J Rego's is an absolute gem to have in the neighborhood! Great food, people, & prices -- this family-owned restaurant has been our go-to date night spot since they opened. Where do I start?! One thing I love about J Rego's is the quality of their menu; meals are always unique and truly make J Rego's stand FAR apart from other food spots in this part of CT. Yes, they offer the very best of your favorite restaurant classics, but they also add high-end, high-quality options that you cannot find anywhere else in the area. They do weekly specials (check their Instagram or call!) that always blow my mind. I literally stalk their social media each week waiting for their new options! Having J Rego's so close to home is a hazard for my self control!! And the Espresso Martinis?! Don't get me started! Delicious, high-class, and absolutely addicting. One VERY notable details about J Rego's: -- They have a FANTASTIC outdoor dining area. We enjoy it frequently in the summer, and they also set up a tent & space heaters for the colder months. Check their IG for live music on the weekends! Today, I sent my parents to J Rego's for a lunch date. They were BLOWN AWAY! It was definitely a home run recommendation. J Rego's -- thank you for being here and doing what you do! You make our community a better place & we love you for it. read more

See all

We ate here on a Monday night. Cute place and hopping. People were friendly, overall a good experience. I got the Stuffed Chicken, it was very tasty but it was only the small butt end of a chicken breast, not a whole breast. For $26 bucks I guess I expected a whole boneless chicken breast. The dessert was delicious, we shared the warm checkerboard brownies. read more

J Rego's Gathering Place - Stuffed chicken - New American Near Me - Ellington, Connecticut

Tried again, great service but okay food. Decided to try them again. They had a brunch menu so I was intrigued to try some French toast. Was very quiet when I went there. Was seated at the bar, where the bartender was prepping for the days service. Asked for his recommendation and he said the burger was really good. Asked for a brunch menu and was told the brunch menu was their lunch menu. Later in the meal, the waitress informed the bartender that the brunch menu was delayed again because the person who developed it was out. So I was too early to get actual brunch. I got an orange juice and a burger with sautéed onions, mushrooms, and pepper jack cheese. Food came out in a reasonable timeframe. Took pics and dug in. As a burger, it was okay but wasn't executed correctly. The burger was a chunky grind of beef chuck, which was unseasoned. The bun was toasted but was just starting to go stale. So the edges were spongy and a tougher chew. The fries were lackluster. Standard bagged fries, limp and not very crispy. Their orange juice is also weirdly out of a can. The price of the burger with add ons and an orange juice was 24 dollars . I'm fine with this price so long as the quality can justify it. But it's missing the execution to justify the price. Everything needs to be dressed or seasoned even if it's just lightly. A tiny bit of salt to a tomato can make the difference between a watery slippery mess to a fruity, savory compliment to the meaty burger. I would also be remiss to ask if they could vary the grind of their meat to a mix of chuck, short rib, and brisket? Or add flavorings to their meat mix to help get more than just straight up ground beef. The bartender was very good about checking in and helping where he could. He saved the experience, but there was little he could do to fix the meal. It's probably a great place to drink, and if you're drunk you won't care about the food as much. So I'll say it's a great bar but not so great food. Go to drink, not to eat read more

See all

Food and managements response to its shortcomings. 3 visits. First very long time between being seated, drink orders and their arrival only after the manager asked what we were waiting for. Then the drinks arrived after another 1O mins. Time time of about 25 mins. Food, service at the visit was routine. 2nd visit. Ordered chicken Marsala. It arrived and the dish didn't even smell like Marsala. Appeared to be a bowl Of chopped chicken pieces without a hint of Marsala sauce. Nothing, dry. The same manager came over wanted to take a picture of the dish I. It's presented bowl. Awful dry chicken no hint if Marcella. 3rd visit. Vegetable stir fry. Pan seared seasonal veggies rice green onion and I added chicken. The seasonal veggies consisted of broccoli, red bell pepper. And the chicken was hard dry and no taste. Broccoli was old tasteless and saturated with sauce. There was no other vegetables to be found or augment the dish. Was just so very tasteless, prepared and offered. A frozen entree from a supermarket is more satiating and tasty. Two old overcooked veggies over rice in sauce topped with overcooked chicken fry as a bone. Just sooo awful. Not worth the money and sadly the promised treat to the palate. read more

Best Sunday Brunch around!! First Sunday of the month - amazing food, great drinks and live music! Bartender Tyler makes the best concoctions like this - bacon-infused Bourbon sour!!! read more

