Came here after going to bingo Loco to finish my celebratory birthday…read more We walked in within an hour of closing, so we were given last call. We were seated at a booth, but quickly moved to the bar where the bartender made our concoctions, chatted with us, and talked about the old distillery that was before the parlor. I got the Smoke Break; mezcal, wild moon sumac, apricot, amaro del capo, lime and absinthe. It was very good, very smoky, but the perfect balance. And of course, the birthday is not complete without shots! We ended up taking the sour cherry vodka, which is one of my favorites We were unable to get food as the kitchen was closed, but we will have to try next time

I originally found Hartford Flavor Cocktail Parlor by accident and it quickly became one of my…read morefavorite spots in Hartford. So of course I had to come back for dinner. The aesthetic is still gorgeous, the vibe is still immaculate, and the space feels both cozy and fun. They even have games tucked away so you can hang out longer, which makes it feel like more than just a bar or restaurant. This time I came for dinner and ordered the steak, which was perfectly tender, juicy, and full of flavor. I also tried the lamb (not usually my thing), but my friend who loves lamb absolutely cleared her plate. So that tells you everything you need to know. Even without having a cocktail this time (I just had water), the experience was still great, which says a lot about the atmosphere and service. We also did this fun blindfolded dessert experience where you're blindfolded and try to guess what you're eating. Its super unique and actually really good. I wish they gave us a little card explaining it, but it was still such a cool touch. Between the food, the ambiance, the creative touches, and the overall vibe, this place just keeps delivering. Whether you're going for brunch, dinner, drinks, or a fun night out, this spot is absolutely worth it. I'll definitely keep coming back.

Went for "girl dinner" on a Thursday and it did NOT disappoint…read more They have a special with a kale Caesar salad, fries, and an Aperol spritz for $25! (You can add chicken tenders for an upcharge $10) The drink can't be swapped for another alcoholic drink, but you can switch it for something non-alcoholic if you want. Everything was sooo well flavored. The kale Caesar? Literally to die for. I never take salad home because it gets soggy...but I ate it the next day and it was STILL so good and the croutons were somehow still crunchy The chicken tenders were amazing, the fries were perfection, and even though I'm not usually an Aperol spritz girl, I finished the whole drink 10/10 would go back for girl dinner

The Laurel Brunch today was selected for a special birthday--it was a delicious, pleasant…read moreexperience. The interior of the restaurant was lovely- beautiful wallpaper; comfortable booths. Food and cocktails were delicious.We shared delicious Brussels sprouts and chicken wings for appetizers. I had a creamy tofu scramble for my meal. My companions all had egg dishes which they all said were very tasty. For dessert I had scrumptious Tiramisu- not too sweet, just right! My companions had slices of confetti cake - the frosting was meringue! Their specialty cocktails were varied with interesting, flavorful combinations- not the usual. I decided to try a Manhattan instead which was very, very smooth. Our server, Lonnie, was very gracious and attentive. At the end of our brunch she served us sparkling wine, courtesy of The Laurel with a happy birthday note for our birthday celebrant- such a lovely surprise!

My son let me know this restaurant serves Arethusa Farms ice cream, which is heaven on earth!…read moreImmediately, my husband and I were triggered with heightened curiosity. We visited Arethusa Farms years ago, and we felt like pioneers discovering gold. I digress. I loved our experience at Le Mazet. The food is scrumptious and although the environ is cozy and has an inviting feel of a warm country cottage, the refined service is on par with the legendary Four Seasons Restaurant in NYC (not to be mistaken for the hotel flag). Chef's kiss to Jared and his inimitable staff!

A friend and I met for brunch at le mazet recently and it was a pleasure, from start to finish…read more I had emailed the business in advance for clarification on the brunch menu and received a prompt, friendly response. I made a reservation for our visit and was seated promptly at a beautiful table near the front door. The entire dining area is gorgeous--so much attention to detail. Service throughout our meal was attentive and friendly. I had the boeuf bourguignon and it was so tender and seasoned perfectly. I also had the bread service, featuring sourdough from Small State Provisions--the perfect accompaniment to this hearty stew. We both drank Le Poney Roses, which were balanced and beautiful--a fabulous mocktail that really embodies the spirit of a cocktail. We weren't rushed at all and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I will be back for more!

Meet up with friends for a few drinks and had a great time! Was surprised by live music and the…read moreespresso martinis were absolutely delicious!! The service was also great and easy parking is a plus!

