Pasta with no meat was $27, covered in olives. I struggled to leave a negative review because the waitress was great. Everything else was terrible, except the potato fritters but the price point over-road the flavor. Warm water, if you want bread that will be another $8. The owner did take off the pasta but the pasta needs to come with a warning if you hate olives avoid with your life!! I ask for the olives to be removed and not placed but they pre make the pasta so that is not an option. My husband's dish was equally disappointing, we left starving and spent twice as much as we would have at Season's in Knoxville. Later that night we both had horrible stomach issues. Again the waitress was fantastic but on a Friday evening and there was only 5 other tables should have been the warning sign. read more

Updating my prior review to rant and rave about the charcuterie, because I said I'd order it next time. It slaps. The grit chip + pimiento cheese + pickled jalapeño and onion = the perfect bite. read more

Fire & Salt - Charcuterie - 10/10. - Southern Near Me - Oak Ridge, Tennessee

We finally discovered Oak Ridge's best restaurant, and it is a welcomed gem in this town's dining scene. Coming from a city known for its rich cultural and culinary landscape, I wouldn't typically describe Oak Ridge as a foodie destination, but I would recommend Fire & Salt to anyone. The restaurant has an interesting setup: one side is dark and aesthetically pleasing, while the other half is stark white and somewhat resembles an afterthought. I believe a designer could help enhance that white room with something eye-catching! Nevertheless, it was clean and comfortable. The noise level was reasonable, allowing us to carry on a conversation with ease. Our server was very friendly and did his best to keep up on a busy night. He made good recommendations and was quick to notice when the wrong wine was delivered to our table. They have craft cocktails on the menu, which made my cocktail enthusiast heart very happy! And they executed them exceptionally well! That evening, I opted for the Slap and Tickle, an eye-catching concoction of gin, Aperol, Cynar, egg white, lemon juice, and simple syrup. I had to pace myself because it was incredibly drinkable! For my second drink, our server recommended the Queen of Winter, stating, "It is a crowd favorite," and I can see why! Not only was it visually appealing, but the mix of vodka, sumac syrup, Chartreuse, lime juice, and cranberry was a delicious combination. I would have loved a third cocktail, but someone had to drive home! For food, we chose the smoked fish dip. I have to say I wasn't a fan of this dish at all; although the pickles were good, the dip itself fell flat in flavor. The crackers, coated in what tasted like Old Bay seasoning, overpowered the fish. This was my only disappointment of the evening, and I believe they should reconsider that dish. For dinner, we selected the mahi special, local mushrooms, and the Fire & Salt filet. All were outstanding and cooked to perfection! Just thinking about them again while writing this has my mouth watering! The presentation was beautiful, which I appreciated as well. Of course, we saved room for dessert. The pound cake was amazing, especially with the velvety vanilla anglaise. The figgy bread pudding was okay, but it was very rich and a bit overly sweet for my personal preference. They had also run out of port, which left me a bit sad, but after two cocktails, did I really need one? Overall, we had a very nice evening and dinner. I'm excited to return to try more dishes and will certainly make this my go-to spot for bringing guests when they visit me in my new city. read more

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Absolutely outstanding! The most flavorful meal I've ever had, made my taste buds dance! We went for lunch so the menu was limited but we had pork rinds, homemade bread, steak sandwich, side salad and shrimp and grits, all delicious!! The service was friendly and attentive, can't wait to come back for dinner! read more

Fire & Salt - Southern Near Me - Oak Ridge, Tennessee

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Nice atmosphere, good food choices, service was very good, Will definitely return. It's about 30 minutes from home so it won't be on a regular rotation but definitely worth the trip. read more

We chose Fire & Salt to host our child's graduation dinner and were very pleased. The food and service were spectacular, and while the bar menu was good, it was a bit limited. They included gratuity (it was a table of seven - not uncommon) so be aware if you have a party of six or more. It's not an inexpensive place to eat, but worth every penny, imo. read more

Terrible food and expensive for food quality. Slow service getting food and out check.

