Five Chophouse — Restaurant in Fredericksburg

Being generous giving 4 stars - It was more of a 3.5 star experience

After learning about this new steakhouse (inside of a new Marriott property) in downtown Fredericksburg, I followed them on social media for a while, as it seemed the initial reviews I read weren’t very good and it appeared they just needed time to settle in and have management get everyone up to speed.

I finally went recently and we took friends of ours with us. Getting there, we were happy they offered complimentary valet parking because parking in downtown can be tough at times. Once inside, the décor and venue looks pretty nice, sort of rustic mixed with craftsman with a mix of dark woods, brick and metal.

Our server promptly greeted us and took drinks orders. They do have a decent wine list, which also has cocktails and beer. They offer plenty of interesting appetizers to start their menu. We opted for their crabcake. It’s $18 for a single crabcake which was loaded with a corn relish. The relish was great! The crab cake was lacking substantial meat and was completely fallen apart when we got it, but the flavors were decent when combined with the relish. Later, we also tried their shrimp cocktail too, which was beautifully presented, but unfortunately the first piece selected was slightly undercooked.

Next up was salad – they offered a Ceasar salad for a side/started salad (this is a chophouse, they need to offer a chophouse or vinaigrette-based greens salad as a starter too). The presentation was nice and the flavors were good. Loved how they chopped the croutons rather than serving them whole. The very lightly applied dressing was decent too; I could tell it was made in-house.

Entrées – A few of us got their filet and one got the pork chop. The three filets came out all at once, unfortunately the pork chop didn’t. But the manager did come out to explain that there was an issue in preparing it and they were making a new one – This was very much appreciated that they explained this! They also brought out the shrimp cocktail for the person who ordered the pork chop to enjoy until her entrée came out. (Unfortunately, the shrimp cocktail wasn’t very edible as it was undercooked – something we’ve never seen, but these were beautiful, thick, meaty shrimp and they probably needed one more minute of steam to finish them). As for the filets – they were incredible! It was easily one of the best filets I’ve ever had! But the sides were very lack luster. We all took notice that they had hassleback potato as a side option, so a couple of us got them… only to be disappointed by a deep fried (clearly to finish it) potato that was cut hassleback style, thus the ends and portions of outside were hard and crispy throughout – They’re supposed to be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The cheese sauce on the top wasn’t flavorful and resembled a basic, unflavored melted cheese sauce. The other side I tried, the brussel sprouts with bacon and jalapeño were bland and greasy. Definitely no resemblance of jalapeño and no smokiness/flavor from the bacon.

Last course was dessert – we ordered a couple of items and they were decent. Nothing to write home about, but solid and interesting.

Overall, for the price we all felt it wasn’t worth it… especially with Fahrenheit 132 a few blocks away and that’s one of the best steakhouses – anywhere (for price, quality, and what you get). This restaurant did include sides, versus being a la carte, which was nice, but they really need to work on service, (pace was on the fast side), quality of sides (chophouses should offer sides that are just as incredible as the entrée), and price. We all agreed that the manager was great and was helpful… Our server on the other hand needed a lot more training. He offered a wine chiller, but never brought it. He forgot a couple of other items. He wasn’t engaging, thought he was friendly, but it was all about business and getting the orders, bringing food and not much more in between.

Hope they can continue to improve… I’d like to see...

Do we need another review of Five Chophouse? Maybe. Maybe not. But let’s go. Hopefully I give you good information you don’t already have. I’ll try not to be long winded. (Reader: she will be long ✍️winded ✍️.)

Let’s start at the beginning…. We had reservations for 5:15, 2 people, Friday 19th. Enter through the hotel. The door that faces William St is not the entrance. There was a kerfluffle about every 10 mins when someone entered there and had to be walked around to the hostess stand. It’s fine, they’ll walk you around, but it’s not the entrance to the hostess stand. We were promptly seated and greeted by our server Rachel, who was lovely. I have a feeling she’s a teacher or something in real life - she just seemed to genuinely care. Quote from my husband: “I don’t know if a server often makes a difference in your dining experience, but she definitely made a difference tonight.” Queen energy. 👸

We each had a cocktail and I wish I could remember the name - sunset or sunrise something or other. Bourbon. Delicious. The wine list is extensive and mostly served by the bottle, cocktail menu left a lot on the table, imo. App was brioche which was amazing and the bread is made in-house. I was trying to mind my manners but that bread made it difficult.😰

I ordered shrimp and grits - and as someone with Cajun roots and raised in the deep south, I was worried, but it was delicious. Lots of flavor. Grits were perfectly cheesy and the right thickness. The chef makes his own blackened seasoning which was great - not overly salty and I had to really keep from licking my fingers after taking the tails off the shrimp. And the crispy onions? Don’t get me started, I could eat a pound of them (with ranch, see below).

