it's good, not great. I'm all about supporting Silver Spring, and this place has a cool feel. It's just that it's ..... good. Nothing special... other than the mango martini....seriously I could stick an iv of that up to me. But I digress... The food is standard pub/sports bar fare. The hot wings are good and the calamari too. They have a good selection of pizzas and burgers. Also loads of beer. Inside you can watch sports from a number of tv's, or hang outside for a chill ambience and people watching. The service was good and they appear to have a good crowd of people. It's not my first choice for hanging but not my last. I recommend giving it a shot.
(3)
Sara A.
My boyrfriend and I went to Fire Station 1 on a Sunday night with some friends who were moving to the Silver Spring area. In an attempt to showcase one of the Silver Spring's "bar scenes" we decided to take them to Fire Station 1 to watch Sunday night football. When we arrived there was no hostess, so we sat ourselves. After sitting in the middle table in the middle of the restaurant, no one failed to come around. I mean- we were in plain sight, everyone else was sitting at a booth or the bar. After I told the bartender, a "hostess" and a waiter, someone finally came around to get our order. Next to us was a very drunk couple who somehow instigated a fight with table of off-duty Fire Station 1 employees, who were also drinking in the corner of the restaurant. After cat-calling and yelling from across the room, the customers and two Fire Station employees engaged in a full blown fist fight......All the employees rushed into the middle of the restaurant to break up the fight... even the manager. After the parties were separated, the manager didn't ask the employees to leave the restaurant. Instead some returned to their seat to continue drinking. The manager even failed to go around to apologize for the inconveninece to the existing customers or explain what just went down. I've been to Fire House a few times, not for the desire to eat a meal or enjoy the ambience, but to grab a quick drink or a pit stop to kill some time... It's normally not that disruptive, so I don't want to scare anyone off. I wrote this review, so hopefully their management will know that they've just been called out. Overall- Fire Station 1 has ok food (stick to the wings), medicore service, and HORRIBLE management. Shape up or get out, because you're giving Silver Spring a bad rep.
(1)
Jessica H.
I love love love this place. Every time I am in downtown and want a good cosmo I stop by. The bartender is awesome, and I always meet good folks sitting around the bar. The chicken wings are the best in Silver Spring. The beer selection is not my style, but if you like mixed drinks...go for it. VERY INEXPENSIVE and a fun place to hang.
(5)
Mike H.
I gave it four stars because I think people hated it on it unnecessarily. This place is definitely better than a chain like chilis or applebees. The service was decent and not as bad as everyone made it out to be. I was there on a Friday night and myself and the tables around me seemed to be getting decent service. I had the mahi mahi with mango lime salsa. The fish was slightly too salty, but palatable. The mashed potatoes and green beans that came with it were cooked correctly. My mother ordered the polenta with red pepper sauce. It was decent and the asparagus with it was good. Since I feel obliged to have a petty complaint about this place-I just had LASIK and the flashing lights everyone complained about were a nightmare for me. Overall, this place is decent. Just take it for what it is a sports bar with slightly above average to average food.
(4)
Rhonda B.
Rueben oily/soggy (still coating the roof and back of our mouths), meat tough. A staff? manager?(no intro) explained this was because we had a fatty piece of pastrami and not because it sat waiting in oil. Burger ordered medium but came out rare/raw in some parts. Fries hot and yummy as was calamari (we were served only one slice of lemon for three folks so had to as for more). Not sure but think the Cuban was an smushed skinny interpretation-my table partner described his Tampa Fla one as w/o horseradish and a lot taller. Staff?Manager? took 50% off for Rueben. Thank you but think we'll just keep this place as a 'maybe.'
(2)
Christopher D.
While the decor in this restaurant was enjoyable, and the beer selection was respectable, I will not be returning due to the quality of the food. I had the Ruben sandwich which was cut far too thick and was very greasy. I also had a side order of onion rings, which were undercooked and had no flavor at all. I went home not feeling good at all due to the amount of grease in everything. I wish the food was better, as I think that Silver Spring could benefit from restaurants like this, but a good beer selection does not forgive mediocre food, especially when the Quarry Tavern is just down the road.
(1)
Allison O.
The decor/theme are cool. The food is somewhat hit or miss but most things are pretty good. Overall it has potential. Unfortunately the service is absolutely awful. Getting seated, putting in your order, bringing your food, getting your check - each step takes twice the time it should. It seems perpetually understaffed. The staff that are there don't seem to care much about the customers. We live nearby and we would be there a lot more often if not for the unbearably slow service. If that improved it would be 3 to 4 stars.
(2)
Maria S.
The drinks are amazing! I had almost every speciality martini on the menu. The best was the ice cream mudslide....I can feel my arteries clogging just by looking at this frosty drink! I had the Crispy Mahi Mahi Wrap, and it was ok, nothing too special about it. The beer selection is great, and the coolest thing is that you can sit outside by the fire truck and take pictures. Staff was friendly and great - went out of their way to make sure we were taken care of.
I've given it a few more weeks, and i am not happy. The original grace period of an opening is past, and FS1 needs some help and real fast. I can't believe that the original chef is still there, because things like the onion rings, the sandwiches and the sides have all become blander prepackaged Sysco.clones of their handmade originals. The crowds are still coming, at least on weekends, and they quickly overwhelm the staff. The managers seem clueless to how to ramp up the service. and the mistakes coming from the kitchen bollux the works even further. They STILL don't have their beer act together either, and for a place that had the potential to be a weekly gathering place for quaffers is getting a bad rep. You are really better off going to Quarry House (an underrated gem a few blocks north at Bonifant) if you want to try interesting beers. These guys are blowing it. All the goodwill and patience in the world won't save a place that has bad food and incompetent management. I WANT FS1 to succeed, but soon I have to stop making apologies for the place. Guys, get your act together.
(2)
Robert B.
Writing another update because once again this place appears to be changing management, or at least revamping the menu. The outrageously overpriced beer now has outrageously overpriced food to go with it. The decor is terrible and mimics a national chain. The place calls itself a brewery, yet it doesn't brew anything, has a subpar beer list with zero rotating drafts, and is extremely overpriced. The food is mediocre at best and now prices have been increased, e.g. the mahi-mahi wrap used to be $9.99 (and included fries), now it's $16 and you have to pay an extra $2 to get fries - almost a 100% price increase. Also, in the menu they have a page that says "Sushi - coming soon!"...at a brewery...that doesn't brew anything. Yeah, this place is weird. And crappy. Easily (and almost universally considered) one of the worst restaurants in Silver Spring, which is a real shame. A true restaurateur could do something really amazing with the building/location. The outdoor seating is the only reason this place doesn't get 1-star.
(2)
Lin M.
This is a typical bar and restaurant. The menu is standard and the food was good not great. Very unexciting. The ambiance of the old firehouse is nice especially for kids. The booths are very spacious so this would be a good place for an after work watering hole when food is not the focus of the night.
(2)
Patrick T.
Fire Station One is a big old bag of disappointment. The concept is great. The old building is great. But that's where the greatness ends. Despite being in an old firehouse, Fire Station One is kind of generic inside. It should be a lot more gritty and urban (and remind you of a firehouse, for instance). Instead, it's a bit like someone took Ruby Tuesday's and merged it with a firehouse. The food is just not very good. It needs to be redone. There is nothing unique about the menu and nothing that makes you want to go back. Speaking of Ruby Tuesday's, you'll enjoy the food better there. The beer selection is disappointing. In fact, several of the beers that are listed on the menu are often not in stock. Ordering a drink can be quite an ordeal. This place could be really good with some relatively quick fixes: Much bigger beer selection, focusing on local Silver Spring and Maryland microbrews and better food. The interior is disappointing, but it's not what this place isn't what it could be. Once they get the food and drink straightened out, they can work on making the interior more authentic.
(2)
M.A. C.
changed hands or something wont be back
(1)
E H.
If you are looking for pub food and a solid draft beer selection, this is a solid choice. It is a little ways outside the heart of downtown silver spring but that's not a big deal. If you have kids it's a very family friendly place, there are always plenty of children around, climbing the stairs, coloring the children's menus, etc. The service could definitely use some tightening up. Our main dishes and appetizers came almost at the exact same time. The server explained that she didn't want our food to "die in the window". So you've brought it to me now so it can die on the table while I eat my appetizer? Swell. Not the best but all in all a solid place to have a drink and dinner or watch a game.
(3)
Wm H.
I had heard of this place, so when some friends wanted to go out in Silver Spring for dinner over the Memorial Day weekend, and wanted to sit outside, this turned into the perfect spot! Hard to believe that no one in our party of six had been there before either! First of all this is not a gourmet place like Jackie's around the corner. It is a Firehouse, and it as if the firemen are still cooking. Just plain food that is good. It is an old firehouse, so don't expect white table cloths, a big open interior space, a big bar, and lots of outdoor seating. If you sit outside, beware this is on Georgia Avenue, so it is NOISY, BUSY and the world will wander by while you are dining. I had ribs, others in the group had the BBQ Chicken, Meatloaf, a Chicken Sandwich, portobella sandwich and a pizza, all were tasty. The appetizers, Onion Rings and Crab dip, were sub par. For desert the cinnamon ice cream was a big hit as was the bread pudding, which one serving fed half the table. The french fries made up for the underwhelming appetizers. They are the country cut, thick and juicy with just enough spice on them (spice you can see and taste,) so blew any carbs right there on that side dish. I checked in on Foursquare and Yelp, and found a scout-mob coupon for a discount on our meal. The scout-mob discount in the end was not as great as it first appeared on the phone, 50% off, max $15, well for a party of six the discount was $10.36! But any discount is better than none. The Yelp one, you have to visit three times before you get $5 off or a pitcher of beer, or something. The wait staff was a little overwhelmed by the customer load, and all the tables were not filled. They bus your plates and silverware after the appetizer course, but forget to replace your forks and knives. So it took a couple of requests to get them. At first we got one, then later on we got enough silverware to last the rest of the week. It took a couple of requests to get a glass of ice tea in the middle of the meal, and coffee ordered with dessert also took a second request, long after dessert was finished. I will go back again, this looks like a fun lunch place, and they serve brunch as well. A good spot to meet the guys for a beer too!
(3)
Rich B.
Poor service, lame beer selection. Food average. Space has potential, but management is lax and staff is sub par.
(2)
Matt S.
Great restaurant and bar. When friends or family come up to visit DC I always take them here. The food is excellent [smokestack burger is awesome] and the wait staff is generally very polite and fast. A local favorite.
(4)
Christine T.
Why we came back to the place is beyond me. I wasn't aware that the service could get worst. As everyone said, things have changed a bit. I got the burger and another friend got the chicken noodle soup. My burger didn't shock me, but I mean it's a burger. What did strike me as odd is my friend's chicken noodle that seemed to be 85% chicken pieces and not so much soup or noodle. The waitress was only to be found when she took our order and never came back to check up. Since it was a birthday celebration, we were hoping to add another round of drinks onto our bill, but she was nowhere to be seen. Her lost.
(1)
Sandra B.
This place must be under new management, so BEWARE! I used to be a big fan of this place, but not anymore. Prices have gone up, service has gone way down, as has the quality of food. I think they are trying to make this place into a club to compete with other places nearby. Where do I start with my experience? Lets see, I walk over the bar, and there are no seats, so I ask a busboy (the kindest and most helpful person the entire night) if we could sit at the new high top lounge area seats. He told us yes, but that we would need to be served, which we were fine with. The Happy Hour specials have changed dramatically. Only 3 beers on happy hour...three beers and no mixed drinks. Also, I guess the waiter was not aware that he was getting our table, so he kept stopping by and telling us one minute. When he finally showed up I went ahead and ordered a pizza, bbq chicken. You cant go wrong with bbq chicken pizza, right? Wrong. The pizza was soggy in the middle, to which the server attempted to explain to me that it was grease from the cheese *blank stare*. Once he finally looked at the pizza he realized that it was indeed soggy. He brought back the same exact wet pizza with just a tad more brown on it this time. Ultimately I told him that I was unhappy and will stick to my Blue Moon. The host came by and asked if i was ok, and my friend said that she needed a fork for her food and told him about my pizza. He said "its probably because you didnt get seated by me, and just sat in this area." Really? Is that why? My friend also got up and asked the bartender for silverware, and napkins, to which the bartender told us that we would need to ask our server for those things. Lastly, the manager came by, explained the pizza fiasco (some new oven, and kitchen worker not knowing which to use, etc.) and offered to get me a new pizza. The new pizza was fine, except for the plastic that was stuck to the bottom of one slice...indicating that they use frozen pizzas. Our waiter then asked us to give a good word to the manager so that he could possibly be promoted. I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT. My bill included the pizza that I half-ate, and also did not have the happy hour prices for the beers. The waiter had to go back twice to fix the beer prices, and I ended up paying for the pizza in full. NEVER AGAIN.
(1)
Patrick D.
This restaurant is one that I hoped for and I want to like, however I cannot in good conscious endorse it. For one thing, I've been here on four or five occasions and the service has been 50%; when the service is great, it is dead on, but when it's bad you wait.... and you wait. Okay, that's fine... not every one knows how to wait on tables... Here is the part where I get angry with the management. We were given menus. The menus had outdated prices on the their already overpriced beer. Once our bill came, we brought up this issue to the waitress. She went to the manager to address the problem. She returned and told us the manager was unwilling to speak to us about the matter and that the waitress was forced, by the manager, to pay for the difference. I have waited tables before and this is clearly the management's fault. No waiter or waitress should be forced to pay for the restaurant's mistake. We payed the full price and then I vowed to never return to a place that has management that does not understand how to engage their customers when a problem arises. Good riddance to an overpriced, generic bar/ restaurant that could be so much but lacks any real heart.
(1)
Ben S.
Not the worst place I've ever eaten, but definitely not the best, either. It also lacks ambiance. The food felt a little pricey to me. For the quality of the food that I got, it should be a few bucks cheaper than how it was priced. The building is itself an historic firehouse, but that's where the specialness ends. The restaurant is otherwise an average, modern restaurant without anything on the menu to really make it stand out. Additionally, the service was fairly slow, and the server didn't even seem to be trying all that hard with us, which was surprising considering that I was in a large group. And lastly - and this will likely keep me from going again - the live music on the balcony level was amplified far too much. Forget being able to hear the people at your table when the band was playing. It raised the noise level far too much, and made for a less-than-pleasant experience.
(2)
Brian C.
I came back and tried this place again for drinks.... The place was empty and the service still sucked. When you have two tables in the whole place with people and a few servers walking around you don't need the bartender checking on the tables. That should be the job of the servers. The only thing Fire Station One is good at is being bad. Also a good idea would be to change the name of the restaurant to Fire Station One Poor Excuse for a Restaurant
(1)
Christopher E.
I have been twice only to be so disappointed. If you are seeking a good place to grab a pint or try beers, go somewhere else. The food is nothing special, typical bar food.
(1)
Michael B.
It's saddening, because this place is such a missed opportunity. Downtown Silver Spring lacks a really laid-back, local-friendly sports bar. Every single one of my five experiences there has been disappointing. Always one to give a place another try (what if it was just an off night?) I even went back a couple weeks ago late one Friday night, looking to grab a late beer with a friend. We walked up to the door at 12:15, and the staff was sweeping the floor and putting up chairs. We went to the bar, and we were informed that they were closed, even though the sign on the door said till 2. The bartender told us that, because it was so slow, they'd just decided to close early. In all my years, I've never heard of that... especially on a Friday night. One night when I did show up with a dozen friends around 11:30, the one bartender took nearly a half hour to bring us our first round, then ignored us while she cleaned in the back. She later came up to us and had gotten every single check wrong and brought out food no one had ordered, insisting someone had. She became irritated and questioned each individual to find out precisely what each person had ordered. The whole thing was awful. I've also been a few times for dinner (I live nearby, and there aren't that many options in DTSS), and the food was consistently lousy. The tap list is unimpressive for a place that considers itself something of a brewhouse... nothing more exotic than a Sam Adams Seasonal and a Heavy Seas Pale Ale. You'd do just as well at McGinty's, and far far better at Quarry House up the block. Sadly, there's really no reason to go here. I'd love it if the management got their act in order and turned it into a place worth frequenting, because the area could desperately use it. (Also, please please do away with the neon LEDs on the ceiling behind the flatscreens.)
(1)
Elizabeth E.
We had a nice time at Fire Station One. It was a group of 6 of us. We were planning to go to the pizza place a couple doors down but it was packed so we ended up here. I can't comment on the beers since I wasn't drinking. However, the crab artichoke dip was good. It came out bubbling... yum! My burger and fries were tasty as well. My main complaint was dessert. I ordered the bread pudding which was under-cooked/mushy in my opinion. I also tasted my friend's brownie which was overdone... really dry on the edges, top and bottom. The cinnamon ice cream was awesome. Service was not the best but not the worst. It was a busy Friday night so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. I wouldn't go out of the way to go again but the place had a nice atmosphere are decent food.
(3)
Rebecca B.
I'm shocked at some of the reviews I'm reading because they are so different from my experience at Fire Station 1! This restaurant is fantastic! The service is always great and I've never eaten something there that I didn't like. The great selection of beers on tap and live music a few nights a week really sets it apart from some of the other restaurants in the area. The set-up of the restaurant (and the fact that it's in an old fire house) give it a unique ambiance that I thoroughly enjoy. I would highly suggest dining here!
(4)
Sarah S.
Was here last night for an event, and they did EVERYTHING right. Why I feel like I discovered a hidden gem in Silver Spring: ~The food--I was able to sample a few things--the bbq chicken wings were my favorite. They were messy, sweet, tangy, with juicy, high-quality white meat. all the things a good wing should be. I was pleasantly surprised by the hummus--usually at places that mostly serve 'american' food end up butchering the hummus. Not at Fire Station 1....i'm still thinking about their hummus! ~the beer selection-They had an wide selection of good beers on tap--there would be something here to please both the craft-beer loving snob and the novice beer drinker! ~the staff-It truly felt like all the staff were happy to be there, and enjoying themselves while providing excellent customer service. As I left, I was in a better mood just because of that! ~the ambiance-This is where Fire Station 1 really gets it right. The atmosphere here is comforting and familiar, but somehow also really nice, clean, and unique as well! I'll definitely be back--I want to come for trivia night and sample more of the entrees :-)
(4)
K K.
First time here! The wings are incredible better than hooters and buffalo wing! We had great service from Helen very personal and caring suggesting what the resturant is known for. Kid friendly, we brought our active 2 year old son and the staff was very friendly to him. For dinner we had the seafood rissto, turkey burger and kid cheese pizza. All was delicious. Prize is reasonable! Perfect place to watch the game with thier 4 flat screen tv at bar and family place with thier 2 floors of seating and outside seating. We are defentlay coming again with our and will recommended it to our family and friends!! :)
(5)
Lauren S.
We tried this restaurant because of a Groupon. It is cool from the outside but the inside is weird. Upon entering to go the hostess stand you turn away from the seating and towards the bathroom,and the entrance is filled with cheap plastic flowers and lots of floor stands with weird signs on them. The menu is very bar food like which is fine. We were given a menu with bar food choices on it, a "lunch menu" with more bar food choices on it and on the table was a tent card with appetizers on it, sure would be nice if all the choices were together in one place. The hamburger was ok but had hard pieces on the outside as if it had been cooked and then microwaved, the fries were those chunky wedges with seasoning that was popular in the 1990s. I wanted a side salad but our waiter, who was inattentive, said it only came with the "lunch menu", mind you it was lunch time. If you were not picking one of the "lunch menu" choices the only way to get a salad would be to buy an entree size salad. This restaurant appears to be poorly managed and desperately trying to offer things to get people to come there. Maybe if they offered quality food with good service they would not need all the gimmicks. Don't bother.
(1)
Broseph N.
The wings are really good. Plump, tasty and you get a great deal of you order 20 at a time. A draw back is the beer selection, not horrible, but not great. Also the service is a little spotty. Not exactly the friendliest or fastest. However our bartender did look like Rihanna which was a bonus as I find that as scrumptious as the wings.
(3)
D. L.
Great ambience! The wings are to die for. Makes you sweat through your face. The tri-tips were awesome! Yummy.
(4)
Nae C.
HORRIBLE!!!! My friends and I met here for Happy Hour on a Thursday evening. The service staff was annoyingly indifferent...at various points, my friends and I had to get up and go behind the bar and serve ourselves. We were told by our bartender/server that it was not "her job" to bring us ketchup but rather the server as if she was incapable of passing us the ketchup herself. The manager intervened when he spotted us helping ourselves to the silverware after asking for it twice to no avail however he too seemed just as indifferent. The wings and potato skins were okay but not worth ever taking a chance on making another trip to this place.
Only go if you aren't in a rush. We went here for a late lunch with 4 people. We were seated promptly but pretty much forgotten right away. Our waiter would disappear between dropping by to forget what we asked for. It took us a solid hour from sit down to food on the table. The food was delicious though and the atmosphere and decor are great. They have a nice outdoor seating area and good beer menu (although I'm not sure it warrants having Brew in the restaurant name). Definitely an option if you want to sit outside and enjoy the day, but be prepared for some slow service.
Went here with my sister who said it wasn't very good. And she was right, it sucked. No way around it, just terrible food. The upstairs had karaoke blasting despite not a single person being up there. Our waitress stared at us awkwardly instead of using words to communicate. Not the best system, but what ever works for you.
(2)
David S.
I love the house brews! You can sometimes find them in local liquor stores in Silver Spring. Try the bistro chicken sandwich... can't go wrong with a great chicken breast, cheese, bacon, and sauce. I haven't had anything else on the menu but friends have tried other things and have had nothing but good things to say. With that said, I'm not sure why so many people seem to be critical of the food; its bar food at a micro-brewery-adjust your expectations accordingly. The building is cool from the exterior but inside it lacks the character you expect based on the outside. The beers make up for it!
(4)
Lam Ngan L.
This place is very spacious with indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor space faces Georgia Ave. We went there on a Saturday night and it was not very crowded, which I kind of enjoyed because it was nice to just sit and be able to talk. We ordered the bucket deal, 5 bottles for 15 bucks. And an order of buffalo wing (they do by lbs instead of wing count which average out to be about 9-12 wings). We also ordered potato wedges and that was tasty. Our waiter was very attentive and fast.
(4)
Tanishia M.
Two stars... I know... that's kind of low... but I have attended here once by myself and twice with my boyfriend... My first experience was pretty cool. I came in randomly on a weekday and ordered their Old Bay wings. There was a friendly bartender working and made me this awesome drink called "The Batman". Its not on the regular menu, but the bartender, who is apparently known as "The Batman," made it for me. In addition, the owner or someone in his management gave me a $5 coupon to come back! That, coupled with the wings (which were bomb,) gave me reason to want to come back.... Ahh.... the trickery and lies.... Well, I came back, brought the boo... and yeah... wasnt the same. For one, I think the establishment is a little overpriced. We kept to appetizers and ordered the beer steamed shrip for $10.99 - and got a whopping 8 shrimp! WOOHOO! As we ate them, we couldnt help but compare to the TGIFridays off of Tech Drive in Silver Spring who sold 20 shrimp for FIVE DOLLARS one evening.... We also tried the crab and artichoke dip... not every tasty AT ALL. I asked for tortilla chips instead of pita chips and they brought out soggy home fried potato chips with old bay seasoning on them. They said they didnt have tortilla chips. Huh? So, defeated, we got the pita chips. Blah. Tasted like Costco... actually... thats a compliment. They tasted like Cardboard. To make matters worse, the bartender was mean... as if she was dragged from hell to work that day. I wish I was exaggerating. We were so turned off by her on our first visit, we chose to sit in the booths on our second as not to be "all up in her bartending grill. " I can honestly say the only great thing on the menu thus far would be the chicken wings. Its kinda hard to mess up chicken wings. But then again, its hard to mess up pita chips.... The ambiance is really nice and its a shame that the food and service, (aside from "The Batman" ) is subpar. We really have tried to make this our local hang out but its hard to justify paying high prices for food thats "meh" We promised ourself we would try ONE last time and get something off of the dinner menu... hopefully they wont dissapoint...
(2)
Bill P.
BEST Cuban sandwich that I can remember! THICK Sliced into 3s sliced pork with pickles, chipotle mayo, Dijon mustard & Swiss pressed into a locally baked ciabatta roll with yummy THICK ranch fires on the side. $9 Good stuff and with some sweet tea hit da spot!!!! I'll def. be back as blonde at bar was CALLING ME!!!!!!! ;) Big upstairs area I sure hope it goes to good use cause it's big and bad with own bar. Tony S. fine server and I def. saw some good teamwork with no service issues.
(5)
Heyci F.
Worst service I ever had. The service & food was horrible. The outside looked good from the outside so I decided to take my boys. Never again! The crab cake was gross and the service was worst.
(1)
N S.
**drink review** Stopped in here before meeting up with Mic for a drink. I think. Memory is really starting to go. Had a beer before heading over to the pizza spot. Place is large, but it just lacked something. The bartender was very nice, but maybe the space is too large? I wouldn't mind trying to catch a game here, guess I have one game left to do that this season and will report back.
(3)
Kevin O.
Seafood pasta was fantastic. Service was great. I'll be back !
(4)
Brandon R.
I took my sister to Fire Station 1 while she was visiting from California. I had previously been to Fire Station 1 on New Years and had the best time! The host/waiter Jacques Chenet made our experience un forgettable. The food and drinks were great but the customer service and atmosphere was better. If you want a good buzz we recommend the blue hawaiian or the BUCKET they will know what you are talking about. p.s. Management if you are reading this I have been working in customer service for over 10 years and Jacques is a great asset to your team. He is the reason we came back and I am sure others feel the same. It is people like him that demonstrate great customer service. Thanks again for a great time... -Brandon R.
(5)
Jamie S.
Stopped in here last ngiht to meet a friend who lives in the area. Taps were $5 which was reaonable for the area I guess. I'd pay $5 for a decent IPA. I would not pay $5 for a Yuengling though. This would probably be a cool place to watch the game as there are nice size screens above the bar. My buddy bought us both a Makers Mark on the rocks. Prost, my friend. Oh, wait. $9 for a shot of Makers Mark? Are you out of your damn mind? This is why only 2 stars. I got robbed.
(2)
Jerry B.
The only thing that saved this review from 1 star is that they honored the groupon deal we used to pay for dinner. It's a shame because this place has tons of potential. The location is great. The service is fine. The beer on tap is tasty. The atmosphere and decor are really pretty nice. But it is a restaurant, right? The food is...just....awful. I mean really bad. Tasteless. Fried. Yuckeroo. My kids could barely choke down the greasy pizza. The onion rings had zero flavor. My sandwich was cold and bland and essentially just wilted lettuce. We stared at our food and wondered what we had done to offend them. Oh, and the bathroom was so dirty my kid refused to go. So if anyone there is paying attention to their yelp reviews, please....replace the management and try again.
(2)
Karli B.
Great atmosphere with unique location. The food prices were reasonable and quality was superior. I had the Mahi wrap and bread pudding for dessert.
(4)
Deadline S.
Awful, slow waitstaff, dirty, bad sticky menus. I'm not sure why people go here. I'm not sure why the management of this place thinks things are going well. Did I mention slow and uninformed waitstaff. I wish I could give it -stars. This place makes Silver Spring look bad. If you like this place, I will read your reviews and make sure I never visit anywhere that you like. This place is for people who think Ruby Tuesday's is awesome and pricy; you know for special occasions only!
(1)
Wendy R.
I've visited this establishment about 4 times since Fire Station 1 opened, most recently on 1/27. The bar boasts both MD-based wine and beers although no mention of food origin is provided. Most draft beer is reasonably priced at $4-5 per glass. We enjoyed both the oatmeal stout and the Avenue golden ale - the Avenue Golden ale is quite tasty. The only MD-based wines are from the Sugarloaf Mountain winery. The menu offers several vegetarian options (I have vegetarian friends) and the queso sticks are an enjoyable diversion from the typical mozzarella sticks on a bar menu. I tried the 3-alarm chili which came loaded with cheese, onions,and sour cream. The chili had a good bite and came with a side of jalapeno corn bread. Although on prior visits I have had issues with the timeliness of the service (both at the bar and at a table), but on our last visit I had no problems at all with the bar service. I would definitely visit this establishment again, but will admit that the service is unpredictable.
