. if they'd been more attentive during the second half, I probably would've made it a $15 tip.
(2)
George C.
I was at Red Horse today, while passing through Frederick. Last time that I was there was in 1980. Today it was exactly as I remembered it to be, over thirty years ago. Service took way too long for my takeout order of one sandwich, and the food was over priced. Otherwise, everything was excellent, and they do offer fast WiFi Internet. It did seem unusual that I was the only customer. That is usually a bad sign. But you have to understand that you are paying for more than just food. You are paying for atmosphere. Your table has a white table cloth. There is a lit fireplace. And so forth. Red Horse is, therefore, not a restaurant for people in a hurry. Red Horse is where you go, when you want an expensive meal with lots of attention from waiters; and you have more than an hour to kill eating it.
(3)
April L.
I think my favorite thing about this place is the retro decor, it was like dining in the past. That said, the food was also retro - iceberg lettuce and steamed broccoli, cauliflower and carrots from frozen to steamed on my plate took me back in time. Not bad, but not great, if you're going to pay a lot for dinner I think you can do much better than this place.
(3)
josh w.
I have been living in Frederick for over a year and have driven past the Red Horse many times. have often wanted to go to this place but have never seemed to find the right occasion. Well I figured Valentine's day was a day that this place would showcase itself. How wrong was I proved to be. Right off the bat I was disappointed to be seated and greeted with a cheese ball (al-la velveta) and packets of cheap breadsticks and saltine crackers. No folks this is not a $10 Lohrs family restaurant this is a supposed high end steak house. Seriously do I need to send these guys a recipe for breadsticks? It's not that hard. I don't mind dropping 3 figures on a meal for two but I felt cheapened as soon as I was at my seat. Moving on to the appetizer I had a the crab dip. So so. It was more of a mousse than a dip. It wasn't worth the price ($11) but then I figured I would give the place the benefit of the doubt, it is a steak place not a seafood place. So moving on to the steaks (1hr later...its valentines...I expected them to be busy) , I got the smaller cut NY strip. It was ok, nothing to write home to mommy about, not much taste. Very bland. My date got the chef cut which was $10 more. There was $10 more gristle, that was it, it was a very bad cut. The steamed veg (broccoli/carrots) tasted like rubber. My date's steak was ordered medium, it was served rare. Now we have problems. I asked for mash, I got a baked potato. I guess not the end of the world. The worse was yet to come. I complained about my wrong side order and finally got my mash but wait. FAKE MASHED POTATOES!!!!!! Yes folks I was served a type of mash that even Cracker Barrel has said they are moving away from. I am starting to get mad now. I mean seriously. What an effing joke. Almost on every level this place was a let down. Like I said earlier, I have no problem dropping 3 figures on a meal for 2 but this place was taking the Mickey. I am almost speechless owing to how poor this meal was...well judging by my tirade that's probably not the right expression but you know what I mean. The only saving grace for this place was that my server was extremely embarrassed about what a poor experience I had and comped my drinks. My beef wasn't with the server it was with the restaurant. Go to Outback folks.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Intimate Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Lee M.
Shitty food and shitty service in a restaurant that should have been renovated 50 years ago. Try the Outback across the street or Miyakos.
(1)Karen H.
This is the place for red meat lovers like me. Great steaks, no frill. Don't go and do something silly like order chicken.
(5)Joe M.
Two words... Old and Tired. Only a few tables sat on a Tues night and it took 40 min to cook 3 med rare steaks the size of a tennis ball. Hate to see what it'd be like when/ if they are busy. Then they weren't really MR...tasteless and a little dry (with too much crap on them). I don't understand...if your business is all about steaks THEN LEARN TO COOK A PROPER STEAK! Veggies had hard bits of rosemary that you had to spit out. Dinner definitely not worth $24/each. The bread w/ garlic butter and Baker was best part of meal. Ambiance is dated (60s western and dark). Sorry, unless they do a major reno..not going back, too many good restaurants in Fred.
(1)Nick A.
Overall not bad ( don't think it's worth the price ) best part of my meal was the Bloody Mary get it you won't be disappointed the apps were good ( oysters on the half shell not bad just small and the tater tots were yummy ) the garden salad was not good very small salad for $6 some greens onion and a slice of cucumber which when my waiter asked after taking our dinner order would we like a garden salad we assumed the came with dinner ( had never been there before so lesson learned ) and when we got the bill it says on the website apps half off during happy hours...apparently only when you sit at the bar! That made me mad aswell. But like I said lesson learned then we got out dinner crab cakes that were really good and the prime rib which sadly had no flavor not the meat or the broth it was sitting in overall not bad food but certainly not worth the price and all the stipulations during happy hour
(3)Bethany S.
