Wonderful place with a great mission! They fit our entire volleyball team and parents into their beautiful restaurant and gave us VIP treatment. Great Gluten Free options! Thank you!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Brooke Chang (KMC's Mom)
First time visit. We live far away but next time I am in Hartford I will look to see if FxF will be open. We made a reservation. Food tasted good. The staff were welcoming, friendly and professional. We ate in the front dining area which stayed warm despite being where the entry door is.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Eric Weaver
Through the grapevine (social media pages I follow), we heard that Chef Van Hurd from Season 6 of Hell's Kitchen was now the executive chef here at Fire By Forge! So naturally, we pulled up to check it out! (Disclaimer: Chef told me that he was so new there that his featured items hadn't hit the menu at that time. ALSO, he's been long gone from there at the time of this review.) So anyway, here's how things went!
Atmosphere/Appearance: Set right in Hartford, just a little on the outskirts is this gem. It's on Broad street a little out the way and there is a very small parking lot next to the restaurant, but street parking is also available. The outside looks very well put together and rustic. Once inside the restaurant is kinda split into 2 sections. You have the main section which is nice, open with high ceilings, bright red bricks, big windows, soft leather couches and all kinds of seating arrangements. If you walk past the bar you get into a smaller section, but it's kinda like a tunnel of tables. Lol. That tunnel of tables then opens up into what almost looks like a different restaurant, but feels like a space they expanded into. So there's plenty of places to sit, though I still encourage reservations! The atmosphere was lively and full of energy. This place also lets you know that it's a cooking school too! Amateur chefs can come here to learn knife skills and cooking skills as well! (This is just a small snippet of what they do, but I encourage you to visit the businesses website to learn more about what they offer.)
Service: Here's my only gripe about this place. Right online it says "Happy Hour is from 4:30 PM to 6 PM daily and 8pm-9pm, except on holidays, events, or show nights." But like, when isn't there a show or some sort of event going at at The Bushnell or some nearby theater?! You have to literally call and check with the host to see if they're doing happy hour before you come because if you THINK you're in the clear, they can just say... oh there's a show tonight so there will be no happy hour. So that bothered me. Oh well. We still dined. Now for the good stuff! Let me tell you something about Suzie Johnson! She is the bartender here and she won BARTENDER OF THE YEAR in 2024 via the Connecticut Restaurant Association! She is a TREAT! She's full of personality, knows her stuff and is just a true pleasure.
Food: First off was the Up In Smoke Old Fashioned. It had great, subtle sweetness up front, warm taste from the Up & Down branded bourbon, cold, smooth, not too harsh and of course, a bit smokey. As a courtesy to guests, they're served pickled carrots as palate cleansers instead of bread, crisps or anything like that. Clever. The first small plate I got to try were the Duck Mole Wings! These are described as "5 crispy duck wings with a tequila mole barbecue sauce, served with sesame seeds and pickled onions. These certainly looked the part! These were smooth, not necessarily crispy, extremely tender, hardy and just balanced. Mole is a very ingredient-heavy sauce and these were delicious. My 2nd drink was the Ghost Rider which is Up & Down bourbon, spiced Nightrider espresso, Licor 43 and an orange twist. This had a sharp cinnamon/hazelnut/nutmeg flavor/spice-y flavor. Very good and warming as well, even though it was a little sweet. Next up was the Knife Skills Soup! This is a soup compiled by the trainees and all the vegetables they've chopped in class! How cool is that?! It was a very thick vegetable soup, hearty, salty and warm. Next up were the Tostone Nachos! These were so fantastic. The pulled pork on top was so meaty, so tender and the queso fresco was lightly cheesy adding subtle notes to the hearty pork and carb-y tostone. This was my favorite thing of the night. My last drink of the night was the Sazerac. If absinthe is in the building, I must try that restaurant's version. This one was spectacular, but could've used more rye bourbon. The last thing we had to try was their Smash
John
Main issue is with beverage service. 5 minute wait every time we ordered or asked for refill of coffee. Should not be a surprise people want coffee with brunch. Did not automatically or ask to refill water gasses. Wait staff brought a new cup of coffee and did not remove empties. Did not check on us after runner brought plates over. Food was hot and good quality. Desserts were great, though chewy marshmallow s'mores should be served on a plate instead of a bowl and come with fork and knife instead of a spoon. Beautiful old workshop building. Exposed rafters and plenty of natural light.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 3
Christopher Scoppetta
