Stonefire Grill

I have never heard of this Resturant until it came to Lakewood. The reviews are all very mixed so I decided to it try for myself. I don’t dislike the order before you sit idea. The entire vibe reminded me of Pat & Oscar’s. The woman taking the orders right off the bat asked if it was our first time & helped us with questions and was very patient while we choose our entrée. We were excited. I actually like being able to get my own refills so I’m not waiting on a slow waiter. The food came out prompt and was delivered to the table. That’s where the excitement ended. The portions are small for the price, the presentation is not great either. The food was bland. My pasta was undercooked & flavorless. The sandwich & sides were dry and nothing special. We won’t be coming back.

I was absolutely delighted when I discovered one of my fave OC spots was coming to the Bellflower/​Lakewood area. My excitement ends there. I’ve been to this location four times and it just keeps getting worse every time. Food is consistently good but the horrible service makes me lose my appetite and that’s not easy to do. Today’s experience confirmed I will NEVER return. The girl who brought two of our entrees was rude and unprofessional. I don’t expect much from a cafeteria style restaurant but I assume eye contact isn’t too much to ask for. She grabbed our table locator device without asking if we needed anything else and I had to let her know we had more food coming. Her response was, «Oh you do? Then take this back.» My husband had to grab it from her hand and she walked away without even looking our way. Boo on you crappy staff.

Food was very, very good! I ordered a salad with tri tip and it was chopped and chilled to perfection. Family shared the tri tip special (one pound) with a side, salad and bread sticks.
The portions are great! Has to be one of the better places I’ve had tri tip. Tasty, tasty…
It’s a different set up then most which was strange for me but doesn’t take away from the food.
You order at the front, find a table and then they’ll bring it to you. Out of the norm for me but all is good.
Highly recommend for anyone who hasn’t been here.
Did I mention how good the tri tip is?

We thought it was going to be a nice sit down restaurant and then we walk in and see a counter in front of us. Boo!
So, we stayed anyway and have been back since that first visit. Although they are overpriced, the ribs are yummy. The mashed potatoes were awesome. I didn’t care too much for the roasted cauliflower, the picture looked good but I wouldn’t order it again as well as the cauliflower pita sandwich thing. I’ve had the Greek salad and the house salad and they seem to be a little light on the dressing so I’d ask for extra on the side.
You’re supposed to get your own plates and silverware but if you forget they’ll still get them for you. And even though you order at the counter it still seems like they wait on you, it’s a little confusing when it comes time to tip (are you supposed to?). On one hand, hey I just ordered my own food and I have to get my own drinks, and stuff. But on the other hand they bring you plates and silverware if needed, bring your food out and keep coming around asking if everything is ok? Nice way to confuse people.

I wasn’t a fan on standing in line to order my food, paying and then finding table, fast food experience. Tortilla soup no flavor, mashed potatoes no flavor, chicken tasted like it was boil and then grill, again no flavor… even with all the chopped garlic.
Best thing was the garden salad.
I had to ask the waiter for some season salt to add to the soup, mashed potatoes and specially the chicken… tasted so much better.
The price wasn’t worth it at all.

Only been here once and I love the Tomesto rigatoni and their mashed potatoes!
You order when you first enter and then find a table and wait for the staff members to bring your food. Our food came out fairly quick since the day we went wasn’t so busy. I enjoyed my meal and hope to stop by again for more pasta.

I love this restaurant. I’ve always gone to the Irvine location and this one is pretty much it’s equal in quality. I ordered the combination with a petite chicken breast and tri-​tip with a side of cauliflower salad and garlic bread sticks. The bread sticks were a little soggy from all the oil but still delicious and the cauliflower salad was damn good, I would definitely order it again. I asked my tri-​tip to be medium-​rare and medium-​rare it was. The marinades are super flavorful and the meat is very tender. Service is great, the cashiers provide a lot of information about their menu and the clean up crew is quick to pick up any empty plates off your table. I totally recommend!

