Isabella's Taverna & Tapas Bar

I’ve been coming to Isabella’s Tapas Bar for over 10 years, and it remains one of my absolute favorite spots in town. Whether it’s happy hour, brunch, or an evening cocktail and dinner, Isabella’s never disappoints. Their menu is full of creativity and flavor — I’ve tried nearly everything over the years, and I keep coming back because every dish feels unique and thoughtfully prepared. The service is consistently phenomenal. The staff are quick, patient, knowledgeable, and genuinely fun to interact with. The atmosphere is cozy, dark, and a little flirty — with rich colors, leather booths, warm wood accents, and bold glassware. My favorite spot has always been near the fireplace; it adds the perfect touch of comfort and charm. As for the food, everything is designed tapas-style — smaller plates made to share, so you can experience a variety of flavors. On our last visit, we ordered the chicken skewers with apricot sauce, the manchego frito (fried manchego layered with fig jam, a thin slice of pear, and a crisp piece of baguette), and the cocoa-dusted filet — cooked perfectly medium and bursting with subtle, rich flavor. To pair with our meal, we enjoyed bubbly, elderflower cocktails, and a seasonal margarita — all beautifully crafted and balanced. Isabella’s offers a dining experience that’s warm, inviting, and endlessly satisfying. With such a diverse and delicious menu, one visit simply isn’t enough — you’ll find yourself coming back again and again.

Isabella’s Taverna & Tapas Bar is a fantastic dining experience for those regulars of Frederick, Maryland and all those passing through. Straight up: if you have a chance to eat here, please do. After being sat down by the hostess, our waitress Pepper (amazing all around) brought over some drinks and gave us a minute to order. We ended up getting: - Queso al Horno baked brie / toasted bread / almonds / port wine reduction / orange - Papas Bravas fried potatoes / bravas sauce / garlic aioli - Empanadas ground beef / potato / cilantro / chili aioli / manchego cheese / pickled onions - Chorizo house-made Spanish sausage / mashed potatoes - Taza de Crema de Chocolate chocolate pot de creme / Spanish hot chocolate / fresh strawberries Everything was outstanding and came out pretty soon after we ordered. The homemade chorizo was so good, and I have to say that the taza de crema was one of the BEST desserts I’ve ever had. Definitely plan on getting one of your own. Overall, we had a fantastic experience here at Isabella’s! Can’t wait to visit again!

Was visiting downtown historic Frederick walking on market Street around dinner time and came across this place. It looked inviting and authentic so gave it a try without a reservation we were seated immediately and the place was packed on a Friday night. Menu reminded me of tapas bars in Barcelona so tried a few items and a some good wine. The dishes came out quick and they were all excellent. The service was outstanding and the prices reasonable. It is indeed authentic tapas!

We came here for an early dinner on a Sunday evening so it was not too crowded. Delicious food and speedy, friendly service. Can be a bit noisy but not too much for maintaining conversation. We especially enjoyed the strip steak, fried asparagus and cinnamon brownie but everything was delicious!

It was amazing! Good food and I've got no complaints except for one. There WAS a bug I my drink, but that's completely not their fault. They made sure to give me another. Oh, and we got a bit confused on the menu since it doesn't say the appetizers are appetizers. 😅

Our server was incredible—super fast and genuinely kind! Isabella's is the perfect spot for sharing tapas with friends. Pro tip: the more people you bring, the more variety you get to try! Everything was pretty good, but the highlights were the esparragos fritos and the patatas bravas!

A perfect spot for tapas!! If you want to try a bunch of things and share with others, it's a great option. The fried asparagus, prosciutto e melone and sangria stood out the most! Interior is a little vintage-ish which is cute and the servers are attentive and friendly!! The only drawback is that we don't live close enough to visit every week :s

