Came here on a Monday just for a drink and an appetizer and had a nice time. Our waiter was super nice and we were able to sit outside with our dog. We ordered the blue crab dip and it was pretty big. It came with a lot of chips. The dip was good but I don't know if I tasted much crab. Overall a nice little appetizer and drink! read more

By The Bay - Blue crab dip - Breweries Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

1-food is good the taste, smell wonderful 2-service is very nice and good 3-ambient it's beautiful The view is unique i want to be at this restaurant at least once a week. read more

We went for a late lunch on Valentines Day. The place was surprisingly quiet. Now we know why. The service was ok but the food took a long time. When it did arrive, my partner immediately noticed a hair in her food. The server took the plate back and later returned with another plate. It was lobster and this one looked like it had been sitting for a long time. The manager was walking around but did not come to our table to apologize. We could clearly see the guys in the kitchen. None of them were wearing head covering. Just a shame that management can't do better in this great location. read more

We were once again blown away by this place. I rarely give 5 stars but this place deserves it because I cannot figure out why it's rated at an overall 3. This pizza is phenomenal- and we are New Haven pizza snobs. The beer is awesome, the calamari was to die for. Everything was fantastic. The service was spotty here and there but overall the servers are very friendly and are constantly moving. Love the ambiance. Really enjoyed the nautical and church hybrid decor. Forgot to take fresh pics because I was stuffing my face. Recommend getting a tangerine pew pew, a Hawaiian pizza and the calamari. read more

By The Bay - Pretzel Bites - Breweries Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

Maddi, our waitress is the best thing for 5 Churches by the bay. She was professional and on top of all the best food items. She was the only waitress on and handled several tables all at once with a smile. The new menu and excellent service was a pleasant change from our first encounter when they couldn't handle the light parade crowd at Christmas. We left when it took over an hour to get a beer and they only had one bartender making drinks. We actually vowed to never return but were so glad we did. We started with PEI mussels which were cooked perfectly but missed the bread to soak up the sauce. We also sampled the lobster Mac and Cheese which was stuffed with lobster and the crab cake appetizer which was also stuffed with crab and had a wonderful pesto sauce. The drink specials were very creative. Portions were generous and not overpriced. We definitely will be back! read more

Atmosphere and view beautiful. Difficult to find parking. Only one Cabernet wine choice and it was awful. We should have requested a new unopened bottle. So unimpressed with the menu, staff and horrible wine, we paid and left. We won't return. read more

Five Churches By The Bay is a restaurant and taproom that opened in the Niantic section of East Lyme, Connecticut in January 2023. It is a secondary location of Five Churches Brewing, which opened in New Britain, Connecticut in March 2018. Both operations were founded by father and son entrepreneurs Peter and Phil Lemnotis, brewer Austin Japs, and Michael Barillaro. The Lemnotis Family have owned several buildings in New Britain over the past few decades. They decided to make use of an old warehouse space downtown. Although Phil's business background is in transportation, he was an avid craft beer fan and thought that the space would make a good brewery. He met Barillaro through a mutual friend and later they both found Japs to handle the brewing duties. Barillaro went to culinary school and would handle the wood-fired pizza menu. The name 'Five Churches' was chosen as a reference to the five church steeples that adorn the skyline in downtown New Britain. After a successful few years, the partners decided to open a new location on the Connecticut shoreline. The location they picked was the basement level of the historic Morton House Hotel in downtown Niantic. My family and I recently stopped at Five Churches By The Bay for lunch. We had just walked on the nearby Niantic Bay Boardwalk and worked up an appetite. My wife and I visited the original Five Churches Brewing back in 2018 when it first opened. Unlike the New Britain location which has a food menu limited to wood-fired pizza and pretzels, the Niantic location has a full restaurant menu. In addition to their signature pizzas, the menu also features seafood entrees, burgers, sandwiches & wraps, salads, weekend brunch dishes, and various appetizers. There doesn't seem to be any actual brewing going on at this location, but they offer a wide selection of Five Churches' beer on draught as well as wine and cocktails. We started off with a "Pub-Style Pretzel" and asked for it to be served with everything bagel seasoning. It came with house beer cheese and marinara dipping sauces and really hit the spot. For pizza, we ordered a "Margherita" (tomato sauce, garlic, fresh mozzarella, tomato slices, topped with extra virgin olive oil & basil) and a "Build-Your-Own" that featured pesto, gorgonzola and breaded chicken. The pizzas were very tasty! To drink, I ordered a Beer Flight while my wife had their "Mimosa Flight" (strawberry, peach, orange, passionfruit). The drinks paired well with the food. We really liked the overall restaurant space. Although it was overcast and a little chilly on the day of our visit, I can imagine that there are excellent beach views in the summertime. We hope to be back again in the warmer months! read more

