Review of FireFresh BBQ
FireFresh BBQ has three locations serving the Louisville area. We visited the one on Dixie Hwy. where we were pleasantly surprised to find they offer one free kids meal with purchase of an adult meal Monday-Friday! They also offer a buffet on Sundays from 11- 3pm for just $8.99 per person, including a variety of meats, sides, and desserts.We went for dinner on a Thursday night and almost had the restaurant to ourselves. This was probably a good thing considering the antics my three wild children tried to pull while we stood at the counter looking at the menu! Thankfully the cashier was very nice and patient and there was a bench nearby with a fun dog statue where they could be corralled until we were ready to sit.
We ordered three kids meals—chicken tenders and two mac & cheese. They each came with one FireSide (my kids unanimously chose fries which the server was courteous enough to ask if we wanted seasoned or plain), drinks, and a cookie for $4.39. My husband and I both ended up ordering the small sampler plate with one ‘Bama rib, and 2 oz. each of smoked pork and pulled chicken, two sides, and fresh rolls or texas toast for $8.99. We both chose baked beans and the skillet potatoes per the server’s recommendation.
After filling our drinks we found a big table in the back and waited for the food to arrive. The interior of the restaurant was nice and clean, the décor was mostly dark wood and black with a few red accents—not what you expect from the typical BBQ joint. While waiting, my husband had to search several tables in order to hunt down a bottle of each of their 4 BBQ sauces to try—Sweet & Spicy, Bama Red, Georgia Pucker, and Hazmat. I appreciated the extra-big roll of paper towels sitting on every table, as we had a spill just moments after sitting down!
Our food came after a short wait and the kids immediately dug into the heaping mounds of French fries. I snuck a few and have to admit that even unseasoned they were pretty tasty. It’s a good thing too, because unfortunately the mac & cheese was a flop. It was very dry and not so cheesy. It’s the first mac & cheese I’ve met that even my 3 year-olds wouldn’t eat. They filled up on fries and the garlic Texas toast from my plate. The chicken fingers, however, were delicious! They were a little heavy on the breading but moist and very flavorful. My daughter almost wouldn’t spare me a bite to sample.
The sample plates were big! I enjoyed getting to taste a little of everything but next time I’ll definitely order something smaller. The ribs were tender, the chicken and pork were moist and smoky, though the ‘campfire’ taste was a little overwhelming for me. I enjoyed the different sauces, though the hazmat was disappointing to our heat-loving tastebuds. The beans were nice and contained chunks of pulled pork, but the skillet potatoes went uneaten. They were mushy, very salty, and my husband’s came out cold.
The highlight of the meal may have been dessert! When we were almost done our server came by and brought the chocolate chip cookies. They also have freshly baked oatmeal cookies, brownies, and buttermilk pie. The cookies were thick and chewy with big chunks of chocolate… I was tempted to order a few more to go!
FireFresh is a place we will probably try again because we love BBQ. Our family of five could easily eat for under $30, plus you can’t beat free kids meals every weekday. On the way out I noticed a small area of patio seating that would be nice during warm weather; however, it’s much too close to busy Dixie Hwy. for my comfort. Check out their website at http://www.firefreshbbq.com/ for other locations, menu, and catering information.
By guest contributor: Lindsey