Husband had the 8oz Prime Filet, medium, sweet potatoes and a salad as his sides. He said it was “really good” … a man of few words 🤐. The salad came out with his meal. He asked for it beforehand and was told that unless it’s ordered separately as an appetizer or salad (ie, off that section of the menu) then it comes out as a side. That’s cool, but not something you would expect and not something I’ve ever encountered. Also, ranch is not available as a dressing. 🫣 Now listen, I get it, this is a high class establishment and no ranch is an intentional 💅 choice; I hate myself every time I order it 🥴 and I don’t even like the sound of the word. But I love that ish and it’s popular for a reason and this is still Fredericksburg. 😮‍💨 Go ahead and make it fancy ranch if you want to, that would be cool.

We debated the tomahawk but decided against it because even though it’s “for two” it still just comes with two sides. Yes, I realize it would still be enough food, I just want my own sides. For the money, I’ll go to Fahrenheit and get the extras that come with their tomahawk for two special (Do they still have that? It’s been a while.)

Anyway, when asked for feedback we gave these two items: salad should come out before dinner and option of ranch. Not bad for people who hate to complain and a restaurant on night 2 of opening.

Overall we’d give it 4/5 ⭐️. We had a lovely dinner. The vibe is ✨immaculate✨. Mediocre pics of food, vibe, and me in the giant bathroom because it’s my fave public bathroom of all and time because I have to. Y’all just do yourselves and everyone else a favor and wear something that isn’t flip flops and cargo shorts. Dress up like you’re going somewhere, it’s fun! Or don’t, that’s fine, this is still...

Five Chophouse is not your everyday, run-of-the-mill restaurant. To simply call it a steakhouse is also an injustice. It is easy for me to say that Five is a step above everything else I have had in Fredericksburg. They take what is known and familiar to the palate and elevate it with a rare but very welcome level of finesse and creativity. The easiest way to give this review is to take you through the evening.

Atmosphere: • The decor is excellent. Its vibe transports you to what I can only describe as a Great Gatsby estate with Charleston flair and ambiance. • My wife and I were in love with how the seating was set up. A beautiful Brick wall provided a great aesthetic but also helped us feel that we were not in a busy crowded place.

Menu: • The menu has an innovative variety of items. The steak options are not the boring norms of a chain steakhouse. I was more than pleased with the variety of the appetizers and the non-beef options. They are inventive spins on dishes you have probably experienced before but at V those dishes will be experienced in an unexpected and wonderful way. • A highlight of our night was the table side Wagyu. Flame torched in front of you and accompanied by flaky salt and eel sauce was an original and delicious experience.

Food Quality: Exceptional! Here is what we ordered. • Apps: Wagyu - spectacular experience and worth it. whipped feta - Out of this world! Perfectly balanced heat and the right amount of bread. • Entrees: Half Roasted Chicken: amazing! The gnocchi was a spectacular combination. I would recommend this even knowing how good the steaks are. The 14oz ribeye with broccolini and hasselback potato: At first glance $60 seems like a steep price for a 14oz ribeye, however, the quality of the beef was higher than anything I have experienced. Each bite was noticeable how great the meat itself was on its own. Additionally, the sweet spicy rub takes me to a place of not thinking “I could make this at home.” • Desserts: chocolate cake - unctuous and beautiful. A delicious show-stopping cake. / Mango tiramisu - not too sweet, the ladyfingers are the star and the white chocolate is a great touch.

Portion sizes: Very Large, you will not be leaving hungry or feeling like you did not get your money’s worth.

Service: • Staff was very friendly and exceptionally attentive • Speed of service: 12 minutes to get apps, 15 minutes to get entrees after apps. This was a great balance of timing. Not so fast you feel rushed and not so slow you get annoyed. It allows you to rest your palate and enjoy your time and company in a stellar place.

Value: • Considering the extremely high quality of ingredients and the very large portions I think that the value is solid. This is not a place that the average person will likely visit very often, but when the opportunity is there you can be happy to spend the extra money for exceptional food and a great time.

Overall Experience: • A couple of the big highlights for me are that the staff wipes the table of crumbs and debris between courses. What a great touch! Secondly, the fun of choosing your steak knife is again just another inventive way that makes the experience great. I would most certainly recommend it.

V Chophouse sets itself up to be a perfect date, special occasion, or celebration spot. The aesthetics will impress, the service will be attentive and prompt, the food will take you on an unforgettable ride, and your glass will...