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My boyfriend and I went here and left very disappointed with the food. For an appetizer we ordered the pretzel which had a hair in it We got burgers with fries. I ordered mine medium rare which came out well done. The fries were somehow burnt and undercooked at the same time. read more

Waited for ever for wait service. We ordered a couple of beers which took 15 minutes to arrive. Ordered a burger and pizza which took an hour to arrive. Burger was overcooked and the pizza was hardly edible. Absolutely terrible and would never recommend. Terrible experience. read more

First, let me start by asking, where is the management?? When ordering drinks we were informed they were out of several beers on the menu. We ordered one draft and a bottled beer for my wife, for which we had to ask twice for a glass for the lady. Next we ordered food. Crab dip and chips. The dip was almost solid, you couldn't dip a chip. We asked for it to be heated up. It came warmer this time but not warm in the center. It was very good though. 45 minutes later expecting our dinner any moment, we were informed they were out of salmon. At that point, we asked for the check. Any respectable restaurant would have sent the manager over. The waitress said she took something off the check but still paid $23 for crab dip and 2 beers. This is my 2nd time coming here, both times a disappointment I won't be bringing my visiters here this Summer. read more

Saw a lot of 1 star reviews (including one about a pig in a baby carriage lol) but very happy we came here regardless! The interior is clean and decorated nicely with a few nautical touches. Service was great and had us laughing when they cracked a few jokes. We were grateful they were able to separate our bill when we joined a larger party. The pretzel was great and exactly as you'd expect a pub pretzel. The wings were pretty good too! I loved the blueberry pancake sour so much I ended up having a second. Also had a sip of the Tangerine Pew Pew and it was delicious. We had a great experience for a rainy day so we can only imagine how much fun this place is on a warm evening on the patio. read more

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Already a fan of their beers, so we decided to stop by and check out this satellite brewery. Its a cute little spot with some views across the road and across train tracks that can see the water. Food was pretty impressive. read more

By The Bay - Muscles in white wine sauce and Wings in maple/siracha sauce - Breweries Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

Fantastic food and service! The Mussels are delicate and flavorful, love the blue crab dip, fresh salads, excellent raw oysters, great Smokey grilled calamari special and delicious chocolate lava cake. Perfect atmosphere...lovely view of the bay with a nice end of summer breeze. read more

I tend to think of this Resturant as more of a bar that happens to serve food. The food was good/fair... lobster roll was tasty, standard issue fries.... Muscles were loaded with garlic but tasty... read more

By The Bay - Hot Lobster roll market price; not a fan of the fries. - Breweries Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

We stopped in for dinner tonight. I like that the menu is small so it doesn't overwhelm you with tons of choices. I got the seafood chowder, we split an order of calamari and an order of mussels and he got the fish & chips. Seafood Chowder: probably the best I've ever had. Tons of chunky seafood and the creamy broth had just the perfect amount of Sherry. Calamari: nice potion of rings and tentacles. Not chewy or overly greasy. I didn't care for the Marinara so I doused it with lemon. Mussels: they were cooked perfectly and nestled in a garlic cream broth. The broth had a hint of fennel- which I hate and I couldn't figure out where it was coming from. Fish & Chips: hefty piece of nice, thick, white cod. Flaky and delicious. Fries were very good. I definitely would order that again. The bar is open with a beautiful view and the staff was very attentive. We definitely would return to try other things on the menu! read more

