Did not get the bar tenders name or the chef. But it was great! Great chopped cheese and such a…read morefun dive bar. My husband & I loved it. We will be back!

What a great find. Has all the makings of a pre-revolution tavern and probably is. Peanuts, pickled…read moreeggs, cold beer and great people. My new go to when I'm in NL

TO BE FAIR THE WINGS WERE FIRE And I WENT ON A MONDAY…read more I'm giving this place 3/5 stars because the food was great, the hostess was extremely attentive but I simply did not get the full experience of the location due to the time and day. Therefore, I will need to revisit to give a better review. I visited The Blue Duck this past Monday, on Presidents' Day at happy hour. I got there around 3 and left just before 5. The wings were 5 for a little over $5 or something like that. Which honestly $1 wing in this economy! Excellent for my pockets. Anyways, the place was quiet, a few people did start coming in as I was leaving, and again, I came on a Monday. Not really a peak bar day. But I would say the location is near the water which is a plus. The seating area at the bar was massive. I'm curious to see how busy it gets on the weekend. This isn't necessarily and instagramable/ social media picturesque kind of spot. Ok, so the wings- I CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH- they were AMAZING . I love it when the skin after being smothered in sauce is still crispy. And they were! The blue cheese wasn't liquidity or too chunky. The fries were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The best part- for me- is that they were the shoestring kind of fries. I'm not big on the steak fries or thicker cuts. They were salted just right! No condiments needed for dipping. I ordered two drinks, which I honestly wasn't too impressed by. But it's my bad. I probably should have stuck to shots or basics like A sour of some sort. Idk. The other drinks could be delicious. Overall the only reason at this point that I'm coming back is the wings. Truthfully, the only reason I traveled 45 minutes to New London was after seeing an IG post about all-you-can-eat wings on Mondays. Sadly they aren't doing that anymore.

Really promising in terms of decor, but a big let down for the food…read more The $8 charge in chicken was ridiculously high, moving a platter of nachos from $15 to $23, for chicken that is not particularly flavorful nor plentiful. We got a platter of nachos and the only exciting thing was the sheer size of it: one platter served five people, with some more to spare. The nachos were dry, flavorless, and was almost like dipping chips into a generic grocery store queso. All the vegetables were raw, so it didn't add much to the dish. I'd recommend really seasoning at least one element of the tray, like the vegetables, and it would have been decent. The Nashville fried chicken sandwich was spicy without flavor. Another massive portion size with plenty of fries, but nothing I would order again. Sweet Thai chili sauce that came with the Brussels sprouts had the texture of wet corn starch that had been mixed in with a bottled chili sauce--gloopy and oddly too sweet.

Great Bar with Great Food…read more Oh how much I love the Half Keg. The quintessential old school dive bar, with amazing clientele and most important of them all a grill right behind the bar. Cheap beers, great music, strong drinks, friendliest patrons, all in a building that looks like a keg that was cut in half. Beyond cool spot. Tip: Delicious burgers and hand cut fries Tip 2: this place is situated between two small building so you can miss it. They also have a decent craft beer selection. I can give the place enough props. It consistently gets voted best dive bar in south eastern CT and for once these publications are not wrong. Love this Place Thanks

Half Keg Tavern is a historic neighborhood tavern that opened in New London, Connecticut in 1946…read more The tavern is housed inside a converted Quonset hut, which was likely picked up cheaply at the conclusion of World War II. The Half Keg stands out from other Connecticut drinking establishments in that it is technically a tavern as opposed to a bar. What's the difference? Bars can serve just about anything (including hard liquor), whereas taverns (once known as "public houses" back when residents were still British subjects) are places that can serve only beer, wine, cider, and food if they choose. At the time the Half Keg opened, there were maybe 700 taverns in Connecticut. Today, less than 10 Connecticut drinking establishments operate under a tavern license. A number of different owners have come and gone at the Half Keg, including longtime owners Ron & Maryann DiNoto. Since October 2016, the Half Keg has been owned and operated by Teresa Stomberg and her son David Donatello. The tavern serves a variety of domestic and foreign beer as well as a food menu of fresh handcrafted burgers, grinders, and a variety of bar bites. I recently visited the Half Keg for lunch while I was in the New London area. I arrived not long after they opened for the day. I pulled up a seat at the bar and began to peruse the menu. I first ordered a plate of "Fried Pickles", which were on the specials menu that day. Served with a dipping sauce, they were hot, crispy and very flavorful. I washed them down with a draught pour of Samuel Adams' "Summer Ale". Afterwards, I ordered a "Garlic & Onion Burger" (garlic & onion seasoned burger on a a garlic-buttered roll, slice of raw onion, lettuce, tomato) with a side of "Hand Cut Seasoned Fries". Don't expect anything particularly fancy here. It's just good, old-fashioned home cooking. No frills, no fuss; just fresh ingredients and good flavor! I washed my burger and fries down with a draught pour of Two Roads Brewing's "Two Juicy" (Double New England IPA). That lunch really hit the spot. I'd be interested in trying out one of their grinders on a return trip. If you're in the mood for a good sports game paired with a cold beer, good food, and the company of friendly locals, then head to the Half Keg!

