Unexpected chill spot on Main Street in Middletown. Head upstairs for a cool vibe. On the right, there's a huge bar area. On the left, a lounge area with divided seating for groups of around 4 people. Nice and private but also feels covid safe. The whole place has a good vibe with low lighting, with the exception of the entry, a bit overpowering if you're seated adjacent. The happy hour specials are good and surprisingly also available on Saturday. The tapas styled food selection was tasty and loved the charcuterie options. They serve Zwack, considered the national liqueur of Hungary since the late 18th century. Super unexpected treat I had to indulge in that my family imports so absolutely love seeing it on menus. If you haven't had it, give it a try. It's an herbal liqueur somewhat like Jaegermeister, but IMO better and more smooth. It's drinkable on its own or good as an aperitif or digestif. read more

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This is wonderful bar and restaurant! One if the most unique places in CT that I've been too! Definitely vibe here for great cocktails that you won't be able to find anywhere else plus good small plates! read more

Conspiracy - Sapphire Isles Cocktail! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

I came here on a Saturday evening with two others and made a reservation for 5pm. Reservations are strongly recommended if you want a table but the bar is first come first serve. At 5pm it wasn't too busy but it definitely picked up as we were there. The inside was funky, extremely dark, so be ready to use your phone to see the menu! However it was a cool vibe and overall a fun atmosphere. The drink menu is a hard cover book which was a fun touch and they had so many options! They also had a happy hour menu that went from 5pm-7pm. The drinks were very good. All had good explanations and had high quality ingredients. On average a cocktail was about $13. The food was also good, however I found it pretty expensive for what you got. I'd recommend coming here for some beverages but perhaps get dinner or food on another one of the great restaurants down the street. read more

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Amazing as always, cocktails are the best in town! Maybe even the state! I've officially become obsessed with the Blank Generation it's got a pina colada vibe with a fresh lime tangyness. My guy got the old fashion drinks his favorite was the cooky puss which came with a small caramel filled cookie in the drink. The ambiance is dim lighting, New York speak east type. Love the art and decor always something new to find. A+ for this place read more

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Incredible cocktails. The bartender was very attentive, knowledgeable and friendly. The drinks were absolutely delicious and creative. One of the owners came over, we chatted and he was kind enough to educate my girlfriend and I on japanese whiskey. He also made some kind of Hazelnut simple syrup / cream and it was mind blowing. I also ordered the Birthday cake waffle and it definitely satisfied my munchies Highly recommended! read more

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Went on a relaxing Monday night. Place was basically empty, dark, warm and cozy. The vibe reminded me of an underground dungeon bar. Very unique atmosphere and very unique cocktails! I tried 3 different cocktails and they all were exceptional!! They all had unique flavor profiles that you dont usually see. My favorite was The Moon. Literally like a chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting. The food was okay, nothing to brag about. However I did think the 5 selection cheese board was very good and the jelly they had was amazing! Definitely a place you want to try out! read more

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Conspiracy is a treasure. Tucked away behind an inconspicuous glass door, quietly existing along an otherwise bustling Main Street, Middletown, you'll miss it if you're not really looking. Normally I enjoy sitting inside, but we sat outside on a recent visit, due to the pandemic. The drink menu is always up to date, in season and exciting. I usually love, or can at least appreciate, whatever cocktail I have there. On this visit, I had a tropical cocktail (the name eludes me) followed by a vanilla-flavored old fashioned (name also eludes me). I also tried a sip of a margarita made with raspberries and thyme-- it was really good. They were all aesthetically pleasing, balanced and delicious. You can really see the effort and talent that goes into the creation of the menu and the drinks. The service was also fantastic. I've always had good service. read more

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It's great. Nice people. Interesting drinks Awesome place. Very creative. Check out the Folio reading event. Great supportive crowd read more

This place has amazing drinks and a lot of fun. The menu has a great selection of bar items which do not disappoint. The bartenders are great at making sure you have a great time. Excellent spot for a greet dinner or after dinner drink at the upstairs bar. read more

Conspiracy - Bar area, dark and mysteriously sexy - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

What a fun, creative place! Went for a blogger meetup and had some fun cocktails and delish apps. FYI, there's no sign on the door and it's kinda hush hush. But worth a trip! read more

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Went for New Year's Eve when they had a special cocktail pairing menu. Both the food and drinks were very good. A little behind in service that night (our server, who was working very hard, mentioned being understaffed--tonight on a holiday). read more

I've been here twice & both times were fun. I did not try the food but it looked pretty good on other people's plates. I like the speakeasy vibe and the drinking menu is always presented in a fun and unique way. I kind of forget about it because it's on a second floor hidden away but every time I go my thought is I need to come back here soon. read more