Lovely atmosphere for a more Upscale evening. Sitting by the fire, watching our steaks cook on the grill, enjoying fresh warm tasty bread and creamy mushroom soup. The service is impeccable. Good very tasty and a very pleasant top-notch dining experience.
(5)Wayne B.
My wife and I met some of her friends here for dinner while we were in Maryland. Unfortunately this place did not meet our expectations. The steaks (I had prime rib and my wife had the filet) were generally tough. Both of our baked potatoes were not cooked all of the way through. I did have to send my first prime rib back because it was significantly overdone. And the best part of the chocolate cake with peanut butter icing was the peanut butter icing -- the chocolate cake was quite dry. Not everything was a complete bust. The service here was not terrible, and the Red Horse cocktail that I had was tasty. Overall, however, we were disappointed and won't be returning.
(2)Mark P.
My friend and I decided to try this place instead of the outback. Mistake. Actually I should spell that "miss steak". My steak was overdone and flavorless, the sides I ordered were not the sides I received. We decided we will not be back.
(1)Sue M.
I had a surprise birthday party for my husband here. We had a nice private room downstairs and our own wait staff. The food was very good. I will be back for private parties. The crab dip is fantastic, a lot of our guests ordered the fried shrimp they were large and very good. The people who had prime rib said it was yummy. The filet Chesapeake was delish. All in all it was a great choice of venue.
(5)J P.
I have not eaten here. This review is for service and atmosphere. If you are looking for a romantic and cozy place to eat or have a drink at the bar, this is the perfect place. The staff is so friendly and kind. There is a fireplace in the dining area, dim lighting, and rustic hardwood ceilings and walls. So nice!
(5)Deidre C.
I dined here Valentine's Day evening with my best friend and my younger sister. I made our reservation through Open Table and we were actually seated early. Our server, Don, was fantastic! He was very friendly and efficient. Appetizers were onion rings and crab dip, both were delicious. 2 of us had the filet mignon, while the other had the sirloin topped with spinach, bacon and bleu cheese. The steaks were phenomenal. Cooked exactly to order, tender and juicy. The filets were topped with the chef's butter which gave amazing flavor without overpowering the steaks themselves. I also had a crab cake with my filet which was full of large lumps of crab meat and very little filler. Side dishes of baked potato and green beans were tasty as well. All 3 of us finished our dinner with chocolate mousse topped with whipped cream. Dessert was just a good as everything else. I'd recommend Red Horse over any of the chain steakhouses in the area with no hesitations.
(4)Hosie R.
Stopped by without reservations and was accommodated immediately. The loaded tater tots with the spicy ketchup are a must have. Our server Ruth was great! She had a wonderful personality and was extremely informative about the entire menu to include drinks. She was very attentive to our needs without being over bearing. We will definitely request her during our next visit.
(5)Nikki V.
This place was okay. The staff was great and the waiter was on point. The food was okay. They cook the steak in an area where you can see the chef cooking the food. That was kinda neat, but that was about it. The restaurant itself is different and spacious. The food was okay. The desert was auuhhh not good. We had the bread pudding and it looked good but tasted bad. I doubt we'll return unless we just want to try something different. The menu was pretty simple as well with limited choices as well.
(2)Douglas M.
Had the Crab en Casserole and loved it. I also really liked the stuffed shrimp. My girlfriend had the chicken piccatta and really liked that as well. There were only about 5 filled tables on a later thursday evening. We were very happy with the atmosphere and found the service very good.
(5)Shelly D.
over priced...stuffy...dark...old...and bland. brought our two children (boys 12 and 14) straight from the Color Festival in Thurmont. Evruthing was so crowded so tried to go off the beaten path. Should have known that was a sign. I was willing to spend the money on a steak and a seat...the wait at other places was hours. First ordered the crab stuffed mushrooms. That is exactly what I got...crab on top of a mushroom...no salt, pepper, butter, sauce or seasoning of any kind. Then I ordered the New York Strip, my favorite cut. I asked for medium rare and when I received it, it was medium well. Not good for a steak house to mess that up. Again, no season, no sauce, and no fluff. It was just a boring meal in a boring place that gauged my wallet slightly.
(2)John P.