(4)
Sarah B.
This was our first time visiting Fire Station One. We went there on a whim without doing any research, and it turned out to be a great choice! Ours was a Monday Lunch with my visiting parents. My husband and I had off for the day (otherwise we could never make it on a weekday lunch). The crowd was light, but there was at least one large group for an office lunch during our visit. Since the restaurant is a remodeled fire station, it's big and open inside. The decor is fun, including the front of an old engine and some changing LED-lit panels above the bar. As my dad commented, the only thing he wished it still had was the firepole for second-floor guests to slide down! The hostess at the door was nice, and our server was terrific, visiting our table several times just to check in. The food really hit the spot. I had the Spinach salad with hot bacon dressing (simple and delicious) and the Buffalo Chicken wrap. It was very tasty with blue cheese dressing on the side and a serving of their seasoned fries. The chicken could have had more wing sauce, but it was still tasty with the light amount used (next time I'll request extra on the side). Along with the items I mentioned, my family ordered the French Dip sandwich, Crabcake (made MD style, which is my favorite type of crabcake), and the Lobster BLT. The BLT was the biggest hit! Good selection of bottled beers, including ones that I believe are from Red Brick Station brewery/restaurant in White Marsh. All made for a tasty and enjoyable meal with family. We will definitely visit again and bring our friends along.
(4)
Dave C.
Second time we went. It was much better this time. Perfect atmosphere with our the year old. The five alarm wings were not just hit but tasty, something often overt looked with hot wings. Service was very good and knowledgeable.
(4)
Louise S.
The food was generic...no real thought behind the menu. The 4 cheese is HORRIBLE. "Their IPA sucked,", says my husband the beerhead and the wine list was filled with some of the worst wines available. Don't waste your money or time.
(1)
Yuri R.
Not too surprisingly, this kind of place doesn't fare that well on Yelp: what was at one time intended as an authentic local brewery-restaurant has since shed that genuinely happy mask for a dull generic one. Hook & Ladder's local brews are served here, but not fresh from a gleaming copper tank, as one might have once hoped. Though palatable, served alongside commonly available alternatives, and without the brew house atmosphere, these locally distributed suds somehow lose their ebullience. Don't get me wrong - there isn't much in the way of an alternative bite & beer near these few blocks of Silver Spring, and nothing with a thematic concept, if you appreciate one that's reasonably executed. The accommodations are spotless. And the service is friendly if not always highly skilled. Unfortunately though, along the way to being a Dogfish Head Alehouse, this little stillborn turned out a Ruby Tuesday's.
(3)
Maiera M.
Had a groupon so decided to try the place out. The atmosphere was nice, very casual. Not too loud or too quiet. Got seated as soon as we came in. That's when things went down hill.. The waitress was simply awful. Nice, but didn't seem to know what was going on. Didn't know the menu well and just didn't listen. She forgot to put our appetizer order in, apparently (a couple got sat right next to us and came in about 1in after us and got their sliders 5 minutes before we got our shrimp... Come on). But whatever. We let that slide. We got our entree about 5 minutes after we got our appetizers which was also frustrating but also didn't make any fuss about. It was nice that the manager came by a couple times to see how things were, and we didn't really have anything substantial to complain about at that point, so we didn't. But then we finished our meal and didn't see our waitress for another 10min! We were ready to go! She finally came and gave us our check and charged us for a wrap we didn't get. (Btw they also gave our drinks to the wrong table at first but I caught it before they drank it!). So she came back with our fixed check, but didn't fix it! So we told her again to fix it. She finally gave us our check after 15min after requesting it and didn't give us a pen :-/. That was just the last straw. Bad tip and doubt we'll be coming back. Shame.
(2)
Javier V.
Been there twice now, atmosphere/ambiance is pretty awesome. The restaurant is open and airy/spacious . . . My recommendation is to sit at the bar. Bartender dude is pretty cool, quick to get ur order, ur drink, etc. . I didn't have to wait too long for a refill or anything really . . . I ate the Bacon & Cheese Burger, which was pretty average for a restaurant cheeseburger. The ranch fries that come with the meal were pretty well seasoned, so kudos there. Overall I enjoyed my experience at Fire Station One, although the prices could be better ;)
(3)
kevin c.
Stopped in on a Tuesday night. The place was not that busy, but still had a decent amount of people. It seemed like a pretty good place to hang out and the interior is very nice. Food was just average. Portabella powerhouse was a little tough and just so-so. The crispy mahi wrap is not bad and was better than the mushroom burger. House beers were just ok. I thought the IPA was a little bland and underwhelming. The golden ale was too. The red was pretty good. Overall, a decent place to hang out for decent food and beer.
(3)
Adam H.
Went here with a large group for drinks after dinner. The service was fine, but there were a few things that put a sour end to the night for us. We were seated outside with an initial party of 8 that grew to about 12 people. The blueberry ale that our server recommended did not have any blueberry flavor. It was just a normal light ale w/ whole blueberries floating in the beer. The other beers on tap seemed alright. Nothing special about the beer available here. We had been seated for close to two hours when our server informed us that they had "flagged" our entire table because we had each had 3-4 drinks a person. This meant they wouldn't serve us any more drinks unless the manager "approved" our level of sobriety. Our group was not loud at all and the only other people where we were seated were also just drinking. So the manager came out and proceeded to talk and stare at all of us for a few minutes. When we laughed at the situation he asked us why we were all laughing. His demeanor was unfriendly and was giving us the impression that our presence was not welcome. I could understand if we were being loud and obnoxious and interfering w/ the dining experience of other customers, but it was close to 11:30 at this point and there were very few in the restaurant period, let alone outside where we were all seated. They brought out the last few drinks that we ordered, then brought everyone their checks which I supposed was their not so subtle signal hint to tell us all to leave. I felt bad for our server being forced to tell us that we'd been "flagged". If the management wasn't idiotic we definitely would've stayed a bit longer. Will probably never come back.
(1)
Jay R.
Went in for dinner (not to drink) and had very low expectations, but was pleasantly surprised - the glorified bar food that makes up their menu was perfectly servicable from what I could tell. Sliders were the best thing we had despite coming out lukewarm. The patties were juicy and had a great unexpected spicy kick to them. The buffalo wings were decent as well. Ribeye was okay and was prepared correctly. The $12 Lobster BLT was okay as well - lots of lobster meat (it seemed to be from a can) with great tasting bacon, but they should rethink the multigrain toast toast that it came on. The accompanying fries were the generic seasoned frozen kind but not offensive. The color wheel alternating lights reflecting off of the panels above the bar was very annoying if you sat in the middle of the room. I wish we had scored a booth along the perimeter with their individual pendant lights. It's kind of odd that the fire station space is large, and yet it doesn't have many tables on the main level thus seating capacity isn't too high, but it's really loud even on a Monday night. Service that we encounted was pretty good - not intrusive and very efficient. Our server was one of those types that doesn't write anything down, but she got it all right! She's definitely a keeper. Next trip - Ketchup at National Harbor
(3)
Mic X.
"No mas," he said, as wandered around the ring like the ref was trying to force him to sign a petition. He threw up his hands once more. "No mas." The incredulous referee stood frozen. It was not from the use of a language he did not speak. He understood the meaning, though he did not know the words. It was the meaning itself he could not understand. Sugar Ray Leonard understood what it meant as he watched Roberto Duran turn around and amble back into his corner. Sugar Ray Leonard threw up his arms in victory before the referee had stopped the match. Roberto Duran just sat in his corner and even though there was nothing to the human eye that appeared to be physically wrong with the pugilist, he refused to get off of his stool. Be it mental, physical, or any other -al and combination thereof, he simply could not take the abuse any longer. This is how Fire Station One must feel right about now. A fighter with tons of potential who begins a fight getting stung early and has to spend the rest of the match making up for lost points. The reviews have been brutal thus far and without saying that they are unwarranted, many were written in the first few weeks of the opening of this restaurant, which I have been waiting with much hope and anticipation. I am a fan of Hook and Ladder beers and with so much space to work with in the old firehouse, I myself was expecting something a bit more unique. The owners could have gone for daring, but chose safety instead. The main bar and dinning area is a generically nice, open space with a staircase that leads to a smaller, darker bar and dinning area. There is also an outdoor patio area where the firetrucks used to pull into the giant sized doorways. It is very amenable to families - even the stroller brigades. The food that my family and I have had while dinning here has been fair to good. My wife thought her NY Strip steak was one of the best steaks she had eaten in ages. The Crab Cake sandwich I had was plump with lump crab meat and not much in the way of filler. The Club sandwich I had at previous night out was large and tasted like a plain old club sandwich should taste like - filling. The kid's cheese pizza was mediocre, but my daughter enjoyed it. One thing that I give this restaurant some praise for, is that they offer vegetables (I assume that it's always grilled zucchini, because that's what I got) for a side for all of their sandwich dishes. It's refreshing not to be forced into eating french fries or nothing. The beer selection leans way too far toward the macro brews for a small brewing company. I do hope they try and get a little more adventurous in bringing in more unique beers from local breweries. Each time I have gone to Fire Station One, the crowd has been sizable each and every time. Apparently the folks who continue to come here have not read the reviews on this site. While a large number of reviewers on this site lust for the chance to air their opinions and wax poetic upon the divinity of the perfect plate of foie gras, the reality of the world is that these inflated expectations do not fuel the palates of the masses who fill the accounts of the cooks. At the end of the day, Applebee's has her sovereign shine and foie gras is just tortured duck liver. Who knows how this restaurant will fare in the coming months, but the owners should take notes on everything that people have commented upon the service thus far. Personally speaking, I have not experienced the horrors that other have experienced. Mine have all been routine. In short (at long last) - this is no exceptional dinning experience, but is not to be avoided like the plague (as some of the reviewers would surmise). The assaults keeping coming at you Fire Station One. Regain your ground, adjust, counter or otherwise you just may be "no mas."
(3)
steve s.
My wife and I actually went here twice. We liked the decor and thought that perhaps the first experience was a fluke and that we would (generously) give them a second chance...a chance they didn't deserve. First, my wife and I are generally satisfied with most restaurants we go to. We are not that hard to please. In both cases we experienced bland or awful food and poor service. On one visit I had a "grilled" chicken sandwich and chicken looked like it had been boiled. It was supposed to a bourbon sauce on it but it was totally bland. I asked the waiter for some barbeque sauce for the sandwich. After waiting several minutes, I noticed he was standing and talking to some other patrons who he obviously knew. I waved him over and reminded him that my food was getting cold and he finally got it. The second time we went was no better...water glasses weren't refilled when empty, dishes weren't cleared and my wife's mahi mahi wrap was tasteless...worse...it made her ill. The owner of this place did a good job of building a nice place...he just hasn't got the restaurant part down. I recommend that you stay away from this place. There are much better options in Silver Spring.
(1)
Christie W.
This place has A LOT of potential........... I want to give them a break because they are so new, and I love the location, and the atmosphere of the restaurant! It has 2 levels, a bar upstairs and downstairs, plus outdoor patio seating. I hear once the lease is up for the business next door they are going to be expanding, then they will brew their own beer, and have rooftop seating probably by next Summer for the rooftop seating though I can imagine. The menu is average. I was not that impressed with the food, but I will let it slide for now. I hope when I return I can offer more positive insight, however for now that is all I will say. The staff is dedicated, and very friendly. People need to keep in mind it's hard starting up a new business, and hopefully with time they will get it right and be rewarded 5 stars!! The history of the building itself is amazing as well. I look forward to going back for a second try. TBC................
(3)
pia b.
Quick update... I went there w/the Taller Half last week for a quick bite. I ordered the Cobb Salad. While I'm not a total food snob (I swear!) I do have some standards. The cheese on the salad? Totally processed cheese slices cut up . This salad was more then $10. Lame, no?
(1)
Catalina S.
American food, the Maryland crab soup was good. I had the meat loaf entree, my husband the short ribs.. both were good, though the meat loaf was salty. The onion rings were great. The atmosphere is great and the staff is super friendly. The menu entrees don't give you a choice of sides.. I'm not a big fan of green beans. The menu states that they are using a "citrus butter".. but it really gives the food a wierd chemical taste.The staff is super friendly and helpful, love the ambience.. not hot on the food though. This place brings back memories for me.. I actually worked here from time to time back in the late 80's when it was a working fire house (I was assigned to Station 16 back then).
(3)
Thoreau B.
Just terrible. I mean wow, you come in and think, ok, kind of generic, but nice. The you open the menu, and you say, kind of generic, but well priced, and some things look good. And then the food comes. Or well, kind of comes. The drinks never get to you, or get mixed up, or the server doesn't know any beers on tap (despite it being a b"brewery") or all three things. Then the appetizers come after the entrees. Then you get the entrees and the appetizers and they are just awful. The breadiest pizza I have ever had, the fish was awful, and the tomato appetizer? A joke. Plus the service was just beyond obliviousness. No clue what they were doing, never managed to bring missing food, would not take our drink orders, I could go on. They have ok fries though. No redeeming features that I can tell.
(1)
Katydid A.
The only reason there are 3 stars is because the beer is ok. I had decent service the 2 times I went. The second time being given my wings with no napkins then waiting 10 minutes for utensils. The missing 2 stars are for the food. Both times I went I got the wings. They were over cooked and tough to eat. Not very good. If you are drinking only. Yes go to Firestation. Do not eat the food.
(3)
Alison T.
I went t this place with my boyfriend the second week it opened, and was super excited to try it out. It looked really cool, a converted firehouse, and the place was packed, so I'm thinking its going to be good... boy was I wrong! After a 45 minute wait, we were seated inside next to a large filthy table with food on the floor. A waiter came to clean it, and just started pushing the food that had fallen onto the table onto the floor. ..Red flag number one. The dsea bass dish I wanted they said they couldn't make, so I ordered the same thing as my boyfriend, a baked chicken dish that was supposed to be topped with crab meat in some kind of sauce. The wait for our food was kind of long, and they brought out my boyfriends a good 10 minutes before mine, and we ordered the same dish! What they brought out we both that was a bad joke. It looked like those little frozen chicken breast cutlets that you buy in bag. The piece of chicken was sooo small, it was a child sized portion, and there wasn't much crab on top. So not only did it look pathetic, but it was bland. Since my main dish left much to be desired I wanted to try and save the dinner with a yummy dessert. I wanted the banana split which I saw on the menu. But when I ordered it the waiter said they didn't have that either. And at that point I was through. Shortly after, one of the owners came by and I told him about our experience. He apologized and gave my boyfriend another meal that he took home. He said they were in the process of changing the menu and that's why some things weren't available. And that gAnd mentioned how getting seafood was tough because of the situation in the Gulf. ( I actually just came back from New Orleans where I had a lot of seafood, u can still eat the seafood down there so I have a hard time believing that.) The icing on the cake was that the next morning, my boyfriend who is NEVER sick, was violently ill from you guessed it.. .FOOD POISONING, from Fire Station One. Needless to say we will NEVER go back there again!
(1)
Sharon W.
Went to Fire Station One when it first opened and thought it was so-so, food seemed like convention food. Went back tonight (3/25/11) and things were much improved. Had Chesapeake wings and calamari for appetizers and both were really good (might make that dinner with salad next time). Four of us had a crab cake sandwich (very decent), 2 specials of salmon scampi (generous portion and very tasty) and a child's chicken tenders. Service was good and we will definitely go back. Glad they tweaked their menu all for the better.
(4)
Nate M.
Very basic review on a carryout order: Had the Classic burger, side of onion rings, and the Joe's Mojo Pie. The burger was good, though nothing was spectacular about it. The beer-battered onion rings were the star of my meal. They were real onion rings (vs. the minced onion inside) and the coating was crispy and flavorful... delicious! The Mojo Pie was heavy and mediocre. The service at the restaurant was very fast and polite when I went to pick up the food. Overall, a great experience and I'll definitely go back for a dine-in experience.
(4)
Megan T.
I really wanted to love this place but two stars is a stretch in some ways. The decor and feel of the place is fantastic but the food ranged from bad to average. The service was good at first, then really slow and not attentive. I got the regular cheeseburger, which was decent, though the bun was a bit greasy. We didn't get the right flavor of ice cream for dessert but it was ok so we didn't say anything about it. Unfortunately my husband was feeling pretty ill from the meal he ordered (way too greasy) and I doubt will ever eat anything here again. Might be a good place to grab a drink and could use a serious overhaul with improved management and food. I hope change happens for the good.
(2)
Samantha G.
It's time for lunch in Silver Spring. You walk into the newly opened Fire Station 1 restaurant. If it weren't for the tables and chairs sitting out front, you might actually think it was a fire station, and at one time, it was. The interior is open and airy. The space is large and includes a loft area with more seating. You have time to take in your surroundings as you wait for a waiter to service your table. It takes a few minutes, but when service does come, it's friendly. The menu isn't gourmet, but it's a step above the standard. Chicken in the California wrap is dry, but the creamy texture of the avocado is enough to keep you content. Sundried tomato adds a nice, tart touch. The crab cake sandwich is filled with more crab than you'd expect for the cost that you're paying. For someone who might not regularly make that order for french fries, it is advised that you disregard that decision in favor of your tastebuds. The outside of each thick slice is crisp and buttery, the inside light and fluffy. Fire Station 1 Restaurant and Brewing Co. has the potential to be Silver Spring's newest hangout spot, with a bar that serves wine and beer from 12 taps and 20 bottles, including offerings from the local Hook & Ladder. The building has history and appeal, but table service could use work and the food isn't anything you haven't seen before. It all melds to make a satisfactory experience, but nothing more than that.
(2)
Freddy P.
First if you want to have brewery in the name you need to have a beer that is made in house. An IPA was their house beer and it is boring and done better else where. Give us something to show off the brewery. Prices are good for what you get in portions but spend less on writting the menu and more on making it good please. Alot of out door seating and a great view of Georgia ave. Don't mind the car horns and car fumes, it's part of the ambiance.
(2)
Michael M.
Went for a lazy Sunday lunch a little while back, about a few weeks after they first opened their doors, and I was actually impressed. I was by no means blow away by the quality of the food... but the quality I did get did blow away my expectations. Its a fun spot with great weekday happy-hour specials. The food is right on par with the prices. The only knocks I had on this place where that my panini was too oily, and that the fries have a cheese flavor to them....not bad, its just not what i wanted at the time. All around fun time. Don't go for special occasions, but do go if your just plain hungry, its tasty, its fun, its close.
(3)
Rojelio M.
Great fun place for family! Food was tasty and waitress was fantastic
(4)
Erin L.
Friday night, 7pm - a brief wait (just long enough for one drink at the bar) before being buzzed for our table, not a bad start. The Mo Tea To was great - a mojito made with sweat tea - although all three bartenders said they'd never made it before despite the fact that it is a featured drink on their menu. Still they pulled it off and it was delicious. And then we waited forever and a day to close out the bar tab when all three bartenders disappeared to who-knows-where. Perhaps they were reviewing the menu in case someone else ordered a mixed drink. Flash forward to the table and maybe the most inept waiter I've ever seen. Inattentive, brought the wrong drink, completely ignored our 3 requests for water (we ended up grabbing another server to bring water finally), unclear as to the vegetable of the day (mind you, they only have one vegetable on any given day), forgot that we ordered an appetizer until we reminded him, so it came about 2 minutes before our main course, stood talking to the table across from us about nothing for 15 minutes while we waited for our dirty dishes to be cleared (another server finally picked them up). I wish I would have gotten his name because I'd write to the managers and let them know that this server is not an asset to their business. The food was decent, nothing really special. Crab dip was good but they didn't give enough pita wedges to finish it. (When we asked for more, it took our Einstein of a waiter 20 minutes to bring them out, and by then we were finishing our meal.) Nice that you can chose your fish & preparation, and the ribs were good. Star summary: Mo Tea To 4 stars Atmosphere & decor 3 stars Food 3 stars Bar staff 1 star Waiter 0 stars
(2)
James C.
1st visit 3 weeks ago: We went there around 10:30 pm on a Friday night and our table was the only table in our waitresses section, which we assumed was a good thing. She told us that if it wasn't for us being there she would be able to go home and that she was upset - not the greatest first impression at all. We ordered drinks, which came 10-15 minutes later. Ordering food took several minutes, asking for a water refill meant getting a water refill 10+ minutes later, and the food we had wasn't great - an overall very bad experience. Despite this we decided we would try it again one more time. 2nd visit tonight: Service was much better (average, overall) and we were welcomed with "Burgers are half off tonight!" by 3 people. After opening the menu we realized they only have ONE burger on the menu. At $4.50 (normally $9) I thought I'd give it a shot. I'd say at $4.50 it was a decent deal, but no way that thing was worth $9. This experience was definitely better than the first although I don't think I'll be going back ever again.
(2)
Rachel P.
I started out going to this place after class at Walter Reed since it was down the street. They have average priced alcohol. I'm a vegetarian, and they suprisingly have quite a few options for vegetarians. During my last visit I tried their polenta dish and it was really good. The service I have received there has always been pretty good and friendly. It's another place to try in the Downtown S.S. area!
(4)
Amanda B.
By far the worst restaurant I've been to in years. I went on Wednesday night with a group of 5 friends and we had a terrible experience. Despite their reputation for having a great beer selection, somehow our waiter didn't even know what was on tap. He could only list about 5. When I asked him if he could check to see which Flying Dog beer it was that was on tap, he came back still with no idea. When I asked him again, he asked the bartender, who also did not know. No wonder he kept bringing us the wrong beers. The food was a joke. One of our appetizers came out after our entrees. The other dish we got as an appetizer was basically warm tomatoes with bread crumbs sprinkled over top. My entree, the grilled mahi mahi was awful. Despite being $14, it was probably no more than 3 ounces. It also was completely tasteless and texture-less. The mashed potatoes were just lumpy. My friend had to ask for the fries that CAME with her meal 4 times. She finally got them when the rest of us were done eating. I could go on and on. Such a disappointment.
(1)
Scot W.
The Fire Station was okay...I would give it 2.5 stars if I could...As other yelpers have mentioned, the service is friendly, the decor/history of the place is cool and the atmosphere is alright. (The music is a touch loud of the diners, fine for the bargoers). But, there is something about the whole place, before even getting to the food, that is a little off. I struggle to put my finger on it, but I think it is the uber modernity of the bar in a place that is in other ways striving to stay attached to history. The big flat screen TVs and the mood lighting shining on aluminum panels just don't strike the right note. Having said all that, the food: The food was okay but not at all great. We split the roasted roma tomatoes with parmesan topping and the queso sticks (a mexican take on mozzarella sticks). the tomatoes were tasteless, as was the parmesan/bread crumb mix. Avoid that menu item. The queso sticks were interesting; a neat concept executed fairly well. It was mexican style nacho cheese rolled in tortilla chip crumbs and then fried. For some reason, it was served with marinara sauce. Salsa would have been better, but they were fine without any dip. My girlfriend had a grilled chicken wrap with sundried tomatoes, spinach and avocado spread. She said it was quite good. I had the cuban sandwich; it was okay. The pulled pork had very little flavor and there wasn't enough mustard, or the mustard didn't have enough kick. I probably wouldn't go back here exclusively for a meal, but if drinking was going to be involved, I could certainly pay another visit.
(3)
Maggie B.
Sat outside - indoors was big and loud and impersonal. But, outdoors had the ladder truck beside us, and the sounds of the town... the food is just fine. Burgers, salads, pizzas. Inhouse brewery, good service, interesting building... a good meet-up place... and it's off the planned community area... all good things from my view!
(3)
Grover R.
Ok, I know they just opened, but if Sunday evening is any indication of what to expect, don't waste your time or money. When my friends and I sat down we received a lot of attention from our server. Soon after our orders were taken, however, things began to fall apart rapidly. Our main course arrived before our appetizer and even though we asked repeatedly, we never got any plates for our food, so we just kind of used our napkins. Our server then completely disappeared. After about 30 minutes, I went to find the manager who found our server. Apparently, the server had "given" our table to someone else, but no one had actually told that someone else. We were pretty ready to leave at that point but our new server convinced us to stay for one more round. When we were ready for our check, it arrived after a 20 minute wait and was incorrect. Our new server was nowhere to be found so again, we went to the manager for a new check. After another 20 minutes the revised check arrived . . . wrong again! FINALLY, the right check came but it took our server at least 30 minutes to "authorize" our credit cards! Had the food been good, I guess we would have said it was worth another try. But the pizza was undercooked and the calamari was bland and greasy. I know they just opened and my friends and I did expect there to be some bugs in the operation, but we spent more time waiting for things than we did actually eating and drinking. The Manager did come around to "charm" us after all we had been through, but frankly, it was too little, too late. The least he could have done was buy us round, but he couldn't even see his way to do that. (Note that the Managers at Pacci's down the street did exactly that on their opening night) Will we be returning to Fire Station One? Only in the case of extreme emergency.
(1)
Mark M.
I went here again for a going away party. It was a large group (about 20) and we were seated upstairs--I was impressed at how the staff handled the group and the wings and beer were good.
(3)
Kelly J.
I did not like this restaurant. It was a Friday night and moderately filled with people...maybe because it's 2 floors they can disperse people better but I just felt it was a little quiet for a Friday night. Our server was very pleasant but I felt extremely unorganized, I would have thought maybe busy but he only had 3 tables. He kept forgetting things we asked for and was slow to fill up drinks. I ordered the wings (which were too expensive for the junk I got). They were edible but not what I expected for buffalo wings. Barely any sauce which you can only get mild or inferno (what the hell!!!) They were burnt and it came with 5 baby carrot sized celery sticks (aww, how cute?!?!) I should have read the other reviews before coming here. Don't think I'll be coming here again.
(2)
Sandra S.
Wings were very good. Bartender very friendly. Burgers I would not order again. Chicken wrap was good also. Have nfl ticket flags outside but does not have nfl ticket weird!! Not a bad place to hang and good Sunday specials with 2.50 Stella's on tap. Way too many staff on.
(3)
Zachary H.
Two stars is totally appropriate in this case. Unfortunately, the friendly service and fun atmosphere just could not make up for second-rate food and flat boring beer. Our first visit to Fire Station One was last night. We live in Silver Spring and enjoy visiting new restaurants in the neighborhood. This one had potential. I love the theme of a former fire station. They also have outdoor seating and report to brew their own beer. So, what went wrong? We started with their blueberry infused beer and their stout (both have cute names which I have forgotten). Both beers were flat and largely lacking in body and taste. For dinner we ordered the Santa Fe Pizza and the burger. The burger was acceptable at best and the pizza tasted like a frozen Safeway special. We were very disappointed in the food quality. What's frustrating is that this place seems like it should be so much better. We'll keep our fingers crossed that they clean up their act a bit.
(2)
Gretchen S.
We also went on opening night and we anticipated big crowds, so when they ran out of beer and we had to wait a fairly long time for our food, we weren't freaked out. Our waitress was a sweetheart, so that helped. Beer on tap wasn't available, and our bottled beers were edging toward warm--probably because the door to the fridge had been open more than closed that evening. They were also out of the bottled beers we ordered, so we got random substitutes. However, the server gave us the second round free, which was very much appreciated. The food needs some work. I had the Caesar and spinach salad (without the spinach, as they'd run out of it) with chicken. It was thickly coated in a very bland, watery dressing. If the dressing is bland, don't add more! Let me do the work with salt and pepper at the table. I was starving, so I finished it, but I hope it improves. My boyfriend asked for his burger medium, but received one that was very well-done (which I personally think serves him right for not ordering medium-rare). The decor was a disappointing. I was hoping for something a little funkier, a little less kids pizza warehouse meet sports bar. The exposed beams helped, and it looked like they were still adding elements. Our table on the second level was right near a door which led to a very brightly lit staircase to the kitchen. In the dark bar it was distracting to have it swing open every few moments for a server. It would help if they could dim the lights in there slightly or put something between the tables and the light. We'll definitely go back in a month and see how it's doing.
(3)
Kevin M.
Went back one more time and while the food was decent, the service was pretty terrible. The drinks were coming slowly so I went to the bar to get a drink there and a disgruntled patron grumbled, "She's gotta be the slowest bartender on the east coast." So I headed back to my table and waited it out. Still a decent place to watch games and maybe the best in Silver Spring but if you aren't going there to watch something or for trivia night, there are better places to eat in the area.
