Much better under New ownership!! Great bar staff, and selection of Happy Hour menu offerings. read more

Fireproof Restaurant - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Pretty dead for a Saturday night at dinner hour but overall food, service and atmosphere were pretty good. We got the tuna tartare, spinach dip mushrooms, Mexican elote, wagyu dumplings and bang bang shrimp! read more

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Went here for a happy hour with friends, and overall, I enjoyed the experience. The service and drinks were pretty good, but the food was great! For drinks, I purchased the Hibiscus Red Sangria and the Kiwi Watermelon Margarita. I couldn't really taste the rum or syrup in the sangria, and it mostly tasted of red wine (which I was fine with). The margarita didn't have a kiwi/watermelon flavor, but it was still a GOOD margarita. For snacks, I ordered the Wagyu Sliders and the Fireproof Potatoes. Both were yummy, but I would absolutely recommend the sliders to anyone visiting this restaurant. Overall, I enjoyed my time, and I will definitely be visiting again. read more

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I came here during the Thursday Vegan event and it wasn't too crowded. Marcus was my waiter and he did an amazing job. I am not a vegan but the food it was delicious. I tried the Mushroom Toast, the Fried Rice, the Artichoke and the Dumplings. Everything taste so good and I couldn't even tell it was vegan. My favorite items were the Artichoke and the Fried Rice. I will definitely be back! read more

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Haven't been to this restaurant in a few years. The service was very slow. I got the baba ganoush, gambas shrimp dish, and fireproof salad. The food is very overpriced for how much you actually get. The dishes are very unique though so if you have picky eaters I would go some place else. read more

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A friend and I decided to give Fireproof a try during their midweek happy hour. We got there right as they were opening their doors and grabbed two seats at the bar. The first thing I noticed was how nice the place looked. You would have no idea that this building used to be the home of a pizza joint. The decor is modern, classy yet fun, it's rather dark inside, slightly romantic, but honestly just swanky. They have a ton of seating, everything from booths to high top tables to the bar, etc. They even have a good sized party room in the back. The bartender (Devan I believe) came over quickly with water and menus. She also described the happy hour and her favorite items on the menu. It didn't take long for us to decide and we both went with a glass of wine to start. Half off wine during happy hour, now that's a winner! When we were finally ready for food, we selected a number of different options including the baba ghanoush, spinach salad, veggie fried rice, and the wagyu skirt steak. The babe ghanoush was delicious and the bartender informed me that it's one of the chefs old family recipes. I love learning little behind the scenes tidbits like that. It was also delicious, we ate every bite. The fried rice was a huge portion and was also very yummy. The flavors were great. My friend loved the wagyu and the spinach salad. We also tried their baklava which was pretty good. My only feedback is that it was very oily. Overall, I'll definitely be back for their happy hour (Monday through Friday 4-6). Our bartender was awesome, the wine options were tasty, and the food definitely surprised us. read more

Food and ambiance were outstanding - service was the worst I could imagine. We ordered (for 2 to split) the skirt steak, crispy potatoes, bang bang shrimp and a Caesar salad. Our waiter didn't return after we ordered - until we were 3/4 of the way done with the meal, where he profusely apologized having been so busy. No worries! Then... we waited 25 mins for our check. Flagged another waitress to ask for our server, no dice. Another guy noticed us looking around and said he could get us checked out and brings over a tablet and says $x. My bf pays and asks for a copy of the receipt - overcharged an extra $14 for an additional salad. Took forever to get corrected and he took our drinks off. As we drove away - him (the 'bar manager) and our server are outside smoking a cig. No wonder the service was so slow - ridiculous!! read more

I guess I'm not the only one to complain here ... food is not as great. Potatoes felt like they were made a day ago, so greasy and looked gray (probably from being cooked a while back and then reheated) asked for medium sliders, came well done. Dumplings were so dry as well. One other thing, on a Wednesday evening place was almost empty. read more