Food, service, cocktails all top notch. One our favorites if not THE favorite restaurants in Oak Ridge. Never disappoints! So go already!

made reservations for a friday night, we arrived at 7:45, restaurant was not that busy ( which was surprising). was seated immediately and our server was awesome, she was very attentive and friendly. ordered a appetizer of potatoes fritters these were delicious but maybe 5 fritters the size and taste of a hush puppy for $17 is kinda high. orders pork tenderloin it was ok but maybe 5 bites of pork and the grits were bland, also ordered the special...spaghetti with feta and some olives. we asked if we could remove olives but was told we could not but it was not a lot and we could pick it out. neither one of us were olive fans and the $29 bowl of spaghetti tasted like olive and just overpowered the taste. we did. ot like it and they did take it off the check. they offered us a free dessert since we did not like the olive spaghetti and we ordered a pavlova it was really rich and ok. For the price you would think you would get some kind of bread but the charge $8.00 for house bread. by 8:30 the restaurant was almost empty. Was not impressed and for the price if they did not take the pasta off and if we would have ordered dessert it would have been over $100 for 2 people and we just drank water. to sum up my experience it over price for dinner with small portions and was not impressed with the flavor combinations. me and my wife came home and had to have a snack because we were still hungry . service and atmosphere are good but probably won't return especially with the price point. Oak ridge needs quality restaurant and this place feels like a California or NY restaurant ( small portions and over price and strange pallet combinations) . sorry but this is just my personal experience it's probably ok to go for lunch and have a salad and a glass of wine kinda vibe. read more

Upon walking in, the moss wall was a delightful touch to a pleasant greeting. It was situated in the center of two separate dining areas - to the left was a large dining area with a bar and to the right there was another smaller dining area by the kitchen. It was opening week and the place was busy and packed. Our group was really excited to try everything out and get a good feel for this place. Everything was delicious. It all came out at a good temperature and were beautifully prepared. Presentation was on point. The meat fell apart with your fork and melted in your mouth. The combination of ingredients meshing together in every bite was mouth watering. I would've also liked to have had more emphasis on included sides with my dish, instead of the meat being the main attraction. The only major let down we had were the starters. They weren't big enough for a group to share - more like for one or two people. Good thing we got two starters, but we were all still left sitting there wanting more. The entrees ended up satisfying us, but the initial shock of literally half a bite to start with was underwhelming. Hopefully they change their portion options to accommodate larger groups in the future. Until then, it's definitely a great place to go on a special date to. I look forward to seeing this new restaurant blossoming. read more

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Fine Dinning and quality has made it's way up into OakRidge and both Chef Alex and Chef William of Fire & Salt are ones to watch. We drove up when I caught wind of the menu and reputation of the two for their special 4 course preview. It's a well-designed restaurant with lots of natural light, and a good amount of parking. They get extra points and kudos and admiration for locally sourcing what they can. I LOVE that. The pork belly was the standout of the appetizers. It's balance of heat and sweet was delectable, and approachable. If I could have taken home a bottle of the Jalapeño honey I would have. The Horseradish Goat cheese appetizer was ok, but I love me some horseradish and would have liked more zing. I'm sure most people don't though. The country ham crisps were great, fancy Southern bacon for those that don't know. And the house dill pickles on their own were ok, but I didn't love them with the rest of the plate. This isn't a dish we would order again though. Soup and salad the Asparagus Soup won us over, and I didn't think I'd like it! It was amazing. It was seasoned to perfection and tasted like winter. This is the kind of elevated soup that I could see other chefs coming and stealing the recipe for, if they can. Delicious! The salad was pedestrian though. A plain, solid salad for those wanting salad. It is all soft, if you are into that. My only suggestion is that is is needing something crispy added. Like croutons or crispy wheat berries. The main courses we ordered were perfect. My husband got the rabbit. It was warm and wintery. It was cooked perfect. The creamy sauce, gnocchi and rabbit blended amazing. He just wished the portion was bigger. I only got a couple bites. I had the rainbow trout. It was also cooked perfectly, crispy and yet flaky. The poached apples and local greens elevated the flavor of the fish and didn't deter from it. It was seasoned on point. I brought some home because my sons (13 & 10) are BIG fishers and fish lovers so they could taste and study how it was done. They loved the presentation and taste as well. Dessert we had Apple fritters. Note as a Canadian these aren't really an Apple fritter, but Fire & Salt's unique take on it. Like a skinny pancake funnel cake version of an Apple fritter. It was good, very sweet and I like the crispy texture the frying makes. The bourbon caramel is a winner for sure. My husband's was burnt so it was a bit acrid tasting. The waitress said they credited our check, I'm not sure if it's because of that or because we waited a bit for our dessert. It was very nice of them. Note - this was Night 2 of the restaurant being open and they packed every single table. Instead of easing the new kitchen in they broken them in with FIRE. We felt for them, they didn't have to take it off. We expected a wait and things not to be yet. I work on cooking shows and we've been around the block. I crave the flavors and tastes the Michelin star restaurants in NY and LA provide and these two have me a hint of that once again but this time on small Oakridge, TN. They should be on a short list for a James Beard Award or the likes soon. I was just sad they were too busy we didn't get to meet either chef. We will have to head back when the buzz dies down, oh and they get their wine license! Right now it's BYOB. read more