(2)
Eileen M.
I have been here twice. The first time with my boss, business dinner. I ordered the wings HOT, there were pretty good. I also ordered a chicken Quesadilla that was overcooked. My boss had HOT chilli. He enjoyed it. The waiter Joe was ok. This place seems to be more of a hangout for drinking. It does have potential to be a GREAT place to eat but the food is either on or way OFF! The second time I ate there I ordered the same hot wings with a cup of hot chilli. The chilli was as close to burnt as you can get. The wings pretty good. I do beleive it is time for a new cook or two. Food is just not up to par. I wish it was a better place to eat so close to work, would be a nice change.
(2)
Johnny A.
Not sure what to make of it just yet. Been there for lunch and once again fo happy hour. I have to say on both occasions the service is a bit slow, but maybe because they're just starting? The food is ok and a bit over-priced, but how can you be out of your own brew on both occasions? I'm hoping for better days ahead but not holding my breath.
(2)
Erika S.
Todd and his gang accommodated our big group, including the kids. We had an initial issue with the hostess not being able to find our reservation but they accommodated us right away and our server was great. The Daily Crisis is a solid IPA and the crab cakes were good too.
(4)
Susan G.
I would not recommend this place to the devil! If I could give this no-stars (like my no tip) I would and here's why. The place is huge and yet there were less than 10 tables with customers for a late Saturday lunch-always a bad sign. The lunch started off okay, got a beer sampler and kids got sodas, we asked for water and my hubby said he would think about a type of beer. We waited a long time for our server to return-no water. He ordered his beer. We waited 15 minutes-no beer so he had to flag someone else down to get the beer as our waitress was busy turning the channels on the TV (no joking that's what she was doing for 15 minutes). NO water We ordered (I did beg for that stupid water again) and after a protracted time our appetizers came and finally some water. Then directly after that so did our meals. It would have been nice to have silverware with all the food on the table. We had to get that ourselves I guess. Most disappointingly we didn't actually get what we ordered (my husband was really upset). We asked to see the manager and what we got was a card for free wings-funny we are vegetarian. Since they had a big stack of these I take it that our experience is rather common. I noticed the table not too far from us waited the entire time we were there for a check! The food is okay but for the price not worth the experience of this place. Seriously the concept is much better then the reality. DON'T GO!!!
(1)
Shanna E.
The atmosphere is really great here, but they changed their menu since they opened and got rid of a lot of the delicious, unique pizzas they had here. I'll be back, but really disappointed in the new menu.
(3)
Kristy P.
So I don't want to come across like a "Gordon Ramsey" on here but I'm going to. First off, we were seated promptly and had our drinks brought quickly... promising. We placed our order one was for a GRILLED mahi mahi and other for a fried mahi mahi roll up. The selection for fish it was either grilled, broiled or sauteed... no other options. The fish also comes with choice of sauces, my boyfriend wanted creole sauce. As we waited for our meals a floor manager which there were 3, came and made jokes and awkwardly placed coasters on our table and made my boyfriend chug a half full beer (he asked if he was done and went to take it away!). Beer wasn't great the IPA wasn't a traditional ipa and again they knew nothing of beers and had no beer menu. For a "Brewery" this is odd. The waitress named stella artois as a dark beer, if that tells you anything. Our food came and looked alright, until we noticed they FRIED the grilled mahi mahi... this wasn't even an option. They also forgot the creole sauce. We asked the food runner for the sauce and she made a face and then never came back. Our waitress disappeared for a good 15 minutes after food was delivered. Took her 25 mins to bring a second beer and another soda for me, so for a bit no drinks were on the table. When the creole sauce arrived they brought the wrong kind, it was salsa. My wrap... the fish was COLD all the way through. I didn't want mahi mahi sushi. Meanwhile the table behind us sent their food back and waited almost 45 minutes (the time it took for us to order and finish our meal) to get his replacement meal, which he promptly sent back again and refused to eat there. NEVER a good sign. So this made me not complain or send food back as I didn't want to spend an hour waiting for a fried fish roll up and a grilled mahi mahi. The redeeming point... the mashed potatoes. And the veggies were aldente. I just didn't understand what 3 managers were doing on the floor and not in the kitchen, who obviously was having issues. Two orders of the same fish and one cold the other not cooked to order, plates going back to the kitchen..... wouldn't that be a sign to get in the kitchen... the heart of the restaurant and make sure things come out on time and proper?! Overall a disappointment, especially since its a nice old fire station and says "brewery" without a brewery. I'd say drive to Gaithersburg for Dogfish head ale house if you are looking for good food and beer in one.
(1)
Amanda V.
I want to like this place. I really do. Ive gone 5 times and every time it the same. Some of the food is good... Some sub par. No matter how I order my burgers they are burnt. I've tried it three different times and its always the same. The service is nice but slow. I love the ambiance. It's a great idea. It just needs to be backed up by the kitchen and it'd be a gem in silver spring!
(2)
Ed G.
Yo, service is really slow, order a beer about halfway before your first one is done.. The place has potential but needs a few weeks... some music outside wouldn't hurt either. The fire station across the street actually adds to the atmosphere.
(2)
Dmitry I.
Overpriced for sure. I am ready to pay premium but hey, give me something. If this place would carry Unibroue beers (like Terrible) then $30+ is ok for me but for burger and 2 beers it's overpriced I would not downgrade them for food - they advertise as a bar, not a restaurant and my burger was pretty good.. But beer selection... mediocre at best. My advice - if you looking for a booze skip that place and just go couple blocks down Georgia avenue - Quarry House tavern or even Olazzo is a better choice. 11/07/2010 Recently my co-worker invited me here for a dinner - food is still mediocre, but they have own beer which is good. So upping my grade to 4 (hey, it's a bar, don't expect food here)
(4)
Ashley D.
We tried this place because we had a groupon for it. Walked in and no hostess to be found. We then watched people who arrived after us get seated before us. Took almost 10 minutes just to get seated and there were open tables everywhere. We then waited almost 10 more minutes for someone to take our drink order. Despite this being an alehouse (supposedly) they do not brew any of their own beers so expect the typical DC lackluster beer selection. We were brought our appetizer with no silverware, napkins, ketchup or plates. Main entrees were bland and this place must have a ketchup shortage - we had to ask for ketchup 3 times before we actually got it. Kind of necessary for burgers and fries! Terrible service, blah food. Don't waste your time here.
(1)
Jessica B.
Went in for a Saturday afternoon late lunch with the husband, kid, and in-laws, and had an average experience. The menu variety was pretty good, though not much different than a lots-of-stuff-to-choose-from Ruby Tuesdays or TGI Fridays. There was no standard vinaigrette available (italian or raspberry vinaigrette - yuck). I ordered what I always do when I don't know what else to order, and got a salad and appetizer: house salad (cheesy!) and crab and artichoke dip (old bay-ey!) They were ok. Just ok. My husband packed his burger to go due to a screaming child, and it held up pretty well over the next 45 minutes. I snuck a fry when I was packing it up. It was good...almost tasted like it had onion ring batter on it. My MIL got a spinach salad that arrived dry and looked sad, and my FIL got a burger that looked like a burger. I don't eat burgers. I might go back here for a beer (but it's not really close to the metro), or for brunch (to lessen my kid's chances of screaming). Other than that, I'd probably pass. Bonus points for the original beams, the not-overdoing-it fire station decor, and the seemingly decent beer selection. Point deductions for no straws, a booster seat instead of a highchair, and the insane sunset glare coming from the Georgia Ave. windows.
(3)
Eric P.
Went here for lunch with my son today and it was just awful. I worked in the restaurant business for 7 years so there are certain things i expect: Freindly greeting- got that. Empty dirty tables- We almost walked out and should have. Took them over 7 minutes to seat us at a dirty table- wow! Waiter forgot to put in our calamari. My burger was requested MR and came out well. manager got a new one going, but that one was overcooked. She never came back to check on us. Waiter/bartender walked around like he didn't even care. This place better get it together or it's going bye- bye....
(1)
Josh P.
Well lets start positive it's a great spot for drinks.....unfortunately we went for dinner. The front desk staff is young and inexperienced. They took our reservations by phone but when we got there they said they hadn't taken any reservations....so lost reservation not a good start. It took the help of a bartender to get the front desk people to get it figured out. All the food was mediocre at best. They ran out of water glasses at 6:30 on a friday night so no water came for our table until after the meals arrived. The worst part was my wife's steak, a NY strip that was a lovely shade of grey....not well done grey but just grey and unhealthy looking...it tasted worse than it looked. When we sent it back and asked for a ribeye steak instead they recooked the same steak and sent it back to the table....we relayed our original request again and then 15-20 minutes later we got a ribeye that at least wasn't grey. A lot of the food looked and tasted like it had been previously frozen, even though the owner insisted it was fresh. We received some free appetizer cards for the issues.....but the cards will never be used since i will never go back.
(1)
Mia R.
Alright...I completely forgot that I wrote a review on this place when it first opened. SIGNIFICANT changes have been made since that time...and I'm happy to say--many of them are for the better. 1) The bar staff is a lot better, FAR MORE attentive and some are really cool, funny and entertaining. 2) The menu got an upgrade--and I can tell you...the CRABCAKES are probably some of the best you'll find in Silver Spring (or probably in MD)...and I'm a Maryland girl (born and raised)...NO FILLER...just straight up crab...(i saw a review on the crabcakes that says that it needed less filler and more meat--maybe the regular chef was off or something because when I get them...its ALL lump crab meat and with very little filler)...Get it with the mashed potatoes and green bean almondine (or whatever its called)...Absolutely delicious! they've added some entertainment to the mix--so if you go on the right night--you may hear some live music. (I don't because I'm an anti-social recluse who prefers the bar half empty versus full). The Owner is real cool and open to new ideas for this place--definitely checks in with the patrons. Open to suggestions and new ideas. So I'm gonna give this bar 4 stars because of the strides that have been made--the friendly staff...the revised menu selection...the fact that they engage the surrounding community...the friendly Owner...the festive events...and those super delicious wings...OH...plus they added free wi-fi...super! (only complaint is that the $.25/wing deal is off the table...u have to order a minimum of 10 now...which only causes me to overeat.) Good comeback, FireStation One..hope you only continue to get better.
(4)
Jennifer L.
Our server known as "batman"was super nice and had great personality. He kept us entertained. The food was good. Its bar food. Nothing spectacular. We had a good time. The service was kinda slow, but entertainment of our waiter was fabulous.it made a difference. Our Experience was impressive.
(4)
Merida F.
I was really excited to try it after driving by a few times. I went with a coworker for lunch and we were hoping to hit happy hour. Apparently, this establishment does not have any happy hour to speak of but it does feature some "specials." We were very surprised it did not offer happy hour and were disappointed with the lack of at home brewed beers. Though our waiter was very nice he did not seem to know the menu and had to come back to our table to review our order(we were his only table). I ordered a crabcake sandwich and I admit I am not a connoisseur but I thought it was decent. I think the fries really make up for it and I give them 4 stars. They are really potato wedges and are seasoned beautifully. I always fall for places with unique decor and I would agree with other yelpers that the fire station definitely excelled here. It is still new so hopefully there will be some improvements once they get into their groove.
(3)
Jessica I.
The building being an old firehouse and the restaurant continuing the theme was done well. Good atmosphere. We had excellent service. For some that mentioned before that they don't brew, they actually do. They unfortunately at the time of our dining were out of the 2 of 3 that they do brew. So was only able to try their stout, which was a fairly good Irish stout. The others officially no comment since couldn't try them. They had a fair selection of other beers on tap or bottle, but definitely could be expanded. Chatted with our waiter who also seemed to be into expanding the beer options and threw out a couple suggestions. Sounds like they are open to making this place be what they customers are looking for. For food, had their chili, 5 alarm (hot) very good and a burger, which was decent. I think this place may try to be coming into their own, if I did live here, I would give it a few more chances and see what they could deliver.
(3)
Liat N.
Unfortunately, I have to agree with the other reveiws. We ave been here several times, really trying to like it but consistently, the service is poor. The food is decent, but the staff really needs better training. Our appetizer came 15 minutes after the meal, which took over 1/2 an hour. What's wrong with this picture? The manager on duty could only say they were short staffed, but I counted about 8 or 9 waiters running around. Should be sufficient for a place half full. Maybe it's the kitchen, but Fire Station and I have now parted ways.
(1)
Tracy P.
Had lunch here and was really pleased. I liked my wrap. Sat at the bar and the bartender happens to be a magician too... I was impressed. The building was the old fire station converted to a restaurant. It has a good atmosphere.
(5)
katy j.
I've been here a few times, the food is somewhere between not bad and okay, but the beer... ugh, the beer! We ordered pale ales and what we got tasted like stale lager. So we ordered a different pale ale the next time, and that also tasted like another stale lager. For a place that touts its beer selection, that is bad, bad, bad. Very disappointing. If you've got no choice, order whatever's in a bottle, that way you at least know what to expect!
(2)
Susan b.
My family had one of the worst meals of our life here last night. First of all I wasn't expecting much, so ordered a Cuban sandwich. It had been pressed at some time prior to dinner and then microwaved and so was steaming hot and soggy. The pastas were pored out of a bag, as was the calamari (hand breaded they claimed. Sure but it happened somewhere else before hey froze them) my husband's ribeye was the only decent piece of food. The salad greens were not fresh and so were inedible. Our service was good, but I will not go again.
(1)
Greg L.
Not impressed. Slow service, food was just ok. Not much energy in restaurant.
(2)
Brett K.
Cute theme. Horrible service. Went here twice and left before ordering both times due to bizarrely inattentive service. The football game was blaringy loud the second time as well. Based on the yelp rating our experience was perhaps typical. Piratz Tavern or Jackie's Restaurant or Jackie's Sidebar are much better choices in the area.
(1)
Allison K.
Sliders were yummy, the beer was cold, the service was decent and the space was pretty cool. It was a bit pricey for lunch and the fries were steak cut and made me sad...hence the loss of a star. Overall, I liked this spot; good for groups and happy hours. Seems like they've sorted out a lot of the "just opened" kinks based on my experience compared to other reviews.
(4)
Ashley E.
Best wings in the area. Pricey drinks.
(4)
Elizabeth P.
I thought the food here was pretty good and is closer to 3.5 or 4 stars, but it was the service that brought it down. The food - I had a grilled white fish with green beans almondine and steak fries. The fries were amazing and the fish was above average as well. I do not like green beans, but I had to eat a vegetable so I ate about half of them. It also looked like they had good happy hour specials (50 cent wings!) The service - The waitress was slow in coming and did not know the specials and had to go away and come back several times to report back to us. She was slow the entire meal and we went around 2 pm when they were not that busy. Overall, it was a nice atmosphere and I would definitely go back for the fish.
(3)
lisa h.
We stopped by for dinner after someone (who'd never eaten here) told us it "looked cool". It's clearly an after work hang-out, which is fine, except for all the people mingling around our table and yelling across the restraurant at each other. My kids (6 and 8 years old) were pretty stoked on both the activity menu w/crayons and their meals (mac and cheese and pepperoni pizza). My husband got a reuben, which was alright but the meat was overcooked, as was the chicken on my chicken/bacon/cheese sandwich. French fries were pretty tasty, service and drinks were good, and the kitchen had no problem subbing mashed potatoes for sauteed spinach (which wasn't on the menu) for my aunt, who said she enjoyed her tuna entree. Overall, it was fine and we were pretty happy because basically we were starving and needed food, but not sure I'd come back. The vibe was a little hectic (as was the lighting) and the food was just so-so. I'd rate this higher as a straight-up sports bar, probably.
(2)
Stuart M.
I really wanted to like this place better, but two stars was the limit for this visit. Open about a month now, you still get a strong sense of opening night jitters (uncertainty about the menu, plates not cleared when done, etc). Unfortunately, that's not the real downside. The spinach salad (with dressing on the side, as I always order salads) was fresh, a decent starter. Maybe too many bacon bits, but easy to pick around. My entree was one of the specials for that night -- salmon in a Hawaiian glaze. Served on a grilled slice of pineapple (awesome, because I love fresh pineapple). The fish was perfectly cooked though the glaze was a bit too sweet by the time I had my last few bites. Sorry to say the salmon was farm raised (earning it an "Avoid" rating on the Monterrey Bay Aquarium seafood watch list), but that is typical of restaurants of this class. The vegetables are said to be tossed in a citrus butter. Maybe that's the way firefighters like to eat them, but they tasted to me more like they were overcooked in a buttery water. What's wrong with just steaming them? So far, so good. On the enthusiasm of the wait staff, my wife made the mistake of ordering pizza. They might do well taking pizza entirely off the menu, especially considering you can get fantastic pizza a few doors down at Pacci's. Actually, you can find better dough at the grocery store in the frozen food section. The Margherita pizza was left unfinished and we did not take home the leftovers, which in our house is unheard of for pizza. For dessert, I had the Cappuccino Brownie, which is not something I usually eat, but this one was good. Served with whipped cream and ice cream. Your younger kids (or childish adults like me) might like this place because of its fire station theme. There is a 2 or 3 foot high plastic dalmatian that you can apparently ask to have sit at your table. The boy at a table next to ours really enjoyed his plastic dining partner. And, with a real fire station located across the street, you are sure to see and hear fire or ambulance activity. All in all, the bill was a bit high for the quality of the food. I'm sure they'll work out the service kinks eventually, but I'm not sure I'd go back unless the food sees some improvement.
(2)
Lindsay Y.
I've only been here once but it was enough to make me a repeat customer. The drinks are tasty and the hot wings were awesome (I got the inferno sauce on the side). My boyfriend really liked his burger. There are a few TVs over the bar so this is a good place to grab dinner and still be able to see the score of a game. This is a good casual choice when you don't want to do take out or another chain restaurant.
(4)
Britt Y.
Awww this place is really unique. I never heard of this place before and it is really easy to miss especially if your not familiar with the silver spring area. This place is exactly what it is a fire station even with a fire truck outside. The food is okay i only tried the wings and there are .25 during happy hour. They have pretty good beer and specialty cocktail specials. A nice family environment as well
(3)
dee w.
So so so SO bad. I mean. Where do I even begin. Cheesy, TGI Friday's-like decor? Check. Overpriced meh food? Also check. Swarming bees outside? Check, check, and check. Came here on a beautiful afternoon with a few coworkers. Thought we would sit outside on their patio. Had we known we would be battling bees throughout the entire meal, we probably would've considered otherwise. 3 of us ordered the fried Mahi Mahi wrap. Totally bland. There was also a huge chunk of doughy batter in mine. Gross. One coworker ordered the crabcake sandwich -- she said it was alright, but the lack of sauce or flavoring rendered it unremarkable. The meal ended with another coworker splicing a bee in half. That is all.
(1)
Chris H.
I was in town for business recently and decided to visit Firehouse 1. My girlfriend and I were promptly seated upstairs with a friendly greeting at the front door. We both tried one of the house beers and I am a big fan of the IPA they have on tap. Also, we shared a pizza and an order of their steamed shrimp with Old Bay, which was all very tasty. Our server was knowledgeable and attentive, even with my check-splitting questions as well. There was great live music that night(Friday the 19th) that had everyone engaged and filled the large space well. On our way out the manager approached us and asked us about or experience as well which really made us feel important. I am in the area for quite awhile for business and will be back soon.
(5)
Drew M.
I was reluctant to try this place because of so many bad reviews but it is right next to our building so we thought we should at least find our for ourselves. I'm glad we did. Service was excellent and not just by our server, by all the staff. The wait staff made a great recommendation on a beer selection which I appreciated and the food was good. Not great but it was burgers and they were cooked to order and the sides were good. Prices were reasonable so I have nothing to complain about and I will be going back when I'm in the mood for a casual bite.
(4)
Emily M.
Go for the magic, stay for the food! My friend and I had lunch here today and while we enjoyed our food (French dip and club sandwich, both with yummy homemade chips) and beer, what we really loved was the free magic show our waiter gave us. I didn't catch his name, but it's worth a trip to this restaurant just for the chance to get this waiter. I'm still trying to figure out how he did his tricks! If you're looking for a relaxed atmosphere with a fun and friendly staff in downtown Silver Spring, look no further.
(4)
Kim W.
After reading some of the reviews I was a little afraid to try this place. But it looks so cool on th outside and I was in Silver Spring. My friend and I were seated immediately. The place is huge. Because it is so big it is kind of hard to heat. We were cold so we sat at the bar becasue the bartender offered to share his heater. I couldn't decide what I wanted to drink and the beer sampler was suggested to me. I loved it. Then we had the mahi mahi wrap. I felt the mahi mahi was pretty big. The other sandwich we shared was the lobster blt. I never thought I would say this, but it is possible that there was too much lobster. The bartender was also great and the staff seemed very friendly to us and with each other. Oh the fries were the best fries I have ever had and I eat a lot of fries.
(5)
Geo N.
This place has so much- potential. Service is slow, food is bland & beer is soso. Space is amazing & other bits are fixable, but after 3 visits I need to hear good things to return.
(2)
Demetrius G.
Great chili and service.
(4)
Steve Y.
My wife and I met up with a couple of friends for lunch here on MLK holiday Monday. This was our first visit to FS1 despite the fact that we had all followed its history from when Hook & Ladder Brewing Co were first slated to be fixing up the old building. Inside the decor is a mixed bag; on the one hand it's not offensive, but there's definitely a sense that an opportunity has been missed. What was once clearly a really interesting building now feels a little too generic in a chain-restaurant/sports-bar sort of way. If you look carefully there are still some neat aspects to the building, but the overall look is now a little bland. In terms of food, an order of wings was placed first by our friends. While wings aren't really my thing I did have one and it was spicy but decent enough. Our friends seemed to rate them as fairly good. For the main course we ordered 3 burgers and a pizza (pepperoni I think). We all thought the burgers (done various ways) were pretty decent, although the ranch fries were so-so. The pizza was by all accounts uninteresting. The service at FS1 was good with our waiter seemingly attentive without being intrusive. In sum, I think it generally met expectations in many ways. While I won't necessarily be rushing back, equally I wouldn't rule out visiting FS1 again if I was looking for pub-grub or somewhere to watch the game in Silver Spring.
(3)
Elizabeth A.
Our first stop at this restaurant was shortly after opening - so we were willing to write off the flaws as those little things that would get better with a little more experience. Unfortunately, our recent return visit suggests otherwise. We were seated quickly for a Saturday night - which was a plus. But we realized soon after that sitting anywhere near the wall of glass on the front side of the building makes for an uncomfortable meal when it is cold outside! Minus. When a booth opened up, we didn't even have to ask to be moved (another plus). The fact that everyone at our table had to keep their coats on earned us an invitation to relocate - which we took right away. The timing of the kitchen needs some work. There were 5 of us sharing 2 appetizers - but we hadn't even eaten half of that food before our entrees arrived. We were faced with the awkward shuffle of plates on the table to make room for 5 more. The food itself ranged from 'adequate' (the Mahi Mahi wrap) to 'good' (the Cuban and the burgers) to 'terrific' (the crab cake sandwich and the bread pudding). The beer was enjoyable - but the wine by the glass was a fairly small pour. Will we go back? Probably - but certainly not until the outside temperatures rise!
(2)
John L.
Great burgers, pizza, wraps & fries. Good service. Great local brews... Strides beyond their initial menu when they opened. Very impressed and stuffed.
(5)
Catherine P.
Not even worth commenting on. Save your money and go elsewhere.
(2)
Paul R.
Beer was ok, they were out of the station special. I got a sample of all of their beers save that one. Ordered the bacon cheeseburger with a fried egg on it. It was dry and bland, the fries were ok, would have been better without the ranch seasonings. I left unsatisfied and felt it could have been much better.
(2)
Andrew P.
bottom line up front: mostly-decent Silver Spring casual hang-out which features a nice variety of beers, food ranging from tasty to subpar, a pleasant and not-too-loud space, and (in our experience) just-OK service by waiters who can be rude details: visited with three others on evening of Sat 9/17/11. The draft beer selection was good, with a nice variety of Maryland-produced beers. The chicken wings were very good, but the margarita pizza was tasteless and flat. Also, at one point, the waiter ("Tucker #1097", according to my receipt), and in a moment of unprovoked surliness, approached us to insist incorrectly that we had ordered a chicken Caesar (which we politely declined when it came to our table) when, in fact, the order definitely was for shrimp. Tucker #1097 's impetuous tone and attitude, and his lack of any the-customer-is-right grounding, floored us. I hope Fire Station's management will replace Tucker #1097 with a different, more advanced model.
(3)
Elise R.
As a local, I am pulling for Fire Station One to succeed. I went this past Sat. night with my husband and a friend. The place was slammed. The help was very kind and apologetic about the slightly long wait for a table. We had a few questions about some menu items and our server was gracious in checking in and getting back to us with thorough answers. That said, it was odd that he had not tried any of the menu items. It's still early though and I think that the restaurant opened a bit before it was fully prepared. We waited quite a long time for our food. Proactively, our server eliminated the priciest entree from our bill as an apology - which was a very nice gesture. As for the food - the mahi wraps came out cold the first time and were quickly whisked away and replaced with fresh, hot ones with new, full servings of fries. I had the risotto, which was good, just a bit monotonous after a while. The fries, onion rings and barbecue sauce all received high marks from our table. My husband - a bbq sauce expert - ranked FS1's bbq sauce as the absolute best he has ever had. The chef offered him a take home container of some as a cute thank you for the compliment. The place is still young. The service needs some work in terms of logistics, speed and knowledge; however, everyone was incredibly kind. The food is OK. I think it's probably better to visit for apps and drinks - not gourmet meals. That said, we have only tried a handful of the entrees, so maybe there are some gems out there waiting to be discovered. I hope people who get frustrated with the kinks continue to give this place a chance. Silver Spring needs more locally owned businesses and this one definitely has its heart in the right place.
(3)
Colleen M.
Went here for my birthday dinner and could not be more pleased. The staff was very friendly, organized and ready for a crowd. For an opening weekend they really had the place together. The building is the historic Silver Spring fire house and they did a very nice job making the building new and appealing while keeping the character of the fire house. The food was still on the limited menu for the opening, but everything our group ordered was good with the onion rings and roast chicken being excellent. Service was great even on opening weekend. They invested in great technology for the staff. The hostess was welcoming, table (outside as we requested) was ready in about 5, drinks quick and appetizer came first with time to finish before our meal. How many established restaurants can't get that timing right! Wish we had room for the cinnamon ice cream, but bummer, the portions were too big!
(4)
LaM B.
tony was a walking zombie. service sucked so bad, we got our meal 4 free plus dessert. they only get 2stars cause the head chef came out and expressed more concern then the manager while Tony continued walking around like a zombie.
(2)
Paul B.
I've been twice now and I will not go back. Nice place that could be great but falls way short. menu is ok but seems kind of limited. Food is ok but nothing to remember and the services sucks. I give the place six months and then it's going to close.
(1)
Stephen B.
Five of us had the absolute misfortune of dining at this dump last night and it was horrible. As hard as I try, I don't know whether I can claim the food or the service worse. It is quite obvious that our server (and the managers that we had to repeatedly ask once we saw her incompetence) have had zero training, whether it be in menu knowledge or attitude. Our server continually kept bringing out incorrectly prepared dishes, even though we had explciitly asked for things to be cooked a certain way. She was absolutely clueless as to how dishes were prepared, how to set up a correct table and never once asked us if our dishes were to our liking. Had she asked, she would have heard an earful. We had to ask for silverware no less than four times,and what was finally brought out was stained and dirty. And let's not even talk about her atttitude--holier-than-thou chip on her shoulder that only got worse when we had the audacity to ask for things that we have asked for four times prior. I dont'even want to bore you with the quality of the food---EVERYTHING was over-salted to the point of puckering and our fish dishes were all burnt beyond recognition. I have read all of the prior negative comments and they are all well deserved. Under no circumstances will we return.
(1)
Mike Z.
