Always a nice setting with good food, not to mention the cocktails and conversation. Has become our comfort restaurant

Terrific food, great intimate location. The seating in the back is *very* intimate and cozy and the lobster tail is amazing! The crème brûlée was a perfect dessert as well! read more

Sat in the bar area, with a enclosure that let the refreshing night air into a he room. Cameron was excellent in every phase of the dinner

First of all....NONE OF THESE PICTURES ARE ACCURATE OF THE FOOD SERVED. NOT EVEN CLOSE. Top 5 worst restaurant! Filthy carpet and piles of junk inside. Huge disappointment on first impression. The whole indoor and outdoor area was sketchy and dirty. Service: Could not have been any slower or worse. Staff confused and unsure how to wait a table in any capacity (sat for 15 min. with no welcome or water, couldn't remember the order, no check in or water refill.) Asked for the check after sitting for 30 minutes with no water or offer of dessert or coffee THEN...the waiter shouted out the amount of money we owed and said the machine was broken so we couldn't get a bill. Someone alert ownership. We paid cash and couldn't believe this adorable looking spot was a such a rip off and wreck. Food: The garden salad was sad and boring. The pork chop was encrusted with corn flakes and doused in a horrid cheap bbq (served with decent mash but nothing else). I have never seen an entree served with no veggie...really bad. The burger was ordered medium on the rare and came well, well done. SO BAD. A sling of fries and nothing else. Top to bottom a serious waste of money. read more

We loved our food! Service was great, food was even better. The Italian seafood stew was so good, we had to order one to go. AMAZING

This is a quirky place for sure. Having been several restaurants previously, I think the current restaurant will stick. The menu highlights seasonal ingredients and the food is well prepared. The space itself is dark wood and table cloths, and formal wait staff who provided of the better aspects of the experience; though they are always busy and occasionally we had to work a bit to get someone's attention. The food itself was good. We had a set of appetizers - the squash soup which was creamy and fresh and tasty, but not "cream-based" which i appreciated; and the roasted beets. The beets had an accompaniment of crispy quinoa and creme fresh, which gave a balance to the lovely dish. We then each got a burger - which was delicious, prepared on a house-made bun with huge, juicy patties cooked to perfection. That said, the side was, according to the menu, supposed to be some interesting root vegetable fried crispy. Instead we got a handful of rather cold, pre-frozen fries thrown on the plate. That honestly killed it a bit for me - even though they put home-made ketchup on the plate. The waiter didn't explain it, and it just fell flat. At these prices, that's just kind of inexcusable and is the reason this is a four-star instead of a five-star review. It's the little details that keep a restaurant at the top of their game. Overall, worth a look. But would I rush to return? Not likely. The prices are very high and I didn't feel they were warranted quite yet. We might check back in a bit to see if they've upped their game. read more

Went on a Tuesday evening. Converted old firehouse with warm and friendly atmosphere. Staff was attentive but not hovering. Delicious bread served with tasty spreads. Shared a mixed green salad which was just enough for four of us. The squid ink pasta had huge shrimp. Scallops were large and tender. Duck was excellent. Overall a nice restaurant that I would recommend to a friend read more

Service is spot on and the people are very nice. 5 star. I recommend if you like a country vibe.

Popped in here one recent evening, and though many think it's passè and '70's to get that this these days, we couldn't resist the Caesar salad--and these guys know their way around a lettuce leaf. It's hand's down  one of the absolute best I've ever had.  They describe it as "anchovy infused"--whaaat? Is. That?? I mean. How do you "infuuuuse" a romaine leaf? Inject the paste into the greenery? It was a work of art--brightened by the acidity of lemon and the tinge of bitter from the anchovy, the sparkling salt, fresh crispy croutons, maybe a dash of pepper. Un-believ-able. I'd go back in a heartbeat just for that ... maybe add a chicken breast, and call it a night of heaven. Out came the piping hot olive oil smeared foccacia bread to start. Lentil stew--thick and hearty, not watered down or dithered, didn't skimp on the lentil. The salmon with risotto and creamed spinach was over-cooked even though they said they'd do it "medium rare," which would've been perfect. We also got their grass fed hamburger--it was fine, and my husband who has never met a burger he didn't like--thought it was great. I would've liked either a 5-Guys or In N Out better. The ambience is warm and inviting, dim lighting, quiet enough for civilized conversation, no blaring music. I'd go back in a heartbeat, if for nothing other than their caesar. read more

