We went for happy hour and disappointed when we were $54 for four draft beers and a tiny appetizer of chips and dip. Their menu is very deceiving. I would read the fine print and ask the bartenders which draft beers are included in happy hour because unclear. We are locals, but won't go back again. read more

The food was good but not great. I ordered a pulled pork sandwich and it was a little dry. The Cole slaw and pickles added to it made it better. The fries were great! My friend got the French onion soup and said it was ok, too chunky. My fiancé got the wings and couldn't eat them cause they were way more spicy than advertised. The service was ok. Hostess was a bit rude. Bunch of open tables but she told us nothing was available after already waiting the 45 min she told us, but she wanted to give us a specific table that hasn't gotten their food yet. Good place to try. Not Loud so you can actually talk to people. read more

Engine Room - Pulled pork - Southern Near Me - Mystic, Connecticut

Ambiance is nice, but the acoustics of the room are a bit rough. Very loud with more than a few tables full. Food was mid at best, despite a fairly diverse menu. I'll admit the hostess and both waitresses we met were all great so the service was very nice. Beer list could be improved, plenty of options but none particularly interesting. If they only made french fries and medium well burgers they would be a 5 star joint, for now I think 3 is more than fair. read more

Chose the engine room for dinner after reading some good reviews. We were in the area for some college tours. It was hard to find a place to park as the lot in front and back were full. I figured it would be a wait but we got seated right away. The atmosphere is that of a loud pub. Probably not what you want if you're on a first date but fine other wise. Decor was pretty neat I thought, somewhat of an industrial feel with some cool old wood work. Menu is standard pub food. The beer menu is pretty robust with plenty of local offerings. I got a Crispy roll lager which was very good. I went with the baby back rib dinner. It came with their own potato salad and Cole slaw which were both excellent. The ribs were just meh though. The sauce was good with a nice a spicy kick but there was an odd coating on the ribs. The ribs were also over cooked and a little tough. It's curious they don't give you a little piece of corn bread with the meal, it seems a bit of a lacking plate. My wife got their standard burger and enjoyed it quite a bit. My daughter ordered the side portion of Mac n cheese and a side of cornbread. She was pleased with both. I tried the cornbread, it was amazing! Our waitress wasn't very attentive unfortunately, looked like she was covering a bunch of tables. Had to ask twice for another set of silverware. She never offered to refill our water, we had to ask. Our bill sat on the table for a good 15 minutes waiting for her to run our card. Pretty annoying.All in all a cool spot for dinner though . I'd skip the ribs next time though. read more

The food was great and the atmosphere was relaxed and vibrant at the same time. Brunch menu on a Sunday had something for everyone

Wish I was still not full from breakfast earlier this morning. Absolutely love this place and looking forward to coming back down here and enjoying a meal. Sat at the bar overlook the kitchen is such an interesting experience overseeing the operation. read more

Engine Room - Southern Near Me - Mystic, Connecticut

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The food was so good. The macaroni salad and Cole slaw were amazing. Very lite mayo and so flavorful.

Great spot for drinks (huge whiskey selection) the food is amazing. We sat at the kitchen bar and watched Nick the head chef butcher a few cows for fresh steaks and meat for the restaurant. As a Coast Guard chef I was blow away with his meticulous butchering skills. He took time out of his work to talk with us about the restaurant and local things to do. We were very impressed with the service and quality of food. We highly suggest stopping in for dinner. We will definitely be back. The atmosphere is great (a little dark but makes it both romantic and relaxing). read more

It's a fun spot, with a vibrancy that's hard to find in this area. I'd just order the mushroom-topped burger and be done with it. It's freaking delicious, so rich, and as decadent as can be. Not for the faint of heart. Everything is very rich, highly seasoned, and perhaps overly umani forward (like most food from this restaurant group). Sometimes the dishes promise more than they tend to deliver, so just keep it simple. read more

This review is upsetting to write because the food was so good, but the area we were seated in made is very difficult to enjoy it. I dined here with two friends on a Friday afternoon and we all ordered the chipotle chicken sandwich. It was a very good sandwich with juicy chicken and good sauces. The macaroni salad side was fantastic and my friend who got fries said they were great too. However, we were seated in the "outdoor" greenhouse area because we didn't have a reservation, and it was miserable. We were initially seated at a table where the sun was directly in our eyes. No big deal, the server was super nice about us moving to another table. The sun was still a bit of an issue but the two giant outdoor space heaters in such a small space made the entire room extremely hot. Two other groups came in after us and expressed disdain for the heat and asked for the heat to be turned down or to be given a different seat, but none of us were allowed to move, despite the vast majority of seats in the main dining area being open. This included a group with two babies, who were turning red and had to be taken outside to cool down. It was so hot that my friend's iPhone shut down with the message that the phone could not be used until it could cool down. The servers definitely saw that it was bad inside the room and tried to prop the door open, but none of us were ever apologized to or offered anything else to make the experience better. I would love to visit again to give the food a good chance, but I am hesitant because I wish the servers were a little more understanding, especially of the family with two young babies who were clearly uncomfortable. read more