I would give it a 2.5 if yelp let me. We went early on a Sat. night and it wasn't too busy (though not dead either), so keep that in mind when I talk about the service (I can imagine that they might be awful when it is actually busy). Service: It was a bit...odd ( as some have described). Although our server was prompt in every way and overall fine, she barely knew the beer list and when we asked some questions about the beer she knew NOTHING (she admitted this). She ran away for a second and came back with a sample of the beer we were asking about from the bar (which is nice I suppose). I'll get to their beer selection in a second, but if you call yourself a brewery, I expect your staff to know at least something about your beers. We also experienced the oddness that others have mentioned; when we were waiting for our entrees some guy came over (I think he was the floor manager or something) and started making jokes in an overly friendly manner (Called me David Letterman at some point...though this seemed like a stock comment and had little to do with any behavior on my part). This didn't really bother us too much but it seemed really forced and insincere (think Chotchkie's from Office Space); it doesn't surprise me since the owner of this place also operates a few Outback Steak Houses in VA (so maybe they think corporate play-acting is the norm), but it made all of us a little uncomfortable. Beer: They don't brew their own beer and don't plan on it in the near future, so the "Brewery" in their name is a lie. Their selection of beers is what you might expect in any chain restaurant (the only ones of note when we were their were a couple H&L beers and a Magic Hat beer). This is what makes me saddest, because when I heard about this place I was hoping they would have a really good selection from small and medium sized breweries; that is simply not so. However, the beers we did have were good (two of us had H&L brown and another had H&L amber). Food: I had a pepperoni pizza which was good (though how do you mess that up?). Everyone else had sandwiches, which were just ok. Though, the club had these odd huge slabs of turkey and ham (instead of normal deli meat) which made it less appetizing. The fries that came with the sandwiches were good though. Overall the menu was uninteresting (think TGI Friday's or akin to it), though I wouldn't care too much if the beer selection was good. Overall, it wasn't the disaster I was expecting (from other reviews) though it was quite disappointing. At the moment they offer you nothing that you couldn't get from any chain restaurant; if they start offering a lot more beers that might change.
(3)
Elle B.
This place still has a cool atmosphere. The ranch fries are really yummy. But, though I like the burger toppings they offer, and that they offer a turkey burger in place of any beef burger, the burger was way too peppery. Also, when we were there this weekend for lunch, the AC was either not on or not working and it was hotter inside than outside and pretty uncomfortable. I have yet to try their brews.
(3)
Agustin A.
Pacci's was closed so we decided to give it a try here, we already knew from friends and the reviews here in Yelp, that Fire 1 Station wasn't really "The place". Services was ok, and the environment pretty cool but the food OMG low average, greasy, not fresh, frozen taste, we weren't happy at all, when we asked our server if the fries were frozen she told us that she didn't knew, so we assume a category "YES". We won't come back.
(2)
K. J.
I am a firm believer in "if you don't have anything nice to say, then zip it" However, I had to write a review on this restaurant. I will keep it short. 1.) Management is HORRIBLE. (They need management training 101) They messed up my to-go order, and when I called the manager who I spoke with said that it was the cooks fault and not hers. Why would you even play the blame game, when you are the manager. Just apologize for the error and move on. Then she told me that the next time I come in I would be taken care of. Well I did another to-go order 2 days later and the manager who answered the call acted as if were making the story up. I suggested she call the manager I had spoke with originally. She said "oh i will". Matter of fact she told me that the manager that I originally spoke to would be there in about 2 hours. Suggesting I call back then. I told her I wanted to order now. So when I got there. The male manager (the short guy) brought me my order, basically tossed it at me. Without saying a word. I said "thank you", and he said nothing!!! It wasn't my fault that you ALL messed up my order. I am the customer. 2.) Food is MEDIOCRE at best. The first time we went there my BF loved the wings and chili. When we go the food is either OK or terrible. They have no pride in their final product. 3.) POOR Service The servers there need training on customer service BADLY!! They have you wait all day to be greeted and then will not apologize for keeping you waiting. It will take another 10 minutes before you get a drink (including water). Another 10 minutes to order your food, and another 45 minutes before you get the food. If something is wrong with your order be prepared to wait another 15 minutes before the server will come back to you to check-in, and another 30 minutes before your order is remade. To sum it up if you go there, I would suggest not having anything to do because you are on their time. If I have to say one nice thing about the restaurant, the chili has remained really yummy. But I can go somewhere else for chili better yet make it myself.
(1)
Chontelle M.
not bad. the menu is a mix of maryland/tex-mex/gourmet/island food. the service was great. the integrity of the old fire station is kept well. the fries were amazing. they taste like sour cream and onion. I dont think this place knows that you have to go off more than the decor. They need to focus their food. i'd wait a few months before i go back because they ad a few kinks that need to be worked out, but nothing too bad.
(3)
Sal L.
Haven't tried the food....but not a bad place to have a few beers and listen to the live band. Was there on St Patty's Day and had a good time. I sat at the bar so i had no problems with service. The owner, and staff were friendly which was cool.... even made a few friends. Could be a good dance spot, just not sure what they play on Fridays. I may give the food a try this Friday night when check this place out again.
(3)
Wendy H.
Loved it! Staff was great! Food was even better. And of course the beer!!!!
(4)
Maria Elena M.
Decent Happy Hour, although more selections should be added soon. Chocolate martini is divine. Nice draft selection. Service can be toss up, very inconsistent. With better servers and a better HH, this place would be 5-starish.
(3)
Jay B.
when it forst opened the menu was expansive, service was great, and teh food was tasty. how 8 months can change everything. they've dumbed down the menu to strict basics-burgers, sandwiches, some pasta (why on earth you'd serve chicken marsala with mashed potatoes i'll never know). the food is bland. and if burgers are going to take up 1/4 of your menu-do them right. my cheesebirger was greasy and over cooked. the appetizers all seem to have come out of a box or bag-nothing orginal. service is sadly inadequate. after a lousy meal i should'nt have to wait 10 minutes with empty plates in front of me...and then wait another 10 for the check. based on teh poor quality of the food,maybe they truly are a place to go and watch a game and have a beer, but i wouldn't be able to tell you-i won't be back. a disapoointment for silver spring. go to tgi fridays instead.
(1)
Mick A.
Food was very weak. $8 for a few battered onion rings; risotto was plain and less impressive than you could make in a college dorm w/ a microwave; nothing stood out. Beer was very good and if you want only a decent beer and a clean, open atmosphere, then it's a good place. Maybe a good place to meet friends, have a beer, and go somewhere else for dinner.
(2)
Brownie B.
The service was great. Had a nice waitress. She had forgotten to bring my Splenda for my Iced Tea, and my raspberry vinaigrette for my salad, but that was fine with me. She was cool, so that didn't really bother me. I was happy that the Iced Tea was fresh, and they had fat lemon wedges for my tea...A lot of places give you thin-ass sliced lemons that you can't squeeze in your tea and it kills the Iced Tea experience. I ordered a Greek salad with salmon -- The salad tasted fresh and was very good. The salmon could have been seared and seasoned a lot better, so that took away from the experience. The other issue I had with the place is they have a pretty stale menu. There weren't a lot of options that interested me. But then again, I try to eat healthy, so for others, the menu may be fine. I would definitely go back for the salad...and probably get the shrimp instead with it...And the Iced Tea was worth going back for.
(3)
D S.
Not great, but I like the setting, especially sitting outside. The music is pretty weak. Beers are decent, but nothing to write home about. Their food isn't bad, but it's also not good. There are some promising things on the menu, but none of the dishes are particularly satisfying in terms of flavor, execution, and presentation. For example, the brownies a la mode were too dry; the bacon in the lobster BLT just wasn't quite crispy enough; the crab cakes are ok, but not great. All in all, if you want a decent locally brewed beer, and a decent meal, it works, just don't expect fireworks at the fire station.
(2)
Betsy G.
Sometimes when a new place opens you have to give them a little time to work out the kinks. Often they realize this and go overboard to fix issues because they know habits form early and they want you to come back. Then, on the other end of the spectrum, there is Fire Station 1, a formerly promising new restaurant addition to downtown Silver Spring. In a great location along Georgia Ave with parking and an attractive building, I sooo looked forward to going because I really wanted it to be my new favorite spot. In a word...NOT! Folks in my Silver Spring neighborhood have all been informally exchanging reviews and I can't seem to find one person who has had a meal there that wasn't riddled with problems and went uncorrected even after problems were pointed out to the staff. I figured I'd still go and be patient since they deserve the benefit of the doubt. What's wrong with that plan? Let me count the ways. (1) BEER - What's a brewery with (a) no beer list on the table or menu and (b) no beer made in house. Ask a server to for the beer choices and get a breathless, eye-rolling, slurred run through a list of ten indecipherable names. Drink up! (2) SERVICE - There were not nearly enough servers for the number of people. We had zero wait for a table, but the servers were overmatched with even a partly filled restaurant. Admittedly the patio was full because the weather was fantastic. (3) FOOD/SERVICE - My "choose your bread" sandwich came with the maximum amount of bread humanly possible with literally TWO see-through thin slices of deli meat buried in there somewhere. The server didn't think there was anything unusual about this strange presentation. After showing it to a host, and the manager, no one really agreed with me that serving a club sandwich on THREE bun TOPS was a strange presentation. After I took it apart and reassembled it into enough meat for 1/4 of a sandwich, the manager came back and offered to remake it. You get one point for that offer, but really, at that point I just wanted to finish my mini sandwich. (4) AMBIANCE - The building is cute, the decorations are perfect, the big screen tvs are convenient and bright. However it's hard to enjoy your dinner when every table around you is filled with people complaining loudly to a manager/host/clueless server. (5) CHECK - Don't make me sit there waiting eternally for the check. That sound you hear is the tip disappearing into thin air. And with zero adjustments for my whacky sandwich, that'll be $9 for three crisp sourdough lids, two round pieces of deli meat and fries. I'll probably go back because I still have hope they will figure it out. The managers look exhausted from their over involvement in all the mistakes and the servers can hopefully learn some personal skills and learn how to be that efficient, helpful employee we desperately want them to be. ** Update from two weeks later 7/1/2010 ** Having a chance to resample the food, service, and ambiance, I stick by my original assessment. it was incredibly hot out so the patio was completely empty, but there were more than ample seats indoors. The burger was mediocre, the "cuban" was bland, and the service is still harried. And the managers still look like they're overworked and overinvolved with trying to fix everyone's problems. Dropping it off my "dinner" list and moving it down to "beer and muchies while watching the game" list.
(1)
Scott C.
Just went here for the second time last night. Some of the worst service I've experienced in years. It took over 2 hours to complete the meal--with drinks never coming as requested (not even once!) and then forgetting to bring dinner for my niece altogether. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
(1)
Scott M.
Went for Lunch on 8/17. The place was not at all busy. The hostess could not have been more cheerful and friendly. The waitress left a lot to be desired. After she took the order we didn't see her again until she brought the food and then not again until she was ready to bring the check. The pizza was actually raw. Not undercooked but raw. The cheese soup was cold and VERY salty. Flagged down another waitress since mine was MIA and asked for a new hot soup. Brought out a new soup just as cold as the 1st. $5.00 for this small cup of could soup. I would not order the soup here again based on the price vs. small portion alone. My order was the turkey club. Bread was stale, Turkey was dry. Choked down about 1/2 and had enough of that. My wife ordered the turkey burger which was pretty good. The operation of the business over all seems like a disaster. Being not busy you would think that quality control would be high, management visible and attentive service. None of the above. Lunch for the 3 of us was $35. Probably should be in the $11-$15 range at most for the quality of what we got. I could be wrong but the pizza could be of the frozen variety. Asked to speak to the owner who I know and was told by one person he would not be in until that evening and another said he was away for the week. Maybe THIS is the problem. No owner on site. Mike the manager - He just doesn't get it. - he needs to go or be reassigned to dish washing. He didn't even bother to make his appearance until the end at which point it was too late anyway but he still didn't get it. I am so sad. I was really looking forward to this being a cool place to hang out, good food and drink for reasonable price but other then cool place it fails at the rest. I hope you can get the place turned around and be successful!
(2)
L F.
I came for the ambiance with other fire service people for lunch and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food. The potato chips made fresh there - OMG - addictive. The burger was tastey and the bread pudding for dessert tasted like homemade. I didn't drink anything but soda because I was on duty, but would like to come back for the brews!
(5)
Julia C.
I want to like Fire Station One so badly, but they are making it so difficult for me! I've been there about 10 times by now. What I still love about this place is the outdoor seating (that probably shouldn't be my favorite thing about this place, but it is). The other thing that kept me coming back was their Boneless Chicken Wings on the appetizer menu. They were so juicy and delicious. I put that in the past tense because the last two times I visited FSO they were "all out of the boneless chicken wings. We can bring you some regular chicken wings though." This was such a disappointment for me, especially the SECOND time. I can get regular wings almost anywhere. Basically, this place is always out of 1 thing that my table orders every time we visit, whether it be beer or food. The wait staff has gotten better since the first couple times I visited but the fact that this place is always out of something trumps everything else. But I won't lie...I'll still go back as long as that patio is open.
(3)
Dee P.
We visited on a Sunday afternoon and I gotta tell you, THE FOOD WAS GREAT!! I ordered several appetizers such as the beer steamed shrimp, the Fire Rings (onion rings) and the chicken quesadillas. All 3 appetizers were great but the BEER STEAMED SHRIMP, with caramelized onions was absolutely the best! The chicken quesadillas were filled generously with fresh sidings and the Fire Rings were fried in beer batter which made them seem like an airy bite. Even tho they were good, they could've used a lil seasoning on the onions itself. My cousin had the BBCKN with mashed potatoes and green beans. She gave that a 10, pointing out that the BBQ sauce was sweet and fiery! As I watched orders come out of the kitchen, I was almost tempted to try one of everything on the menu. The presentation of each dish was very appealing!! Chef Lee came out from the back to give us a little more information about the dishes that we ordered. He was very personable and friendly (can I mention cute!). Our waiter was attentive, guiding and prompt!! I give this place 5 stars easily. It surpassed everything I expected, especially for a firehouse!!
(5)
Anjali S.
SOOOO Disappointed!!! This started becoming our favorite neighborhood joint when the place first opened with friendly staff, great specials and a fabulous atmosphere. It's declined in quality over recent weeks and our latest experience was the nail in the coffin. Last night we went out for our weekly happy hour. First the bartender ignored us for over 15 minutes (even though there were only a handful of people at the bar), then he proceeds to tell us the beer we asked for was having issues with the tap and instead of checking on it proceeded to watch the TV for the next five minutes till we flagged him down and asked for alternate drinks. He never updated us on when the beer would be available - didn't check in on us throughout the night. Half and hour later he brought our bill after asking at least three people for it. However the best was when he tried to short change us!!! Our tab was $11 - we handed him a 20 and he brought back only 5 bucks in change thinking we wouldn't notice. Then took another ten minutes to bring the correct change. What a nightmare -- I used to bring friends and family to the Fire Station when they visited but after this experience, I don't want to ever go back. It's a shame because the atmosphere and the people there when it first started were absolutely 5 star quality!
(1)
Peter M.
OK - I wanted to like this place. Three dollar- microbeer - how could you go wrong? Well if you want to learn where to go wrong - go to this place. I think I had the worst IPA of my life. It was like a strong bud. The food was equally disappointing. The kids meals were lame and small and yet expensive. The spinach salad was tipped out of a plastic tub with bacos sprinkled on top. Dressings were presented in small plastic cups. The entree we had was a bad diner experience. Somebody take this red lobsteresque place over or I will never go back. At least brew some beer that's worth drinking!
(2)
Suzannah S.
The food is Awful. The service is barely passable. It's such a shame since this place has been a long time in the making...too bad.
(1)
Jose B.
It's a Monday night, I get it. And though I don't expect a place to be on their "A" game on such a night, this was disappointing. I walked in and despite the herds of employees buzzing near the prep area/kitchen, no one said a thing. So I led myself over to the bar. I sat for sometime before I realized finding the bartender was not going to be as easy as it should be. I decided to look over to the herd of employees to see if maybe one of them would catch my 'i need some help" look. Some were laughing, some eating and it was clear this is a "fun' place to work. But that's not why I came. The bartender finally made his way over and his "confidence' was not well received. I ordered a burger, despite my request for "medium" it came almost well, charred in some places. The frozen herb fries at Safeway are better than what came with my meal. The entire entree came with a small plastic cup of ketchup. I found all this too much to overlook. Sadly, best part of my meal was the bottle of beer I ordered...nice and cold...golden! As a Service Industry guy, even I couldn't be okay with my overall experience...Monday night or not! I will definitely look elsewhere next time I crave a local burger, I should have stayed in DC.
(2)
t n.
been there twice. great food. def try the cinn. ice cream.
(5)
Nishant P.
Overall, this is a nice place. Good beer selection (though more craft brews and taps would be nice), decent food, good service. Why only 2 stars? Well because of the horrible service this evening. The place was half full, AT BEST. We sat down, the waiter took our drink orders. Then a waitress introduces herself and asks us what we want to drink, we tell her someone already came by. No problem so far. 10 min pass, no drinks. The host comes by to check on us, another waitress comes by and acts concerned, goes off and brings us our drinks. Except drinks for another table. Finally, a manager brings our drinks and takes our food order. Another 10-15 min, maybe more go by, our food finally arrives. But not before our first waiter (who seemed to have a lot of time to socialize, do magic tricks, and yet run around like he was so busy) comes by to ask if someone took our order, and when we say yes acts all surprised. Anyways, we finish our food, get our check (then he gives the check to the wrong table), and walk out. First time in a while I had no problem leaving no tip and letting them know about the horrible service. I'm sure this kind of service isn't the norm, but with all these waiters/waitresses/managers and a relatively slow night, it sure was difficult to manage one table.
(2)
F R.
Fire Station One's a welcome newcomer. A great neighborhood bar and eatery. Their best quality is that they solicit customer feedback and act on it. Examples include: instituting a happy hour in response to resident requests, adding Campari to the otherwise pretty good bar, and augmenting the vegetarian selections on the menu. Very friendly service, good food. Nice that there's local beer (and soon to be brewed next door beer). No problem that there are no MD wines -- there are no good MD wines. I'm looking forward to the spring so we can sit outside again -- even the awful GA Ave traffic doesn't ruin the ambiance.
(4)
Amy N.
This place is horrible! From service, to drinks to food. As a former resident of Downtown Silver Spring- I was really excited to check out this new place, especially since the area is known for some awesome food options (Mandalay, Gar-e-kabob..) So needless to say, I was incredibly disappointed. Upon walking in, it's unpleasantly warm- like to the point where your legs are sticking to the tacky vinyl seats in the booth. Our server takes our drinks order, and it's at least 10 minutes until we get our drinks (by which time, it is tastes watery since the ice cubes were melting cause it was so hot). We ordered food, and I asked the server for a recommendation since the menu was just so generic and uninspiring. The server recommends the burger, but makes a point to tell me to order it medium (which I do). Over 30 mins later, we get our food.. and my medium burger is SO cooked that it's crumbling. And to top it off, it was on the most stale brioche bun in the world. I mentioned all these things to the server, who said he'll tell the manager (who never came by regardless). Needless to say, this place sucked. Don't go there! go to Quarry Tavern down the street for a decent burger, some awesome tater tots and a fantastic beer selection.
(1)
adam o.
had a great experience here on a weeknight. this was my second time here, the first was an event when they were just opening...which was more than a year or so ago. they had a good draft beer selection, we were served by the famous "Batman" (who is usually the bartender) and he was great, very attentive, funny and did little magic tricks as a bonus when things were slow. we had the wings, which were very good...I like the old bay and medium the best. The atmosphere is great, the folks who put this together did a great job converting this former firehouse into a restaurant...very creative, keeping the integrity of the original structure (beams, joists, various FD paraphernalia). Next time I may go to the upstairs bar, which is a little quieter. Also noted that they had lots of space for meetings and events...which can be hard to find. My friends ordered the martinis, which they loved. this is a good spot for a family night out (lots of space, easy to please menu) or a after work or sunday football hangout. Also, toward the end of the night the owner, Jeremy, came by to check on everything to make sure we had a good experience...we did.
(5)
Jim C.
This place is infected with the slows. Everyone in the front of the house moves at a snail's pace. Once we were seated I had a fine view of an unbussed table that one of the at least two hosts (why two hosts on a slow Sunday?) made desultory attempts to clear eventually leaving the job half done. A full 20 minutes passed before a manager actually cleared and cleaned it. The whole time I must have seen three different servers pass it by with hardly a glance. Maybe it isn't their job to clear tables but a restaurant lives and dies on teamwork and esprit de corps. Little of that in evidence here. The 3-Alarm Chili is very good but would be better if the ground beef was more carefully broken up. The chunks end up making it taste as though a hamburger was dropped in. Still, it's pretty good chili. Wings are decent. Parsimony with celery is never a good thing, however. The house golden ale on tap is a good choice. All in all, meh.
(2)
Ian J.
A nice atmosphere, good service, and a wide beer selection, but the food is terribly overpriced and bland. I ordered BBQ chicken, which looked like two pieces of microwaved meat covered in cheap BBQ sauce. The mashed potatoes were cold and just plopped on the plate with a nice cream scoop. To top that off, the dish was $15. A disgusting price for something of that quality.
(2)
J R.
So, I went on Yelp to look for a restaurant near me, since I am from out of town. I saw this place an read the lackluster reviews. Despite that, I am a world traveler and take most reviews with a grain of salt. I can make my own opinion thanks! So, my wife and two kids made the trek here to see what was up. We were seated immediately up stairs, and were met by a pleasant server who was quite attentive. There was a large party next to us, but didn't seem to cause an issue with our ordering or ambiance. Our food came out as ordered in a reasonable time and was actually really good (though my prepubescent daughter didn't like hers, I chalk it up to hormones). Overall nice place with good ambiance, nice wait staff. Nothing negative to report! My wife is actually making me bring her back on our next visit!
(3)
Kat L.
Schizophrenic menu. First of all I anticipated a terrible lunch, but was pleasantly surprised. It was o.k. I had great mexican flavored cheddar cheese stix that were coated with tortilla chips, awesome idea, but taste terrible with the marinara they come with. Why not salsa? Then I went for fancy and got the short ribs. They were tender, but covered in a cheap tasting steak sauce. The asparagus was the saving grace. Not terrible, but I will say that despite the space being new, its very confused. LEDs on the ceiling, hot long bar, but TGIFridays feel with the booths. The menu is all over the place. I guess you could say they have something for everyone but it just feels overwhelming and confused. 2 people and $60 for lunch with 1 cocktail and 2 beers. Way overpriced. Will not return. (also is silver spring so you have to pay for parking)
(3)
Tara L.
This place wasn't nearly as bad as I anticipated. Most of the poor reviews I had read prior, really reflect issues in service, which is somewhat understandable for a new business. When I visited, I had no issues with service although I'm very aware that I caught them just before the dinner rush. Hardly any other patrons were seated anywhere other than the bar. My server was quick, efficient and attentive. I ordered a Caesar Salad ($7.99) with salmon (market price) and a Diet Coke. The salad was pretty solide - large portion, crisp lettuce, not too much dressing and although the salmon was a little undercooked, it was seasoned well. What surprised me though is that my bill quickly snuck up to a little over $19. Assuming the Diet Coke was at the very most $3, that means the salmon alone cost an additional $8-9? And this is for a meal that has a comparable quality of Friday's or Bennigan's. Definitely overpriced and unexpected so watch out if you order that. Otherwise, there was nothing offensive about my experience but I probably wouldn't return to dine. It ain't that hot.
(3)
Lauren M.
I'm dropping a star from this review because the food does not seem to be as good lately and the service has gotten slower. Additionally, the Fire Station One menu is in need of a facelift. It offers limited food options which have grown old over the past year. Newcomers can choose from plenty of things, but the menu seems tired to regular visitors.
(3)
Tara S.
Ouch, I didn't realize this place had such an established poor reputation on Yelp. Although I can't say I'm surprised. I've been there a half dozen times and although I've never had a Terrible experience, I can't say I've ever had a good one either. Most recently, I came here for a lunch meeting and ordered a "Portabella burger." The "burger" came on toasted white bread, which was, uh, unexpected (read: not mentioned anywhere on the menu.) It was... ok, but I accidentally left my takeout box behind at my afternoon meeting and wasn't even disappointed to have lost my leftovers, which for me is saying something. I don't know beer, but I'm told the selection here is disappointingly small + uncreative. The wine costs more than it should. Actually, everything costs more than it should. Why? The decor is clever the first time you come in, but how many times are you gonna go back to a restaurant just because it has a cute theme? There's so much delicious food in Silver Spring. And the drinks are cheap and delicious down the street at Quarry House. No more wasting my time here.
(2)
Jeff M.
I like this place. The servers we have had, most recently a nice fellow named Zach, have been intelligent and attentive. The tables are clean, and the drinks and food come out quickly. There's a very decent selection of national and local beers on tap, and more in the bottle. We usually get Blue Moon on draft, or sometimes the Fat Tire. They are both great on tap. I must admit that I miss the old "Monday Night half-priced burgers," but they are still so good that I order them anyway. I have to agree that the wings here are a real strength. You can get them in several favors and degrees of hotness, and Zach was happy to split our order of ten into two types. Not a wings fan? Try a bowl of 3-alarm chili to keep it interesting. Tonight I had the chicken Marsala, which came out in a just-right portion, with a heaping supply of green beans almondine, cooked just to the point of crunchy. Yum. I actually passed on the mashed potatoes, but regretted that decision. They came out alongside my wife's blackened tilapia, and were garlicky and delicious. Overall, I think this place is a great value for the money. Give them a try. We come all the time.
(4)
John G.
The drinks are where its at in my two visits. The food is nothing to brag about, but its not bad either. 50 cent wings is a pretty good deal, especially when paired with $3 pints!!! Large selection of beers on tap are great too!!!
(3)
Lisa E.
If there were zero stars, that would be my rating. Very disappointing does not come close. The vegetables were not cooked right and doused in Rosemary - a spice that many people don't want. They did not get eaten. After ordering $24 crab cakes, my husband asked for a roll and when we got the bill they added $2.25 for it. $100 later I really was not happy.
(1)
Corinne D.
I'm a fan of any place that has outdoor seating. Drinks are good and the food is good. Neither are outstanding but everything is better when is outdoor dining.
(4)
T N.
Sat at the bar where my group received excellent service. The veggie pizza was scrumptious and the drinks were not at all shabby. Also, the bar stools are super comfy. Would happily return.
(4)
Craig C.
I understand what the concept was supposed to be, but this place is just eh. The food is good, but not remarkable, although I really enjoyed their beer steamed shrimp. Those are really good, large and worth coming back for. The service is very average, and I understand people are expecting more. The service I had at the bar was average, but certainly not bad. At the table, the last time I went, the server was pretty attentive. It has a very spacious outdoor seating area, which is sorely needed in the neighboorhood as most spots have small cramped patios or maybe a couple of tables on the sidewalk. It's not bad, but it's not really a destination place either. Bartenders are friendly, and conversation with patrons can be lively as it does seem to attract a local crowd. I just think most people expect a more unique experience here. Again, not a bad place. I could easily give it one more star, but I won't.
Takes Reservations : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Garage, Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat Coat Check : No Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Yomphana A.
it's good, not great. I'm all about supporting Silver Spring, and this place has a cool feel. It's just that it's ..... good. Nothing special... other than the mango martini....seriously I could stick an iv of that up to me. But I digress... The food is standard pub/sports bar fare. The hot wings are good and the calamari too. They have a good selection of pizzas and burgers. Also loads of beer. Inside you can watch sports from a number of tv's, or hang outside for a chill ambience and people watching. The service was good and they appear to have a good crowd of people. It's not my first choice for hanging but not my last. I recommend giving it a shot.
(3)Sara A.