Finally , I get to see the inside of this place ! It's kind of hard to locate by street view til you get closer you will see the sign to enter. Then proceed up a nice flight of stairs into what my friend describes as a Dark, Dimmed, Dracula's dining area . Candles lit everywhere giving a glow to all the fascinating things around there . Even the bottles shine at the giant bar wall . They have many different options for drinks here . Happy Hour is still happening with new drinks daily & the best small plates for a good price . Today , I came to try some new drinks a the Category 5 (rum,gin,passionfruit,acai) it's was very very good . My friend had the Campfire Drink (bourbon and smoked maple syrup) I swear it tasted like maple bacon . That drink is now a favorite of ours. I missed HR coming at 9pm , but they still let me order the popcorn chicken waffle off that menu with a spicy maple drizzle . This was perfect I loved the taste of a lil spicy syrup ontop of the chunky bites Next , was the Sliders . Got 4 mini burgers with mayo & ketchup. These had a nice fresh ball of meat on them which became quickly filing. 5 stars each plate ..... read more

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As a fellow foodie we met here put it succinctly, "I really wanted to hate this place coming in; who says they're 'handcrafted' and 'artisanal'. I though they were going to be hipster trash? We were so happy to be proven wrong. We haven't seen a single person here immersed in their phone or in a large group taking selfies. This is where it's at!". That's the experience Conspiracy gives us, and hopefully will for you, every single time. It feels like a slice of heaven where you can have a quiet night with spectacular cocktails in an intimate setting with your significant other or best bud. Beside having amazing cheese platters and waffles to die for (sidenote: the French-Canadian foodie said that it was just missing a great maple syrup), the staff is super friendly and extremely talented. As a matter of fact, Jenn came over again to check on my partner and I, and we had a pretty long talk where we found out more. This began as a pet project of her and Bryan's {her husband}. They wanted to share their love of cocktails with the world and felt like Middletown was missing this type of scene. We are so happy they filled this void. What's even more impressive though, is their day-time jobs - Marc is a full time pediatrician, and Jenn is a pediatrics dietician. Good people. Good booze. Good cocktails. Where can you go wrong? Do yourself a favour and patron this place. P.S. My partner and I are a bit wary of writing so highly about this place, because the more "discovered" it gets, the harder it will be for us to get a table. Also note that while we're happy business is booming for Jenn and Bryan, from our convo we can sense a bit of confliction on their part when people come for large parties. It has a way of undoing the intimacy that the bar has. Treat this gem as sacred as it deserves - leave the selfies and tawdry drunkenness to the dive bars. read more

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I came here with a friend on a Sunday afternoon, and there were only a handful of other patrons at the bar. I was immediately struck by all the cute accents, which helped give some character to this second floor loft space. Sitting at the bar is a treat, as you're next to the food prep area as well as the magnificent bar area, which also has some cute characteristics like mini terrariums in cocktail glasses. The cocktails are really unique, and it was hard to choose. My friend ordered the Manhattan and was offered the chance to taste the bitters options, which I've never heard of before. I loved the Campfire Old Fashion - the marshmallow is a nice touch on an already-tasty, smoky drink. The Osana was also tropical and made me yearn for beach days. We got the labneh crostini and a cheese plate. In both cases, I was super underwhelmed with the bread, which really could have elevated both dishes. (I appreciated the extra pieces when we asked for more, however!) I also felt like the labneh could have had a bit more flavor (herbs?). The cheese we ordered, while tasty, didn't taste as fresh as other cheese plates - just that subtle taste when the cheese might have been open before. I definitely appreciated the large and local list of cheeses to choose from, however. I look forward to coming back and trying some of the other savory food items, like the arepa and grilled cheese. read more

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My second try coming here except this time i actually got a drink! I struggled with 3 or 4 stars for a few reasons- 4 stars for drinks and our bartender (didn't catch her name but dark hair and beautiful) who was great, 3 stars for the fact that we arrived and I specially spoke with 1 person about getting a table for our party of 4 with no one else waiting. The group that came in after us and asked for the same got a table and we never did... we were left with sitting at the bar and 2 of our party standing behind us. This is the 2nd time I also came here, first time left after not being able to get a drink because no seats. The drinks are very unique and for someone who doesn't like much but vodka i had 2 drinks with cognac and rum (I think) and they were delicious! My boyfriend loved his 2 as well. We had the Eddy girl, hotel, campfire and pisco punch. We didn't have any food but would love to come back for charcuterie. I love the casual non busy atmosphere and now that I know you can reserve tables I will come back doing that. Great place to relax and enjoy some very tasty drinks! read more