J Rego's Gathering Place - Bacon-infused Bourbon Sour - New American Near Me - Ellington, Connecticut

So second time we have been, first was fairly close to opening, so we decided not to write a review and wait a couple months - it hasn't gotten better. Mussels were delicious - but served in a bowl that you couldn't get to the broth, so I asked for an additional plate and dumped the bowl. Once you could get to the broth it was very tasty. Meal went downhill from here. Special street tacos had 1.5 bites of meat per taco, that was flavored and delicious however totally over powered by the sauce, so I just ate the 5 bites of meat separately. The corn side was totally frozen corn. Come on - in this location at this time of year you can't use fresh corn?!? The Bombay crepes, with chorizo we expected to be full of flavor, we were mistaken, bland and dry. Overall, this place is overpriced for the quality of food. However, due to its location it is going to do well bc there really much else going on in the area. And the bar / casual environment is great for getting together with friends. read more

See all

Not all relationships with lead to marriage, some will help you discover new restaurants. Good food, Good friends, and Good times are all that J Rego's gathering place is known for. This recently opened restaurant located on a small plaza off West Road in Ellington is a must-visit. The dining area looks small when you enter but it's larger than it looks and extends to the back where a full-service bar is located with seating. The atmosphere is very calm, cozy, and intimate. Perfect for dinner with friends or even a date night. Extensive menu with many options, a large array of beers on tap, and a long list of wines. No cocktail menu is available as yet but anything you want they can make it at the bar. For the appetizer, we tried a few options and all were amazing. My favorite however was the Pulled chicken Chilaquiles with the chips. To how good it was I can still taste it in my mouth a day later. Items included in dishes can also be substituted, therefore if there is any part of a dish that you don't like they will cater to your needs without a doubt. We met the owner, Kevin who came to check in with us to see how we were enjoying our first visit and our meal. Only one chef was working which caused one of my friends' meals to be delayed but to make up for it we were offered some delicious dessert which included the 3 layer Coconut cake and the Nutella crepe and my my my there are no words to describe how good they were. Very moist and not too sweet and the perfect ratio for all ingredients. There is no take-out or reservations as yet, therefore you have to dine in. Small whiteboards are at the exit where you can write cute messages and the boards are placed on a wall. Was a very good night with some amazing friends and I recommend 100% and will be back. read more

See all

This place is awesome. The food is excellent and the waitstaff is very attentive. Love it read more

J Rego's Gathering Place - My son took me here for Valentine's day. - New American Near Me - Ellington, Connecticut

Service is good and always looks like a nice place for a meal. Haven't been to J Rego's in about two years and decided to stop in. First the sticky ribs and wings decent. No complaints. For dinner, our table had margherita flatbread, bacon wrapped chicken and lemon ricotta pasta. The flatbread was soggy, the chicken overcooked and pasta not very flavorful. Not sure what's happened in the last two years but disappointing. read more

First time here..food was amazing, service impeccable, met the owner and he was warm and welcoming. We will be back for sure!!

First time to J Regis did not disappoint!! Very welcoming from the moment you walk in the door. Restaurant is very cozy, music playing overhead is just the right volume for dinner music. Waitstaff are delightful, knowledgeable and professional. We ordered the Chicken and Waffles and a Buffalo Chicken Panini, with a side of pasta Alfredo. Everything was delicious, and the perfect temperature when it came to the table. The pasta Alfredo was so good with a silky cheese sauce that never got gummy. The last bite was as good as the first. Chicken and Waffles had a choice of 3 different sauces all great. Buffalo Chicken Panini was anything but ordinary, very creative putting their own spin on it. Great place for girls night or date night. read more

This was my forth visit, first for lunch and since the new chef joined the kitchen. The brussels were SO much better than the first time. Well seasoned, crispy and a touch of sweet. Pairing them with a sriracha aioli rounded the flavors out with a hint of spice and added a creamy element. If you are vegetarian or vegan, ask them to hold the bacon (I totally forgot but it was not overly prevalent). Caesar salad was crisp, cold, perfectly dressed and a nice compliment to the rich brussels. The bartender made us feel welcome, answered questions about the lunch menu and made recommendations that were spot on. Will definitely be back! read more

J Rego's Gathering Place - Caesar salad - New American Near Me - Ellington, Connecticut

