Sometimes the best places are the little hole-in-the-wall restaurants that have more personality than square footage. Fox & Barrel Farm Cafe in Ellicott City fits that description nicely. We stopped in for breakfast with my son and his girlfriend, along with my wife, Anjelina. My son and I both went with the 2-2-2 breakfast: eggs, bacon, and toast. Pretty basic breakfast fare, nothing particularly exciting, but it did the job. The ladies were a little more adventurous, and their choices were definitely the winners. Anjelina ordered the sweet potato hash and absolutely loved it. My son's girlfriend, who is vegetarian, went with the breakfast burrito made with vegan sausage and really enjoyed it. Now for our usual dietary obstacle course. Between my wife's gluten and dairy issues, my tree nut allergy and Alpha-Gal syndrome, a vegetarian at the table, and my diabetes thrown in for good measure, we're basically a walking stress test for restaurant kitchens. Fox & Barrel handled it very well! The staff was extremely attentive to our dietary restrictions and, more importantly, took the time to explain their food preparation protocols. That's something we really appreciate. There's a big difference between someone saying "we can accommodate that" and someone explaining HOW they accommodate it. The latter builds confidence. The atmosphere is fun, quirky, and decidedly casual. It's a small place with plenty of personality, including some genuinely impressive artwork and handmade crafts available for purchase. It's almost part cafe, part little art gallery, and it works. As for who should visit, it's a great spot for a casual date or catching up with friends. I'm not sure I'd choose it for a first date, and it's definitely not the place for a serious business meeting. Small children could probably do fine here, although I'd offer one word of caution. There are crafts and other items displayed for sale, some right on the tables. Anyone who has spent time with toddlers knows that "look but don't touch" is more of a suggestion than an enforceable policy. Overall, Fox & Barrel is a charming little find. The food ranged from basic to very good, the atmosphere has character, and the staff's attention to dietary restrictions was particularly impressive. The bottom line: Come for the casual atmosphere, try something more interesting than the basic eggs and bacon, enjoy the artwork, and appreciate a restaurant that takes food allergies seriously. Definitely worth a visit! read more

Great little cafe that has lots of outdoor seating. We all ordered coffee and breakfast and enjoyed the lovely day outside in their patio. It was a very busy day so the wait was longer than I expected but it was such a nice day we didn't mind. The lattes were very well made. The sweet potato hash was especially good. read more

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This is a cute restaurant that's off of the main road. There's nothing else really around it. Good amount of parking that's gravel. Once you come. Inside of the store is very cutely decorated and has like a cabin vibe to it. It is an order I go sit down restaurant And they have bakeries and main menu items. I got the breakfast hash that has a mix of sausage, bacon, egg, avocado, and potato/hash brown. I think that the potato was a little bit much potion wise and a little heavy. I am a personal fan of fried hashbrowns. Where has a little bit more crunch to them but these were OK. The eggs were cooked perfectly and paired well with the meats and avocado. Overall, I would say that it's a pretty heavy and hearty meal mostly because of the potatoes but flavor wise was good. 3.5/5 I got the pretzel and you can't go wrong with the pretzel fluffy and good and the dipping sauces also paired with it well. Not the best Bavarian pretzel I've had but still pretty good. 3.5/5 Overall, this place was cute and had good ambience and good service with a knowledgeable staff and the food was good enough that I want to come back to try more things! read more

Fox & Barrel - Pretzel - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

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The food here is still good but this time and the last time I was here the dining area was so smoky. I thought last time it was a one off but that was a couple of months ago. This time - same issue. It seems to be coming from the kitchen which isn't far from the small dining area. Maybe we will be back when they open the outside patio for the season. read more

Fox & Barrel - Avocado toast - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

Cozy little gem. Attentive, patient, and friendly staff, freshly made meals and generous portions, lots and lots of options for substitutions and add-ons. Baked goods. Gluten free and vegetarian options. Prices won't break the bank. Outdoor seating, both covered and uncovered. Dog friendly (outside). Bicycle repair stand outside. Some local artwork, jewelry, and textiles for sale. read more

Fox & Barrel - Menu starters and breakfast - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

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Had the bone in wings with pomegranate sauce and French fries. Everything was delicious. One thing I would recommend is that they heat up the wing sauce before putting on the hot wings. Not heating up the sauce cools down the wings. Only minor complaint. read more

