Mike F is a bonehead!! -- I am a regular at Stonefire. Great service, great prices and who cares if you have to go get plates and utensils - what a whiner!! Better than waiting for a server. This place isn't supposed to be a high end steakhouse -- It's Stonefire Grill and they are successful because of their awesome service. It's pizza, pasta and BBQ nothing more nothing less. Anyone who can't understand their simple menu belongs in a fast food place where the board is nice and big with lots of colors and you can order by the number - DUH! You are awesome Stonefire - Keep it up!! read more

This place is always a solid choice for a meal. For the amount of food you get, it is definitely worth it. I like both the chicken and the tri tip with pepper garlic. You can make it a meal by getting a salad or other small side item (breadsticks are included). I like the mashed potatoes and the Greek salad as sides. Breadsticks are always yummy. I only wish they would bring out warmer food-it was a bit lukewarm, but everything else was fine. Service is friendly and self-serve so grab your own bbq sauce, utensils, plates, and drinks. They have ample seating inside and on the outside patio. read more

Think Pat and Oscars, but instead of the signature chicken, you have grilled tri-tip and bbq chicken instead. It's a good little place to go to for a quick meal with lots of people. It has really nice sitting areas, and once you order your meal and pay, you go find a seat and they'll bring out the food for you. The decor at this location is very nice, comfy booths and really great ambient and soft lighting. I love the fact that I can go here for a simple meal with 2 people, or bring a whole group of students here and feast. to the FOOD: 1. Tri Tip was nicely done. It was tender and juicy, meaning the rested the meat well and then pre cut it for us. Nice char on the steak, and good flavor. 2. Pepperoni pizza - crispy and soft crust, fresh and good tasting. 3. Caesar salad was fresh, and not overly dressed, like many places tend to do. This all costed us $20, and split between 2 people. WE WERE DEFINITELY FULL by the end. read more

I don't know how this place has 4 stars. I got the Rigatoni pasta and only ate a portion of the small because I was starving but I would never order it again. My wife got the salmon and barely had any of it. I do not recommend this place especially for the price. Also don't like how you have to read the small paper menus at the register and there is no big menu sign like in most restaurants. Try someplace else! read more

Stonefire Grill - Got the Rigatoni pasta and wife got salmon. Both were unimpressed. Try something else. - American Near Me - Irvine, California

How did I first hear about Stonefire Grill? Well, I've lived next to it since it opened in The Crossroads. It used to be some breakfast place I used to go to, but I can't remember the name. I just next thought anything of it until my then-girlfriend asked if I wanted to give it a shot. Really, all she said was tri-tip and I said yes.. Usually, I order to-go, but for this occasion I sat in. The hardest part of going here is that it is right next to Chipotle.. It's hard to not go in there and say hello to the love of my life. Stonefire Grill is located in a big plaza with a Tar-Jhay and a few littles stores and food joints. Parking is adequate, but the Tar-Jhay really fills up the lot. I always see a bunch of coppers around here. They're usually there getting food since it's so close to the Civic Center. And I'm sure the big Tar-Jhay calls them over from time to time too... It's a pretty big restaurant. They have a to-go side and a sit-in side. You can choose to sit outside too if you wish. We had a party of 5 and no wait right after work around 5 PM. I only know to get one item at Stonefire! STIMULUS PACKAGE! The order comes with choice of one LB of Tri-tip or one whole chicken, twelve inch two topping pizza, salad, and eight derrrrriciousss garlic bread sticks; all for 20$! The five of us ordered that (one person didn't eat) and it was still filling. We got the tri-tip, cheese pizza, and a Caesar salad. The tri-tip was cooked just the way we liked it but came with a garlic butter on top of it that I just didn't like. Cheese pizza isn't for me, but I ate it because I was hungry. We asked for a side of marinara sauce and it took like 10 minutes because the waitress forgot at first and it took time to heat up. We didn't get it until the end; a little sad about that. I ended up dipping all my bread items in BBQ sauce; which wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Most days I would give Stonefire 4 stars, but I just wasn't feeling it that day. read more

Just a quick short review geared mainly towards one of the cashiers whose name was Rayan. Personally, I like to track the food I eat on a fitness app and keep up on my macros. Rayan took time to help me find the calories and grams of macros per item I had ordered. Great customer service ! :) I had the tri tip meal with the quinoa salad. I ordered the tri tip medium ( since there was not any medium rare) and it was cooked slightly above medium (mid-well) but I let it slide because the meat was very tender and the customer service I had received from Rayan was great. The quinoa salad was light, fragrant, and tangy. I enjoyed it. The breadsticks are always a treat as well. Great experience. read more