See all

I met a friend here for lunch on a Friday. They only serve lunch on Fridays and Saturdays. We sat at the bar and were greeted by the super friendly bartender. We ordered seltzers with lemon and lime and checked out the menu. I ordered the Mediterranean plate as my appetizer and the Sunny Summer flatbread as my entree. My friend ordered the fried Brussels sprouts as her appetizer and the Caesar salad for her entree. Both of the apps and the entrees were prepared as expected and absolutely delicious. I also ordered the tiramisu to take home and my friend ordered a burger with grilled veggies to go for her hubby. All of that was delicious as well. Super friendly service and delicious food! I can't wait to return! read more

J Rego's Gathering Place - Mediterranean plate - New American Near Me - Ellington, Connecticut

See all

Nice place with a pleasant ambience. Waitress was very friendly. We just went for a couple appetizers. Got the Mediterranean plate which was fantastic and very reasonable for what you get. We also got the fried calamari which was not bad but nothing memorable. I would go back. I think the prices are reasonable and they had some interesting dishes that I would like to try next time. read more

This place is so far so good! We've tried the burgers and wings and really liked both-- the service was just a little slow, but they're new so I'm sure it will improve. I also reallly enjoyed the wings - they come out with 3 different types of sauce. I love that! Normally there's an up charge if you even want one other type. MAJOR points here in my book! Would love if they got some sours on draft. read more

See all

Another local hidden gem! You can find this amazing restaurant in Ellington in the plaza before the giant Big Y plaza. The ambiance is great for having a lunch/dinner with friends or going to dinner with your significant other. The FOOD is DELICIOUS! Their signature or seasonal cocktails are to die for. The SERVICE is outstanding! Warm, friendly and just the right amount of attention. I forgot to take a photo of the Cobb Salad with citrus vinaigrette dressing. Now you will have to stop by and try it for yourself! Come support a local business!!! read more

J Rego's Gathering Place - Hendricks and Tonic - New American Near Me - Ellington, Connecticut

Great food and great service. The menu is has a lot of options, and the portions are just right.

Holly b was our server and she was so kind and helpful and made sure to check on us every couple minutes. The outside patio was fully heated and super nice. The Mac and cheese was amazing I definitely will be back and 100% recommend! read more

First time here, as residents of Ellington, this was the day to try it, so we stopped in for dinner. My first impression is that it appeared to be a good meeting and mingling place. Has decent sized bar area, where we sat. It has a nice big outdoor patio and sitting area that overlooks the parking lot and route 74. We are young 'older' people in our late 60s, eating outside isn't really our thing unless the weather and views are perfect, not the case here. Service was adequate, employees seem to cover for each other. Unfortunately, they lack experience. After sitting down and greeted by our waitress, we were immediately handed off to another waiter. Initially, our first waitress left to get our menus, but never return. The replacement had to get our menus, the delay and unexplained change was awkward but not an issue. However, I have to wonder why we were not handed menus upon first contact. I happened to catch a glimpse of our 1st waitress high-stepping out the front door a little later. J Rego's pricey and changing menu is that of a higher end establishment. Waiter mentioned twice how their new fall menu will be out soon, and how it is always changing. I overheard him repeating it to other patrons, most likely instructed to do so by management. Inexperienced waitstaff and lack luster entrees is woefully short of the restaurant status they seemed to be seeking. For appetizers, I ordered fried mozzarella sticks, the wife onion rings. Onion rings were from frozen, not fresh, and came with a small 'ketchup cup', too small for dipping unless onion ring is cut or a bite removed first. Mozzarella was good, with a crunchy Italian spiced breadcrumb crust, my wife didn't care for the spice flavoring. A simple dish that would difficult to mess up, but can't be jazzed up much to garner a higher price. The mozzarella appetizer consisted of 2 triangular sticks with smears of marinara and Alfredo sauce on each side of the plate. The marinara was fresh made with chunks of sautéed veggies, it had good tomato taste but was very watery. The Alfredo sauce was good, at least the little bit I was able to scrape up and get into my mouth. Both sauces were ladled thinly on the plate making it difficult to get a good coating on a bite of the mozzarella. We were only given a fork and knife, no spoon, (I would have utilized it) sauces were too thin to work with the knife. Wife ordered a burger, nothing to complain about, but nothing notable either, it was just a cheeseburger. She replaced the side fries with a salad. She claimed the salad had the same Italian seasoning flavor as the mozzarella sticks and therefore didn't like or eat it. I ordered grilled lemon chicken and capers on a bed of pasta twists. The only ingredients were chicken, pasta, spinach and capers, served in a bowl. It came with too much clear broth/water that was predominantly and unmistakably lemon, it puckered me right up. The dish tasted just like it looked, there was no depth of flavors or presentation. After acclimating to the shock of the lemon, I was able to get through it. A shot of vinegar would have had the same effect. Dish was far too simple and deconstructed for the price. Upon the initial lemon punch to my taste buds, I wanted to tame it down with some salt, I noticed there were no S&P shakers, saying something to my wife about it. Roaming employee (manager?) overheard me and was Johnny-the-spot with a set. Similar to the menu incident, I have to ask, why was there none on the table to start with and where did he get the set he brought to the table? Another nit-pick, is how our appetizer's came out fairly quickly, but the entrees took much longer, they showed up 10 to 15 minutes after we had finished the appetizers. Good thing we had our phones to occupy our time and not in hurry to go anywhere. Bottom line; we could have gotten the same quality or better 1/4 mile south on 74 at "Casey's" for considerably less than we paid here. My past experiences at Casey's tell me the atmosphere and service would have been as good or better too. It could be said that Casey's is more family and "old fogie" friendly. IMO, J Rego's is a younger upper-middle class crowd gathering place, it is not geared for families with kids. I'd go back but only if it was with another couple or group event. Overall, I was unimpressed with the high prices and inexperienced staff (line cooks). read more