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This is the perfect date spot! The atmosphere is dark and sexy with a fun menu of apps and drinks. The bartenders are great! read more

Conspiracy - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

I am always excited when new restaurants open in Middletown. Although usually for me it's a lot of hype and then I feel familiar let down. Not with Conspiracy...this is the real deal! First off, it is NOT an Italian restaurant, and not a pizza restaurant. That in itself is unique! But beyond that, it is truly like no other restaurant/bar on Main Street. It is gorgeous inside. High ceilings, plush furniture, cool light fixtures, even cooler bar area, complete with glowing candles scattered everywhere. They make the craft cocktails that other restaurants try to make, but these are successful and amazing. Unique, trendy, and perfectly on point. Like a bar you'd expect to see in NYC or Boston, but here in my own little town. We were all ordering different drinks and sharing around. I definitely need to go back very soon to work my way through the rest of the cocktails! Not in the mood for craft cocktails? They have beer, wine, and cider too! With my cheese I had a lovely glass of prosecco. So even if you aren't adventurous, you'll find something you like. But I do highly recommend the mead-gria!! The food menu was equally impressive. We decided on a cheese board (3 cheeses) and a charcuterie board (3 meats). We loved everything we ordered. They have all the familiar local favorites for cheese (Cato Corner, Arethusa), but also some other great choices. I was also thrilled to see that they had labneh - served with crostini and roasted tomatoes. This is one of my new favorite foods, and I was thrilled that it is on the menu here. Next time, I'm trying a waffle!! They smelled amazing. I love that the owners are local. Not a big restaurant group, but a lovely couple who had a vision and brought it to fruition. I really respect that and want to see them succeed! Added bonus that it is only five minutes from my house, and open on Monday nights!! Come here with your friends, your family, your co-workers. Suggest Conspiracy for a first date and you are almost guaranteed a second date (as long as you aren't super weird). This is the kind of place you can come with anyone, as it is inviting, cozy, and the food and drink menus have something for everyone. read more

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As forewarned, this "speakeasy" is small and crowded, so we made a reservation ahead of time. Got lovely club chair seating, very cozy, (though way too dark), and considering the crowd, drinks came timely. The waitress kept warning us that the kitchen was "slammed", we reassured her that we were in no hurry. The real problem came at the end: we got the check, and were just finished signing it when the waitress rudely asked us to hurry and leave as there were people waiting for our table. In fact there were 3 empty tables near us as other folks had just left. Not a good way to treat patient customers! We won't be going back. P.S. the food is mediocre, drinks ok but too sweet. read more

Great drink menu!! Bartender was great and the nice ambiance Would definitely recommend for a date night ! read more

Pretty good place! Really cool vibe, relaxing environment with quality drinks! They really focus on their drink menu, which is expansive. The waiters are helpful in identifying good drinks. read more

Conspiracy - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

I have only been here once but I absolutely adore it! If you're looking for great drinks, good food, an lovely atmosphere, and amazing service, this is the place for you! First I got the Cold Buttered Rum drink! I was a little worried it would be a little sweet but it was truly t a delight! To my pleasant surprise, the drink was also served with a paper straw which, while not a huge deal, made me love it even more! For my second drink, I got a Campfire Old Fashioned! The undertone of maple with the rest of the drink gave it a smoky flavor and I kept insisting it almost tasted like a nice maple smoked bacon! My friend and I also split the Meatballs on their menu and they were a quite possibly some of the best meatballs I've ever had from a bar! I definitely recommend getting those with your drink! As a whole, Conspiracy is a lovely place! The interior is absolutely adorable and cozy, making it the perfect place to just sit down with friends to catch up! Not to mention that our bartender was one of the sweetest people I've ever met! They have so many great options on the menu, so I know I'll be back soon! read more

Conspiracy - Campfire Old Fashioned - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

Always have the best time here! Every drink I've had has been delicious, and I love how frequently they change their drink menu. I love when my favorite spots keep things fresh and exciting. The food has always been delicious, also! A little on the pricier side compared to other places, obviously because of the high quality... but don't get there SUPER hungry. Food is great as small bites to enjoy with drinks. read more

Conspiracy is the speakeasy you want others to come to... but not too many. Just your COOL friends. The staff is amazing. Friendly. Attentive. Excellent bartenders. Huge bar menu but we decided to go custom, ordering vodka martinis with a touch of St. Germain. Amazing. We rarely order a second drink, but this time it was mandatory because of the goodness. And the food... Amazing. We had sweet potato hummus with feta. I had an ahi bowl that was to die for. My husband had gnocchi that was both perfectly prepared and exceptionally served. Soft in the middle. Slightly braised on the outside. Amazing. Did I say amazing? The decor, staff, steam punk vibe, reclaimed use of materials... fantastic! read more