My boyrfriend and I went to Fire Station 1 on a Sunday night with some friends who were moving to the Silver Spring area. In an attempt to showcase one of the Silver Spring's "bar scenes" we decided to take them to Fire Station 1 to watch Sunday night football. When we arrived there was no hostess, so we sat ourselves. After sitting in the middle table in the middle of the restaurant, no one failed to come around. I mean- we were in plain sight, everyone else was sitting at a booth or the bar. After I told the bartender, a "hostess" and a waiter, someone finally came around to get our order. Next to us was a very drunk couple who somehow instigated a fight with table of off-duty Fire Station 1 employees, who were also drinking in the corner of the restaurant. After cat-calling and yelling from across the room, the customers and two Fire Station employees engaged in a full blown fist fight......All the employees rushed into the middle of the restaurant to break up the fight... even the manager. After the parties were separated, the manager didn't ask the employees to leave the restaurant. Instead some returned to their seat to continue drinking. The manager even failed to go around to apologize for the inconveninece to the existing customers or explain what just went down. I've been to Fire House a few times, not for the desire to eat a meal or enjoy the ambience, but to grab a quick drink or a pit stop to kill some time... It's normally not that disruptive, so I don't want to scare anyone off. I wrote this review, so hopefully their management will know that they've just been called out. Overall- Fire Station 1 has ok food (stick to the wings), medicore service, and HORRIBLE management. Shape up or get out, because you're giving Silver Spring a bad rep.
(1)Jessica H.
I love love love this place. Every time I am in downtown and want a good cosmo I stop by. The bartender is awesome, and I always meet good folks sitting around the bar. The chicken wings are the best in Silver Spring. The beer selection is not my style, but if you like mixed drinks...go for it. VERY INEXPENSIVE and a fun place to hang.
(5)Mike H.
I gave it four stars because I think people hated it on it unnecessarily. This place is definitely better than a chain like chilis or applebees. The service was decent and not as bad as everyone made it out to be. I was there on a Friday night and myself and the tables around me seemed to be getting decent service. I had the mahi mahi with mango lime salsa. The fish was slightly too salty, but palatable. The mashed potatoes and green beans that came with it were cooked correctly. My mother ordered the polenta with red pepper sauce. It was decent and the asparagus with it was good. Since I feel obliged to have a petty complaint about this place-I just had LASIK and the flashing lights everyone complained about were a nightmare for me. Overall, this place is decent. Just take it for what it is a sports bar with slightly above average to average food.
(4)Rhonda B.
Rueben oily/soggy (still coating the roof and back of our mouths), meat tough. A staff? manager?(no intro) explained this was because we had a fatty piece of pastrami and not because it sat waiting in oil. Burger ordered medium but came out rare/raw in some parts. Fries hot and yummy as was calamari (we were served only one slice of lemon for three folks so had to as for more). Not sure but think the Cuban was an smushed skinny interpretation-my table partner described his Tampa Fla one as w/o horseradish and a lot taller. Staff?Manager? took 50% off for Rueben. Thank you but think we'll just keep this place as a 'maybe.'
(2)Christopher D.
While the decor in this restaurant was enjoyable, and the beer selection was respectable, I will not be returning due to the quality of the food. I had the Ruben sandwich which was cut far too thick and was very greasy. I also had a side order of onion rings, which were undercooked and had no flavor at all. I went home not feeling good at all due to the amount of grease in everything. I wish the food was better, as I think that Silver Spring could benefit from restaurants like this, but a good beer selection does not forgive mediocre food, especially when the Quarry Tavern is just down the road.
(1)Allison O.
The decor/theme are cool. The food is somewhat hit or miss but most things are pretty good. Overall it has potential. Unfortunately the service is absolutely awful. Getting seated, putting in your order, bringing your food, getting your check - each step takes twice the time it should. It seems perpetually understaffed. The staff that are there don't seem to care much about the customers. We live nearby and we would be there a lot more often if not for the unbearably slow service. If that improved it would be 3 to 4 stars.
(2)Maria S.
The drinks are amazing! I had almost every speciality martini on the menu. The best was the ice cream mudslide....I can feel my arteries clogging just by looking at this frosty drink! I had the Crispy Mahi Mahi Wrap, and it was ok, nothing too special about it. The beer selection is great, and the coolest thing is that you can sit outside by the fire truck and take pictures. Staff was friendly and great - went out of their way to make sure we were taken care of.
(4)Abegail A.
If it wasn't for the $2.50 pints on Tuesday nights (3pm-close) I'd give this restaurant 1 star. Came with a party of 7 at 7pm on a Tuesday night without a reservation. They didn't have a table available at the time, so we all headed to the bar for a drink. All pints were $2.50...score! We waited, and we waited. The restaurant is rather small (has some outside sitting but it was rather humid last night), but I noticed they had an upstairs portion. They let 2 groups of 4 head upstairs, so I thought I'd check out why we weren't being seated yet. I asked if we could be seated upstairs and the answer was no because they didn't have enough servers. Really?! You just sat 8 people up there who came in 20 minutes after us! After waiting another 25 minutes (45 minutes total), we finally sat down in a booth. I ordered the 10" Cheese Steak pizza (sautéed onions and green peppers with chopped cheese steak meat topped with mozzarella cheese) for $8.99. The pizza must have been sitting there for a little bit while the other food was being cooked because it was semi-cold when it got to me. It had lots of cheese, but where was the cheese steak?! There was barely any meat on my pizza, and had sprinkles of onions and green peppers as well. Eh, I wouldn't order this again IF I ever came back (which I highly doubt). Other people in the party ordered crab cake sandwich (100% lump crab meat seasoned with Old Bay, either baked or fried) for $11.99. The sandwich looked good, but they said it tasted okay (after adding tartar sauce, which didn't come out with the sandwich). I also tried a smoked ring (beer battered onion rings). My friend only ate one, and didn't want the rest so I thought I'd try one. After taking a bite I realized why she didn't like them. It just tasted like pure batter. I thought these were onion rings?! Our waiter was eh. I'm not sure if he was trying to be funny or not, but he was pretty annoying and tried to rush us when we ordered (yet he didn't have his pad/pen ready to take our order). On a side note-I thought this was a fire station guys. Where's the pole?!
(2)Robert S.
I've given it a few more weeks, and i am not happy. The original grace period of an opening is past, and FS1 needs some help and real fast. I can't believe that the original chef is still there, because things like the onion rings, the sandwiches and the sides have all become blander prepackaged Sysco.clones of their handmade originals. The crowds are still coming, at least on weekends, and they quickly overwhelm the staff. The managers seem clueless to how to ramp up the service. and the mistakes coming from the kitchen bollux the works even further. They STILL don't have their beer act together either, and for a place that had the potential to be a weekly gathering place for quaffers is getting a bad rep. You are really better off going to Quarry House (an underrated gem a few blocks north at Bonifant) if you want to try interesting beers. These guys are blowing it. All the goodwill and patience in the world won't save a place that has bad food and incompetent management. I WANT FS1 to succeed, but soon I have to stop making apologies for the place. Guys, get your act together.
(2)Robert B.
Writing another update because once again this place appears to be changing management, or at least revamping the menu. The outrageously overpriced beer now has outrageously overpriced food to go with it. The decor is terrible and mimics a national chain. The place calls itself a brewery, yet it doesn't brew anything, has a subpar beer list with zero rotating drafts, and is extremely overpriced. The food is mediocre at best and now prices have been increased, e.g. the mahi-mahi wrap used to be $9.99 (and included fries), now it's $16 and you have to pay an extra $2 to get fries - almost a 100% price increase. Also, in the menu they have a page that says "Sushi - coming soon!"...at a brewery...that doesn't brew anything. Yeah, this place is weird. And crappy. Easily (and almost universally considered) one of the worst restaurants in Silver Spring, which is a real shame. A true restaurateur could do something really amazing with the building/location. The outdoor seating is the only reason this place doesn't get 1-star.
(2)Lin M.
This is a typical bar and restaurant. The menu is standard and the food was good not great. Very unexciting. The ambiance of the old firehouse is nice especially for kids. The booths are very spacious so this would be a good place for an after work watering hole when food is not the focus of the night.
(2)Patrick T.
Fire Station One is a big old bag of disappointment. The concept is great. The old building is great. But that's where the greatness ends. Despite being in an old firehouse, Fire Station One is kind of generic inside. It should be a lot more gritty and urban (and remind you of a firehouse, for instance). Instead, it's a bit like someone took Ruby Tuesday's and merged it with a firehouse. The food is just not very good. It needs to be redone. There is nothing unique about the menu and nothing that makes you want to go back. Speaking of Ruby Tuesday's, you'll enjoy the food better there. The beer selection is disappointing. In fact, several of the beers that are listed on the menu are often not in stock. Ordering a drink can be quite an ordeal. This place could be really good with some relatively quick fixes: Much bigger beer selection, focusing on local Silver Spring and Maryland microbrews and better food. The interior is disappointing, but it's not what this place isn't what it could be. Once they get the food and drink straightened out, they can work on making the interior more authentic.
(2)M.A. C.
changed hands or something wont be back
(1)E H.
If you are looking for pub food and a solid draft beer selection, this is a solid choice. It is a little ways outside the heart of downtown silver spring but that's not a big deal. If you have kids it's a very family friendly place, there are always plenty of children around, climbing the stairs, coloring the children's menus, etc. The service could definitely use some tightening up. Our main dishes and appetizers came almost at the exact same time. The server explained that she didn't want our food to "die in the window". So you've brought it to me now so it can die on the table while I eat my appetizer? Swell. Not the best but all in all a solid place to have a drink and dinner or watch a game.
(3)Wm H.
I had heard of this place, so when some friends wanted to go out in Silver Spring for dinner over the Memorial Day weekend, and wanted to sit outside, this turned into the perfect spot! Hard to believe that no one in our party of six had been there before either! First of all this is not a gourmet place like Jackie's around the corner. It is a Firehouse, and it as if the firemen are still cooking. Just plain food that is good. It is an old firehouse, so don't expect white table cloths, a big open interior space, a big bar, and lots of outdoor seating. If you sit outside, beware this is on Georgia Avenue, so it is NOISY, BUSY and the world will wander by while you are dining. I had ribs, others in the group had the BBQ Chicken, Meatloaf, a Chicken Sandwich, portobella sandwich and a pizza, all were tasty. The appetizers, Onion Rings and Crab dip, were sub par. For desert the cinnamon ice cream was a big hit as was the bread pudding, which one serving fed half the table. The french fries made up for the underwhelming appetizers. They are the country cut, thick and juicy with just enough spice on them (spice you can see and taste,) so blew any carbs right there on that side dish. I checked in on Foursquare and Yelp, and found a scout-mob coupon for a discount on our meal. The scout-mob discount in the end was not as great as it first appeared on the phone, 50% off, max $15, well for a party of six the discount was $10.36! But any discount is better than none. The Yelp one, you have to visit three times before you get $5 off or a pitcher of beer, or something. The wait staff was a little overwhelmed by the customer load, and all the tables were not filled. They bus your plates and silverware after the appetizer course, but forget to replace your forks and knives. So it took a couple of requests to get them. At first we got one, then later on we got enough silverware to last the rest of the week. It took a couple of requests to get a glass of ice tea in the middle of the meal, and coffee ordered with dessert also took a second request, long after dessert was finished. I will go back again, this looks like a fun lunch place, and they serve brunch as well. A good spot to meet the guys for a beer too!
(3)Rich B.
Poor service, lame beer selection. Food average. Space has potential, but management is lax and staff is sub par.
(2)Matt S.
Great restaurant and bar. When friends or family come up to visit DC I always take them here. The food is excellent [smokestack burger is awesome] and the wait staff is generally very polite and fast. A local favorite.
(4)Christine T.
Why we came back to the place is beyond me. I wasn't aware that the service could get worst. As everyone said, things have changed a bit. I got the burger and another friend got the chicken noodle soup. My burger didn't shock me, but I mean it's a burger. What did strike me as odd is my friend's chicken noodle that seemed to be 85% chicken pieces and not so much soup or noodle. The waitress was only to be found when she took our order and never came back to check up. Since it was a birthday celebration, we were hoping to add another round of drinks onto our bill, but she was nowhere to be seen. Her lost.
(1)Sandra B.
This place must be under new management, so BEWARE! I used to be a big fan of this place, but not anymore. Prices have gone up, service has gone way down, as has the quality of food. I think they are trying to make this place into a club to compete with other places nearby. Where do I start with my experience? Lets see, I walk over the bar, and there are no seats, so I ask a busboy (the kindest and most helpful person the entire night) if we could sit at the new high top lounge area seats. He told us yes, but that we would need to be served, which we were fine with. The Happy Hour specials have changed dramatically. Only 3 beers on happy hour...three beers and no mixed drinks. Also, I guess the waiter was not aware that he was getting our table, so he kept stopping by and telling us one minute. When he finally showed up I went ahead and ordered a pizza, bbq chicken. You cant go wrong with bbq chicken pizza, right? Wrong. The pizza was soggy in the middle, to which the server attempted to explain to me that it was grease from the cheese *blank stare*. Once he finally looked at the pizza he realized that it was indeed soggy. He brought back the same exact wet pizza with just a tad more brown on it this time. Ultimately I told him that I was unhappy and will stick to my Blue Moon. The host came by and asked if i was ok, and my friend said that she needed a fork for her food and told him about my pizza. He said "its probably because you didnt get seated by me, and just sat in this area." Really? Is that why? My friend also got up and asked the bartender for silverware, and napkins, to which the bartender told us that we would need to ask our server for those things. Lastly, the manager came by, explained the pizza fiasco (some new oven, and kitchen worker not knowing which to use, etc.) and offered to get me a new pizza. The new pizza was fine, except for the plastic that was stuck to the bottom of one slice...indicating that they use frozen pizzas. Our waiter then asked us to give a good word to the manager so that he could possibly be promoted. I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT. My bill included the pizza that I half-ate, and also did not have the happy hour prices for the beers. The waiter had to go back twice to fix the beer prices, and I ended up paying for the pizza in full. NEVER AGAIN.
(1)Patrick D.
This restaurant is one that I hoped for and I want to like, however I cannot in good conscious endorse it. For one thing, I've been here on four or five occasions and the service has been 50%; when the service is great, it is dead on, but when it's bad you wait.... and you wait. Okay, that's fine... not every one knows how to wait on tables... Here is the part where I get angry with the management. We were given menus. The menus had outdated prices on the their already overpriced beer. Once our bill came, we brought up this issue to the waitress. She went to the manager to address the problem. She returned and told us the manager was unwilling to speak to us about the matter and that the waitress was forced, by the manager, to pay for the difference. I have waited tables before and this is clearly the management's fault. No waiter or waitress should be forced to pay for the restaurant's mistake. We payed the full price and then I vowed to never return to a place that has management that does not understand how to engage their customers when a problem arises. Good riddance to an overpriced, generic bar/ restaurant that could be so much but lacks any real heart.
(1)Ben S.
Not the worst place I've ever eaten, but definitely not the best, either. It also lacks ambiance. The food felt a little pricey to me. For the quality of the food that I got, it should be a few bucks cheaper than how it was priced. The building is itself an historic firehouse, but that's where the specialness ends. The restaurant is otherwise an average, modern restaurant without anything on the menu to really make it stand out. Additionally, the service was fairly slow, and the server didn't even seem to be trying all that hard with us, which was surprising considering that I was in a large group. And lastly - and this will likely keep me from going again - the live music on the balcony level was amplified far too much. Forget being able to hear the people at your table when the band was playing. It raised the noise level far too much, and made for a less-than-pleasant experience.
(2)Brian C.
I came back and tried this place again for drinks.... The place was empty and the service still sucked. When you have two tables in the whole place with people and a few servers walking around you don't need the bartender checking on the tables. That should be the job of the servers. The only thing Fire Station One is good at is being bad. Also a good idea would be to change the name of the restaurant to Fire Station One Poor Excuse for a Restaurant
(1)Christopher E.
I have been twice only to be so disappointed. If you are seeking a good place to grab a pint or try beers, go somewhere else. The food is nothing special, typical bar food.
(1)Michael B.
It's saddening, because this place is such a missed opportunity. Downtown Silver Spring lacks a really laid-back, local-friendly sports bar. Every single one of my five experiences there has been disappointing. Always one to give a place another try (what if it was just an off night?) I even went back a couple weeks ago late one Friday night, looking to grab a late beer with a friend. We walked up to the door at 12:15, and the staff was sweeping the floor and putting up chairs. We went to the bar, and we were informed that they were closed, even though the sign on the door said till 2. The bartender told us that, because it was so slow, they'd just decided to close early. In all my years, I've never heard of that... especially on a Friday night. One night when I did show up with a dozen friends around 11:30, the one bartender took nearly a half hour to bring us our first round, then ignored us while she cleaned in the back. She later came up to us and had gotten every single check wrong and brought out food no one had ordered, insisting someone had. She became irritated and questioned each individual to find out precisely what each person had ordered. The whole thing was awful. I've also been a few times for dinner (I live nearby, and there aren't that many options in DTSS), and the food was consistently lousy. The tap list is unimpressive for a place that considers itself something of a brewhouse... nothing more exotic than a Sam Adams Seasonal and a Heavy Seas Pale Ale. You'd do just as well at McGinty's, and far far better at Quarry House up the block. Sadly, there's really no reason to go here. I'd love it if the management got their act in order and turned it into a place worth frequenting, because the area could desperately use it. (Also, please please do away with the neon LEDs on the ceiling behind the flatscreens.)
(1)Elizabeth E.
We had a nice time at Fire Station One. It was a group of 6 of us. We were planning to go to the pizza place a couple doors down but it was packed so we ended up here. I can't comment on the beers since I wasn't drinking. However, the crab artichoke dip was good. It came out bubbling... yum! My burger and fries were tasty as well. My main complaint was dessert. I ordered the bread pudding which was under-cooked/mushy in my opinion. I also tasted my friend's brownie which was overdone... really dry on the edges, top and bottom. The cinnamon ice cream was awesome. Service was not the best but not the worst. It was a busy Friday night so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. I wouldn't go out of the way to go again but the place had a nice atmosphere are decent food.
(3)Rebecca B.
I'm shocked at some of the reviews I'm reading because they are so different from my experience at Fire Station 1! This restaurant is fantastic! The service is always great and I've never eaten something there that I didn't like. The great selection of beers on tap and live music a few nights a week really sets it apart from some of the other restaurants in the area. The set-up of the restaurant (and the fact that it's in an old fire house) give it a unique ambiance that I thoroughly enjoy. I would highly suggest dining here!
(4)Sarah S.
Was here last night for an event, and they did EVERYTHING right. Why I feel like I discovered a hidden gem in Silver Spring: ~The food--I was able to sample a few things--the bbq chicken wings were my favorite. They were messy, sweet, tangy, with juicy, high-quality white meat. all the things a good wing should be. I was pleasantly surprised by the hummus--usually at places that mostly serve 'american' food end up butchering the hummus. Not at Fire Station 1....i'm still thinking about their hummus! ~the beer selection-They had an wide selection of good beers on tap--there would be something here to please both the craft-beer loving snob and the novice beer drinker! ~the staff-It truly felt like all the staff were happy to be there, and enjoying themselves while providing excellent customer service. As I left, I was in a better mood just because of that! ~the ambiance-This is where Fire Station 1 really gets it right. The atmosphere here is comforting and familiar, but somehow also really nice, clean, and unique as well! I'll definitely be back--I want to come for trivia night and sample more of the entrees :-)
(4)K K.
First time here! The wings are incredible better than hooters and buffalo wing! We had great service from Helen very personal and caring suggesting what the resturant is known for. Kid friendly, we brought our active 2 year old son and the staff was very friendly to him. For dinner we had the seafood rissto, turkey burger and kid cheese pizza. All was delicious. Prize is reasonable! Perfect place to watch the game with thier 4 flat screen tv at bar and family place with thier 2 floors of seating and outside seating. We are defentlay coming again with our and will recommended it to our family and friends!! :)
(5)Lauren S.
We tried this restaurant because of a Groupon. It is cool from the outside but the inside is weird. Upon entering to go the hostess stand you turn away from the seating and towards the bathroom,and the entrance is filled with cheap plastic flowers and lots of floor stands with weird signs on them. The menu is very bar food like which is fine. We were given a menu with bar food choices on it, a "lunch menu" with more bar food choices on it and on the table was a tent card with appetizers on it, sure would be nice if all the choices were together in one place. The hamburger was ok but had hard pieces on the outside as if it had been cooked and then microwaved, the fries were those chunky wedges with seasoning that was popular in the 1990s. I wanted a side salad but our waiter, who was inattentive, said it only came with the "lunch menu", mind you it was lunch time. If you were not picking one of the "lunch menu" choices the only way to get a salad would be to buy an entree size salad. This restaurant appears to be poorly managed and desperately trying to offer things to get people to come there. Maybe if they offered quality food with good service they would not need all the gimmicks. Don't bother.
(1)Broseph N.
The wings are really good. Plump, tasty and you get a great deal of you order 20 at a time. A draw back is the beer selection, not horrible, but not great. Also the service is a little spotty. Not exactly the friendliest or fastest. However our bartender did look like Rihanna which was a bonus as I find that as scrumptious as the wings.
(3)D. L.
Great ambience! The wings are to die for. Makes you sweat through your face. The tri-tips were awesome! Yummy.
(4)Nae C.
HORRIBLE!!!! My friends and I met here for Happy Hour on a Thursday evening. The service staff was annoyingly indifferent...at various points, my friends and I had to get up and go behind the bar and serve ourselves. We were told by our bartender/server that it was not "her job" to bring us ketchup but rather the server as if she was incapable of passing us the ketchup herself. The manager intervened when he spotted us helping ourselves to the silverware after asking for it twice to no avail however he too seemed just as indifferent. The wings and potato skins were okay but not worth ever taking a chance on making another trip to this place.
(1)Barqat B.
Rebecca was an awesome server that made our regular visits to FireStation even better. My fiancé and I love the wings here and the drinks come in a bucket! Give it a try you won't regret it.
(4)R B.
Only go if you aren't in a rush. We went here for a late lunch with 4 people. We were seated promptly but pretty much forgotten right away. Our waiter would disappear between dropping by to forget what we asked for. It took us a solid hour from sit down to food on the table. The food was delicious though and the atmosphere and decor are great. They have a nice outdoor seating area and good beer menu (although I'm not sure it warrants having Brew in the restaurant name). Definitely an option if you want to sit outside and enjoy the day, but be prepared for some slow service.
(2)Mimi W.
We were in the area for and had 3 hours to kill. We headed down to U Street, but decided to just do happy hour. I was still a little hungry, so we headed back to Silver Spring for food. Firestation looked interesting, but the Yelp reviews were tricky. Since I only intended to get something small, I figured it couldn't be that bad...right? The décor is cool, and we were greeted nicely by the hostess. We went to the bar and ordered drinks and I had a reuben. I can't remember which drinks we had but they were nice and strong! The two female bartenders are apparently the ones to go to. The reuben was good, but made with pastrami. I thought it was supposed to be corned beef. Either way, I enjoyed the sandwich and the fries. The service was great and the food was good. I'm not in SS often, but if I'm in the area, I will definitely try them again.
(3)Cactus M.
Went here with my sister who said it wasn't very good. And she was right, it sucked. No way around it, just terrible food. The upstairs had karaoke blasting despite not a single person being up there. Our waitress stared at us awkwardly instead of using words to communicate. Not the best system, but what ever works for you.
(2)David S.
I love the house brews! You can sometimes find them in local liquor stores in Silver Spring. Try the bistro chicken sandwich... can't go wrong with a great chicken breast, cheese, bacon, and sauce. I haven't had anything else on the menu but friends have tried other things and have had nothing but good things to say. With that said, I'm not sure why so many people seem to be critical of the food; its bar food at a micro-brewery-adjust your expectations accordingly. The building is cool from the exterior but inside it lacks the character you expect based on the outside. The beers make up for it!
(4)Lam Ngan L.
This place is very spacious with indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor space faces Georgia Ave. We went there on a Saturday night and it was not very crowded, which I kind of enjoyed because it was nice to just sit and be able to talk. We ordered the bucket deal, 5 bottles for 15 bucks. And an order of buffalo wing (they do by lbs instead of wing count which average out to be about 9-12 wings). We also ordered potato wedges and that was tasty. Our waiter was very attentive and fast.
(4)Tanishia M.
Two stars... I know... that's kind of low... but I have attended here once by myself and twice with my boyfriend... My first experience was pretty cool. I came in randomly on a weekday and ordered their Old Bay wings. There was a friendly bartender working and made me this awesome drink called "The Batman". Its not on the regular menu, but the bartender, who is apparently known as "The Batman," made it for me. In addition, the owner or someone in his management gave me a $5 coupon to come back! That, coupled with the wings (which were bomb,) gave me reason to want to come back.... Ahh.... the trickery and lies.... Well, I came back, brought the boo... and yeah... wasnt the same. For one, I think the establishment is a little overpriced. We kept to appetizers and ordered the beer steamed shrip for $10.99 - and got a whopping 8 shrimp! WOOHOO! As we ate them, we couldnt help but compare to the TGIFridays off of Tech Drive in Silver Spring who sold 20 shrimp for FIVE DOLLARS one evening.... We also tried the crab and artichoke dip... not every tasty AT ALL. I asked for tortilla chips instead of pita chips and they brought out soggy home fried potato chips with old bay seasoning on them. They said they didnt have tortilla chips. Huh? So, defeated, we got the pita chips. Blah. Tasted like Costco... actually... thats a compliment. They tasted like Cardboard. To make matters worse, the bartender was mean... as if she was dragged from hell to work that day. I wish I was exaggerating. We were so turned off by her on our first visit, we chose to sit in the booths on our second as not to be "all up in her bartending grill. " I can honestly say the only great thing on the menu thus far would be the chicken wings. Its kinda hard to mess up chicken wings. But then again, its hard to mess up pita chips.... The ambiance is really nice and its a shame that the food and service, (aside from "The Batman" ) is subpar. We really have tried to make this our local hang out but its hard to justify paying high prices for food thats "meh" We promised ourself we would try ONE last time and get something off of the dinner menu... hopefully they wont dissapoint...
(2)Bill P.
BEST Cuban sandwich that I can remember! THICK Sliced into 3s sliced pork with pickles, chipotle mayo, Dijon mustard & Swiss pressed into a locally baked ciabatta roll with yummy THICK ranch fires on the side. $9 Good stuff and with some sweet tea hit da spot!!!! I'll def. be back as blonde at bar was CALLING ME!!!!!!! ;) Big upstairs area I sure hope it goes to good use cause it's big and bad with own bar. Tony S. fine server and I def. saw some good teamwork with no service issues.
(5)Heyci F.
Worst service I ever had. The service & food was horrible. The outside looked good from the outside so I decided to take my boys. Never again! The crab cake was gross and the service was worst.
(1)N S.
**drink review** Stopped in here before meeting up with Mic for a drink. I think. Memory is really starting to go. Had a beer before heading over to the pizza spot. Place is large, but it just lacked something. The bartender was very nice, but maybe the space is too large? I wouldn't mind trying to catch a game here, guess I have one game left to do that this season and will report back.
(3)Kevin O.
Seafood pasta was fantastic. Service was great. I'll be back !
(4)Brandon R.
I took my sister to Fire Station 1 while she was visiting from California. I had previously been to Fire Station 1 on New Years and had the best time! The host/waiter Jacques Chenet made our experience un forgettable. The food and drinks were great but the customer service and atmosphere was better. If you want a good buzz we recommend the blue hawaiian or the BUCKET they will know what you are talking about. p.s. Management if you are reading this I have been working in customer service for over 10 years and Jacques is a great asset to your team. He is the reason we came back and I am sure others feel the same. It is people like him that demonstrate great customer service. Thanks again for a great time... -Brandon R.
(5)Jamie S.
Stopped in here last ngiht to meet a friend who lives in the area. Taps were $5 which was reaonable for the area I guess. I'd pay $5 for a decent IPA. I would not pay $5 for a Yuengling though. This would probably be a cool place to watch the game as there are nice size screens above the bar. My buddy bought us both a Makers Mark on the rocks. Prost, my friend. Oh, wait. $9 for a shot of Makers Mark? Are you out of your damn mind? This is why only 2 stars. I got robbed.
(2)Jerry B.
The only thing that saved this review from 1 star is that they honored the groupon deal we used to pay for dinner. It's a shame because this place has tons of potential. The location is great. The service is fine. The beer on tap is tasty. The atmosphere and decor are really pretty nice. But it is a restaurant, right? The food is...just....awful. I mean really bad. Tasteless. Fried. Yuckeroo. My kids could barely choke down the greasy pizza. The onion rings had zero flavor. My sandwich was cold and bland and essentially just wilted lettuce. We stared at our food and wondered what we had done to offend them. Oh, and the bathroom was so dirty my kid refused to go. So if anyone there is paying attention to their yelp reviews, please....replace the management and try again.
