I'm afraid the build-up left me completely disappointed. All I've heard is how amazing it is. But. Um. Vinyl tablecloths? Sliders? Not exactly the upscale, authentic tapas experience I was expecting. It was OK. Everything was "good." But I don't need to ever go back. Definitely disappointing meal for our Fifth Anniversary. read more

Wasn't too pleased with the experience we had. Came for a birthday party and within minutes of coming into the party a patron within the party came with a cake. The manager was rude and loud towards them for it not being a "store bought cake" but didn't speak to them about it. Made a scene to where other patrons were concerned. Made the small party uneasy the entire time. We were lucky to have a great server "Brent" who eased some of the tension. Our orders came out wrong (small party of 7) and the orders were quite simple. After we were finished the lights started to dim. There was another table who had also finished. We weren't sure what was happening until we asked and found out that the restaurant was closing for a few hours to set up for the evening dinner rush. We didn't even know the place closed at all.Rudely not informing the patrons in the restaurant we took the clue to pay and leave. Not a welcoming experience for the first time to some in the party. This could have been a bad day for the staff, etc but the patrons should never know that. It's unfortunate. read more

I stopped at Isabellas for happy hour on a Thursday evening. The place was packed! Definitely a local hot spot in downtown Frederick. What attracted me was the $3.75 happy hour sangrias that were delicious. We did find seating at the bar and the waitstaff was very friendly although it did seem like they were spread a little thin for how packed the place was. Even with that the service was friendly and prompt. I will definitely be back! read more

Menu looks awesome! I was looking for a place to relax while I waited for some errands to be completed elsewhere. Jared at the bar waited on me and was exceptional. I really appreciated all of his insight on the menu and the surrounding area, I'm not from Frederick. I wanted to eat light and Jared provided me a slight adaptation of the menu. Because of this, I can't wait to come back and try out the rest of the menu. The cocktail list is fresh and very diverse as well. They have a happy hour too! Stop in, sit at the bar and let Jared take great care of you. Customer service seems to be a dying ideal these days, what an awesome expierience. read more

Let me start by saying that Isabella's is my favorite restaurant in Frederick. You can't go wrong with their food. It's always fantastic. However, my husband and I were disappointed with the service we received on this past Sunday night. We arrived a few minutes before 7:00pm. We asked to sit outside (where there was only 1 other table of people) and the hostess brought us out. As we were sitting down she said something along the lines of "oh I forgot to tell you, we close the patio at 7:45. If you're still here at that time you can always move inside." We found this rude considering that we arrived well before the time the restaurant closes and also, what restaurant MOVES patrons because they close the patio? I can understand not seating people at the patio past a certain time, but if you are going to sit them out there, you should allow them to stay until they're finished-- not expect them to get up mid-meal and move inside. How tacky. Also, when we left, after 7:45, the table who was outside when we arrived was still out there. So I'm still confused about this "you must move inside at 7:45" rule. We decided to sit inside to begin with so we wouldn't have to move. Our waitress started off by letting us know that the restaurant closes at 8:00. She said she wanted us "to know this so we order enough food before the kitchen closes" or something along those lines. Again- how tacky! I waitressed in a low-end pizza place and if someone came in at 10:55pm when we closed at 11:00pm, I was expected to serve them! It sucked, but if you work in the food business that's how it goes. I heard her repeat this speech to at least 3 other tables. Since we've been to Isabella's many times before, I knew they served great bread to begin with. I had to ask our waitress for this, to which she replied "do you want olive oil too?"... umm yes, that's what your restaurant brings out normally, so of course I want it. The time issue was a huge factor for her. She must have told us at least 2 other times that the close at 8:00pm. "Are you going to be ordering any more tapas after these? I want to make sure you get them before the kitchen closes" aka HINT HINT time to wrap it up! We have a habit of eating late, so we've been to plenty of restaurants close to closing time. I have never had this experience before. It made the entire meal feel frantic and rushed and made me paranoid that they'd say "okay time to go!" Again, I heard her give this speech to the 3 other tables around us. We also saw flowers being taken off the bar, signs from the street being brought inside, etc. It was obvious that everyone working was pushing to get home as quickly as possible. I find this extremely rude. You simply do not give your customers the feeling that they need to shovel in their food as quickly as possible because you want to leave. You also do not do this at a TAPAS restaurant where people come and relax and take their time ordering dishes. We have been in Isabella's for 3 hours before and didn't feel rushed at all to hurry up and finish our meals. The service at Isabella's has always been extremely professional before this incident and like I said above, the food is amazing. For those reasons I'm giving this review 4 stars in the hopes that this was a fluke. Before this experience I would have given them 10 stars if I could. read more

