This place is ok. The best part of it is the bartenders. They are super friendly and super responsive. My friend and I tried a few different of their signature cocktails and 1 out of the 4 was good. The others were pretty subpar, and you are paying a lot for them. I get that they are a "niche" place, but maybe they should reevaluate these fancy drinks on their menus. read more

I loved the esthetic. Drink and food were amazing. The only thing was, it was very hard to find, super small sign and we walked up and down the road multiple times. read more

This is a really great find! First off, their beverage program is spot on. One of my favorite things is that they offer a non-alcoholic cocktail lists. Sometimes I am not in the mood for an alcoholic beverage or am with friends who don't drink but still want to fit in with everyone else who is partaking. The vibe is really cool and relaxed, perfect for an evening out to help you forget about the stresses of life. I tried their red velvet waffle which came with vanilla iced cream and a pecan crema and it was delightful. My friend had a cheese board and had nothing but nice things to say about it - including the vegan cheese choice. (That's right, there really is something for everyone). Give it a whirl. Service was a little bit slow if I have to nitpick but we didn't mind because their product and environment speaks for itself. read more

From the ambiance to the drinks everything here is stellar. The cocktails are all fantastic there's something for everyone. I love the staff, we always feel very well taken care of here. Love love love!!! read more

TANYA IS AMAZING. Every drink is so perfectly crafted and her personality is to die for. So glad I stumbled on this place

I wish I could give Conspiracy a 5 because their cocktails are fantastic and delicious and the interior has been beautifully redone and is very speakeasy like. However, I've had slow service almost every time I've been there and they can really improve on that. read more

Wow what an awesome place. Was kinda weird about going here because I thought it was super high class but it was awesome! Super mid-century feel and awesome music. Drinks were great. Super cool vibe here! read more

great staff, friendly & courteous. cocktail was awesome. if u want some drink, i recommend "last word" that was delicious !! perfect balance of sweet, sour & herbaceous. don't miss red velvet waffle.highly recommended. read more

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Really great drinks. Haven't tried the food yet but it looks good. The service is great and the atmosphere is cool. Highly recommend for a date or out with friends. read more

DIRTY and filthy working conditions. I sat at the bar for about 2 1/2 hours on a Thursday night and watched the bartender handle raw eggs, credit cards, CLEAN ICE, an iPad, menus and touched clean glassware without EVER WASHING HER HANDS. TWO 1/2 HOURS OF NOT WASHING YOUR HANDS WITHOUT SOAP. Disgusting. Cocktails take about 10mins to make and I noticed my bartender had to look up how to make an old fashioned, yet this place claims they have crafty cocktails. There was also an employee sitting at the bar who had the night off and all he did was complain about "cheap and dumb customers" but didn't offer once to help out the two bartenders who were drowning in ticket/drink times. I saw the owner/manager, who was on his phone 80% of the time, he never offered to help the bartenders or touch tables with guests or to any customers through out service until the very end when I clearly had been waiting 5-10mins on a drink. I informed him of his employee not washing her hands. Hope he handles it. read more

Generally the coolest place in town. Expensive- but the cocktails are good and the wine they serve is great (especially the one from Argentina). You might have to be ok with the crowd- it's typically 30+ but I'm not sure why, and my only guess would be the price. But the quality, the crowd, and the live jazz music they tend to have makes for a time that is more sophisticated, so it is always worth it to me (24 when I started going). read more

Stopped in for the first time wasn't as impressed as I thought. I cant give any review on the food but a myself and a friend stopped in for a drink. We both had the same cocktail and I can't remember the name but it was with rose and delicious. Definitely want to go back and try a cheese platter. read more

Went there yesterday ..four total on our party....very cool concept...bar tender made me two whiskey drinks and botj were great...food service was slow and didn't like the concept of watching them cook and whatever else they were doing...food was very good though..probably wouldn't return regularly...but occasional stop yes...one bad things it's a flight of stairs to get there with little signage to find the entrance. read more

Came here with a few co workers on a Sunday for drinks, and it was quite different. First of, we walked pass the sign as it was so small on a chalk board outside. Got more of a 90's vibe as i saw the bartender dressed in a suite which was different to see. Drinks were great i had a frozen beverage, as my friends had drinks served in a tea cup which was funny. Now why i held back on the fifth star was that a live band was playing and the music was extremely loud, there was chance of us having a conversation and that a bit disappointing for all of us. I'm hoping this is only a weekend as oppose to everyday, perhaps a more softer genre would be nice. Nevertheless we managed to have a good time and have a convo here and their when it was a change between singers. read more