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Cool, edgy and fun. A discreetly hidden gem on Main Street. Friendly, comfortable and worth a try for sure. We'll be back ! read more

Great spot! Try the campfire old fashioned. I dug it. Great little jazz band playing in the corner when I was there. Nothing better. Tried the sake too, just for fun. Not bad! read more

Conspiracy has a well-crafted cocktail menu. The drinks are strong. Service is impeccable. I do recommend reservations if you're going on a weekend. The only reason it's a 4 not a 5 star for me is because of the NA menu. The mocktail menu is a QR code which is disappointing as it's not that hard to print out a physical menu for rotating mocktails such as the rotating cocktails. The mocktails also rely too heavily on fake spirits and tend to taste off and not have the same attention to detail that the craft cocktails are. I've had everything on the mocktail menu and they've all been a swing and a miss for me compared to the cocktail menu which is almost always amazing even if everything isn't always to my taste, it's very well curated. I will say, this particular summer menu is extremely heavy on the rum. I did overhear one patron say how disappointing it was that there was only one or two whiskey drinks and as someone allergic to rum it did limit my options but the bartender's choice is always on menu and I've never felt like my options were overly limited unless I wanted a NA option. When it's busy it's hard to talk to the bartenders to try and craft a NA option. The ambiance is a very modern speakeasy. Tongue-in-cheek. Fun place to grab a drink. Well worth the value but expect to pay a bit more. Strong drinks if you're drinking, so don't underestimate just because they're tasty. They're pricey because they have high alcohol content and usually something a little fancier than you'll find in your average bar. read more

Fantastic tasting cocktails made so expertly you'd think you were in the big city. Probably the best cocktails for a 100 mile radius! I highly recommend taking a couple of friends to Conspiracy and giving a couple of cocktails a try. You won't be disappointed! read more

Never in my 40 years of life have a sent a plate of food back at a restaurant. I ordered the tuna sushi bowl. It was brought out about 20 minutes after my 2 friends dinners and the appetizers. Rice was ice cold, hard and clumpy (like day old Chinese food white rice straight out of the fridge). Made me literally gag. As if that was not enough, drink orders were wrong and then after barely 2 hours after the reservation we were asked to leave so that they can turn the table, even though there were at least 3 other open tables and no other customers. Horrible food and worse service. Vibe/decor was cool but not cool enough to make up for the awful food and service. read more

This place reminds me of some of my favorite NU speakeasies. Giving Conspiracy a 5 even though I did not like my drink. Clearly I'm The Fool for picking it. It's tastes exactly how they described it would and I just had to call their bluff. I'll return on day to try out the food options and have a better drink. read more

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Has a uniquely modern but rustic take on the Speakeasy feel. Food was very good and came out pretty quickly! They have an interesting cocktail list, but my only "complaint" was the style of the cocktail booklet. It's written in recipe format, which is really cool if you want to make something at home, but I couldn't really get a good feel for the flavor profile the way it was laid out which kept me from ordering one. Definitely worth a try! read more

My friend and I went to Conspiracy for drinks and an app. We sat at the bar even though there was seating available in the lounge area. We both loved our drinks, the atmosphere was perfect, low lighting, rustic/modern design, large clean bathroom. We ordered the nachos and both agreed they werent good--I dont know why-how can nachos not be good? Just didnt taste fresh. The bartenders who were very nice at 3 separate times while we were there used a blender to mix drinks. It was so loud and they literally walked away from the blender so it wasnt a quick blend. If this was a loud bar, I totally get using a blender but it was quiet and chill. It took away from some of the positive vibes. I would definitely go back, maybe not sit at bar because of the loud blender and try other apps besides the nachos. read more

They are the best cocktail place in town. The bartender, Jay, is the absolute best. Definitely worth the stop by.

