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Wye Oak Tavern

4.1 (125 reviews)
Closed • 5:00 pm - 9:00 PM

Wye Oak Tavern Photos

WYE OAK TAVERN ATMOSPHERE

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Classy
Upscale
Good for groups

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Burger and fries
Brian L.

I've been to Wye Oak Tavern three times now and have had a pretty mixed experience each time. First, the positives: the atmosphere is awesome. The restaurant sits inside the beautifully restored Visitation Hotel, which I believe was once a hospital. They've done a great job incorporating elements of the historic building into the decor. It's not white-tablecloth formal, but it definitely feels like an upscale, contemporary dining experience. The challenge is the inconsistency with the food and service. Each time I've visited, the meal has included a few things I loved and a few things I really didn't. On my first visit, the oysters were good and the savory cheesecake appetizer was excellent. The ribeye, however, was disappointing -- not a great cut and lacking a proper sear. I've also found that the menu descriptions sometimes miss key flavor components. For example, the spiced sweet potato side had an extremely strong curry flavor, but curry wasn't mentioned anywhere in the description. Curry is a dominant flavor, and diners should know it's there. That said, the spicy rigatoni was nearly perfect. The second visit was much better. I had the burger and fries, a pastrami beet appetizer, and the shells and cheese. The burger was phenomenal -- super meaty, juicy, cooked medium with a perfect pink center, and incredibly flavorful. Service was a bit slow that night, but the food made up for it. Tonight's visit was again a mix of hits and misses. The food took quite a while to come out. The savory pumpkin pie appetizer was unfortunately a miss -- bland overall, with the only noticeable flavor again being curry. The prime rib came out lukewarm, and the burger (which I know is supposed to be served medium) was cooked well done with no pink. On the positive side, the Brussels sprouts were excellent, the cheesecake was decent, and the cookies were fine. Overall, I'd describe Wye Oak as a place with a fantastic atmosphere and some standout dishes, but also a lot of inconsistency. At around $200 for two people (two apps, two entrees, one side, two desserts, no alcohol), I think it's simply too expensive to have this many shortcomings. It's honestly a shame, because some dishes -- especially the burger -- are truly outstanding. But overall, the experience has been too hit-or-miss to justify the price. I probably won't return, and if I do, it would likely be just for the burger (and I'll make sure to specify medium).

Vikki V.

The restaurant has been beautifully repurposed from a 19th-century Catholic convent and girls' school chapel, and the atmosphere is unmatched. The culinary experience completely lived up to the ambiance. We tried the cocktail recommendations from Chaz, and he hit it out of the park. What really sets this place apart is the team. Chaz was incredibly attentive, knowledgeable, and accommodating throughout our meal. A special shout-out to Joe, the GM, who went out of his way to show us true hospitality and make us feel welcome. We are visiting from Nashville for the first time, and my twin sister lives here locally. She is a loyal patron of Wye Oak Tavern, and after tonight, we completely understand why this is her go-to spot. We cannot wait to return the next time we are in town! Follow me on Instagram - @thecannyadventurist for a deeper dive into my reviews.

Pot Roast and Mashed Potatoes
Ryan V.

My girlfriend and I made a 6:30 reservation for the main dining room floor. We were promptly seated after walking into the hotel. The main dining room is absolutely gorgeous with the stonework and architecture. The bar area was very busy as we were on the tail end of their happy hour. Our server walked us through the menu. We started with the ravioli appetizer. It had shaved truffles on top and egg yolk covered in Parmesan cheese. They almost had a little crunch to them and the inside was filled with ricotta cheese. The sides are à la carte as is most of the menu. I ordered the tavern burger. It came with beef fat glaze among other spreads and was very well seasoned. The side of beef fat fries were also well seasoned and crispy. The best dish was the pot roast. It was so tender and the gravy was so flavorful. This paired perfect with their creamy mashed potatoes. The service was decent but the food and atmosphere was absolutely amazing. They have a huge variety of cocktails and wine. It's a bit more formal Dining. It doesn't require a jacket or anything.