Great service, we got the bay nachos what a joke, basically open a potato chips sprinkle some cheese, some Gorgonzola cheese,bits of bacon ... will give another chance because service was great. Went again this time I had the black bean burger and was not satisfactory for me to even try again read more

It's ok.... It's not going to blow you away or wow you. But it could be worse ‍. The portions are small for the price and taste. The beer choices are just ok. Everything is just ok .... read more

By The Bay - Breweries Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

Worst. Bar. Service. Ever. Our heads could be on fire and not one of the 5-6 women bartenders would stop by to offer us some water to put it out. Terrible service, to say the least. Not that busy, maybe half the bar chairs occupied - yet no one makes eye contact or stops to ask you if you need anything. You need to actually call out to one of them, as they walk past you in order to get their attention. We could have had 3 rounds of drinks, but since our 1st round of empty glasses sat on the bar in front of us for 15 minutes, without a single word, I finally just shouted to the first girl "could we get a check?!" Even then, it was like I was inconveniencing them. Don't waste a nice sunny afternoon here. Go to The Dock instead. read more

Staff took a bit longer to notice us than we would've liked but the food was absolutely insane! Definitely would go again at a time less busy! read more

We have been to their other location and we're excited to try this location since it's closer to us. We went here during Sunday brunch with my family and it was nice to see how open this brewery is and so close to the water! They had plenty of seating and also have an outdoor patio that allows dogs. Our server was really nice but they seemed to appear to be short handed because he seemed to be the one waiting and serving all of the tables. He greeted us and got us our drinks right away but then it took a while for us to order. When he took our order, he never wrote anything down and got all our orders accurately! We got a few beers like steeple people and pew pew which were pretty good. We liked steeple people better. I liked that they also offered mimosa and Bloody Mary flights. We started with mozzarella sticks which were not on the menu but the chef was able to make it for us which were good. I got the macaroni and cheese burger and fries, which I thought was a little boring. I would add cheese, ketchup and mayo on the burger but the fries were great! My sister got the adult macaroni and cheese which she thought was okay but would be better with breadcrumbs. My husband got the buffalo chicken pizza with blue cheese to dip which was good and had a nice flavor. My father got the French dip and seafood clam chowder which he said the soup was exceptional. It might be the best seafood chowder he ever had and we even got some more cups of it to go. My mom got the eggs Benedict which she enjoyed. My son got a cheeseburger and fries and my daughter got the linguine and meatballs and both they enjoyed! Overall, this is a nice place to stop by if you're in the area! read more

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The service was not good and had to ask for refills. The ambiance was clean but nothing great in the fall. The restaurant was not busy for a Saturday dinner at 5:30 pm. Meal: The pretzel appetizer was tasty and fresh this was the best part of the experience. Main meal was fish and chips with 1 piece of fish and standard fries and coke slaw small condiment cup was no taste at all really not good. The fish fry was burnt and sent it back to only receive second piece slightly burnt too as pictured. The meal was $22 and not worth it to me. For 2 people dinner with a soda and a beer was $73. Not really worth it overall. Will mostly likely pick other area restaurants for dinner. read more

By The Bay - Fish one piece with slightly burnt frying. Less burnt then the first time but still tasted burnt. - Breweries Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

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Food - very good. We tried the calamari and a pizza. Delicious. Beer - not impressed so far but may need to try more. The one we got they had to replace the keg and it was super cloudy after a while still. Service - meh. Friendly yes but not enthusiastic. Ambiance - really great seats outside, although can get hot when it's sunny. Overall a nice place to have in town. Definitely recommend the pizza. read more

Nice place for in the middle of seaside Niantic -- good food reasonably priced with a great waitstaff. There's seating out of doors under big umbrellas. Lots of choices including seafood. Everything we tried was yummy! read more

We went on two different occasions two very different vibes. We went on a Sunday night where it was fairly empty and then last night on a Saturday night where the place was the place to be. The first time we got the steak sandwich and pasta dish my husband enjoyed the sandwich a lot said it was delish. I am a bit picky with red sauce. It wasn't my favorite but it was light and didn't sit heavy. Tasty just not my favorite. The service was fabulous both times. Last night we got the desert pretzel to start off and holy cow it was delicious! Definitely a must get! I then had the chicken Cesar salad which I thought was very good and my husband got the bbq chicken pizza. He said it was very good. He would've enjoyed some more bbq sauce on it because it was very cheese heavy but it was still good. All in all a good place to stop by and check out! read more

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Nice addition to the area. Pub fare, beach pub feel. Service was attentive and food was solid. Good family dinner location.