Amazing space! We went last night to see Neva Dinova and were thrilled to see them in this intimate…read morespace. (Max capacity i74 people). The sound was great and the stage area though tiny, was big enough! They has a huge selection of beers, cocktails , canned bevs and even some great NA options. 10/10 lived this place.

Great bar, greater staff. Excellent selection of delicious beer including locally brewed. Beautiful…read moreinterior and they often put on shows ranging from Rock to metal to Indie and just about everything in between. On nights when it's a bit quieter a lot of times that I've been there bartenders on staff will start conversations and come up with random trivia or things to do that will include everyone at the bar and generally begin a group conversation which always leads to people meeting one another and having a lot of fun. I've never had a bad time when I've chosen to go in there. And while you're there do yourself a favor and get a shot of the in-house apple pie moonshine. It is a must-have.

A fantastic intimate, yet roomy venue for live music. Service was outstanding, staff was friendly…read moreand professional and food was delicious, but be sure to save room for dessert...The Cakes are Out of this World Good! It's on Bank St in New London, so be mindful of your surroundings, otherwise, a great place to unwind and have a good time!

Sounds like the time to go and have a reservation is for Brunch. Went for dinner on Monday before…read morea show at the Garde. Made a reservation, just in case but it was not needed. The place is very big, so if you are going with a group or family they have the space. There is a small awkward parking lot in the back, so mostly street parking. Arrived (party of 4) just after 5pm, took a few minutes to be sat, even though the place was empty. One bartender and one waitress. Received two menus and were told to scan the QR code on the table, seemed odd. It took a while to give our order, so we ordered everything at once. Wings, truffle fries to start. Scallop Risotto, Fish& chips, fried shrimp basket and caesar salad with chicken. Drinks arrived minus one because they were out of the whiskey, provided a replacement, but the drink never came to the table. Food was ok. The fried things were very tasty and well made. The wings were nice, tender and good sauce/flavor. Truffle fires were good, little heavy on the truffle oil, but tasty Scallops were prepared well but the "risotto" was more like rice pilaf. The caesar salad was nicely dressed, the added chicken was grill to as close to raw and still be "cooked". It was very soft and chewy - that was pushed to the side. If you go, stick to the bar, brunch, apps, or something fired. I think this place is good if you go when they are fully staffed or something. I would happy choose someplace else if I were in town for a show.

Gatehouse Tavern [GT]. (2 stars)…read more "Stuffed clams (or stuffies) are popular in New England and consist of a breadcrumb and minced clam mixture that is baked on the half shell of a quahog hard shell clam.[1][2][3][4] Other ingredients typically found in the basic breadcrumb mixture are: meat such as sausage, bacon or chouriço (Portuguese sausage), chili pepper, lemon juice, bell peppers, celery, onion, garlic, spices and herbs. There are many different recipes for stuffed clams; many restaurants in New England have their own variety, as do many home cooks." - Wikipedia "Stuffies - $2.50" The sign caught my eye. I asked myself, "Self, what the heck are stuffies?!" I walked up to the cashier and asked her. She said it's a stuffed clam. Ahhh... In all the years I have been up to New England I never heard of "stuffies" before. Perhaps it could be in part to the fact that I usually frequent seafood restaurants vice watering holes when I am here... As I perused the menu I also saw a pastrami sandwich so I decided to eat here. I ordered the following: -Stuffies -Pastrami Sandwich Stuffies. (1.5 stars). Somehow I imagined this stuffed clam to have some texture & seasoning but not an overkill of salt & onions??!! The stuffing was extremely mushy & unpleasant to eat. I took one bite & didn't finish the rest of it. There were a few minuscule pieces of clam meat chopped up in the stuffing mixture but it was tough to even discern any real clam flavor. I'm sure the locals probably go crazy over GT's stuffies but I just am not a fan... Pastrami (Reuben) Sandwich. (2.5 stars). GT's pastrami sandwich is different from most places I have eaten at because they cook their pastrami slices on a flat top grill. The pastrami had a nice seasoning but some of the sides were a little too burnt for my liking. Instead of the usual 1000 island (yuck) I requested spicy brown mustard & while it was a bit messy to eat, definitely hit the spot on a cold day. The sauerkraut was nice & crunchy which I appreciated. The "rye" bread was quite soft & fell apart before I could take a bite into the sandwich. The rye bread tasted like sourdough bread... --- All in all, GT is a quaint little water hole that is located right across the street from EB (Electric Boat). In its heyday, GT & Elfie's used to be THE places to go for EB employees during lunch. Most of the other establishments in this area (including Elfie's) is now closed due to the fact that EB now has a "cafeteria" on their premise. The owner/bartender is extremely friendly & social which made me feel at ease. Parking is wherever u find it. Street parking is about 1 block away in the residential area. But the good thing is, if u find a stall, it's free!

