Wood Fire

My husband and I love this place. Chris the bartender is awesome. All the food we have tried was really good. I do think they should have an extra hot chef on staff when busy, as the orders really do get backed up. Totally recommend Wood Fire!

We have lived very close to the Woodfire for a few years now. We love the atmosphere, the service has always been fantastic, and the food always is amazing. The Woodfire is a little bit pricier than some of the other local places but I find that out is well worth it. Even if you don’t feel like enjoying a 20 dollar a plate meal, swinging by for a dessert is always nice.
My wife and I will share their mushroom ravioli or perhaps their pork chop. Every year in February, during Dowagiac’s chili crawl, they make a white chili that is always amazing!

Compared to when it originally opened appx 10 years ago, quality and service has gone downhill the last few visits and the prices have shot-​up, and are now completely out-​of-​whack. What happened? This used to be a semi-​regular ‘favorite’. It’s now on our ‘don’t bother’ list. Last night was the last straw. Party of 4 included my mother. I was embarrassed to have recommended the place once the evening ended. Goodbye Woodfire.
Spent Sunday night in July waiting over 15 minutes for our wine orders (one of the selections was overpriced on the check, by the way, vs the menu quote, but did not realize until we had already left). Waitress then informed us one of our wine selections was unavailable, so that took over 5 minutes for the re-​do. Finally was able to order the food after appx 30 minutes of waiting. Our server was habitually either harried, hurried, or ‘invisible’.
Ordered the ‘Seafood Provencal’. $ 32 (w/​a salad!). Food arrived. The ‘Seafood” consisted of 3 semi-​large shrimp, 2 nickle-​sized scallops plopped on top of a HUGE serving of overly sauced/​salted linguine mixed with more than PLENTY of portobello-​type mushrooms.
Once I realized what had been actually served (vs menu description), waitress was either nowhere to be found, or would finally breeze by without being available at any given crucial moment. Resistance appeared to be futile, so, now being famished, threw in the towel and ate what I could. The linguine/​mushroom portion was enough for a party of 4, so there was plenty of that left over. The problem is I ordered what was being represented predominantly as SEAFOOD dish, NOT LINGUINE w/​a few paltry seafood items.
Once the table was cleared, no offer was forthcoming to enjoy dessert/​coffee/​tea/​after-​dinner drinks, so I’m guessing that they don’t feature that type of service anymore. Anyway, by that time, we were in a ‘get us out of here’ mood.
The owner needs to take ownership of the culture here and institute corrective measures if they care to stay in business. In my opinion.
TRUTH IN ADVERTISING IDEAS:
*Don’t misrepresent your menu, Woodfire
*Maybe a lot more ‘SEAFOOD’ and a lot LESS linguine for $ 32.00
MOVING FORWARD:
*Woodfire is now a ‘NEVER AGAIN’ destination for our appetites and dollars
*They just bought a significant amount of negative advertising

Whitney was our waitress and she made our dining experience the best. The stuffed chicken breast with angel hair pasta is highly recommended.

Very nice restaurant for the area. Came here around 8pm with my boyfriend and his parents. We were seated promptly at a nice booth and served drinks. The building is very historic and I enjoyed listening to the history of the building. This place also plays live music which was a nice touch. We were served a load of bread and pita before our dinner which is always good. I ordered the spaghetti carbonara which was very tasty and was topped with lots of bacon. The others ordered the filet special which was topped with Gorgonzola cheese and served with sweet potatoes and mashed potatoes which was very flavorful and cooked to perfection. Overall I would say the food was very good and the waitress was attentive. The food is pretty expensive for the area; however, I believe they attract the crowds who come to enjoy their summer home on the weekends. I would come back again and recommend it to others.

The food was mediocre at best. The butternut squash ravioli was tasty; the shrimp cocktail was ok, but a small portion for the price. The lasagna was too fussy-​the tomatoes were all wrong and the pizza, sadly, was reminiscent of Tostino’s. My classic berry white martini was excellent; the tiramisu was flavorful but way too mushy (like pudding). Service was ok. This place tries to be fine dining, but falls way short. Just over-​pricing your menu (by about 40%) DOES NOT equal fine dining. Tighten up your standards-​food quality and service, and maybe you can command these kinds of prices. Otherwise, you are just an over-​priced disappointment.