Cool vibe and decor, walking in on a Friday at 7p for our reservation I assumed it would be busier. We got seated quickly with a warm welcome and big smile, she said our waiter would be with us shortly. I jumped up to use the restroom and saw another area of dining that was full, almost every table was taken but the bar was pretty empty. I got back to the table and we had water and a young man talking to my wife about drinks. We ordered cocktails and checked out the menu. I decided to do the tasting menu which has two options $79 or $99. He explained that the $99 was 5 courses but we both had to do it, you could not have one person at the table do tasting and the other order something different. I twisted my wife's arm and we decided to do the tasting, it's tapas so I wanted to try different things. The surprise came with the larger than expected portions and we both got 5 plates which was 10 total. We could hardly make it past course 3 and got stuffed. We took some to go! Overall good service and good food, cool vibe although a little dark. We had fun and enjoyed the evening. read more

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My sister and I dined here tonight and had an overall average experience. She and I both immediately felt a disconnect between the atmosphere and the music that was being pumped through the restaurant. What was playing = dance mixes of 90's cover songs (There's literally a DJ booth tucked in opposite swanky leather dining booths during dinner service.) What you'd expect in this elevated dining atmosphere = instrumental/acoustic tunes or simply no music at all. Maybe this is the juxtaposition that this concept is going for but it's jarring and confusing. It almost felt like something you'd expect to see in Vegas. We were sat in the bar area at 5:45 and were hoping to partake in a drink at Happy Hour pricing. Nope. You must be RIGHT AT the bar. We were so close, yet so far away. How frustrating. We both ordered the rosé and we both ordered salads. The Fireproof, which has a sweet vinaigrette dressing, and the Brussels Sprout, which had an Asian sesame oil flair. Both were great along with the Shishoto peppers. They were a bit salty but were beautifully charred with halved cherry tomatoes and a lemony garlicky goodness. Next we both ordered the G&T cocktail which arrived at our table beautifully garnished with a smoking sprig of rosemary! Very cool and the drink was strong and tasty. Next up, the gambas which were shrimpies in a chili oil. These were also a bit too salty for our liking, but the sauce was yummy for bread dipping. We then dug into a fried chicken thigh--stuffed with jamon & manchego. It was pretty dry and not that good. Side of sautéed spinach and fried rice were nice complements. As mentioned above due to the vibe of the restaurant and the inconsistency of the dishes, we have nothing to rave about. I'm glad we marked this spot of our list, but we have many other new places to try before we'd return to this night club disguised as a tapas bar. read more

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We went there for happy hour, their menu had a great variety of options for all diets. Their happy hour menu was great and had very good pricing. They have several menu specials for different days of the week, we happened to go in for Wagyu Wednesday where a few wagyu items were at a discounted price. The drinks were also great and very theatrical too! Just look at that Spanish old fashioned! I ordered a white sangria and Roman artichokes to start, then proceeded with ordering a mozzarella panzanella salad. All very delicious, although the portions weren't too filling, they were all on a happy hour menu price which was convenient. The restaurant wasn't too busy for a happy hour during the week and it was great to receive full attention from the staff! The restaurant is in a great location which makes it a perfect spot for a date or a quick drink. read more

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As is common with places that advertise as a tapas (small plates) kind of place, Fireproof was totally cool with you ordering one thing and then putting another thing, and so on. I worked my way through the Lamb meatballs, grilled artichokes, and the mussels. All three tapas were very tasty, BUT...mussels were where it was at. - - The mussels were delicious. The roasted garlic, the chorizo, the white wine reduction. It all worked together to create a perfect tapa. The French bread provided a perfect substance to soak up the delicious base of liquid in the bowl. Every single mussel was open and ready to pull out. My only complaint is the lack of the tiny fork. Where was the tiny fork?! - - the meatballs and artichokes were good. The artichokes had a distinct flavor of sea salt and olive oil. They were tender and nearly melted in your mouth. The meatballs had the distinct flavor of lamb, but were otherwise unremarkable. They were pretty small too. The environment was loud. I had to practically yell to make myself heard to the bartender. TVs were of a high quality and were nice and big. I'd totally catch a sporting event again there. With the chill ordering style of the tapas, it's a perfect mix. read more