The process of getting in the door, ordering a meal and finding a table is a bit of an adventure especially for first time patrons. Not a fan. I could see standing there waiting for a table when its busy and having your food come out and no where to sit (almost our experience). The entrance is very crowded so there is no where to comfortably stand to go through the menu, especially if it is your first time.
The staff are all extremely friendly and seem genuinely interested in how things are going for you.
The tortilla soup was excellent. Piping hot, rich and tasty.
The ¼ chicken and tri tip was okay but it took 3 times to get it right. The first time it came out the tri tip looked like it was cooked to perfection but regrettably the meat was cool. The chicken barely warm. I brought this to the attention of one of the staff and they whisked it away. In short order the same meat came out, the tri tip a little less than medium rare now but sadly still not hot. Third time lucky and they finally brought out a serving of hot food. The tri tip has a very tasty blue cheese? butter on top. The chicken was good and I really enjoyed the zesty lemon taste with big chunks of fresh garlic. The Cowboy beans were the hit of the night. Steamy hot and they had a nice little pepper kick to them.
The brownie was not great. A bit dry and could have used a hot sauce or whipped cream.
Interesting experience although a bit frustrating trying to get a serving of hot meat/​poultry.

I will not be coming back here. We ordered at the door, Carl’s Jr. style, with a more expensive menu.
I ordered the tri-​tip and chicken meal. My significant other ordered a half –a– rack– of– ribs. Our food was brought to us piece meal, so after my bread stick and salad… my plate of meat arrived… no potato, no veggies. Very disappointed that the main course was just a plate of meat! Chicken was good– boneless, however, not skinless– tri-​tip was okay, and ribs were okay also. We’ve had better.
As indicated earlier, this place has a set up much like Carl’s Jr. After serving our own soft drinks, and sitting down with our number, the waitress dropped off our food. We never had another person come by to check on us. SORRY… for the price of the meal, I’d rather be waited on at a true restaurant, without paper cups. This restaurant is a mix of fast-​food and sit-​down with «sit-​down» prices.
UPDATE: Significant other and I woke up with upset stomachs the next morning… definitely will not be back!

This is a new location, so it is nice and very clean, still very busy and the food only subpar.
While their tri tip is good, it is pricey and the portions are on the small side.
Salads are huge, pizzas are ok as well which is what we went with this time.
Lines can get long, best is to go when they open.
Once you order the food gets brought out pretty quickly, but you can tell they still need to work some of the kinks out, our order was brought out wrong the first time.
Prices are high for the quality that you get, not worth rushing back for.

Stonefire Grill is a new addition to the Lakewood community. They serve American fare: sandwiches, pasta, pizza, burgers, BBQ, and the like. What I really like about this place is that they serve quality food at good prices in a casual environment.
So the setup here is that you order up front (huge menu is displayed when you walk in) and you can take a seat in one of the many tables available. You can get your own drinks in the back, and there are extra plates and utensils available if you need them. It’s kind of has a fast food concept, but the atmosphere is nice enough to make it seem like it is not.
For me, I love getting the cauliflower pita sandwich, tri tip plate, and the breadsticks. The cauliflower pita is sooo good; flavors are on point. The tri tip is cooked perfectly. The breadsticks are addicting.
Service here is super friendly here. One funny moment I had here was when I was looking for a to go box. I asked a staff member for a box and she said they were in the compartment behind my seat. So weird that they put it there but it was convenient!

Where to begin with this one! So bomb. That’s all you need to know! I’ve had Stonefire before in Thousand Oaks (Winnetka) but I don’t recall it being this good at all.
Everything looks new from outside to inside, of course, since they just opened a few months back. But still, customer service, ambiance and quality of the food are ALL on point. The prices are legit and worth it. They do have a separate area for pick-ups/to-go’s like BJ’s.which is great because they get really busy.
So if you haven’t been, you walk in and order first & pay. Best idea so you don’t have to wait at the end of dining for someone to bring you the check! Leave a tip though. My brother ordered the package for 6+ people and I have to say, portions were perfect. It’s not a set package either. Feel free to switch them around. A large salad is really a LARGE salad. We didn’t finish it for sure. That’s all good, leftovers are great.
The chicken, tri-​tips and ribs are always cooked to perfection. Must try! I can’t stress it enough. The sides were great as well. Anything with garlic, I’m in. Garlic mashed potatoes were very delicious and I don’t normally have that. Their breadsticks are also amazing!
Heads up for first timers, utensils and plates are by the fountain drinks near the back! Don’t wait for someone to come by and drop them off. Most people are used to being fully served right at the table. If you have leftovers, get up and get your own take out boxes located around the restaurant! Don’t be lazy.
Quick note about the restrooms – thumbs up for keeping them clean for a busy restaurant. This is always a plus.

My first experience at stone fire grill was a little weird with having to order before finding your own seat. But other than that unusualness, everything else was really great.
This place is kept up very well, everywhere from the drink station, tables and most importantly the restrooms.
I have a couple of pictures of the food I ordered which was very good. I split the Tri tip between bbq and pepper garlic both were good but next time, doing all BBQ that had a great taste to it.
Food came out quickly and the portions were very generous especially for the salad. Had a small salad that could’ve fed 3 – 4 people.
This is a very nice spot which I would definitely recommend and will be coming back very soon.