If you have never been here and are intrigued by the mystery of Conspiracy... cat's out of the bag. The Conspiracy is the restaurant itself, because the staff seemed to be nonexistent. We arrived at 8pm, party of four. Decided to sit on the patio. This is where we went wrong. Apparently sitting on the patio means waiting an hour for a cheese plate with 3 slices of cheese. Advertised as the "Five cheese plate" we were baffled at the thin slices of cheese that resembled grocery store samples adjacent to a pile of pistachio dust stuck on a dollop of inedible honey (as the dust and honey created a hardened concrete like paste). In addition to the charcuterie board we ordered an Ahi Tuna Bowl & Flatbread. This was our second major mistake - ordering food at a restaurant where the conspiracy is whether or not they employ a staff. We waited for an additional hour and a half for our entreès. Two waitresses simultaneously took our orders and did not communicate which led to major delays in our orders. To add, we received two sets of the check demonstrating once again their inability to speak to one another in order to create a dining experience in which the customers get fed in under two hours. For the entire two hours we ordered one round of drinks and were never asked if we would like refills. I was excited to go out with my best friends on a Friday night, but left hangry, sober, and disappointed. Spoiler Alert: The conspiracy is the establishment itself read more

Drink took a long time to come out. Cool vibe. Very slow service. If they could speed up drinks would be great. Ill visit again on future read more

Awesomeness in Middletown! Reminds me of the hipster speakeasies in Chicago. Well executed cocktails and Sam the bartender is well educated about the cocktails, liquors and will entertain you! read more

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I met a friend at Conspiracy yesterday to hear another friend spin. I hadn't been back in months, only because for cocktails alone I prefer other places in Middletown and also prefer to eat well when I drink (I wasn't a fan of the lackluster waffles, arepas, and grilled cheese sandwiches that had been featured at Conspiracy). I'm writing because I've noticed a marked change in the food offerings, evidently to do with a young chef (Sassi or Saussi) who began working there a few months ago. From Meriden but trained in New York and clearly passionate about food, he's raised the menu to another level: creative, local, fresh, flavorful, with a kind of Spain-inspired flair in the scale, variety, and culinary surprises. The standard menu now offers a nice selection of small plates, in addition to daily specials: the emphasis is on quality and creativity while keeping prices sensible. I love the ambition: e.g., (1) seared local duck with smoked blueberry whiskey compote, (2) beer-braised chorizo, pickled shisito, stout maple cream, and smoked almonds, (3) blackberry, miso, and sake braised king trumpet mushrooms, (4) birch-beer braised short ribs and leeks, (5) bourbon cardamon smoked carrots with black garlic creme fraiche and apricot, and so on. We ordered a couple of the day's specials: Korean bbq rib and a brisket, both excellent (with a refreshing potato salad and a corn cob on the side). My friend and I agreed we wanted to return and work our way through the standard menu. I've noticed that the bar staff (and even the somewhat taciturn owner) are noticeably friendlier (in an unforced way) than I remember them in the first year or so after opening: our enthusiastic (in an unforced way) waitress recommended an excellent New England IPA (juicy, cloudy) from Alvarium in New Britain, which stood up well to (and with) the bbq sauces. I hope this trend in Middletown continues up and down the strip: toward quality and creativity in food AND drink and committed service. read more

Place is really overpriced. My date and I we got two glasses of wine and she got martini and bill came to $50. Nice place but overpriced. I use to live in New York City and in San Francisco and they are charging same as big city. read more

Drinks are absolutely amazing. Love the atmosphere. Didn't love the prices but it's to be expected. Definitely an exclusive vibe. Would go back again for a special occasion! read more