I've been going to Isabella's for about 8 years now and after today's horrendous experience, I will never step foot in there again. I've had meh service before at other restaurants but today was the absolute worst service myself and my companions have ever experienced. It is inexcusable for 5 other tables to sit down, order, and receive all of their food before we receive even our second course. What's worse is our food got delivered THREE TIMES to table next to ours and there is no reason a freaking salad should take 90 minutes to serve up. I've worked in the service industry, I know how difficult it can be especially when your manager clearly understaffed for the day (only one waitress and bartender) but it is even worse to make no apology or make amends for poor service and poor food. There are far superior restaurants in downtown at a much better price. Isabella's is not worth your time or appetite. read more

Stopped by for a quick bite while shopping in downtown Frederick on Saturday morning. The weather was perfect so we opted for an outside table. Atmosphere was great, waiter was attentive and food arrived quickly. Enjoyed all 3 of the tapas plates we ordered. Asparagus fries were great but was a little awkward getting at the aioli as it was served in a fluted glass. Looked great just a bit difficult to get at. Hummus/babaganoush was also delish. Salmon served with a salad of chick peas and goat cheese was to die for. Will definitely return! read more

The Tapas are flavorful and pretty authentic! The staff is very nice, helpful and knowledgeable about the menu. 100% recommend the fried asparagus spears with aioli sauce. Brunch food is also delicious and there is a good variety of items. Their sparkling Mimosas are definitely a must!!! read more

I had a fantastic meal here! The staff was very patient and gave my party a detailed explanation of the menu items. The food was served incredibly quickly! I will definitely go back soon. read more

I was disappointed when I ate here (if you couldn't tell from the one star). It was my husband and myself. We knew the tapas were small so we ordered six. The best word I can think of to describe our experience is "unthoughtful." There was an odd number of shrimp in one dish. Another dish had one normal piece of chicken and one piece that was literally as thin as a cracker. Two dishes tasted like they had marinara sauce in them. The seafood stew didn't come with a spoon so we couldn't serve the liquid. All the food came out at once so the shrimp was overlooked by the time we got to it. The best tasting plate was chicken thigh skewers with a chili sauce. Pretty hard to mess up chicken thighs so I don't give them much credit. The food was really mediocre and the overall experience was pretty awful. read more

Bravo! My favorite restaurant in Frederick! What a nice tapas menu, great variety, and they even have bravas potatoes! Every dish we had was superb, well presented, perfectly portioned and well-seasoned, very flavorful. The service was authentic as was the food, a little piece of Spain right in the heart of Frederick. They have something for everyone, fish, meat, and vegetarian dishes. A must try place in Frederick for sure! read more

Nothing spectacular to report on Isabella's. I arrived with a reservation on a busy weekday night and was seated promptly. The restaurant was pretty busy and it looked like our waitress had too many tables for one person. Her service wasn't very good, but I honestly can't blame her. She seemed overwhelmed. I ordered a a bunch of different tapas and they arrived sporadically, which was fine as my table really couldn't have fit everything. Nothing I tasted was exceptional, or really interesting. Most things I could make better at home. It was decent, average food. Nothing was terrible, but nothing stood out as really good either. I don't think I'd go back again. I'd love to try other tapas places around and try to get a more authentic experience. read more

You know, everyone loves this place. Everyone but me. The food is good, but it is SO overpriced!!!! And the portions are so tiny! You can not get away with ordering 2 tapas - have to at least get 4. Eh, you can spent $35 bucks somewhere else and get a delicious steak or something. read more