Rustic little local café that serves breakfast and lunch all day. They are closed on Monday and Tuesday but open for a good amount of hours from Wednesday to Sunday. This café offers variety of pastries drinks and fresh made hot food. All the orders are taken by the counter after the order is placed server will bring the food out to your table. Service is very friendly and sincere . The foxy shop interior is rustic, but kept very clean. We also saw most of the customers they clean up very well after themselves when they're done dining there. It's not required, but people just do it. Which is a rare scene to see nowadays. Definitely keep this friendly local vibe going. Great value with very reasonable pricing . Private parking lot with outdoor seating options. Highly recommend by IG@WineDinenVacay p.s. do not expect good cell phone connections here neither is Wi-Fi offered, carry out a meaningful conversation with the people who come with, to have it the old fashion way. read more

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The picture of the day showed the exterior which is so cute! My daughter and I enjoyed the friendly small town vibe and the food was delicious. read more

Fox & Barrel - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

Holy this place is terrible and I mean it. Everything is about triple the price it should be, food is terrible and weirdly greasy salty. Service was meh, could have been better. Ambiance was also terrible inside loud. Also they have very very odd hours. read more

Omgosh! Cutest little shop with great food and WONDERFUL service. Everyone was so friendly and kind. My gf and I ate outside this weekend and had breakfast. Food was fast, fresh and delicious. We really enjoyed everything. Would def return here regularly if closer. Beautiful space and enjoyed the store next door with antiques after a delicious breakfast! read more

Fox & Barrel - Cutest little store - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

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A bright red, small cute house off the beaten path. Outside they have a bunch of tables and some under the canopy. They have free air for bike riders. This is a farm to table type place. The food was good but it wasn't so delicious I have to go back. If I'm in the area, I might stop in and I would try something else. Today I had avocado toast. The smashed avocado was a little too vinegary and the egg was more OE than OMW like John said he could do. Turkey bacon was good. It was super nice they had sourdough bread as well which is great for people with gluten sensitivities. The ambiance is terrific. Like a mini cabin but just a cafe instead. A few books from local authors to read while you wait for your food and paintings and handmade jewelry for sale. John took my order and his personality is dashing. He made a mistake with another tables order and he owned up to it. That's honest in my book. If you go between 9-10am, you'll most likely find a seat inside. Please remember to clear your tables after you eat. Other people are waiting and when there's only two people on during this opening time, you're inconsiderate of the other guests who've been waiting behind you. We live in America because we're FOR THE PEOPLE not against them. Help your people. read more

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Went there today to get a sandwich "to go", the young man was very nice, but kept repeating questions about my order a few times. It took 30 minutes to get my order. All I had was one sandwich. read more

This was a surprise - out on a bike ride in a new area, set this place as a mileage target, and so glad we decided to go in! The ambience is cozy, warm and eclectic, with art and craft objects by local artists for sale. The food is all hand made and delicious. The veggie burger is literally the best. I've had - with a delicious beany umami that replicates the experience of a burger with its own unique flavor profile. The side of homemade potato chips were crunchy and solid without grease or salt - nice. We will be back to try other offerings. The owner operator talked a bit about her experience as a farm owner and now proprietor. This is a lucky community to have such a soulful cafe in its midst. read more

I really love the place! Very unique... I was full but my husband was starving! And we see the place buy chance... Food: burger was pretty good! I was full but tried 2 times his burger Fries was yummy and the coke was pretty unique. I feel the cloves favour! Ambience: it was veeeery cute, unique and cozy! Service: it's self service, so we were good:)) They also sell very pretty goods! I will go again for sure when I am hungry for that burger! ( by the way my husband critis, he didn't find it smash as he expect!) read more

MUST VISIT. The food is incredible, the service is amazing, and the ambience is great. The food is made mostly from scratch, even the chips! The staff is so friendly and the owner even took our order and chatted with us. He makes his own aoli which was the best I've had in my entire life. the sweet potato fries are also a must try. There's also handmade art and jewelry to shop from local artists. read more