We went there with two other couples. Called ahead to put my name on the list for 6:15. Arrived at 6:10 and another of our group had already been seated. Great, because the place filled up rather quickly. Service was a tad slow, but the place was very busy. Plus it gave us friends time to catch up. If you're in a hurry, you may not be as pleased. I had 2 apps for dinner, the Mama meatball (yum), and the arancini. Arancini was pretty good, but not like Nana used to make. The rest of the group were pleased with their choices, especially one who ordered the stuffed chicken breast. She asked the server to tell the chef how much she enjoyed it. It was a pleasant evening spent with friends and good food. I'm sure we'll be back. read more

Stopped by JRego for the first time for a bite and a cocktail. Was immediately met by staff at the door and seated in the bar area at a hightop. Since it was early, the bar was moderately occupied and the dining room still empty. Service was prompt and the burgers were good. The menu was limited to pub food but a decent selection. The owner, who was very personable came by and introduced himself and welcomed us to the restaurant. All in all, it was a pleasant experience. If looking for pub food and a decent cocktail, JRego is worth a try. BTW, they have a large local on tap beer selection for the micro brew folks. read more

Good food, drink and pleasant staff! Love this restaurant! The owners are usually there and super attentive!

Good food ! Nice place! Good service! The bar is cozy. Nice restaurant in town! See you there! read more

Stopped in for burgers and they were delicious! Lots of great menu options and super friendly staff and owners. Looking forward to our next visit. Great cozy atmosphere too. Great lunch and dinner options. Something for everyone, simple to more complex options. read more

Always delish!! I have been fortunate enough to be there a couple of times over the last month! Baked potato flat bread, mushroom risotto, buffalo chicken panini, Cuban panini, rigatoni bolognese - All equally delish! If you have not been there.....you need to check it out!!! Always consistently wonderful! read more

Went to J Rego's for a Saturday night dinner. I had the Halibut special dinner. The Halibut was cooked perfectly, and it was delicious. A friend of ours had the chicken and waffles, which she really enjoyed. My husband and our friend had the salmon, which was also perfectly cooked and was delicious. The owner and the chef came by to ask how everything was, which was very nice. The restaurant was decorated very nicely. We will definitely be back. read more

For a small spot in Ellington,CT, this is a solid 5 stars. The patio is well decorated for summer and has a variety of high tops, low tops, outdoor heaters, and outdoor furniture like club chairs and couches around little fire pits. From an accessibility standpoint, some chairs have arms and some don't, so there really is something for everyone. Prices were quite average and the portion sizes were on the larger size of average. The burger is from JT farms, right across the street, and you could absolutely taste the freshness. That was a GOOD burger, plus the option to add goat cheese or Asiago for no extra price! Fries were nicely crisp. We also had the nachos. Nice portion for 2-3 people to pick at for an app. The toppings were layered nicely. I will definitely be back! read more

What an amazing restaurant! My husband & I decided to try J. Rego's for the first time on a Friday night, two weeks ago. The food was amazing. I had the Panini with chicken, Asian slaw, cheese, & chili sauce (with a side order of the best onion rings I've ever eaten). My husband had the Panini with turkey, arugula, cheese & fig jam, with a side order of fries. He doesn't usually get excited about food (not a foodie unlike me), but he said that his Panini was amazing. We also ordered alcoholic drinks and dessert. In addition to the amazing food, the service was impeccable, very attentive, but not overbearing. Our waitperson, Cassidy, was great! Thanks so much for a wonderful experience! We will definitely be back soon. read more

