I came here the other night for dinner with my boyfriend and we were not disappointed. We sat at the chefs counter and our server was kind and efficient. We started with the mussels, which were seasoned and cooked to perfection and the hush puppies which melted in our mouths. For entrees we shared the buttermilk chicken sandwich with French fries and the chopped chicken salad. Both were absolutely delicious and loaded with colorful flavors. Fresh avocado and roasted carrots in the salad and a wonderful spicy BBQ sauce on the chicken sandwich. My boyfriend had the chocolate stout, which had the most beautiful after taste. I had their honeysuckle cocktail which was strong, but super easy to drink and balanced with nice sweetness to it. Lastly we shared the peppermint ice cream pie and the cinnamon monkey bread. The monkey bread took the cake(an expression) for me. It came out with a warm whiskey ganache to pour over it and it just melted in my mouth with every bite that I took. Even the ice cream pie tasted yummy and I'm not a huge mint person. Overall we will definitely be back and recommend this treasure trove to anyone visiting mystic. A++ read more

I would give this 3.5 if I could. I got a chicken burger that came out pink. I sent it back with no problem. The staff told me the kitchen normally cooks it that way (you should never consume pink chicken). I was just happy they fixed the issue in a timely manner and it came out the second time cooked and was delicious. All the food looked great and they have a great selection. The atmosphere of this place is unique. Plenty of differ t seating options, you can sit at their bar or sit at a bar that overlooks the kitchen. Overall good place I just wish my food came out cooked the first time. Definitely will go back and try it again. read more

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My boyfriend & I go to Mystic Aquarium every year & decided to try a restaurant near by this time. We liked the atmosphere inside but the seating was terrible. They only had booths for large parties, we had to sit in half booth/tables very close to the people next to us. We were also seated next to the waitress' cashier and they were pretty much hovering next to us which also didn't make me feel comfortable eating. My boyfriend's burger was too rare for him, and although my veggie burger fell apart after a while, it was delicious. A bit pricey but willing to try it out a second time in the future. read more

WOW! Used my trusty Yelper's reviews to pick a restaurant after spending the morning at the aquarium and couldn't have been more pleased. We dined during their Sunday brunch menu (which does offer lunch options as well) with our toddler in tow. The decor is rustic and charming with mason glasses and a casual atmosphere. My husband tried 2 different entrees because he couldn't make up his mind (biscuits and gravy and the Hangover burger) while I had the "Which Came First?" with a side of the sweet potato bread. The menu for our toddler only showed lunch options, but upon asking the waitress if breakfast choices were available, she told us we could order a kid's waffle with sides of bacon and eggs (meaning one happy kiddo). All of us absolutely enjoyed our meal. The sweet potato bread was phenomenal and a huge slice to boot (which we took home and enjoyed later). Servings were large and we left full and promised to return. The parking lot filled up quickly, but plenty of nearby free street parking is available and after all that eating we were happy to walk it off a little bit. read more

Why is the wait staff so rude. I can't stand it Stopped in for a couple drinks and the waiter asked us not to lean against the window area because it's for dining. So we moved we were under the impression that he had someone waiting. No one was waiting so we went back. He was such a jerk deliberately trying to get in our way. He never asked us if we wanted anything. He could have taking our drink order and maybe we would have stay for another drink. The place lost money because of the poor service. We would have stayed for a while and we tip well. I guess the restaurant and the server dont need our $$$ read more

EXCELLENT FOOD. The quality of the meat is very high. Had the burger at their beautiful bar, which is decorated with cool machinery and very comfortable bar chairs. The service was also spot on. I'm traveling from San Francisco, where plastic straws will (probably) soon be outlawed across the city, because single-use plastics are terrible for the environment. When I got my soda, it arrived with a BIODEGRADABLE STRAW!!! So happy to see a business be so progressive. This should be the norm in every restaurant across the US. read more

This place as a whole was worth it for a night out. I would recommend it to people looking to grab some decent food and drinks.