We just enjoyed our first meal here. The service was excellent, very attentive and friendly without being intrusive. Our food server also provided wonderful recommendations that we loved. We started with the tuna tartare and brussels sprouts. Both delicious. The seafood stew and Chilean Seabass were even better. The seafood was perfectly prepared - salmon, scallops, prawn, clams, mussels, and seabass - and the sauces were light but incredibly flavorful. We will definitely be back! read more

Great food and really nice atmosphere. Cameron was a wonderful server, very attentive and hospitable. 5 star service and 5 star food. A hidden gem in Woodside. read more

We went to the Firehouse Bistro for a special anniversary dinner last night expecting the same quality food we've enjoyed in years past. The restaurant was completely empty at 7:30 on a Saturday night -- it was odd and we wondered why. The food was so-so with a heavy reliance on fats and salt for flavor. It was also dark inside and hard to see what was on the plates. The decor needs a serious refresh....it looks very old and worn. I hope the owners read this review and make an effort put some money into bringing this historic location back up to quality standards. Overall it was a sad meal and not worth the price compared to other local restaurants. The three stars go to the staff who were cheerful and attentive and provided good advice on the wine. Thanks to them and the special company of our friends the dinner was memorable --- but the food and surroundings were seriously disappointing. read more

This place looked interesting from the older reviews but I was deeply disappointed. The appetizers were not bad, tuna tartar and beef carpaccio, but then the main entrees were really mediocre. The seafood had a fishy taste to it and I couldn't go past one scallop. My food was drowning in a buttery sauce, maybe to minimize the fishy tastes/smell, but it didn't do the job. Not to mentioned that dishes were pretty pricey for 3 yucky scallops- $35! Besides the mediocre seafood, the floor of the restaurant was very sticky and the bathroom was pretty dirty/dusty. Their soap was watered down and it seems ridiculous that during the pandemic that's what the owners were trying to save their money on. I tried to wash my hands 3 times as I wasn't feeling any soap on my hands but at the end settled on using my hand sterilizer. The only positive/interesting item about the restaurant was the decor and paintings. It looked very rustic inside and has beautiful paintings of horses and historical landmarks. read more

I had the wonderful pleasure to eat here last weekend. My husband and I had the sea bass and the salmon, reccomdned to us by our wonderful watior cameron. It was amazing. I will be dinning here a lot more. The night ended with their delicious breadpudding. It had just the right amount of ice cream. The environment of the restraunt was very cozy and relaxed. read more

I can't comment on the food as we didn't make it that far. My wife and I live very close and we're hoping for the best. Station-1 was OK, but definitely had room for improvement. Unfortunately, Firehouse is not an improvement. Things went sideways before I even opened the door. It was awkward to open the door because some poor guy was literally sitting halfway in front of it. The two larger 6-tops are oriented in a way that the entrance is blocked by diners. There is no host pedestal or anything, so we stood uncomfortably between these two tables for a minute or two waiting for... anything. Eventually we were greeted and told that our reservation would be a few minutes while the table is prepared. Fair enough, but people trying to exit the restaurant were stuck behind the host while he talked to us. He stepped to leave and I stepped to follow to allow room for people to leave (good decision, btw) and he stopped, turned, and told me to wait a moment. Nah, man, I'm just trying to get out of the way! So after a few minutes of standing in the middle of the restaurant (there's no where else!) we're lead to our table in the back porch. While we're waiting, and as we enter the back porch area, we notice an unpleasant smell. I'm not sure if the porch is over trash bins or what, but it smelled of wet garbage or cat food. Something unpalatable. As we saw the table we were being lead to, my wife looked at me worriedly. I also balked. The porch is so crowded our 2-top was right at the bar. So close to the bar that I literally had to ask a man to move so I could pull the chair out to sit at the table. People standing at the bar were basically standing with their butts at our table. Imaging a movie theater where someone is saddling sideways down the isle to get to a middle seat. This is how close our table was to the bar, but these people (not their fault) weren't going anywhere. A few minutes of worried sitting and hurried discussion, we left. I've been with my wife for 8+ years and we've never left a restaurant before service. This is literally my first and maybe only yelp review, but hopefully the restaurant will figure out the odor, remove a third of their tables, get rid of the tiny/useless bar, get a hostess stand, and figure out how to be successful. read more