I had the Margherita pizza and it is my new favorite pizza this side of New Haven. Great beer (enjoyed the blueberry pancakes sour, and have tried some of their other beers at NB location). I appreciate that they also offer wine and cocktails. Loved my margarita! The service was excellent (especially considering it was opening night and they were busy). Welcome to Niantic! read more

By The Bay - margarita - Breweries Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

Beer is not that good. Wish they put more effort into their craft. The atmosphere it's just way too bright.

We had a party of 4 and were promptly seated outside on a nice Saturday night. Took a while for someone to get us some drinks and apps. The beers were all good but the apps were hugely disappointing... the bay crisps were a pile of potato chips with bacon bits, cheese and a few jalepenos. The coconut shrimp were tasteless. Each for $16 and a ripoff. My fish and chips were awful... like a frozen piece of cod doused in batter and fried... a mushy mess. The other 3 sandwiches were decent. We each had 2 beers ... 8 in total. Total bill was $230. We'd go back for the beers and maybe pizza next time. Ambiance suffers with road noise and train... not much you can do about that. read more

We were excited to try this restaurant, especially since there were vegan options available for my local family member. We wanted to sit outdoors on the nice day but there is little coverage, no umbrellas, and the black metal tables were too hot to the touch so they graciously moved us indoors. We started with the pretzel and our hopes were high that we would find a new gem in the area. The pretzel was hot, fresh, & delicious. The cheese sauce was thin and okay but the mustard sauce was really good. I ordered one of the two options for lagers and it was cold and refreshing. If we had stopped with drinks and the pretzel we would have been happier. Sadly I would not recommend any of the lunch items we tried. The vegan in our group liked the Mac & cheese well enough but wouldn't care to have it again. Another had the shrimp po boy with truffle Parmesan fries and I had the burger with fries. Both the sandwiches had a poor meat to bun ratio with large buns and very little fillings. While they didn't ask how I would like my burger cooked, and I am pretty easy going ( I usually say if it isn't bleeding or charcoal I'll still eat it) the tiny meat patty was extra well done closely resembling charcoal but still within range of edible for me. The bacon on the sandwich in contrast was barely cooked, so underdone I did remove it from the overpriced $18 sandwich. The biggest disappointment was the cold fries. Both of ours either sat in the window way too long waiting for a complete order or were already cold, possibly reheated but still cold so just not good at all. I rarely leave so much uneaten food on the table when I finish a meal. Perhaps we should have complained but simply paid the $85 lunch tab for three of us before tip and chalked it up to a lesson learned. Our server was very nice so did not take our food dissatisfaction out on her. Not planning to return for a meal, perhaps only for a drink & pretzel and then would proceed with caution. read more

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Went today for lunch. There must have been a sewer backup. The smell of sewage was overpowering, at the outside tables. They had fans running inside, to dry out the floors. We left prior to ordering. Too afraid to order. read more

Great food! Had the best service by Jaylie Voss, such a kind lady and provided great conversation. Would highly recommend.