We had a craving for tapas and date night gave us the perfect excuse to hit up Isabella’s. Straight off the top, the Papas Bravas - perfect chef’s kiss. I could eat a tub of these and come back for more!!! We ordered the asparagus fries and they were delicious! The presentation was great too. Served in a champagne glass with your aioli sauce at the bottom. Manchego Frito…..the fig jam and pear really brought this whole thing together. We’d prefer a nice chunk of manchego, not fried, on top but the fried was good too. We had the bacon wrapped dates with goat cheese. They were very good. Only feedback is they would have been homeruns if the dates had been stuffed with goat cheese. The goat cheese was more like a sauce the dates were presented in. Don’t get me wrong, it was delicious. We love goat cheese and we’re looking forward to the taste inside the date. The romaine salad was exactly what you would expect it to be and again, it was good. Hamburgesas de chorizo - what tipped the scale on choosing these was the jalapeño aioli. There was no spiciness to them though. So if you prefer no spicy, don’t miss out. It is also a bit sweet. The tomato bread was amazing. The boss loved it. I was not a fan of the Serrano ham. Just a little bit too gamey for my taste. The only reason we had leftovers was because we ordered dish after dish. Otherwise, there would have been no crumbs! The service was fantastic. The atmosphere was great. We waited for about 30 mins on a Saturday night and it was well worth the wait!! We plan to return with the kids next time!! Don’t walk by. Stop in and eat delicious food!

While visiting Frederick a friend recommended Isabella's for dinner and we are so thankful for the recommendation. Isabella's is a vibrant restaurant that serves Spanish tapas, amazing sangria and a variety of paellas. We were glad we made reservations because the restaurant was busy in the dining area and the bar. Isabella's has evolving menus based on the season so there is always new and inventive food and drink choices. We started the evening we ordered a carafe of spiced pear sangria and a pumpkin spiced martini. Both were very tasty. We ordered the Paella a la Valenciana (shrimp, chicken, mussels, chorizo, and clams), Remolacha (roasted beets, feta and greens) and Datiles Rellenos (bacon wrapped dates stuffed with chorizo). The paella was amazing, full of seafood and enough to share between two people. Don't forget to try the the Datiles Rellenos which were three beautifully prepared and tastebud tantalizers that nearly cause us to order another round. The only thing that could have made this better would have been sitting at the bar and taking advantage of their $6 tapas happy hour. Well, there will be another trip to Isabella's in the near future!

We stopped by Isabellas's for breakfast on a Saturday morning since they had a nice menu and opened early for breakfast. Very cool atmosphere and pub environment and an amazing bar! We were quickly seated as they were not very busy at the time. After that, things seem to slow down significantly. It took about an hour to get our food from the time we ordered.  When we did get our meals the presentation was nice, but the flavors were not what we expected. We tried the Tortilla de Patatas, which was ok, but nothing special. My wife ordered the biscuits with sausage gravy (and 2 eggs). The biscuits were very tough and gravy was ok.   While breakfast was not the best, I would definitely try Isabellas for dinner because the plates of food being served to people on the patio looked amazing.

Listen, this was my first time there. The food and service gave me hope that the fine dinning experience has not gone! I am not long winded, but everything we ordered came out hot fresh, great presentation, there was enough food left over to take home. And you know what they say about food tasting better the second day. Isabella's did not disappoint! I would highly recommend them to family and friends. Coach Owens

Nearly five star setting and food (nice patio on a sunny Sunday; only drawback was the exceptionally loud car and motorcycle noise), good tapas choices, but unfortunately 3 star service (long long wait; spotty; inattentive; once ordered our food we waited for an hour, even for a simple two eggs, standard breakfast plate). Mussels are good (spicy sauce, special) Crab cake on artichoke is artfully presented, delicious Prosciutto e Melone is refreshing and tasty

Came back to Isabellas after yeaaaars this time for tapas/dinner and not disappointed at all. We came in on a Tuesday night and there was ample space. We ordered a few different things to share amongst 3 people. I got the Flirtini drink which I enjoyed a lot. We got the fried manchego cheese, fried asparagus spears, brussel sprouts with capers and walnuts, papas fritas,albondigas(beef meatballs) and bacon wrapped dates (this one I did not try). Everything was delicious but surprisingly my favorite thing was the fried manchego which went so well with the fig jam it came with. Service was nice, they were good to let us know when the kitchen would be closing in case we wanted to get some last minute items in.

Great food, service, and vibes. The tapas never miss the mark and are always scrumptious. My personal favorites are papas bravas, short rib sandwiches, bacon wrapped dates, and the sizzling shrimp. I tried two specials: a wild mushroom risotto and crab with cream cheese and sriracha on a crostini. Both were good. The risotto didn't have a strong mushroom flavor but was very creamy and rich. Our waitress was very knowledgeable about the menu and told us she would stagger our orders so they didn't come out at the same time. This helped prevent the table from getting too crowded.