Fireproof Restaurant - Bar add-ins. - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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We visited Fireproof 2x in the last 9'days. Both visits were very good. The service was the very BEST part. Both of our servers were knowledgeable and helpful and friendly! We tried many menu items and our favorite was the Waygu skirt steak. It was very tender and flavorful! The roasted potatoes were a great appetizer for a table of four. The music was not too loud for conversation. read more

We had a great experience here last night start to finish. We were greeted by a very friendly host. It was his second day on the job he said (you're doing great). Michelle was the server that took care of us and she was great as well. I came with 3 others and we all shared a bottle of the magnum prisoner red wine (great deal btw... 1.5L for $100). And then because it was 4 of us, we shared a large variety of items. We started with the carnitas tostada, panzanella salad and wagyu bone marrow (it was wagyu wednesday!). These 3 were great appetizers... my favorite was the panzanella salad which was just so fresh with the tomato and mozzarella and the very delicious salted bread cubes. I knew I would like the carnitas though because it was loaded with cilantro (my fave). The bone marrow was delicious as well and also came with that delicious salted bread (and toasted). Adam the manager let us know that the bone marrow comes from a local farm in Mansfield, OH. It's awesome to see these bigger restaurants supporting local businesses and farms. Next up were the wagyu dumplings, veggie fried rice, brussels salad, and pork belly. These all had an asian flair to it. I have had the wagyu dumplings before. It's savory and decadent. Pork belly was perfectly prepared with the exact right amount of gochujang. Brussels salad was good with an Asian vinaigrette. Fried rice I wasn't the biggest fan of. It is "veggie" so the protein was egg but felt like this could use more acidity or savory-ness. For our "entree" type dishes, we got wagyu sliders, elote, sakura skirt steak and artichokes. Wow all of this was so good and they actually paired really well together too. The veggie sides had a nice freshness / acidity that paired well with the wagyu. The beef was excellent. After trying all these variety items, I have to update my review! I think I ordered the wrong stuff last time. I also noticed some of those items I didn't care for are no longer on the menu (i.e. squash noodles). Oh and how can I forget... apparently there is in-house entertainment every week?! We had a magician come to our table and he completely blow our minds with his magic tricks. What a nice addition to our dinner experience and totally unexpected. Loved that! There is also a DJ bumping some fun music so definitely the place to be if you're looking for a more exciting scene on a week day. read more

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Are you looking to impress your date? Then look no further than to the hottest new spot in town, Fireproof. This is the place to be when you are looking to eat, drink, and have a good time. From the irresistible dishes like the pork belly and waygu beef dumplings, to the fun drinks that are literally on fire, Fireproof knows how to make eating out a social experience! I highly recommend getting the gambas al ajillo and pair it with their red sangria. (Pro tip: ask for extra bread to soak in that delicious sauce) read more

I don't have the words to exclaim how delicious, incredible, and absolutely fantastic this place is!! Stopped by because I got an email about a new place in Columbus and I am SO glad hat I did!! Fireproof is a Tapas style, modern take and just incredible. The drinks and the full menu were all amazing, and we tried nearly everything!! I'm not kidding, our receipt was 12 items long....for two of us.... we just couldn't stop! Every single thing we had was absolutely mouth watering. And the service was just as great! Meredith and Jacob, part of the management team, both stopped by our table and they were very kind and open to ideas and feedback as well. Our Waitress, Marcella, was very knowledgeable and helpful with plating our dishes together as well. If I have to suggest my most highly rated dishes of the night: here goes! Elote-- Spanish corn or something like that, it was topped and mixed beautifully, like an orchestra in my mouth. Even imagining it right now, i'm salivating wanting more. ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. The Filet- one of the most perfectly cooked steak I have ever had in my life!! Even without the side of peppers, the steak itself melted in my mouth, it was perfectly seasoned and cooked wonderfully. **Spanish Old Fashioned** I CANNOT say enough about this drink!! And we couldn't drink enough of them, either!! WOW. This old fashioned came out smoked and it was a sight and a scent that I will never forget. Perhaps the best old fashioned i've had, probably one of the best in the city. For dessert, I wasn't a huge fan of the menu options. However, as a birthday celebration treat, we had the Affogato-- a salted caramel gelato topped with a shot of espresso poured over it. To my surprise, absolutely delectable, or by Meredith's description "an adult milkshake" SO TRUE. The atmosphere was something in itself, absolutely beautiful and modern, with old-school music and a DJ, too! A good mix or a little bit of everything going on. I loved it!! 100% 10/10 recommend this place for any event, date night, or just a night out with the girls. Will definitely be back again. read more