The Lasagna is absolutely to die for!!! My husband & I both love this!!! The atmosphere is great, the wine list is good also. We live in Indiana & drive all the way here just for this restaurant!!!

Let me just say amazing pizza BUT way over priced I ordered 2 pizzas which only come in 8″ size, personal pizza, was not told the price then upon arrival was charged $ 27! 2 personal sized pizzas with one topping should NOT cost me that much! I’ll enjoy the taste for sure but I will not being going back for that price

Lovely find in the midst of Dowagiac’s quaint downtown. Loved the Steamers, mussels and clams served in a delicious sauce with toasty bread. Next course, House Salad. The white balsamic vinaigrette dressing was light, yet the perfect flavor accent to very fresh greens. Entrees Pasta Putanesca and Wood Fire Meat Ravioli were fresh and fabulous! Our server was cordial and timely. The restaurant offers a lovely wine list, full bar and a good selection of microbrews. Located in a lovely space with exposed brick, restored tin ceiling and warm wood floors, the Wood Fire is your best bet for miles around.

Beautiful setting for a better-​than-​expected meal. Good service, very nice pizza, good beer menu.

Love this restaurant! Been coming here since it opened. Great live music on the weekends, wonderful food, great bar, great vibe. Best option for a nice dinner for Chicago folks!

This is our favorite area restaurant and we drive a half hour to get there. It has a nice surprising ambiance. We have outstanding service no matter who waits on us. The host seems to recognize us and greets us when we walk in the door. This is a nice sit down restaurant so I’m not sure if the other reviewers complaining about the wait expected McDonald’s counter service. We usually choose from the specials offered. I tend to choose whichever one comes with the sweet potato and mashed potato swirl side dish, it is that good. The homemade gorgonzola dressing on the house salad is the best and has toasted gnocchi in place of croutons. I was once brought the Caesar salad dressing by mistake and found it fishy but then again, Caesar is not my favorite. Very nice selections on the wine list which includes some of my favorites that I buy for home. The tiramisu is a tasty end.

We usually enjoy the food and ambiance. However, the last few times we went the service was slow and inattentive. The food was still very good, but we wondered at the poor service. If this turns around, I would give it five stars.

4overall maybe 4.5 (for dowagaic)
Service was great.
Meals were very good (steak)
Price is fair.
Wine list was a little price inflated.
Drinks could have been a tad stronger (old fashioned)
Overall a very good dining experience while in Dowagaic.

This is the best restaurant in town. Have been there many times and the food is interesting and well prepared. No way Round Oak or Foodies deserve more stars. Don’t go if you want cheap food or if you are looking for regular bar food. Once in a while they get a bit overwhelmed on busy holiday weekends, etc., but overall is still the best thing in town if you are looking for higher-​end food

Went here during my Christmas trip to Michigan
The strip/​area reminds me of something out of a hallmark movie, kinda a lil neat quiet local town feel
The restaurant has some history to it, it used to be a old hardware store that was converted into a restaurant, so you will still see the old elevator lifts and brick work. Kinda neat in my opinion.
Service was actually not bad, forgot the waitress name but she was actually not bad
Seems like a good place for locals to go to for a «Major City Feel» restaurant.
Atmosphere is very cozy and warm and inviting
Now on to the food,
Items that were ordered:
House Salad for 2 which had items from the Pollo Salad — this thing was a good size actually was able to feed 4 people, if you like Olives this is the salad for you cause it had a lot of it.
Winter Squash Ravioli — was pretty good, just the right amount of flavor and spices, not over cooked either.
Margherita Pizza — was awesome, fresh ingredients and full of flavor and baked to perfection
Wild Mushroom Fettuccini — (i did not have this but person in my party did) they loved it, had good flavor and lots of mushrooms, looked delicious
Cappellini con Pomodoro — (i did not have this but person in my party did) — lots of fresh ingredients and filled with flavors and spices
Deserts :
Ordered the Tiramisu and Crème Brulee
Tiramisu had flavors but was a lil on the dry side, would have been better if it were more moist
Crème Brulee, didnt have the crisp sugar crust, it was like a firm custard almost Flan like.

