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Cafe Nola
Categories: Food Coffee & Tea Restaurants American (New) Nightlife Bars Coffee & Tea, American (New), Bars [Edit]
4 E Patrick StFrederick, MD 21701
(301) 694-6652
- Hours:
Mon 7 am - 3 pm
Tue-Wed 7 am - 12:30 am
Thu-Sat 7 am - 2 am
Sun 10 am - 2 pm
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch, Brunch
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Sun, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Hipster
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
79 reviews for Cafe Nola
Review Highlights
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"...have a nice spread of infused liquors, which I had trouble..." In 6 reviews -
"...for the food, the goat cheese fritters were melt in your..." In 3 reviews -
"Breakfast/Brunch - Ah, their brunch menu is amazing." In 14 reviews
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79 reviews in English
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Review from Logan J.
Rockville, MD
2/4/2012
It's only 4 of 5 stars because we only had some local beers and some dip.
It's 4 stars because the atmosphere was very quaint, clean and had a nice rustic feel to it, which is a plus for both me and my girlfriend.
We stopped by here right before an Over the Rhine concert at the Weinberg Center for the Arts. We ordered a few Flying Dogs and had the Spinach and Archichoke dip. The dip was AMAZING!!! Huge chunks of artichoke in the dip and nicely baked pita bread that tasted as good by itself as it did in the dip. Man was it tasty! The bartender was a petite, tattooed female who was pleasant and generous. When asked for a sampling of one of the special beers on tap, she gave us a good portion to try out.
We'll be going back to more dip as well as to try out some of their other entrees. Oh and they make their own liquor! Non-descript from the outside, but I say it's worth it just for the Spinach and Artichoke dip we had :D -
Review from Tochi K.
Germantown, MD
4/20/2012
It is more like 3 1/2 stars.
Their sweet potato fries are the best I've had, by far. The atmosphere and staff are also great. However, I think I'd stick to the coffee, baked goods (both are great), and the occasional mixed drink. Here is why:
They have a cool collection of infused vodkas. I enjoyed their cucumber/mint one, but didn't care for their bloody mary which was way way too salty--I couldn't drink it. My order also included a burger, which was suppose to be medium well but was by far not. Their burger patties are thick so I am sure this is what contributed to it. I had to send it back and eventually got one that was better, but was still not cooked as asked. The staff however handle the whole thing really well so I can't be mad at them and would definitely go back.
It is a cool laid back place with great atmosphere. -
Review from Andrew B.
Frederick, MD
3/23/2012
I love this place, but the horrible service keeps me from going here. Allow me to explain...
Of all the bars in downtown Frederick, this is the one that's most appealing to the things I like: it's quaint, kept dark, usually pretty busy, the crowd skews younger, their drinks are especially well-made (the bloody Mary's are perfect), and every time I go in here they're playing full Radiohead or Elliott Smith or whatever albums -- not just the singles, but the full albums. I hate having to listen to Bon Jovi every time I want to have a beer and, as far as I know, there's no other place in Frederick that caters to this kind of music.
But here's the thing: I don't really LOOK like I'd be into these things. And what I've found is that if you don't look like the bartenders themselves -- skinny jeans, cardigans, dark framed glasses, beards, the whole hipster thing (which I'm not knocking, mind you) -- then you don't get served. I once sat at a table with three friends for a solid half hour before being acknowledged -- and it wasn't busy at all. The waiter actually walked past us several times. But our attire included hats, apparel with sports logos on it, I think maybe there was a hoodie involved. I realize that what I'm describing here is profiling, but I'm 100% convinced that's what goes on.
The real bummer is that a couple years ago I had a really great experience sitting at the bar. The bartender was engaging, pleasant, and even offered a few drinks that she'd created herself that weren't on the menu. But we were among the only patrons at the time, so that explains it.
Anyway, I wish we could give half stars because three feels like too much, but two feels like too little. -
Review from Tracy B.
