this place is perfect for frederick, it counts as upscale dining for the peasantry but is the same old tired menu items, i would choose bonefish or family meal over this in a heartbeat. however, in spite of the crap/weird menu items the cooking execution is first rate, obviously some experience in the kitchen. read more

I need to stop ordering a Caesar salad in restaurants. This was not traditional and had far more extra salad toppings on it than I expected. This was not reflected on the menu. The sangria was sour and had juice that masked the wine and fresh fruit. read more

Food was good for the most part. My second beer tasted a lot like dish soap which was not that great. I had to wait 15 minutes just to get a side of sweet potato mash potatoes to go that I preordered with my meal to avoid waiting. Did not leave me with a good taste. Asian Salmon was good but a little overly sweet. 6.5 out of 10 stars. Not a bad spot in Frederick if you want something a little better than a middle of the road chain. read more

My husband and I went to Madrone's for lunch Valentines Day. Sat at the bar and it was so chilly in there that I had to leave on my sweatshirt. I am typically an always hot person and would need to take my sweatshirt off. My husband also left his leather jacket on. I asked out server if the A/C was on and she said it was the fans. I explained I'm always hot but was freezing in there. She turned the heat up 1 degree which did nothing. The fans continued to blow out cold air. Two other women put their coats on while we were sitting there trying to enjoy out lunch. It was not a pleasant experience. I'm very disappointed that not only did our server not try to make it more comfortable but didn't let management know that there was a problem with a customer so that he might try to resolve it. I've never had lunch in there before, only dinner several times, which was good, but my lunch wasn't good at all. I got the half sandwich and soup. I chose lobster bisque which was full of fake hunks that didn't even resemble lobster. I'm from New England and know my lobster. The half of club was edible but it wasn't anything special. Very disappointed in my dining experience there. read more

They are improving, but their waitress earned this Yelp review for the restaurant. She chased me out if the restaurant this morning because she didn't like her tip. She earned her top for never returning to the table after the food was served. Even if she did not realize this, the fact that everyone from the table was gone except for me should have been a sign something had gone wrong - especially since I said to her that everyone has been waiting in the car and we still haven't gotten a check, handed her my card without even wanting to wait for the bill. The fact I tipped her at all was generous, but for her then to run after me and complain about the tip - earned the restaurant a negative yelp review. read more

Barry is an excellent server. Our drinks were never empty and he came around to check on us promptly. The food is excellent! I ate the scallops and lobster rissoto which was amazing and perfectly seasoned. My fiance had the steak which he enjoyed very much. We will definitely be repeat customers. Barry has the best customer service I have encountered in Maryland. Thank you for the great experience Barry. My compliments to the chef. read more

I so enjoy going to Madrones. You get exactly what you ask for and I always ask for the Blackened Salmon Salad. I am quite picky about my seafood and the always cook it to perfection. read more

Had lunch at Madrones today. My fish was undercooked so the waitress told the manager. He said "what do you want me to do about it?" She suggested that I do not pay for my meal. So Rich, the manager at Madrones, had me pay the full price for the fish, never came out to see me or say I'm sorry. My waitress was wonderful but the manager Rich doesn't seem to care about his customers. I do like this place but it needs new caring management. read more

Drove by last week on the way to Wegmans and decided to take my girlfriend out to dinner to check out this new spot. We sat at the bar (it is beautiful) and I enjoyed some great craft beer while she tried one of the many wines offered by the glass (they note on the menu over 25 boutique wines), the bartenders are very knowledgeable and friendly!! She had the drunken ribeye and I had a monster lump crab cake - the food came out quickly and was really good. Hard to believe this place just opened, they are doing a really great job and we will be back very soon! Will highly recommend to my friends. read more

We went there for a company meeting shortly after they opened. The food is amazing and not too expensive. The waiting staff was very friendly - they didn't overwhelm us with service, but they didn't abandon us either. I ordered their largest steak, and it was the largest meal I've had in a long time. Total cost for it was $26. I highly recommend this place. I've been there three times now, and every time has been exceptional. I can't at all relate to any of the negative reviews here. EDIT 3 years later: I still go to Madrones all the time. The staff is great, the food is delicious, and the atmosphere is perfect. The appetizers are great - I mean, unbelievable great. Highly recommend. read more