The food is flavorful and the place was busy. But they can't seem to figure out the basics. For example, I ordered a cheeseburger and they don't carry any yellow mustard in the restaurant. Doubtful I will be trying J. Rego's again. read more

Fast service and nice wait staff food is lower than average. French fries was too greasy and salty. Cuban sandwich was too dry and salad was to to blend. Liked the ambiance and a cozy bar though! read more

We really enjoyed our takeout the other night. Crispy sticky ribs and Brussel sprouts for apps. Both excellent choices. The ribs were Smokey and sticky and sweet. Excellent flavor. Brussels were nicely fried and had some sweet cranberries and delicious sauce. I got buffalo panini and he got bahn mi. Both good. His chicken was over fried and my panini was sweaty but that's only since it was takeout. We will def go dine in soon read more

This has become one of our favorite local spots. The area has long had a sparse selection of quality sit-down dinner options, and J Rego's fills that void. They had an exceptional cannoli cake around St. Patrick's Day, and I regularly enjoy their chicken and waffles. I will say that we went more often when they offered honey mustard wings -- it used to be the go-to spot for take out wings, too! Bring them back, please read more

Nice atmosphere. I go for their appetizer menu which deviates from the standard pub fare. Staff is friendly and attentive. Just wish they would open for lunch also. read more

I was so happy to stumble upon this place! It has a really great vibe, awesome service, attentive owners, and really delicious food. My salmon gnocchi was incredible with just the right amount of lemon and garlic to highlight the flavors of the salmon and generously shaved parmesan. The gnocchi itself was prepared perfectly. The portion size filled me up yet also enabled me to lick my plate and not have to worry about bringing home leftovers. I am very much looking forward to trying their crepes. There are only two things that would have made this incredible experience perfect. 1. Have someone buff the wine glasses. Mine was covered in dishwasher fluid. Not just spots. Like large amounts making the glass appear quite dirty. 2. A pastry chef. Oh how I hope this location thrives enough to bring on a pastry chef! I appreciate that they buy some of their desserts locally, but a real pastry chef could bring this place desserts on level with their food, wine list, and service. A local brownie topped with smuckers caramel and hersheys syrup is fine for a cafe, but this place deserves someone making chocolate soufflé with crème anglaise or scratch-made panna cotta or zabaglione. read more

Our party of two came here for dinner and we were throughly impressed. We had the steak tip special and the chicken wild mushroom crepe for entrées. For dessert we had the Nutella crepe which was excellent. Not to mention the service here was very good. Highly recommend and would return! read more

J Rego's Gathering Place - Nutella Crepe - New American Near Me - Ellington, Connecticut

Tried this place for the first time last night. Service was good. We arrived around 6:00 on a Saturday night and sat in the bar area at a high table. The restaurant filled up pretty quickly. Drinks were good, food was ok. I had the pasta bolognese and it lacked flavor in my opinion. Pasta was less than Al dente and could have used a couple more minutes. My husband got the cheesesteak panini and it was just ok. Coleslaw had a strong yellow mustard flavor. Will try it again, but we can do better cooking at home. read more

Good bartenders, sitting at the bar is always a bit tight, maybe a few less stools, however it's always busy, as many stools as possible are needed. Catch 22. Yummy food. Always a decent option. read more

Ordered the calamari and the breading wasn't even on the calamari. Tasted okay but was super soft and not crispy at all. Also got a fried chicken sandwich. The fried chicken was burnt and super crispy. Not juicy at all. The only good thing about me and my dad's meal were the frozen onion rings. I really wanted to like this place because it's right next to my house. But I was super disappointed. Would come back if they offered me a free meal in return. Would not recommend it read more

It's about time Ellington has a nice, casual & upbeat place to eat with a eclectic menu. I have been here many times and the food, drinks and service are always on point! The menu changes seasonally and have specials on the weekends- many items are locally sourced. My favorites are the sticky ribs or any of the crepes - always a great meal! read more

I liked this restaurant. Super great service. I dined alone. I was placed to dine right on top of the server station which took away from my experience. Food was great. Price was average and so it was about 30 plus dollars with a dinner, water and an appetizer. Seems a rare find as it is in a strip mall next to big y. read more