Mt Airy, MD
5/26/2012
I used to enjoy this bar, but now it totally sucks.
Had to pay a cover when practically nothing was going on inside, then had to wait 40 minutes to get a drink (it wasn't even busy), which the bartender messed up because she was too busy chatting with her friends instead of paying attention to her patrons. They also ran out of tequila and the ingredients to make their specialty cocktail of the evening, and it was before midnight.
Their infused liquors are amazing, the atmosphere is cool, and I've had their food before earlier in the day and it was pretty good. But the nighttime bar service here is completely awful. I can't stand going into a bar where the bartenders don't care about getting you a drink. I guess they must not want my money..... -
Review from Rachel P.
Washington, DC
3/28/2012
Very chill little spot. They do their own infused liquors and a good beer selection as well as yummy coffee drinks. Most of their produce is from their own farm or local farms. They have a unique and tasty menu. The atmosphere is very chill with an eclectic mix of people. On certain nights they have bands play. Definitely a cool lil spot to check out in Downtown Frederick.
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Review from Jessica B.
Pittsburgh, PA
12/27/2011
Seriously. Terrible service. Truly truly terrible. But not terrible in a "Wow, what jerks" way, since the servers seem to range from nice to indifferent. Terrible in a "Have any of these servers ever served before? Or seen anyone serve? Or been to a restaurant?"
Sadly, I met a friend for coffee and a breakfast snack here. A friend who used to work at Tryst in DC. While the coffee was actually good, the experience as a whole was laughable. It appears that about five people were working to accommodate about 30-40 customers. A pretty easy load, really.
Seating was slow. Service was ssssllllooooowwwwwwww. Once coffees were brought, the server never asked if we were interested in ordering food (we were.) Someone finally wandered by and we ordered. The server forgot my Winter Spice muffin. Completely. And didn't return until I had given up, gone up to the counter, and ordered it again.
The muffin, aside from being really cold and startlingly solid (unbreakable), was the oddest interpretation of Winter Spice that I can imagine. You think, oh, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger? Maybe orange or apple? Nope: cranberry, walnut, GOAT CHEESE. I'd like to point out that none of these are spices. And that one of them is goat cheese.
I would suggest that maybe the servers should write down orders. And have dedicated tables. Also, do not be fooled like me: despite the name, Cafe Nola does not appear to serve anything Cajun, Creole or vaguely New Orleans-y.
The place looks like it could be lovely, and the infused alcohols are beautiful and sound delicious. But with such dreadful service, I probably won't return. -
Review from Jennizzle C.
Knoxville, TN
1/4/2012
Yummy, yummy. I'm a sucker for eggs benedict. I came on a Friday afternoon for brunch, but it was packed (perhaps because it was Christmas Eve)! The food was very good and the portions were adequate. The service was spotty at best. Our waitress came over twice right after I arrived, but I didn't have time to look at the menu. Then she forgot about us until I had to flag her down. After that, we didn't see much of her and had to flag her down to get the check. So yeah, service wasn't totally the greatest.
From what I could tell, it's very hipster. It's a good place for coffee and drinks, and it's near all the cute and quaint shops of Frederick. I would go here again if the service was better. -
Review from Jim C.
Brunswick, MD
5/2/2012
Walk by late at night and you never know what you will see or hear, hipsters and hippies, many under the influence of who knows what and the music is really weird most of the time. You better look like a hippie if you want to get served, otherwise they just ignore you.
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Review from Sharon S.
Mt Airy, MD
Updated - 2/25/2012
I wrote a negative review back in September about Cafe Nola and the owner contacted me through Yelp and offered me a gift certificate to come back and try again. Even asked for my address. Guess what? I never received the gift certificate.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/29/2011
$7.00 for 3 fritters? Are you kidding me? Saturday was the second time I've been to Cafe Nola and… Read more »
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Review from lindsay w.
Newport, RI
11/17/2011
Really lovely little place. Great spot for Sunday brunch. Make reservations if you can - we didn't have them, but the hostess moved a few tables around and quickly accommodated us.