(2)Karli B.
Great atmosphere with unique location. The food prices were reasonable and quality was superior. I had the Mahi wrap and bread pudding for dessert.
(4)Deadline S.
Awful, slow waitstaff, dirty, bad sticky menus. I'm not sure why people go here. I'm not sure why the management of this place thinks things are going well. Did I mention slow and uninformed waitstaff. I wish I could give it -stars. This place makes Silver Spring look bad. If you like this place, I will read your reviews and make sure I never visit anywhere that you like. This place is for people who think Ruby Tuesday's is awesome and pricy; you know for special occasions only!
(1)Wendy R.
I've visited this establishment about 4 times since Fire Station 1 opened, most recently on 1/27. The bar boasts both MD-based wine and beers although no mention of food origin is provided. Most draft beer is reasonably priced at $4-5 per glass. We enjoyed both the oatmeal stout and the Avenue golden ale - the Avenue Golden ale is quite tasty. The only MD-based wines are from the Sugarloaf Mountain winery. The menu offers several vegetarian options (I have vegetarian friends) and the queso sticks are an enjoyable diversion from the typical mozzarella sticks on a bar menu. I tried the 3-alarm chili which came loaded with cheese, onions,and sour cream. The chili had a good bite and came with a side of jalapeno corn bread. Although on prior visits I have had issues with the timeliness of the service (both at the bar and at a table), but on our last visit I had no problems at all with the bar service. I would definitely visit this establishment again, but will admit that the service is unpredictable.
(4)Sarah B.
This was our first time visiting Fire Station One. We went there on a whim without doing any research, and it turned out to be a great choice! Ours was a Monday Lunch with my visiting parents. My husband and I had off for the day (otherwise we could never make it on a weekday lunch). The crowd was light, but there was at least one large group for an office lunch during our visit. Since the restaurant is a remodeled fire station, it's big and open inside. The decor is fun, including the front of an old engine and some changing LED-lit panels above the bar. As my dad commented, the only thing he wished it still had was the firepole for second-floor guests to slide down! The hostess at the door was nice, and our server was terrific, visiting our table several times just to check in. The food really hit the spot. I had the Spinach salad with hot bacon dressing (simple and delicious) and the Buffalo Chicken wrap. It was very tasty with blue cheese dressing on the side and a serving of their seasoned fries. The chicken could have had more wing sauce, but it was still tasty with the light amount used (next time I'll request extra on the side). Along with the items I mentioned, my family ordered the French Dip sandwich, Crabcake (made MD style, which is my favorite type of crabcake), and the Lobster BLT. The BLT was the biggest hit! Good selection of bottled beers, including ones that I believe are from Red Brick Station brewery/restaurant in White Marsh. All made for a tasty and enjoyable meal with family. We will definitely visit again and bring our friends along.
(4)Dave C.
Second time we went. It was much better this time. Perfect atmosphere with our the year old. The five alarm wings were not just hit but tasty, something often overt looked with hot wings. Service was very good and knowledgeable.
(4)Louise S.
The food was generic...no real thought behind the menu. The 4 cheese is HORRIBLE. "Their IPA sucked,", says my husband the beerhead and the wine list was filled with some of the worst wines available. Don't waste your money or time.
(1)Yuri R.
Not too surprisingly, this kind of place doesn't fare that well on Yelp: what was at one time intended as an authentic local brewery-restaurant has since shed that genuinely happy mask for a dull generic one. Hook & Ladder's local brews are served here, but not fresh from a gleaming copper tank, as one might have once hoped. Though palatable, served alongside commonly available alternatives, and without the brew house atmosphere, these locally distributed suds somehow lose their ebullience. Don't get me wrong - there isn't much in the way of an alternative bite & beer near these few blocks of Silver Spring, and nothing with a thematic concept, if you appreciate one that's reasonably executed. The accommodations are spotless. And the service is friendly if not always highly skilled. Unfortunately though, along the way to being a Dogfish Head Alehouse, this little stillborn turned out a Ruby Tuesday's.
(3)Maiera M.
Had a groupon so decided to try the place out. The atmosphere was nice, very casual. Not too loud or too quiet. Got seated as soon as we came in. That's when things went down hill.. The waitress was simply awful. Nice, but didn't seem to know what was going on. Didn't know the menu well and just didn't listen. She forgot to put our appetizer order in, apparently (a couple got sat right next to us and came in about 1in after us and got their sliders 5 minutes before we got our shrimp... Come on). But whatever. We let that slide. We got our entree about 5 minutes after we got our appetizers which was also frustrating but also didn't make any fuss about. It was nice that the manager came by a couple times to see how things were, and we didn't really have anything substantial to complain about at that point, so we didn't. But then we finished our meal and didn't see our waitress for another 10min! We were ready to go! She finally came and gave us our check and charged us for a wrap we didn't get. (Btw they also gave our drinks to the wrong table at first but I caught it before they drank it!). So she came back with our fixed check, but didn't fix it! So we told her again to fix it. She finally gave us our check after 15min after requesting it and didn't give us a pen :-/. That was just the last straw. Bad tip and doubt we'll be coming back. Shame.
(2)Javier V.
Been there twice now, atmosphere/ambiance is pretty awesome. The restaurant is open and airy/spacious . . . My recommendation is to sit at the bar. Bartender dude is pretty cool, quick to get ur order, ur drink, etc. . I didn't have to wait too long for a refill or anything really . . . I ate the Bacon & Cheese Burger, which was pretty average for a restaurant cheeseburger. The ranch fries that come with the meal were pretty well seasoned, so kudos there. Overall I enjoyed my experience at Fire Station One, although the prices could be better ;)
(3)kevin c.
Stopped in on a Tuesday night. The place was not that busy, but still had a decent amount of people. It seemed like a pretty good place to hang out and the interior is very nice. Food was just average. Portabella powerhouse was a little tough and just so-so. The crispy mahi wrap is not bad and was better than the mushroom burger. House beers were just ok. I thought the IPA was a little bland and underwhelming. The golden ale was too. The red was pretty good. Overall, a decent place to hang out for decent food and beer.
(3)Adam H.
Went here with a large group for drinks after dinner. The service was fine, but there were a few things that put a sour end to the night for us. We were seated outside with an initial party of 8 that grew to about 12 people. The blueberry ale that our server recommended did not have any blueberry flavor. It was just a normal light ale w/ whole blueberries floating in the beer. The other beers on tap seemed alright. Nothing special about the beer available here. We had been seated for close to two hours when our server informed us that they had "flagged" our entire table because we had each had 3-4 drinks a person. This meant they wouldn't serve us any more drinks unless the manager "approved" our level of sobriety. Our group was not loud at all and the only other people where we were seated were also just drinking. So the manager came out and proceeded to talk and stare at all of us for a few minutes. When we laughed at the situation he asked us why we were all laughing. His demeanor was unfriendly and was giving us the impression that our presence was not welcome. I could understand if we were being loud and obnoxious and interfering w/ the dining experience of other customers, but it was close to 11:30 at this point and there were very few in the restaurant period, let alone outside where we were all seated. They brought out the last few drinks that we ordered, then brought everyone their checks which I supposed was their not so subtle signal hint to tell us all to leave. I felt bad for our server being forced to tell us that we'd been "flagged". If the management wasn't idiotic we definitely would've stayed a bit longer. Will probably never come back.
(1)Jay R.
Went in for dinner (not to drink) and had very low expectations, but was pleasantly surprised - the glorified bar food that makes up their menu was perfectly servicable from what I could tell. Sliders were the best thing we had despite coming out lukewarm. The patties were juicy and had a great unexpected spicy kick to them. The buffalo wings were decent as well. Ribeye was okay and was prepared correctly. The $12 Lobster BLT was okay as well - lots of lobster meat (it seemed to be from a can) with great tasting bacon, but they should rethink the multigrain toast toast that it came on. The accompanying fries were the generic seasoned frozen kind but not offensive. The color wheel alternating lights reflecting off of the panels above the bar was very annoying if you sat in the middle of the room. I wish we had scored a booth along the perimeter with their individual pendant lights. It's kind of odd that the fire station space is large, and yet it doesn't have many tables on the main level thus seating capacity isn't too high, but it's really loud even on a Monday night. Service that we encounted was pretty good - not intrusive and very efficient. Our server was one of those types that doesn't write anything down, but she got it all right! She's definitely a keeper. Next trip - Ketchup at National Harbor
(3)Mic X.
"No mas," he said, as wandered around the ring like the ref was trying to force him to sign a petition. He threw up his hands once more. "No mas." The incredulous referee stood frozen. It was not from the use of a language he did not speak. He understood the meaning, though he did not know the words. It was the meaning itself he could not understand. Sugar Ray Leonard understood what it meant as he watched Roberto Duran turn around and amble back into his corner. Sugar Ray Leonard threw up his arms in victory before the referee had stopped the match. Roberto Duran just sat in his corner and even though there was nothing to the human eye that appeared to be physically wrong with the pugilist, he refused to get off of his stool. Be it mental, physical, or any other -al and combination thereof, he simply could not take the abuse any longer. This is how Fire Station One must feel right about now. A fighter with tons of potential who begins a fight getting stung early and has to spend the rest of the match making up for lost points. The reviews have been brutal thus far and without saying that they are unwarranted, many were written in the first few weeks of the opening of this restaurant, which I have been waiting with much hope and anticipation. I am a fan of Hook and Ladder beers and with so much space to work with in the old firehouse, I myself was expecting something a bit more unique. The owners could have gone for daring, but chose safety instead. The main bar and dinning area is a generically nice, open space with a staircase that leads to a smaller, darker bar and dinning area. There is also an outdoor patio area where the firetrucks used to pull into the giant sized doorways. It is very amenable to families - even the stroller brigades. The food that my family and I have had while dinning here has been fair to good. My wife thought her NY Strip steak was one of the best steaks she had eaten in ages. The Crab Cake sandwich I had was plump with lump crab meat and not much in the way of filler. The Club sandwich I had at previous night out was large and tasted like a plain old club sandwich should taste like - filling. The kid's cheese pizza was mediocre, but my daughter enjoyed it. One thing that I give this restaurant some praise for, is that they offer vegetables (I assume that it's always grilled zucchini, because that's what I got) for a side for all of their sandwich dishes. It's refreshing not to be forced into eating french fries or nothing. The beer selection leans way too far toward the macro brews for a small brewing company. I do hope they try and get a little more adventurous in bringing in more unique beers from local breweries. Each time I have gone to Fire Station One, the crowd has been sizable each and every time. Apparently the folks who continue to come here have not read the reviews on this site. While a large number of reviewers on this site lust for the chance to air their opinions and wax poetic upon the divinity of the perfect plate of foie gras, the reality of the world is that these inflated expectations do not fuel the palates of the masses who fill the accounts of the cooks. At the end of the day, Applebee's has her sovereign shine and foie gras is just tortured duck liver. Who knows how this restaurant will fare in the coming months, but the owners should take notes on everything that people have commented upon the service thus far. Personally speaking, I have not experienced the horrors that other have experienced. Mine have all been routine. In short (at long last) - this is no exceptional dinning experience, but is not to be avoided like the plague (as some of the reviewers would surmise). The assaults keeping coming at you Fire Station One. Regain your ground, adjust, counter or otherwise you just may be "no mas."
(3)steve s.
My wife and I actually went here twice. We liked the decor and thought that perhaps the first experience was a fluke and that we would (generously) give them a second chance...a chance they didn't deserve. First, my wife and I are generally satisfied with most restaurants we go to. We are not that hard to please. In both cases we experienced bland or awful food and poor service. On one visit I had a "grilled" chicken sandwich and chicken looked like it had been boiled. It was supposed to a bourbon sauce on it but it was totally bland. I asked the waiter for some barbeque sauce for the sandwich. After waiting several minutes, I noticed he was standing and talking to some other patrons who he obviously knew. I waved him over and reminded him that my food was getting cold and he finally got it. The second time we went was no better...water glasses weren't refilled when empty, dishes weren't cleared and my wife's mahi mahi wrap was tasteless...worse...it made her ill. The owner of this place did a good job of building a nice place...he just hasn't got the restaurant part down. I recommend that you stay away from this place. There are much better options in Silver Spring.
(1)Christie W.
This place has A LOT of potential........... I want to give them a break because they are so new, and I love the location, and the atmosphere of the restaurant! It has 2 levels, a bar upstairs and downstairs, plus outdoor patio seating. I hear once the lease is up for the business next door they are going to be expanding, then they will brew their own beer, and have rooftop seating probably by next Summer for the rooftop seating though I can imagine. The menu is average. I was not that impressed with the food, but I will let it slide for now. I hope when I return I can offer more positive insight, however for now that is all I will say. The staff is dedicated, and very friendly. People need to keep in mind it's hard starting up a new business, and hopefully with time they will get it right and be rewarded 5 stars!! The history of the building itself is amazing as well. I look forward to going back for a second try. TBC................
(3)pia b.
Quick update... I went there w/the Taller Half last week for a quick bite. I ordered the Cobb Salad. While I'm not a total food snob (I swear!) I do have some standards. The cheese on the salad? Totally processed cheese slices cut up . This salad was more then $10. Lame, no?
(1)Catalina S.
American food, the Maryland crab soup was good. I had the meat loaf entree, my husband the short ribs.. both were good, though the meat loaf was salty. The onion rings were great. The atmosphere is great and the staff is super friendly. The menu entrees don't give you a choice of sides.. I'm not a big fan of green beans. The menu states that they are using a "citrus butter".. but it really gives the food a wierd chemical taste.The staff is super friendly and helpful, love the ambience.. not hot on the food though. This place brings back memories for me.. I actually worked here from time to time back in the late 80's when it was a working fire house (I was assigned to Station 16 back then).
(3)Thoreau B.
Just terrible. I mean wow, you come in and think, ok, kind of generic, but nice. The you open the menu, and you say, kind of generic, but well priced, and some things look good. And then the food comes. Or well, kind of comes. The drinks never get to you, or get mixed up, or the server doesn't know any beers on tap (despite it being a b"brewery") or all three things. Then the appetizers come after the entrees. Then you get the entrees and the appetizers and they are just awful. The breadiest pizza I have ever had, the fish was awful, and the tomato appetizer? A joke. Plus the service was just beyond obliviousness. No clue what they were doing, never managed to bring missing food, would not take our drink orders, I could go on. They have ok fries though. No redeeming features that I can tell.
(1)Katydid A.
The only reason there are 3 stars is because the beer is ok. I had decent service the 2 times I went. The second time being given my wings with no napkins then waiting 10 minutes for utensils. The missing 2 stars are for the food. Both times I went I got the wings. They were over cooked and tough to eat. Not very good. If you are drinking only. Yes go to Firestation. Do not eat the food.
(3)Alison T.
I went t this place with my boyfriend the second week it opened, and was super excited to try it out. It looked really cool, a converted firehouse, and the place was packed, so I'm thinking its going to be good... boy was I wrong! After a 45 minute wait, we were seated inside next to a large filthy table with food on the floor. A waiter came to clean it, and just started pushing the food that had fallen onto the table onto the floor. ..Red flag number one. The dsea bass dish I wanted they said they couldn't make, so I ordered the same thing as my boyfriend, a baked chicken dish that was supposed to be topped with crab meat in some kind of sauce. The wait for our food was kind of long, and they brought out my boyfriends a good 10 minutes before mine, and we ordered the same dish! What they brought out we both that was a bad joke. It looked like those little frozen chicken breast cutlets that you buy in bag. The piece of chicken was sooo small, it was a child sized portion, and there wasn't much crab on top. So not only did it look pathetic, but it was bland. Since my main dish left much to be desired I wanted to try and save the dinner with a yummy dessert. I wanted the banana split which I saw on the menu. But when I ordered it the waiter said they didn't have that either. And at that point I was through. Shortly after, one of the owners came by and I told him about our experience. He apologized and gave my boyfriend another meal that he took home. He said they were in the process of changing the menu and that's why some things weren't available. And that gAnd mentioned how getting seafood was tough because of the situation in the Gulf. ( I actually just came back from New Orleans where I had a lot of seafood, u can still eat the seafood down there so I have a hard time believing that.) The icing on the cake was that the next morning, my boyfriend who is NEVER sick, was violently ill from you guessed it.. .FOOD POISONING, from Fire Station One. Needless to say we will NEVER go back there again!
(1)Sharon W.
Went to Fire Station One when it first opened and thought it was so-so, food seemed like convention food. Went back tonight (3/25/11) and things were much improved. Had Chesapeake wings and calamari for appetizers and both were really good (might make that dinner with salad next time). Four of us had a crab cake sandwich (very decent), 2 specials of salmon scampi (generous portion and very tasty) and a child's chicken tenders. Service was good and we will definitely go back. Glad they tweaked their menu all for the better.
(4)Nate M.
Very basic review on a carryout order: Had the Classic burger, side of onion rings, and the Joe's Mojo Pie. The burger was good, though nothing was spectacular about it. The beer-battered onion rings were the star of my meal. They were real onion rings (vs. the minced onion inside) and the coating was crispy and flavorful... delicious! The Mojo Pie was heavy and mediocre. The service at the restaurant was very fast and polite when I went to pick up the food. Overall, a great experience and I'll definitely go back for a dine-in experience.
(4)Megan T.
I really wanted to love this place but two stars is a stretch in some ways. The decor and feel of the place is fantastic but the food ranged from bad to average. The service was good at first, then really slow and not attentive. I got the regular cheeseburger, which was decent, though the bun was a bit greasy. We didn't get the right flavor of ice cream for dessert but it was ok so we didn't say anything about it. Unfortunately my husband was feeling pretty ill from the meal he ordered (way too greasy) and I doubt will ever eat anything here again. Might be a good place to grab a drink and could use a serious overhaul with improved management and food. I hope change happens for the good.
(2)Samantha G.
It's time for lunch in Silver Spring. You walk into the newly opened Fire Station 1 restaurant. If it weren't for the tables and chairs sitting out front, you might actually think it was a fire station, and at one time, it was. The interior is open and airy. The space is large and includes a loft area with more seating. You have time to take in your surroundings as you wait for a waiter to service your table. It takes a few minutes, but when service does come, it's friendly. The menu isn't gourmet, but it's a step above the standard. Chicken in the California wrap is dry, but the creamy texture of the avocado is enough to keep you content. Sundried tomato adds a nice, tart touch. The crab cake sandwich is filled with more crab than you'd expect for the cost that you're paying. For someone who might not regularly make that order for french fries, it is advised that you disregard that decision in favor of your tastebuds. The outside of each thick slice is crisp and buttery, the inside light and fluffy. Fire Station 1 Restaurant and Brewing Co. has the potential to be Silver Spring's newest hangout spot, with a bar that serves wine and beer from 12 taps and 20 bottles, including offerings from the local Hook & Ladder. The building has history and appeal, but table service could use work and the food isn't anything you haven't seen before. It all melds to make a satisfactory experience, but nothing more than that.
(2)Freddy P.
First if you want to have brewery in the name you need to have a beer that is made in house. An IPA was their house beer and it is boring and done better else where. Give us something to show off the brewery. Prices are good for what you get in portions but spend less on writting the menu and more on making it good please. Alot of out door seating and a great view of Georgia ave. Don't mind the car horns and car fumes, it's part of the ambiance.
(2)Michael M.
Went for a lazy Sunday lunch a little while back, about a few weeks after they first opened their doors, and I was actually impressed. I was by no means blow away by the quality of the food... but the quality I did get did blow away my expectations. Its a fun spot with great weekday happy-hour specials. The food is right on par with the prices. The only knocks I had on this place where that my panini was too oily, and that the fries have a cheese flavor to them....not bad, its just not what i wanted at the time. All around fun time. Don't go for special occasions, but do go if your just plain hungry, its tasty, its fun, its close.
(3)Rojelio M.
Great fun place for family! Food was tasty and waitress was fantastic
(4)Erin L.
Friday night, 7pm - a brief wait (just long enough for one drink at the bar) before being buzzed for our table, not a bad start. The Mo Tea To was great - a mojito made with sweat tea - although all three bartenders said they'd never made it before despite the fact that it is a featured drink on their menu. Still they pulled it off and it was delicious. And then we waited forever and a day to close out the bar tab when all three bartenders disappeared to who-knows-where. Perhaps they were reviewing the menu in case someone else ordered a mixed drink. Flash forward to the table and maybe the most inept waiter I've ever seen. Inattentive, brought the wrong drink, completely ignored our 3 requests for water (we ended up grabbing another server to bring water finally), unclear as to the vegetable of the day (mind you, they only have one vegetable on any given day), forgot that we ordered an appetizer until we reminded him, so it came about 2 minutes before our main course, stood talking to the table across from us about nothing for 15 minutes while we waited for our dirty dishes to be cleared (another server finally picked them up). I wish I would have gotten his name because I'd write to the managers and let them know that this server is not an asset to their business. The food was decent, nothing really special. Crab dip was good but they didn't give enough pita wedges to finish it. (When we asked for more, it took our Einstein of a waiter 20 minutes to bring them out, and by then we were finishing our meal.) Nice that you can chose your fish & preparation, and the ribs were good. Star summary: Mo Tea To 4 stars Atmosphere & decor 3 stars Food 3 stars Bar staff 1 star Waiter 0 stars
(2)James C.
1st visit 3 weeks ago: We went there around 10:30 pm on a Friday night and our table was the only table in our waitresses section, which we assumed was a good thing. She told us that if it wasn't for us being there she would be able to go home and that she was upset - not the greatest first impression at all. We ordered drinks, which came 10-15 minutes later. Ordering food took several minutes, asking for a water refill meant getting a water refill 10+ minutes later, and the food we had wasn't great - an overall very bad experience. Despite this we decided we would try it again one more time. 2nd visit tonight: Service was much better (average, overall) and we were welcomed with "Burgers are half off tonight!" by 3 people. After opening the menu we realized they only have ONE burger on the menu. At $4.50 (normally $9) I thought I'd give it a shot. I'd say at $4.50 it was a decent deal, but no way that thing was worth $9. This experience was definitely better than the first although I don't think I'll be going back ever again.
(2)Rachel P.
I started out going to this place after class at Walter Reed since it was down the street. They have average priced alcohol. I'm a vegetarian, and they suprisingly have quite a few options for vegetarians. During my last visit I tried their polenta dish and it was really good. The service I have received there has always been pretty good and friendly. It's another place to try in the Downtown S.S. area!
(4)Amanda B.
By far the worst restaurant I've been to in years. I went on Wednesday night with a group of 5 friends and we had a terrible experience. Despite their reputation for having a great beer selection, somehow our waiter didn't even know what was on tap. He could only list about 5. When I asked him if he could check to see which Flying Dog beer it was that was on tap, he came back still with no idea. When I asked him again, he asked the bartender, who also did not know. No wonder he kept bringing us the wrong beers. The food was a joke. One of our appetizers came out after our entrees. The other dish we got as an appetizer was basically warm tomatoes with bread crumbs sprinkled over top. My entree, the grilled mahi mahi was awful. Despite being $14, it was probably no more than 3 ounces. It also was completely tasteless and texture-less. The mashed potatoes were just lumpy. My friend had to ask for the fries that CAME with her meal 4 times. She finally got them when the rest of us were done eating. I could go on and on. Such a disappointment.
(1)Scot W.
The Fire Station was okay...I would give it 2.5 stars if I could...As other yelpers have mentioned, the service is friendly, the decor/history of the place is cool and the atmosphere is alright. (The music is a touch loud of the diners, fine for the bargoers). But, there is something about the whole place, before even getting to the food, that is a little off. I struggle to put my finger on it, but I think it is the uber modernity of the bar in a place that is in other ways striving to stay attached to history. The big flat screen TVs and the mood lighting shining on aluminum panels just don't strike the right note. Having said all that, the food: The food was okay but not at all great. We split the roasted roma tomatoes with parmesan topping and the queso sticks (a mexican take on mozzarella sticks). the tomatoes were tasteless, as was the parmesan/bread crumb mix. Avoid that menu item. The queso sticks were interesting; a neat concept executed fairly well. It was mexican style nacho cheese rolled in tortilla chip crumbs and then fried. For some reason, it was served with marinara sauce. Salsa would have been better, but they were fine without any dip. My girlfriend had a grilled chicken wrap with sundried tomatoes, spinach and avocado spread. She said it was quite good. I had the cuban sandwich; it was okay. The pulled pork had very little flavor and there wasn't enough mustard, or the mustard didn't have enough kick. I probably wouldn't go back here exclusively for a meal, but if drinking was going to be involved, I could certainly pay another visit.
(3)Maggie B.
Sat outside - indoors was big and loud and impersonal. But, outdoors had the ladder truck beside us, and the sounds of the town... the food is just fine. Burgers, salads, pizzas. Inhouse brewery, good service, interesting building... a good meet-up place... and it's off the planned community area... all good things from my view!
(3)Grover R.
Ok, I know they just opened, but if Sunday evening is any indication of what to expect, don't waste your time or money. When my friends and I sat down we received a lot of attention from our server. Soon after our orders were taken, however, things began to fall apart rapidly. Our main course arrived before our appetizer and even though we asked repeatedly, we never got any plates for our food, so we just kind of used our napkins. Our server then completely disappeared. After about 30 minutes, I went to find the manager who found our server. Apparently, the server had "given" our table to someone else, but no one had actually told that someone else. We were pretty ready to leave at that point but our new server convinced us to stay for one more round. When we were ready for our check, it arrived after a 20 minute wait and was incorrect. Our new server was nowhere to be found so again, we went to the manager for a new check. After another 20 minutes the revised check arrived . . . wrong again! FINALLY, the right check came but it took our server at least 30 minutes to "authorize" our credit cards! Had the food been good, I guess we would have said it was worth another try. But the pizza was undercooked and the calamari was bland and greasy. I know they just opened and my friends and I did expect there to be some bugs in the operation, but we spent more time waiting for things than we did actually eating and drinking. The Manager did come around to "charm" us after all we had been through, but frankly, it was too little, too late. The least he could have done was buy us round, but he couldn't even see his way to do that. (Note that the Managers at Pacci's down the street did exactly that on their opening night) Will we be returning to Fire Station One? Only in the case of extreme emergency.
(1)Mark M.
I went here again for a going away party. It was a large group (about 20) and we were seated upstairs--I was impressed at how the staff handled the group and the wings and beer were good.
(3)Kelly J.
I did not like this restaurant. It was a Friday night and moderately filled with people...maybe because it's 2 floors they can disperse people better but I just felt it was a little quiet for a Friday night. Our server was very pleasant but I felt extremely unorganized, I would have thought maybe busy but he only had 3 tables. He kept forgetting things we asked for and was slow to fill up drinks. I ordered the wings (which were too expensive for the junk I got). They were edible but not what I expected for buffalo wings. Barely any sauce which you can only get mild or inferno (what the hell!!!) They were burnt and it came with 5 baby carrot sized celery sticks (aww, how cute?!?!) I should have read the other reviews before coming here. Don't think I'll be coming here again.
(2)Sandra S.
Wings were very good. Bartender very friendly. Burgers I would not order again. Chicken wrap was good also. Have nfl ticket flags outside but does not have nfl ticket weird!! Not a bad place to hang and good Sunday specials with 2.50 Stella's on tap. Way too many staff on.
(3)Zachary H.
Two stars is totally appropriate in this case. Unfortunately, the friendly service and fun atmosphere just could not make up for second-rate food and flat boring beer. Our first visit to Fire Station One was last night. We live in Silver Spring and enjoy visiting new restaurants in the neighborhood. This one had potential. I love the theme of a former fire station. They also have outdoor seating and report to brew their own beer. So, what went wrong? We started with their blueberry infused beer and their stout (both have cute names which I have forgotten). Both beers were flat and largely lacking in body and taste. For dinner we ordered the Santa Fe Pizza and the burger. The burger was acceptable at best and the pizza tasted like a frozen Safeway special. We were very disappointed in the food quality. What's frustrating is that this place seems like it should be so much better. We'll keep our fingers crossed that they clean up their act a bit.
(2)Gretchen S.