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First time visiting. We had a 5:15 reservation on a Friday (luckily, during happy hour). My dining companion loves an old fashioned and was happy to see one on the happy hour menu. Notably, that old fashioned's long description didn't mention that it would be smoked. Our waitress brought out the drink with a tall smoke-filled glass on top of the cocktail. The result was undrinkable for both of us. If the server had asked us how the drinks were tasting, we might have told her it was bad. She didn't. He then ordered a $3.50 beer which as great. I got a margarita (which also had a fire element, maybe should have been expected given the name of the restaurant) which was solidly fine. The food was very good! All small plates. Probably four stars for taste. We tried most of the food listed on the happy hour menu as well as the curried cauliflower from the main menu (that was one of our favorites). The 2 Waygyu beef sliders were delicious and bigger than expected for just $9. They had a sweet sauce. Pork belly had a different but also delicious sweet sauce. Our least favorite was the lamb meatballs which had a strong flavor of uncooked tomatoes (very Spanish - some people love that flavor, just not my jam). Ambiance was odd. I get that it's supposed to have a dark/trendy/sexy vibe, and maybe if it had been 8pm and the house was packed, that would have come through. As it was 5:15, still light outside, and only one section was full, the vibe attempt felt a little forced. Also, the artificial floor is warped and bubbling up, so when you step on certain sections, it pops up and down. Probably won't return but glad we checked it out during happy hour. read more

3.5/5 stars (rounded up because I didn't try a very wide variety of the food) Okay, we came here on a Saturday afternoon and the bar was practically empty so my group of three snagged some seats there. Bar service was really rough. It took way longer than it should have for us to order our drinks but we eventually received them. We also put in some orders for food. I had already eaten some oysters at The Pearl (yum!) so I opted for the octopus plate. It wasn't very good. It was SO salty and I didn't enjoy the flavor at all. The portion was fine for the price point but in general, it probably tied Vaso for the worst octopus I've eaten in a restaurant. My friend ordered the sliders and the meatballs. She said the sliders were good but she didn't like the meatballs. Case in point: I think the food here is hit or miss. The interior of the restaurant is very nice and the space is bigger than it looks from the outside. You probably won't be able to find parking here so plan ah hi read more

Fireproof Restaurant - Sliders and meatballs - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

The food was awesome! The service was really great as well. I highly recommend this place!

The service was wonderful. We stopped by for cocktails and appetizers a show. A once in a while price point, but if you got it drop it.

We had an amazing experience at Fireproof tonight celebrating my son's graduation from OSU. For starters, our server Kyler was the absolute best! He was personable, helpful, and knowledgeable about the menu. Our favorites were the tuna tartare, lobster tacos, and chorizo mussels (make sure you dip the bread in that sauce!). As far as cocktails, the Spanish old fashioned was outstanding and we also enjoyed the spicy pineapple margarita. To top it all off, a champagne toast and cake for the graduates and families was included on the house. Kyler really went out of his way to make this a memorable evening. read more

Service was terrible by our waiter Markus-if you don't want to be pleasant GET OUT of the service industry!!!!!! We had to grab someone else for our check -he was lovely. We have had slow service other places and people have always been pleasant-we understand with staff shortages, but damn be a nice person and server! Food- soup of the day -great. Lamb meatballs - great. Dumpling, crab stuffed pepper sliders fine Drinks- good. All in all - ‼SKIP THIS PLACE!!! ‼Save yourself and your wallet go someplace else!!! We work hard for our money and if we're spending it to go out to eat make it worth YOUR money! read more