Braised Greens
Meghan W.

Wye Oak Tavern is a lovely new restaurant from chefs Bryan and Michael Voltaggio located in the Visitation Hotel in downtown Frederick. The dark wood furniture, cream walls and low lighting give the restaurant and warm and cozy feel. You can still see remnants of the venue's former life as a church in the pipe organ in the balcony and the stained glass windows at the bar. Even some of the seating looks like pews. The service is excellent. The staff is very attentive and willing to answer all of your questions. I was happy with my food selections. Everything arrived relatively quickly and was very flavorful. Like all Voltaggio restaurants, the drink menu is extensive with a wide array of wines, beers, cocktails and non-alcoholic mocktails. You can easily find inexpensive parking in the nearby parking garage on Church Street. I strongly encourage making reservations since the restaurant is new and popular. If you don't make reservations, you can hang out in the bar and small lounge areas while you wait for a table. Overall, I enjoyed my experience at Wye Oak Tavern and look forward to visiting again soon!

Crab cake
Jon S.

Overall this was a fun experience! They have valet parking but street and garage parking is readily available and cheaper than valet. The place is HUGE (a converted church) and it's attached to a hotel but there's signs all over to help you find the dining space! The interior is beautiful, they kept a decent amount of the church aspects that make the place still historic but functional for a restaurant. I wasn't sure if there was a kids menu (couldn't find it on-line or other photos, so I posted one up for y'all). The kids menu has a good section and good price for what you get! Kids loved the Mac and cheese (made from scratch and real cheese) and the kids burgers were good! Let's start off by what was good, the fries! Wow the beef fat fries were great, good crunch and flavor just not enough!!! Wish the portions were larger for something as small and cheap like fries! But 5/5! The crab cake was so good! I wish that there was more than one for the price but wow, the sauce and the crab were fantastic, nice sear on the top and didn't skimp on the crab meat!! 5/5 just wish it came with two as most places do. The bone-in pork chop was....okay, probably wouldn't order again tbh. - little tough, decent flavor but a tad on the salty side. 3/5 The prime rib. Man I really wanted to like this a bit more. I had asked the server if I could get it seasoned and seared but she didn't understand my question and only explained about how a prime rib is cooked (which I know and not a newb...but alas) I tried to explain what I meant but she didn't get it. Unfortunately, my ribeye cut had very small rib cap to it (honestly that's the best part of the ribeye so I kind of missed out on the tastiest part) it's an 80/20 cut with the 20% fat. The ribeye was good not the best I've had but good....could be better3.5/5 Overall, good with the kids and was accommodating for our kids allergies. The server was a bit lacking and slow (couldn't find her most of the time). Half of our food was just okay but others amazing, still willing to go back and try more dishes. Just not the pork chop or prime rib

Wye Oak chocolate cake
Emily W.

Wye Oak is a relatively new steakhouse from Bryan Voltaggio inside the Visitation Hotel in Frederick. You can entire from the front on East Second street or the back at the hotel entrance off of Church Street. They do have valet parking which is off the Church St entrance but there is also street parking and garages nearby. The restaurant itself is gorgeous, with stained glass windows and an old organ upstairs. The service is excellent - the drinks are well made, even basic drinks like a margarita or mojito. The appetizers and fun and inventive and delicious. The chicken liver pate is my favorite thus far - served in the shape of a chicken leg with waffles and topped with a bacon jam. Each element compliments the others and it is an excellent bite. The shrimp and grits cocktail is also excellent, with large shrimp and a play on shrimp toast made with grits. The steaks are each served with your choice of sauce as well as a popover. The tiger sauce is excellent as well as the chimichurri and brown butter béarnaise. The swordfish picatta was a stunner as well. For desserts, the lemon meringue dish was incredible as well as the cheesecake. Overall, this was an excellent meal with wonderful service!

Ribeye
Felicia C.