I have been two times now with my wife and we have loved the food each time. We are planning another visit and will have to take photos. We have had the Chicken Torta, Shrimp Po Boy, Crispy Ribs, Hamburger, hummus plate and biscuits. Each dish was uniquie and had a excellent tastes plus flavor. They do an excellent job with using local items and keeping specials rotating.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Myungchan Kim
Awesome and unique breakfast menu - if you love mushrooms, their mushroom toast is a must-have!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dylan Vorrasi
amazing food and drinks this is a great hidden gem!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Andre Resto
Nice little spot for lunch to catch up with old friends. The Pumpkin spice latte was a great and our server Cailynn was really sweet.😄
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Shevonne Browne-Sims
I ordered the chicken & waffles w/ a pumpkin spiced hot latte. The latte was good but too sweet for me. I usually ask for sugar free or less syurp but I forgot to. If I has order with less pumpkin flavor I'm sure I would have LOVED the latte. Loved the waffle, the chicken was clearly made fresh which was great however I could have used some more seasoning on mine. I do plan on going back with my daughter who loves coffee.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
joseph guillette
The hippest place for brunch in town and then some. Excellent vegan options. Super tasty regular options. The most flavor and strong coffee to be found in Hartford.
Very nice food and drinks, but I especially appreciate their mission and the good they do for the community.
Joanne Owens
Could not have asked for more. The food was great, the mission of the organization is well worth supporting and our server Adrian was first rate. The vegetarian options were far more interesting and tasty than at most restaurants.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kathyann Omotayo
I had high hopes for Fire by Forge, but it was just... okay. The seafood paella was good, but not worth the price, in my opinion. The service was fine, but nothing special. It's a cool spot, but I’m not sure I’ll be rushing back anytime soon.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Craig Kincaid
Great stop in for lunch.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Glez Swartwood
I can’t stop thinking about Fire by Forge. The food is so fresh and flavorful. The charred octopus appetizer was unreal, and the steak was cooked perfectly. The atmosphere is relaxed, and the staff is always friendly. It’s quickly become one of my favorites.
Wonderful place with a great mission! They fit our entire volleyball team and parents into their beautiful restaurant and gave us VIP treatment. Great Gluten Free options! Thank you!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
First time visit. We live far away but next time I am in Hartford I will look to see if FxF will be open. We made a reservation. Food tasted good. The staff were welcoming, friendly and professional. We ate in the front dining area which stayed warm despite being where the entry door is.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Through the grapevine (social media pages I follow), we heard that Chef Van Hurd from Season 6 of Hell's Kitchen was now the executive chef here at Fire By Forge! So naturally, we pulled up to check it out! (Disclaimer: Chef told me that he was so new there that his featured items hadn't hit the menu at that time. ALSO, he's been long gone from there at the time of this review.) So anyway, here's how things went! Atmosphere/Appearance: Set right in Hartford, just a little on the outskirts is this gem. It's on Broad street a little out the way and there is a very small parking lot next to the restaurant, but street parking is also available. The outside looks very well put together and rustic. Once inside the restaurant is kinda split into 2 sections. You have the main section which is nice, open with high ceilings, bright red bricks, big windows, soft leather couches and all kinds of seating arrangements. If you walk past the bar you get into a smaller section, but it's kinda like a tunnel of tables. Lol. That tunnel of tables then opens up into what almost looks like a different restaurant, but feels like a space they expanded into. So there's plenty of places to sit, though I still encourage reservations! The atmosphere was lively and full of energy. This place also lets you know that it's a cooking school too! Amateur chefs can come here to learn knife skills and cooking skills as well! (This is just a small snippet of what they do, but I encourage you to visit the businesses website to learn more about what they offer.) Service: Here's my only gripe about this place. Right online it says "Happy Hour is from 4:30 PM to 6 PM daily and 8pm-9pm, except on holidays, events, or show nights." But like, when isn't there a show or some sort of event going at at The Bushnell or some nearby theater?! You have to literally call and check with the host to see if they're doing happy hour before you come because if you THINK you're in the clear, they can just say... oh there's a show tonight so there will be no happy