As we’ve written before, downtown Frederick has a great bar scene. Its lively streets have a diverse mix of places to get a beer or cocktail. One of those places is Sidecar Bar in Frederick, which is somewhat obscure despite being in the heart of downtown. It’s also one of the best bars in Frederick.
Where Is Sidecar Bar in Frederick?
The first notable thing about Sidecar is its location. How can a place right in the heart of downtown be obscure? The answer is that it is neatly tucked away between its busy neighbors, and the signage is very modest.
Sidecar technically is not its own stand-alone establishment. It’s part of the excellent and very popular Firestone’s Culinary Tavern downtown. Firestones is located on North Market Street just north of Church Street. The corner of Market and Church is one of the busiest and liveliest sections of downtown.
In addition to Firestone’s, other mainstays like The Tasting Room, The Cellar Door, and Orchard are on this corner. On weekends this and the surrounding blocks are a bustling place.
Sidecar has an unassuming black awning with a sign, and a basic logo sign on the door. You almost have to be looking for it to find it, despite being in the middle of the busiest part of downtown Frederick.
The Vibe at Sidecar Bar in Frederick
Sidecar is a long, narrow place with an upscale bar and tables scattered throughout. Its bright and shinny, with a big city atmosphere. We highly recommend sitting at the bar. But the seats facing the window are a prime place to sit as well. You can watch downtown Frederick pass you buy while you eat and drink.
The white marble top bar and backlit bottles give it a glimmering vibe, the very opposite of so many dark, noisy, basement-type bars. Its connected to Firestone’s and you’ll see servers going back and forth serving up food, while the bartenders are busy mixing and serving up drinks.
A Tremendous Whiskey List Right Before Your Eyes
Besides the bright and upscale decor in the place, Sidecar’s best feature has to be its whiskey menu. The selection of reserve bourbons and ryes is a whiskey lover’s dream.
This is enhanced by the fact that your choice of whiskeys are in bottles sitting on shelves right in front of you, backlit all the way to the ceiling. In fact, you may end up making your selection by browsing the bottles on shelves rather than in the menu. (I spent a long time squinting reading labels before I picked a rye whiskey).
The list includes premium small-batch bourbons like Pappy Van Winkles, Sazerac, and Calumet Farm. But also local whiskeys, such as one of my personal favorites, Catoctin Creek from Loudoun County. Frederick’s own Tenth Ward and McClintock are prominently featured as well.
Creative Cocktails Professionally Made
Similar to our favorite bar in Frederick, Sidecar is distinguished by its professional bartenders expertly crafting creative cocktails right in front of you. There is a curated list of Old Fashions, Manhattans, plus gin (The French Blonde), mezcal (Penicillin 2), and vodka (Peach Palmer) cocktails that look and taste like a ‘special occasion.’
Of course, you can go the route I usually go in a place like this. Tell the bartender your favorite spirit (rye whiskey for me) and let them use their creative license to create a custom cocktail for you.
The Full Menu From Firestone's
Sidecar is the ideal place to stop in for a cocktail on your way to dinner, after dinner, or during any other excursion in downtown Frederick. But if you are hungry and want to eat, it has the bonus feature of being fully integrated with its larger host, The Firestone Culinary Tavern.
The full Firestone menu is available, and it’s one of the best menus in Frederick. This includes top-flight starters like Maryland Crab Cakes, Pork Belly, and Steamed Mussels. Oysters on the half shell can also complement whatever cocktail you’ve chosen.
If you want to have a full meal at Sidecar, check out the entrees. I’ve had the Bone-In Cowboy Steak (fabulous), and there is Kanapachi fish, and several gourmet sandwiches. In fact, the next time you make a dinner reservation at Firestones, arrive 45 minutes early for a drink at Sidebar, then make your way to the restaurant. This is doing downtown Frederick right!
What Else You Need To Know About Sidecar Bar in Frederick
Because its relatively obscure and part of Firestone’s, it has very little published online. It doesn’t even have its own website.
- Web: https://firestonesrestaurant.com/culinary-tavern/#sidecar
- Address: 105 N Market St, Frederick, MD 21701
- Food: The Full Firestone’s Culinary Tavern menu is available