For the 1st time visiting Frederick for our New Year's Eve celebration, we had dinner at Isabella's upon recommendation by some friends. Even though the place was packed with customers, we got a table for 2. Since I lived in Spain for 2 years, I know what good Spanish cuisine is like, and I was eager to eat some Paella & Tapas. It was a wonderful dinner at Isabella's. The vibe was cool, lots of regular patrons, the wine was delicious and the paella Valenciana was fantastic. There was too much food on the plate, so I took half to the hotel for breakfast.

This was my 3rd time at Isabella's over the course of 6 years. I came back for the vegetable paella ( I have cholesterol concerns so I avoid the meat) that I had the last time I was there, but was disappointed. Was it a new chef? I remember a larger portion and much more flavor. I ordered it again and convinced my friend to split the dish it since I knew it would be enough for two. It was just ok. Not enough saffron used and not much flavor. Our service was good and our waitress was around when we needed something. The flan was also amazing. But I definitely would not come back for the paella.

Everything went well, so well I'd give it 6 s!! We walked in the door, seated promptly, water at the table almost before we sat down! Jared, our waiter, was engaging, friendly, offered tips about the menu! He, and a co-worker, compliment one another well! They back one another and there wasn't a gap in our service! Nor were we rushed! Food was amazing, with wonderful traditional tapas flavors and generous portions. The restaurant, in a historic area of Fredrick, has beautiful exposed brick walls solid wood floors, beautiful old bar, and great vibe for any time of day! My only regret, we don't live close enough to frequent weekly! Excellent, Isabella's!

Our first time at Isabella's. The atmosphere was amazing and service was great. Our server was very kind and engaging. The food was okay. The baked brie was the best thing we ordered. The bravas de boniato was a bit salty. The costillita tapas was a disappointment with the mashed potatoes (not sure if they were real, old, or boxed). The soup del Dia was salty but edible. We ordered the tres de Leche cake to go and it tasted more like a box cake and was not satisfactory. Overall, the atmosphere and service was wonderful but the food, not as enjoyable as we hoped.

One of my favorite places to eat in Frederick. My friend and I ordered the bacon wrapped dates, the asparagus fries, chorizo mini burger, goat cheese fritters and the Brussels sprouts and everything was delicious! Service was fast and friendly as always and the ambiance is lively and fun but not overly noisy. They do offer outdoor seating but it was too cold the day we went so we sat by the window. I highly recommend Isabellas and if you can come with a group it's more fun because then you can try more tapas.

Everything went well. We always get a variety of tapas, which we love. Hard to pick a favorite. They have great sangrias and some amazing cocktails, as well

Didn't get food but the drink menu is wonderful! Lots of fun Pickens! Service was great, bartender very observant even during busy hours. Place is rustic and simple.

I really enjoyed HH. I went there on a Tuesday evening, and it wasn't crowded at all so there was plenty space at the bar. The waiter was helpful with explaining the dish items since it was my first time eating there. My favorite food item was the mussels and shrimp. Sangria was a good amount for the HH price and Margarita was strong I got so much for $40, I'd go back there.

Ambiance, packed house, good service, tasty tapas and flan. Really enjoyed it all! Ignore the 1 star reviews!

Returned to Isabella's as our favorite local place on a business trip this week with co-workers. We love their happy hour and drinks. Bartender Rick does an amazing job. Everyone enjoyed their wings, paella, empanada, shrimp, papas bravas, and chips with goat cheese. Really delicious white and red sangrias and margaritas as well. If you're looking for a great happy hour, check them out from 4-7 PM at the bar!

Visited on a Friday night. Ambiance was nice. Food was good. The peppers stuffed with oxtail and the octopus were our two favorite dishes. The asparagus is a must try as well and the paella was good. Maybe we liked it all...Make reservations so you get better seats. This place looks like it books up on the weekends.