Interesting concept…
Order up front, where there was an employee explaining the process
Cashier was very friendly and helpful as we were still trying to make a decision
We were seated after (nice and warm décor)
We shuffled over to the beverage area to pour our sodas and grab utensils
One of the best things about the commute between table and beverage bar was the opportunity to look at other diner’s choices. When they say «family style» they mean it
Large bowls of salads, pastas and meats looked great!
I chose the tri-​tip BBQ style (came out buttered instead which was good good!) tender and grilled exactly how I ordered it.
I chose coleslaw to accompany… I would come back for their COLESLAW anytime! Simply chopped HEAVEN in a bowl!
Mom had the shrimp doused with mucho garlic on a bed of quinoa with lots of lemon. DELISH! Just make sure you like garlic. Mom’s side was their mashed taters. Yum!
Dad had the tri-​tip as well with a Caesars Salad.
Next trip we all agreed to do family style. Large portions to share between us would have been the best choice here.
Looking forward to it!

Can’t get enough of this place! We have gone back several times since we discovered it!
Food: Perfectly made! The menu is huge but everything that we have tried so far has been amazing! The ribs are juicy, the prime rib is soft, the veggies are perfectly grilled, the bread sticks are delicious… You really can’t go wrong here!
Environment: It’s a popular location now so if you go during lunch and dinner hours it can get a little louder but it’s still a lovely place to dine. You order your food up front but you never wait more than 10 min to arrive at your table. The place is kept clean, dishes are perfectly washed, and bathrooms are clean and tidy.
Overall: Highly recommended!

This review is more like 3.5 stars, but I love new businesses, so I’m rounding off.
I wanted to take my mom to dinner, somewhere nearby, and I felt like trying something new. Then I remembered that Stonefire just recently opened up by the Lakewood Mall, so off we went.
The inside is pretty, and I like how there are rotating pictures on the board. They did create some annoyance, however. My mom kept pointing at the picture for the bbq pizza saying, «Ooh, that looks good!» And then I kept saying, «That’s a bbq pizza,» and she’d reply, «I hate bbq pizza.» Then the picture would flash again a minute later and she’d say, «Ooh, that looks good!» Repeat, ad nauseum.
Wanting to taste different things, we ordered a garlic tri-​tip and ribs combo with garlic mashed potatoes, garlic shrimp with quinoa, Stonefire’s Favorite pizza, and the Golden State Kale salad.
Here’s the breakdown:
Golden State Kale
Unlike the picture, it came out white. The salad was heavily tossed in a creamy dressing. I was dismayed, because that was not what I was expecting from the menu, but it still tasted savory and rather delicious. The golden raisins made the salad chewy, but they weren’t overly sweet, so it was almost like the entire thing was chewy. I rather liked that, to be honest.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Yum! These were amazing, and we both liked how they were on the dry side, almost crispy on the edges. Lots and lots of garlic.
Stonefire’s Favorite Pizza
I wish the crust wasn’t soggy, but I guess that’s due to the pesto. Overall, it was a good pizza that I would order again. It’s even good cold the next day.
Tri-​tip and Ribs Combo
The tri-​tip was tender, but underflavored. It actually didn’t taste like much of anything, and my mom and I were both disappointed. The ribs were not a hit at all. Neither of us liked them. They were kind of hard and overly sweet. We each ate one rib and took the rest home because they weren’t worth eating there.
Garlic Shrimp and Quinoa
I wish that the shrimp were barbequed or had some sort of char and more flavor. The quinoa was so tasty, though! I don’t understand how to make this at home and it always comes out terribly. My mom won’t touch my version, but she loved this one!
Lastly, the amount of staff working here is out of control. It was 5pm on a Friday, and there must have been over 30 people working. Servers were crawling all over and running back and forth to the kitchen. We sat near the dispatch area, so we were enthralled by all the kids on staff. Man!
This is a welcome addition to the neighborhood!

