Fred's Rivertown Alehouse

"Fred's is back and better than ever! So glad to see Fred's open again! I don't think they've even had their official grand reopening yet, but the new owners already nailed it. The place got a nice facelift without losing that familiar, welcoming vibe. We chatted with the owner and found out they brought back some of the classic recipes and added a few new ones. The Asian Nachos are better than ever! I had the Caesar with chicken -- the chicken was hot, juicy, and perfectly cooked -- and my wife loved the broccoli and cucumber salad. We decided to try dessert and went with the sticky toffee pudding. Excellent choice. Couldn't be happier to have Fred's back in town. Great food, great people, great energy. Can't wait to go again!"

"We had dinner there last night and were hoping the lobster bisque was as good as it used to be before the closure. Well, they didn't have the bisque last night, they had French onion instead, so a bit of a disappointment. But I will say, I had the Patty Melt burger and it was the best I have ever had. It was cooked a perfect medium, maybe a touch on the medium rare side, super juicy, and a ton of flavor. The onion rings were on point as well. I am looking forward to going back and trying the Reuben sandwich."

"A bit late in getting this review in. My family went to their cold-open in November. We had been here on several occasions previously and enjoyed it. This new iteration is promising. The changes to the interior are like a light PNW refresh, with some nice region-specific artwork and, yes, some elements that lean towards a more sterile PNW vibe. But it is all done well. The staff were doing their best to promote the reopening and did quite a good job considering the circumstances. They answered questions. They provided suggestions. They got us our meals in a prompt fashion. All of the items we ordered were perfectly fine, as they were riffs on bar/chain food done with tiny flourishes. Some of the names for dishes? Yeah. You are trying a bit too hard. Dial it back. And I can't seem to find a website--not a Facebook page or some such thing--anywhere. You might want to work on that too. And I think some of the (notably, few) bad reviews since we have been there seem to be itching for a fight. So, you want it to fail? Or you can't stand change? This is a business. It will rise or fall based on what it can and can't do. But some of you seem to linger in the past and wish a hex on something new. Trust me, I get it. I also hate change. But I would rather wish a new business well than waste time writing reviews that add nothing to the discussion. Provide some constructive comments on how they can do better and give them a second chance. Those boasts (wow, you are a heavy hitter!!!) of "I won't visit again" make you seem like precious puddle of non-constructive flop-sweat and indignation. You realize this is just another place to eat, trying to succeed, and (likely) open to constructive criticism as they deal with tight margins, increased costs, staffing issues, and all the rest. All that said, it was a good experience. I will definitely be back the next time I am in Snohomish (the Disney-fied version of Montana's Bigfork, which I also occasionally visit). Wishing these owners all the best!"

"Not the old Fred's, unfortunately. As as 17yr veteran of snoho I was very excited to see the reopening. It was picked up by the owner of Cathouse, which is terrific! Unfortunately the execution on Fred's needs refinement. The atmosphere is more poppy bubblegum than the Seattle twinged culture of the past. I tried the Fred's burger with a Caesar.. a true test. The salad passed, but wouldn't draw me back. Where's the umami pop? Nonetheless, I'd gladly eat it again. The Freds burger however had little going for it. As an expected default of many of your customers, this should pull everyone back asking what's else! From texture, to contrast to creativity, there is nothing unique. And the whiskey selection? As a whiskey bar, what can I get here that's unique?Please shift the menu and challenge me not to come back weekly! Find the flare of that will stand out. Do what you did with Cat House!"

"I was PUMPED that Fred's was back. Our family were regular customers for years. Our favorite server Melissa would take our table no matter where we sat. We couldn't wait to go back... The new Fred's is a sterilized version of the classic. It's like the classic Fred's made a baby with an Applebees. It feels commercialized and inauthentic. The tap list used to be an amazing selection of cool beers you couldn't get anywhere else, now the most adventurous selection is a Bodi. I guess it's still a whiskey bar, if you like Jameson. Don't get me wrong, I'm not totally hating on this place, but it gives the same vibe as when the real antique shops were replaced by the French haute "antique" shops...I hope this place can find its soul again."

"Established in 1953, satisfying customers for 70 years, the stories this place could tell. We started with the Mick Jagger fries, holy hell those rock! I had the Reuben, it was piled high with corned beef and really tasty, others ordered the fish and chips, and French dip, no one left hungry or unhappy. The single malt Scotch representation is one of the best I have seen in the larger Seattle area."

"This place was decent!! The fries were perfect, and the portions were pretty big too. Service was fast! We ordered the turkey panini, lobster bisque and jalapeno business burger. I will say that the lobster bisque, while it tasted good, was not warm enough and kind of tasted like it probably came from a prepackaged bag they buy in bulk. The cheesy garlic bread that came with it was the only redeeming quality."