Why do restaurants feel they have to blast music. This is not a cheap place. The atmosphere is good but one has to yell across the table just to have a conversation with your dinner partner. Gave me a headache. Mentioned the blaring music to the hostess and she just blew me off. Also be prepared to pay a lot for a simple glass of white wine. Probably really deserves 3-4 stars but will never give that to a restaurant where you can't hold a conversation. read more

Never disappointed! The wait staff are great with our kids and the food is amazing. At lunch I recommend the fish tacos and at night the goat cheese pasta. read more

It's a little pricey. The last time I was there my burger was very salty, and my fries were cold. The service was great, but I know they get busy which may cause them to rush a little on the food. read more

Stopped by for the Sunday brunch and found the food and service to great. We were greeted at the door and seated promptly. The employees are very friendly and organized and our waitress Nina was right on the money. Being in the service business i expect more and Matrones delivered, this is the type of resteraunt I would have if I opened one. read more

Had lunch and the food was delicious. We had a great waitress (Rhonda) and her suggestion of the Jambalaya was on the mark and the Hickory burger was also a great suggestion. Jambalaya was spicy but couldn't get enough. It was so good I split my meal with my friend so they could try. Can't say enough about the service, Rhonda was awesome - she was always checking and refilling drinks, polite, helpful and instinctive with suggestions on the menu and she definitely made the visit a wonderful experience. Not often you get service like she gave "above and beyond". Service was excellent and waitress was exemplary. Definitely worth another visit. Thanks. read more

Great place and amazing food. The service is great as well. The house salad is amazing and the tuna appetizer is the bomb. You just can't go wrong with this place everything on the menu is amazing. read more

...wouldn't know. Sat for thirty minutes in the bar, never got served. Walked out. Questionable whether or not I will try again in the future. read more

Excellent food and service. Took my family there recently and could not have been more satisfied with our experience. The food was great and they offer a wonderful variety of food that will satisfy anyone's taste, including young kids. Our service was top-notch and fast. The food was served quickly and was prepared just as requested. I suggest your try their crab cakes, steaks and chicken dishes. Don't forget to save room for their delicious desserts. With this quality of food you may expect to pay exorbitant prices, but all items on the menu are very reasonable. Their bar is well stocked with high end liquors and a wide variety of micro-brews and traditional drinks. I highly recommend that you give this restaurant a try for a celebration meal, a special occasion, or just an old-fashioned night out with friends. You will not be disappointed! read more

The food was expensive, which we knew. But, they were not at all friendly. They were extremely rude when it came to our children. We thought it would be ok to eat here with our children because it isn't fancy, and they have a children's menu. Not family friendly. read more

I've been to Madrones more than 20 times since they opened in Dec 2012. It can be a nice departure from the endless chain restaurants that dominate the Frederick dining scene. I love the atmosphere, although it can be exceptionally loud at times. There's no real separation between the bar and the other dining areas, and with the wall-to-wall big screen TVs, they sometimes attract a raucous sports bar crowd. The food is usually fine, except for the steak, as no one tending the grill seems to know the difference between "rare" and "medium," or "medium" and "well done." So expect to send it back, or just take my advice and skip the steak altogether. The rest of the menu is usually quite good. However, my issue with Madrones is the service. On occasion it can be excellent. But this depends entirely on the attitude and enthusiasm of the individual server, and not on some high standard of service excellence that management demands of its waitstaff. More often than not, the service sucks and we leave feeling disappointed. I'm not a demanding diner, and I usually keep my expectations low. But I would like the occasional drink refill, and it's nice when a server asks if there's anything else they can get me before they dump my food and run off. There has been too many times at Madrones when our server has disappeared for 25-30 minutes at a time. And all too often we've been stuck with one who just doesn't give a damn. I understand how a busy night can put a strain on the waitstaff, and this I can easily forgive. But what I can't forgive is someone who hates their job, and is happy to let me know it. read more

First time here and won't be the last. Great food, great atmosphere, great staff. Thanks Bradly.