This place is absolutely gorgeous inside. It makes for a really lovely dining experience with the high ceilings and old fashion but modern look and feel. It's elegant, yet cozy. The service was amazing. Our server was incredibly friendly and attentive. Overall, I loved all the drinks and would love to try more. The oysters were fantastic and I loved the uniqueness of the cheese ravioli. The main dishes were okay to me, I still enjoyed them but for the price point, I'm unsure if it was worth it. Here is what we ordered: DRINKS: - The in crowd: tart and sweet like skittles, has egg foam. LOVE this drink. - Hype train: espresso martini. Amazing, I love it. There's a hint of spice to it and it bites you in the aftertaste. Slightly bitter bite with some tart acidity. Lovely unique take on the espresso martini. - Lady bug: ginger honey. sweet and sour. But not too sweet. Very delicious. Good drink for anyone that likes subtly sweet. FOOD: - Cheese ravioli: delicious! Not what you'd expect, but very very flavorful and unique. It's a cheese ravioli with cooked veggies. The flavor was amazing and the surprise of the dish were the earthy greens (Swiss chard, and arugula). It was all seasoned very well and a very well put together dish, but just don't expect it to be a super cheesy creamy one! - Ribeye with chimichuri: very delicious and cooked perfectly. Chimichuri wasn't too flavorful (have had better), it was light and fresh. - Popover: served with the ribeye. It was stale and cheesy. They missed on this one. - Rockfish: very delicious with the sauce! It was a tiny bit rubbery. Hush puppy with delicious with the sauce. - Mashed potatoes: perfectly smooth and creamy. - Lemon merengue: this was a deconstructed dessert with it was like tart gelatin and very light whip and some crunch. Also FYI, the still water costs money. Overall, I enjoyed my time here but i am giving four stars because this is a pricey and high end establishment and the food was good but wasn't on par with how much we paid. I would love to come back to the bar for some drinks!

Kevin S.

Our first time visiting this establishment. We came to celebrate a birthday. Tried the Cruda over the oysters off the cold bar. Wanted something different. It was good but the oysters looked great. Next was the steak tartar with a horseradish creme. It's the best I've had. I'll definitely order that again. Dinner was a la carte. I ordered the prime rib which was very good. My wife ordered the Rockfish in a cioppino broth. The crispy skin and broth made it. There were a wide variety of shareable sides including some pasta dishes. We opted for the broccoli with chili oil and the beef fat fries. The fries were ok, the broccoli with that kick were amazing. Instead of dessert we went to the bar for some after dinner cocktails. Both our server/bartenders offered great suggestions and provided great service.

45day aged prime rib shell steak and rockfish
Donna Y.

It's easy to make reservations here. This place is nestled in the middle of a Marriott hotel. With a church feel to the place and the high ceilings this place is breathtaking. We were sat upstairs by the piano/organ with a top down view of the restaurant. We ordered the 45 day aged prime angus shell steak and the rockfish. The steak had a selection of sauces so we tried the tiger sauces and chimichurri sauce. Both were very mild sauces. I prefer my chimichurri to be on the punchier side but honestly the steak can standalone without any additional flavors. The rockfish - hands down- stole the show. The skin crispy. The fish moist. The sauce mouthwatering. The hushpuppies... omg. I'd be back just for the rockfish again and again.

View from our table on the mezzanine
James P.

The ambiance is amazing and the service is impeccable. We sat on the mezzanine right beside the organ overlooking the main dining area. Now that that's out of the way let's get to the food. We split the Parmesan Cheesecake, Benton's Ham, Tavern Burger, shells & cheese, and the apple dumpling. It was the saltiest meal I've ever had in my life. The amount of salt on the fries, cheesecake, and pesto that was served with the cheesecake was unbearable. We were even getting salt from the apple dumpling. Never tasted anything like it. It's a shame because everything else was spectacular about the place. I would give it another shot to see if it was an off-night or a new chef or something of that nature.

Wine menu
Catelyn H.