Conspiracy is fantastic. It's a super cool vibe. It's easily the best place we've found in Connecticut to get high quality cocktails that are well thought out and always delicious. The bartenders are knowledgeable and friendly for the most part. Also, something that I appreciate is that they have all the ingredients that they need to make just about any drink you can think of. read more

Pretty excited we discovered this place. A lot of rum based drinks but check out their menu (the qr code on the table) and website and I'm sure you will find something you like. We tried a couple of drinks and both were really good! Plus we got to sit outside and enjoy the nice breeze and music. A couple of suggestions: - qr code menu: idk if it is just me or reading it on my phone but it is tough to read (the combination of font/colors) - more lounge style music maybe? read more

We were back again last night at conspiracy and it was a wonderful time as always. The new drink this week was a Coffee Ogreat cocktail (excellent for a digestif or dessert drink). Charlie also went out of his way to show us some of his favorites including a Clover Club and Aviation along with a twist on a Negroni (even more bitter, herbal flavors and it was fantastic). Jen and Brian were both fantastic hosts as always and it was good to see them in their bar-element. Conspiracy continues to create and fill a unique niche. Several people we talked to at the bar said it feels like Brooklyn (with all those good hip vibes) but I would say it is better than Brooklyn. Because, while Conspiracy is always popping on the weekend, it is not overrun with people. You do not have to fight to get a drink. You can even sit in the cushy lounge area and be served there if that is more your speed. I will note, some more negative reviews have mentioned the wait time for their drinks. I have no problem with waiting on my drinks here. Take a seat at the bar and watch everyone making drinks. There is a lot of thought and care that goes into each one. There is clearly a lot of thought and care that has gone into every aspect of this new bar. My partner and I will of course be back here again soon as it has quickly become one of our favorite bars (flat out, no caveats). I highly recommend this spot for a relaxed, social evening, or the start to a night out. It would also be a nice spot for a date. read more

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GOSH did I want to love this place. I really have it every benefit of the doubt. We arrived and were told immediately we had to sit at the bar because there were no available tables even though half the tables were empty. We were there for two hours and no one ever came and sat at those tables. We would have MUCH preferred to be at a table since we were a party of 4. I'm guessing the bartender didn't want to deal with one more table to wait on since she was the only one doing it all. The bartender was curt--she wasn't very friendly and had a bit of an edge. One of us asked what she would recommend for someone who doesn't like strong alcohol flavor and she said, "Not an old fashioned" and walked away. We asked a second time what WOULD you recommend and she softened a little and got slightly nicer. Two in our party got their drinks then I waited 15 minutes for mine while she was over by the tables then at the register in the bar. We thought she forgot. It sucked. We were there to celebrate my son's 21st birthday and wanted to make a toast which is why we came but we sat there for 15 minutes waiting for my drink. When we told the bartender it was his 21st birthday it was we got a tight smile. Really?? Maybe make a little bit of an effort? The place felt dirty and unhygienic. The windows were opened and the screens by the bar were absolutely FILTHY. They had a layer of peeling brown something (grease?) on them. The bottles along the bar looked dirty too. When we came in the entire place was smoky because of the kitchen so maybe all of it was kitchen residue? It is open to the bar area. Whatever it was it was really off-putting. If you keep the screens that dirty what does your kitchen look like? The cocktails were good and they have cool things like absinthe but the rest of the experience was not great. I wouldn't recommend this place. It could be SO much better with a bartender with a better personality, some cleaning and someone to wait on the tables so we could have had one! read more

I've been wanting to check this place out for a long time and it did not disappoint. I didn't know what to expect when I arrived as I ended up going here on a whim. The bar is almost hidden and you walk up stairs from the outside to the bar. It's very dark in there which I really liked. There were no seats at the bar, but the host came over and took my name and said he will text me when a seat opens at the bar, which I thought was great! They don't want people standing around the bar hovering over people, so you must wait your turn. No longer than 5 minutes past, and he came over and sat us in the pre-bar corner chairs until more seats opened up. This was a very interesting routine, but I appreciated the hospitality. When we got our seats at the bar, we were handed a book of a menu with all sorts of extravagant cocktails and handcrafted drinks. It took me about 10 minutes to choose one because everything looked so good. I decided on the Campfire Manhattan-smoked maple syrup and a toasted marshmallow skewer on top. It was delicious. My friend got a mojito which was also tasty. Cannot wit to go back and try all the other drinks and maybe brunch too! read more

Conspiracy - Campfire Manhattan - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

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This place is a great addition to the night life in Middletown. I enjoy coming to Conspiracy in the evening (or during their happy hour which is 5-7pm every day by the way!), sipping on some creative cocktails, and dining on their cheese plates. However, while I appreciate their creativity, some of their cocktail combinations are a little less palatable than others. Additionally, the last few times I've been here, I've tried to order different beers on tap only to find out they stopped serving them. It would be great if they could update their menu and remove drinks that they've stopped serving and maybe add some more classic beverages as well. Overall, will definitely come again and I do recommend this place as a cute little hidden bar to go to. However, you definitely have to be in the mood to enjoy their more interesting beverages. read more

Conspiracy - Absinthe served on tea cup saucers - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

Love this hidden gem! The food is great! The drinks are so inspired! These people are truly mixologists! And the staff is friendly and very knowledgeable! read more

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