Vince and Kayla behind the bar, hope I'm right on the names. Awesome food and the best service ever!! So glad we stopped in and we will be back! read more

Best happy hour in town! Less than $4 for a full wine glass of sangria! Every drink is served with 3 wings and there's a decent buffet spread. You could easily leave full and happy on a $10 bill. We will be back to give the menu a try! read more

Staff is knowledgable about the menu and can offer great suggestions if you are unsure. They are not always friendly, but they know their stuff and they take pride in their product. Having been there several times, here are my menu highlights: Goat Cheese Fritters Fried Calamari Meditteranean Seafood Stew Any of their house made chorizo/sausages Sangria Didn't impress me: Paella (of all things...I got a lunchtime tapas portion and didn't care for it) Asparagus fries (these are recommended by everybody, so we tried them. The sauce was tasty but the "fries" were very greasy and heavily battered.) Meatballs (tasty, but nothing special and if I'm paying that much money for tapas, I want something unique.) Any of the cold appetizers (we usually order one cold appetizer but none of the ones we've tried have been all that great, just standard. Stick with the hot foods.) All in all, a great place to eat, especially with friends because the tapas are meant to be shared. But be careful, because it does not take long to rack up a large bill. We eat here for special occasions, because the prices are on the high side. But it's worth it. read more

This was absolutely disgusting. Fake Spanish tapas food. Manager didn't seem to care that my meal came out with mushrooms when I specifically asked for none. Told me my plate would be 3-5 minutes took over 30 minutes. They ended up packing it to go which would of been fine but when we got home realized they just took the mushrooms because little pieces are still in there. The service sucked and management needs training. Disappointed read more

Isabella's - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Frederick, Maryland

Visited Isabella's while passing through Frederick. We selected it without much consideration, but it turned out to be a really nice choice. We had vegetarian tapas, the potatoes bravas, breaded asperagus, and the brussel sprouts. All were great. I also really liked the gazpacho. read more

Asparagus fries, chorizo and paella are the calls. Nice atmosphere and points for downtown Frederick being particularly hip and artsy. When did that happen? read more

My husband and I tried out this restaurant last night for our anniversary dinner. I was sorely disappointed. The tapa sizes were tiny (even for tapas) and the sangria was just about the worst I've ever had. There was so much ice in the pitcher, the sangria could barely be poured, almost no fruit (not that the fruit could escape the ice anyway) and when we did manage to extract the sangria from the ice, there was almost no flavor at all. The service was pretty bad. Our server was a nice girl, but she didn't seem very intent on waiting on us. When I ordered the food by the Spanish names that were on the menu, the server looked at me like I had three heads and had to translate to herself (and no, I speak Spanish so it wasn't my pronunciation). My husband's tapas all came out well before any of mine did (we had to hunt down our server to find out what was going on) and we had to run down someone else to find out what happened to the side of bread we ordered (I was really surprised they don't serve bread as a matter of course, to munch on while you are waiting - they have the 'bread sopping' gear there - olive oil, etc., but I guess that's for show?). We ended up with a total of 8 tapas (4 each - at Jaleo, 2 to 3 each works), only two of which did we find quite good. The rest were completely forgettable. I may be biased because I used to live in Spain and have a great love of authentic Spanish cuisine. This food, to me, tasted like a bad American bastardization of tapas. I give this place one star because it is quite a lovely place, aesthetically speaking. The decor, bar and tables are all tasteful and the atmosphere comfortable. I just wish the food could have been as pleasant. read more