Fire & Salt - Horseradish Cream Cheese - country ham crisps, local herbs, garlic, house dill pickles, and grilled bread - Southern Near Me - Oak Ridge, Tennessee

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We had a reservation for a party of 11 at 7pM. We were seated quickly and the host was very kind. The food smelled amazing and the front of the restaurant was very beautiful. The area we sat in was just a plan room were you could see the chefs cooking but still nice. We sat for about 10 mins and our waitress finally came and got our drink and appetizer order. We ordered fritters, pork belly, horseradish cheese platter and the cheese platter. I ordered a fresh lemon drop martini no sugar, my hubby an old fashion and our group order an array of items all drinks were fantastic! The appetizers started coming out after 30 mins I asked for the cheese platter that I ordered and she went to check on it and came back without it and started taking orders. I said excuse me where is my appetizer at this point it had been almost an 45 minutes for a cheese plate. She excused herself from taking orders and grabbed it. We have never had pickled blackberries not for me. The other pickled fruit was tolerable. The cheese assortment was very generic, the hot jam was great, the crostinis very good. Definitely won't order it again for the cost and how long it took to receive. I ordered the fillet and it was cooked and seasoned perfectly. The leeks were super stringy and not edible. My husband ordered the sirloin well done and baked potato the sirloin had no flavor and was very difficult to chew. The baked potato was good. Our friends ordered pork chop fantastic, scallops and shrimp very flavorful shrimp cooked perfectly scallop overdone so chewy, rabbit confit very good, but the best item was the pasta add chicken breast we also added a side of mushrooms and they had no flavor. Our other friends sirloin was medium rare and tasted fine and flavorful. Our waitress was gone for long periods of time we kept having empty water, drinks and sodas. I had to ask other servers for assistance. I'm rating this restaurant due to delays in appetizers, overcooked leeks, and not great service for the price point and expectation of fine dining it falls a little short a 3.5. read more

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An amazing fine dining experience! Creative dishes, a seasonal menu and flavor combinations that are an artful expression. Chef Alex wowed us from beginning to end. We started with the pork belly appetizer which was delectable! My husband ordered an Old Cuban cocktail special and we enjoyed a local IPA. Our dinners were exciting and exceptional and the desserts were fantastic. Such a special place that is one to enjoy! read more

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I met a friend at Fire & Salt a couple of weeks ago. We both had heard wonderful things about it, so we made a reservation for lunch. First, the interior is beautiful - very chic and sophisticated. Service was excellent. The lunch menu is a little limited, but I chose the grilled chicken sandwich with a side salad. It was absolutely delicious! The focaccia was fresh, and I loved the pesto and grilled tomatoes. One thing I particularly liked was that the chicken was in small pieces, not just one breast piece. It was very tender and had a nice marinade taste. My friend enjoyed the Fire & Salt cheeseburger, also with a side salad. She loved the grilled onions. We both decided we want to try Fire & Salt for dinner in the near future! read more

We ordered two chicken risottos to go. They were very tasty. Will reserve the last star for when we actually make it inside to dine. Very good so far! read more

Outstanding local experience in Oak Ridge Excellent table service. Road was outstanding Our food both entree and starters exceeded expectations Highly recommend if you are visit East TN you going for a unique local experience at Fire & Salt read more

Wow! THE BEST food in Oak Ridge! Seriously good! Every item on the menu is so good!