I'm not sure about this place it's good but, the atmosphere is off. I really am not sure what it takes but this spot is small and quaint. Style is comfortable. There's just a feeling that does draw me back. There nice people staff and the foods good. It needs something to make you want to gather there. Cuz it's so small. I'm don't know what it would take. I've seen a lot go thru over the years. Open it up more with lights. Maybe? Many don't see it when passing by. read more

In one word... wow. I've been here one time before, about a year ago, but this time it was a completely different experience. We ordered the beef Carpaccio and a winter salad for starters- both were well executed and with a nice kick on each (chestnuts on the carpaccio were perfect addition!). My wife got the Squid Ink pasta for entree and I got the lamb chops. If we could, we would eat that every day till the rest of our lives. Absolutely mouth-watering. And the dessert- I cannot speak highly enough so just added a picture. Kudos to the chef on creative, exquisite dishes. read more

Firehouse Bistro - French Near Me - Woodside, California

I am writing this review as this would be my second time there. The first time I went with my one of my cousins, the service was excellent and the food was good. I had fish, i cannot remember exactly but overall good experience and I like the cozy feel it gives you. The second time me and my four cousins went. I got the sea bass and even though the portion was small it was still high quality in my opinion. Its not my quantity its about quality of the food. My other cousins ordered a rib eye, a hamburger and risotto fish thing. Everyone loved their food and the desert was amazing. We had the a bread pudding and a banana thing ( forgot the name). Also forgot to mention the beef carpaccio is really good as well as the bread they give you. The service was just as good as the first time. The price is admitly high becasue you expect that in a restaurant like this. I dont expect IHOP prices at a quality food place like this. My advice is if your going to go out to eat at a nice restaurant dont complain about price. Your paying for service. And we got service and great food. read more

First of all, if you read the negative reviews, you get a real insight into "entitled" individuals who seem to be more enamored of their writing abilities than treating dining out as an adventure. Our party of six ordered different appetizers, five different entrees, and three desserts. There were no "clunkers" in any of the choices. The petrale sole was ample and delicious, the short rib was excellent, the scallops were expertly cooked. Well, you get the idea. The whole dinner and service were excellent. Only downsides: $25 corkage fee seems too high and be prepared to spend some money. Would I go back? Absolutely. read more

Great ambiance! We were on the porch next to the bar and enjoyed everything. It felt very warm and cozy! Food was excellent $150 for many drinks (lemon something) two appetizers and two entrees. Something seemed to be up with the air though, as it was constantly hot or cold. Keep up the work guys! (Familiar staff from the Village Pub can be found here some nights) read more

Had a nice dinner last night. Firehouse has been open less than 100 hours, so obviously they have not worked out all the kinks yet. But service was pleasant and our food was good. Back bar is cozy. Wine list is quite thin, which makes me question the $25 corkage fee. Woodside/PV needs another restaurant like this, so go give them a try, and be a little forgiving as they get up to speed. Note to manager: put your phone number on Yelp for reservations or get up on OpenTable! read more