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Yesterday after my friend and I arrived in Mystic, we were both starving. The Engine Room was the first resturant we saw after parking. We wanted to dine inside because of the current heatwave, but that was a 20 minute wait. Seating outside was available immediately. We sat outside under the umbrella in the shade. The Engine Room was previously a Marine engine business, this goes back to 1897. This is another reason why I would have preferred to sit inside, to take in a bit more of the history. Their menu is filled with all kinds of burgers and salads. We went with Randy's Double Stack burger, to share and also an order of their Carolina Hush Puppies. The Hush Puppies were not my favorite. They were dry and hard. I've for sure had much better, hush puppies. The Randy's Double Stack, was delicious! They even cut it in half for us on two separate plates. The bun was soft and springy, the burger was so juicy, tender and filling. It came with a ton of fries. The fries were crispy and just the way I like them. This meal had us filled and ready to continue our Mystic adventure. read more

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Enjoyed a beer and good lunch while sitting and watching the world go by. This place always s seems to be busy, but not overly crowded, a good thing in my book. Typical pub food, solid choice. read more

We were unsure where to go on a recent trip and gave this a try. The appetizer of beer bartered onion rings are a must. So delicious!! My partner got a burger and was happy with it. I got the fish sandwich with cabbage and spicy tartar sauce. I wished I had gotten the sauce on the side- it did have a kick. The fish was good but small. I wished for more fish to bun ratio. Great ambiance and service. Would love to go and try other things on the menu. read more

Very confused by the good reviews, as I had a truly awful experience. It was a very busy night so we sat at the bar. There were literally children belly to the bar sitting -- and at one point, standing -- on stools. A three year old just started screaming and crawling around on the floor behind us while her parents ignored her. Music blaring. People shouting to order drinks over our shoulders. My food (after a 25 minute wait) ranged from cold rice to room temperature tofu that was 75% more deep fried batter than actual tofu, with two pieces of barely cooked broccoli on the side. I kid you not, I have had better meals at my grandmother's retirement home, and that is sadly saying something. All that was missing from the "presentation" was a child's divider plate -- each element seemingly having no relationship to the others, barely touching and resembling something I would have given a 6 year old, picky eater on a day when I was too tired to even pretend to make an effort. As a bonus, when we finally left my ears rang for 15 minutes from the noise level. The bartenders were lovely but you couldn't pay me to go back. There are some really friendly restaurants nearby that serve properly cooked, delicious, comparably priced (oh, and hot) food without toddlers sitting at the bar (we're from California where children are not legally allowed to sit at a bar counter so this was very strange to see). Def. suggest avoiding. read more

I'm writing this so late but this place definitely deserves a great review. We came here before a ghost adventure tour in Mystic. We had a party of 6 and it was a Friday night so I thought it would take a long time to grab a table - they sat us right away. Our server was wonderful! He was attentive and he came back frequently. I ordered the pan roasted fluke which is a white fish, it had vegetable quinoa salad topped with lemon dressed sprouts and a yogurt sauce. It was to die for! The fish was perfectly cooked and flaked to perfect when I put my fork through it. My dad had the line caught tuna which he loved as well. My uncle ordered the big special of the day which was a huge steak that came with vegetables and French fries. The steak was a little chewy and difficult to cut, but huge portion for only $75! I won't be in mystic again any time soon but I would definitely come back here. read more