I would have given this restaurant five stars because the food and service is great. Portions are large and the food was cooked exactly how I ask for it and tasted great. The the dinning room is small but it did not feel crowded. They also offer outside dinning and on a nice day it would be a great place to take in a meal. There is plenty of parking next to and in front of the restaurant. I felt there was some issue with the kitchen ventilation system because the entire restaurant had a slight haze that smelled like cooking oil. That smell permeated my clothes and followed me home. Hence the absence of the fifth star. I would go back for another meal as the ventilation system should only be a temporary issue. read more

I had very high hopes for this place when I walked in. I ordered my food at the counter and patiently waited for my food. The only seat available was near the door to the outside seating area and because of the location I kept getting hit with the door and getting up so people can go out. No big deal, I'm a pretty patient person. When I ordered the wings the gentleman told me that they are smoked and then flash fried to order. Please look at the wings pictured below. I did not eat them and did eat my main course. The burger was cooked to my temperature preference but lacked flavor along with the cold fries. I never did get a refill on my water nor was I ever check on after my food came. I was very disappointed with the food and service. read more

Fox & Barrel - "Smoked" and fried wings - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

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Easily the best gluten free* breakfast spot in Howard County. Plenty of options, including alternative milks for fantastic coffee. Great atmosphere and fast service. We will be back! *we have intolerance, so cannot speak to a celiacs experience read more

Fox & Barrel - Sweet potato hash with fried egg - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

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The food was great. Good coffee, and I really like the atmosphere. The outdoor seating was nice. The people taking orders and bringing out food were all very pleasant and welcoming. read more

We've been to Fox & Barrel now 2 times, both of which the food was decent, with props for some of their creative non-meat dishes like the sweet potato hash with vegan sausage. However, our most recent visit was on a Sunday, after noon, so not a packed house by this time of day, and yet our food took at least 30+ mins, which is pretty unusual and frankly unacceptable. Maybe this was an anomaly, however, looking at others who ordered before and after us, it seemed like par for this day. If the food was out of sight, I'd prob given them another chance, but this experience definitely soured us on Fox & Barrel, which is unfortunate, as we definitely prefer supporting small/local businesses. read more

What a cute little restaurant! I love how breakfast is available all day. It is on the slightly pricier side. What we got: Cinnamon Bun - 5* it might not look like much but it is delicious! Ours was made about 45 minutes earlier and we asked for it to be warmed up and boy was it wonderful. The dough was the perfect combination of fluffy and dense, the frosting wasn't over powering, and the cinnamon wasn't an after thought nor did it still the show. I'd recommend getting one of these delicacies for sure. Cream of crab soup - 4.5* a creamy and tasty. It was very hot when it came out but will cool down eventually. I only knocked off a star because I was expecting it to be similar to clam chowder by having chunks of crab in the soup. There were a few small pieces but it seemed to be majorly creamed in. Breakfast bowl - 3* it was an average meal. Decent sized but I'd also eaten a lot before hand so not sure how it's fair for someone who hadn't eaten anything else. Sweet potato hash - 4* this was my partner's dish. "It tasted good but it wasn't special. I liked the spinach with it." Also added that if the price was factored into this rating it'd be a 3 but I like to keep my food ratings purely on the food. read more

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Great food, huge portions. The breakfast bowl is big enough for 2 or three people. Nice local place read more

Fox & Barrel - Avacacado toast - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

TIP: Order ahead for carry out Compliments to the chef! Thank your for personally servicing us our food and filling our bellies with excellent food. We can't wait to go back and try your lunch menu! ORDER: * Breakfast Burrito * Your choice of meat (bacon, sausage, turkey, ham), eggs, potatoes and cheese, wrapped in a flour tortilla. The burrito was yummy and well made. It was accompanied with pico and a unique homemade dipping sauce. The sauce has a tangy, small hint of spice and mayonnaise type of flavor. I'd say it's the niece of a thousand island dressing and spicy mayo. It's was a nice touch to each bit of the burrito. * Breakfast Sandwich * Bacon, egg and cheese served in a warm roasted sandwich. This came with the unique homemade sauce and was delicious as we order the egg over easy. Love how the yolk gives every bite that much of flavor. * Breakfast Bowl * Your choice of meat; bacon, sausage, turkey, ham - we went with sausage. Eggs your style (scrambled this go around), potatoes and avocado. This was a simple yet yummy breakfast bowl. I love how the scrambled egg was cooked. Sort of like a pancake egg. SERVICE: The customer service was good. A kind lady greeted and chatted with us while we ordered. The chef served four food and thanked us for our patience. LOCATION/FACILITY: Elliott City, off Frederick Road near the Fair Grounds PARKING: Free parking on the side of the humidifier SEATING: Indoor and outdoor. I can't wait for it to warm up so I can sit outdoors in the farm style setting PAYMENT METHOD: Cash, card [January 2022] Staff wears masks, sanitation is up kept with sanitizer at the entry and counter read more