I got the Italian benedict - pesto, prosciutto, and poached eggs with hollandaise sauce. Fresh fruit on the side was delightful, a good healthy mix that didn't include the usual blah cantaloupe and honeydew.
Regretting the ninja turtle latte for the sugar intake, but delish nonetheless. -
Review from Raj B.
Frederick, MD
1/27/2012
Good coffee place for Frederick. Good food (had a nice breakfast that was well priced) and the coffee is good. My machiatto wasnt perfect as the micro foam did not come out correctly. The espresso was a bit over extracted and clearly over 30 sec of brew time. their new Simonelli machine is nice, but I liked the La Cimbali better.
There clearly is a bit of attitude in the waitstaff. No need to have it. -
Review from Briana M.
Ashburn, VA
11/19/2011
Went there for breakfast with a friend and while the food was yummy, the service was absolutely horrendous. We both shared an order of the Gregorian Chant and the Crab Omelette with hollandaise sauce. The former was phenomenal.
Unfortunately, the bad service ruined the experience. I arrived a few minutes after my friend and after 15 minutes, I finally just walked up to the counter to place an order for tea since no one had been by our table. The chai latte was the nastiest, funkiest stuff I ever had in my life and I had to send it back. No, actually I had to walk it back up to the counter b/c no one came back to the table after the barista dropped it off. They replaced it with A Sense of Peace which was pretty good and took it off the bill. After they served our food we had to ASK for utensils and per their MO, no one came back by the table until we were finished. Even though the food was good, I probably won't go back b/c there are too many other places that have great food AND great service. -
Review from Jason and Winter N.
Bremerton, WA
7/13/2011
Oh, Nola, you are nearly enough to make me move from the West Coast to charming little Frederick.
We were visiting friends in Frederick and I think we ended up at Nola four out of the five days! We tried breakfast, brunch, lunch and cocktails. Crab nachos hit the spot after shopping all morning in downtown, as did their infused liquor cocktails (elderberry vodka, cucumber rose gin, lemongrass vanilla vodka, sweet tea peach vodka etc). Loved the breakfast burrito, the side potatoes, the endless mimosas (duh) and especially the huevos rancheros during the weekend brunch. Also ordered their "Freddo" iced coffee (just barely sweetened) and it was delicious. Plus, they'll give you a refill for $1.
Loved Nola so much and hope to make it back sooner than later! -
Review from Brad K.
Frederick, MD
2/11/2012
I was not very impressed unfortunately. The food was not very good to put it plainly. On top of that, maybe it was busy but the service was spotty, and my hipster alarm started going off about 3 blocks before I got to the restaurant. I haven't been back.
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Review from Ryan M.
Manassas, VA
11/15/2011
A wall of infused liquors, local sustainable food, warm friendly service, and overall a nice surprise during our quick visit to Frederick.
Was very busy even on a Monday afternoon for lunch, always a good sign. -
Review from M C.
Columbus, OH
11/27/2011
Great little place for brunch! I really enjoyed my veggie scramble with roasted potatoes but I heard the huevos were great as well. Good coffee and a tasty looking pastry case.
Only downside was that we were told that they needed the table for a reservation in 2 minutes (though we had also made reservations) and were scooted out the door. I think this is more of a planning mistake but the communication could have been better. -
Review from deb y.
7/14/2011
Nola holds a special place in my heart. Although I don't live very close to Frederick, every trip to downtown Frederick always involves a visit to Nola. The food there is always consistently delicious with new items to try, and the drink list is also seasonal.
On our most recent trip here, we had the goat cheese fritters, ribeye steak salad, and the duck. I also had a Garden Martini which is basically Nola's version of a Bloody Mary.
I have to start with the Bloody Mary because a) I was never a big fan of them until I had the most amazing one at The Beehive in Boston (it was garnished with Old Bay!), b) no other Bloody Marys have come close, but c) the Garden Martini at Nola has come the closest so far. It was refreshingly delicious and garnished with drops of olive oil. I also believe it included some sort of Nola's concoction of tomato vodka.