I wanted a chocolate martini so I searched for a nearby place to try out & found Social Lounge…read more It's next to Max Fish in Sommerset square in Glastonbury. Plenty of parking. The place isn't too big. Bar stools & some hightops. There was a big screen tv with a football game on, and there was decent music (not too loud) playing. I had been to a speakeasy overseas recently, and though I wasn't expecting something that different, I did wish this place had a more interesting vibe. The interior was nice, just felt it needed something 'more'. We were there on a Saturday night - kind of early (a little after 8). Hardly anyone in the place, but I'm guessing it fills up later? I noticed outdoor tables for nicer weather which would be good. My chocolate martini was really good & reasonbly priced ($13). My husband had a beer (bottle) for $5. Server/bartender very nice, making sure our drinks were good. We didn't try any food (they have some small plates). Overall - there was nothing bad about Social Lounge. It was good, however, not great.

A selfie museum close to home that gives you the New York experience. Not too loud on the night…read morewhen I visited but there was a bar and a section for a DJ. This hidden gem is located on Market Street in Hartford right beside the 960 Main St building. It's a selfie museum and a restaurant all in one. The restaurant menu is small but there are a wide variety of options to choose from. I came for Christmas dinner with friends who were all dining for the first time. I ordered the New York strip with candied yams and mac and cheese. The mac and cheese was a little bland but was still edible. It was my first time trying candied yams and it was so rich, sweet, and delicious. I had my steak well done and it was so juicy. The serving size was also pretty decent as I had leftovers for the next day. For my drink, I had the soho punch which was very tasty and fruity. To be able to take pictures I believe you have to pay for that part separately, however, based on the numbers in our party, they told us we could take pics and you know the model I am, I went around and took photos at nearly all the photo booths. Each photo station has a ring camera with a ring light which makes it perfect for taking pictures especially if you do not have anyone to take your pictures. All the others in my party also enjoyed their meals. They had jerk chicken alfredo, fried whiting fish, salmon alfredo, Buffalo chicken wings, burgers and so much more. They also do paint and aip and will be hosting a New Year's Eve brunch if you are interested.

Every thing about my experience at the Social house was top tier! Service, food, Dj & fun!!…read more Professionalism that I have been seeing less of lately. Places like this renew hope, Love that it's in my hometown, bring life back to Htfd! Food was delicious. Highly recommend! 10 out of 10

Delicious grilled cheese! The drink was ok, the service was not unfriendly but not friendly either.read more

Very good experience visiting L Bar. Just learnt about this spot after my office moved into the…read moreBoat Building. It is very convenient and a good spot for happy hour. The happy hour menu is great and so is the timing, 1PM for a start, cannot complain. Very good drinks and the bartender, she is excellent; friendly, gave us recommendations and also topped off drinks for some of us. Definitely coming back to enjoy more drinks and trying the happy hour food menu too.

This is a fully self-contained mobile full bar is served from a converted horse trailer. The…read moreowner was professional, prompt and she met with me prior to our party to confirm all the details including the names of the signature cocktails and placement of the trailer. Cocktails and the Carriage is a must have at any event!!!!

Cocktails on the Carriage was the talk of our event. The staff was super friendly. Drinks were…read moreDELICIOUS!!! The owner customized a package specific to our needs. Highly recommend booking cocktails on the carriage for any event!

Stopped in and it was happy hour. Everyday 3:30-5:30 drinks, apps, food & pizza. We got the $8…read moresmash burger and it was delicious. Think a grilled cheese with a burger inside. It was just the right size too. Very flavorful. Got a side of fries too and they were just ok, next time we will try the duck fat crispy potatoes. Partner did get a bite of bone in their burger, but understand how that can happen. Great atmosphere and service. Sir at bar for happy hour.