This place opened recently in the Fall of 2015 and we decided to check it out for lunch one Saturday. We’re glad we did!
This is the type of restaurant where you order what you want at the front counter and pay first. You can sit where you want and grab your plates and utensils. Then they bring your food to you. The variety is great: salads (lots of them), pizzas, sandwiches, pasta, and grilled meats. We had the quarter chicken and tri tip combo meal, as well as the 12″ The Works pizza (6 slices). The portions are great: not too much or too little for one person. A combination meal is even good for sharing among two people. The pizza is packed with great flavor and is nice and light tasting, not greasy or heavy at all. The grilled chicken and tri tip had good flavor that wasn’t too salty. Overall, I would describe the food here as LIGHT and FRESH: Satisfying and flavorful without leaving you bloated.
The airy atmosphere of the large patio made our dining experience very enjoyable and relaxing. I like how the patio is enclosed with large clear windows so you still get light and openness without all the noise and odors from the parking lot traffic. It’s nice and air conditioned in there. It’s also next to the Lakewood Mall, so the patio overlooks the JCpenney side of the mall. The interior of the restaurant is nice too with large booths.
This is a great lunch spot with a mellow and modern atmosphere. Perhaps I’ll be back next time for dinner sometime soon.

Definitely a new favorite on my list of «places to go when I can’t decide on what the heck to eat.»
When you first enter the restaurant you’re greeted by workers behind a cashier that takes your order when you’re ready. Behind them is an open kitchen where you get to witness the preparations of your food. Self seating is on a first come first serve basis. Drinks, utensils, and to go boxes are self served, and located in the back of the restaurant.
The menu ranges from salads, to pasta, to pizza, bbq, and a few other items. What I like is the portion sizes available. You can order just for yourself, the petite, or family style dining, the XL. The food is quite good, they’re generous on the portions, and the price is very reasonable.
First time I went here, I went a little crazy and wanted to try everything.
STONEFIRE FAVORITE PIZZA-​Homemade pesto, avocado, red onion, mozzarella, Feta cheese, fresh basil., super good and super flavorful. 4 ½ stars***
TRI TIP COMBO– Mesquite BBQ or Pepper Garlic topped with Gorgonzola Butter. We opted to have ½ and ½. Both were very good and definitely a favorite of the night. The Tri tip was tender and perfectly cooked with just the right amount of seasoning. We made it into a combo which gave us some breadsticks and a choice of a side, we went with the garlic mash. 4 ½ stars***
GARLIC MASH POTATOES– yum yum yum! I’m not a big fan of mash potatoes but this I could probably eat by the bucket. 4 ½ stars***
STONEFIRE GRILLED CHICKEN CHOPPED SALAD Choice of Mesquite BBQ Chicken Breast or Tri Tip with mixed greens, black beans, roasted corn, carrots, red cabbage, cilantro, Jack cheese, tortilla strips, tomato, scallions all lightly tossed In Buttermilk Ranch 4 ½ stars****
ROASTED CAULIFLOWER– I normally really like roasted anything, cauliflower, broccoli, busses sprouts, etc but this item fell short for me. The cauliflower was definitely overcooked. Tasted like they boiled it first and then roasted so there was no crunch or smokey flavor from the roasting but kind of on the soft side and I do not like soft veggies. 2 ½ stars****
GARLIC BREADSTICKS– I gotta admit I was a little disappointed with the breadsticks, the pictures made them look so amazing but they fell short In flavor 3 ½ stars***
CHICKEN PESTO PENNE PASTA– just your basic penne pasta with pesto. We added chicken to it. Pretty good and good portion. 4 stars***
Located next to the Lakewood mall so the parking is a plenty.
Service is great.

I am so thrilled they finally opened a location in Lakewood. I have been to this restaurant multiple times and have always had a great experience.
I brought my parents and husband here for dinner tonight. This location has ample parking and is located on the corner by Jcpenney.
The line was out of the door but the cashiers cleared the lines fairly quick. We got the tri tip family meal which includes a large salad and breadsticks, an added piece of bbq chicken and my husband got the french dip sandwhich. Two soft drinks and a coffee ($ 68)
The tri tip is always cooked to perfection. The salads are always fresh and they provide you with a variety of dressing options. My husband thought his french dip would have thinly sliced meat (Arby’s) in the sandwich but it was thicker. He didn’t like the thickness too much but it tasted good.
The drinks, plates, utensils and sauce are self serve. They have plenty of staff walking around ensuring you have an enjoyable experience and they clear the tables pretty fast.
This place provides reasonably priced, high quality meals. i will be a forever customer :)

Take out is always very organized with attention to detail. Food is packaged immaculately! Great family style options.
I have tried bbq chicken salad, which is great, and Cesar salad which was good, but dressing is VERY garlicky… beware.
All dressings are in house.
Looking forward to trying out different food.