Firehook Bakery

I’m a big fan of Firehook Bakery generally, but the one in Judiciary Square leaves much to be desired. The pastry selection is seriously lacking and they didn’t seem to have any savory sandwich items, which I’m used to getting at other Firehook Bakery locations. The only thing that looked even slightly appetizing that they had was a bagel. Service was not the nicest and they also have very few seats for people to sit. I have high expectations for Firehook Bakery generally and I was sadly disappointed by the one in Judiciary Square. I will go elsewhere in the future. The one in Cleveland Park is still my favorite.

I work nearby so I go here allot. They have super strong espresso and nice pastries, Marvin runs the show and he is very charismatic and nice to see in the morning. Everyone works hard in there and gives great service. I have seen them expertly handle big crowds quickly and I am glad they are in the neighborhood.

I am not a coffee connoisseur, so I really do not know the difference between coffee. In my opinion, it is a typical overpriced coffee shop. The place is packed in the mornings and at lunch time with Attorneys and Federal Agents.

I’m a sucker for seasonal food products and décor. Firehook always does the cutest job decorating their cookies and cupcakes for the occasion.
This location is close to my job and I like it for its sweets and easy to grab sandwiches or pastas.
The staff by judiciary square is also incredibly kind and they make an effort to get to know their customers.

I try to remember that time is an illusion. However, the persistence of that illusion is rather overwhelming when the short dude with the hat is running the espresso machine. Beware when you order an cappuccino. As all who you know will be dead by the time you leave that place. Society will move on without you. You will be but an echo of a memory.

They have an excellent selection of cakes online. I ordered one for a birthday and had a pleasant and seamless experience all through pick-​up. It was German chocolate cake and delicious! Would definitely order here again.

Meh. Looked appealing from the outside, but it’s just aight inside. It’s a pretty generic bakery /​coffee place. None of the businesses in this area need to up their game because everyone is just blowing through, picking up a coffee/​snack on their way to work or while touring around. So with that in mind, Firehook isn’t really a good destination but it’s ok if you need to stuff caffeine and sugar in yourself. My coffee and cookie were totally average and a little dry, but they did the trick of putting energy into my body. Also their bathroom was decent if that’s what you’re seeking!

I’ve been to a few of the many locations in the area, but this is the one I’ve frequented the most so I guess it gets my review. Firehook Bakery makes the BEST cakes. There’s a huge variety in the online catalog you can peruse through and order for FREE pickup at any Firehook location. They also can personalize with beautiful handwriting — I’ve picked up a few birthday cakes from them and have always been very satisfied. It’s difficult to even try all of the flavors because there’s so many, but I recall particularly liking the Grandma’s chocolate cake and the German chocolate cake a lot.
This particular location right at the entrance to the Judiciary Square Metro Station is pretty small inside and doesn’t actually have a huge selection of Firehook Bakery’s offerings. However, I’ve had a baked treat or two in store and have not been disappointed.

I haven’t tried a great deal from here. I’ve only been here twice when visiting family but both times I have bought their croissants, both chocolate and plain. They are simply delicious. The chocolate croissant definitely fills your sweet tooth and the size of it just makes it better. It’s almost enough to share with two people if you’re feeling nice enough. I also got a latte from here which was decent. The only downside to this place that I have encountered is the location. The last time I went there were a significant amount of homeless people around and the area was gross and smelled. This isn’t their fault but for a food establishment, it was a little off putting. Also, the place is very small, so when busy, expect the line to reach the door. Everything else looks so delicious and I look forward to going back.

Even though I was not a fan of the Firehook bakery in my former job in VA I am a big fan of the Firehook bakeries in Foresight and Judiciary Square. Since I have several meeting in the surrounding buildings I stop in here, grab a hot beverage and a pastry.
The drinks are definitely more sugary than most (minus one star) but unlike other coffee shops aroubd town the hot drinks are actually HOT and stay warm for a while. This is meaningful to me because it takes me an entire day to drink a latte or any other espresso drink. Any other place I go I have to order my drink ‘extra hot’.
I love the pumpkin spice muffin!
People who work nearby frequent this place and the baristas know how to make their individual drinks. Prices are reasonable, pasties are cheaper than that of other shops.