I do like it here, I just don't like people that think that because you're allowed to bring a dog and the restaurant gives said dog a bowl of water that you think your said dog should greet every Tom, Penis and Harry with a wet nose and a yucky tongue. A leash was attached, the owner of said dog pulled but more iratating was the incessant voice (almost a shrill) of how said dog should "come" "sit" "or stop". The owners of said dog should be ashamed of their thinking that everyone should be ok with "their" dog sniffing crotches, licking palms and scaring babies. Yes, there were babies right next to us but I like them, who doesn't like kids. While the staff didn't seem to encourage it they didn't seem to discourage it. I know it would put them in an awkward situation but that's what managers are for or for signs! Please keep your dog close to your own table! Don't think I'll return anytime soon. read more

Must stop after the seaport. Restaurant has outdoor seating for when you want to enjoy the wonderful days outside! We eat there on Sunday at the bar. There was limited Brunch menu but there was something for everyone. The beer selection was outstanding and has some unique but tasty cocktails. Sunday's menu as included "build your own" Bloody Mary's! read more

Engine Room - Hangover Burger... The slow cooked crispy bacon made this burger stand out! - Southern Near Me - Mystic, Connecticut

Sunday brunch at its finest!! Sat at the bar and enjoyed a mimosa or two with the husband. He had a bloody mary which was right up there as one of the better ones he has had. Everything here was made from scratch and the food did not disappoint. Steak and eggs were delicious and a great portion size. I had the salad which was delicious and refreshing; started watching burgers walk out of the kitchen... along with chicken and waffles. Bummed I didnt have the room to order that as well!!! Great atmosphere and lively. Can call ahead for a res but ample room at the bar tops. Great service and friendly wait staff. Would absolutely return. read more

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What happens when hipsters try to hard to be creative in their dishes? You get Engine Room. While cool in concept, I found my experience here to be very underwhelming despite the ample inside seating, great decor and outdoor seating. We started off by trying to sit inside, only to find the A/C blasting to what must have been a chilly 60 degrees. I'm someone who always runs hot and even for me, it was way too cold inside, so we proceeded to snag a table on their patio. After ordering some beers from their expansive list of drafts and bottles, I proceeded to order a Cobb salad ($13) which was nothing super exciting but a good ol' reliable in my book. This was a mistake and their creative twist take on it has pretty much ruined Cobb salads for me. Instead of a typical mashup of the classic ingredients, I found a small stack of bib lettuce in one corner, with some incredibly (and way too spicy!) spicy pickled red onions that were borderline inedible, some big bits of Stilton blue cheese and some of the worst bacon I've ever had alongside some over-seasoned avocado. I hated my salad. While I'm not one to opposite people's creative take on things, I frown when the new version fails to stand up to the classic version. In this case, this was an epic failure. On the upside, the onion rings ($5) were decent although a bit too "wet" from the oil they were fried in. My wife's burger was very good according to her. All in all, while I wanted to love this place, I felt like the awesomeness stopped at the decor and it fell collapsed on the execution side of things. From the moment we were greeted at the front of the door, to the service, and the food, the whole thing was pretty damn underwhelming. The place was clean which was nice and they have tons of specials which is also pretty neat but when it came to service and the food, that's where they fell flat. I would be hard-pressed to return. read more

We were passing through the area and saw all of the good reviews, especially touting the hush puppies.. We came on a Saturday for dinner.. we were told there was a 45 minute wait, which is fine, we head to the bar to wait. Good beer menu, the bartenders were friendly and attentive. This is where the two stars come from. If only we had ended the visit there... We are called to be seated, and sat at a counter in the bar area with stools with no back rather than a table. I questioned why we were being seated there rather than at a table, the hostess was very rude and gave an attitude saying if we waited for a table it would be an hour and a half. We weren't given that information or option when we first arrived.. and she did not give us that option at this time. The rudeness and dismissiveness was enough for us to leave, after some discussion we stayed, but decided we would not order full dinners. The menu suggests this is a place that has no idea what kind of food they serve. It touted "southern" and "American". Many of the dishes on the menu are neither.. Our server was ok. However, she continually said she would bring us things such as water, more bread, the rest of our order, but we had to remind her the next time she came to ask how things were. We did receive the bread when we wrapped up the food at the end of the visit. The food was underwhelming. We had several appetizers. Everything was lukewarm at best. The touted hush puppies were ok in that they tasted like fried. cornbread. The cornbread had a strong lemon flavor to it, presumably to distinguish it from the hush puppies. The elote tasted good, but again was lukewarm at best. Same for the Mac and cheese with bacon. The mussels were tasty, but again, lukewarm. Customer service is everything. Except for the bartenders, that was a big fail here. We will not be back. read more