Now for the food, the goat cheese fritters were melt in your mouth delights. The steak salad was cooked to a rare pink and the beets (i love beets!) in the salad were a treat. And the duck was tender and a perfect combination of sweet and salty.
We didn't have room for dessert. -
Review from Allie B.
Takoma Park, MD
Updated - 11/12/2011
House-infused alcohol at $7-8 (the only organic one was $10)!!
We were so happy to come to Nola last night with a small group of friends for drinks, and even happier that they didn't charge a cover and the drinks were as cheap and delicious as they were. I ordered a Cucumber Gin and Tonic which was the tastiest gin and tonic I've ever had, hands down, and I also tasted the Illytini and the Ginger Sake Tini, my preference going to the latter but I could see myself ordering either depending on my mood.
You have to order at the bar and then you can take a table. Bar service moved pretty fast, especially when we went back up to close our tab (I kind of hate having to wait to sign and tip a check when I'm ready to go, you know?). The 2 specials advertised were $1 PBRs and 10 minutes of music from your iPod. The music selection was eclectic (I heard Tuneyards and Toubab Krewe) and perfectly suited to the crowd.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/28/2011
Huge fan of their version of a grilled cheese! Also tried the Eggplanet and the flavor (olive… Read more »
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Review from Jeffrey B.
Washington D.C., DC
6/20/2011
This place does NOT have it's act together when it comes to music shows. An artist I like said on his website that he was playing here at 8:00. The cafe website said they were having a show at 9:30 which didn't include the artist. I called to check whether the artist would be there or not, and they told me no. (Even though they had posters all over the place with his name on it)
I went there anyway because the artist told me personally that he was going to be there. I showed up at 8:30 and waited over 2 hours before the show started. F minus minus.
On the plus side, they have a bunch of really cool looking liquors that they infuse themselves. -
Review from Troy S.
12/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
A nice little place in downtown Frederick. A good stop or check spot to check out.
The good: Fabulous Illy coffee, many liquor options, wonderful chai and other latte drinks, Sweet Potato Fries, Great .Barrista/Bartender, ambiance and artwork
The bad: They had a big sign telling us they are closed at 3 trying to detour anyone walking in 10 minutes before they close, Inconsistent hours and confusing when they are open or close. Maybe too many hipsters want to hang out here.
I showed up here and grabbed four spots at the bar. The barrista/bartender was very friendly as he was busy but greeted us warmly. The waitress gave us a little dirty look since they were about closing. We ordered Coffee, Chai, peppermint mocha, and sweet potato Fries. I really enjoyed siting at the bar drinking coffee and looking at all of the cool liquors on the wall. They infuse their own liquors and looked like they would be fun to try. I thought the coffee was excellent while the Chai was also about perfectly made. I can see why people complain at the service at times because I did see some people walk in after 3 and go to sit or it take servers a few minutes to greet the people and inform them they are closed. The staff is very laid back so it can seem like they aren't paying attention to customers. The Barrista was busy mixing drinks and was very busy while we were there but he had enough time to talk to us as well.
Great Location, decent prices, and great ambiance make this a nice place to hang out or try. I don't think I would want to go on a night that a bad is playing unless I was there specifically for the music as the place is pretty small and could get loud easily. -
Review from Nessa K.
Austin, TX
12/31/2011
Awesome food, great feel, cool people, and at night, it's a killer bar. This is my new favorite place in town.
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Review from Kimba G.
Woodsboro, MD
11/12/2011
Had a wonderful dinner at Cafe Nola's last night! Recommend it! The best hamburger I have had in quite a while. Thanks for a great dinner!
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Review from Nick F.
Frederick, MD
3/19/2012
This is based on 3 visits of my own and several others by friends and family.
Food - consistently inconsistent and the wait is far too long.
Service- Ranges from indifferent to rude.