A delightful speak-easy lounge with a 'private club' vibe. CONSPIRACY is located up a narrow flight of steps. If you can climb it; it will be there. One enters a delightful world by day; at night, a totally different vibe. Beautiful leatherette lounges to relax upon as well as booths which offer privacy. Its not a vast space and the décor is perfect. Lots of windows is a rarity in many bistros and while unnoticeable at night, during the day it offers a perfect SOHO vibe; with well-designed lighting and the gift of daylight. To the right upon entry is the well-sized bar which accommodates about 22 seated, and a modest amount standing. The bar counter and its huge 'working space' consume almost the entire room. Very different and fun for the patron who is fortunate to have a seat. I visited Sunday for their 'high tea' and 'lady' lip sync specialists. The gals enlivened the atmosphere. As for the food and drink. Kudos to the Campfire Old Fashioned. It's made with 'local smoked maple syrup, angostura, and bourbon and served with a torched marshmallow'. Innovative and sippy-sappy good. [Although my first drink filled the glass high, while the next did not]. The variety of grand cocktails, harkening back to yesteryear, literally makes this destination a must. And so, perhaps we shall see 'the cocktail wars' between town venues, especially the new start-ups. Price-wise, the cocktails are comparative to town venues, but to the palate, so well balanced as to sip ambrosia. They specialize in many liquored drinks, boilermakers, and even have a choice of absinthe. As for the High Tea? I've done many in London and NYC. Naturally I was eager to enjoy the first in Middletown featuring cocktails. The tray was delightfully filled with goodies. Finger bits were delicious. Fresh little squares of bread with scrumptious fillings. The raspberry stone was a stand-out. Freshly made miniature pecan tartlets were fab. [Not so much for the cold miniature éclair]. But management is generous and offered more finger squares, which I scoffed down eagerly. And there were small chocolatey surprises too. Their tea is Bigelow and worked nicely with all. Their mimosas are made WITH REAL CHAMPAGNE. All local restaurants use prosecco so this is a treat. I was a bit peckish [hungry] after the tea, and ordered their el plantano arepas, made with queso fresco, rum marinated plaintain, avocado crème, cilantro. Who else does this in Middletown? No one. It was hot and utre tasty but for the weighty biscuit. But its ALL GOOD. Looking around, I saw everyone thoroughly enjoying their small plates and beverages. As for the menu, one is overwhelmed by the choices. Their popular grilled cheese sandwiches have an abundance of aroma & melted cheese. There is a bounty of cheese & charcuterie offerings with tasty pates such as wild game featuring feral swine, venison, pork, brandy and white wine. Lastly, did I say WAFFLES? A late-night dish, but Sunday they were dishing them. No end to the variety of small food plates here. So well done. GRAND COCKTAILS. Good karma from staffers. Very clubby venue. It's a must visit! read more

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Excellent quiet spot for high end cocktails and cheese and charcuterie... if your waffle fan it's a great late night spot. Nice soft background music. Staff are good peeps too.. if your in Middletown, check it out! read more

Perfect addition to downtown middletown! I've been waiting for something like this since moving to the area (Think Little River Restoratives if you're from the Hartford/West Hartford area) We loved the atmosphere, the decor was stunning and the drink menu was impressive. The bartender (sadly, I failed to get his name) was knowledgeable and appeared to be more of a cocktail artist than a typical bartender. I insisted on Hendricks, and he suggested I try a honey gin from Vermont that was phenomenal. I'm looking forward to my next visit. read more

A nice addition to middletowns main st. Feels warm and inviting. Enjoy the special cocktails as well if I'm going to spend 10 dollars on a drink this is the kind of environment I would like to enjoy it in. read more

Went here when they had a special Game of Thrones themed drinks menu which was really awesome. Definitely a cool place for catching up with a friend! read more

As a party of 4 with a reservation at 10pm, we were ignored for approximately 25 minutes. When I approached the host, I was disregarded. Finally we were sat, and proceeded to be ignored for another 10 minutes. I then ordered from the bar, and got delicious cocktails. However, I had go to the bar to pay. Service was abysmal, drinks spectacular. read more

Really great "speakeasy" vibe bar in downtown. This is a great place to get drinks and cheese/meat boards. It is really hard to identify all the weird cheese and meat types. I really wish they had more of a food menu and selection. read more

Ok so I'm a paramedic who's niche is in pediatrics so when I heard that two pediatric physicians owned this place I thought it was cool. The old building has many nods to the past, the vintage tile in portions of the floor is beautiful. The windows with multiple archway panes show off its industrial upholstery past. I've been twice now, first time we sat in the lounge section with no issues. Tonight we sat at the bar. They have some late night food options including waffles, I ordered one but I couldn't tell you how it was because I never got it. There is plenty of staff, that's not at all the issue, actually maybe too many staff members. The decor is wonderful and the cocktails are great just need to keep up on the premium specialty taps. The owners were both diligently working the bar which was nice to see. read more