Omg I died and was reborn when I dined here! Good thing the restaurant is based in an old church. The ambience is gorgeous and the restaurant kept the stained glass windows which aids in the warm environment. The restaurant was packed when I arrived, but I managed to snag a seat at the bar. I was immediately greeted by helpful bartenders. I enjoyed the yacht rock and a fresh aperol spritz for my beverages. Both were perfectly crafted. For my meal I got the smoked pork loin chop, grits, and a side of broccoli rabe. The pork chop was cooked and seasoned to perfection and the grits were divine (this is coming from a true southerner). The broccoli wasn't something I would order again. I also indulged in dessert- I got the strawberry sorbet cheesecake. It was good, but I would definitely venture to try something new next time.

Gerald H.

Stopped here after booking a reservation for 8:45pm. I haven't watched Top Chef or anything like that, so hearing that the chefs were TV celebrities didn't really move me one way or another - it's whether the plate tastes good or not. Located in the Visitation Hotel in downtown, there are several parking options. We settled on street parking behind the building - which after 5pm is FREE. There is also valet parking. Former church sanctuary turned restaurant, the former altar is where the bar is located. I don't know - the former church thing kind of makes me feel weird but - that's just me, didn't take away from my experience. However, it is obscenely LOUD in the restaurant. I mean so loud that I HAVE TO YELL TO ASK WHAT WE ARE GETTING AS A STARTER!!! I SAIDDDDDDDDD WHAT ARE WE GETTING FOR A STARTER!!!! Might be wise to get some noise canceling items to quiet the acoustics. We were sat at 8:45 in the usual half chair/half booth option. I ordered a Four Roses old-fashioned to start which was good. We shared the savory Parmesan cheesecake which is served with pesto and tomatoes. This wasn't bad -- but I'll stick to sweet cheesecakes from here. I ordered a 10oz filet - cooked medium and added tiger sauce. For a side dish I ordered the asparagus. The steak was good - nice grill to it and the inside was done to temp. The steak came with this weird bread roll which was soft in the middle. Was impressed there. The tiger sauce was a horseradish and was very very tasty. The asparagus was good - served on green sauce and stracciatella. Tasted good there. For dessert, I ordered the slice of wye oak which was ok - the hazelnut and chocolate rolled and sliced to look like a wood cut was cool to look at and the presentation was very nice - but the chocolate/hazelnut really lacked flavor- was bland to me. Our waiter was good, things slowed considerably around dessert and stalled us wrapping things up-- but he did a good job explaining the menu, specials, and sauces. I would recommend trying this - I SAIDDDDD I WOULD RECOMMEND TRYING THIS PLACE!!!

Swordfish
Nicole L.

Beautiful space and generous seating with a touch of melted wax from the candles. The staff are presentable and pleasant. I had a french Chablis and Stag Leap Chardonnay by the glass they were both good! For dinner we ordered cheese ravioli, smoked beet pastrami and fluke crudo. Very curious about those mixed reviews. We dined at many B. Voltaggio led establishments, the wine program is always good and this place showed a great amount maturity and complexity in flavors! The cheese ravioli with freshly made pasta with the wilted greens that had such a umami flavor, I said it was almost reaching salty but stop short, giving it such restraint which is perfect. The beef tartare was delicious with the hashbrowns. The fluke crudo had very nice sprinkle of spices that worked perfectly and seasoned well! The last minute add was the smoked beet pastarami, and it was really worth trying - the complexity of the smoked beet went well with the funnel cake and dressing! Loved this dish. The main course aged 18 oz Roseda beef was executed well and the peppercorn sauce was perfect. The swordfish was also delicious! The sides we had were the broccoli rabe - very good with the spices, the fries with beef fat - crispy perfect but the most unexpected dish was the arrabiatta rigatoni. The pasta was just perfect sauce coated and brown butter added another layer of complexity. We ended dinner with Wye Oak chocolate. It was one of the best chocolate desserts I had in a while. Overall the food was balanced in seasoning and depths of flavors, it was very delightful. We loved it and looking forward to have these dishes again! B Voltaggio took time to greet us at the table. Thanks for a great experience!

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Ask the Community - Wye Oak Tavern

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Wye Oak Tavern - bars - Updated June 2026

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