Shame is that it seems like it could be a really nice place. The servers seem to act as if its an inconvenience to actually be pleasant and provide a welcoming atmosphere and prompt service.
The place has nice decor and seems to support the local arts scene which is a plus. They also tout their support of local agriculture, which is something I like to support as well.
Overall this place has potential despite the 'cool hipster' staff who seem to act as if people should be thankful they are even let in the place to experience the 'vibe' they create by being indifferent and working really hard to display their irreverence for the customers who annoy them in their pursuit of facebooking and twittering about their life instead of doing their job. (my visits, as well as those of my friends and family have always included seeing staff hunched in corners on their phones ignoring their job while you wait 30 or 40 minutes for appetizers of 10 minutes for water)
Lose the attitude and work on bringing food times down and producing good food consistently.
After reading more reviews from Yelp, it seems as if there is a theme about poor customer service and indifferent attitudes from the staff.
Hopefully this will change. -
Review from Malarie B.
Baltimore, MD
1/1/2011
I really wanted to like this place, as the food was actually tasty and the decor was really cute.
But two words: shitty. service. I honestly expect really great (or at least friendlier) service when I'm home in Maryland, as I am used to rushed/ignored while up in NYC. This place was like being back in the city.
They are severely under-staffed. There was 1 server, 1 hostess and maybe 3 cooks between the coffee bar and the back. It's absurd to think that would be enough people for this place, which was extremely busy.
The servers themselves were never rude, and even discounted us for Slow Service (which there is even a discount pre-programmed into their system because it probably happens so dang often), but it took about 15 to be seated (mostly because some rude skank butted in front of us), and it was a long wait between being served.
On top of that, they forgot silverware, drinks and sides. They came after asked two, sometimes three different people. The owner of this place needs to gets over it and hire some more people.
So,
Food: 4 stars
Ambience: 3 stars
Service: 1 star
Price: 4 stars ($7 for a sandwich and cup of tea is pretty banging)Listed in: BaltiBar
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Review from Christopher H.
Hattiesburg, MS
2/13/2011
I have been to Frederick a few times now for brunch. I must say this place was an excellent choice. They price was right, food was wonderful and the Bloody Mary's were delicious.
I know some of the other reviews knocked this place for service, but for me it was Sunday and I expected it to be laid back and slow paced. They never forgot about us and made sure we had everything we needed. -
Review from Christie V.
Frederick, MD
3/26/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Driven by this place a number of times, and have friends who frequent the bar. I finally stopped by to see what all the fuss was about. My friend wanted to see a bluegrass/folk band that was playing tonight, so we decided to get dinner while we were at it. My first impression... it is smaller than I expected. Has a very cozy feel to it.
The food: Good. I had the rib-eye which was delicious. Well seasoned, tasty kale and carrots, served on a bed of mashed potatoes. The mashed potatoes were nice and salty, if maybe a touch on the over salty side, but I wasn't deterred.
The drink: TASTY! They have a nice spread of infused liquors, which I had trouble choosing from. The final choice, the Vanilla Lemongrass Martini. EXCELLENT! Not to sweet, but very refreshing. Was tempted by the Pear Almond-Tini and the Black Cherry Bourbon...
The service.. Pretty good. They seemed well staffed on this evening. The place was very busy at the bar and dining area. The staff was constantly moving, never idle.
The coffee: HOLY COW. Had a latte, which was very well done. The use Illy coffee (yum!), and the milk, well steamed. The latte was nice and naturally sweet.
The music. Like I said.. tonight was bluegrass/folk. But judging from the schedule, they have a nice mix of styles they bring in. Later this week, they have an electronica-type band coming in which piques my interest.
Bottom line, looking forward to coming back to see if this might be a long term hang out for me. -
Review from Chris J.
Updated - 2/1/2011
Decided to give them another shot and was pleased with the service this time. It was the polar opposite of my first visit.
We got brunch and it was fantastic! The portions were a bit small, but they were priced right. The french toast and pancakes were tremendous!