*This review is from June 2023, I forgot to post it, accuracy was preserved with Word…read more Came for brunch. Menus were confusing, printed on paper in landscape format. Choices were limited to 'small and large plates', there was no appetizer section. We were asked "sparkling bottled ($$) or tap water?". We chose tap. Server brought an old-style quart-size milk bottle and small juice-size glasses. The water had no ice, so I assumed water was cold, it wasn't. I ordered a 'breakfast' stout, my wife coffee. Stout was served in a wine glass, not a traditional pint glass. Wife said coffee wasn't that hot. When they brought our beverages, wife asked for a napkin since none were on the table. Like most civilized countries, I like to put a napkin in my lap when I sit down in a restaurant. Apparently you need to ask for one here. Young server muttered something about place settings are brought when food is delivered. I guess an ale and coffee aren't napkin worthy. Not sure what they accomplish with this goofy policy. It looks more like some kind of cost cutting measure. We made reservations a week earlier, wanted us to confirm a second time through text the same morning. It led me to think this must be a popular place with people clamouring to get in. Once there, place wasn't bust at all, no waiting customers and a sea of unoccupied tables. Our guest arrived after we ordered our beverages. After a few minutes, I ended up flagging down a server to get her a drink. Another sign we were stuck with a 2nd or 3rd-string staff. Our aunt ordered a specialty drink from their menu; "champagne in a laundry basket", (looked more like laundry water in a wash tub). After taking our orders, paper menus were collected to be reused. Maybe they were saving money on copy paper. I kinda' wish she left one in case we wanted desserts or something later. They were keeping the table clear of literally everything. I ordered a humus plate for use as an appetizer, something to share and couldn't be screwed up while waiting for our main course. When entrees showed up, we all chose 'smoked sausage eggs-benedict', extra servers were in tow with plates, napkins and silverware, napkin place settings given after all plates were on the table. My wife was seated across from me, sitting next to her Aunt Nan. The first plate was placed in front of me. Even being the neanderthal caveman I am, I knew this was the most basic etiquette faux pas (I felt humiliated j/k). Ladies are ALWAYS served first, another red flag from an inexperienced staff. The 'smoked sausage' Eggs Benedict failed on many levels. It wasn't hot, poached eggs were both over and under-cooked- egg whites had chunky white snot, yolks were not runny. The 'smoked sausage', was kielbasa logs cut in half lengthwise, they were overcooked and impossible to cut without flattening and mutilating egg and muffin. They could be used as wheel chocks, I had to deconstruct it so sausage could be wrestled with on the side. Wife said the 'homemade' English muffin had the tap water taste like what we were served 'for free'. I couldn't help but envision a garden hose filling a mop bucket used for filling the milk bottles. The Hollandaise sauce lacked silky richness and flavor, I've had better with McCormick packets. Benedict was overpowered with the taste of the smoked sausage. This meal was our aunt's special treat for our birthdays. They did not finish their meals, leaving mostly the pieces of the hockey puck-hard sausage. Server had been touting the pastry chef for the home-made English muffins. They were not any better than Thomas's English muffins. I am a plate-cleaner by habit, I've even been called human garbage disposal, so I managed to clear this one, (except for the egg snot, it would've taken a straw to finish it). My wife always has leftovers I happily dispose of quietly, not this time, gave it a hard pass. I felt unfulfilled, I was food frustrated, so I ordered some bacon cheese scones and shared them with the table. They turned out to be the best thing we had, warm Bisquick quality with a good taste of bacon and cheese almost as addicting as Red Lobster cheddar biscuits. We consumed them like a pack of hungry wolves. I asked and was told they don't serve them with butter. These begged for butter. IMO, butter should already be on the table. My wife picked this venue for our birthday treat meal with our beloved Aunt Nan from MA treating us. I apologized to her for our disappointing choice. She said she was glad I said it, she didn't want to say anything to make us feel bad. With tip, the bill for 3 was $171.00. We could have had a better meal and service at an IHOP for a quarter of the cost, I know I would have felt more satisfied. This experience made onto my list of top 5 worst eating experiences.

NACHOS ARE GOOD AF and the Patrón margarita was Patrón Margarita-ing (hence the all caps)…read more I used to like those fake Mexican restaurants like puerto Vallarta and plaza azteca in Newington and they SUCK now. Idk why but they're just not good anymore. But the drinks here have actual fresh muddled fruit in them, not some bullshit mix like in the other places. And the nachos are just good. High quality meat, fresh chips, fresh pico. So good.

The food here is amazing, I had the shrimp tacos spicy version and it was amazing, the flavor is so…read morespicy and also the flavor of lime is there too. I also enjoyed the sides salad and rice with it. We had a party of 7 and also ordered the corn as an appetizer and wow it was amazing. The service is great too with the large orders we had they were very attentive and nice. Great customer service. The restaurant is also very nice and they had a band playing for my sil birthday they sang happy birthday and to my 1 year old daughter a kids song. A beautiful looking restaurant I will be back here .

The 196 Club is definitely a "speakeasy" location you should try! I went for a pre wedding…read morecelebration and we reserved half of the location. The bartenders were super friendly and made sure to keep up with the demands of our venue. The food and drinks were top-notch. We were served some finger food, and the meat balls were to die for. The drinks had interesting twists to classic drinks and left me wanting more. If you like mystery and enter a secret hidden bar for the elite just like in the movies, this location will make you feel like that with its setup.

What do you find behind a candy store in Hartford, Connecticut? A very cool speakeasy. We dropped…read morein for a drink after dinner. Our bartender, Jon, gave us great suggestions and made excellent drinks. It wasn't too busy, they played good music, and we could imagine the space with some live music. I highly recommend it, and we will definitely return. Thanks, Jon!