This review is for both the food and 'club' Reina which is apparently Isabella's alter-ego on Saturday nights. The food and entire dining experience warrants a four star review BUT the 'club' experience warrants a two star review. So in an attempt to be fair and not have to write two reveiws Isabella's gets a three star rating. The food was great, we were a larger party so I understand we were probably WAY obnoxious for our waiter. Despite this he was prompt, personable, honest, and quick. He was great. I had the hummus tapa, the clam and chorizo dish, surf and turf which was a special, two orders of asparagus fries (it was THAT good), and the pot of something this super dense chocolate pudding-esque thing with raspberries that was wonderful. Everything that I had was good. I think next time though I will try a mussel dish instead of the clams. It was good, but not my favorite. The sauce that came with the asparagus fries was like the wonderful offspring of the bloomin onion dip a la Outback and Chick Fil A sauce. First, if you fry anything it's good, but fry anything and dip it in this sauce and it's amazing. It could have been a fried shoe for all we cared. We ended up hanging out at the bar until Isabella's turned over to a 'nightclub'. The music was great if that is what you are into the only place (that I know of, and please let me know if there are others) in Frederick where you can hear music you would in DC. Which is so exciting to me, since I was worried I would have to trek down to DC when I was in the mood. Granted the space is small as I was eating my wonderful meal I was thinking to myself where is the dance floor...as there isn't much space, and when it switched over there still wasn't much space but it was fine. The big down fall was the Security/Bouncer's it seemed as if the power went to their heads and for lack of a more intelligent/SAT vocab official word they were duechebags. Frisking people having people wait in line when there was no line to get in. It's almost as if we forgot for second this is Frederick, not DC. It's okay to be decent and down to earth. The other slight complaint related to the it's Frederick not DC argument is one that holds true for a handful of places up and down Market St. is that the drink prices seem high for what you are getting and the atmosphere. I get paying for quality and food etc. but $10 a drink is pricey. read more

Paella was good. Sangria- great. The food was good but not spectacular. Fried asparagus was delicious. Chorizo - fair. Service was outstanding and very attentive- drinks never went dry. Go here for tapas, not the "club". read more

After relocating to MD over the summer, this was the first place we ate at. Of course, my daughter Isabella, loves the name. Most importantly, you have an interesting menu that never disappoints. It has become an almost weekly visit for our little family. Thank you! read more

Fabulous tapas and great service! Everything was delicious, especially the spicy sizzling shrimp, fried asparagus spears, roasted artichoke bottoms and Iberico pork (to die for). We ordered probably eight courses, including the $22 pork, yet the total tab was only $100 (for four). Plenty of food, and a great value. read more

Alfresco tapas dining. A pleasant day with great food and service. Joey waited on us and provided a fun atmosphere. The cocktails and mocktails refreshed us. Gazpacho and ceviche were tasty. Scallops with butternut squash were delicious. Braised brussel sprouts were the least flavorful, but were ok. Our daughter's hamburger rated Grade A Well Done! And Paella proved savory and filling. read more

Mediocre. It's a nice place but full of itself. The food isn't very good and the tapas are lame. I make better tapas. If it's food I can make with little hassle then I'm not bought. read more

We went to Isabella's during Frederick Restaurant Week (FRW) 2013. The restaurant was not crowded, which is atypical for FRW; however, all of the restaurants in the area seemed to have low traffic. The service was great. The waiter was ready with suggestions and kept our water glasses filled without being obtrusive. The food was only good. It didn't knock me off my feet. read more

Very over priced for topas poor service

I've eaten at Isabella's at least 20 times. However, this most recent experience was less than desirable. I spoke to the restaurant earlier that day and explained that my dinner reservation was for a surprise birthday dinner. My guests (minus the birthday guest) were there 15 minutes earlier (in case the table was ready). Once the table wasn't ready at the specified time, one of my guests spoke to the hostess to inquire. The hostess stated that it was busy and that everyone with a reservation had to wait. After another 10 minutes passed, one of my guests checked on the status (I was stalling with the birthday guest by driving around downtown.) The hostess indicated that the table was still occupied by another party and couldn't do anything about it. Now, I understand how tough it is to manage situations like this,but perhaps they should update their scheduling system so that reservations are not so close together. The reservation ended up being 30 minutes late so I had to bring the birthday guest in while everyone was standing around the bar. It basically ruined the surprise. They didn't seem to care, expressed zero concern. They also argued about the fact that I had a cake and didn't tell them in advance. I explained that I didn't know that they needed to be notified in advance but that wasn't enough. The manager still argued the point which was unnecessary. He was very combative, citing health code violations and such. Again, I stated upfront that I didn't know they needed to be notified in advance. It was really ridiculous and worsened the situation. Once we finally sat down the server was amazing. She handled the entire party on her own and didn't miss a beat! She's the only reason this visit didn't warrant 1 star. read more