Great food and great atmosphere! Located in downtown Frederick, this restaurant is definitely a must try ! It is a tapas restaurant so the portions are small (tapas portions) but then you get to try several dishes . Most of what we ordered were super yummy! Definitely recommend the fried asparagus, housemade chorizo, costillita tapas ( braised short rib) , beef empanadas, manchego frito, sizzling shrimp and of course the fried calamari. For dessert, we ordered the tres leches ( it was the best) , Spanish flan ( could be better) & cheesecake. We doubled / tripled up on the orders as there were 8 in our group. Service was attentive and very amicable The reason for the 4 stars ( instead of 5) was because we were seated at a table with a pole right in the middle of our table which made conversation difficult. I had made this reservation 3 weeks before so ...not last minute - they could've accommodated us better. We did ask to be seated someplace else but it was a busy Saturday evening...

Food was delicious and Megan was a lovely server. Authentic Spanish flavors and the lunch tapas special was a bargain!! Can't wait to come back

Hostess was rude (young lady). Made it seem as if SHE was doing us a favor to seat a party of 7. Our server was attentive. Environment was okay. It's more the hype the restaurant receives as to what it is. Food has great taste but not worth the price.

Gluten-Free friends: come here in person and the menu is simply labeled for all GF options and the staff is knowledgeable. I will say, I have a sensitivity, not an allergy. Everything came out hot and fresh, server was great. Food: I love when simple ingredients can taste SO AMAZING. The flavor on every dish was fantastic. Steak was cooked perfectly and tender. Highly recommend!

Located in the historic Frederick downtown. Bare brick walls, ventilation pipes and tin plate ceiling characterized the decor. Busy foot traffic outside and quiet atmosphere indoors. Prices were reasonable, service was great, but the food was ordinary, nothing stood out. We ordered 3*Today's Soup which was chicken soup: per normal. Lots of chicken. Portion was good. 3*Classic Burger: bland, per normal. 3*Queso Frito-- Goat cheese Fritters were golden, warm, went well with vinaigrette pickled onions 4*Costillita Braised Short Ribs: well cooked and very tender. 4*Esparragos Fritos--- Isabella's Signature Crispy Panko Crusted Asparagus "Fries" with Smoked Tomato Aioli: deep fried crispy brown, the sauce was pretty good. Texture and taste were great, but not healthy. 3*Empanada Grande: ground Beef filling, went well with chili aioli.

This place deserves a 5 star rating. I had reservations for 6 and called them about an hour prior to our reservation asking if there was any way they could get started on the paella's before we got there versus having to wait for 25 minutes after getting to the restaurant. The young lady who picked up my call checked with her manager who agreed to accommodate my request. I even offered to give my credit card information and they said not to worry. Talk about a great start to our evening! We got to Isabella's 15 minutes early yet we were immediately seated. We started our evening with tapas: - [ ] Patatas Bravas- potatoes with aioli and tomato sauce - [ ] Dátiles Rellenos- Stuffed dates wrapped in bacon on a bed of aioli - [ ] Setas Saltilladas-Garlic mushrooms - [ ] Albondigas- Meatballs on gravy - [ ] Berenjenas- Stuffed eggplant Everyone of them was delicious!! My top pics would be the stuffed dates and the stuffed eggplants. For the paellas, we went with their Paella Valencia and their Paella Verduras. Also very good. Service was spot on and just the whole experience was excellent. We thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience at Isabella's!

My friend and I checked out Isabella's for lunch during restaurant week. I love frederick restaurant week! It's a great way to check out new places and the lunch specials are usually a great deal! This was a special deal with a 3 course meal for about $30. The seared salmon was covered in a delicious Romesco sauce and was a good sized portion for lunch. My favorite part of the meal was the flourless chocolate cake! So rich and perfectly paired with ice cream and strawberry sauce. Next time I'm going to try their signature friend asparagus sticks! My mouth was watering watching the servers go by with them. I would recommend making a reservation if going on a weekend.

We tried them for brunch on a whim as we were already on the sidewalk for Halloween activities. The ambiance was very nice and the food was also good. I got the 3 Mushrooms, Onion & Goat Cheese omelet, which was very tasty. It came with a side of potatoes which were crisped to perfection, and white toast which unfortunately never made it to the table despite telling us that it was coming. Additionally, we got a Breakfast Skillet with Chorizo, which was also delicious. Overall, the food, atmosphere and service were good (except for the forgotten toast). We'd definitely eat here again.