I can't believe this place only has 2 1/2 stars. I'd probably rate this a 4 star review, but I'm tossing in the extra star to offset the others stupidity. My companion and I, Mr. X, had a wonderful dinner experience there last Saturday night when we visited en-route to Pittsburgh from Baltimore. Our server, Tim, was so polite and sweet, and very attentive. The food runner/busboy (we didn't get his name) was really helpful, and told us a lot about the foods we had ordered. The service by these fellows was just great, 100%. For appetizers we got the Stuffed Tater Tots. They were yummy, and our busboy told us they are hand-made on the premises by one of the chefs in the kitchen. They are really great (red pepper flakes make them a touch spicy which I loved-- and they come with a side of ketchup!) and I highly recommend them. We also ordered the bacon-wrapped scallops and they were delightful. For an entree, I ordered crab cakes and they were full of chunks of crab meat, not mealy and sparse like some others you might get. Very tasty! The french fries were well made and hand-cut. Mr. X got salmon, and he said it likewise was awesome. Our experience was very nice, I'm not sure what others are expecting here, but this is a very OLD SCHOOL establishment, started decades ago when things were done RIGHT. If you don't understand that-- then DON'T GO! Today, in the fast paced world of highly commercialized casual dining, and a general lack of breeding, in combination of the very real devolution among the general population (yes, devolution is real folks-- look it up on Wikipedia), it's no wonder that a lot of people don't understand what real dining experiences are supposed to be like. Yes, the place has that old building smell. That's because it IS AN OLD BUILDING. For you people that don't get it, take your dollars to Outback or TGIF for God's sake and enjoy your slop force fed to you from freezer bags. But for those of us who appreciate things done the real, old classy way, I highly suggest a visit to the Red Horse. My only complaint might be that the bartender wasn't very professional,although I want to add that she was very likeable to the customers and did her job well from what I could tell. We were seated in the small dining room associated with the bar nearby, and we heard her entire illustrious life story rife with speeding tickets, previous dating disasters, questionable "semi-prescription" drug use, and just overall general non-professional talkativeness. She seemed like a nice gal and it certainly was not near offensive at all, but I just didn't feel that that type of conversation was appropriate for a classier restaurant dining room. The decor is quaint, very much what you'd expect from a restaurant that has existed for a very long time. It's very clean, with original knotty pine paneling throughout. I'd remove the rope light LED's behind the bar in the three bottle cartouches, but that's just me, I think they made it look tacky, but then LED lighting done the wrong way is inherently tasteless. Dress is casual, no reservation was required, but also we were very early, around 6:00 p.m. for dinner. Go and enjoy yourself. Ask for Tim to help you.
(5)Mark D.
Trying to avoid traffic in route to Gettysburg on a Friday evening I pulled into the only Non-Chain restaurant I could find, which in this case had a lower star rating than I choose, being 3 verse 4. However I felt it deserved the try. As I walked in I found the atmosphere is rustic and comfortable. The hostess immediately greeted me and escorted me to a table, "just as I requested," in back and out of the way. Of course it may have helped the restaurant was sparsely occupied, at least initially, but that soon changed as the dinner crowd rolled in. Staff: The welcoming attitude made a world of difference for me coming from the stop and go traffic on I-15. Needing a break and not wanting to be rushed I asked my server to hold off on each entrée until I was ready for the next and he was more than accommodating...as was the rest of the staff that would come by and check on how I was doing when he was busy with a large table to my right. When it came time to order his honesty meant a world of difference to me. Although, they are primarily a steak house the steaks are not aged. He also knew the full menu and how to smile. Meal: I started off with my typical dirty martini made with Tito's vodka, which came as ordered it but was only "good" as it needed a bit more dirty. I transitioned into the Italian Wedding Soup that came with toasted French roll, served with roasted garlic in oil and another plate of butter. The bread was wonderful and the toasted garlic was tasted well but would have been better had it been in smaller pieces for easier placement on the loaf. The Wedding Soup was also good but needed seasoning, harkening to the possibility that it came from a can. My main meal was the one of the specials, Beef Stroganoff. It was done extremely well. Seasoned appropriately, steak cooked to perfection and the noodles and sauce something I would have suspected came from a fine restaurant in Manhattan. Excellent choice. Desert: The homemade desert by a local bakery was also very good. I decided on the Blackberry and Peach a la mode and despite the whipped cream tasting as if it was Cool-whip, I guess I'm spoiled from my wife's homemade whipped cream I was pleased. The coffee came with international delight creamer and was a nice quality. Overall: The bathrooms were very clean and efficiently situated. The dinning room was separate / across from the bar separated by swinging doors keeping the right atmosphere for both. I especially enjoyed the large fireplace that was central to the dinning area. In the end I have very little to grumble over, and whatever I could complain about was overtaken by the very efficient service with a smile. I don't know how the seafood or steaks are but for the meal and service I had I give it four (4) stars. I look forward to returning to Red Horse on my next trip to Gettysburg,...hopefully with my wonderful wife and family.