Based on all the other reviews and my past experience, it seems like this place is hit or miss in terms of service, which is a real shame. With food and prices this good, the service should be at the same level.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/23/2010
I'd like to review the food here but never got a chance due to the awful service. The waitress took… Read more »
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Review from Jessica R.
Potomac, MD
1/9/2011
My sister and I checked this place out for the first time last night. We went in for dinner and shortly after a DJ started spinning. The crowd didn't seem to be much of my type, but the night turned out well.
For dinner I had the Gorgonzola Burger and my sister had the Turkey Burger. Both were absolutely delicious and the drinks didn't disappoint either. I had the vanilla lemon grass martini and she had the strawberry margerita, both were delish. I wasn't at all impressed by the desert selection they had. We ended up having some orange creamsicle cake that was pretty dry and lacked any orange flavor.
The highlight of the night had to be the dancing,,,, oh my God. Some people definitely took some pointers from the Jersey Shore peeps. It was too funny to see this tiny snooki look-a-like bounce around like she was having a seizure. She was the life of the party for sure! -
Review from kev m.
Frederick, MD
2/17/2011
While I get some of the other reviewers' comments regarding service at Cafe Nola, I would seriously take this with a grain of salt. We have had all levels of service here and can honestly attribute as much of the lack of any service on the maybe 2 occasions it was sub-par to the crowd and customer attitude as much as anything else. The concept of the joint is in line with the service and it works.
The food is some of the most enjoyable in Frederick and the imaginative drinks are excellent complements. Cannot recommend this place enough. -
Review from Christine C.
Annapolis, MD
3/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Interesting but busy and crowded and overly trendy. We dropped in on a Sunday morning and it was busy but we were able to be seated rather quickly. We had the small two person table with Gus sitting in a high chair (for as long as he would stand it). We ordered a coffee and a tea - the coffee drink took a while to come out - it seemed to me that many people came there to sit at the bar and order their amazing sounding drinks.
Breakfast was good, the plates were too big - but the food was good. Loved thier pancakes - they were just cake like and Gus and I killed it!
I would go back but maybe earlier when they were not so busy so we could score a bigger table. The wait staff also seemed to have an air about them and seemed too good for us - or maybe it was the baby we had in tow? Not sure - maybe we will check it out again - but with so many other places to see... we will see.
If you go - get the pancakes! -
Review from Elizabeth S.
Miami Beach, FL
10/24/2010
I have to start off by saying I was not very impressed when I walked into this place. Only because it had been described to me as a bar and I walked into a coffee shop, that was empty and did not provide a very good vibe. It was one of those hard to describe things. We were with a big group of people (probably 9 or so).
But that all turned around almost immediately when we went up, standing indecisively at the bar, wondering if we should stay or leave, and the bartender offered us samples of the concoctions that lined a shelf behind the bar. It's the first time I had ever been in a place with so many really interesting and creative looking infused liquors.
We decided to stay and had the following:
Cucumber Gin and Tonic (Cucumber, Mint and Rosewater infused gin, tonic water - $7) - AMAZING. We had just finished with a day full of wedding crap (really, there's never another way to put that), and this insanely refreshing drink was just what I needed.
Vanilla Lemon Grass Martini (vanilla bean and lemon grass infused vodka mixed with a splash of sour, simple syrup and sprite - $8) - surprisingly, this was actually not as sweet as it sounds. It was almost as light and fresh as the Cuke Gin & Tonic with a strong lemon grass 'scent' to it. It was a bit like drinking perfume, but in a really good way.
The rest of our party had either the same drinks listed above, wine, or shots of the infused liquors from behind the bar. It was really enjoyable and the staff was friendly and accommodating without hassling us or being annoying about it. I also thought that the prices were extremely reasonable. I'm not sure if it's because I'm so used to South Beach prices, but I think that $8 for a martini made with homemade infused vodka is a steal.
I would definitely return for drinks again :)Listed in: Maryland Madness
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Review from Adrienne M.