Delicious sangria! This place is popular for a reason. I stopped by late at night for drinks but I definitely need to check out the food next time.

Isabellas Tapas dining remains great for us- we can order four or five "small plates," wine, and enjoy both flavor and variety. George and Chef Carlos set us up to win with a Nero D'Avola, pear salad, andalusian gazpacho,Turkish sausage and pork loin montadillos, baked brie, and croquettes. All were fresh, flavorful, and served at the proper temperature. I finished with an Albarino while my date had a Tempranillo. We will return because the menu always has new items and the classics work well, too. The owner stopped by to say hi and promised a Turkish coffee if we drove to his new spot.

Everything was delicious! Shared with a large table of 10~ people, so got to try a lot! - Crispy Panko Crusted Asparagus - yummy, crispy, the sauce is a tomato aioli, Chik Fil a sauce type of taste - Bacon Wrapped Dates - pretty good, if you like dates and bacon! - Fried Manchego and Pears/ Manchego Frito - my personal favorite! Gooey deep fried cheese with a sweet and fruity jam and toasted bread - Calamari - really good! Crispy and well seasoned! - Chorizo - not a huge Chorizo fan, but it was on the house, and tasted good! - Empanadas (Beef) - yummy, ground beef -- tastes akin to a Taco Bell Beef Chalupa, but better - Short Rib Sliders (Special) - really delicious! Good meat and flavors! - Brochetas de Pollo - very good, moist, flavorful, charred chicken - Pan con Tomate y Jamón Serrano - least favorite thing-- a bit salty, but still tasty - Nojito / Mojito - was a bit strong on the lime, and didn't get much Sprite with it (tiny glass), so if they had a bigger glass with more Sprite ratio, would've been much better!

Our large group went for brunch. Surprisingly I had the seafood paella instead of breakfast food items. Great portions for the price. Had the gazpacho Mary bloody. Loved the toppings, not as spicy as I like. Biscuits were yummy and seafood paella was plenty for what we paid.

We enjoyed a great meal at Isabella's. All of the food we got was excellent - standouts included the short rib sandwiches and the fried green tomatoes. The kids menu was very well done, offering multiple unique options (kids got a meatball sandwich and grilled chicken), each served with fruit and a drink. So why not 5 stars? I struggled with the star rating here - as nothing was necessarily wrong, but it ultimately didn't feel like a 5 star review. Part of it was just the outside atmosphere versus many other places we've visited in Frederick and service that was friendly but clearly strained to be so vs. genuinely friendly. Would definitely return though, as many menu items that we didn't get sounded great!

We had a lovely experience at Isabella's. We've been to a variety of tapas restaurants and some have a more authentic vibe than others. Isabella's definitely feels authentic. The wine list was not lengthy but filled with great quality wines. The stand out tapas were the bacon wrapped dates, the Pan con Costilla de Ternera (braised short rid little sandwich), the goat cheese fritters, and the fried asparagus. Oh, and the house made potato chips were addictive as well. The service was great, and the location was perfect. A little slice of heaven on a perfect spring evening. Highly recommend!

This is a wonderful place for something different than your routine eatery. Lovely atmosphere and excellent choice of typical Spanish dishes at reasonable price. Their Jamon serrano is ok but machine sliced, as opposed to the traditional ham carved; the same can be said for their Manchego. Stingy servings, even for a tapas place. The Papas Bravas was the best of all. Flavorful and a generous serving tapa.Gr Their Paella Valenciana, on the other hand was generous and with plenty of add-ons. Shrimp, chicken, sausage, clams and mussels. Yet, the overall score for this dish is low for lack of flavor and the precooked rice.

Amazing food and service! We had the sizzling shrimp, braised short ribs, chicken skewers and crab and avocado. Everything was excellent and the drinks were just right! Our waiter, Jared, was extremely attentive with a great attitude. Would highly recommend this place!

I am here now and just finished an very good breakfast/brunch of shrimp and grits with eggs and my husband had huevos rancheros. We loved our meal. Cute atmosphere too. My husband got a Bloody Mary and didn't care for it. Might be the tequila, but could be the mix. I liked the coffee, although it's light so if you like super strong, might not be for you. Service is great too. Seating outside and inside. It's hot so I chose inside and love the exposed brick and wooden floors.