(4)Ted R.
Really a four but had to make up for the winers on this site. I had the prime rib rare and the wild rice. My wife had the small fillet rare and it was more medium rare which she really likes and also a great baked potato. I brought her here for her 18 and 19 th birthday when we lived in Frederick and now for 60th birthday as we were visiting friends.
(5)Donald C.
Parking was a nightmare. Once I got in, staff were hostile and telling me that I couldn't get a table and seemed to want me to shut up and leave. I had to insist I had a reservation. They finally looked in the system and saw I had a reservation. Good service -- at first. Throughout the meal, the waiter progressively ceased to appear. I had to call the waiter over for the last half of the meal. I asked for my steak to be cooked medium well -- aka slightly pink in middle. Steak came medium rare. Tasted good, but too bloody for my tastes. So I asked them to cook it to medium well, please. They left, then came back with it only warmed up -- not even cooked more. The amount of pink was the same. At that point, five waiters -- not even kidding -- five waiters kept asking us if we were done, if we wanted the check. Keep in mind our plates were only half empty and we were still actively eating. After the third time, we told them if we were done eating, we'd let them know. They acknowledged it, but asked us again three more times afterwards anyway if we were done. Very pushy and anxious to get our table cleared away. There were three others dining with me. Their steaks were cooked exactly to specifications, but had no flavor. Two things they had going for them were a good atmosphere and quite a variety in food selection. All in all, all four of us concluded afterwards that due to how pushy the staff were, and due to substandard service, we would not be returning to the Red Horse cafe. My wife and my meal in total cost me $75, not including tip. My two other dining companions' bill cost them $95 not including tip, but that was due to their ordering a bottle of wine. Plates' cost averaged $20 to $50. Pricey, so if you're budget-conscious, this is not the place to eat at.
(2)Jason H.
The special steak of the evening (grilled ribeye) sounded really good. My friend and I both ordered it. The waiter came back a few minutes later and told us that it was all gone, except for the end cuts, so if we still wanted it, it wouldn't be cooked rare, it would be medium at best. He suggested that if we wanted a rare cooked steak, we should go with the strip steak. I opted for the strip, he decided to stick with the ribeye. My steak was ok, slightly tough. Nothing special. For half the price, I could have gotten the same or better quality at any other restaurant. My friend's ribeye was tender on one side, tough on the other. The other two friends with us got the salmon and another strip steak. All four of our meals, along with the sides, were average at best. Considering the prices I paid, the whole experience was below average. The service, again, was adequate, nothing special. We could have gone to most of the other high quality restaurants in Frederick for half the price and left happier. We won't be back to Red Horse.
(1)Dan B.
In my opinion, my steak was not very good. My family and I ate their sometime back and I order the NY strip steak. I found the steak very average and not worth the price. The steak seemed dry to me and lacking a genuine steak flavor. I probably could have gotten the same steak at Ponderosa. This is not based on fact, only my opinion.
(2)Corey C.
Was looking forward to a great steak and some crab cakes...what a disappointment. Wait staff was slow and drinks were usually empty for 5-10 minutes before someone would ask if we needed refills. Then you would wait another 10 or 15 to get them. Several of the steaks were over cooked and the replacement took 20 minutes. The grill room is scary! It looks like a place where a horror film could be made. It might impress a date if the best place she ever at was Denny's. Waiter followed us out the door because he thought we screwed him on the tip. It's a tip!!!! The better you do, the more you get. I think a big part of the problem is the bar and the kitchen...way too slow. Find somewhere else to go. 5 star prices should get you 5 star service and food. This place won't be around long.
(1)Wang C.
Way over price for the portion you get and quality of food. There is a funky smell when you first walk in. Lighting isn't the best, and I have 20/20 vision. The waitress claimed her bf only gets the ribs and loves their special sauce they put on it. Having ketchup as part of your special sauce, does not make your sauce special or tasty. Ribs and ketchup does not go together.
(2)Doug K.