We also went on opening night and we anticipated big crowds, so when they ran out of beer and we had to wait a fairly long time for our food, we weren't freaked out. Our waitress was a sweetheart, so that helped. Beer on tap wasn't available, and our bottled beers were edging toward warm--probably because the door to the fridge had been open more than closed that evening. They were also out of the bottled beers we ordered, so we got random substitutes. However, the server gave us the second round free, which was very much appreciated. The food needs some work. I had the Caesar and spinach salad (without the spinach, as they'd run out of it) with chicken. It was thickly coated in a very bland, watery dressing. If the dressing is bland, don't add more! Let me do the work with salt and pepper at the table. I was starving, so I finished it, but I hope it improves. My boyfriend asked for his burger medium, but received one that was very well-done (which I personally think serves him right for not ordering medium-rare). The decor was a disappointing. I was hoping for something a little funkier, a little less kids pizza warehouse meet sports bar. The exposed beams helped, and it looked like they were still adding elements. Our table on the second level was right near a door which led to a very brightly lit staircase to the kitchen. In the dark bar it was distracting to have it swing open every few moments for a server. It would help if they could dim the lights in there slightly or put something between the tables and the light. We'll definitely go back in a month and see how it's doing.
(3)Kevin M.
Went back one more time and while the food was decent, the service was pretty terrible. The drinks were coming slowly so I went to the bar to get a drink there and a disgruntled patron grumbled, "She's gotta be the slowest bartender on the east coast." So I headed back to my table and waited it out. Still a decent place to watch games and maybe the best in Silver Spring but if you aren't going there to watch something or for trivia night, there are better places to eat in the area.
(2)Eileen M.
I have been here twice. The first time with my boss, business dinner. I ordered the wings HOT, there were pretty good. I also ordered a chicken Quesadilla that was overcooked. My boss had HOT chilli. He enjoyed it. The waiter Joe was ok. This place seems to be more of a hangout for drinking. It does have potential to be a GREAT place to eat but the food is either on or way OFF! The second time I ate there I ordered the same hot wings with a cup of hot chilli. The chilli was as close to burnt as you can get. The wings pretty good. I do beleive it is time for a new cook or two. Food is just not up to par. I wish it was a better place to eat so close to work, would be a nice change.
(2)Johnny A.
Not sure what to make of it just yet. Been there for lunch and once again fo happy hour. I have to say on both occasions the service is a bit slow, but maybe because they're just starting? The food is ok and a bit over-priced, but how can you be out of your own brew on both occasions? I'm hoping for better days ahead but not holding my breath.
(2)Erika S.
Todd and his gang accommodated our big group, including the kids. We had an initial issue with the hostess not being able to find our reservation but they accommodated us right away and our server was great. The Daily Crisis is a solid IPA and the crab cakes were good too.
(4)Susan G.
I would not recommend this place to the devil! If I could give this no-stars (like my no tip) I would and here's why. The place is huge and yet there were less than 10 tables with customers for a late Saturday lunch-always a bad sign. The lunch started off okay, got a beer sampler and kids got sodas, we asked for water and my hubby said he would think about a type of beer. We waited a long time for our server to return-no water. He ordered his beer. We waited 15 minutes-no beer so he had to flag someone else down to get the beer as our waitress was busy turning the channels on the TV (no joking that's what she was doing for 15 minutes). NO water We ordered (I did beg for that stupid water again) and after a protracted time our appetizers came and finally some water. Then directly after that so did our meals. It would have been nice to have silverware with all the food on the table. We had to get that ourselves I guess. Most disappointingly we didn't actually get what we ordered (my husband was really upset). We asked to see the manager and what we got was a card for free wings-funny we are vegetarian. Since they had a big stack of these I take it that our experience is rather common. I noticed the table not too far from us waited the entire time we were there for a check! The food is okay but for the price not worth the experience of this place. Seriously the concept is much better then the reality. DON'T GO!!!
(1)Shanna E.
The atmosphere is really great here, but they changed their menu since they opened and got rid of a lot of the delicious, unique pizzas they had here. I'll be back, but really disappointed in the new menu.
(3)Kristy P.
So I don't want to come across like a "Gordon Ramsey" on here but I'm going to. First off, we were seated promptly and had our drinks brought quickly... promising. We placed our order one was for a GRILLED mahi mahi and other for a fried mahi mahi roll up. The selection for fish it was either grilled, broiled or sauteed... no other options. The fish also comes with choice of sauces, my boyfriend wanted creole sauce. As we waited for our meals a floor manager which there were 3, came and made jokes and awkwardly placed coasters on our table and made my boyfriend chug a half full beer (he asked if he was done and went to take it away!). Beer wasn't great the IPA wasn't a traditional ipa and again they knew nothing of beers and had no beer menu. For a "Brewery" this is odd. The waitress named stella artois as a dark beer, if that tells you anything. Our food came and looked alright, until we noticed they FRIED the grilled mahi mahi... this wasn't even an option. They also forgot the creole sauce. We asked the food runner for the sauce and she made a face and then never came back. Our waitress disappeared for a good 15 minutes after food was delivered. Took her 25 mins to bring a second beer and another soda for me, so for a bit no drinks were on the table. When the creole sauce arrived they brought the wrong kind, it was salsa. My wrap... the fish was COLD all the way through. I didn't want mahi mahi sushi. Meanwhile the table behind us sent their food back and waited almost 45 minutes (the time it took for us to order and finish our meal) to get his replacement meal, which he promptly sent back again and refused to eat there. NEVER a good sign. So this made me not complain or send food back as I didn't want to spend an hour waiting for a fried fish roll up and a grilled mahi mahi. The redeeming point... the mashed potatoes. And the veggies were aldente. I just didn't understand what 3 managers were doing on the floor and not in the kitchen, who obviously was having issues. Two orders of the same fish and one cold the other not cooked to order, plates going back to the kitchen..... wouldn't that be a sign to get in the kitchen... the heart of the restaurant and make sure things come out on time and proper?! Overall a disappointment, especially since its a nice old fire station and says "brewery" without a brewery. I'd say drive to Gaithersburg for Dogfish head ale house if you are looking for good food and beer in one.
(1)Amanda V.
I want to like this place. I really do. Ive gone 5 times and every time it the same. Some of the food is good... Some sub par. No matter how I order my burgers they are burnt. I've tried it three different times and its always the same. The service is nice but slow. I love the ambiance. It's a great idea. It just needs to be backed up by the kitchen and it'd be a gem in silver spring!
(2)Ed G.
Yo, service is really slow, order a beer about halfway before your first one is done.. The place has potential but needs a few weeks... some music outside wouldn't hurt either. The fire station across the street actually adds to the atmosphere.
(2)Dmitry I.
Overpriced for sure. I am ready to pay premium but hey, give me something. If this place would carry Unibroue beers (like Terrible) then $30+ is ok for me but for burger and 2 beers it's overpriced I would not downgrade them for food - they advertise as a bar, not a restaurant and my burger was pretty good.. But beer selection... mediocre at best. My advice - if you looking for a booze skip that place and just go couple blocks down Georgia avenue - Quarry House tavern or even Olazzo is a better choice. 11/07/2010 Recently my co-worker invited me here for a dinner - food is still mediocre, but they have own beer which is good. So upping my grade to 4 (hey, it's a bar, don't expect food here)
(4)Ashley D.
We tried this place because we had a groupon for it. Walked in and no hostess to be found. We then watched people who arrived after us get seated before us. Took almost 10 minutes just to get seated and there were open tables everywhere. We then waited almost 10 more minutes for someone to take our drink order. Despite this being an alehouse (supposedly) they do not brew any of their own beers so expect the typical DC lackluster beer selection. We were brought our appetizer with no silverware, napkins, ketchup or plates. Main entrees were bland and this place must have a ketchup shortage - we had to ask for ketchup 3 times before we actually got it. Kind of necessary for burgers and fries! Terrible service, blah food. Don't waste your time here.
(1)Jessica B.
Went in for a Saturday afternoon late lunch with the husband, kid, and in-laws, and had an average experience. The menu variety was pretty good, though not much different than a lots-of-stuff-to-choose-from Ruby Tuesdays or TGI Fridays. There was no standard vinaigrette available (italian or raspberry vinaigrette - yuck). I ordered what I always do when I don't know what else to order, and got a salad and appetizer: house salad (cheesy!) and crab and artichoke dip (old bay-ey!) They were ok. Just ok. My husband packed his burger to go due to a screaming child, and it held up pretty well over the next 45 minutes. I snuck a fry when I was packing it up. It was good...almost tasted like it had onion ring batter on it. My MIL got a spinach salad that arrived dry and looked sad, and my FIL got a burger that looked like a burger. I don't eat burgers. I might go back here for a beer (but it's not really close to the metro), or for brunch (to lessen my kid's chances of screaming). Other than that, I'd probably pass. Bonus points for the original beams, the not-overdoing-it fire station decor, and the seemingly decent beer selection. Point deductions for no straws, a booster seat instead of a highchair, and the insane sunset glare coming from the Georgia Ave. windows.
(3)Eric P.
Went here for lunch with my son today and it was just awful. I worked in the restaurant business for 7 years so there are certain things i expect: Freindly greeting- got that. Empty dirty tables- We almost walked out and should have. Took them over 7 minutes to seat us at a dirty table- wow! Waiter forgot to put in our calamari. My burger was requested MR and came out well. manager got a new one going, but that one was overcooked. She never came back to check on us. Waiter/bartender walked around like he didn't even care. This place better get it together or it's going bye- bye....
(1)Josh P.
Well lets start positive it's a great spot for drinks.....unfortunately we went for dinner. The front desk staff is young and inexperienced. They took our reservations by phone but when we got there they said they hadn't taken any reservations....so lost reservation not a good start. It took the help of a bartender to get the front desk people to get it figured out. All the food was mediocre at best. They ran out of water glasses at 6:30 on a friday night so no water came for our table until after the meals arrived. The worst part was my wife's steak, a NY strip that was a lovely shade of grey....not well done grey but just grey and unhealthy looking...it tasted worse than it looked. When we sent it back and asked for a ribeye steak instead they recooked the same steak and sent it back to the table....we relayed our original request again and then 15-20 minutes later we got a ribeye that at least wasn't grey. A lot of the food looked and tasted like it had been previously frozen, even though the owner insisted it was fresh. We received some free appetizer cards for the issues.....but the cards will never be used since i will never go back.
(1)Mia R.
Alright...I completely forgot that I wrote a review on this place when it first opened. SIGNIFICANT changes have been made since that time...and I'm happy to say--many of them are for the better. 1) The bar staff is a lot better, FAR MORE attentive and some are really cool, funny and entertaining. 2) The menu got an upgrade--and I can tell you...the CRABCAKES are probably some of the best you'll find in Silver Spring (or probably in MD)...and I'm a Maryland girl (born and raised)...NO FILLER...just straight up crab...(i saw a review on the crabcakes that says that it needed less filler and more meat--maybe the regular chef was off or something because when I get them...its ALL lump crab meat and with very little filler)...Get it with the mashed potatoes and green bean almondine (or whatever its called)...Absolutely delicious! they've added some entertainment to the mix--so if you go on the right night--you may hear some live music. (I don't because I'm an anti-social recluse who prefers the bar half empty versus full). The Owner is real cool and open to new ideas for this place--definitely checks in with the patrons. Open to suggestions and new ideas. So I'm gonna give this bar 4 stars because of the strides that have been made--the friendly staff...the revised menu selection...the fact that they engage the surrounding community...the friendly Owner...the festive events...and those super delicious wings...OH...plus they added free wi-fi...super! (only complaint is that the $.25/wing deal is off the table...u have to order a minimum of 10 now...which only causes me to overeat.) Good comeback, FireStation One..hope you only continue to get better.
(4)Jennifer L.
Our server known as "batman"was super nice and had great personality. He kept us entertained. The food was good. Its bar food. Nothing spectacular. We had a good time. The service was kinda slow, but entertainment of our waiter was fabulous.it made a difference. Our Experience was impressive.
(4)Merida F.
I was really excited to try it after driving by a few times. I went with a coworker for lunch and we were hoping to hit happy hour. Apparently, this establishment does not have any happy hour to speak of but it does feature some "specials." We were very surprised it did not offer happy hour and were disappointed with the lack of at home brewed beers. Though our waiter was very nice he did not seem to know the menu and had to come back to our table to review our order(we were his only table). I ordered a crabcake sandwich and I admit I am not a connoisseur but I thought it was decent. I think the fries really make up for it and I give them 4 stars. They are really potato wedges and are seasoned beautifully. I always fall for places with unique decor and I would agree with other yelpers that the fire station definitely excelled here. It is still new so hopefully there will be some improvements once they get into their groove.
(3)Jessica I.
The building being an old firehouse and the restaurant continuing the theme was done well. Good atmosphere. We had excellent service. For some that mentioned before that they don't brew, they actually do. They unfortunately at the time of our dining were out of the 2 of 3 that they do brew. So was only able to try their stout, which was a fairly good Irish stout. The others officially no comment since couldn't try them. They had a fair selection of other beers on tap or bottle, but definitely could be expanded. Chatted with our waiter who also seemed to be into expanding the beer options and threw out a couple suggestions. Sounds like they are open to making this place be what they customers are looking for. For food, had their chili, 5 alarm (hot) very good and a burger, which was decent. I think this place may try to be coming into their own, if I did live here, I would give it a few more chances and see what they could deliver.
(3)Liat N.
Unfortunately, I have to agree with the other reveiws. We ave been here several times, really trying to like it but consistently, the service is poor. The food is decent, but the staff really needs better training. Our appetizer came 15 minutes after the meal, which took over 1/2 an hour. What's wrong with this picture? The manager on duty could only say they were short staffed, but I counted about 8 or 9 waiters running around. Should be sufficient for a place half full. Maybe it's the kitchen, but Fire Station and I have now parted ways.
(1)Tracy P.
Had lunch here and was really pleased. I liked my wrap. Sat at the bar and the bartender happens to be a magician too... I was impressed. The building was the old fire station converted to a restaurant. It has a good atmosphere.
(5)katy j.
I've been here a few times, the food is somewhere between not bad and okay, but the beer... ugh, the beer! We ordered pale ales and what we got tasted like stale lager. So we ordered a different pale ale the next time, and that also tasted like another stale lager. For a place that touts its beer selection, that is bad, bad, bad. Very disappointing. If you've got no choice, order whatever's in a bottle, that way you at least know what to expect!
(2)Susan b.
My family had one of the worst meals of our life here last night. First of all I wasn't expecting much, so ordered a Cuban sandwich. It had been pressed at some time prior to dinner and then microwaved and so was steaming hot and soggy. The pastas were pored out of a bag, as was the calamari (hand breaded they claimed. Sure but it happened somewhere else before hey froze them) my husband's ribeye was the only decent piece of food. The salad greens were not fresh and so were inedible. Our service was good, but I will not go again.
(1)Greg L.
Not impressed. Slow service, food was just ok. Not much energy in restaurant.
(2)Brett K.
Cute theme. Horrible service. Went here twice and left before ordering both times due to bizarrely inattentive service. The football game was blaringy loud the second time as well. Based on the yelp rating our experience was perhaps typical. Piratz Tavern or Jackie's Restaurant or Jackie's Sidebar are much better choices in the area.
(1)Allison K.
Sliders were yummy, the beer was cold, the service was decent and the space was pretty cool. It was a bit pricey for lunch and the fries were steak cut and made me sad...hence the loss of a star. Overall, I liked this spot; good for groups and happy hours. Seems like they've sorted out a lot of the "just opened" kinks based on my experience compared to other reviews.
(4)Ashley E.
Best wings in the area. Pricey drinks.
(4)Elizabeth P.
I thought the food here was pretty good and is closer to 3.5 or 4 stars, but it was the service that brought it down. The food - I had a grilled white fish with green beans almondine and steak fries. The fries were amazing and the fish was above average as well. I do not like green beans, but I had to eat a vegetable so I ate about half of them. It also looked like they had good happy hour specials (50 cent wings!) The service - The waitress was slow in coming and did not know the specials and had to go away and come back several times to report back to us. She was slow the entire meal and we went around 2 pm when they were not that busy. Overall, it was a nice atmosphere and I would definitely go back for the fish.
(3)lisa h.
We stopped by for dinner after someone (who'd never eaten here) told us it "looked cool". It's clearly an after work hang-out, which is fine, except for all the people mingling around our table and yelling across the restraurant at each other. My kids (6 and 8 years old) were pretty stoked on both the activity menu w/crayons and their meals (mac and cheese and pepperoni pizza). My husband got a reuben, which was alright but the meat was overcooked, as was the chicken on my chicken/bacon/cheese sandwich. French fries were pretty tasty, service and drinks were good, and the kitchen had no problem subbing mashed potatoes for sauteed spinach (which wasn't on the menu) for my aunt, who said she enjoyed her tuna entree. Overall, it was fine and we were pretty happy because basically we were starving and needed food, but not sure I'd come back. The vibe was a little hectic (as was the lighting) and the food was just so-so. I'd rate this higher as a straight-up sports bar, probably.
(2)Stuart M.
I really wanted to like this place better, but two stars was the limit for this visit. Open about a month now, you still get a strong sense of opening night jitters (uncertainty about the menu, plates not cleared when done, etc). Unfortunately, that's not the real downside. The spinach salad (with dressing on the side, as I always order salads) was fresh, a decent starter. Maybe too many bacon bits, but easy to pick around. My entree was one of the specials for that night -- salmon in a Hawaiian glaze. Served on a grilled slice of pineapple (awesome, because I love fresh pineapple). The fish was perfectly cooked though the glaze was a bit too sweet by the time I had my last few bites. Sorry to say the salmon was farm raised (earning it an "Avoid" rating on the Monterrey Bay Aquarium seafood watch list), but that is typical of restaurants of this class. The vegetables are said to be tossed in a citrus butter. Maybe that's the way firefighters like to eat them, but they tasted to me more like they were overcooked in a buttery water. What's wrong with just steaming them? So far, so good. On the enthusiasm of the wait staff, my wife made the mistake of ordering pizza. They might do well taking pizza entirely off the menu, especially considering you can get fantastic pizza a few doors down at Pacci's. Actually, you can find better dough at the grocery store in the frozen food section. The Margherita pizza was left unfinished and we did not take home the leftovers, which in our house is unheard of for pizza. For dessert, I had the Cappuccino Brownie, which is not something I usually eat, but this one was good. Served with whipped cream and ice cream. Your younger kids (or childish adults like me) might like this place because of its fire station theme. There is a 2 or 3 foot high plastic dalmatian that you can apparently ask to have sit at your table. The boy at a table next to ours really enjoyed his plastic dining partner. And, with a real fire station located across the street, you are sure to see and hear fire or ambulance activity. All in all, the bill was a bit high for the quality of the food. I'm sure they'll work out the service kinks eventually, but I'm not sure I'd go back unless the food sees some improvement.
(2)Lindsay Y.
I've only been here once but it was enough to make me a repeat customer. The drinks are tasty and the hot wings were awesome (I got the inferno sauce on the side). My boyfriend really liked his burger. There are a few TVs over the bar so this is a good place to grab dinner and still be able to see the score of a game. This is a good casual choice when you don't want to do take out or another chain restaurant.
(4)Britt Y.
Awww this place is really unique. I never heard of this place before and it is really easy to miss especially if your not familiar with the silver spring area. This place is exactly what it is a fire station even with a fire truck outside. The food is okay i only tried the wings and there are .25 during happy hour. They have pretty good beer and specialty cocktail specials. A nice family environment as well
(3)dee w.
So so so SO bad. I mean. Where do I even begin. Cheesy, TGI Friday's-like decor? Check. Overpriced meh food? Also check. Swarming bees outside? Check, check, and check. Came here on a beautiful afternoon with a few coworkers. Thought we would sit outside on their patio. Had we known we would be battling bees throughout the entire meal, we probably would've considered otherwise. 3 of us ordered the fried Mahi Mahi wrap. Totally bland. There was also a huge chunk of doughy batter in mine. Gross. One coworker ordered the crabcake sandwich -- she said it was alright, but the lack of sauce or flavoring rendered it unremarkable. The meal ended with another coworker splicing a bee in half. That is all.
(1)Chris H.
I was in town for business recently and decided to visit Firehouse 1. My girlfriend and I were promptly seated upstairs with a friendly greeting at the front door. We both tried one of the house beers and I am a big fan of the IPA they have on tap. Also, we shared a pizza and an order of their steamed shrimp with Old Bay, which was all very tasty. Our server was knowledgeable and attentive, even with my check-splitting questions as well. There was great live music that night(Friday the 19th) that had everyone engaged and filled the large space well. On our way out the manager approached us and asked us about or experience as well which really made us feel important. I am in the area for quite awhile for business and will be back soon.
(5)Drew M.
I was reluctant to try this place because of so many bad reviews but it is right next to our building so we thought we should at least find our for ourselves. I'm glad we did. Service was excellent and not just by our server, by all the staff. The wait staff made a great recommendation on a beer selection which I appreciated and the food was good. Not great but it was burgers and they were cooked to order and the sides were good. Prices were reasonable so I have nothing to complain about and I will be going back when I'm in the mood for a casual bite.
(4)Emily M.
Go for the magic, stay for the food! My friend and I had lunch here today and while we enjoyed our food (French dip and club sandwich, both with yummy homemade chips) and beer, what we really loved was the free magic show our waiter gave us. I didn't catch his name, but it's worth a trip to this restaurant just for the chance to get this waiter. I'm still trying to figure out how he did his tricks! If you're looking for a relaxed atmosphere with a fun and friendly staff in downtown Silver Spring, look no further.
(4)Kim W.
After reading some of the reviews I was a little afraid to try this place. But it looks so cool on th outside and I was in Silver Spring. My friend and I were seated immediately. The place is huge. Because it is so big it is kind of hard to heat. We were cold so we sat at the bar becasue the bartender offered to share his heater. I couldn't decide what I wanted to drink and the beer sampler was suggested to me. I loved it. Then we had the mahi mahi wrap. I felt the mahi mahi was pretty big. The other sandwich we shared was the lobster blt. I never thought I would say this, but it is possible that there was too much lobster. The bartender was also great and the staff seemed very friendly to us and with each other. Oh the fries were the best fries I have ever had and I eat a lot of fries.
(5)Geo N.
This place has so much- potential. Service is slow, food is bland & beer is soso. Space is amazing & other bits are fixable, but after 3 visits I need to hear good things to return.
(2)Demetrius G.
Great chili and service.
(4)Steve Y.
My wife and I met up with a couple of friends for lunch here on MLK holiday Monday. This was our first visit to FS1 despite the fact that we had all followed its history from when Hook & Ladder Brewing Co were first slated to be fixing up the old building. Inside the decor is a mixed bag; on the one hand it's not offensive, but there's definitely a sense that an opportunity has been missed. What was once clearly a really interesting building now feels a little too generic in a chain-restaurant/sports-bar sort of way. If you look carefully there are still some neat aspects to the building, but the overall look is now a little bland. In terms of food, an order of wings was placed first by our friends. While wings aren't really my thing I did have one and it was spicy but decent enough. Our friends seemed to rate them as fairly good. For the main course we ordered 3 burgers and a pizza (pepperoni I think). We all thought the burgers (done various ways) were pretty decent, although the ranch fries were so-so. The pizza was by all accounts uninteresting. The service at FS1 was good with our waiter seemingly attentive without being intrusive. In sum, I think it generally met expectations in many ways. While I won't necessarily be rushing back, equally I wouldn't rule out visiting FS1 again if I was looking for pub-grub or somewhere to watch the game in Silver Spring.
(3)Elizabeth A.
Our first stop at this restaurant was shortly after opening - so we were willing to write off the flaws as those little things that would get better with a little more experience. Unfortunately, our recent return visit suggests otherwise. We were seated quickly for a Saturday night - which was a plus. But we realized soon after that sitting anywhere near the wall of glass on the front side of the building makes for an uncomfortable meal when it is cold outside! Minus. When a booth opened up, we didn't even have to ask to be moved (another plus). The fact that everyone at our table had to keep their coats on earned us an invitation to relocate - which we took right away. The timing of the kitchen needs some work. There were 5 of us sharing 2 appetizers - but we hadn't even eaten half of that food before our entrees arrived. We were faced with the awkward shuffle of plates on the table to make room for 5 more. The food itself ranged from 'adequate' (the Mahi Mahi wrap) to 'good' (the Cuban and the burgers) to 'terrific' (the crab cake sandwich and the bread pudding). The beer was enjoyable - but the wine by the glass was a fairly small pour. Will we go back? Probably - but certainly not until the outside temperatures rise!
(2)John L.
Great burgers, pizza, wraps & fries. Good service. Great local brews... Strides beyond their initial menu when they opened. Very impressed and stuffed.
(5)Catherine P.
Not even worth commenting on. Save your money and go elsewhere.
(2)Paul R.
Beer was ok, they were out of the station special. I got a sample of all of their beers save that one. Ordered the bacon cheeseburger with a fried egg on it. It was dry and bland, the fries were ok, would have been better without the ranch seasonings. I left unsatisfied and felt it could have been much better.
(2)Andrew P.
bottom line up front: mostly-decent Silver Spring casual hang-out which features a nice variety of beers, food ranging from tasty to subpar, a pleasant and not-too-loud space, and (in our experience) just-OK service by waiters who can be rude details: visited with three others on evening of Sat 9/17/11. The draft beer selection was good, with a nice variety of Maryland-produced beers. The chicken wings were very good, but the margarita pizza was tasteless and flat. Also, at one point, the waiter ("Tucker #1097", according to my receipt), and in a moment of unprovoked surliness, approached us to insist incorrectly that we had ordered a chicken Caesar (which we politely declined when it came to our table) when, in fact, the order definitely was for shrimp. Tucker #1097 's impetuous tone and attitude, and his lack of any the-customer-is-right grounding, floored us. I hope Fire Station's management will replace Tucker #1097 with a different, more advanced model.
(3)Elise R.
As a local, I am pulling for Fire Station One to succeed. I went this past Sat. night with my husband and a friend. The place was slammed. The help was very kind and apologetic about the slightly long wait for a table. We had a few questions about some menu items and our server was gracious in checking in and getting back to us with thorough answers. That said, it was odd that he had not tried any of the menu items. It's still early though and I think that the restaurant opened a bit before it was fully prepared. We waited quite a long time for our food. Proactively, our server eliminated the priciest entree from our bill as an apology - which was a very nice gesture. As for the food - the mahi wraps came out cold the first time and were quickly whisked away and replaced with fresh, hot ones with new, full servings of fries. I had the risotto, which was good, just a bit monotonous after a while. The fries, onion rings and barbecue sauce all received high marks from our table. My husband - a bbq sauce expert - ranked FS1's bbq sauce as the absolute best he has ever had. The chef offered him a take home container of some as a cute thank you for the compliment. The place is still young. The service needs some work in terms of logistics, speed and knowledge; however, everyone was incredibly kind. The food is OK. I think it's probably better to visit for apps and drinks - not gourmet meals. That said, we have only tried a handful of the entrees, so maybe there are some gems out there waiting to be discovered. I hope people who get frustrated with the kinks continue to give this place a chance. Silver Spring needs more locally owned businesses and this one definitely has its heart in the right place.
(3)Colleen M.
Went here for my birthday dinner and could not be more pleased. The staff was very friendly, organized and ready for a crowd. For an opening weekend they really had the place together. The building is the historic Silver Spring fire house and they did a very nice job making the building new and appealing while keeping the character of the fire house. The food was still on the limited menu for the opening, but everything our group ordered was good with the onion rings and roast chicken being excellent. Service was great even on opening weekend. They invested in great technology for the staff. The hostess was welcoming, table (outside as we requested) was ready in about 5, drinks quick and appetizer came first with time to finish before our meal. How many established restaurants can't get that timing right! Wish we had room for the cinnamon ice cream, but bummer, the portions were too big!
(4)LaM B.
tony was a walking zombie. service sucked so bad, we got our meal 4 free plus dessert. they only get 2stars cause the head chef came out and expressed more concern then the manager while Tony continued walking around like a zombie.
(2)Paul B.
I've been twice now and I will not go back. Nice place that could be great but falls way short. menu is ok but seems kind of limited. Food is ok but nothing to remember and the services sucks. I give the place six months and then it's going to close.