The Food is Outstanding! You need to visit their fine bar and nuzzle up to some outrageously good appetizers! A full meal here leaves one Satisfied and Happy read more

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We went for dinner with a party of 8 for a 7:30pm reservation and was greeted with friendly & fast service. Unfortunately we were told they were out of a few of the featured cocktails, wines & starters which we were a bit surprised by but she said they had been busy, although the restaurant had plenty of open tables. The hoe cakes were super flavorful as well as the charcuterie board was enjoyed as well. The hamburger was getting rave reviews also with a generous helping of fries. The flounder pasta special had perfectly cooked fish & fettuccine but unfortunately the sauce was swimming in butter in which I literally poured it off onto another plate. We all ordered the apple fritter with ice cream. The apple & ice cream were very good but the fritter was rather dense & all of us left a big portion untouched. The prices were reasonable. read more

The ambiance there was lovely; very classy, but not too much. It is definitely a nicer restaurant with some delectable more expensive options like fish and ribeye, but they also have delicious comfort food like burgers, fries, and chicken. It is kid friendly too; there are options for very picky waters and adventurous eaters alike. They have a lot of options for people with allergies and sensitivities as well, they were very helpful with my family when we needed gluten and dairy free options. The service is wonderful there; I've been quite often and not once has anyone been anything but kind and polite. All of the food is amazing and savory, the staff is lovely, and the ambiance is perfect for everything from a family lunch to a romantic dinner. Highly recommend! read more

Fire & Salt - Fire and Salt specialty burger with sautéed onions - Southern Near Me - Oak Ridge, Tennessee

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I had the Fire & Salt filet. Cooked perfectly and the presentation was superb. Jackie has the salmon entree, also delicious. Georgia, the waitress, was prompt and efficient. Their ambiance is both subdued and luxurious. Alex Gass, the owner, is hands on with both staff and clientele. Well deserved Entrepreneur of the Year award from the Oak Ridge Chamber. read more

Fire and Salt is our go-to. We have been going to F&S since it opened. We have enjoyed regular nights and tasting nights and we are never disappointed. The menu is always in season and the cook on food amazing. The service and staff are also amazing. We have never had a bad experience. On busy nights it's expected to have a bit of slow service but even then it's wonderful! We go and just pick something from the menu trusting the chefs know what they're doing and are NEVER disappointed! Give it a try and ask for Rachael as your server! read more

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We enjoyed a lovely Easter brunch! Every aspect of the food was executed to perfection! The filet was cooked perfectly and so well seasoned. The shrimp and grits were on par with New Orleans, and we literally just got back from there so the comparison is fresh. The salads were wonderful as well. The sherry vinaigrette on my seasonal salad was to die for. My only small complaint was the croutons were a little too hard. I was slightly worried about my teeth every time I ate one. My Paloma was strong, and the Bloody Mary was perfectly spicy. We will definitely be back ! Service was amenable. read more

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Had a great experience our first time here. Service and food were great!! Highly recommend! read more

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Finally a good restaurant in Oak Ridge! Service, food and ambience was perfect, I was pleasantly surprised.

Heard really good things about the place. Made reservations at opening time. Got there and hardly anyone seated yet. Watched in horror as hostess walked us back to the bathroom and sat us right at the entry to bathroom. Maybe 10 other people in the place. Server was very nice and knowledgeable about food. I ordered shrimp and grits. I normally never get it as it is way overdone in the south but the description with Bennett's bacon and Gruyère and other things sounded great. It was not. Grits were a bit dry and had not much flavor. Shrimp were good. Wife got risotto and it was very good. Once we were done and ready for the check the server abandoned us and it was about 30 minutes before she came back with the bill. Dont think we will go back. read more

Food was incredible, service was exceptional. They were very accommodating to food sensitivities/ allergies.

we just left this restaurant a couple of hours ago it's wayyyy overrated. My shrimp was served cold and barely cooked! My server was wonderful and I felt badly she had so much to deal with. Next a broken toothpick was in my broccoli which i found whole eating it. The manager came over and said it was the shrimp skewer and she was sorry. I said, clearly this is NOT the shrimp skewer. I ask to take the food away. My boyfriends food was cooked to order. Lastly, the owner came over and insinuated that I must be confused and that it was the shrimp skewer. I would have been fine until they insulated my intelligence! I will NEVER BE BACK and I HIGHLY recommend you save your money and go somewhere where they appreciate your business. read more