Fox & Barrel - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

Wait time, quality of food--pooor!!! Will not go back there for sure!!! Stale bread for French toast. Disgusting!!! read more

We walked in the place and got into line, as soon as the cashier finished with them, they immediately looked at us and said "give me a minute" and left for 5-10 minutes while randomly peeking out at us from the kitchen. Finally comes back out again and says "I'll be a couple minutes, I'm getting drinks." Then leaves for another 5-10 minutes while still peeking at us or randomly coming out and messing around on the counter. Then finally comes out AGAIN, and says "the chef said the kitchen is backed up an hour and a half." It was extremely rude, and they were selling Arizona cans for $2.99, not 99! read more

We stopped by here for a quick dinner on our way in to Baltimore. I had the roasted eggplant sandwich and it is off the charts fantastic. Chicken Caesar wrap my husband had the chicken Caesar wrap and loved it. The owner/chef John, is super friendly and we will definitely be back. read more

And in Conclusion....... Everything was great. Really nice staff and chef. Highly recommend the Shrimp Po Boy. Fries were also really good. Definitely coming back. read more

I had the opportunity to eat here with my Mom on a rainy Wednesday and I have to say... It was one of the best experiences I have had eating at a small business restaurant in a long time! The chef was the only staff member there, but he was extremely friendly and rocked it as managed the cash register, cooked the food, and served our table! Kudos to him and his multi-tasking abilities! He recommended the Veggie Lasagna that said took him days to prepare. After the first bite, you could tell that he took care to prepare it well. It was crispy, cheesy, and absolutely delicious. We also shared lattes and a Cinnabon type pastry that was loaded with cinnamon and wasn't overkill on the cream. That was only one dessert from the wide variety of pastries you could pick from. I HIGHLY recommend this place not only for the food, but for the friendly staff and great atmosphere. read more

Fox & Barrel - Veggie Lasagna - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

Not your daddy's town grille anymore!!! It's a farm to table to Damn! To my mouth restaurant. Love the interior, 2 and 4 tops at the right spacing around, mostly quiet noise. Fresh baked desserts adorned the order counter..... OMG breakfast all day???!!!!!!..... I started with the cream of crab soup and fried pickles, both spot on! Then ordered the vegetable lasagna, which was veggie stacked awesomeness with cheese on top with a side of hush puppies....... Damn, I will be coming back for just a side of them alone on my way to work!. ... Not going to say anything about the desserts, as I am too full for them now..... Snarf them later!! They have a ever changing menu , so next time the edit maybe different!! Coming back soon!!! read more

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When you're traveling and you're in an area that you're not familiar with it's not easy finding a place to eat close to the interstate that isn't a chain or fast food. Many times you only have the blue food signs or a quick Google search to rely on. Luckily, this came up first on Google as we were approaching the exit. Thankfully, it was worth me yelling "get off here, right now" to my husband as we almost passed the exit. My first impression was that it was the cutest red building with a bike station outside and the American flag hanging by the doorway. There were only three other people inside this small eclectic country decorated restaurant. There wasn't anyone who worked there in the front of the house so it did take us a minute to figure out that you order and pay at the counter and then sit and your food gets delivered to you. After a short wait (and me finally seeing the bell to ring) the owner came out from the back. He apologized and explained it was only him and another person working. No worries... if we were in a rush we would have hit up McD's. We started off with an apple cinnamon scone, a cinnamon bun, and a chocolate croissant while we waited for our meal. He explained that all are baked in-house and what's leftover at the end of the day he delivers to the homeless in Baltimore on his way home. The cinnamon bun and the scone were both delicious! The cinnamon bun came complete with a gob of cream cheese icing on top and the scone was super soft and had just enough apples and cinnamon in every bite. The croissant was flaky and the chocolate didn't overpower the buttery pastry. Our meals were delivered shortly after we finished our pastries. The wait wasn't all that long and you can tell everything is fresh and made to order, so a wait was expected. I had the sweet potato hash with turkey sausage and an over easy egg. I'm not a fan of firm potatoes of any sort and these were perfectly soft on the inside and crisp on the outside. The balsamic drizzle and some spinach completed the flavors. My son had the breakfast burrito- eggs, cheese, potatoes and sausage with a sriracha aioli on the side. It was so big he couldn't finish it! The hubs had the breakfast bowl. A giant bowl overflowing with potatoes, bacon, sausage, avocado, three eggs, and seasoned with fresh onions and tomatoes. We ended up taking most of my potato hash and his potatoes with us to fry up another day (those leftovers fed four people the next morning). The owner spent some time talking to us about how the Fox and Barrel came to be and how he believes food should be served. He's nailing his mission statement for sure, because everything was delicious! And, we promised we'd return the next time we're passing through because his lunch/dinner menu looks good, too! read more