I was really looking forward to visiting this place and it fell short a bit. The staff and service was amazing! The bartenders and server were very welcoming, comfortable and knowledgeable. The atmosphere was great! There are a ton of textures all over the restaurant. My biggest drawback is it's pretty expensive for tapas. The plates are unique and delicious, but again, if you have a party of 3 and are sharing multiple plates, add a drink or two for each person and you get to $80+ per person pretty quickly before you get full. It would have to be a specific occasion for me to go back for anything other than a cocktail. read more

I honestly have a million great things I could say about Fireproof, but to sum it up, this is my favorite happy hour in the Short North! For my college student friends, Fireproof is located close enough to campus where you could walk or call a quick Uber. The location is literally perfect. When you get to Fireproof, you will immediately feel the vibe when you walk inside. The decor feels upscale and the wrap around bar let's you know the cocktails are bound to be good! Let's talk the menu. Fireproof has one of my favorite cocktail menus in the area. First of all, the margarita is on FIRE (literally)! The cocktails are strong and worth the price, and if you go during happy hour (4-6 PM), all cocktails are $9. Speaking of happy hour, wine by the glass is also discounted, at HALF the price! Happy hour also includes certain $5 appetizers which allow you to try some of their best menu items in tapas form for less. You can get both the wagyu tacos and dumplings for only $10 total, a steal! And as for the food... Fireproof always wins me over. The wagyu sliders are definitely my favorite, followed by the fried rice (which is one of the top fried rice dishes I've had in the short north). Overall, Fireproof is worth the $$$ and definitely worth a reservation during happy hour. read more

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Not big reviewer but I'll tell you what this restaurant is amazing! I have lived in the apartments above it for 3 years and since the ownership change the menu is much bigger and better! I go about 3-5 nights a week and I try something new every night. Tonight Emily was my server and she went above and beyond to make sure I was taken care of. The manager Destiny works extremely hard to make me feel like valuable customer which is a HUGE deal to me. I don't know if they let the previous cook go but the kitchen is doing something different for sure. I get dinner out almost every night and the food, drinks and experience is top tier here. 10/10 in my books give them a try! read more

My friend and I went to fireproof to try their vegan menu that they are serving on Thursdays in addition to their regular menu. As someone who is not a vegan but enjoys a vegan dish every once and a while. I loved everything we tried! We tried about 6 different things. My personal favorites were the corn, mini beyond burger, mushroom toast and the ramen bowl. Whatever they put on those mushrooms is incredible. Then to drink I had the blood orange margarita and that was fantastic!! Our waiter was great and the manager stopped to check on us a few different points in the night. Overall a great experience and I will be back!!! read more

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Just amazing! Absolutely delicious food--every course! Drinks were delicious! I had a cucumber gimlet that was bright and fresh. My friend loved the cheesecake. They were wonderful about adjusting dishes to be GF when possible. The only downside was the atmosphere was loud as was music which was a little to popular for my liking. Would definitely come back and a bonus was the owner came by to talk with us about the menu. Definitely a must go to. Cheers! read more

The place was very trendy & hip, but the music was so loud it made it hard to hear the people youre with. The food is definitely tapas portions so don't come with a big appetite if you're one who can eat a big meal. The food was delicious, but in my opinion overpriced for what you get. The drink sizes were also small. read more

Fireproof Restaurant - Grilled Spanish Octopus - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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I came to Fireproof with a large group of friends to celebrate my birthday and I absolutely loved it! For starters, the process of booking a reservation could not have been easier. The inside of the restaurant had a nice, swanky feel and the menu was diverse and interesting. I tried the meatballs, crab stuffed peppers, and elote. Everything was delicious, but the elote was absolutely the best part of the meal. I'm already looking forward to coming back and eating it again! My only complaint was that several of us ordered the sangria which was pricey and didn't seem to have much alcohol in it. Overall, I had an amazing experience and would definitely come back for both a small dinner or large gathering again! read more