Family owned forever. This place is a throwback. Like time standing still. Old timey and dumpy. Try…read moreit you will like it.

Great Dive Bar - Delicious Food…read more Ryans is old dive bar pub with dated decor (which is a good thing) and plenty of food and drink deals. The food at this pub is spot on. I love their kickin chickin. its a great value and you can choose the sauce and trust me, i've tried all of them and they are all fantastic. also, the lobster roles and fried seafood are of the quality you would see at a seafood restaurant but without the high cost. Definitely check this place out if you are in Groton area. Thanks

In town visiting Of course I looked on yelp for a local…read moreplace to relax. I liked what I read so I decided to stop in. It's not easy being a woman and being by yourself but Erin the bartender made me feel welcome right away. My battery almost died and she went above and beyond by lending me her personal charger. I was grateful due to the fact that my phone was dying. She handled the bar with ease. Most people seemed to know each other and were very pleasant. I saw a couple pool tables to the side. Keno was playing but I'm not sure what else they offered. TV's were on playing sports and the enthusiast were really enjoying the game. I had already eaten so I can't tell you about the food but from what I saw it looked delicious If I'm ever in the area again I will definitely stop in and hopefully it's Erin's shift.

Fun brewery in an industrial center. It isn't really near anything else that we could see. There is…read morea tent outside for more seating options. The bartender was friendly and they had a nice variety of drink options.

I attended a fundraiser at the brewery. All my friends and family loved the place and the variety…read moreof beers. The bartender was great and despite how busy he was alone; he did a great job taking care of everyone.

Niantic Public House & Brewery: Solid Beer, Great Vibe, but the Bar Setup Needs Help…read more Final stop--or technically, our first--on our Niantic-to-Mystic beer crawl was Niantic Public House & Brewery, conveniently located near our Airbnb. The town was buzzing with tourists, and we caught the tail end of a local car show just up the street. The scene had great small-town energy, and live music was just setting up when we arrived. Bonus points for easy parking behind the building. The space has a cool, industrial vibe with bold murals from local artist Jacob Cullers giving it some character. The taproom itself is big, open, and welcoming, with plenty of seating at the bar and throughout the space. The décor isn't exactly cohesive, but it has personality--and for a laid-back beer hang, that works. We tried Mystery of Juiceboxin', a super juicy New England IPA brewed with Mosaic and Citra hops (juiceheads, this one's for you), and D.S.D., a stronger, bolder Imperial IPA. Both were solid pours and easy to enjoy. I ended up going back for a second, which--if you've read any of my brewery reviews--you'll know is my personal barometer for whether a place is worth the stop. The vibe here is clearly geared toward community--super family-friendly, casual, and unpretentious. The live music was a nice touch too. J.C. Revival, a local duo, was playing that afternoon and added just the right amount of energy without overwhelming the space. Now... let's talk about the service. The bartenders themselves were friendly, upbeat, and doing their best--but the layout of the bar is absolutely killing them. Glassware is at the front, taps and sinks are in the back, and it felt like they were in a constant loop just trying to fulfill basic orders. Even on a slow day, service was sluggish simply because of how inefficient the setup is. You could see how hard they were working, but the system they're working within just doesn't make sense. A bar remodel focused on flow and function would go a long way here--not just to improve speed, but to take some pressure off the staff, who really were trying their best. Bottom line: The beer is worth the visit, the space has charm, and the energy is welcoming. But if you go, pack a little patience. Here's hoping they invest in a more functional bar setup--because with better service speed, this place could be a standout.

Indoor and outdoor seating. Nautical murals on the wall inside. Seltzer and beer available…read more Everything we tried was delicious. Don't hesitate to make your way behind the other building through the back parking lot and find this place!

This is one of our local faves. The pub was for many years a family owned pharmacy honored by the…read morequote for the back room. The owner brought over the wood and decor from an Irish Pub so when you walk through the door you have magically been transported to Dublin. Creative cocktails and many beers on tap along with traditional Irish food complete the scene. The food is a awesome mix of Irish and American dishes. Guinness Beef Stew, Bangers and Mash, PEI Mussels, Steak Frites, and seafood dishes are sure to make this a pub favorite. They also have live music on the weekends and trivia nights. Hats off to the staff who make this place a local Cheers favorite.

I stopped in with a friend late afternoon on the Saturday of the Niantic Oyster Festival. It was…read morebefore dinner, it was calm and plenty of seats available. We sat at the bar which is our preferred spot and were greeted immediately and handed menus. I ordered wine and my date had a Guinness draft beer. Next we ordered mussels to share. They were delicious. The toasted bread used to soak up the broth. As we enjoyed our conversation and he had soup the restaurant started to fill up and it became much more lively with conversations and laughter. Next we ordered dinner. I had the pasta primavera and he ordered the shepherd pie. We were both pleased with our choices. Staff was very attentive even as the place filled. I would definitely go back.