hour. So that bothered me. Oh well. We still dined. Now for the good stuff! Let me tell you something about Suzie Johnson! She is the bartender here and she won BARTENDER OF THE YEAR in 2024 via the Connecticut Restaurant Association! She is a TREAT! She's full of personality, knows her stuff and is just a true pleasure. Food: First off was the Up In Smoke Old Fashioned. It had great, subtle sweetness up front, warm taste from the Up & Down branded bourbon, cold, smooth, not too harsh and of course, a bit smokey. As a courtesy to guests, they're served pickled carrots as palate cleansers instead of bread, crisps or anything like that. Clever. The first small plate I got to try were the Duck Mole Wings! These are described as "5 crispy duck wings with a tequila mole barbecue sauce, served with sesame seeds and pickled onions. These certainly looked the part! These were smooth, not necessarily crispy, extremely tender, hardy and just balanced. Mole is a very ingredient-heavy sauce and these were delicious. My 2nd drink was the Ghost Rider which is Up & Down bourbon, spiced Nightrider espresso, Licor 43 and an orange twist. This had a sharp cinnamon/hazelnut/nutmeg flavor/spice-y flavor. Very good and warming as well, even though it was a little sweet. Next up was the Knife Skills Soup! This is a soup compiled by the trainees and all the vegetables they've chopped in class! How cool is that?! It was a very thick vegetable soup, hearty, salty and warm. Next up were the Tostone Nachos! These were so fantastic. The pulled pork on top was so meaty, so tender and the queso fresco was lightly cheesy adding subtle notes to the hearty pork and carb-y tostone. This was my favorite thing of the night. My last drink of the night was the Sazerac. If absinthe is in the building, I must try that restaurant's version. This one was spectacular, but could've used more rye bourbon. The last thing we had to try was their Smash
Main issue is with beverage service. 5 minute wait every time we ordered or asked for refill of coffee. Should not be a surprise people want coffee with brunch. Did not automatically or ask to refill water gasses. Wait staff brought a new cup of coffee and did not remove empties. Did not check on us after runner brought plates over.
Food was hot and good quality. Desserts were great, though chewy marshmallow s'mores should be served on a plate instead of a bowl and come with fork and knife instead of a spoon.
Beautiful old workshop building. Exposed rafters and plenty of natural light.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 3
I have been two times now with my wife and we have loved the food each time. We are planning another visit and will have to take photos. We have had the Chicken Torta, Shrimp Po Boy, Crispy Ribs, Hamburger, hummus plate and biscuits. Each dish was uniquie and had a excellent tastes plus flavor. They do an excellent job with using local items and keeping specials rotating.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Awesome and unique breakfast menu - if you love mushrooms, their mushroom toast is a must-have!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
amazing food and drinks this is a great hidden gem!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nice little spot for lunch to catch up with old friends. The Pumpkin spice latte was a great and our server Cailynn was really sweet.😄
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
I ordered the chicken & waffles w/ a pumpkin spiced hot latte. The latte was good but too sweet for me. I usually ask for sugar free or less syurp but I forgot to. If I has order with less pumpkin flavor I'm sure I would have LOVED the latte. Loved the waffle, the chicken was clearly made fresh which was great however I could have used some more seasoning on mine. I do plan on going back with my daughter who loves coffee.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
The hippest place for brunch in town and then some.
Excellent vegan options. Super tasty regular options. The most flavor and strong coffee to be found in Hartford.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Very nice food and drinks, but I especially appreciate their mission and the good they do for the community.
Could not have asked for more. The food was great, the mission of the organization is well worth supporting and our server Adrian was first rate. The vegetarian options were far more interesting and tasty than at most restaurants.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I had high hopes for Fire by Forge, but it was just... okay. The seafood paella was good, but not worth the price, in my opinion. The service was fine, but nothing special. It's a cool spot, but I’m not sure I’ll be rushing back anytime soon.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Great stop in for lunch.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I can’t stop thinking about Fire by Forge. The food is so fresh and flavorful. The charred octopus appetizer was unreal, and the steak was cooked perfectly. The atmosphere is relaxed, and the staff is always friendly. It’s quickly become one of my favorites.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
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