Lime Tequila Kobe Gourmet Burger, an 8 ounce Kobe beef patty, topped with grilled onions, jalapeno, cheddar, Monterey Jack and tequila lime mayo, was held together by a pretzel roll

Redwood Firewood Grill recently moved to their new location in the former “Aloha Bar” building on North Detroit Street overlooking Center Lake in Warsaw and I was able to secure a reservation for opening night.

With few hiccups, the experience was enjoyable and old and new fans alike are sure to be enamored with the new location. Offering sweeping panoramic views of the lake (and a soon to be lighted waterfront deck to enjoy the sunsets in the warmer months), the new and improved Redwood Firewood Grill makes for a dining experience in Warsaw that is hard to beat.

Table service for the evening was exemplary. Even with seven adults and two kids, our server Whitney had our drink orders in front of us within 10 minutes and the dinner order was placed 10 minutes later.

While it did take 40 minutes for the food to arrive, that should be expected for such a large party. And the wait was well worth it.

Ordering a variety of dishes from their Honey Smoked BBQ Ribs to the Cobb Salad to the Pollo a la Brasa, the plates were as delectable as they were heaping. Redwood Firewood Grill had come to a clear conclusion — they were going to serve their patrons the best plates possible and ensure they had plenty to enjoy.

My choice for the evening was the Lime Tequila Kobe Gourmet Burger. The 8 ounce Kobe beef patty, topped with grilled onions, jalapeno, cheddar, Monterey Jack and tequila lime mayo, was held together by a pretzel roll that appeared to be the only bread item that could keep all of the ingredients nicely in place. With my first bite, the burger gave me that “Wow” factor that makes first impressions memorable and with every subsequent chomp, it moved up my list of all-time favorites.

My conclusion, shared with the rest of the people at my table, was nothing short of a pleasant surprise – the food at Redwood Firewood Grill was beyond expectations and it would assume its rightful spot in our regular rotation of restaurants.

The only issues I had were at the bar. After walking over to the separate bar area, I had to sit at the bar for 15 minutes before someone asked me for my drink order, which only occurred as I got up to leave. The fault can’t be laid at the feet of the bartenders, however. They were tasked not only with filling drink orders for the whole restaurant but also had to act as wait staff for the whole bar section which consisted of an additional dozen tables.

That was simply too much work for the number of people assigned to cover it. It’s an easy fix and hopefully attributable to staffing issues.

The Redwood Firewood Grill’s new location is dressed to impress and a visit to get reacquainted with an old friend showing off a new look should be in your short term plans.

Present and future patrons alike will find flavorful food offerings and a view to match and it will surely become a new “old” favorite in the local dining scene.

The Cobb salad