LOWDOWN: Tri-tip. Tri-tip. TRI-TIP. Succulent, tender, and freakin' delicious! Whenever I have the craving, it's really easy to get over the 30 minute drive (+ traffic). FOOD/DRINKS: Best CAESAR SALAD I've ever had. I'm not kidding. I think they make their own dressing. Please order the BREADSTICKS too!! They're seasoned perfectly and you'll end up wanting 10 more every time you finish a batch. Also if you're a carnivore like me, DO NOT GET THE CHICKEN. It has always been a hit or miss for me in terms of moistness. But the TRI-TIP. Good lawwwwwwwd. Yes. BBQ or PEPPER GARLIC style. Can't go wrong! Just please cook it right and get it medium to rare. Thanks! SERVICE/VIBE: You order and pay first up front. The plates, utensils, and drinks are all self-serve. Plenty of seating but the place gets packed for the dinner rush fast. The place has a very pizzeria/family vibe so you won't have trouble getting them booths. ;] PARKING: Plenty. read more

I'm really hoping it was because we ordered the wrong items. We had their stimulus package of a salad, breadsticks, pizza, and 1lb of tri tip. First thing I noticed that a line at the door. Then I quickly realized that it wasn't because there was a lot of people, but because there were only two peple taking orders. Then I realized as I approached the cashier that its taking a long time to take orders because the menus are so small that you can't read them until you get to order. Took about 15 minutes to order and only had two people in front of me. tri-tip came out cold. we told the server and he offered to throw them back on the grill. Now, in my opinion, that would cook our medium rare request to medium. He was friendly so I said, sure why not. Came back lukewarm and medium. It wasn't tender either when we first received it cold. breadsticks and salad were typical. Now, at least the pizza was good and stayed warm throughout our meal. Portion sizes are generous also. Because of the yelp reviews though, I willing to give this place another shot and order something completely different next time. read more

I went in to Stonefire with some friends to get some pizza. Eddie, the cashier was very helpful in recommending the barbeque pizza which was delicious. I'll definitely be coming back soon. read more

I just got back from eating here for my dad's birthday, and man am I glad I didn't have to pay for any of it. They say a free meal always tastes better, right? Well, not in this case. First things first - I'm vegetarian. So if you're coming here for the meat (which you probably are) you can skip my lousy review. I didn't want you reading my reviews anyways! So I ordered (or actually my mom ordered, and I had some of hers) the BBQ Chopped Salad, with meat on the side. This comes with BBQ tri tip with mixed greens, black beans, roasted corn, carrots, cilantro, jack cheese, and red cabbage, tossed with buttermilk ranch dressing and topped with tomatoes and scallions. This salad dried me out! Was very bland and creamy and the beans tasted like little powder packets. With every bean I chewed, my mouth grew more and more dry. This salad came in a big ass bowl and was $13.99 for a medium. Probably serves 2-4 though. On top of that, we got a full order of bread sticks. The bread sticks were okay, but nothing special. Oily bread smothered in dry cheese and herbs. They were definitely better than the salad, but nothing to write home about. 12 bread sticks (I think?) for $4.99. My dad and brother got the BBQ Tri Tip. It was $25.99 for a big slab of tri tip smothered in barbecue sauce. They said it was good, but I can't imagine it being worth $30. There's a pair of flannel Vans Chukkas I was thinking about getting, but couldn't rationalize paying $24.99 for a pair of "fun" rather than "useful" shoes, so there's no way I could rationalize paying even more than that for a little thing of tri tip from a semi-fast food restaurant. This place kind of reminds me of Pei Wei in how it's set up and how you order. The only difference is that I like Pei Wei. It's not quite fast food but it's not quite a restaurant. The BBQ sauce was good, but I wouldn't be all that surprised if it had anchovies in it (worcestershire sauce). And I found out my friend Shasa works here! I had no idea she worked here, and I see her on a somewhat regular basis. read more