Oh you got to be here!!! Anything I say will be an understatement for this place. Downtown Frederick has a gem of a place and it has to Isabella's. Nothing can beat their Tapas menu and helluva reasonable prices menu. Portions are good and filling. Loved the Asparagus fries. Cheers to you! read more

I am generally a fan of Isabella's and looked forward to returning. I will caveat that it was a Monday night so maybe the A team was not working/cooking. We had a few 4-5 star dishes: Montado de Lomo, Queso al Horno, brussels sprouts with a cream sauce and a white bean dish with dried beef that was pretty good but a bit salty. However, we also had a few 2-3 star dishes - the special of watermelon with feta was just as described bu it lacked in presentation and uniqueness. Brochetas de Pollo Peruanas was rather fatty. Good service and good atmosphere. read more

I have been to multiple tapas restaurants in this country and in Spain. This restaurant doesn't do tapas justice. The service was very good, but of the 12 items our party ordered, only 2 were enjoyable. The sangria barely included a flavor of fruit and was difficult to drink. The ceviche tasted like bad grapefruit. Various other dishes were bland or tasted bad. Despite the fact that the service was good, we will not return due to the poor food. read more

They have great food there. Very good quality and they offer a variety as well. The staff are knowledgeable about the menu. If u r not sure about the size of each dish, we sompky ask snd we always get the right answer. We were always happy with the service. read more

Rarely have we experienced a restaurant in which so many choices were uniquely delicious. The Asparagus Fries were sublime, from the delivery in a champagne glass to a perfect spicy/sweet dipping sauce. Goat cheese and apple pita was a revelation, the chorizo sausage perfection, beef skewers tender and juicy, and the capper - the Crispy Spanish Dates - should have been on the dessert menu. A perfect blend of savor and sweet. read more

I just signed up for a Yelp! account with the express purpose of giving this restaurant a 1 star, awful awful rating. Do not go to this restaurant. Long story short: this place serves warmed over frozen food and charges very steep prices. The food is not well prepared. There is no flavor left in the vegetables. I'm not even a very picky person, and I will never go anywhere near this place again. I had a seafood omelette that was soaked in oil. The oil oozed out all over my plate, and into my limp baked potatoes. The rest of the table enjoyed tapas, Isabella's signature cuisine. One plate of tomatoes and bread had clearly been left sitting out for at least 30 minutes before it reached our table -- the tomatoes had soaked completely through what used to be crusty bread. The soups were bland and probably from a can. At least the wait staff was friendly. That's about all I can say that I liked about this dreadful place. read more

A little pricy hence the 4, but great time here over the weekend. Their basement is rumored to be haunted and this was confirmed by the waitress. Small plates, but enough for me - maybe not a bigger person. read more

We make it a point to dine at Isabella s when we are in Frederick. The service is always good, the food tasty and hot, and the service good. Make sure to have the meatballs in tomato sauce, probably our favorite. read more

I'm a frequent diner at Isabella's. I've usually had a great experience, but tonight was subpar to say the least. It took 30 minutes for our bottle of wine and another 30 for our first tapa. Not to mention when our wine did come the cork broke into the bottle (but bless our waitress' heart, she was having a rough night). Now, I understand if you're busy - but let your customers know! We sat feeling forgotten and very hungry. Once the food finally came one of our dishes was missing elements listed on the menu. Are you kidding? At this point I was cranky and tired and asked for the manager. She was very kind and understanding. Offered us dessert but after two hours at our table we were ready to roll. We politely declined. The check came and ...no discount, no dish comped (maybe the one missing the ingredients would be nice). Suffice it to say I won't be back. When you mess up, own it. That's how you keep customers. read more

Every time I go to Isabella's the atmosphere, food and service is exceptional. Lunch, dinner, happy hour , even New Years Eve.... you cannot go wrong choosing Isabella's for a divine eating experience. Their tapas, paella and Sangria are in an excellent class of their own. Going to Isabella's is a "foodies"heaven. read more

Enjoyed tapas and sangrias tonight. Great food and service. Good prices. We will be back.