Well this was the first time I ate in this restaurant. The look of restaurant and and atmosphere was great, very classy feel. Was not expecting this in Dowagiac, as for the food and service is what knocked my rating down for this place.
We came in at maybe 5pm on a weekday and we where 1 of 2 parties in this place. So you would think that the service would have been great, it was not it was almost like they server was board. The drinks where not refilled, and was missing for large amounts of time with out checking on us. The bread and dipping ran out and never got refilled. So bye bye first star.
The food I thought was over priced for the amount that I received. I ordered pasta dish and it was what I would call a small portion (it was just the right size for eating I will give them that). But it was $ 16 – 18 by far to much for it and the taste was just ok but nothing great from that one dish I had for the price for a $ 20 plate it should be great. Over all most of the items where $ 3 – 5 over priced in my opinion. 2 stars bye bye.
Over all I would say give it a try maybe when they are more active, and if you want to go to a nice atmosphere restaurant.

My husband and I LOVE Wood Fire! It’s our Friday night ritual. In an area overrun with fried food and pizza joints (which we appreciate – in moderation), this is a welcome breath of fresh air.
Our favorites: For starters, their soups are delicious (the tomato basil is my fave). The calamari is always light and flavorful. The steamers – often a featured appetizer – are amazing and pretty much a meal. (Tip: Save the broth and pour over noodles the next day for a treat.) The salads are fresh, crisp and generous.
For main courses, my husband always orders the chef’s special pizza, fresh out of their wood-​fired oven. It never disappoints, and I usually steal his leftovers. And then my personal favorite, the cheese ravioli with marinara (instead of the pesto). I don’t know what it is about their marinara, but it’s the best I’ve ever tasted.
Best of all is the atmosphere at Wood Fire. Something about the friendly faces, live music and, of course, the warmth and aromas generated by that wood-​fired oven. It’s our favorite place for family (and intimate) dinners in the area, hands down.

There are not a lot of decent sit down options in Dowagiac. I ate here for the first time and left happy. I ordered the meat pizza. It had a nice crisp thin crust. The cheese and toppings were fresh and tasty. This place may not recieve the same rating in a large city with a ton of options, but for a small town it is worth the trip to check it ou.

I’ve been coming here several times a year since the restaurant opened over 5 years ago. The restaurant is a hidden gem in Southwest Michigan. I was pleasantly surprise to find such a nice upscale restaurant nestled in historic Dowagiac.
I first came here with my parents. I enjoyed the restaurant so much, I brought my girlfriend at the time out for dinner. That night the late Jazz Legend Franz Jackson happened to be playing. We enjoyed him so much, we went back almost every time he played there. After my girlfriend and I decided to get married, we invited Franz Jackson to play at our wedding.
The Franz Jackson connection made the Wood Fire very special to us. Over the years we have enjoyed hearing other jazz greats at the restaurant, including performers like Jim Pickley, the Salty Dogs, the fabulous Yves Franciose, and the world’s greatest drummer — Billy ‘Stix’ Nicks. Entertainment at the Wood Fire is ALWAYS above par and sure to make for a great evening out.
The restaurant itself is very charming and has that cool old vibe to it. I love the hardwood floors, exposed brick walls, and tin ceilings. The rest of the décor is modern. Usually the walls have a showing of art from local artists on them. It gives the restaurant a very warm feeling.
I love the food here and I love the fact they have a real wood fired oven. It makes for some very good pizzas. I’m not sure what the two reviewers who gave it low ratings were thinking or expecting, but the fact that one says he’d rather eat «fast food» tells more about the reviewer than about the restaurant. If you think you’re going to throw down Five Bucks and get dinner, then, yes, fast food is for you. As for me, I think the food is delicious, fresh, and seasonally appropriate. I have not had anything here that I did not like. The prices are not cheap, but are very much in line for what you are getting.
After dinner, sip an after dinner drink, maybe have some desert, or just kick back and enjoy the live music. I have never had a disappointing evening here. The service has always been professional and friendly. If there is music, you are sure to have a memorable night out.