I had heard such fantastic reviews about this restaurant so my hopes were naturally very high. But what a disappointment. Although we FINALLY managed to get some food and drinks at the bar, the hostess and "assistant hostess" were God awful. Rude actually. They clearly didn't want our money. If you have the choice, skip Engine Room and go to Red 36. Better service. Or at least seem happy to get my business. Peace, T. read more

We lucked out on a busy Sunday, it was Fathers Day. Because there were only two of us, we were able to be seated immediately. Parties of four or more were waiting. Loved the decor and service. Was bummed they didn't offer any Pilsner on Tap. We ate lightly because we had an early breakfast. We opted to split a burger and a side of Mac n cheese. The burger and fries were spilt equally and came out as two separate servings. Mac amd cheese was delicious. Loved everything about the Engine room, especially the take home beer stein specials. Quality food, if in the area go try it, you'll probably like it!! read more

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Unfortunately since I am not a drinker I will not be able to give this place the full review it deserves. I came here with my boyfriend on our anniversary last night. Atmosphere - I loved the prohibition era decor and the whisky bottles placed on the shelves. There were beautiful gray backsplashes on the kitchen boundaries, (obviously some engine parts,) and mood-setting dim lighting. I love the open-kitchen concept and high-cushioned seats. The bar area looked beautiful, too; though I didn't get to look around over there. Service - I wish I had caught my server's name. She had a blonde ponytail, her hair was probably about shoulder length and she was maybe late 20's-early 30's? I'm terrible with guessing age. Either way, she was great - very sweet and friendly. She helped my boyfriend find a good beer to drink, and even made me a good Shirley temple (don't judge!) Her timing was good, she did all the right things - and we are harsh critics, since we are servers too, lol. Food - We began with the hush puppies. YES! Delicious. I don't know what the dipping sauce was made of, but it was amazing. My boyfriend ordered the chicken and waffles, which he enjoyed. I ordered the meatballs, which were just ok. I was a little disappointed. The fries had a nice flavor to them, though. A lot of places just salt-and-go. I think maybe I should have ordered a burger? It's not like me not to read the reviews for recommendations before visiting a restaurant. I want to come back and order something else because I really did enjoy my experience. We also ordered monkey bread to-go as a dessert. Phenomenal! Overall: excellent experience, would definitely recommend. read more

Engine Room - Chicken and waffles - Southern Near Me - Mystic, Connecticut

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Came in for brunch with some friends and everyone was blown away. I don't like that they won't take reservations, but the wait was shockingly not too bad. Pretty much everyone in the group ordered the benedict, which may have been the best I've ever had. The cornbread was very moist, with a distinct flavor of corn (atypical I feel more most "corn"breads). The brisket was fork tender and wicked smokey. The eggs were perfectly cooked and the hollandaise brought the whole dish together, even if I didn't pick up on the cilantro flavor. If I lived in the area, I'd be getting this every Sunday (and gaining a ton of weight - it aint for the faint of heart). Oh and I had some sort of "pig" bloody mary, which really did the trick - tons of flavor in that thing. read more

The menu has something for everyone. And the selection of bourbon is great and the service is great. The restaurant has a nice atmosphere, too. read more

Met up with some out of town friends for happy hour. The deviled eggs are great!!! The hush puppies were tasty and just enough without making you feel overstuffed. Drinks were a good pour and the staff was so friendly. It's a little loud, but it adds to the ambiance. Very large bar area so you never feel crowded. read more