I was treated here by a friend for my birthday.I was so excited as I have heard so many great things about this place ! The food was nothing short of Amazing . I had the Salmon on cedar - I wish I took a photo but I ate it too quickly !! Our server Cameron really made this a "dining experience ". He was knowledgeable about every item on the menu and there were so many great choices it was so hard to decide. Cameron was very attentive and allowed us to enjoy every part of our meal , I never felt rushed. I hope to be able to treat someone to an experience here soon, or maybe I will have to make a solo trip :) Either way I can't wait to be back. read more

I don't write reviews often but I am writing this one as I hope the owners will read. I have been going to this restaurant for years and enjoyed the quaint atmosphere, friendly servers and nice owners. I have experienced a decline in the food quality over the past 6 mos to a year. I know it has been difficult to keep a restaurant going during these hard times but I was so disappointment with my recent meal there that I am not sure I will return. read more

I ate here with 3 friends on a Friday night (5/19/17) and we had a lovely dinner. It's a cute restaurant and it felt very cozy. The waiters were friendly and attentive and the food was quite good. Two of us had the salmon and pasta, one had steak and the fourth person had petrale sole (I think!). We had beignets for dessert, which we all shared. We almost didn't try this place because of the inconsistent reviews, but I'm glad we did. It's much less formal than the Village Pub (which we also like), and we'll definitely be back. read more

Firehouse Bistro has done a great job getting the details down perfectly. We had the Kushi oysters and foie gras for appetizers and both were fantastic. I paid $25 more for a dozen oysters at Wayfare Tavern in SF and the one's from FB were much better. The foie gras was the best I have had with wonderful stone fruit and toasts. Entrees were pork (chop and belly), chicken and short rib and there wasn't a bite that wasn't great. I'm still impressed that it's 1/3 less than The Village Pub and the food is easily just as good in a farmhouse environment. Let's keep this place around and go!!! Give it a try and you won't regret it. read more

Overall we were rather disappointed by our experience. The setting of the room is nice and the tables are appropriately spaced so that you do not feel crowded. However the pace of the service was very fast as if they wanted us to finish quickly and leave. We had barely ordered our dessert that it arrived! Additionally, I ordered the brussels sprouts that ended up being too spicy as well as the pork chop where the applesauce and polenta we're really not tasting good. The meat was great though. We are clearly not encouraged to try it another time... read more

The dinner at Firehouse was great. I had less expectation since we loved Station one. The menu is rather small but they were delicious. The whipped Brie was really good. Even our kids loved it. The burger was huge and juicy! Sole was just right. The presentation was really nice. They did a nice job incorporating local flavor decor inside. read more

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Had an astonishingly bad experience for Valentine's Day. The service set a new standard for clumsiness, chaos, and sloth. The food was mediocre, with no hint of a fixed price $115/person menu when the reservation was made. Couldn't get anyone to seat us, which progressed to: oh just wait in the bar in the back (never got a drink menu, a drink, or for that matter, a sight of any bartender). When finally seated for dinner, we sampled a wine and our waiter returned something like 45 minutes later to ask if we wanted it. Everything was slow, sloppy, unprofessional, and just sad as they brought out mediocre dishes at an agonizingly slow pace, mixed up orders, seemingly changed waiters a few times, and bungled their way through the evening. No one seemed to know what they were doing. In hindsight we should have just walked out early rather than suffer through it. Maybe they were just overwhelmed for Valentine's day, but after such a disappointment, there is nothing they can do to ever get us to return. read more

Lovely location for an intimate dinner for a small group. Enjoyed my 60th Birthday Celebration with family and friends. Excellent food. The service was awesome. I would definitely visit again and recommend the Bistro to other family and friends read more

Outstanding food and reasonably priced. Was here for great Valentine day's menu and returned a month later for my birthday because it was that good. The waiters are cordial and thoughtful and the rack of lamb was outstanding on my first visit. My husband's filet was done in the sous vide method and was outstanding. When we returned we both had the seafood which was also outstanding. The brownie dessert was terrific, as was the bread pudding and i normally don't like breath pudding but has it on both visits! Will be back! The corkage fee was very reasonable. read more