Wow, I have not Yelped in so long! This is the end of my hiatus. I've been to this place quite a few times for lunch. I am very surprised about the rating this place got... this is more of a 4.5 in my book... way better than 3 .5! I always come here for lunch when I have training nearby. (Or sometimes just when I have a long lunch break.) I always get the a lunch special... my favorite is the bbq tri tip salad. It's $6.50 for a huge salad with an awesome dressing. Add in a buck for a soda. Great deal for great food! read more

Love this place. Staff and management are really hospitable. The lunch specials are a great deal. Parking gets bad here. Wish they had a better rewards program though. read more

I went here only because I had a craving for bbq ribs, and I knew from other people that you can get some here. I wasn't expecting super quality ribs, but man when I got my food I was pleasantly surprised. OK so maybe their ribs aren't like Lucille's or anything, but it was pretty damn excellent. I ordered it along with the tri tip and damn, that meat was so juicy and tender and just delicious. the salad and breadsticks are great as well. This place looks kinda upscale from the outside, but when you go inside, it's very relaxing, casual, and clean. Came here on a Friday night and i wondered why it wasn't packed because the food was really good. the pay up front-then take a number-seat yourself style also makes it a great place for groups--less waiting for the waiter to come by. Nice touch also with the waiting area benches by the fire pit out front--pleasant place to sit if you need to wait for your friends who are always late read more

Discovered this place a year ago even though I've been in the area for the last 4.5 years. Whyy! Great place to come in groups, big or small. It's a sit-down restaurant, but you order up front like Panera Bread. There are a lot of seats, but it can get pretty busy. The inside is nice with both booths and tables and there is also an outside seating area. Service is good! Everyone is extremely nice and polite. Salad: BBQ Chicken Salad - DELICIOUS! It doesn't cost that much more to substitute with a combo... totally worth it, I think. Caesar Salad- Good, but ordinary. Just go with the BBQ chicken! Breadsticks: Freaking good! Hot and garlic-y. What more can you ask for? Entree: Tri-tip- Yum! BBQ is good, but you know what to expect. What I really like is their cracked pepper garlic topped with Gorgonzola butter! Ribs- A lot better than I expected. I had it last week, and I was pleasantly surprised. The ribs are pretty fat! I did not eat as many as I wanted to. Chicken- Not a big fan! I thought it was a bit dry, and I just think the other options are so much better Pizza: The Works!- Yummyyy! Just like a supreme, but I think better =) The employee suggested a combination of toppings for the 2nd pizza I tried, and it was really good but I can't remember the name of it! I just wish they had jalapenos! Desserts: Brownie- Sort of your ordinary brownie, to be honest. I couldn't even finish one by myself because it was tooo chocolate-y Carrot Cake- They gave us a huuuge chunk, which I liked. It was moist and light. Def liked it more than the brownie For your $'s worth: Get the Stimulus Package if you come here! For about $22, you can get a half pound of tri-tip, breadsticks, a salad, and a pan of pizza. The other combos on the menu are good too, but this isn't on there. Not sure if it's supposed to be like a "secret" menu or anything? Don't forget the extra BBQ sauce next to the fountain drinks! read more

I love stonefire grill! When I used to go to uci, whenever my roommates and I were starving this was our go to place. They have this thing on their secret menu called the "stimulus package" Their basically family deals for like $25. There are 3 you can choose from 1) Ribs + Salad + Garlic breadsticks 2) Tri Tip (Garlic/BBQ sauce) + PIzza (2 toppings) + Salad + garlic breadsticks 3) Chicken + Pizza (2 toppings) + salad + garlic breadsticks We always interchanged between the ribs and the tri tip. If you've never been to stonfire grill, definitely ask about the stimulus package. You'll save more money and its seriously a ton of food. This place is like a college students dream come true. The dining is very casual. you order at the counter, you get a number, you seat yourself and they serve your food to you. Atmosphere is nice, well lit, great if your having a big group of people. The only reason I don't give this place 5 stars is because, as much as I hate saying it, the tri tip and ribs aren't the best I've ever had. There really great for what your paying, but I've had better bbq elsewhere. But like I said if your craving bbq and your super hungry on a low budget stonefire will definitely hit the spot. I am definitely a big fan! read more

I went with a few work people last night for dinner, and since we were taking WAY too long to order, the lady who was taking our order told us of a secret menu item called the "Stimulus Package." It's as sexy as the name: 1. 1/2 pound tri-tip (one of my favorite dishes here) 2. 8 breadsticks (get their garlic Caesar dressing to dip it in) 3. Small pizza with two toppings (went for margharita) All for $25. We also got grilled vegetables, Caesar salad (the dressing is to die for), and three extra servings of the Caesar dressing for dipping of anything and everything. Completed the meal with bottles of their Coppola cab, delish! read more