We had been warned by a friend (a woman in her 90s) that portions at Fire and Salt were NOT generous for the price, but we decided to give it a try anyway. We made reservations for 4:45 and got there pretty much on the dot. There were maximum 8-10 other diners in the whole place when we arrived. The hostess led us to a table next to the open kitchen, obviously the worst table in the house. We asked for a table further away from the kitchen. The young woman muttered (muttered is actually the right word here as she was talking under her breath, we could barely hear her) about many reservations for the evening and 'trouble' as in we were causing 'trouble' but she would go ask. I said, "Never mind, we'll just come back another night." We left and went to our current favorite, 201 in Jackson Square. As usual, the food at 201 was delicious, the wait staff was friendly and efficient, kitchen service was prompt, and we had the pleasure of sitting at a window table, enjoying a glass of wine with a basket that included hard rolls, pita and garlic bread. And I will say, the dining room is soooo much more elegant at 201, with cozy little nooks, real linens on the tables, patio seating, and just generally a nicer atmosphere than the strip mall atmosphere of Fire and Salt. So, I can't say anything about the food at Fire and Salt because we didn't stay, but the staff was not encouraging or welcoming. I doubt we'll go back for a second try. And I don't know why my profile here says I'm from San Francisco....I'm an old Oak Ridge girl, born, raised and still here. read more

Amazing upper casual Tennessee style I loved the asparagus white wine soup and the filet. Don't miss their bar atmosphere read more

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Love Fire & Salt. My husband took me for my birthday and it was an amazing and absolutely perfect meal. I wouldn't change a thing. Nice ambiance and great service too. Even the beer, recommended to me by the waiter, was exactly what I wanted. Good job @fire&salt! read more

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Such a nice atmosphere for relaxed dining. Menu selections are sure to please and the flavors are a delight. Wine bar and mini cocktails for a finishing touch that makes Fire and Salt a complete dining experience. There's something on the menu for any palate. This will be my #1 choice dining in Oak Ridge, TN for as long as they are there! read more

I enjoy this place. The staff are very kind and friendly. The food has not disappointed me yet. Try this place for date night.

Where do I start. Eric our server was fun attentive and knowledgeable. Food was amazing. We had shrimp and grits, Porterhouse pork chop and Chicken Risotto. Highly recommend this place. Local restaurant. Let's support them. read more

Everything was AWESOME!! Service was wonderful. The decor was upscale & comfortable. The food was Phenomenal! read more

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This was just ok. We went on a Saturday afternoon and the service was slow. The menu is small which is fine if it's delicious but the food was just ok. I had a salad that lacked some flavor. My companion got the burger, which was great but not enough to make the trip out to oak ridge again. read more

Wonderful lunch and conversation with Gabriel (bartender). I had the herb cheese steak sandwich. Foccacia bread was airy and fresh. The fries with a little rosemary elevated the taste. My husband had the cheeseburger, which never disappoints...try the homemade pickles. read more

New (and perhaps the only) fine dining in Oak Ridge, TN. Nice ambiance and very friendly staff. Chef/Owner Alex was around to chat with customers and recommend his signature preparations. Salads were fresh and rainbow trout was absolutely delicious. Must try if you're around Oak Ridge. read more

Absolutely phenomenal! Atmosphere is nice, nothing ever felt rushed. Can go fancy, business casual, or even casual given the ambiance, but this is definitely a top tier restaurant. The food is like nothing I've had anywhere in Tennessee, the flavor pairings are things you'd never think of and yet are somehow perfect. To top it all off, the story of the Chef and how the restaurant came to be is pretty amazing as well. Definitely a must! read more

I knew it would be good, but I did not expect it to be perfect! I read a lot of reviews. Most of them were good a couple of them slightly negative so I had my doubts at first we went in and I enjoyed one of the finest meals I've ever had! The pork belly appetizers were awesome, and the steak was tender and delicious! read more