Engine Room - Southern Near Me - Mystic, Connecticut

had an amazing lunch here. Our table had a "late night" so the sandwiches and cocktails were exactly what we needed. We enjoyed a variety of burgers and the crispy chicken sandwich. everything was prepared well and all the sides ( fries, potato and mac salad) were an extra bonus. the Medellin Mix Up and bloody Mary were the tables go to cocktails, both very good. this was a great place for a quick bite to eat before walking main street. read more

Fun ambiance, fairly noisy, pretty heavy emphasis on the bar side of bar-restaurant. Good location near downtown Mystic. All that I could live with but I couldn't live with the food. Weak menu -- I couldn't even find a starter I'd eat and then the main menu had burgers at the core but overly eclectic beyond that. Thai this. German that. Southern this. Ribs that. Smoked swordfish this. Steak that. It made me worry that it was 8 different styles of food done poorly. In reality it was 8 different styles of bar food, no more. The pork schnitzel was a disaster -- it looked like deep fried chicken not schnitzel. It was ungodly salty. The potato salad it came with was good. The sauerkraut not so much. My advice: go German, lose some of the menu diversity, and do one genre well. The beer was good. read more

Sorry, Plan B. I think Engine Room is my new favorite burger. As soon as you walk in, you can smell this delicious smell that can only come from high quality, aged, local beef. The taste of the burgers are heaven. The butter brioche buns are also perfection, but they are also very accommodating when I ask to get it without the bun. (Some restaurants actually say no about going bun-less. Shrug.) It's not all about the beef though. They have a fabulous smoked tofu and quinoa salad that I find myself craving just as much as the burgers. I have no idea how they get the tofu so smoky. It's also a huuuuge portion, and I usually get 2 lunches out of it. The craft beer selection is one of the best in Connecticut, and it's worth it as a beer destination alone. Connecticut, congratulations on not sucking as much. read more

I am both completely happy that I stopped in while on vacation and tried the bacon fat caramel corn and totally sad that I now have to live without it. My husband and I came here for during happy hour and had a great experience: service, food, atmosphere (antique engines on display), friendly patrons sitting around the bar with us. Besides the best popcorn we have ever tasted, we also enjoyed the bacon mac n' cheese, a burger, a wine, and a craft beer all at a great price. If I am ever back in town, I will absolutely stop in again. read more

Engine Room - Bacon fat caramel corn!!! - Southern Near Me - Mystic, Connecticut

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OK, I get it. The folks who operate the Oyster Club threw tons of money at renovating this building and opened a high-end burger bar. If anybody could pull it off, it's those guys. With a combined CV consisting of many who's who of CT restaurants (Fire Box, River Tavern, Oyster Club, etc..) there's very little they touch that doesn't turns to gold. It was only a matter of time before somebody jumped on the burger bar bandwagon and opened one in touristy Mystic, CT. You can say they copied from Plan B or Prime 16, but when you think about it, those places weren't the first in the country either and most likely copied from somebody else. The whole concept isn't new and has been around for a while. Like I said I get it. I get the whole industrial-factory look of the space. It creates a dirty yet rustic ambiance. This is a man's restaurant, that's terrific, I'm a man. However I feel it's a little bit too contrived. What I mean is the hand painted paragraph on the wall is a nice touch and looks very ancient, but who are they kidding, it was probably created only several months ago. Plus, the drill press sitting in the bar looks cool, but why exactly is it there? A lot of people probably think that's one of the marine engines left over from the Lathrop Engine company, but it's not. The "Cincinnati" label on it is a dead giveaway. Since this is a man's restaurant, it's not a place you want to take a date. Romantic, it is not. And because it's very open and airy it's not very intimate either. You can see everyone in the restaurant, sort of like looking into a big fish bowl. I do like the many interesting options for seating. There's lots of bar seating and counter seating along the front widow space. So it's great for solo dining. The place doesn't have a lot of options for large group seating, although there are a few long tables, but not many of them. My burger was fine, although I've had better. I ordered a Narragansett draft because I'm basically a cheapo but they have plenty of craft beer and Belgium options at noticeably higher prices. Speaking of prices, the burger prices are kinda high too (many are $13 each). If you're a vegetarian, good luck, because the menu is sort of limited to just burgers and more burgers. Overall, I like the restaurant. For something so blatantly missing from the Mystic downtown scene, I just wish I had thought of it first. It no doubt has the Midas touch and will make loads of money for many years. I bet the local folks who operate Bravo Bravo and Azu are probably wishing they thought of it too. read more