Tried this new restaurant tonight and will certainly return! Loved the decor and atmostphere. The service was great and the food was wonderful. Husband and I shared the crab dip which was fabulous. It was topped with real lump crab! We also shared the Evil Jungle salad - Grilled, sliced Hanger steak with fresh greens, noodles, avocado, peanuts,mango, mint and honey-mustard sesame dressing. It was very good. Our next visit we will definitely go with a larger appetite as the menu looked so appealing. read more

Been to Madrones 3 times. First time I did not care for the food. Gave it another chance. Liked it the second time - had fish tacos and that was good. The service was good the second time. However all 3 times when I've gone the hostess at the front was talking and couldn't be bothered with people coming in the door. Seems to me - what is the point to have someone there then? The last time I went the service was not good at all and the food was pretty average. Got pasta with portabella mushrooms the 3rd time. read more

Great brunch. Best infused vodkas at the bar. Must have. Appetizers at the bar during happy hour are great deal. Plenty of parking. Friendly staff. Enjoy. Will be back. read more

I really want to go to sleep BUT I remembered that this resturant deserved a review before I forget!!! We actually stumbled upon this restaurant on Saturday! What a happy surprised! The outside reminded me of a franchise restaurant so much that I had to ask the hostess. However, it is locally owned and you can tell with the quality of food and service. We really enjoyed our waiter as we had a few genuine laughs with him. He was super patient and confident in his food recommendations to us. It was my son's birthday so he wanted the lamb chops (can I SAY good!!!!). I ordered the rockfish. Hubby ordered a cowboy steak. ALL of the food was healing to our bodies! It was prepared fresh and just right! We also love the wine menu! They have really good wines for the frugal wine connoisseur ! It was all-around yummy goodness! Again, I am sleepy but this place deserves 5-stars. I can't remember our waiter's name but he was awesome (he attend the local gym and lived in HoCo). It was a good evening of laughs, good food, and company! With all the devastation in the world, it was great to enjoy the day! read more

My fiancé and I love coming here for lunch! So many tasty things to choose from for a really reasonable price. The same bartender each time (I believe her name is Charlene) waits on us, and is so sweet and attentive. The le' grand sliders/burger is super delish! read more

We went for lunch on Tuesday, and were not impressed. The service was OK, but the food (two selections from their lunch special menu) was mediocre at best. The background noise level was exceptionally high, making conversation almost impossible. We won't be going back. read more

We stopped in last night after our sons soccer game. Were seated right away, service was good, portions for meals/pricing were very nice. Daughter ordered burger with fruit cup, the fruit cup was canned pineapple. I ordered salmon with mashed potatoes and veggies, the entire entree came out with terraki sauce on everything, I could not finish the meal because the taste profiles got tiring. Wished the sides were not covered in sauce from the fish. It did seem to take a long time to get our food, but I just figured that was because it was a new place. We will come back again. read more

My girlfriend went here with coworkers and brought home her leftover turkey, avacado, and bacon sandwich and gave me a bite, delicious, i was intrigued. I went there with a coworker for lunch a few days later and loved the atmosphere, the bar area looked nice, and the open kitchen concept i thought was awesome, i could see the smoke and the sparks flying around back there as they were cooking what i assumed was the hickory burgers. i had read rave reviews about the burgers so i was set and got myself a bacon cheeseburger and my buddy got the nancy's lunch - lunch special and we were both very happy. the burger was fresh, real meat, not a bs patty, it wasnt over compressed and tasted delicious, if they develop a good blue cheese sauce they will definitely have the edge on Wags in downtown frederick for a bacon blue burger, it also came with fries that were crispy and thin so they are no overly potato-y? anyway, very good. My coworker said his meal was delicious, he first boasted about the side salad and the dressing and said that the soup and the half sandwich were also extremely tasty, what we each got here for $10-11 at lunch time was 5 star vs some of the pizza joints etc around our place of work that selll a mediocre version of the same. We do lunch on fridays at each others expense so we will be back for sure, i will also be sure to come here with my girlfriend, love this place....it has a good feel. read more