It gets one star because Red Horse did NOT meet expectations. My wife & i expected this to be a top-shelf steakhouse, given the high cost (steaks were $23-38 per entree). Our total bill was $100. Was confused by the cheese ball and packaged crackers, especially when we saw bread & butter on other tables. Our butter came, but it took 20 minutes for the bread to arrive. The steaks looked as we asked them to be cooked- medium and pink in the middle, but they tasted dry and basically tasteless. And, they were the special- NY strip with a balsamic reduction. The wine list was impressive and we really wished the dining experience and meal would have been as well. The wait-staff was young and awkward. We left thinking we should have gone Longhorn Steakhouse and saved some cash.
(1)Mike H.
I am wishing I'd read the yelps before dining here. Service was very poor, food was overpriced, bland, cold, etc..., This place rates 0 stars. I will never go back. The 50'something ex-hippie waiter with the earring is trying hard, but not cutting it. The 18 year old bus girl did a better job taking orders and communicating to us!
(1)Amberly W.
Divey in a good way. I prefer the bar area. The restaurant needs a decoration intervention.
(4)Mary M.
Three of us went here last Sunday night, we have been here a few times before but a few years ago. Service was fine, we had a young man and he really tried to please. Two orders were okay, lots of shell in the "broiled crab cakes", I put this in "" because they were more like baked. The prime rib was only okay although it was cooked as ordered. The last of us ordered beef at medium and it arrived well done, she sent it back and it took over a half hour to get it back, the other two gals had finished their meal by then. The waiter took it off the bill and we did ask for the manager, he came out and basically gave us the impression that he could care less. We will never go back there again.
(2)Tara G.
We were really looking forward to eating here, but we found that it was not worth the cost of the food, which is mediocre. Entrees range from $23-$35 ish and are underwhelming. Ate with two other guests (my fiance and his dad) and no one's steak had been cooked as ordered. The service was pretty poor and we virtually never saw our server. I don't plan to go back.
(2)Denise D.
Everything about this place is fine, but not spectacular. The wine list is okay at best (very few wines are available by the glass). The steaks were good, but not life-changing. The steamed veggies and the caesar were the highlight for me, and that seems a little sad. We didn't have dessert or coffee. Our server didn't write anything down, which was impressive, and he did get our entrees right, but the sides and beverages were wrong for several of us . . . it seemed to me that sometimes you have to suck it up, admit that your brain isn't a steel trap, and write orders down! There were 6 of us-- frankly, I wouldn't judge anyone harshly for writing down orders for 6 people. It would have saved time, money, energy, and our frustration. Still, he was a very nice guy and gave good suggestions and genuinely seemed to care if we enjoyed our meals. Which we did, to a moderate degree.
(2)Andy J.
If you like chunks of shell in your imperial crab casserole this place is for you. Service wasn't great either and it's expensive.
(2)Michael M.
They cut the steak to check how it was cooked which drained all of the juices. The steak lacked flavor.
(1)Bill P.
The GRILL WINDOW!!!!! The GRILL WINDOW!!!!!! Large window with grill......Impress your dates watch your meat cook and tap on window if you think getting overdone :) That is all I have to say....in this very ski lodgey wood paneled fireplace special place....this restaurant NEEDS MORE RESPECT.....would do just fine in Mo Co where there are several steakhouses so Frederick pump up the volume!!!!! Took cover here after the HUGE storm!!!!!! Dined early with daughter 12 (a steak expert....loves Bond 45's filet Mignon $32)..... We ordered off the lighter and less expensive menu......two steak dinners for $45 with sides, bread, tax and beverages!!!!! Nice.... Daughter got the Filet mignon $18 cooked perfectly medium with fluffy mashed potatoes...... I got the NY strip $23 medium rare large great cut......with steak fries..... Two servers worked as a team and as it got close to 6PM and getting busy on a Sunday nite......they didn't let up friendly and accomodating to the very end...... if you are from outta town or a staycation......book next door at the Comfort Inn and then eat here!!!!!!
(5)Mark E.
Based on some good online reviews, we decided to give Red Horse a try. The place seems pretty run down and is pretty dark and depressing. It was so dark it was hard to read the menu, and we weren't the only people who complained about that during our meal. Although the place was not very crowded when we arrived, he service was pretty rude and inattentive. Nobody ever told us the specials, although we did overhear other servers telling other tables about them. We were first presented with a bowl of crackers in cellophane, and some butter. A bit later we did get some warm bread and more butter which was pretty good. We each ordered the New Your Strip and found them to be cooked correctly but quite under seasoned. The baked potato and the grilled asparagus were very good. Overall it was OK but nothing special. We will probably not go back.