This is an update to my previous review below. I just wanted to thank the entire StoneFire Grill staff in Irvine, CA for being so great with me. I was previously unsatisfied with an unpleasurable experience. The managers were so patient with me and understood my dissatisfaction and did not take it with a grain of salt. They did a perfect job handling the situation and compensated me more than fairly. I appreciate their sincerest apology and, as a result, will continue to be a valued customer. After all, their salads are to die for. =) read more

I forgot how much I love this place! It's a great place for families to gather since it has such a relaxed ambiance. You first walk in and are warmly greeted. Then you order in the front. I forgot this part and immediately said "for 2 please!" What a fool haha, luckily our cashier was super nice (and cute) hehe. We ordered a combo for 2 which include the garlic tritip and the peppered tritip. We got the Cesar salad as well and coldslaw (didn't eat much of this) with 4 pieces of the best garlic bread! I also love how they have bbq sauce that you can pump next to the utensils. It's so amazing. I could drink that bbq sauce... But I won't haha. The whole meal was a deal and cost about $22. I would definitely come here again! read more

Stonefire Grill - Tritip galore! Check out those bread sticks. This is food porn, I'm sorry. - American Near Me - Irvine, California

My cousin kept yappin yer yapper about this joint. She said everything from the menu was good in taste and quality and blah blah blah. Thank god she warned me about the prices though! SHEESH! I felt the food tasted like it was cooked in a microwave. The food had no flavor (including the pizza) and it was cold in some areas. UGH. Definately not coming back. That'd be like throwing money in a soiled toilet and flushing it away. read more

Having lived in Valencia for over 10 years, I absolutely loved Stonefire and ate it at least three times a month. I recently moved to the Buena Park area, and stopped by this Irvine Stonefire. There is nonstonefire in BP, so I was excited to have Stonefire as I had not had it in a long time. I ordered the Tri tip and rib combo, along with a bbq chopped salad. Oh boy. So the BBQ chopped salad was great, but everything else was bad. This was probably the worst Stonefire meal I ever had. The rib was super dry, with barely any bbq sauce, and some of it was burnt. The tri tip was chewy, thick, and slightly dry. The Garden salad that came with the combo looked sloppy. Still hungry, my bf and I ordered a salmon filet (i forgot what sauce) but when it came out I was taken aback at how sloppy it looked. Im not picky when it comes to presentations, but when all you have to do is put salmon filet on a plate and put sauce on it to make it look edible, it was poorly done. The salmon tasted fine, don't get me wrong, but I was definitely turned off by the visual. read more

Stonefire Grill - A 5 year old could've made this look more appetizing - American Near Me - Irvine, California

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I'm a huge fan of this place. Customer service is great and you can't go wrong with their BBQ chicken pizza and breadsticks. I love their greek salad but the dressing is really oily so I ask for it on the side and pour out some oil. Their tri-tip is a hit or miss, sometimes I get good pieces and other times it's so overcooked and chewy, even if I order medium rare. read more

Ordered the tri tip and bbq chicken combo. I didn't check the order until I got back to my office but I requested medium rare tri tip and got well done everything else was good but the well done tri tip was a bummer read more

Stonefire Grill - Ordered medium rare. In what universe is this medium rare, Stonefire Grill? - American Near Me - Irvine, California

Some of the best pizzas and salads around! Not to mention the BBQ meat is great! The staff is extremely friendly and attentive. I also HIGHLY recommend their food to go. Great portions for family get together and parties. read more

It's been a while since I've written a review, but I wanted to write one specifically for this place. I was picking up a large order that had been placed the day before. When I got there, there was apparently a mix up and the order didn't go through. Understanding that things like that happen, I told them it was fine and I would just wait for them to remake my order. They rushed the order through the kitchen and comped my whole meal!! Not to mention, I only needed to wait an extra 10 minutes! Also, the food was delicious. We ordered the tri tip (half BBQ, half garlic pepper... I think that's the flavor), full rack of ribs, the BBQ chopped salad, and the breadsticks. I will definitely be back. Thank you, Stonefire! read more

Love this place. The food is always fresh, tasty and have lots of variety. Service is usually great as they attend to each customer and keep things organized during buy time. This is my 1-2 time a week stop. read more

