I had an incredible first lunch at The Charles. I have wanted to go for years, and I have been…read morespecifically eyeing their fish & chips as of late. There wasn't any question going in what I would order. The hostess started things off perfectly and was exceptionally welcoming, setting a relaxing and comfy tone right away. The building has lots of charm. The dining room was beautifully and warmly decorated. They allow the character of the old house to shine. As for the much anticipated fish and chips, they were extremely well executed, and even more delicious. The fries were great, just fairly standard. The other components shined a lot brighter, for example the inclusion of minted peas was extraordinary. The "kitchen sink" remoulade in place of tartar sauce had to be darn good to make up for the omission of the classic, and it was. The coleslaw was also exceptional, creamy but still light. The fish of choice was a cod loin. That was the game changer. I find loin vs filet to make a world of difference. It stays far more moist, has more flavor, and has a much more pleasant texture for me. The breading was light and delicate, too. Every aspect of my experience at The Charles was excellent. I'm extremely anxious to go back. I have heard great things about their salads and appetizers, and they have a beautiful tented front lawn for outdoor dining in the summer I would like to try. Highly, highly recommend a visit. I would say it was one of the busier lunch services I've encountered recently on a weekday, so keep that in mind.

Absolutely divine…read more It has been so long since I've been able to have a crab cake that's gluten free, but at The Charles, their crab cakes are gluten free and lovely. But first, walking into The Charles is a step back into time yet still fresh and intentional. Plenty to look at all around the restaurant. The layout of even the bar is nice with seats by the windows and plenty of TVs playing the games without being disruptive. The building is gorgeous, well kept, and I can see how this restaurant gets packed quickly! But back to the gluten free crab cake. I would have loved some slightly larger chunks of crab, it was the crispy texture on the outside and soft inside that made my heart melt. The cakes sat lightly on an aioli and beside some greens, and each bit was delectable and delicious. Lovely appetizer. I also have the octopus basquaise, and I loved it. The potatoes needed just a smidge more seasoning and were sitting in oil, but I cared not, because it was an oil with Kalamata olives and tart, and how lovely it all was together. The octopus was nicely cooked and tender and not greasy. The potatoes were a lovely vessel, and the aioli was not too overpowering. A delicious fish overall. The service was great, friendly, and you can tell they love their regulars. Everyone was on the move at all times and overall very efficient and kind. Tons of gluten free dishes naturally. I loved coming to The Charles and look forward to coming back later this week to try their actual dishes. But if the entrees are even close to as good as the appetizers, I'm sure it will all be delicious!

We really started going here because their kitchen is open later than we close our board game cafe,…read morebut we kept going back because the food is delicious (speaking particularly on vegetarian options) and always updating. The drinks are also great, but the best part is the staff. We know their names and they know ours, but we didn't know them before. Sometimes things slow down as events like large wedding parties dropping in unannounced happen, but the staff is good about working together to handle what comes up. That's a cool thing too - you don't have one server, everyone is helping you in a network I don't even understand, but it works. They're friendly and kind beyond what's needed for good service. You can get an idea of the kind of place it is by noting that you see the same staff over time and even those who move on come back from time to time. We truly can't say enough about how much this place feels welcoming to us. I imagine if you're there in good faith, it will to you too.

I came in late night for a bite to eat…read more Probably won't ever be back. The food was mediocre. I asked questions and the staff couldn't verify anything. Typical bar food.

Honestly, really good! I have an aversion to any restaurant in a strip mall, but needing a quick…read morelunch as we were in town for a wedding this was our chosen spot. Honestly, I was really impressed with everything I had, I had the beef and blue cheese bread bites and the beet salad and both were honestly great! Service was fine, nothing outstanding, but I wouldn't expect anything crazy from a strip mall Gastropub. Ambience was exactly what you would expect no-frills but comfortable and casual. Honestly, I enjoyed my time here and if you're in the area and need a quick bite, definitely give it a shot.

Great service and some good food! Started with the Crispy Brussels Sprouts ($12) for an appetizer…read moreand then the Heard Double Smash Burger with house made fries ($18). Inside was total gastropub vibes. Clean and friendly service too. Would recommend. It was definitely a winner. I enjoyed the burger but heard the Chicken Parm was amazing if you are looking for other recommendations.