(2)Tim K.
I was interested to try the Red Horse because it has been a Frederick dining establishment for longer than I've been alive. A group of us decided to go there recently and I genuinely looked forward to it. The waitstaff was prompt for the first half of the night and nearly missing the second. The drinks were all correct and at the table, and the meal was brought out all together (no doubt good choreography by the cooks) and presentation was fine. for me, where the restaurant fell flat was the meal itself. the bread for the table was unremarkable, the Caesar salad was unremarkable, and my entree was unremarkable. I got the 12 oz NY Strip (called the Jeff Recommends) and it seems Jeffs tastes are more attune to Denny's steaks than fine dining. It had a greasy feel in my mouth and limited flavor. It came with a vegetable medley and baked potato. The potato seemed slightly undercooked, but I didn't mind it so much. The vegetable medley consisted of green beans. Someone may want to let them know what a medley is. Regardless, the green beans were quite good, tasting the freshest out of all the meal. Alls said and done at the end of the night, I've paid $50 for a 12 oz steak, green beans, a baked potato, Caesar salad, and a pepsi. Sorry, but I don't think I'll be going back. For $30 I can get the exact same thing at Outback, but with bigger portions and more flavor. As a sidenote, everyone seemed to at least enjoy their meal, but I did recieve confirmation from another member of the party that they wouldn't be returning. Another sidenote: the $50 included an 9 dollar tip. The waitstaff averaged fantastic throughout the meal. if they'd been more attentive during the second half, I probably would've made it a $15 tip.
(2)George C.
I was at Red Horse today, while passing through Frederick. Last time that I was there was in 1980. Today it was exactly as I remembered it to be, over thirty years ago. Service took way too long for my takeout order of one sandwich, and the food was over priced. Otherwise, everything was excellent, and they do offer fast WiFi Internet. It did seem unusual that I was the only customer. That is usually a bad sign. But you have to understand that you are paying for more than just food. You are paying for atmosphere. Your table has a white table cloth. There is a lit fireplace. And so forth. Red Horse is, therefore, not a restaurant for people in a hurry. Red Horse is where you go, when you want an expensive meal with lots of attention from waiters; and you have more than an hour to kill eating it.
(3)April L.
I think my favorite thing about this place is the retro decor, it was like dining in the past. That said, the food was also retro - iceberg lettuce and steamed broccoli, cauliflower and carrots from frozen to steamed on my plate took me back in time. Not bad, but not great, if you're going to pay a lot for dinner I think you can do much better than this place.
(3)josh w.
I have been living in Frederick for over a year and have driven past the Red Horse many times. have often wanted to go to this place but have never seemed to find the right occasion. Well I figured Valentine's day was a day that this place would showcase itself. How wrong was I proved to be. Right off the bat I was disappointed to be seated and greeted with a cheese ball (al-la velveta) and packets of cheap breadsticks and saltine crackers. No folks this is not a $10 Lohrs family restaurant this is a supposed high end steak house. Seriously do I need to send these guys a recipe for breadsticks? It's not that hard. I don't mind dropping 3 figures on a meal for two but I felt cheapened as soon as I was at my seat. Moving on to the appetizer I had a the crab dip. So so. It was more of a mousse than a dip. It wasn't worth the price ($11) but then I figured I would give the place the benefit of the doubt, it is a steak place not a seafood place. So moving on to the steaks (1hr later...its valentines...I expected them to be busy) , I got the smaller cut NY strip. It was ok, nothing to write home to mommy about, not much taste. Very bland. My date got the chef cut which was $10 more. There was $10 more gristle, that was it, it was a very bad cut. The steamed veg (broccoli/carrots) tasted like rubber. My date's steak was ordered medium, it was served rare. Now we have problems. I asked for mash, I got a baked potato. I guess not the end of the world. The worse was yet to come. I complained about my wrong side order and finally got my mash but wait. FAKE MASHED POTATOES!!!!!! Yes folks I was served a type of mash that even Cracker Barrel has said they are moving away from. I am starting to get mad now. I mean seriously. What an effing joke. Almost on every level this place was a let down. Like I said earlier, I have no problem dropping 3 figures on a meal for 2 but this place was taking the Mickey. I am almost speechless owing to how poor this meal was...well judging by my tirade that's probably not the right expression but you know what I mean. The only saving grace for this place was that my server was extremely embarrassed about what a poor experience I had and comped my drinks. My beef wasn't with the server it was with the restaurant. Go to Outback folks.
(1)