Very clean and well organized restaurant. Family part can be good if your a parent, but when I went, the kids were a bit out of control, running all around the restaurant. I could hardly hear myself speak. The food was great! I had the bbq chicken wrap and was delighted with it! Perfect and tender chicken and at 6.99 I thought it was a great deal! I could only eat half and brought the rest home with me. I would definitely come back to this place but probably in the middle of the day when the kids are in school. My friend got the 1/2 chicken individual meal which I also thought was a great price for the works they give you. Definitely a massive chicken (choose your marinade), salad (not one of those puny couple of leaves and a tomato deals), and breadsticks(2)! Excellent service!!!! They really go out of their way to make sure you are happy. Recap: (1) Excellent prices (2) Yummmmmy food (3) Fantastic service (4) Awesome set up/organization * tip: go when the kids are in school read more

You cannot go wrong with their stimulus package!! It is perfect for 4 people or 3 REALLY hungry people. It comes with a small bowl of salad, 8 breadsticks, a small pizza, and some kind of meat options. Here is the usual breakdown of what I usually get: Tri-tip/ribs/chicken: The tri-tip is sooo good when it's a little pink and we always get half bbq half garlic butter. I always have the bbq one with extra bbq sauce. The ribs are cut up individually and it has a lot of bbq flavor but is still moist. The chicken is also really good and full of garlic flavor too. Their chicken is never dry and it is usually very tender and juicy! Pizza: You can pick 2 regular toppings or pay a little extra for their special pizzas. We usually get mushroom and sausage which is a pretty good combo. Pizza is what you expect it to be so no surprises there! Breadsticks: They are so soft and topped with a generous amount of cheese and garlic. This also tastes great with bbq sauce :) but what doesn't? Salad: I usually get their ceaser salad which comes with a lot of cheese and an even amount of dressing. So yummy! Their greek salad is pretty good and well-rounded in terms of the amount of ingredients they use but I'm not a big fan of olives or cucumbers so I rarely get it. You order and pay when you enter so you seat and plate yourself. The servers are all very friendly and the food always arrives to your table in almost no time. I highly recommend using their bbq sauce which you dispense yourself, so I always get two. They also offer cheese and hot pepper flakes for your pizza, so don't be shy! read more

HOW HAVE I NOT REVIEWED STONEFIRE? We come to this location at least once every couple months either with family or friends, and have even ordered it as catering/to go before because for the price, it's SUCH a good deal... and the restaurant has tons of indoor and outdoor seating, including enough for big groups like birthdays etc. We always, ALWAYS order the Stimulus packages (off the menu!) which comes with either a chicken or trip tip, plus a pizza, a small salad, and breadsticks. Just dooooo ittttt. The value is unbeatable. The service is always super friendly and helpful and attentive, which is just the icing on the cake. read more

This is probably the fastest most honest review I've given on Yelp, because we just got back from this place @ 8:55pm. This place suuuuuuuuuuuucks donkey! When I first saw the place I said this building has bad karma, it's been at least 3 different restaurants in the past 10 years. It's also located by another mediocre BBQ joint Lucilles. Also let me make it clear that YES there is a distinct difference between grillin & BBQ'n but preparation & knowledge are close. When we first arrived I said to myself. "Typical Irvine eatery, a lot of flash, a lot of money spent on appearance". I have to keep in mind MOST Californians don't know spit about BBQ or even Grillin for that matter & you need to take these 4 & 5 stars & throw them out the window, for real. I mean if you grew up thinking that real mac & cheese was orange & came out of a blue box then you'll probably like this place. Okay let's get to the food. The baby back ribs were absolutely horrible. It was like someone from Sweden watched an episode of Down Home with the Neely's & said, "Oh that's easy". Stuck some ribs in the microwave, slathered it with BBQ sauce from Target & then stuck a lighter underneath the ribs to give it that "charred crunchy" texture. Seriously that's exactly how it tasted. The garlic breadsticks were a joke, you could get better at Ralphs Grocery Store. The tri-tip was fluorescent pink with no flavor. The saving grace was the garlic lemon chicken & the garlic & cheese mashed potatoes. Both had just a smidge too much garlic but it was tolerable. The best thing about the whole place is they carry my favorite ice tea, Paradise, tropical. I am thoroughly disappointed but not surprised. If you want some decent BBQ ribs go to The WoodRanch Grill in Rancho Santa Margarita or Bryans in Placentia. But save you're money when it comes to this place. OBTW, it's not cheap at all!!! When did down home BBQ get so frickn expensive. It's supposed to be common peoples food. read more

