The 196 Club is definitely a "speakeasy" location you should try! I went for a pre wedding…read morecelebration and we reserved half of the location. The bartenders were super friendly and made sure to keep up with the demands of our venue. The food and drinks were top-notch. We were served some finger food, and the meat balls were to die for. The drinks had interesting twists to classic drinks and left me wanting more. If you like mystery and enter a secret hidden bar for the elite just like in the movies, this location will make you feel like that with its setup.

What do you find behind a candy store in Hartford, Connecticut? A very cool speakeasy. We dropped…read morein for a drink after dinner. Our bartender, Jon, gave us great suggestions and made excellent drinks. It wasn't too busy, they played good music, and we could imagine the space with some live music. I highly recommend it, and we will definitely return. Thanks, Jon!

The drinks are reasonably priced. The staff is professional and hilarious. And their kitchen is…read moreamazing.

Great atmosphere and service. Chips if you need a snack, always a good time. Highly recommendread more

First time at Parkville Market and The Local and have to say I am beyond impressed!…read more The Local has something for everyone. The ambiance here is so cool- I love the decor and set up. Our bartender was super nice too! I ordered their cucumber cocktail and thought it was perfect! It was a warm day and this drink definitely gave off summer vibes. Very light and refreshing and made with quality ingredients! You can even ask to have your cocktail in a plastic cup so you can walk through Parkville Market. I opted to do this just because I've never been here before but I would totally come back to chill at The Local next time! I can definitely see coming here on the regular! Can't wait to try their other specialty cocktails!

The Local is a cool spot for a late night drink during the week. On Wednesdays they do karaoke…read morewhich is always a fun time. They do stay open later Parkville Market but last call is around 10 PM. All you have to do is go upstairs behind the elevator. They also have some seating outside the bar for the nights when it's really crowded. Their drinks are pretty average, but they're affordable so I have no complaints. The service is super super friendly!

Outdoor dining in summer, plenty of beer and shots, games, all sorts of Irish up in here... what's…read morenot to love? After being dragged here once we've returned two more times and just enjoy the pure mayhem of it all. Irish-American folks and wannabees all running amok. The real acid-test of this bar was the fact that staff as well as customers are friendly and fun-loving unconditionally. Our first go-around was in the company of a local celebrity -- the drinks came fast and kept coming. Several customers ambled over to meet & greet our friend. Next visit we went without him and yet found the service swift and the atmosphere quite friendly. One in our party became rather obviously drunk -- and but for being shut-off he was not made to feel uncomfortable nor were we. Mind you, our crew is usually very well-behaved. But, hey, this place brings out the lush in all of us, I guess. On a recent afternoon we discovered there was some kind of food, roast beef with potatoes and gravy, I think. It smelled awesome but we were here for the booze. Cheerful, efficient bar staff kept 'em coming. Our visits were all week-end afternoons, so can't comment on the night life. Irish bands are featured.

The last authentic neighborhood Irish bar in the area. Good selection of whiskey, private area for…read morea group available or belly up to the bar for a nice chat or to watch the game. This isn't a hip trendy spot like some of the other "Irish" bars, it's a nice stop on the way home from work or on the weekends. The outside seating is comfortable and relaxing. Great staff is attentive and doesn't rush you along if you have a question.

A great old school neighborhood bar where everyone knows each other and each other's business…read more(think Cheers). Opens around 9 a.m. for the few early-drinking regulars and keeps a slow pace throughout the day until a louder crowd arrives at 5 or so. Love the regular-crowd vibe, of which the bartenders and owner are a part. I've been going here for years when I lived in Hartford and when I'm in town now. Amenities: No taps, just liquor and bottles. Cheap prices. Food selection is frozen burgers/sandwiches/pizza (cheap) and snacks (Cheez-Its, jerky, pickled eggs). Seating is at bar stools and a couple booths. Pool table. (Note: I was horrified to see this listed as "closed" a while ago. I had to play phone a friend to verify that it's not. To my knowledge it's been open continuously for a long, long time.)

They are back and better than ever!!!! Cheap drinks!!! A gourmet menu!!! Small town bar feeling in…read morethe capital city. The perfect place to make bad decisions with good people.

Definitely divey but conveniently located next to the train station and Bushnell Park. Not…read moretypically my vibe, but I was meeting a group of friends before heading out for the night. Their drinks are pretty cheap, especially the 2/$5 Jell-O shots. They didn't seem to have any flavors except watermelon, which was fine. I got a margarita as well. the flavors were pretty good and I love a bartender with a heavy hand. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem that the space is excessively friendly. Just note that you will have to go up the stairs in order to get in.