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This was an absolutely great find while staying in Connecticut. Went with my SO & some of our friends for a mini road trip to Rhode Island to check out The Nordic Lodge (review up soon) We were beginning to think CT didn't have any good food spots. We tried a pizza spot and it was just horrendous. Next morning we had breakfast & it was sub par. Moving on... Ambience: it's industrial Americana. Which I adore & enjoy. There's an open air / visible kitchen. You can see the chefs at work. The bar is just lovely. The lighting at night is a bit dull for my liking but I lived. There's outdoor seating but I prefer inside. It's a hot summer. Staff: They're all amazing. However, our server Titus - was absolutely amazing. He was a people person & his passion was food & making us the patrons feel that was incredible. He made the dining experience a step above. He knew the menu, the preparation, the source, and had great recommendations- which I tried. Shout out to his vicious cat Icarus. Food: Burgers were had by my Wife, & 2 others. The special steak, 30 day dried aged, was had by me & one other. The "Summer Burger" was cooked to everyone's preferences & it was juicy & oh so delicious. Not one complaint was had. Just smiles & no talking. Their fries are so crispy & soft. Well seasoned. Strawberry Cider - was delicious, crisp, and almost juice like. The Blueberry Cheesecake was good & even better with rum! Now, that dry aged steak was phenomenal! Like butter in your mouth. Seasoned well & the garlic compound butter was just the icing on top. Cornbread was moist & almost like a cake! Chili with their fire sauce hits the spot. We literally hit this spot twice. That's how good it was. On our last day we had their deviled eggs - so good. Mac & Cheese - just right. Not too rich and cooked to perfection. Chicken Chipotle sandwich was juicy and huge! Be prepared to be full from just their sandwiches. Potato Salad is on point. Literally no complaints for their food. I'm sad they're so far away. Dessert: GET THE MONKEY BREAD. Parking: they have a small lot in front but it's kinda tough in this area. Can't wait to go back to CT just to enjoy this restaurant all over again. read more

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Saw ads about huge steaks and lots of hype. Drove and hour to find zero parking. It's Mystic so expected. Menu was limited at best, asked served about the big steaks. She advised., only Fridays and we run out fast. Ok, ordered a double patty burger. It's came out and thought it was a joke. Smaller than a Big Mac. I was still hungry so ordered a dessert to split with my wife. It was supposed to be apple cake . It was so dry and tasteless I left it alone. Maybe ok place to have a drink, don't waste your time eating there. read more

10/10! My husband got the pulled pork sandwich and added their house hot sauce, and I got the house burger with the gluten-free bun! It was INCREDIBLE! Best gf bun I've ever had. The flavor was there and the consistency was almost like a biscuit. It was light and fluffy and not dense at all! Service was great and attentive, we went mid-day on a Tuesday! Beers were also delicious. read more

Engine Room - Gluten free bun on the house burger - Southern Near Me - Mystic, Connecticut

Sad day when the Happy Hour burger goes from fresh to the Sysco truck. Taste was mediocre at best. read more

Engine Room - Southern Near Me - Mystic, Connecticut

Nice looking place and the waitstaff were all courteous. They sure know how to blow their own horn though - oh, try this it's AMAZING! None of the food was amazing. The rotisserie chicken was supposed to be a big deal and it looked delicious but it didn't taste any more special than baking a chicken in the oven seasoned with salt and pepper. The brine they used was off putting as far as taste goes. They also bragged about the homemade bbq sauce - my kids liked it but it was the worst I had ever tasted. The mustard wings were very tasty. Everything else was just mediocre at best as far as food. Fries were ok. The area was very nice and there was a very nice breeze off the ocean with a view of a tall ship just around the corner. I couldn't give the Engine Room more than 2 stars; I wouldn't go back. read more

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Great happy hour and the hot dog at happy hour was delicious. I was able to hit all of their sister restaurants as well and Engine room had the earliest happy hour during the week. read more

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We were staying down the street and this was a perfect place to grab dinner. We have small children who are picky and this fit the bill. They have so many cocktails/beers , kids menu and options for everyone that aren't all seafood. Bolognese was the best I have ever had with homemade pasta. My kids who are picky devoured chicken fingers that were beer bartered and hand cut fries. It is rare we don't have leftovers leaving a night out. We ended up here two nights in a row it was so good. We didn't make reservations but easy enough to put our names in and they texted when the table was ready. We will be back the next time we stay in mystic!! Cannot recommend enough. read more

Engine Room - Southern Near Me - Mystic, Connecticut

We had a friend visiting so we went to down to downtown Mystic. After poking around the shops which we great, we ended up at the engine room for lunch. It was a beautiful October day so we sat on the outside deck. Espresso and pumpkin martinis were yummy. My friend and I had the fish sandwich and my hubby had a burger. Food was delicious and our server was great. Recommend this place for a good lunch. read more