Food is good and they serve you a lot of it ... big portions. Wine menu is really good, and they change it from time to time. The bartenders are all top notch - they learn folks names ... and remember them! I've eaten there quite a few times and everything I've had, I've enjoyed. I did have a problem one time a couple months ago ... the manager talked with me ... and then the cook. they made it right. That's cool. They're really trying. read more

First time reviewer, had to sign up to review our waitress, Elizabeth! She was very sweet the whole time, refilled our waters without us asking first, and anticipated our needs before we even had a chance to ask her! Highly recommended this restaurant and Elizabeth! read more

Absolutely the best restaurant in the area! Food is great, staff is great and the prices are good as well. The appetizers are great as well, especially the crab dip. The rolls are fresh baked and come with honey butter which is awesome. We have never tried a desert yet simply because we've been too full to try anything on the menu. My wife and I have found "our" spot. :) read more

Had an awesome dinner here tonight! Great menu and excellent service! Very comfortable bar area for watching games. Would definitely recommend! read more

American Madrones is probably my favorite restaurant in Frederick to eat at. Yes, it is a bit on the expensive side, however everything is made fresh daily. Try their hamburgers which are made from 3 premium cuts of beef only for today when you order. Their Cajun fish sandwich is the best I have ever tasted. When I go to Madrones, the server I have is Brenda and she is a very professional and courteous. To all of the complainers that whine about waiting, I frequent Madrones once a week at various times ( depending on my schedule ) and I haven't had to wait at all and sometimes the establishment is jammed packed. Of course in today's world, what would life be without somebody complaining. Cry me a river. Grow up and act your age you hooligans. For a delicious meal, bring your wallet and head on over to Madrones, you won't be disappointed. I know I haven't! read more

A poor copy of Outback, steak was not that great and awful loud with the bar in the middle.

I first was introduced to Madrones about 2 years ago by my brother and we now visit for dinner if we are in the area on the weekend with time. While some have mentioned that the decor is confusing I like it. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming. Ever since that first visit this is one of my husbands fave spot to go to (even though we don't go THAT often since its not that close to home). He loves the beer selection and has ordered nothing but the pork chop on each visit...he really raves about that thing. I usually go for the filet but have tried a few other menu items. I ordered a medium rare burger the last visit that came out a little more on the medium side but was still good. I've had the seafood explosion but found it to be too seafoody...I guess thats why its called an explosion. I do love their drink selection...especially the infused vodkas they make. They are so good you can just sip a glass on the rocks. Don't be alarmed when you taste the butter they give with bread...its like a honey vanilla flavor. Sounds odd but is very good. Also don't be alarmed to find sun-dried tomatoes in your caesar salad...again, odd but it works. Overall this place is a good night out. It'd be cool if they opened up another location. read more

We went here based on reviews, highly disappointed, not only over priced but the fact I found a hair, that wasn't mine, in my food.

The food was OK. Not great, not bad, nothing special. To us a few bucks over priced per meal. Was OK with that. We were tired and need something to eat. Here's the kicker... service was horrible. From the door greeters, to the waitress, to the bartender. Was so bad we couldn't get an employee to find us a manager to possibly shed some light on a possible explanation as to why the staff was behaving, well, lame. .Am guessing there was a reason some of the other restaurants had lines out the door while your place was half full. You know, you're not the only restaurant in town, take your bull-ony and lame attitude down the road. read more

I love the variety they offer on their menu. It definitely set them apart from other restaurants. The food is great and the service is good as well. read more

Very disappointing visit. The special Lobster Roll had a strange sour taste which was so odd I ended up not finishing it. We always enjoy eating here but this visit everything was off. The waiter, balding 30ish, had the personality of a graham cracker so when he took our plates away with most of our food uneaten he didn't ask if there was a problem. He must have been having a bad day but this was only lunch time so I can only wonder what the rest of his customers experienced. Our appetizers were the hot crab dip and the spicy shrimp both were good, the spicy shrimp turned out to be the best thing we ate that day. This was a Saturday lunch so they weren't that crowded so I can't come up with why the service was so awful. We will go back and maybe request certain servers and stick to the usual menu. read more