Came in with some coworkers while on business because we liked the name when we saw it on google…read moremaps. Loving the dark vibe, pool tables, dart boards. Very chill atmosphere. Can't comment on the food since we didn't eat, only had some AMAZING old fashions made by Ellie. Ellie was an amazing bar tender both in skill and personality. I would definitely come back just because she was working! They also have a solid menu of specialty drinks as well as all of their liquors which was much appreciated! Will be back!

Every marginalized community needs its spaces to feel connected. I started going to the old Chez in…read morethe late-'70s and it's always been an important nexus for the marginalized. You can express joy here. I moved away in the '80s but when I'm back in CT to visit family I usually stop by there (which I still refer to as "The New Chez EST") at least once. I had an insane amount of fun one theme night I happened to show up for recently. May the Chez ever thrive. Hartford needs it.

"Kind of a drag When your baby don't love you"…read more(The Buckinghams) When one of your closest friends invites you to a drag show, you step out of your comfort zone and go! That's what eight of us did today as we headed over to Chez Est for a 90's themed "Brunch in Heels" featuring Loosey Laduca's crew of three singing and dancing drag queens. Loosey was the emcee, had an entertaining patter throughout the show, introduced the performers, and gave a stirring rendition of "the greatest song of the 90's" - My Heart will Go On from Titanic. So what other songs did we hear as the performers danced, did some bone cracking splits, strutted around the stage, and worked the crowd for tips? We heard Lady Marmalade by Li'l Kim, Lose My Breath by Destiny's Child, Let's Get Loud by J Lo, Barbie Girl by Aqua, Groove is in the Heart by Deee-Lite, Donatella by Lady Gaga, and Shoop by Salt-N-Pepa. We even heard a medley of 90's kiddie TV shows including Animaniacs and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The show was very entertaining and included an audience participation segment where birthday boys and girls crashed the stage for a dance-off and a beer chugging competition. Oh, and we also had brunch there -the food menu is very reasonable and ranged from $8 to $12 a plate for eggs, waffles, breakfast tacos and the like. Eight of us ate and drank for $300 including tip. That doesn't include the scores of singles we spent tipping the entertainers. I thought the staff at Chez Est was very accommodating and helped us move and consolidate our two tables so we had a better view of the stage. But even if you sit way in the back, the entertainers strut their stuff throughout the premises to hit every table, and there are a few strategically placed flat screens on the walls showing the stage action. It was quite a fun time.

I'd probably give it a 3.5!…read more Ended up here after searching for hookah for a friend. When we got in, things were pretty quiet. We were immediately helped and got our drinks quickly. We had to sit at a table for hookah so we sat by the pool table under the TVs. They even put the game on for us! I've only done hookah once before so I wasn't too sure what I was doing, figured it out quickly though. It was definitely a chill vibe and ended up getting pretty busy a bit after 12 when we were leaving. Seems like a good neighborhood spot but I don't think it's my vibe so I'm unlikely to return.

Iyana was a top tier waitress, she catered to everything we could ever ask for. I would HIGHLY…read morerecdomemd this bar!

This place was amazing!!! The ambience, the drinks the food. They went above and beyond to make our…read moreanniversary a night to remember.

I love love love love this place. The guys who we met and who took care of us were immaculate! They…read morewent ABOVE AND BEYOND to accommodate us. We left there feeling like family!! I can't was to go back!! The food was good too. We both had fried snapper. It was huge!! We brought so home!! Yucca fries and sweet plantains were soo good too!! And the calamari was NOT chewy!!

I haven't been here in years, and it seems like they updated the inside. There's this big bar lined…read morewith TV's right after u pass the deli counter. It's definitely a place you can come and stay for a drink and food. We ordered sandwiches for take out. I like how you can really customize the sandwiches with all the options they have. It was delicious and a great size.

The atmosphere and interior are very nice and relaxing. I walked to the area of the 2 registers…read morewhere there were no other customers besides myself. I was greeted but then neither took my order. Another customer walked up, grabbed a menu off of the counter and proceeded to place his order. I wasn't happy at that point! Upon returning home with my order of 2 corned beef sandwiches with provolone and mustard on Portuguese rolls, I proceeded to unpack my bag to find the sandwiches with very little corned beef. My guess is less than a half pound of meat. Needless to say I was extremely disappointed that I purchased these today. When you purchase 2 sandwiches and 2 pickles and the tab is $35 I expect to have a decent amount of meat on my sandwiches. That wasn't the case here.