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We loved Engine Room when we visited last month! The servers were prompt, attentive, friendly, and kind; the atmosphere was modern yet rustic, hipster yet authentic; the menu was varied and had something for everyone in our party of five. The best dishes we had were the beer-y mussels (so flavorful, and the crispy bread & cheese was divine), the mac & cheese, the cornbread, and the mushroom burger (though I ordered it sans bun). The po'boy and the falafel wrap were also enjoyed. Other dishes had a few minor drawbacks: the salad was tasty but underwhelming for the price and the chicken sandwich seemed too one-note, just a giant hunt of chicken with some lettuce. A special sauce might have been a nice touch, or maybe the option to add some picked veggies. Overall, a great meal! read more

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Always great food and drinks and awesome service! Make sure to get a reservation early!

Burger wasn't anything special and the fries weren't good. Also had the chicken burger and was very bland. Lastly the desert, Monkey Bread, was nothing to write home about. Overall: SUB PAR read more

Food is good, service is nice...the prices are high (but this is Mystic, CT so...). But...but, the seats are uncomfortable and it is very loud inside. Great outside seating area though. read more

We went in for a drink having already eaten earlier in the evening. Waiter kept trying to upsell us to order some food. Just felt a little pushy. Not so anxious to try their food after that experience. read more

Delicious farm to table food and yummy drinks too! The best hush puppies I've ever had! Definitely a favorite spot to stop in Mystic. read more

Engine Room - Cheeseburger Hash - Southern Near Me - Mystic, Connecticut

Great beer selection. Had an amber ale from Bell's that was so good. And the Mussels appetizer was perfect - just the right amount of garlic and seasoning. And the burgers and buttermilk chicken were top notch. Would make this a regular stop When I'm in the area. read more

Engine Room - Southern Near Me - Mystic, Connecticut

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Great decor, super cool vibe in the Engine Room. Vintage meets modern mashup that we really all enjoyed, party of 5 promptly seated for lunch on a school vacation week. Tons of IPA's, bourbons, and unique whiskeys to choose from at the bar. We ordered a veggie burger which you will see in the pics was a unique shade of magenta due to the wheat berry & beets, my daughter liked it a lot. I had the fish & chips which was done perfectly in a unique cornbread fry. My other daughter had the grass fed burger, which she didn't really enjoy the flavor of unfortunately. The other two people with us had the best & goat cheese salad, and the chop salad, which they enjoyed. We ordered two sides of cornbread with maple butter for the table to start with and they were absolutely yummy! My husband & daughter also enjoyed sides of Mac & cheese done in a skillet. We would return for dinner for sure. The decor & food were good. read more

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Service is great, dont know whats the hype though. Me and my girlfriend got baked mac and cheese and beer battered onion rings for sides. The baked mac and cheese could just be called bread crumbs and noodles cause it was so bland and was one of the worst we ever had. The beer battered onion rings were probably the best out of all the dishes. Entrees: 2/5 Pan seared scallops : grits were cold and tasted like bubble gum, scallops were just okay. Monday special burger&beer 2.5/5: burger cooked perfectly medium, too salty, pickled veggies were okay, sauce did not fit well with the burger . It was aioli based and was waay too thick I don't even know. Overall, I don't understand how there is so much people here but props to having a well-run restaurant that has ample people coming back to you guys, but this place is definitely not for us. One of our worst tasting dinners ever read more