Fireproof Restaurant - Elote - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Wagyu Skirt Steak has been forever changed and not for the good.... The photo is blurry as I was mourning it the loss of the chimichurri sauce that was replaced by a dry sprinkle of something. The steak no longer melts in your mouth and was charred with a blackened outside. The seasoning salt was replaced with asparagus. This was the one food I always craved and I can no longer say the same. Very disappointed that the new ownership thought this change was necessary. The staff however were very kind and worked hard to cheer me up enough to want to come back in the future. Maybe. read more

Fireproof Restaurant - Wagyu Skirt Steak has been forever changed and not for the good.... - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Went for Sunday brunch. Love the atmosphere, very chill. Great service and great food. Got the blueberry waffles, banana foster French toast, skirt steak and eggs, lamb meatballs and one other dish, it's pictured but I don't remember what it was. All were great! Skirt steak with the sauce was my fave! I will be back! read more

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If you go here, which I highly recommend and you don't know what to try. Grab the chef's choice, get 5 courses brought out to you after telling the server what you like and dislike. After that sit back and enjoy the food. read more

Fairly good food and prices here. We came here with a large group and were treated well, service was good as well. I ordered and espresso martini and it was pretty bad. Everything else was as good as expected though. read more

I don't usually write reviews but I had to come on here because of how disappointed I was. I guess they recently changed ownership and are working to revamp the menu. We ordered the burrata peach salad and the peaches were canned. I didn't take a picture bc I wanted to give the benefit of the doubt. Then our ramen and elote came out. Both with obviously canned corn. One of the worst meals I've ever had. I'm sad because I'd heard how tasty this place was. I just can't justify canned food at a restaurant. Service was great! read more

Fireproof Restaurant - Vegan ramen. One of the worst meals I've ever had. - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Excelente servicio. La comida está muy rica y fresca. los camareros son muy amables y el lugar está limpio y precioso.

The food was absolutely delicious, the calamari and lamb meatball was so tasteful. The reason I CANNOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE IS BECAUSE SERVICE WAS ABSOLUTELY HORRIFIC. After we were seated it took about 30-45minutes for our waitress to come and take our drink order and another 30minutes to take our food order. After we got our food she never checked in. And when we were ready to pay our tab, it took another 45minutes to even get the check. At first I thought it was just our table but it at least 5 other tables complaining about the same thing. My other issue is the host, the manger, and other waitress/waiter did not play team. If you see one of your team members drowning help them!!! I work in the service industry so believe me when I tell you THE SERVICE ON SATURDAY APRIL 20th was APPALLING!!! And they need to do better!!! read more

Meh, food was unimpressive and nowhere near worth the price. Service was below average and unprofessional. Some aspects of the inside are cool, but for the money, you are better off going to many of the other options within walking distance. Cool to see one time as I always walked past it with curiosity because of the building, but don't plan on going back. read more

Excellent food and drinks! Great atmosphere and service. High tables re great for large groups.

Had a very lovely dinner at Fireproof on a Sunday night with some friends. The ambience is classy and is a fairly large space. The menu is mainly small shareable plates but in all honesty a fairly good portion for most of the dishes. To start off with the drinks, the old fashioned is very good, comes to the table and poured with smoke. I had the shishito capirnha drink which was good as well. We pretty much tried all the appetizers and vegetarian section so I'll highlight my faves in those areas. The baba ghanoush was fantastic. Served with warm pita the dip is so tasty. The sautéed mushrooms were cooked well and very flavorful. The vegan cauliflower dish has a coconut milk Asian flavor and was great. The artichoke was average. The potatoes were good The lamb meatballs were tasty and a good size portion The absolute star of the night was the pork belly. Cooked fantastically with a good crisp on the outside, the sauce on it was not overpowering. Service was very good. Our server was very knowledgeable and attentive. Overall a very good meal! read more

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Took my dad here for Father's Day. We got the chefs tasting. The food is well worth the price and our server was really attentive. I really recommend the chefs tasting, you get to try little bits of almost everything on the menu!!! read more