Really great for groups! The stimulus package is awesome! It's $20 for your choice of meat, 2-topping pizza, salad, and breadsticks! its enough to feed 4 hungry girls! I always get the tri tip, sausage and mushroom pizza, ceasar salad! Try dipping your breadstick in ranch! its really good! read more

Really disappointed. Was in a hurry and came in just after 3pm for a quick lunch at a time they weren't busy. Ordered a steak sandwich w/mashed potatoes. After 15 minutes had not received my sandwich. Asked the girl that took my order. When she went back to the kitchen staff that was just standing around you could tell they hadn't bothered to look at the order yet. An $8.49 sandwich that should have cost $4.00! Next to no meat on it, and it was tough and chewy. I think there was more cheese than meat. Nothing about this place makes me look forward to coming back. There are so many better places out there. read more

I love Stonefire Grill. You get a lot of food for not a lot of money. The quality is pretty decent. I've eaten here about 5 times and the service has always been great. It's a good casual dining family restaurant. So the deal is you order the food and pay first, then they give you your drink cups and a number and you find a place to sit. You fill your drink, get your plates and silverware at the station and then your food is dropped off by food runners. It's different, but it all works. When I come here I always order the stimulus package for $21.99. I get half a tritip (you can choose mesquite or bbq seasoning or half and half), 12 inch two-topping pizza, salad (4 different choices) and 8 breadsticks. You can also substitute the tritip for a half-chicken, or get a full rack of ribs instead of the tritip/pizza combo. The tritip comes out sliced and if you order the mesquite it comes with a little side of gorgonzola cheese. I like the pizza even though I wish it was a little bigger and less greasy. The sausage is not Italian sausage but sliced sausage, which is a little different. I love the Caeser salad and always order it. I think they mix the dressing you choose for every salad, but you can always ask for it on the side. Breadsticks are also yummy. I've tried the baby back ribs before and they are pretty good. The staff is always super-friendly and helpful, I'm sure because people get confused about the concept of getting their own dinnerware from a station and ask a lot of questions. The restaurant and bathrooms are always clean. I like this restaurant a lot and plan to take my family here for years to come. I went on Tuesday for lunch with my in-laws (who are very difficult to please at times) and they liked it so much they suggested we host my son's baptism dinner here. Check this place out...it's pretty good!!! read more

I recommend their Stonefire's favorite pizza (pesto, red onions, avocados, no meat but you won't even notice because it's just that good)- there isn't anything quite like it anywhere else you can find pizza, and their pesto pasta - you get a large portion even at the smallest size (you can tell I'm a pesto fan). I feel their prices are fair, the service is good, and the food arrives quickly and is consistently tasty. read more

Wow has time gone by so fast! I can't believe it was my first time trying Stonefire over 3+ years ago! Yet I've only been back once since I moved here LOL -___- The menu and interior has changed! I'm kind of bummed they did away with paper menus, you have to look up at their mega screen tv, the writing is so small! It's best to look online before you come in! The quality of the food hasn't changed thank goodness! The portions are still huge and feed an army! I've tried 2 different salads and I loved them! Super fresh, their dressings taste made from scratch (nothing from a bottle here) I recently tried their Carrot Cake and I was disappointed by it. It was lacking the flavors you get from Carrot Cake and raisins! I'm glad we only got 1/2 a slice! Stonefire is still going to be one of my ATF places to eat! Who can go wrong with pizza, pasta and crack breadsticks?!! ^_^ read more