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My new favorite place to eat out. You can sit inside or outside. The food is scrumptious, fresh, and cooked to order. Prices are a bit up there, but the portions are large. You can sit indoors but they also have a beautiful outdoor area for when the weather is nice. I've been back four times ordering both breakfast and dinner, never had a bad meal. Just be patient food is cooked fresh and when they have a lot of orders/busy the wait can seem a bit long. That's not a negative in my mind. read more

Just had lunch at the incredibly delicious restaurant. The service is so customer friendly, just feel so welcome. Eat inside or out but you must check out the local artisan crafts. A come in and relax atmosphere. Definitely a must go to establishment. read more

I went here for the first time today with my friend and we had a wonderful lunch. It was an eggplant sandwich with cheese and not being a vegetarian it was so good I would have it again. Very tasty. Farm to table and enough selections if you aren't a vegetarian you have lots to choose from. Sweet potato fries were delicious and the homemade desserts looked amazing but we were too full. Next time I think we are going to split a lunch and have dessert read more

Food was okay, something I could've whipped up myself at home in 20 minutes. We got 2 breakfast sandwiches for 28 dollars, so kind of pricey. Once we ordered at the front stand and paid we waited about 15-20 minutes. It's a nice place, okay vibes, a little small - everything was kind of crammed, but it was cute. Definitely recommend if you're looking for something easy and quick (kinda), but wouldn't recommended for party's over 2-3. read more

Fox & Barrel - breakfast sandwiches - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

THIS PLACE IS AMAZING!! I have celiac disease and was absolutely taken care of. The food was INCREDIBLE the owner was so kind. If you are in the area or close enough I 100000 recommend going. They have wonderfully work on the walls and the environment is so calming and cute. This place is awesome! read more

Waited 40mins for a bland breakfast. There were approx ~10 people there. So many better places nearby.

We went there with a party of 5 and ate indoors. We got the Grilled Chicken Caesar Wraps with the house made chips and sweet potato fries, a Roasted Angus, and a Veggie Burger with fries. All of our order came very promptly and tasted great. The chips were really good; flavorful and without a lot of salt. The servings are also very generous - so either come very hungry or get a doggie bag, to ensure you have room for the dessert. They also have a large assortment of bottled beverages (waters, teas, various ginger ales, sodas, etc.). My wife tried one of the fresh Pecan pies that they have at the counter with an assortment of other desserts (cookies, etc.), and they warm up for you. It was so good she went back and got 2 more pecan and 2 blueberry ones to take home. This place is a great hidden gem especially if you want some fresh as well as healthy food - even better when it helps support local farms. read more

My husband and I went to Fox & Barrel on Sunday. I have celiac and was incredibly impressed that they have a separate fryer for gluten free. I had fries for the first time in a long while! Excellent GF bun as well! The food was excellent and the service excellent! read more

Wonderful little place, and the cook is a DILF THE BAKED GOODS ARE AMAZING super Ada friendly and the vibes are immaculate read more

Decent restaurant. But pricey. And TERRIBLE hours. Don't advertise all day breakfast when you don't open until well after breakfast and close in the middle of dinner (and even then only 5 days per week). I guess you have to be pricey to make money when you're just a part-time, half-hearted restaurant. We cannot recommend eating here. read more