Iron Gate Restaurant Reviews

My wife and I had been going to Iron Gate for years before we got married, so it was a no-brainer to include it on the shortlist of places to hold a small wedding ceremony with our immediate family and closest friends. The space is gorgeous, the food is amazing, the staff is professional, and the side patio where they host events like ours did not disappoint.

I was blown away by how easy the events team was to work with. Every time we had a special request they found a way to accommodate, and they made it completely painless for us.

I highly recommend Iron Gate for your small wedding or other event.

My fiancé and I got engaged just 10 weeks before our microwedding (16 guests) and started looking for a restaurant that could accommodate us — with either an indoor or outdoor private room or patio. We looked at Iron Gate, Tabard Inn, and the Line Hotel. All good options, but ultimately we are SO glad we chose Iron Gate!

I have worked in the nonprofit sector, planning nonprofit and fundraising events for a decade plus, and have never seen a venue and general manager like Crystal Schlote-Mckendree at Iron Gate go *so* above and beyond for an event, especially a small event like us. Crystal met with us and our planner at least 4 times for walk throughs with different vendors (because we were planning so quickly, we weren't able to land a date for our florist and photographer to walk-through on the same date, for example), and for meeting with her and her beverage director to choose his & hers cocktails. The bartender, Nick, made delicious custom drinks for us. Each time we visited, Crystal was SO sweet and welcoming, bringing out drinks and snacks and sending me home with a thank-you note! (And never seeming stressed or rushed... even though she clearly juggles lots of events. I don't know how she does it!)

Crystal arranged all sorts of special things/special requests, working with our awesome planner, Sara Bauleke at Bella Notte events. Some examples: Crystal and Iron Gate kept out the patio heaters past their usual date for removing the heaters; they allowed us to have a special ring bearer since it was before their 5:00 p.m. food service began; they worked with us on a custom menu and a special meal for my 87-year-old grandmother with dietary restrictions; they coordinated all sorts of day-of deliveries with vendors (cake, rentals, florals). Crystal even arranged for their Director of Operations from Neighborhood Restaurant Group to come out and be a special server for us (a very overqualified server!) instead of leaving us short-staffed. The whole evening was magical and seamless. Even though we were paying just for a food & beverage minimum without a "venue fee" or waitstaff fee, I felt like we were getting the most custom level of waitstaff attention. (Frankly, this level of service and attention for one private event is SO much better than what a very popular restaurant on Barracks Row offers for their private events...) Just take a look at the photos, and you'll see why it was a magical evening.

11 out of 10, highly highly recommend! And ask for Crystal!

I can’t say enough positive things about my experience with Iron Gate. My spouse and I had a ten-guest micro wedding and dinner in October on the wisteria-lined side patio. The contracting process was pretty straightforward and our contact was responsive. We were able to provide our own decor to personalize the space and the team gave us ample time to set up. We also were able to play our own music for the ceremony and dinner. The food was excellent. With three menu options (they vary by price point), there were plenty of options from guests to choose from. The service was impeccable the day of. We had some food allergies in the group including a guest with comparatively limited options that were safe for them to eat, and Iron Gate did a wonderful job of providing them with a specialized meal and incorporating their service of that meal with all the other guests’ (which was family style). A wonderful experience overall!

We loved working with Iron Gate for our micro-wedding on September 18, 2021! Our point of contact Sarah was incredibly helpful, responsive, and kind, and the venue was so accommodating even amid all of the uncertainty and ever-changing local rules and restrictions. If you’ve ever been to Iron Gate, you know how beautiful it is–the outdoor, ivy-covered side patio was perfect for our wedding party of roughly 22 people. The food and drinks were wonderful too: Iron Gate offered delicious and unique cocktails and a family-style dinner. The weather was great in late September (although there was also a tent option in case of rain) and we loved our first dance in the intimately-lit space. Having considered other similarly-sized and located options, Iron Gate offered an incredible package and value. We highly recommend Iron Gate!

All photos by Clarence Chan Photography

Dawn and her team at Iron Gate were absolutely wonderful to work with -- everything from our customized menu that incorporated all of our favorite food, to the flexibility of the set up, to the amazing staff the day-of helped to make our vision for our wedding day a reality. Thank you!

My husband and I had our wedding at Iron Gate in April of this year (2019) and it was the single best planning decision I made. This is equally because of what a great experience it was with Iron Gate as a venue, and also because the team there referred me to pretty much all of my other vendors (who were wonderful). So many of my guests complimented me on the space (gorgeous and charming and special), the staff (geez, all so great and warm), the food (get the sliders), and generally just the energy of Iron Gate. My experience with Dawn and Sarah during planning was also wonderful, and they were incredibly patient with me during the entire process. Honestly, not a single negative thing to say. Thank you, Iron Gate!

We can't say enough about the staff that helped us execute the wedding dinner for our client. It was a rainy night but the Garden Patio still worked for our group. Sarah and Emily and the team that night got us through it - can't say enough about the way we were taken care of, the amazing meal or the quality of service. THANK YOU! - Jessica Badger & Lauren Black, Black Badger Event Owners

In the stress-inducing world of planning and executing a wedding, Iron Gate stands as an exception. Choosing this restaurant for my wedding was one of the best decisions of my life (secondary to my wife and wedding dress of course). The event planner Emily is thoughtful, organized, timely and detail-oriented. If anything didn’t happen exactly as I had envisioned, I had no idea - she quietly stayed on the edges of the evening conducting her well-orchestrated timeline of arrival, ceremony, dinner and drinks. For brides who are more interested in getting married and eating instead of making a strict schedule with decorations and cakes and dances and vendors and all the other associated nonsense that takes away from your mindset, Iron Gate is your venue. I merely showed up to a simply yet magically decorated outdoor patio, with hanging vines and delicately romantic lighting over my tables, an elegant iron staircase for the ceremony and potted greenery everywhere to complete the background of every photo. Chef Chittum’s masterful food was my centerpiece, reminding everyone of what attending a wedding should be like: happily delicious, just enough, and paired with excellent wine. The food was complemented by servers and bartenders who far exceeded my expectations. Mass-produced mediocre dinners and service staff who are half-trained and only partly care were two things I did not want - and Iron Gate delivered magnificently. Both myself and multiple guests I spoke with were impressed by their professionalism, knowledge of food and drink, and willingness to serve with a genuine smile even nearing the end of the admittedly boozy night.
I realize I have used an extraordinary amount of adjectives and thesaurus-laced superlatives in this review, but I do feel strongly that it is well deserved. Iron Gate is a beautiful restaurant with impressive food and drink options, and backs it up with exceptional service to its guests. I can only give Iron Gate my highest recommendation.