Overall it was a solid good place. Nothing crazy to rave about except the service. Very attentive…read moreand friendly staff. The food was okay, not terrible but nothing too amazing. The French onion soup was a little watery and you can tell they didn't put it in the oven to get the cheese crispy, it was just burned on the top with a torch like crème brûlée. The cheese burger Mac and cheese skillet had flavor and I would say was 7/10. I was feeling adventurous and got their lemon chicken with rice and broccoli. I know who orders this at a tavern burger place but it also wasn't that bad. Chicken was juicy and flavorful. I would definitely come back and try different things. The party next to us got tons of wings and those looked great. The venue was spacious and clean. I loved the vibe inside.

Went for lunch and unfortunately they were understaffed. Took a little while to get help, but all…read morethings considered they were as attentive as they could be. The food took a while to come out as well. It was decent, not the greatest cheese steak I've had but certainly good. Their other menu options looked good as well, lots of different options. For a "bar" I would say they are pretty good. The all wood interior is a cool vibe and I'm sure at night with a live band this place would be great.

Ordered the loaded tater tots to go. Haven't had tater tots in quite some time so thought I would…read moretry them. BUYER BEWARE - tots had very little cheese, of which I thought it would have been the liquid type. NO bacon, NO scallions and NO sour cream - this is all per the menu. @ $14 this is quite a bold price but sounded delish.. CANNOT recommend these or.maybe a retrain on the menu for the cooks.. See photo I will just stick to the Shepards pie which is good along with the French Dip and Fig and Brie Chicken.

They offer complimentary draft beer on your birthday. Casual stop in Portland…read more Friendly fast service and place filled with regulars.

Two weeks ago, we had our son's wedding, and we celebrated the rehearsal dinner at Terrazza…read moreRestaurant in Portland, CT. We loved the beautiful setting in the Quarry Ridge golf course. The venue was perfect for our 75 guests and it was beautifully prepared by the staff. In planning the event, Adis was incredibly professional and gave us helpful advice to give the event the tasteful, refined and family-oriented vibe that we were aiming for. He even recommended a florist to do the flower decorations and she turned out to be excellent The day of the event the room was just as we had planned and the event was a delight. The food was absolutely delicious, and we received multiple comments from our guests about how beautiful the room was, how delicious the food tasted, and how wonderful the service was. All the staff had the same attitude that we found in Adis, paying attention to details and making all, guests and hosts, feel like family. We are sure this will not be the last family event that we will celebrate at Terrazza.

Great food and great service, went to a bridal shower there and everything was fabulous! We love to…read moreeat on the deck on a summer night.

Always delish! Nice lay out, good service. Fair prices, great service…read more Good place to sit at the bar and chat over some wine, or come with the family for a good meal. All the steaks are delish! Love the appetizer selection, especially the shrimps!

The dinner was fine, though my wife ordered a medium ribeye which came out Well Done, which they…read morerecooked & then came out Med Rare. My sirloin was exactly as ordered, Med Well. The reason for this review is to warn patrons NOT to use the pre-calculated "suggested tip" amounts on the receipt which DO NOT represent the percentages shown. First, they are calculated on the total WITH TAX, which is always a no-go, & an extra -4.5% is added in over that, making a suggested 18% tip over 22%. Due to average service, I tipped $65 x 0.15 =$10.00. Note that $65 x 0.18 =$11.70, not $14.72. And $70.79 x 0.18 =$12.74, not $14.72 either, & $14.72 / $65 =0.226 or 22.6%. The amount listed for 20%, $16.36 is actually $16.36 / $65 =0.252, or 25%. The amount listed for 22%, $17.99 is actually $17.99 / $65 =0.277, or 28%! This is FRAUD perpetuated on the public by the corporate head office, since the restaurant manager said that their software which controls the registers is controlled by corporate, not by them locally. No doubt that the waitress or waiter gets the actual percentage amount calculated on the food total (in this case $65), & the corporate office keeps the rest. My suggestion is to calculate your own percentage tip based on the food total & don't be a gullible lazy tipper! The food & service were good.. the payment software was bad.

