Fireside Tavern

This place has consistently gone downhill. 5 years ago this was the spot and they had a much more extensive menu and more interesting options.
Service has always been a pain in the ass here. Toll road is rarely open before January so maybe this year they just were not prepared for the short season they would have. Took over an hour to get food out and most of us got chili which should just be scooped out of a big pot. Get here before 11:30 or you will never get a table.
Drinks were good the fireside favorite with hot cider and rum is amazing. Limited draft beers with Switchback ale which every licensed establishment in Stowe offers.
Pulled pork was pretty good actually wiht some pink in it which made me question that they might actually smoke the pork but in a place like this I doubt it. Fries were actually really good as well. However, the cornbread was the worst I have ever had in my life. Someone I was with got a wedge type salad which looked absolutely disgusting and a task to eat. Also, the wings here used to be good but now they simply give you crappy wings with the sauce in a cup on the side. Are you kidding me???

I’ve been coming here for years with my wife and our family, but realized I never reviewed the place. I’ve had some pretty decent experiences here, but today was an eye-​opener…
We had lunch here today, and it was a bit of a debacle. Wasn’t too crowded — took over an hour for us to get our meals (7 people, 4 CHILI’S). The drinks, as always, are solid; a great mix of warmers with hot spiced ciders.
The food wasn’t bad; however, the cornbread with the chili was BAD. Bland as all hell; probably the worst corn bread I’ve ever eaten. Tasteless is the description. The chili was okay — not bad, but nothing WILD. The Caesar Salad was a bit… skimpy. Small portion with more croutons than salad. It was also made with iceberg lettuce — that old school lettuce you’d had as a kid; hard, crunchy. Stinks.
I love the vibe of Fireside Tavern, but the long, slow service and okay meal get it a ²⁄₅.
(The service also impacted the rest of the skiing day for us; we had to waste more time in the lodge and less time on the slopes. You hardcore ski heads know exactly what I’m talking about!)

While the main lodge at Stowe has a crowded and bustling apres ski scene, definitely try out Fireside Tavern for a more laid back, chilled out apres ski scene. My girlfriend and I stopped in here for lunch one of our days up here (we were staying upstairs at The Inn on the Mountain) while skiing and came back the next day for a few rounds and some post ski munchies. The staff here is über friendly. The beer selection is good. The space is intimate and cozy, with plenty of seating and a fireplace in the back.
The food here was surprisingly good though. I tried the burger, nachos and chili and everything was excellent. If you’re looking to get away from the crowds at the main lodge, either ski down Toll Road and stop in or take the quick drive down the road and stop in for a great grub and drinks.

The TripAdvisor reviews of this place are pretty crappy so I want to go out there defending the lil’ Fireside Tavern. For one, for those who know about this place, I think it’s one of the best things about a day at Stowe. There’s nothing like skiing your last run of the day down a beautifully powdered Toll Road and going straight into the Fireside for a Spicy Blood Mary. It’s super cozy, the old fireplace is beautiful, and the guy that was working there (Erik) was awesome and really friendly.
They do specialty drinks and the food is on the better side of standard pub fare but… OH MY GOD THE CHEF MADE HOT SAUCE. It’s the best hot sauce I’ve had in my life, and I consider myself quite the authority. It’s a perfect blend of habanero and citrus, it’s…it’s.it’s…I can’t even think about it, it makes me too sad that I’ll have to wait until the man and I go again to have it. Luckily Erik gave me some to take home, but it won’t last too long.