I was very well and truly impressed with Isabella's! Any drawback I experienced was a result of the people I was with, and had nothing to do with restaurant choice or service. For example, very anxious people I was with wanted to eat outside, despite how chilly it was last Friday night. It was a bummer having to eat such great food while I was freezing, but I made it through. That said... Every tapas dish I personally wanted to order did not disappoint, and as a matter of fact, turned out to be more delicious than anticipated! The Esparragos Fritos were amazing, and I continued dipping other things in the tomato aioli sauce long after the asparagus was eaten. The crust on the empanadas was mind blowing. The chorizo was good and spicy, and the short ribs were tender and well seasoned. We also got a few of the specials and desserts and those were good too. The only thing I was iffy about was the Papas Fritas, as I do not like goat cheese, so my companions ordered that. The house-made potato chips were still good though, despite me skipping the goat cheese dip (pretty sure those chips ended up in the tomato aioli!). Our server was a very nice girl who made sure we were taken care of. I didn't see much of the interior of the restaurant but it seemed nice and clean. No parking lot, but street parking was available and didn't seem too problematic but may be when the weather gets nicer. Good visit, so good, I neglected to take a picture of anything but the menu! Doh! Maybe next time!

Sunday brunch is awesome! The huervos de Ranchos is delish! Happy hour is also great! Lots of food and the bar is great. Talk to locals and enjoy the chill atmosphere!

I can't even tell you how many great times I've had here! Love this place so much and I hope to one day become the regular I once was!

Spiced sangria was delicious! We loved everything. The asparagus fries are always a hit.

What a gem of a restaurant. From the time we entered we were greeted with a smile Then our server Beth was not only knowledgeable but really took the time to explain their concept. We had the freshest oysters with the best mignonette sauce I ever tasted. Then lamb chops with a delicious red wine reduction. A must stop if you are lucky to be in Frederick's Maryland & the owner took the time to say hello. Great job

Came to Isabella's for a girls brunch/lunch and had a great time. Our server was very friendly and attentive and helped us pick out a good wine. We enjoyed a few small plates and then all ordered brunch off of the weekly specials menu. The asparagus fries are an adorable concept with an aioli in the champagne flute. I could see these being served to pretty much every table around us. This restaurant is nestled in such a cute area of downtown Frederick, where you can walk around and shop afterwards. Fun spot for friends to get together and I would return if in the area again!

My wife and I love this place. Good service, good food. I'd recommend for the great atmosphere, the food. Sometimes you'll wait, but it's because the place is well known, but it's worth it.

We went for brunch on Sunday. The shrimp, (Gambas and camarones), pork toonderloin for brunch special and the meatballs were all pretty amazing. My wife also ordered the Brussels and they graciously sautéed it instead of deep frying them. Everything was good.

This place has great food. It has been a Frederick staple for many years. Tapas style food. Great drinks. Check it out for sure. Prices are a bit high, but everything is any more.

EDIT: Originally this was a 1 star review. The GM reached out to me, apologized for the experience, and overall it was great closure. I do feel like this experience was not reflective of the restaurant as a whole and that next time it will be a better experience. *** ORIGINAL POST: I never leave bad reviews. I made an account just to post this. Our first time. The waiter named Joseph M. encouraged us to have $6 tapas and $5 margs per the happy hour advertisement. We asked questions and he assured us that everything except the entrees was part of the tapas. Turns out he literally gaslight/scammed us and actually laughed at us saying "nothing you got was on the happy hour menu anyways..." (tapas and margs are on the happy hour menu). He proceeded to boast about how small he wrote it on the board HIMSELF and said "that's how we get you." The food itself was decent IF IT WERE ACTUALLY $6. I don't know how this place was rated so high... we were all pretty disappointed and frankly embarrassed by the end. We went during the happy hour times, but the small print (if you can read it) says "at the bar only."