This is a little gem tucked away off the Main St in Mystic CT. I went for the 1st time last night & I really enjoyed myself. The actual building is an old marine engine supply & repair store. Its an old square red brick edifice with open ceilings. It's creates a great atmosphere: warm, inviting but spacious with great character. I was greeted by the hostess who let me have a pick of my dining spots. It's was 9 pm so there wasn't a commodity on tables. I opted for a high top in the bar area. My waiter greeted me immediately & took my drink order. I quickly scanned the microbrew offerings but couldn't decide between two. He graciously offered me tastes of both. I settled on the Bruges Zots. DELISH! I reviewed the menu while I was watching small parties of locals walk in. Very cool & varied crowd which is always nice to see. The menu is somewhat simple: 8 appys, ~3 salads, ~7 Burgers, ~4 sandwiches, ~3entrees. I kinda felt like the menu selection could be more well rounded. I also think the atmosphere gives you the impression it will have a more substantial entree offerings. I realized pretty quickly that it's more like a new age Tavern specializing in Whiskeys, Beer, some craft cocktails & casual food. Adding more small plates & 3 more entrees I think would really make dining here more compelling. I settled on the chicken liver pate with French bread toast points, caramelized onions & a stone fruit jam. I LOVED it. The waiter even brought more french bread toast points. I would go back mainly for drinks & some appys or a big juicy burger. But I won't consider this a place for dinner so much bc of the limited offerings. Don't get me wrong: I REALLY liked this place. The atmosphere, staff & food is GREAT. To note: I generally am in the habit of reviewing the restaurant's menu on their website to assist in my dining decision making. Always a good idea because it sets expectations. All in all, A GREAT PLACE for some upscale casual food in a FABULOUS building with STELLAR service. DEFINITELY RECOMMENDED! read more

Love the ambiance of this place. The specialty cocktails were good and so was the food. I thought the hush puppies were phenomenal and I had the clam sandwich as well (kind of spicy). I would give 5 stars but I think the drink prices are a bit high for the size that you get. If youre a drinker like I am, just be prepared to spend $10-12 on the drinks. read more

Engine Room - Hush puppies - Southern Near Me - Mystic, Connecticut

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"SOLID" enough said. Very happy With the food and prices in addition to the portions. read more

Love the atmosphere, great deco. Waiter was knowledgeable and attentive. I had the beet veggie burger, came with fries that were nothing special, burger was flavorful though, Asian inspired. My niece had a mushroom burger that looked great! Good spot overall read more

Have never been inside the Engine Room... and well thanks to COVID-19, I still haven't. However, they are doing curbside pickup and wow, the food was awesome. Had the chopped salad, which was huge, and the chicken cooked perfectly. Sister had the pulled pork, and thought it delicious. Step-mom had the Caesar salad and enjoyed it. We also had tangy potato salad which was tremendous and the slaw, also good. Had to order online, which worked well and also paid online, which also made the experience much easier. I look forward to going back, and actually going inside!! Keep up the great work during these tough times. read more

Great food selection and cocktails. The beers are amazing and the burgers really good. The price is up there but you're in a great area with great history and food read more

I've been coming here for many years. If you like beer and burgers this is the place to go. That being said, the last two times I've gotten the mussels there they were BUNK. couldn't even eat half of them, and they skimp on the coconut broth now so there's not anything to compensate for bad mussels. the toasted bread that comes w it is good but I think they give you less than before. also, they will charge you more on the bill than what's on the menu- the fries they always charge a dollar more than what's advertised and they round up for themselves if you pay in cash? like Dan Meiser really needs any more money. the happy hour hotdog is delicious, the hh burger has been very crispy if that's what you're into. hush puppies are good. Would not recommend any of the seasonal dinner specials because they're super overpriced and not really that great. I got the swordfish special over the winter and wished I just made it at home for half the price. They have a good deal for a $15 burger beer special on mondays, a new burger every time. the other burgers are pretty good, definitely good quality meat, but they cook it under every time. so if you want a medium, say medium well or it will be certainly be rare. read more

Get their tofu chop salad! So good! Comes with amazing cornbread croutons that changed my life. Also, their burgers are delish! They have a great online ordering system in the age of Covid. read more