Ordered a burger, they put a tiny (completely burnt) patty on a giant bun, and nearly raw bacon on top - FOR $18!. Mac n cheese was gross. It ended up being $85 for lunch for three. read more

I have been here more times than I should probably admit for the amount of time they have been open! I have been a huge fan and supporter of Five Churches in New Britain since they opened, and was PSYCHED to learn that this location was opening up just down the road from me! A huge perk of this restaurant is the Happy Hour that they offer. First of all, they have one, which is amazing in itself. Second, they have it Monday-Thursday and Sunday (my favorite part is the Sunday)! They offer $1 off certain beers and wines, and multiple food options. You certainly can't beat 6 wings for $3, or a 2-topping pizza for $7.50! I also love the fried calamari! The HH menu does rotate which is also fantastic, so every week you have the opportunity to try some new options. So far, the bacon and onion pizza has been great. There also are many fantastic options on the regular menu - the charcuterie pretzel being a huge fan favorite. If you want a great beer or great food, either way give this place a go! read more

By The Bay - Breweries Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

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Good beer and a nice selection of food. Pretzels and pizza are fantastic! The bar view overlooking the ocean is amazing!

Went for lunch, everything was delicious. Wrapped Scallops delicious, Crab Cakes delicious, Ribs delicious, Bar Drinks excellent. Our server Amber, Fantastic! Came back a 2nd day just because everything was so good. A definite stop the next time we are back. read more

Great apps and great beer by the water. Staff was awesome and menu prices weren't bad. Had calamari, garlic and maple chicken wings during happy hour. The flavor of the maple chicken wings was pretty damn good!b read more

We tried 5 Churches by the Bay on a winter Saturday night - off season in Niantic. Surprised! There was a pretty good duo playing. sat at the bar. The bartender had no use for the two lady groupies at the bar who weren't drinking or eating. They finally ordered what sounded to me like Lemon jello. The bartender clearly knew they wanted Limoncello-which she did not have. Let's just say there was a massive cultural divide between the more sophisticated server and these two women. A humorous moment. i digress. My companion enjoyed his beer and u was fine with the local Jonathon Edwards Stone Table Red wine. Two requests for water were unsuccessful. On the Saturday after Valentine's Day they were still oitching their over-priced VD menu. We went for the Bay burger as the VD table clothes in the seating area looked sloppy, so we figured we'd keep our order simple. Cheeseburger itself was fine, although my companion said "lacked seasoning". Lettuce was a pretty tough green leaf. Tomato - sliced ahead and suffered in the refrigerator. "Bay Sauce" was fine. Two skinny pieces of bacon - meh. French fries were ok - but no seasoning. Bartender checked in and as requested provided salt and pepper. We are local and try to try all establishments - this place is one year old and we walked out on our first attempt to try it shortly after they opened. We won't be back anytime soon. Without a local following it is hard to succeed in Niantic. read more

Who ever was the decorator did a horrible job, looks dated and doesn't match.could.atleast have a simple white beachy vibe, but it's more pine panels with horrible bright lighting.no ambiance. Bar area was the best, friendly staff and good drinks. Pizza overly cheesy ,onion soup was good. I'm guessing it will be a nice outdoor summer place read more

I would totally love to give this place a five star review as i live in town and hope it succeeds. Unfortunately I can't. Food is way over priced and it's not that good. Portions are HALF of what they should be (Salad / Calamari) and the pizza is so-so. There were more peppers on the plate then calamari. There must have been less than ten pieces of calamari for $16 and1/2 of a salad. How does the manager/cook/server allow food to go out like that. EMBARRASSING. They wont make it past the winter if they don't change a-lot !! read more

After reading some of the reviews I was somewhat reluctant, this was one of the only choices for soup and a salad though and being an out of town traveler my options were limited on a Friday night. We took a chance and we're promptly seated just off the main bar. Kaylee greeted us and took an order for a ceaser and some onion soup. Spot on! The soup was fresh with a great flavor. The salad and extra dressing came out prompt and with an extra ramekin of dressing. Just what I was looking for. Guiseppe? Checked on our table and provided some insight on the new direction of the establishment. His pride in the establishment and conversation made our night . He continued to check on us and give us wonderful and informative insight to the area. How awesome and welcoming. Before we left the restaurant/ brewery Carlos approached our table and asked us about our meal. He had prepared it in the kitchen and was looking for feedback, Wow! We had ordered a burger as well as the salad and onion soup and he genuinely wanted to know our feedback. This is a must for a traveler looking for a first class meal . 100 percent the place is a winner. read more