Ate here on Sunday for lunch and I wanted to go to a place I haven't been before. I remembered seeing this place after eating in this shopping center on a previous day. Stonefire has an interesting process for getting your food and eating. You first go in and order at the front of the place (this will get awkward as I explain later), you get a number and find your seat, and then they bring the food out to you. If you need an plates, utensils or condiments, you have to get up and get it yourself. I ended up ordering a small salad and a normal sized tomato and basil pizza. The salad came out first and it was freaking huge for a small. On their menu a small is for 1-2 people and I was here with one other person and so we got the small. The small salad could probably feed like 4 averaged sized people... possibly more (I guess maybe the huge portion is for people on the huge side?). They do have a petite salad which they say is enough for 1 and maybe if I come back I might just get that. After getting the salad, we started to wonder what a normal sized pizza would be here. The pizza came to the table and it was just a normal 10 inch pizza. It is kind of a disconnect on portion sizes when you get a small salad and there is more salad than there is pizza. Oh well. So with my order I ended up getting a beer because beer and pizza is one of the best combos in the world. In the middle of my meal, I finished my beer and wanted another. Here is that awkwardness I was talking about earlier. Since you pay first and want something else you have to go back up to the place where you order to get something else. So I was too lazy and I just had the one beer and finished my meal. The salad wasn't bad and pizza was better than the usual cookie cutter pizza joints. I would say it is a lot better than Pizza Hut but not as good as Red Brick Pizza. Overall its missing the mark of the average 3 because of awkward flow of the food eating experience. read more

I like sitting on the patio here during lunch time. You can look around you and see all the business men and women wolfing down their pizzas and tri-tips. They have a good lunch deal for $5.99, the bbq chicken and the french dip are good. I've never been too big a fan of this place though, while the bbq and tri-trip are good they're nothing to brag about, and nothing I would ever crave. It's fairly local to where I live so in a snap it's one of those restaurants that pops up into your mind, that no one really wants to go to but no one really DOESN'T want to go to either. Grilled tri-tip salad is decent with a small amount of meat and avocado. Petite size is good for one person. Their bbq sauce is tangy and kind of sweet. Overall a decent lunch that will run you around 10 dollars unless you get their special. It can get expensive when you start on the combos. There are two things I love about this place though, like crisp, clear, beautiful summer-day kind of love: The fact that if you sit on the patio you (USED TO) get a glimpse of Diedrich's coffee and can look forward to the Antigua mocha java afterwards, and the mashed potatoes. Oh God the mashed potatoes. So fluffy, so creamy, so heavenly-garlicky-cheesy-savory-toasted on top-every-bite-addictive starchy love. It's amazing. I don't know how else to say it. Don't get the coleslaw, don't get the beans. Get the mashed potatoes. Delightfully lustful. read more

