The Fireside Bar & Grill — Restaurant in Sellersburg

14 years of good food and terrible service. My wife have gone here for a very long time, and some days I'm not sure why I keep going back. The food is very good, but can be quite inconsistent. Not only have they changed the menu often over the years, but the portion sizes can be huge or tiny. As a general rule the portions are generous, but there have been times that I got mashed potatoes delivered to me in a gravy boat (awesome) and other times it might as well have been a thimble (where did they go?). Even though they often drop some of my favorites from the menu or change the recipe entirely to something I don't like, I still like the food in general.

BUT................I'm not sure why they cannot get good service there. I've stood before at the front by where a hostess is supposed to be for several minutes without acknowledgement. During those times I either sat myself or walked out disgusted. Once I ordered a sandwich without cheese, and it came back with it obviously scraped off, little bits of cheese still stuck in the meat and bun. One young kid was asking somewhat invasive questions to my wife and I trying to make small talk, and he made a joke that crossed a line that I didn't like. Neil and Patty are often present in the restaurant, and they love to talk with the families and older people there, but they have ignored my wife and I for 14 years, which is odd when they seem to be making the rounds. Tonight I paid $30 for a burger that was supposed to be medium and that I get frequently and is supposed to be hand pattied. It was no longer the thick, juicy burger I'm used to. It was thin, looked like some sort of store bought meat patty, and was cooked completely well done, no pink in it at all. I just went ahead and ate it because my server was absent (not shocking). There was no use complaining, I was hungry and didn't want to keep waiting. My wife got some excellent fish, rice, and greens. She loved her meal. For $30 though, your waitress should offer you a refill, oh I don't know, maybe ONCE. Not one time even when my glass sat empty did she acknowledge it. I rationed it through the end of my meal and drank some of my wife's water. She was happy to ask if we wanted dessert, and our bill, but still never acknowledged the empty glass. I should mention that they also have small glasses that they serve you with. Maybe an investment in larger glasses could overcome at least some of the bad service.

So, after 14 years of going there, I'm sure I'll go back because apparently I'm a glutton for punishment, but I only go on rare occasion now. I tried to go for a burger a couple of weeks ago apparently too late and they were closed. I tried to go on Memorial Day and they were closed. I went tonight and was underwhelmed. So, it will likely be another long break for me. There are too many options out there now for me to drop that kind of money on fast food level service and...

The best part of this dining experience was the service provided by our waitress, Ava. She did an excellent job.

My wife ordered the smothered chicken, no mushrooms, side salad, and baked potato with butter and sour cream. She said the chicken was a bit bland, salad was fresh, and her potato was bland.

I went with the broiled cod, loaded baked potato, and Cole slaw. I was able to eat one bite of the Cole slaw because it was basically a bowl of mayonnaise. (I am not a fan of mayo, for the record) The potato was good, could've used some salt on the skin, but loaded with cheese and crispy bacon. At first glance, my fish looked good. I had about 3 bites and realized I needed a knife to cut the fish. (For the people that enjoy fish, cod should flake apart with a fork, no knife needed) Something didn't seem right, so I flipped the filet over to find that it was extremely undercooked. Waitress came to check on us, so I sent it back to be cooked through. It came out the second time cooked a little more on top, but still raw in the middle and on the underside. She came back again and I explained that the fish was raw, she agreed, and removed my meal from the bill. (I had asked for her to deduct a portion of my meal from the bill, but she removed the whole meal.)

Overall, extremely dissatisfied with the quality of the food. Service was excellent. I highly recommend Ava as a server. We may return in the distant future to give them another shot, but it will not be anytime soon.

Note: Photo attached is of my raw fish after it was sent back...

… LOVE The Fireside and everything about it!! When I moved to this area eight years ago from the Baltimore/DC area, it was one of the first restaurants I went to and I haven't ever had a bad meal or experience. We go there two to three times a week, for work lunches and dinner. We also use The Fireside quite often for catering and our staff always looks forward to their famous chicken fingers, green beans and THE BEST mashed potatoes around. The menu is diverse and there is certainly something for everyone. Their queso is better than any Mexican restaurant in the area. The portions are more than adequate and prices are very reasonable. We prefer to sit in the bar area, with its warm and inviting ambiance. Having been to England, it reminds me of the English pubs - lots of "regulars" and you never feel rushed. When my daughter and son-in-law are in town, that's the first place we head to, as my "beer aficionado son-in-law" loves all of the craft beer choices! I'm not sure about Mr. Shemwell's review, I'm thinking he has not been to the same place, for the staff is always attentive, the entire Smith family is always warm and welcoming, talking with everyone. Yes, the menu changes occasionally (I honestly can't recall how many times in eight years, so it hasn't been that many), but I think that's great - they don't completely change it, they merely add new things to try. So, YOU should try it, too - it's DELISH and you won't be...