Always great food. Salads and salad variety amazing. Chopped salad is an easy choice with grilled chicken and the cobb salad is the best in town by far. The pickled red onion ls on their salads are like candy. Add seasoned tofu to anything and extra avocado to balance out the chunks of hand cut farm raised bacon on the cobb salad. Monkfish is perfection with its sweet potato puree. Here's your go tooos For both deliciousness and $ value: Apps- Lobster bisque Steamed Mussels House Beer Battered Onion Rings Entrees- Any sandwich... burger or chicken with their fries Any salad or monkfish Everything is great, but these you can't lose $ on... Enjoy! read more

Engine Room - Bar - Southern Near Me - Mystic, Connecticut

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Don't know where to start. We were told about this place when we first got to town and almost didn't end up trying it. On our last night we decided to go for dinner. What a surprise. We were sat quickly and Nichole was right there to get us what we needed. Her recommendations were great. My wife started off with a "shrub" to drink and we ordered the Cowboy dip with veggies. Then we ordered the wings which were AMAZING with the perfect amount of smoke flavoring and spice. I had the Cobb Salad for my entree and it may be the best Cobb I've ever had, and my wife had the chicken burger with the macaroni salad. It is rare that we find a place that has good service and food, but this place is top of the charts. Can't wait to visit the area again so we can go back and hope Nichole is working again. read more

Was on our way to S&P for lunch but noticed there were no spots at their lot, so drove a bit further and stumbled on Engine Room. Figured they had more reviews so it must be decent! We ordered a tagliatelle and a bunch of appetizers to share (wings, mussels and ceviche), plus chicken tenders from the kids menu. The wings were really sweet, surprisingly, and the ceviche was ... odd. There was only tuna on the plate, coated with some thick sauce. Not exactly my definition of ceviche, but okay. The best thing we ordered was the mussel pot, although I found it strange that there was mayo on the toasted baguette that accompanied the mussels. The tagliatelle with pesto was also extremely bland ... so much we had to add lots of salt to the plate. Service was friendly though and outdoor seating was pleasant. The food was just meh. read more

Originally wanted to eat at S&P Oyster but the wait was long, so we crossed the street and were happily surprised. Happy Hour has $5 specials (drinks & food) - we had spiked lemonade and deviled eggs which were tasty. They have a $5 cheeseburger on their happy hour menu. We were satisfied with our meals - the chop salad was a very good size, chicken was juicy and perfectly cooked. The fish & chips was a little bland - the remoulade sauce saved it. Friendly, attentive service and a fun vibe make this place worth returning to. read more

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We were in town for the weekend and I wanted to have a nice brunch before we started our day. Engine Room has happy hour during brunch, which was really cool. There are dish specials and also some drink specials as well. We ordered their Deviled Eggs from their HH menu and they were very good. I love a good deviled egg! I had their Engine Room brisket eggs benedict with cilantro hollandaise sauce and it was so good. At first, it might look like a small portion, but the cornbread hidden underneath is super filling. They don't skimp on the brisket either! Brisket was tender, moist, and very well seasoned. X had their breakfast burger with a runny egg and he thoroughly enjoyed it. It came with a side of choice - fries, macaroni salad, or potato salad - and we went with the potato salad. Very solid choice and a big portion. We didn't end up finishing it and had to take it to go. Their cold brew is very strong and had a lovely chocolate after taste. Staff were attentive and our waitress checked in with us often. We had a great brunch. I definitely recommend making reservations early, because it was pretty full with tons of people waiting outside by the time we left around 12:00pm. read more

Everything was terrific, however I do not understand why children with inattentive parents are seated in the bar. They bring bags of toys and they are loud. Most unpleasant read more

Came here after a busy day in Middletown at KidCity (see my review for Kidcity! It's great!) with my toddler. Some reviews said this place was kid friendly some said it wasn't, so I took my chances. Turns out it wasn't bad. They provided crayons and a kids menu as well as a high chair. Staff here was accommodating and service was pretty quick. Both the adults ordered the Maple Siracha wings as an app and the grass fed burger for the main meal. We got our little one the fish nuggets and fries and we ordered a pumpkin pie shake to share because it sounded good. The Wings came out hot. However, when biting I got them, we both found them to be fairly soggy and they a rubbery texture that made them difficult to pull the meat from the bone. The sauce was sweet and had some heat but it lacked the maple flavor we had hoped to get. The burgers came out and it was nice to see them being made as they ground the meat up fresh in the open air kitchen where you can look in at the chef and cooking staff as they prepare food. Mine was cooked perfectly medium as I requested. It wasn't a huge burger (about the size of a Big Mac) but it was flavorful and juicy. The bacon wasn't crispy though and made each bite a challenge not to pull the whole piece of bacon out of my burger. The fries appear to be homemade but again, they lacked crispness. Our little one seems to enjoy his fish nuggets which were chicken tender style white fish pieces coated in cornmeal and deep fried. Again, the fries were soggy and limp but he ate some without an issue. Overall both adults almost felt jealous we didn't order the fish nuggets over the burger as they seemed to be the clear winner of the meal for taste and crispness. The pumpkin pie shake was very good. We all agreed that it was very tasty and embodied the flavors of pumpkin pie. Overall, I give the Engine Room 3 out of 5. Again, staff was friendly and they did have some consideration for kids. Unfortunately, the food fell short for us on flavor and texture. We come to town once a year and this was our first visit here. Don't think we will be coming back anytime soon though. read more