Germantown, MD
6/18/2011
Went to Downtown Frederick for the first time last night. Had a great time! We decided to hit up Nola because it looked cool and different than a lot of other restaurants we came across on Market St. Reminded me of places I used to frequent in Brooklyn (which seems to be a recurring theme in these reviews!).
The servers are really friendly. Service was a bit slow and it didn't even seem that crowded when we got there. We got the hummus platter as an appetizer which was a-mazing. I got the Peach Punch (I think that was what it was called . . .) and it was light and refreshing. My boyfriend got a beer at a good price.
We also had the foccacia bread with the mulberry mint butter. Damn, that was good!
I got the vegan stir-fry entree which was heavy on the rice, but not on the veggies. A little disappointed.
The boy got a burger. Seemed pretty enthusiastic about it.
Ambiance is pretty cool. They played a lot of Erykah Badu. We enjoyed it and will probably be back again. -
Review from Tim N.
Columbia, MD
8/18/2011
I sure wish I could give this place a half-star or zero. We went there for dinner, so my review is not based on their coffees or music or whatever else has been reviewed already.
Arrived at 6:30. Took forever to order. Took forever to get served. At about 7:45 (no exaggeration) our food arrived. It wasn't that good. The waiter NEVER seemed interested in being a waiter or otherwise providing service. Food is slow? Probably not your fault, but how about some communication to tell us what's going on? Didn't even STOP BY between taking the order and serving us. Horrible, horrible, horrible.
I've worked in or around the restaurant industry for decades. I was primarily a server and a manager. I've stiffed a waiter three times in my life. This was the third. Congratulations.
No chance I'm going back, and high chance that I'll make sure everyone knows about this terrible experience.
** Update: the restaurant owner saw this review immediately apologized the next day. So that's something positive, at least. **Comment from David S. of Cafe Nola 9/29/2011
Hey Tim, I was curious if you would mind removing your… More » -
Review from Ruth C.
10/5/2010 3 Check-ins Here
Very small joint. Never had problems finding street parking in this area, since my practical shoes are always ready for a little walk. Talk about getting my parallel parking practice in!
Stopped in late on Saturday night because we were craving their awesome infused alcohol, but we evidently missed last call. It was okay because we'd been pregaming at Charles' a few blocks away (although at 1 am I guess that's not really "pre" anymore). Bouncer and bartenders were polite but firm. Fortunately we got a hookup with a round of plain low-shelf vodka shots at the end of the bar with one of the regulars, then proceeded to bust it out on the tiny dance floor to the mainstream DJ while narrowly missing the cafe tables. Oddly mixed crowd, dim ambiance but not quite divey. The people had great energy for being packed into the intimate space, but I guess that's what drinking will do haha. Definitely will be back, even with the crazy couple arguing outside in front of five cops keeping the peace.
Drunk girl: WHY DIDN'T YOU STEP IT UP?!
Drunk boy: CALM THE FXXX DOWN!
Drunk girl: SHOW ME WHERE YOUR BXXXS FELL OFF!
Drunk boy: SHUT UP!
Drunk girl: SHOW ME! SHOW ME! SHOW ME!
Cop 1/5 across street: *starts crossing street* Oh I'll show her...Listed in: R* haunts: liver failure…, Can't fight the beats!
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Review from Walter K.
Newark, NJ
11/25/2011 2 Check-ins Here
The food is delicious (don't let Zagat reviews fool you) and so is the coffee. Supposedly hipsters live here but I didn't see any. Just a trendy, cool place to chill
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Review from Will M.
Frederick, MD
10/15/2010
This place is pretty fresh, it has an artsy Portland feel to it. The staff were equally cool they were very personable to me and my wife. Our waitress explained to us that most of the food served here is grown on their own farm.
The food rocked! I had the grilled chicken wrap, and my wife had a sandwich of some sort. Both of us had the sweet potato fries which were so tasty!
