Nicole and I recently visited the most highly anticipated new venue in Frederick: the Wye Oak Tavern. This signature restaurant is located in the newly opened Visitation Hotel in downtown Frederick.
Wye Oak Tavern, created by Frederick’s own Bryan and Michael Voltaggio, is a gastronomic marvel full of character that immediately established itself as a must-visit destination in the heart of Frederick.
Wye Oak Tavern at The Visitation Hotel
A New Culinary Creation by Frederick's Voltaggio Brothers
Bryan Voltaggio and his brother Michael are celebrity chefs, successful restaurant entrepreneurs, and Frederick, Maryland originals. Each owns several restaurants, and they jointly own Voltaggio Brothers Steakhouse at MGM National Harbor.
Bryan, in particular, has had a significant influence on the Frederick restaurant scene. He has opened several establishments, including Showroom (originally named Family Meal) and Thacher and Rye, which has since transitioned to his protégé’s restaurant, The Ordinary Hen.
Bryan and Michael Voltaggio have reunited to create Wye Oak Tavern, the on-site restaurant for the Visitation Hotel, a Marriott Tribute property that has been converted from a historic convent.
Despite having opened restaurants across the country, this project in their hometown holds special significance for the Voltaggio brothers.
This new restaurant combines a menu focused on local, featuring classic dishes from places like Thacher and Rye, and a dining room that was originally a chapel.
Put it all together and have a very special dining experience.
I must admit that even before visiting Wye Oak, I was a huge fan of Voltaggio’s restaurants in Frederick, which are among my favorites.
Wye Oak Tavern: Basics
The Wye Oak Tavern is the on-site restaurant at the new Visitation Hotel in downtown Frederick. The property extends along the Chapel Alley block between E Church St and E 2nd St just 2 blocks east of downtown.
- Address: 211 E Church St, Frederick, MD 21701 MD 21771
- Web: WyeOakTavern.com
- Price Range: $$$$
- Instagram: instagram.com/wyeoaktavern
- Phone: +1.240.931.1120
- Reservations: OpenTable
- Wye Oak Tavern Menu: Menu Link
Watch Our Visit to the Visitation Hotel and Wye Oak Tavern!
The article has lots more details on our dining experience at the Wye Oak Tavern. Be sure also to read our article describing our entire visit to the Visitation Hotel Frederick.
But check out the video below of Nicole and Glenn’s recent tour of both properties!
A New, Local Culinary Powerhouse, Extraordinary in Many Ways
A visit to Wye Oak is nothing short of transformative, as Nicole and I discovered on our first trip. The bar exudes vibrancy. And that striking altar (?????).
The dining area, housed in a converted chapel, creates an atmosphere that, for a restaurant, is hard to wrap your head around.
Before you even look at a menu, you will know you are at a place.
The menu takes to heart the tavern designation, serving a burger and beers. But Wye Oak combines this with fine dining options, as refined as any restaurant in the city.
We love ‘local,’ and no one has done more to promote this than places like Showroom and Thacher and Rye. The Wye Oak Tavern continues this tradition, serving local spirits, local beers, local beef, and, of course, rockfish and crab cakes.
A Fabulous Bar Already Making Headlines
Every great hotel needs a bar, and Wye Oak delivers. The bar is worth a visit alone, and my guess is soon, on weekends, the Wye Oak Tavern bar will be flocked with locals even more than hotel guests.
Before we dive into the cocktails and spirits, it’s important to note that this bar is exceptionally unique.
Like the restaurant, the bar is located in the original chapel that once housed the Wye Oak. The chapel altar has been transformed into the bar itself, and a significant portion of it still stands prominently behind the bottles.
(Some residents of Frederick are calling for a change, but we think it’s pretty cool.)
A Love At First Sight Bar and Cocktail Menu
Once you’re done staring, you can finally check out the drink menu, and it’s a good one. The cocktails are celebrity chef-worthy, but the star of the drink menu is the martinis.
If you enjoy martinis (like Nicole, not Glenn), try one of five unique concoctions. For instance, the Wye Oak Martini is made with Old Raj Gin and Gonzalez Byass Extra Seco Vermouth.
(note: these martinis are big enough to share).
The Vibe at Wye Oak Tavern
The stunning stained glass windows, the altar positioned behind the bar, the soaring cathedral ceilings, and the majestic pipe organ on the second level.
There’s no getting around how much the former sacred aspects of the building affect the vibe of the Wye Oak Venue.
Sounds seem to echo and create a borderline boisterous atmosphere. Though Nicole and I perfectly enjoyed our table for two.
The restaurant has an upper level (which we will request next time) and several side event rooms. And somehow, it all works.
The Wye Oak is a restaurant you visit for the food, the drinks, and the cuisine. But you also visit because it’s a place.
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- Appetizers Menu
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- Dinner Menu
The Wye Oak Tavern Menu - Steakhouse Mastery and Very Local
For any food-focused visitor to Frederick, I’ve always consistently recommended dinner at Thacher and Rye and brunch at the Showroom. Both are quintessentially Frederick.
After one visit to Wye Oak Tavern, it feels the same. Chef Voltaggio again makes this restaurant feel connected to Frederick and Maryland.
You can eat well and have fun merely with the appetizers and shareables section of the Wye Oak menu. Nicole and I took a side glance at the pimento cheese served with the Surryano Ham appetizer at the table next to us, and followed suit.
Crab cakes, steak tartare, and oysters in our immediate vicinity also caught our eye and were very tempting as well.
This “tavern” seemingly compels you towards ordering a steak. Head straight to the Our Meats section and begin wrestling with your decision.
The Prime Rib is the signature dish. In my case, I again ordered local, choosing the Grass Fed Prime Beef Ribeye from Rosada Farms. Nicole went Filet Mignon. Special meal!
It must be mentioned that Steven, the in-house sommelier, helped make our meal epic by assisting us in selling a fabulous Bordeaux red!
(The Wye Oak wine list is yet another thing to love here).
Get The Full Experience - Stay at the Visitation Hotel!
If you are a Frederick local or visiting Frederick, then the Wye Oak Tavern has immediately become a must-visit restaurant. For the bar, the cuisine, or the overall dining experience, put it on your list.
But it’s hard to separate Wye Oak from its associated venue – The Visitation Hotel. In fact, the two complement each other in offering locals or visitors a memorable experience in downtown Frederick.
Consider turning your visit at the Wye Oak Tavern into a night or weekend at this fabulous property right in downtown Frederick.
What Else You Need to Know About Wye Oak Tavern
- Reservations on OpenTable (a must on weekends)
- This is a dinner-only restaurant. Guests at the hotel can get breakfast at Acorn Provisions next door (all day cafe).