Tried this place two different times after they first opened and wanted to it be awesome because of a great experience I had a mixology bar I loved in DC. Sadly, it wasn't. Both times we went, it took 20-30min to get drinks made for our group. The second time we went the bartender/mixologist was definitely inexperienced at handling ingredients with very strong flavor profiles since the drinks were dominated by what should have been secondary flavors. I'll probably give them another chance because the atmosphere is great and the staff is nice. Just need them to get things more polished first. I didn't try the food but my friends appeared to enjoy what they ordered. read more

A great place to go for a date. It's usually a calm, quiet atmosphere. Although I went there last night and ended up leaving after standing there for 10 minutes not being acknowledged by a bartender. There was nowhere to sit. Very busy and crowded. BUT. This is usually not the case. I'll definitely be back, just not on a Saturday night while school is in session. Great drink menu, and fantastic charcuterie board. This is my go-to for a quiet, classy night out! read more

Went for a ladies night out after reading all of the positive reviews. I really wanted to like this place but it was just ok. It has a very cool vibe. The drinks were ok but the food seems like an after thought. We ordered several items on the menu so we could try a little bit of everything. First, they don't give you plates so you can have your own food on your own plate. We ordered the Brussel sprouts, which were our favorite, the drunken carrots which didn't have much flavor, the meatballs that were ok, the beet tartare which had little flavor, the flat bread which was fair and a cheese and charcuterie plate that had tiny bits of cheese and thinly sliced pieces of meat with some toast for $25! I think it's a good place to stop in for a drink but we all left disappointed and hungry! read more

First of all, follow the website's advice to call ahead for a reservation. The space is a little tight, but the energy is very positive and it's not claustrophobic at all. We tried two of the signature drinks and had mixed results. The Fernando was not pleasant at all--bitters in a cider could work, but this just didn't. The other drink (don't remember the name; Green...) was served hot in a glass; the taste was very pleasant, especially hot, but the glass heated up quickly and was difficult to hold--just a disappointing aesthetic quality: use ceramic, and I'm sure there are many designs that fit the motif. Atmosphere was exceptional, and the furniture and fixture design suited the purpose. Service was a little slow, and they forgot part of our order until we were about to leave; but they were VERY nice and helpful otherwise, from door to wait staff to bar staff. Prices were high for food, about right for drinks. $15 for six small slices of (locally sourced) cheese, a tablespoon of pistachios, a teaspoon of apple butter, and a drizzle of honey... We enjoyed the experience, but probably wouldn't return on a date night. Maybe just a drink after work. read more

This is my new favorite bar! It's a quiet and cozy atmosphere. It's not over crowded and their margarita's are delicious!

DO NOT BOTHER! They don't allow you to wait there or pop in for a drink; they don't allow standing room and make you leave the premises if you can't find a place to sit immediately. The rude waitress told us they "don't have standing room" and we weren't allowed to stand near the bar and have drinks so we had to leave. They think making it super exclusive makes it a better bar- NO. it's Middletown, not NYC. read more

Outstanding Craft cocktails and food. Service is so/so. But everything else makes up for it

We had a private cocktail making class at Conspiracy as part of my sister's bachelorette party. It was by far the highlight of the day! We had a wonderful time and learned so much. The mix of cocktail making knowledge and hands-on fun was perfect. I had no idea we were going to be able to go behind the bar to make the drinks! We did the class before they opened on a Saturday afternoon and the bar was set up beautifully for us complete with delicious snacks, our own copies of the drink recipes we would be making, and nice vintage drink glasses that we each got to take home. The owners and bartender put so much effort into the class beforehand so that we would all enjoy ourselves by choosing cocktails based on my sister's favorite drinks and even adapting the recipes to be mocktails for our friend who doesn't drink! I have been raving about the experience to everyone I know and will definitely be back to enjoy a drink and hopefully another class at Conspiracy! read more

Great, trendy cocktail spot in Middletown. Perfect for that after dinner nightcap or Friday night out with friends.

Amazing drinks, awesome bartenders, you can't go wrong with going to Conspiracy. The bar is gorgeous and the atmosphere is like no other bar around. This is by far my favorite place to come for drinks in Middletown. Im a fan of many other bars and restaurants in Middletown but Conspiracy is in a league of its own. It's exactly what Middletown needed and It couldn't be a more perfect place. Im genuinely excited to come back here every time I leave. Incredible place, don't miss out on going. read more

Very cute place to hang out and staff was also super friendly! A little bit pricey but awesome drinks.

Awesome drink specials and maybe the best charcuterie in Middletown. Great atmosphere as well. We always have a good experience here.