This is our new favorite lunch place! -
Review from Victoria N.
Frederick, MD
9/25/2010
I just got back from dinner and I have a smile on my face. We ate outside at a candlelit table for two and it was very romantic (well, except for the group of guys hanging outside a few feet from the restaurant who really loved to drop the F bomb). The menu is small, but as my boyfriend told me it's probably because they are good at what they do. Also, for because the menu is all natural and locally grown I was surprised at how decently priced everything was.
We started with the pita appetizer, it came with three slices of pita with different toppings. I enjoyed the avocado, cream cheese, prosciutto and basil and my boyfriend had that as well as the olives, feta and mint. There was a crab one but neither of us like seafood so the kitchen was happy to give us two of one variety versus the whole trio. For dinner I had the grilled chicken salad which had mandarin oranges, strawberries and almonds in it. It was a pretty large helping for my small belly, but I devoured it. My boyfriend had the stuffed chicken and was very impressed. All of our food came out tastefully displayed, I wanted to take a picture it was almost too pretty to eat. We ended with a freshly made brownie, perfect as a small dessert for two.
The waitstaff was very friendly and on top of our refills and making sure we were satisfied. I will be adding this to my list of restaurants to visit regularly.Listed in: Frequent Frederick Feasts
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Review from Alishia C.
Knoxville, MD
8/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Another amazing meal. Very impressed with the drink menu. Staff are delightful and courteous. I will be visiting again very soon!!!
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Review from Michael S.
New York, NY
9/4/2011
My family and I had a very poor time at this restaurant. We were seated promptly enough, and given attention, but the person who served us was extremely inattentive and could be found chatting in the back of the restaurant while we waiting upwards of 20 minutes between courses. We shared appetizers, had salads, and entrees, and the total course of the meal took over 2 hours, which is absolutely insane.
Moreover, half the menu was unavailable for purchase (and this was prime-time on a Saturday night). It is not very helpful to have a burger section when your kitchen lacks beef patties. They even lacked the vaunted goat cheese fritters. What we did order, the hummus and the crab nachos, were good, although the nachos were cold. It took a very long time to receive drinks, and, as I said, the wait times between courses was out of this world. We felt ignored by the wait staff. The salads were fine, but the entrees came with many complaints. The turkey burger we ordered was burnt, and the other entrees came to us completely cold. I confess that the duck breast I had was delicious, but was also cold, and a very small amount of duck for the price charged ($20). Indeed, for the quality of the food, the prices were extravagant. Serving dishes on square plates does not license a restaurant to charge crazy prices.
The worst experience of the night was the live "music". A bluegrass band came in at about 9:15 (an hour and fifteen minutes into our meal) and began setting up for a show. We thought that was fine, initially, and even thought it might be nice. Instead, we were treated to 45 minutes of sound checking and feedback from the disorganized band of faux-country hipsters (hipsters, please stop poorly aping absolutely every aspect of earnest American culture. You do not belong in bluegrass, and your attempts were insulting). Combined with the absurd wait times, blah food, and high prices, this added annoyance drove us and a large part of the restaurant to outright anger. The band was being heckled towards the end of their hour long tuning session.
We finally managed to get the check, which was insanely high, and the management berated us and argued when we asked that the bill be lowered to reflect our poor experience. Finally, 2 hours after starting the meal, we were able to leave (along with a contingent of people complaining loudly about the...entertainment).
On the plus side, at 10:15 (!), the band finally started to play as we walked to our car, so at least they finally did something! (They also charged a cover for that travesty) -
Review from Jess M.
New Market, MD
4/15/2011 3 Check-ins Here
The food is simple and delicious, with excellent vegetarian choices. We had the quinoa risotto, goat cheese fritters, portobello burger and turkey portobello burger. All delicious- the quinoa risotto is one of our favorites. Had the pear almond tini, strawberry lime margarita and the bearded gentleman, all very good.
Had great attentive service at around 5:30 on a Saturday. Only had to wait a few minutes for a table.