(1)Stephen B.
Five of us had the absolute misfortune of dining at this dump last night and it was horrible. As hard as I try, I don't know whether I can claim the food or the service worse. It is quite obvious that our server (and the managers that we had to repeatedly ask once we saw her incompetence) have had zero training, whether it be in menu knowledge or attitude. Our server continually kept bringing out incorrectly prepared dishes, even though we had explciitly asked for things to be cooked a certain way. She was absolutely clueless as to how dishes were prepared, how to set up a correct table and never once asked us if our dishes were to our liking. Had she asked, she would have heard an earful. We had to ask for silverware no less than four times,and what was finally brought out was stained and dirty. And let's not even talk about her atttitude--holier-than-thou chip on her shoulder that only got worse when we had the audacity to ask for things that we have asked for four times prior. I dont'even want to bore you with the quality of the food---EVERYTHING was over-salted to the point of puckering and our fish dishes were all burnt beyond recognition. I have read all of the prior negative comments and they are all well deserved. Under no circumstances will we return.
(1)Mike Z.
I would give it a 2.5 if yelp let me. We went early on a Sat. night and it wasn't too busy (though not dead either), so keep that in mind when I talk about the service (I can imagine that they might be awful when it is actually busy). Service: It was a bit...odd ( as some have described). Although our server was prompt in every way and overall fine, she barely knew the beer list and when we asked some questions about the beer she knew NOTHING (she admitted this). She ran away for a second and came back with a sample of the beer we were asking about from the bar (which is nice I suppose). I'll get to their beer selection in a second, but if you call yourself a brewery, I expect your staff to know at least something about your beers. We also experienced the oddness that others have mentioned; when we were waiting for our entrees some guy came over (I think he was the floor manager or something) and started making jokes in an overly friendly manner (Called me David Letterman at some point...though this seemed like a stock comment and had little to do with any behavior on my part). This didn't really bother us too much but it seemed really forced and insincere (think Chotchkie's from Office Space); it doesn't surprise me since the owner of this place also operates a few Outback Steak Houses in VA (so maybe they think corporate play-acting is the norm), but it made all of us a little uncomfortable. Beer: They don't brew their own beer and don't plan on it in the near future, so the "Brewery" in their name is a lie. Their selection of beers is what you might expect in any chain restaurant (the only ones of note when we were their were a couple H&L beers and a Magic Hat beer). This is what makes me saddest, because when I heard about this place I was hoping they would have a really good selection from small and medium sized breweries; that is simply not so. However, the beers we did have were good (two of us had H&L brown and another had H&L amber). Food: I had a pepperoni pizza which was good (though how do you mess that up?). Everyone else had sandwiches, which were just ok. Though, the club had these odd huge slabs of turkey and ham (instead of normal deli meat) which made it less appetizing. The fries that came with the sandwiches were good though. Overall the menu was uninteresting (think TGI Friday's or akin to it), though I wouldn't care too much if the beer selection was good. Overall, it wasn't the disaster I was expecting (from other reviews) though it was quite disappointing. At the moment they offer you nothing that you couldn't get from any chain restaurant; if they start offering a lot more beers that might change.
(3)Elle B.
This place still has a cool atmosphere. The ranch fries are really yummy. But, though I like the burger toppings they offer, and that they offer a turkey burger in place of any beef burger, the burger was way too peppery. Also, when we were there this weekend for lunch, the AC was either not on or not working and it was hotter inside than outside and pretty uncomfortable. I have yet to try their brews.
(3)Agustin A.
Pacci's was closed so we decided to give it a try here, we already knew from friends and the reviews here in Yelp, that Fire 1 Station wasn't really "The place". Services was ok, and the environment pretty cool but the food OMG low average, greasy, not fresh, frozen taste, we weren't happy at all, when we asked our server if the fries were frozen she told us that she didn't knew, so we assume a category "YES". We won't come back.
(2)K. J.
I am a firm believer in "if you don't have anything nice to say, then zip it" However, I had to write a review on this restaurant. I will keep it short. 1.) Management is HORRIBLE. (They need management training 101) They messed up my to-go order, and when I called the manager who I spoke with said that it was the cooks fault and not hers. Why would you even play the blame game, when you are the manager. Just apologize for the error and move on. Then she told me that the next time I come in I would be taken care of. Well I did another to-go order 2 days later and the manager who answered the call acted as if were making the story up. I suggested she call the manager I had spoke with originally. She said "oh i will". Matter of fact she told me that the manager that I originally spoke to would be there in about 2 hours. Suggesting I call back then. I told her I wanted to order now. So when I got there. The male manager (the short guy) brought me my order, basically tossed it at me. Without saying a word. I said "thank you", and he said nothing!!! It wasn't my fault that you ALL messed up my order. I am the customer. 2.) Food is MEDIOCRE at best. The first time we went there my BF loved the wings and chili. When we go the food is either OK or terrible. They have no pride in their final product. 3.) POOR Service The servers there need training on customer service BADLY!! They have you wait all day to be greeted and then will not apologize for keeping you waiting. It will take another 10 minutes before you get a drink (including water). Another 10 minutes to order your food, and another 45 minutes before you get the food. If something is wrong with your order be prepared to wait another 15 minutes before the server will come back to you to check-in, and another 30 minutes before your order is remade. To sum it up if you go there, I would suggest not having anything to do because you are on their time. If I have to say one nice thing about the restaurant, the chili has remained really yummy. But I can go somewhere else for chili better yet make it myself.
(1)Chontelle M.
not bad. the menu is a mix of maryland/tex-mex/gourmet/island food. the service was great. the integrity of the old fire station is kept well. the fries were amazing. they taste like sour cream and onion. I dont think this place knows that you have to go off more than the decor. They need to focus their food. i'd wait a few months before i go back because they ad a few kinks that need to be worked out, but nothing too bad.
(3)Sal L.
Haven't tried the food....but not a bad place to have a few beers and listen to the live band. Was there on St Patty's Day and had a good time. I sat at the bar so i had no problems with service. The owner, and staff were friendly which was cool.... even made a few friends. Could be a good dance spot, just not sure what they play on Fridays. I may give the food a try this Friday night when check this place out again.
(3)Wendy H.
Loved it! Staff was great! Food was even better. And of course the beer!!!!
(4)Maria Elena M.
Decent Happy Hour, although more selections should be added soon. Chocolate martini is divine. Nice draft selection. Service can be toss up, very inconsistent. With better servers and a better HH, this place would be 5-starish.
(3)Jay B.
when it forst opened the menu was expansive, service was great, and teh food was tasty. how 8 months can change everything. they've dumbed down the menu to strict basics-burgers, sandwiches, some pasta (why on earth you'd serve chicken marsala with mashed potatoes i'll never know). the food is bland. and if burgers are going to take up 1/4 of your menu-do them right. my cheesebirger was greasy and over cooked. the appetizers all seem to have come out of a box or bag-nothing orginal. service is sadly inadequate. after a lousy meal i should'nt have to wait 10 minutes with empty plates in front of me...and then wait another 10 for the check. based on teh poor quality of the food,maybe they truly are a place to go and watch a game and have a beer, but i wouldn't be able to tell you-i won't be back. a disapoointment for silver spring. go to tgi fridays instead.
(1)Mick A.
Food was very weak. $8 for a few battered onion rings; risotto was plain and less impressive than you could make in a college dorm w/ a microwave; nothing stood out. Beer was very good and if you want only a decent beer and a clean, open atmosphere, then it's a good place. Maybe a good place to meet friends, have a beer, and go somewhere else for dinner.
(2)Brownie B.
The service was great. Had a nice waitress. She had forgotten to bring my Splenda for my Iced Tea, and my raspberry vinaigrette for my salad, but that was fine with me. She was cool, so that didn't really bother me. I was happy that the Iced Tea was fresh, and they had fat lemon wedges for my tea...A lot of places give you thin-ass sliced lemons that you can't squeeze in your tea and it kills the Iced Tea experience. I ordered a Greek salad with salmon -- The salad tasted fresh and was very good. The salmon could have been seared and seasoned a lot better, so that took away from the experience. The other issue I had with the place is they have a pretty stale menu. There weren't a lot of options that interested me. But then again, I try to eat healthy, so for others, the menu may be fine. I would definitely go back for the salad...and probably get the shrimp instead with it...And the Iced Tea was worth going back for.
(3)D S.
Not great, but I like the setting, especially sitting outside. The music is pretty weak. Beers are decent, but nothing to write home about. Their food isn't bad, but it's also not good. There are some promising things on the menu, but none of the dishes are particularly satisfying in terms of flavor, execution, and presentation. For example, the brownies a la mode were too dry; the bacon in the lobster BLT just wasn't quite crispy enough; the crab cakes are ok, but not great. All in all, if you want a decent locally brewed beer, and a decent meal, it works, just don't expect fireworks at the fire station.
(2)Betsy G.
Sometimes when a new place opens you have to give them a little time to work out the kinks. Often they realize this and go overboard to fix issues because they know habits form early and they want you to come back. Then, on the other end of the spectrum, there is Fire Station 1, a formerly promising new restaurant addition to downtown Silver Spring. In a great location along Georgia Ave with parking and an attractive building, I sooo looked forward to going because I really wanted it to be my new favorite spot. In a word...NOT! Folks in my Silver Spring neighborhood have all been informally exchanging reviews and I can't seem to find one person who has had a meal there that wasn't riddled with problems and went uncorrected even after problems were pointed out to the staff. I figured I'd still go and be patient since they deserve the benefit of the doubt. What's wrong with that plan? Let me count the ways. (1) BEER - What's a brewery with (a) no beer list on the table or menu and (b) no beer made in house. Ask a server to for the beer choices and get a breathless, eye-rolling, slurred run through a list of ten indecipherable names. Drink up! (2) SERVICE - There were not nearly enough servers for the number of people. We had zero wait for a table, but the servers were overmatched with even a partly filled restaurant. Admittedly the patio was full because the weather was fantastic. (3) FOOD/SERVICE - My "choose your bread" sandwich came with the maximum amount of bread humanly possible with literally TWO see-through thin slices of deli meat buried in there somewhere. The server didn't think there was anything unusual about this strange presentation. After showing it to a host, and the manager, no one really agreed with me that serving a club sandwich on THREE bun TOPS was a strange presentation. After I took it apart and reassembled it into enough meat for 1/4 of a sandwich, the manager came back and offered to remake it. You get one point for that offer, but really, at that point I just wanted to finish my mini sandwich. (4) AMBIANCE - The building is cute, the decorations are perfect, the big screen tvs are convenient and bright. However it's hard to enjoy your dinner when every table around you is filled with people complaining loudly to a manager/host/clueless server. (5) CHECK - Don't make me sit there waiting eternally for the check. That sound you hear is the tip disappearing into thin air. And with zero adjustments for my whacky sandwich, that'll be $9 for three crisp sourdough lids, two round pieces of deli meat and fries. I'll probably go back because I still have hope they will figure it out. The managers look exhausted from their over involvement in all the mistakes and the servers can hopefully learn some personal skills and learn how to be that efficient, helpful employee we desperately want them to be. ** Update from two weeks later 7/1/2010 ** Having a chance to resample the food, service, and ambiance, I stick by my original assessment. it was incredibly hot out so the patio was completely empty, but there were more than ample seats indoors. The burger was mediocre, the "cuban" was bland, and the service is still harried. And the managers still look like they're overworked and overinvolved with trying to fix everyone's problems. Dropping it off my "dinner" list and moving it down to "beer and muchies while watching the game" list.
(1)Scott C.
Just went here for the second time last night. Some of the worst service I've experienced in years. It took over 2 hours to complete the meal--with drinks never coming as requested (not even once!) and then forgetting to bring dinner for my niece altogether. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
(1)Scott M.
Went for Lunch on 8/17. The place was not at all busy. The hostess could not have been more cheerful and friendly. The waitress left a lot to be desired. After she took the order we didn't see her again until she brought the food and then not again until she was ready to bring the check. The pizza was actually raw. Not undercooked but raw. The cheese soup was cold and VERY salty. Flagged down another waitress since mine was MIA and asked for a new hot soup. Brought out a new soup just as cold as the 1st. $5.00 for this small cup of could soup. I would not order the soup here again based on the price vs. small portion alone. My order was the turkey club. Bread was stale, Turkey was dry. Choked down about 1/2 and had enough of that. My wife ordered the turkey burger which was pretty good. The operation of the business over all seems like a disaster. Being not busy you would think that quality control would be high, management visible and attentive service. None of the above. Lunch for the 3 of us was $35. Probably should be in the $11-$15 range at most for the quality of what we got. I could be wrong but the pizza could be of the frozen variety. Asked to speak to the owner who I know and was told by one person he would not be in until that evening and another said he was away for the week. Maybe THIS is the problem. No owner on site. Mike the manager - He just doesn't get it. - he needs to go or be reassigned to dish washing. He didn't even bother to make his appearance until the end at which point it was too late anyway but he still didn't get it. I am so sad. I was really looking forward to this being a cool place to hang out, good food and drink for reasonable price but other then cool place it fails at the rest. I hope you can get the place turned around and be successful!
(2)L F.
I came for the ambiance with other fire service people for lunch and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food. The potato chips made fresh there - OMG - addictive. The burger was tastey and the bread pudding for dessert tasted like homemade. I didn't drink anything but soda because I was on duty, but would like to come back for the brews!
(5)Julia C.
I want to like Fire Station One so badly, but they are making it so difficult for me! I've been there about 10 times by now. What I still love about this place is the outdoor seating (that probably shouldn't be my favorite thing about this place, but it is). The other thing that kept me coming back was their Boneless Chicken Wings on the appetizer menu. They were so juicy and delicious. I put that in the past tense because the last two times I visited FSO they were "all out of the boneless chicken wings. We can bring you some regular chicken wings though." This was such a disappointment for me, especially the SECOND time. I can get regular wings almost anywhere. Basically, this place is always out of 1 thing that my table orders every time we visit, whether it be beer or food. The wait staff has gotten better since the first couple times I visited but the fact that this place is always out of something trumps everything else. But I won't lie...I'll still go back as long as that patio is open.
(3)Dee P.
We visited on a Sunday afternoon and I gotta tell you, THE FOOD WAS GREAT!! I ordered several appetizers such as the beer steamed shrimp, the Fire Rings (onion rings) and the chicken quesadillas. All 3 appetizers were great but the BEER STEAMED SHRIMP, with caramelized onions was absolutely the best! The chicken quesadillas were filled generously with fresh sidings and the Fire Rings were fried in beer batter which made them seem like an airy bite. Even tho they were good, they could've used a lil seasoning on the onions itself. My cousin had the BBCKN with mashed potatoes and green beans. She gave that a 10, pointing out that the BBQ sauce was sweet and fiery! As I watched orders come out of the kitchen, I was almost tempted to try one of everything on the menu. The presentation of each dish was very appealing!! Chef Lee came out from the back to give us a little more information about the dishes that we ordered. He was very personable and friendly (can I mention cute!). Our waiter was attentive, guiding and prompt!! I give this place 5 stars easily. It surpassed everything I expected, especially for a firehouse!!
(5)Anjali S.
SOOOO Disappointed!!! This started becoming our favorite neighborhood joint when the place first opened with friendly staff, great specials and a fabulous atmosphere. It's declined in quality over recent weeks and our latest experience was the nail in the coffin. Last night we went out for our weekly happy hour. First the bartender ignored us for over 15 minutes (even though there were only a handful of people at the bar), then he proceeds to tell us the beer we asked for was having issues with the tap and instead of checking on it proceeded to watch the TV for the next five minutes till we flagged him down and asked for alternate drinks. He never updated us on when the beer would be available - didn't check in on us throughout the night. Half and hour later he brought our bill after asking at least three people for it. However the best was when he tried to short change us!!! Our tab was $11 - we handed him a 20 and he brought back only 5 bucks in change thinking we wouldn't notice. Then took another ten minutes to bring the correct change. What a nightmare -- I used to bring friends and family to the Fire Station when they visited but after this experience, I don't want to ever go back. It's a shame because the atmosphere and the people there when it first started were absolutely 5 star quality!
(1)Peter M.
OK - I wanted to like this place. Three dollar- microbeer - how could you go wrong? Well if you want to learn where to go wrong - go to this place. I think I had the worst IPA of my life. It was like a strong bud. The food was equally disappointing. The kids meals were lame and small and yet expensive. The spinach salad was tipped out of a plastic tub with bacos sprinkled on top. Dressings were presented in small plastic cups. The entree we had was a bad diner experience. Somebody take this red lobsteresque place over or I will never go back. At least brew some beer that's worth drinking!
(2)Suzannah S.
The food is Awful. The service is barely passable. It's such a shame since this place has been a long time in the making...too bad.
(1)Jose B.
It's a Monday night, I get it. And though I don't expect a place to be on their "A" game on such a night, this was disappointing. I walked in and despite the herds of employees buzzing near the prep area/kitchen, no one said a thing. So I led myself over to the bar. I sat for sometime before I realized finding the bartender was not going to be as easy as it should be. I decided to look over to the herd of employees to see if maybe one of them would catch my 'i need some help" look. Some were laughing, some eating and it was clear this is a "fun' place to work. But that's not why I came. The bartender finally made his way over and his "confidence' was not well received. I ordered a burger, despite my request for "medium" it came almost well, charred in some places. The frozen herb fries at Safeway are better than what came with my meal. The entire entree came with a small plastic cup of ketchup. I found all this too much to overlook. Sadly, best part of my meal was the bottle of beer I ordered...nice and cold...golden! As a Service Industry guy, even I couldn't be okay with my overall experience...Monday night or not! I will definitely look elsewhere next time I crave a local burger, I should have stayed in DC.
(2)t n.
been there twice. great food. def try the cinn. ice cream.
(5)Nishant P.
Overall, this is a nice place. Good beer selection (though more craft brews and taps would be nice), decent food, good service. Why only 2 stars? Well because of the horrible service this evening. The place was half full, AT BEST. We sat down, the waiter took our drink orders. Then a waitress introduces herself and asks us what we want to drink, we tell her someone already came by. No problem so far. 10 min pass, no drinks. The host comes by to check on us, another waitress comes by and acts concerned, goes off and brings us our drinks. Except drinks for another table. Finally, a manager brings our drinks and takes our food order. Another 10-15 min, maybe more go by, our food finally arrives. But not before our first waiter (who seemed to have a lot of time to socialize, do magic tricks, and yet run around like he was so busy) comes by to ask if someone took our order, and when we say yes acts all surprised. Anyways, we finish our food, get our check (then he gives the check to the wrong table), and walk out. First time in a while I had no problem leaving no tip and letting them know about the horrible service. I'm sure this kind of service isn't the norm, but with all these waiters/waitresses/managers and a relatively slow night, it sure was difficult to manage one table.
(2)F R.
Fire Station One's a welcome newcomer. A great neighborhood bar and eatery. Their best quality is that they solicit customer feedback and act on it. Examples include: instituting a happy hour in response to resident requests, adding Campari to the otherwise pretty good bar, and augmenting the vegetarian selections on the menu. Very friendly service, good food. Nice that there's local beer (and soon to be brewed next door beer). No problem that there are no MD wines -- there are no good MD wines. I'm looking forward to the spring so we can sit outside again -- even the awful GA Ave traffic doesn't ruin the ambiance.
(4)Amy N.
This place is horrible! From service, to drinks to food. As a former resident of Downtown Silver Spring- I was really excited to check out this new place, especially since the area is known for some awesome food options (Mandalay, Gar-e-kabob..) So needless to say, I was incredibly disappointed. Upon walking in, it's unpleasantly warm- like to the point where your legs are sticking to the tacky vinyl seats in the booth. Our server takes our drinks order, and it's at least 10 minutes until we get our drinks (by which time, it is tastes watery since the ice cubes were melting cause it was so hot). We ordered food, and I asked the server for a recommendation since the menu was just so generic and uninspiring. The server recommends the burger, but makes a point to tell me to order it medium (which I do). Over 30 mins later, we get our food.. and my medium burger is SO cooked that it's crumbling. And to top it off, it was on the most stale brioche bun in the world. I mentioned all these things to the server, who said he'll tell the manager (who never came by regardless). Needless to say, this place sucked. Don't go there! go to Quarry Tavern down the street for a decent burger, some awesome tater tots and a fantastic beer selection.
(1)adam o.
had a great experience here on a weeknight. this was my second time here, the first was an event when they were just opening...which was more than a year or so ago. they had a good draft beer selection, we were served by the famous "Batman" (who is usually the bartender) and he was great, very attentive, funny and did little magic tricks as a bonus when things were slow. we had the wings, which were very good...I like the old bay and medium the best. The atmosphere is great, the folks who put this together did a great job converting this former firehouse into a restaurant...very creative, keeping the integrity of the original structure (beams, joists, various FD paraphernalia). Next time I may go to the upstairs bar, which is a little quieter. Also noted that they had lots of space for meetings and events...which can be hard to find. My friends ordered the martinis, which they loved. this is a good spot for a family night out (lots of space, easy to please menu) or a after work or sunday football hangout. Also, toward the end of the night the owner, Jeremy, came by to check on everything to make sure we had a good experience...we did.
(5)Jim C.
This place is infected with the slows. Everyone in the front of the house moves at a snail's pace. Once we were seated I had a fine view of an unbussed table that one of the at least two hosts (why two hosts on a slow Sunday?) made desultory attempts to clear eventually leaving the job half done. A full 20 minutes passed before a manager actually cleared and cleaned it. The whole time I must have seen three different servers pass it by with hardly a glance. Maybe it isn't their job to clear tables but a restaurant lives and dies on teamwork and esprit de corps. Little of that in evidence here. The 3-Alarm Chili is very good but would be better if the ground beef was more carefully broken up. The chunks end up making it taste as though a hamburger was dropped in. Still, it's pretty good chili. Wings are decent. Parsimony with celery is never a good thing, however. The house golden ale on tap is a good choice. All in all, meh.
(2)Ian J.
A nice atmosphere, good service, and a wide beer selection, but the food is terribly overpriced and bland. I ordered BBQ chicken, which looked like two pieces of microwaved meat covered in cheap BBQ sauce. The mashed potatoes were cold and just plopped on the plate with a nice cream scoop. To top that off, the dish was $15. A disgusting price for something of that quality.
(2)J R.
So, I went on Yelp to look for a restaurant near me, since I am from out of town. I saw this place an read the lackluster reviews. Despite that, I am a world traveler and take most reviews with a grain of salt. I can make my own opinion thanks! So, my wife and two kids made the trek here to see what was up. We were seated immediately up stairs, and were met by a pleasant server who was quite attentive. There was a large party next to us, but didn't seem to cause an issue with our ordering or ambiance. Our food came out as ordered in a reasonable time and was actually really good (though my prepubescent daughter didn't like hers, I chalk it up to hormones). Overall nice place with good ambiance, nice wait staff. Nothing negative to report! My wife is actually making me bring her back on our next visit!
(3)Kat L.
Schizophrenic menu. First of all I anticipated a terrible lunch, but was pleasantly surprised. It was o.k. I had great mexican flavored cheddar cheese stix that were coated with tortilla chips, awesome idea, but taste terrible with the marinara they come with. Why not salsa? Then I went for fancy and got the short ribs. They were tender, but covered in a cheap tasting steak sauce. The asparagus was the saving grace. Not terrible, but I will say that despite the space being new, its very confused. LEDs on the ceiling, hot long bar, but TGIFridays feel with the booths. The menu is all over the place. I guess you could say they have something for everyone but it just feels overwhelming and confused. 2 people and $60 for lunch with 1 cocktail and 2 beers. Way overpriced. Will not return. (also is silver spring so you have to pay for parking)
(3)Tara L.
This place wasn't nearly as bad as I anticipated. Most of the poor reviews I had read prior, really reflect issues in service, which is somewhat understandable for a new business. When I visited, I had no issues with service although I'm very aware that I caught them just before the dinner rush. Hardly any other patrons were seated anywhere other than the bar. My server was quick, efficient and attentive. I ordered a Caesar Salad ($7.99) with salmon (market price) and a Diet Coke. The salad was pretty solide - large portion, crisp lettuce, not too much dressing and although the salmon was a little undercooked, it was seasoned well. What surprised me though is that my bill quickly snuck up to a little over $19. Assuming the Diet Coke was at the very most $3, that means the salmon alone cost an additional $8-9? And this is for a meal that has a comparable quality of Friday's or Bennigan's. Definitely overpriced and unexpected so watch out if you order that. Otherwise, there was nothing offensive about my experience but I probably wouldn't return to dine. It ain't that hot.
(3)Lauren M.
I'm dropping a star from this review because the food does not seem to be as good lately and the service has gotten slower. Additionally, the Fire Station One menu is in need of a facelift. It offers limited food options which have grown old over the past year. Newcomers can choose from plenty of things, but the menu seems tired to regular visitors.
(3)Tara S.
Ouch, I didn't realize this place had such an established poor reputation on Yelp. Although I can't say I'm surprised. I've been there a half dozen times and although I've never had a Terrible experience, I can't say I've ever had a good one either. Most recently, I came here for a lunch meeting and ordered a "Portabella burger." The "burger" came on toasted white bread, which was, uh, unexpected (read: not mentioned anywhere on the menu.) It was... ok, but I accidentally left my takeout box behind at my afternoon meeting and wasn't even disappointed to have lost my leftovers, which for me is saying something. I don't know beer, but I'm told the selection here is disappointingly small + uncreative. The wine costs more than it should. Actually, everything costs more than it should. Why? The decor is clever the first time you come in, but how many times are you gonna go back to a restaurant just because it has a cute theme? There's so much delicious food in Silver Spring. And the drinks are cheap and delicious down the street at Quarry House. No more wasting my time here.
(2)Jeff M.
I like this place. The servers we have had, most recently a nice fellow named Zach, have been intelligent and attentive. The tables are clean, and the drinks and food come out quickly. There's a very decent selection of national and local beers on tap, and more in the bottle. We usually get Blue Moon on draft, or sometimes the Fat Tire. They are both great on tap. I must admit that I miss the old "Monday Night half-priced burgers," but they are still so good that I order them anyway. I have to agree that the wings here are a real strength. You can get them in several favors and degrees of hotness, and Zach was happy to split our order of ten into two types. Not a wings fan? Try a bowl of 3-alarm chili to keep it interesting. Tonight I had the chicken Marsala, which came out in a just-right portion, with a heaping supply of green beans almondine, cooked just to the point of crunchy. Yum. I actually passed on the mashed potatoes, but regretted that decision. They came out alongside my wife's blackened tilapia, and were garlicky and delicious. Overall, I think this place is a great value for the money. Give them a try. We come all the time.
(4)John G.
The drinks are where its at in my two visits. The food is nothing to brag about, but its not bad either. 50 cent wings is a pretty good deal, especially when paired with $3 pints!!! Large selection of beers on tap are great too!!!
(3)Lisa E.
If there were zero stars, that would be my rating. Very disappointing does not come close. The vegetables were not cooked right and doused in Rosemary - a spice that many people don't want. They did not get eaten. After ordering $24 crab cakes, my husband asked for a roll and when we got the bill they added $2.25 for it. $100 later I really was not happy.
(1)Corinne D.
I'm a fan of any place that has outdoor seating. Drinks are good and the food is good. Neither are outstanding but everything is better when is outdoor dining.
(4)T N.
Sat at the bar where my group received excellent service. The veggie pizza was scrumptious and the drinks were not at all shabby. Also, the bar stools are super comfy. Would happily return.
(4)Craig C.
I understand what the concept was supposed to be, but this place is just eh. The food is good, but not remarkable, although I really enjoyed their beer steamed shrimp. Those are really good, large and worth coming back for. The service is very average, and I understand people are expecting more. The service I had at the bar was average, but certainly not bad. At the table, the last time I went, the server was pretty attentive. It has a very spacious outdoor seating area, which is sorely needed in the neighboorhood as most spots have small cramped patios or maybe a couple of tables on the sidewalk. It's not bad, but it's not really a destination place either. Bartenders are friendly, and conversation with patrons can be lively as it does seem to attract a local crowd. I just think most people expect a more unique experience here. Again, not a bad place. I could easily give it one more star, but I won't.
(2)