Quaint spot in downtown Frederick. My daughter and I dropped in for lunch two days before Thanksgiving. Downtown Frederick was active but not too busy, and the restaurant was wide open. Tapas and wine before Thanksgiving? Yes, please. Service was very slow and tentative, but I know how hard it is to find workers, so didn't judge on that. As for the food and drinks, some were terrific, and others just meh. We started out with wine and white sangria. The sangria was so sweet as to not be enjoyable. The Spanish white wine was delicious, and the owner comped us for the sangria and gave my daughter a glass of the wine. Now for the food.. asparagus fries were creative and delicious. Oh, that sauce!! The ham croquettes were equally delicious, although my daughter and I were split on the accompanying sauce. The shrimp dish was too sweet, and the sautéed spinach was just fine and a much needed vegetable before our holiday feast. The Caesar salad was OK but not great. The chicken thigh dish was another star of the show... juicy, tender chicken and an spicy- sweet sauce. Overall, a pleasant lunch but we won't be aching to return.

The fried asparagus makes this place a top star! The service is nice & friendly. Beautiful bar! Lovely outdoor seats.

There is a small number of outside tables at the front entrance of the restaurant. Pedestrian traffic is diverted with concrete traffic barriers and a small row of plants encompassed the small eating area making you feel like you weren't part of the traffic going by. It was a beautiful day to eat outside. Food came out fast and was quite delicious. I liked the braised short ribs the most. It was so tender and perfectly prepared. I also liked the mashed potatoes and gravy that came with it. The sauteed spinach came next and it had pine nuts, garlic, and malaga raisins. I never like raisins in food but the tiny raisins added a bit of sweetness to the dish. The roasted artichoke bottoms with jumbo lump crab meat on top was also very good. I liked getting all these different flavors in each dish. I forgot that it was artichoke at the bottom and thought it was a layer of potatoes. So it tasted similar to a potato. I'm not sure about the saffron butter. It looked like hollandaise but the artichoke was fine without it. The chorizo has a bit of a kick but it can be dulled by the mashed potatoes that come with it. And the last item we tried was the Paella a la Valenciana. Loved the flavor of the rice at the bottom. I could have eaten just the rice alone. It was the perfect portion for two or three people if you order the smaller size. I'm not sure why with all the nice dishes and real utensils, did we get water in a disposable plastic cup. At least they asked us if we wanted plastic straws which we turned down of course. Covid protocols: Staff wears masks (whether they stayed over noses was another issue) Parking: Not convenient. This is downtown Frederick so only street parking from what we can see. Service: Friendly.

I've read through some of the bad reviews, but I'll refrain from calling out the obvious Karens in the bunch... Downtown Frederick is FULL of amazing restaurants on every corner and every side street. Anything and everything you can imagine is available here and few, if any, will disappoint. So to stand out in this crowd is impressive and Isabella's shines. It's a unique experience with unique food and a great atmosphere. We've been going here for years and, honestly, I can't remember a single time I walked out without a smile. Everything from the sea bass on the daily specials to the shrimp and grits for brunch to the DELICIOUS morning coffee is fantastic!

What wonderful place for a girls lunch! Especially when we both love cheese so much. Lol We started with the fried goat cheese. I actually appreciated that this goat cheese wasn't quite as pungent as most. It was on the mild side. And the Panko exterior was extra crunchy. Next, the waiter brought out a complimentary dish from the kitchen! Panko fried asparagus. It's served in a champagne glass filled with tomato aioli at the bottom. I love asparagus so much just in its own, that I would never have thought of ordering this. But I have to say that it totally changed my mind. Again, the Panko was extra crispy, which was a perfect balance to the soft vegetable inside. And the tomato aioli was so completely delicious!! I would definitely order this again!! Next, our fried manchego arrived. It had the same Panko crust and a dallop of jam on top. This sat on top of a slice of baguette and slice of green apple. The salty manchego was very yummy with the sweet jam! Then came our dates - they are stuffed with chorizo, wrapped in bacon, drizzled with balsamic and sitting in a creamy bed of goat cheese. Oh my lord they are so yummy!! Bacon wrapped dates are always a go-to for me and this place certainly didn't disappoint. Lastly, we ordered the short rib. This was probably the largest serving size. It consists of four, slider-sized sandwiches absolutely stuffed with meat and served on perfectly toasted brioche. The meat is also topped with sweet sautéed purple onion and goat cheese. Honestly, I didn't taste much goat cheese. But the bread was magical and the meat was juicy and sweetened perfectly with the onion. I loved this place so much that I can't wait to return sometime with my hubby!