A very nice dining experience, girlfriend and I both had the ribeye entrees and the meals were perfect. The peppercorn sauce had actual peppercorns in it and that has been harder to find these days. Staff 10/10 very professional and clean, quiet and calming environment overall. The tomato salad was our starter, it was 9/10 only because the balsamic pour over tasted too sugary. I would request less balsamic next visit. Had a $10 glass of wine and it was great with the red meat. read more

We had dinner at the Firehouse Bistro last evening with friends. We have had several excellent meals there, previously. Not so last evening. The caesar salad had too much dressing. The focaccia bread had a too much garlic on it. (It was excellent on previous visits with out garlic) The main plates were not warmed and the food was tepid upon arrival. The scallops were undercooked on beds of very spicy cubed vegetables. I told the waiter. We were not informed about the tabasco or what was added to the cubed vegetables. In center of the plate was a starch , also tepid. Were were sent dessert by the chef, which was excellent. JW read more

I still have not eaten here but 5 stars for Fabio's amazing customer service ! I called 650-851-4988 to make a reservation for a party of 8. He asked if there where any wine preferences , I said not really so he said how about we do 1 red 1 white ? Sure , sounds good to me , now I really look forward to dining at Firehouse Bistro ! Great customer service and so friendly : ) read more

Excellent steak! Great service! Best martini! and don't forget the bread pudding! The Beet salad was fresh and delish.

Very inviting and cozy ambiance , dinner was delicious , filet mignon and my Husband ordered the cheeseburger , having said that , very limited menu , possibly 5 to choose from and that was a let down . I looked online entrees and none of what I reviewed other than the burger was what I expected. I also asked the waiter about creamed spinach and specials such as short ribs and he said we no longer have that. I said to My husband , too Late to go elsewhere for anniversary, we can make this work , and we did . Bottom line , a table if 6 came in as dissapointed asking about the Menu, where's the old menu ? The waiter replied we got a new chef a few months ago , and we have a new menu ! Bottom line , everything was fine , but TRULY mr. New chef , post the menu that you Are currently serving , we are all supporters and live locally , it would be appreciated ! read more

My wife and I had a great dinner last night. The food, ambiance and service were outstanding. We started with a really good Sauncere bottle of wine Salmon tartare appetizer. My wife had the spring salad and I had the roasted beets salad and they were both good. For main courses, we had the Salmon on cedar and Mixed seafood over fettuccine which were both excellent. For dessert, we split the bread pudding. The food is always outstanding but selection of main courses limited to about ten which is expected for a small upscale restaurant. read more

Our dinner was perfect! Tasty, seasonal, great portions. Service was great. This place should be packed. Sooooo much better than Villager Bakery in every level! read more

Overall 3.5 +Food taste, quality, portion size - table layouts Love the new seats compared to Station1. For about the same price, the food seems better prepared. My filet was really outstanding, the spare ribs were good (I tasted) and the pork looked good too. The highlight was the onion soup and the cheese plate. Mix green salad was also tasty. Wished for a fowl choice (duck breast, chicken) on the menu. Service was decent, but not as efficient as I would expect at these prices. We meet friends here, but I don't think it's quiet enough for date night. read more

Many of the menu items were very nice...for my friends. They didn't have one single vegetarian option. This seems very strange to me in California. They piece-mealed something together for me but it was very disappointing (although the polenta was very yummy). Lovely venue, waitstaff fairly attentive. But very disappointed that I couldn't eat a real meal like my friends. read more

The food was fine, but not great. The restaurant was loud. And the service was almost non-existent, at least for us. We got the bread soon after arriving, with two unrecognizable dipping sauces. But it was 30 minutes before we got our drinks, and before a waiter came by to take our order and tell us what the dips were (eggplant, tomato). The wine I ordered by the glass was delivered already poured, while the poured the same bottle tableside for the people behind us. In fact one of the waiters was sitting with the people at the table behind us while we were waiting for dessert menus. By then we had been in the restaurant for nearly two hours, so opted out of dessert. It was clear that regulars get a very different level of treatment than first timers like us. We will not be back. read more