Hadn't been to Wood-n-Tap in over a decade, so my friend and I decided to meet up…read more Per usual, their bar bites, and fries, were cooked to perfection. I don't remember the buns being 'pillowy' soft, but I'll take it. And of course, their Margarita was a 10/10. I couldn't quite taste the dragonfruit syrup, because of the amount of alcohol in it, but who's complaining? Not I!

I visited here for lunch during a weekend in Hartford and had a pretty good time. My party of three…read morewas greeted and seated quickly and our waitress was so nice. I ordered a margarita and the steak salad, so tasty! The steak was cooked well and I liked the vinaigrette. My only issue was the temperature inside the restaurant. It was super hot that weekend and also uncomfortably warm inside. We closed the shades beside us but more A/C would've been ideal.

I've been wanting to come try this spot so I was very excited when my sister decided to do her…read morebirthday here! Walking in it felt very spacious and open had a great upscale looking vibe going on. With an open patio covered in flowers so cute. The Staff was super tentative and on top of their game. Very accommodating and made things go very smoothly even in a room full of adults & kids! The food was delicious and all the appetizers came out fast and fresh. The calamari was super crispy and had a great sauce for dipping! My steak came out perfectly medium rare just how I like it and portions were huge! Only thing i would say is the charcuterie board was alright because the pickled veggies and olives were so salty in my opinion. But overall everything else was great! Espresso martini's were super strong and the assorted desserts hands down my fav part! i think my favorite would be the lemon dessert it was so light, I couldn't believe it was cheesecake. I would deff come back again!!!!

Ever since this place opened I've been wanting to try it. I've heard nothing but positive reviews…read more We went this week to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday. We sat outside to enjoy the nice weather. I would definitely recommend sitting out there if you can. Waitress- I wish I remembered her name because she was amazing. From recommendations on drinks and food to giving us dessert on the house. Drinks: I started with Nonna's garden and then had an espresso martini. Both were delicious. Coffee is brewed to order which makes a difference. He tried the mx to Milan but didn't feel it was strong enough. Turns out this drink is prepaid every morning. So he got a White Russian and was pleased. Apps: you must try the mussels and radish dish as well as the meatballs. You will thank me later. Main Course: chicken parmigiana was huge and delicious. The pasta that came with it was a little under cooked. But it heated up nicely the next day. I got the 12oz prime flatiron steak with mash and asparagus. Cooked perfectly. Dessert- we devoured the torta caprese

I've been to Community room so many times! But only for a GF muffin or a cookie or a latte. This…read morewas my first time trying a GF breakfast sandwich. Guess what... loved it!! It was so good! Not sure what kind of GF roll they use but it was delicious. Didn't break apart or anything. I was a little worried for a minute.. did they give me a GF bun?! Lol!! It's definitely a must try! The cafe is always clean and inviting! I usually take to go but it's definitely very cute and a nice place to meet a friend or just sit and have breakfast!

"I don't remember what day it was I didn't notice what time…read moreit was" (Spiral Starecase) No, I don't remember what day it was or where it was, but I know it was at a Yelp Elite function. One of my friends asked me (quite earnestly) if I had ever been to the Community Room Cafe for breakfast because "it's really great". Well, we went there today and I sincerely want to thank that unknown Yelper because the Community Room Café is excellent. We found it in the Constitution Square retail area bounded by Cedar St., E. Main St., Market Sq and Lowrey Place in the center of Newington, CT. Parking is plentiful in the Square's large parking lot. Their space is amazing -big, cheerful, inviting, comfortable, colorful (plenty of orange and black). There are plenty of various seating options in the form of couches, upholstered chairs, table/chair groupings, and counter-style seats by the windows. We saw a few medium sized groups gabbing away at the upholstered seat area and a few industrious folks clattering away on their laptops. We each went with an Avocado Toast (@ $9) with mashed avocado, diced egg, diced tomato, bacon crumbles, cilantro, and Everything bagel seasoning blanketing a big slice of toasted rye. Seriously, one of the best breakfasts we had this year. I went with a small cold brew coffee and a shot of sugar-free caramel ($4.25) while my wife went with a small light roast coffee ($3). We loved everything about the Community Room Café- the food, the vibe, the décor, the service.... Everything. PRO TIPS Their WIFI password is (one word all CAPS) ILOVEMY COFFEE They have a meeting room available to rent for $50/hour during business hours and $100/hour during non-business hours.