I worked in this building for awhile and always loved Firehook. The plain coffee is delicious and lattes or cappucinos are incredible as well. Their selection of baked goods are absolutely incredible. My favorites are the morning glory muffin or the sweet dreams cookie. I mean, the cookies are bigger than your head! This place is worth it alone for a cup of coffee and a gigantic cookie.
My only complaint is that they do not have any no carb options. I don’t always like to eat a giant muffin for my breakfast, but when I do, this is my go-​to spot.

I’m not really familiar with any of the other Firehook locations, but I will say that this one is top notch.
First off, the staff consists of some genuinely good and kind people. I’ve been there a few times now and a couple of them have started to recognize me and know exactly what I’m there for. Considering they see hundreds of faces on a daily basis I’d say this is a quality that I find highly admirable.
Their smoothies are arguably the tastiest I’ve ever had (and I’ve had my fair share of smoothies). They don’t use a mix or cocktail– nope– it’s (depending on your order) fresh blueberries, orange/​apple juice, bananas and, of course, ice. I do think that the strawberries are glazed, but I figure it’s just sugar and strawberries, not xantham gum, cellulose powder or Red 40.
Also, if interested in eating, I would highly recommend the Mediterranean Chickpea Salad.
There is a large homeless population nearby and, from what I can tell, they have a great working relationship with them. In exchange for food items they are tasked with performing small services (sweeping, running, trash duties).
Good food, good people and commendable business ethics is never a bad thing.
*Quick tip: if you should order a smoothie, very often there is leftover in the blender that I ask for in a separate cup. More often than not, it’s enough to fill another small cup.

I have jury duty and was excited to learn their was a firehook in the basement. I love cookies! The manager was nice. The cashier was not. The cashier was beyond rude and seemed incompetent at the register, even leaving a customer’s payment on the counter for several transactions rather than putting it in the register. When your order is ready – you won’t know unless you understand someone wagging a bag in your face trying to tell you with their frowned brow «what?! Don’t you know this is your food by the way I’m starring at you.»
I told the manager that the cashier lacked the most basic customer service skills. She was nice and said she’d talk to the cashier. Hope she did… I don’t want my cookie breaks to be ruined or stopped all together because I will not pay someone to be rude to me!

We strolled in to the National Building Museum and surprisingly, Firehook Bakery was inside. Perfect, as we just ate lunch and I needed my after meal coffee and sweet. I’ve seen their name in articles here and there and I knew this wasn’t their primary location. The line was rather deep, but I sneaked my way up to the front of the tiny store to see what they had behind the counter. I was mainly looking for a cupcake, but they only had half dozen setups in their fridge. I noticed their cookie prices were almost $ 2 and I thought this is going to get expensive for a small sweet bite. The little and also narrow bakery had other goodies, such as breads, brownies, salads, sandwiches, bottled drinks, and hot teas.
We opted for a ginger and chocolate chip 5″ diameter cookie. I didn’t expect them to be this big, but they were sort of flat, but not enough to be a crisp, thin cookie. The ginger cookie was my favorite of the two, a nice balance of sweetness from the sugar on top and molasses. It was lacking ginger flavor though in my opinion. The chocolate chip cookie was as good as Nabiscos. All the chocolate sat peacefully on one side of the cookie, unbalanced? The coffees were ordinary and the wife’s soy mocha latte was a cup full of liquid chocolate sugar. Definitely for one who’s looking to bounce of the walls.