Solid food. Casual laid back. It's like a bar/restaurant. The place is known for its burgers and the burgers are solid. The service is friendly and was very helpful to provide recommendations. Solid beer choices. And I was surprise to find out that it's related to the Oyster Club. No wonder the food was good! read more

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The food was good. Family had half baked chicken, BBQ pulled pork sandwich, burger, steak, and kids Mac 'N Cheese. Everything was delicious except for the Mac 'N Cheese. The kids did not enjoy. It came in a small bowl for kids without any sides. The wait for our food was long. Friendly server but kind of nonexistent. Extra wait too when we wanted to pay and leave. I will try again next time we're back in town. Hopefully it was just a one night happenstance. read more

My wife and I stopped here for a quick lunch while visiting Mystic CT. We were promptly greeted and escorted to a table. Our server took our drink order right away and handed us menus. The menu had a great selection of salads and sandwiches. I ordered the grass fed burger and my wife order the friend MDP chicken sandwich. Our sandwiches both came with fresh cut French fries and a homemade pickle. The sever was very polite and made excellent t recommendations. We didn't order dessert but there was a nice selection there too. I would definitely recommend a burger or the chicken sandwich. Everything was freshly prepared and cooked exactly as I requested. It's a great restaurant if you're looking for something other than fish! read more

Engine Room - Table decorations. - Southern Near Me - Mystic, Connecticut

In the middle of a busy Labor Day weekend this place did very well. Service is the first thing to suffer when it's busy but on the Sunday of the holiday weekend the service could not have been better. We had a great burger and good beer. Definitely worth making the stop at this place off the primary route in Mystic. read more

Engine Room - Beer - Southern Near Me - Mystic, Connecticut

It was great! The cornbread with the sweet butter was amazing. We loved our fish. Really cute interior. Had a great experience and didn't have to wait at 5pm on a Friday. read more

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Most milllenial place ever. Man buns, silver fry cups, bricks with white led lights. However the food was mixed. The pulled pork sandwich had some nice flavor and juice, as did the burger. But the sides were kinda sad. Fries were floppy and lacked flavor, and Mac and cheese was really creamy but also had literally 0 flavor. Just felt like eating cream with pasta. Overall sides were overpriced but the entrees were quite cheap and nice. read more

We were told we had to visit the Engine Room while in Mystic, and it exceeded expectations. Food and drink were great - really recommend those cocktails - and there was a lovely atmosphere. But it was the attentiveness of the staff that distinguishes this place. They took care of us, but also more importantly they took care of our children, providing not just a steady stream of coloring pages, but the manager Jon engaged with and colored with our kids, giving us some much needed couple time. All 4 of us agreed we will be going back when we're next in Mystic. And our kids gave the restaurant and the staff 5 enthusiastic stars! read more

Nice little place in Mystic for a bite to eat. Good service with a well stocked bar. Drink pours were excellent. The hush puppies were quite good as an appetizer. read more

Engine Room - Salad - Southern Near Me - Mystic, Connecticut

We stumbled across this place just walking around and decided to give it a try. The clarified lavender peach Arnold Palmer was amazing. If nothing else... try this drink!! We ordered a grass fed burger that came out looking like a McDonalds hamburger. This was a disappointment. Definitely not worth what they charged for it. The couple next to us ordered the same and they received a very nice size burger. I ordered the Chipotle Chicken Sandwich (minus the chipotle) and it was really good. Fries were good just a little salty. I would visit here again for the Arnold Palmer and to try something new. read more

Engine Room - Clarified Lavender Peach Arnold Palmer - Southern Near Me - Mystic, Connecticut

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The food was top notch, the service was great and the atmosphere was exactly as expected. A nice laid back place to have a meal and some drinks. read more