no host + no "wait staff" = no service (no bueno) But damn! 'That's some tasty @ss tri-tip! 'As quite a few fellow yelp*ers have raved about... "It's all about the tri-tip!" 'And they're right! Great, moist, flavorful, & tender. (Mesquite BBQ) My good friend, SP, and I decided to stop by the other day for an early dinner. She has used them a couple of times for catering but had never actually been to the restaurant. (*The last time they used Stonefire Grill for an event, SP noticed a drop in quality & may be looking for a new restaurant for the company's next function) Stonefire has been in my "bookmark bin" for some time and even after SP's not so raving notes, I wanted to give it a try for myself. Nice, spacious layout, with plenty of seating, inside and out(w/gas heaters). Note - As you walk in, there are two ordering areas/counters, unbeknownst to us @ the time... The one on the left is for "to-go orders/catering" and the counter on the right is for "eating in." This is where you place your order, are given a a soda cup, a table number, and then proceed to a table. This has all the vibes of a fast food joint - McDonald's, Carl's Jr., In & Out, or any run of the mill, Taco Bell... BUT, it doesn't look like one. It has all the trimmings of a nice, sit down, full service, Claim Jumper, TGI Fridays, or any run of the mill, Lucilles Smokehouse BBQ... I'm confused. In addition, the first employee we interacted with gave us that "Duh!" look as if we we're supposed to know this, like we've been here before... "Don't ch'ya know that this line is for take out & this other one's for dine-in?" ('Lose the sh*tty attitude.) WTF?! Hey, Sally Struthers! 'How'about asking guests if it's their first time here?! 'Especially since you have a frick'n schizophrenic establishment! What are you, a fast food joint or a full service restaurant... Thanks Stonefire! I need a f*k'n aspirin! However, the young lady, "Winona," who took our order was very helpful in answering most of our questions. My guess for this business model is to try and help curb payroll: no host + no "wait staff" = no service (no bueno) It's basically a self-serve restaurant. It's fast food BBQ, dressed up like a grown up establishment. Don't get me wrong, the food was good but why bother?... If they really want to save $$$, cut down on the size, reduce the seating area by 50%, focus on take out orders & catering. Silverware - 'Not a big fan of silverware sitting in a plastic tub for everyone to touch and finger through as they sift through the utensils, looking for a "clean" set. That's just Nasty. (W/a capital "N") Ketchup packets - Yes, they have those. I was a bit surprised to see these sitting on the counter. When I asked one of the workers, she said that they don't want to encourage people to use ketchup on their dishes and to focus on the flavor of Stonefire's BBQ sauce... Okay, makes sense. Their "house," their rules. "The Stimulus Package" - $23.95 "Cartwheel" Salad (Mixed greens with black olives, beets, garbanzo beans, tomato, radishes and tortilla strips - tossed with our Cilantro Vinaigrette): Great!; fresh; lots of good stuff inside Tri-tip (Mesquite BBQ topped with Gorgonzola butter): Great!; nice portion Aloha Pizza - Small: Good; fresh; tasty; good size for two people 8 Garlic Breadsticks: Okay; seasoning was not consistent throughout - some had ample toppings, others barely any A la carte - BBQ Pork Ribs - Signature BBQ Sauce ($12.99): Good; a bit charred on one end; nice portion Garlic Mashed Potatoes ($2.99): "Eh"; lumpy; a bit dry (Plus 2 sodas) One of the benefits to the way Stonefire has their "order @ the counter, first, then take a seat method" is that it can help reduce the headache at the end of the night when the bill needs to be divided 6 ways amongst the customers. This way, everyone in the party is accountable for their ticket up front... 'And the cheap b@stard of the group, you know, "that guy!" The one who puts in his $ last after everyone else has, giving the pool a fair surplus... 'And slips $7 into the collective stack for his $15 meal. Yeah, "that guy." 8/ (There's always one in the group, two if it's a couple!) 'Will I come back..."Eh!" (shrugs) There are a lot more places out there with just as tasty food and in comparison, mediocre service beats "no service" hands down. The attitude of the first employee we were greeted with upon walking in, not the best first impression. "Winona" helped bring back a bit of professionalism to to the experience. "Hey, other girl! Do the establishment a favor, get back behind the glass manning the grill or throw boxes in the stock room!... You're not helping!!" If you do happen to drop by, ask about their "The Stimulus Package." ($23.95) A good value for the $$! (5 Stars) Choice of: Chicken, tri-tip or ribs + Small salad + Small pizza with 2 toppings + 8 garlic breadsticks - Aloha! Food: 4 Ambiance: 3 Service: 2 (It's basically self-serve) Value: 3+ (Overall) read more

I lived in Irvine for 15 years and now I work down the street from Stonefire. Its great for a filling, inexpensive meal. The BFF and I usually share a small BBQ Tri Tip salad and stuff ourselves and still leave some in the bowl. I've had several of their salads and like them all...plus, you really can share one small one with 2 or 3 people. Yay economical! The steak sandwich is also pretty good, but I'm not a huge fan of the wraps. Seems to be all lettuce, and I'm a meat and cheese girl fo sho! Stonefire gets 3.5 stars from me, only because you can not order their disgustingly delicious mac n cheese as a side. You have to order the kids meal to get a bite of the cheesy goodness. Kinda a bummer. read more

I can't believe people gave this 4 stars. Maybe I just went on a bad day, but I really didn't like the food at all. I came at lunch time (12:45 PM) on a weekday, and the place was packed. I don't know what the other people were eating, but probably not the same things we were. I got the tri-tip combo (BBQ chicken and tri-tip). The tri-tip was only partially cooked medium rare. There were parts that were overcooked. If I wanted tri-tip, not beefy jerky. The meat itself was tasteless and the small amount of white cream sauce to go with it would have been enough for maybe half the amount of meat. Very disappointing. The BBQ chicken was one of the worst I've ever had. It was dry, overcooked, and the sauce was obviously ladled on after the chicken was done cooking. I could perceive no hint of marinade that could've helped this poor bird become juicy and tasty. My boyfriend had an Aloha pizza, which he didn't like either. This was our first and last time at this place. read more

This place is a great place to go for lunch or for dinner when you feel like good inexpensive American comfort food. I love the breadsticks here. Parmesan garlic breadsticks sooo yummy. My favorite thing to order is the individual combo meal with the tri tip and the 1/4 chicken. I always get the lemon garlic chicken and the tri tip topped with blue cheese and garlic butter. SO YUMMY. The meal comes with a salad (I like the greek) and two breadsticks. It's actually a lot of food so come here hungry! read more