This is the closest «coffee shop» to my workplace, and I sometimes also stop here for lunch when I have a little extra in the bank and can afford it. Because, let’s face it, prices here are expensive — they are really, really, REALLY expensive, at least in my opinion.
The staff is great — they remember mostly everyone who comes in on a regular basis. In the winter, all I have to do is come up to the register and they know what I want — a large hot apple cider with no whipped cream and extra spices (and let me tell you, that’s some damned good stuff). In the summer, my go-​to is the mocha freeze, and if you want something that’s totally addictive — that’s what you want to choose. Trust me on this.
Their pound cakes are good, too. I’ve never tried the bagels or the regular bread, so I can’t comment on that. Brownies are so-​so — they’re a bit too «cakey» for my taste. I’ve never had their whole cakes, though they always look SO good in the display case!
They carry other things too, such as ready-​to-​eat sandwiches, salads, etc. Those are pricey, however, and I try not to go here too often, because lunch here can run you into the double digits very, very easily. I wish they had a bit more fruit-​filled pastries here (cranberry muffins would be the BOMB), but, eh. You take what you can get.
The atmosphere being a little dark and uninviting is, unfortunately, correct. There’s maybe three or four seats and no more than that — there are tables outside, but as stated, there are very, uh, strange people outside that are coming from the courthouse (s) and therefore may have some mental issues or criminal records. Be aware of that before you sit down at the table with your laptop — you might want to save that for when you get back to the office, because I wouldn’t hang around here for too long. YMMV, of course.
Little to no parking here — it’s in front of the MPD Headquarters and therefore parking is heavily regulated. You’re more likely to get a ticket parking here than anywhere else.

I’m not clear on why these bakeries are becoming so popular and spreading so much. There’s nothing wrong with them, but they’re the same limp-​textured croissants and doughy muffins you can get at any coffee shop, and the coffee is similarly nothing to write home about. It’s nice that they’re sorta-​local, but that only sorta does it. You want good baking? Pay a dollar more and walk three blocks over to Paul on Pennsylvania.

I visited this place A LOT in the late spring of this year. I had jury duty for 2 months… yes, you read that right, 2 months. This is the closest place to grab something quick.
The cookies are super yum… I tried them all unfortunately for my waistline. The espresso/​chocolate one was my favorite but I found all of them to be solid. Another staple in my diet was the chicken curry salad. I would pair that with some of their packaged flat crackers and have a feast. The other jurors were often jealous.
I didn’t love the packaged green salads but in general I find those never taste fresh and honestly why have salad when I can have carbs?
In the mornings the lines are LONG with all the people headed to the courthouse so plan at least 5+ minutes to get in and get out. There is also very little seating in the shop. They have tables outside if you are comfortable sitting with the wackos that hang out in that area… and let me tell you that is weird mix of folks.

I’ve been hearing wonderful things about Firehook Bakery so when I was passing by this one on a work errand, I went in for a coffee and pastry (the mere fact that I had missed breakfast that morning made it even more tempting).
The café is dark and dingy. The grate below the unfinished ceiling looks very dusty. Something in the pit of my stomach told me to turn around and leave, but the empty pit told me to get food. Of course I always listen to my empty stomach. I ordered a café au lait and pecan pie tart. The coffee was delicious and the pecan pie was perfect – flakey crust, buttery filling, and just the right size. In the end, I’m very glad I listened to my empty stomach.
Still wish that Firehook Bakery would reassess the interior décor of this location. It doesn’t exactly scream warm, inviting, tasty, clean, and comfortable.

Although I love Firehook, this particular location I do not luurve as much.
While the quality of the caffeinated beverages and goodies are still pretty much on par with the other locations, this store is rather small, with limited seating.
The service itself, was just fine. My iced coffee was a-​ok and the lovely, iced sugar cookies they always have were present and tasty as well.
There are a few seats outside, however there were a ton of oddballs hanging around in the middle of the day. Didn’t feel completely comfortable hanging for too long.
And while I enjoy an oddball from time to time, I do not as much enjoy them when I’m catching up on emails and taking a few phone calls on the run.
Oddballs are much more enjoyable accompanied with booze.
That is all.

Lukewarm latte, which is what one might expect from a café located in the basement of the Moultrie Courthouse.
Access is granted by way of going through the security gates for the plebeians among society, such as I. Presumably, if you’re an employee at this court, there’s some expedited means of entry. Still, the guards were generally polite and informative, although only one of two knew that the coffee shop in the basement was Firehook at all.
Although my latte was tepid, the greeting and service was exceptionally warm and fuzzy. These are people who seem to love life. Well… more likely, love God. There’s really something endearing about being called «baby» and «honey-​cake» (or some alternative cutesy name like that) by an African American gramma. Absolutely adorable.
Plus, there’s free wi-​fi throughout the entire court building. Although I got little to no cell reception in the bowels of the building, logging in via their wireless network was well-​documented and easily accessible.
Sometimes, it’s the little things in life.