We were looking for a place to eat after a morning of softball games. Artisanal Burger Company…read morecaught my eye. I was curious about what constitutes "artisanal". Ambience: they have a spacious contemporary dining room and a separate bar section complete with TV screens all over the place. Food: we ordered: Calamari - the portion size was average, but the squid pieces were small in size. 4/5 Pastrami Reuben - this was a bit too salty and oily. 2/5 Dry Age Burger - this was really good. The funkiness of the dry age flavor came through. The burger was moist and hit the spot. 5/5 Onion Rings - 4 jumbo fried rings of oniony goodness. 5/5 Service: super friendly and nice.

Stopped in for lunch and we're seated immediately. Combination of booths and tables for seating…read more Chairs are comfortable but they are low for a tall person (table comes about lower chest height). Server showed up quickly and took our drink orders. Menu is extensive and should provide plenty of options for everyone. (Pictures of menu included here) We ordered the 5 ounce burger with cheese and fries and the Texas hold em burger with bacon minus tomato and lettuce and fries and the French onion soup. There was a short wait till the soup came out. Nicely covered with melted cheese on top. The soup was good but didn't have the depth of beef flavor and spice texture that I was looking for. There plenty of onions, croutons, and cheese and overall it was okay. The burgers were well cooked and flavorful. They offered two sizes of their standard burgers, 5 or 8 ounces. The smaller size was just right for the person I was with. The cheese seemed to melt into the burger so it wasn't really visible. The hold em burger was large and had onion straws and three slices of very crispy bacon on top. There was a dollop of the bbq/house dressing and plenty of onions straws. The straws were nicely fried but not crispy by the time they reached the table but added a good dimension to the burger. It was good to leave the tomato and lettuce off as the height of the burger made it tough to bite into. The fries were disappointing. They had the right color for being fried and crispy but they were limp and soft. They are clearly are fresh cut from large potatoes but really need to be fried longer to get that crispy crunch you'd expect. Told the server that and was told to ask for the fries extra crispy. Overall not a bad first trip. We'll go back and try some other things on the menu and see what extra crispy fries are like.

We sat at the bar and ordered some food and drinks. portions were good, Everything came out…read moregenerous and shareable. We tried the cornbread with butter and wow... super soft, a little sweet, and honestly addicting. The buffalo chicken mac & cheese was the standout for me. It was super creamy, cheesy, and packed with flavor. The buffalo chicken had a nice kick without being overpowering, and the bleu cheese added that extra richness. We also had drinks at the bar which were well-made, pretty, and not watered down (always a plus). Overall, I'd say this is a solid spot if you're in the mood for comfort food, big portions, and a fun, casual atmosphere. I'd definitely come back hungry next time.

American restaurant with a ton of different options, and a huge gluten-free selection…read more I came here for dinner with some friends and we split an order of the fried pickles, and I got a chicken sandwich as well. Everything was solid.

The limited food I had there and service was fine, but the band I saw, Out of the Boxx, this past…read moresummer was phenomenal! Great funk music, very accomplished group and super fun dance floor at The Pub. Who knew such a place existed right in South Windsor! Can't wait to go back!

This is NOT one of the reviews you should skip. And I'm not having a bad day I want to take out on…read morea review. This place had 4.4 stars when I found it after visiting a cleaning my employees were doing in south Windsor in Pepin Place (named for legitimacy and to prove this is not a robot) The server had a weird energy from the jump but it was ignorable and I'll keep my race out of it; we've all had bad days. She let me try a beer before I eventually ordered it, everything was fine. We ordered our food, and with a staggering 4-5 other people in the restaurant, our food took much longer than it should've in my honest opinion. That is just icing, not my main issue, but since we're reviewing a restaurant and not a doctors office, yeah... I explicitly asked if the half nachos were a good size for one person, and the server seemed adamant they would be so I got that and onion rings. The food finally came and I'm not exaggerating when I saw there were 12-15 chips on the plate. For a half order, the chicken portion was fine but I didn't order a pile of chicken. My lady's smash burger was probably the least appetizing thing I've ever had brought to a table I was sitting at. We respectfully let the server know her burger looks terrible and I admitted to eating some of the nachos so I'd pay for it, but that I would like to send the nachos back. My son with me had chicken tenders and got be with us, his food looked more appetizing than anyone else's. The server/bartender took it upon herself to take our comments about the food personal, which was evident by her snap response to let us know the obvious- that she didn't cook it (Sherlock is ALIVE). It all went left from there; the server brought me a check with an extra drink on it, tried to refuse printing me another check but I made her. She brought the check back and I took it upon myself to compare the check (which only states the general classification of the item, not the item) to the menu. This restaurant is likely charging everyone extra dollars on menu items because I found my son's chicken tenders listed as $14 in the receipt but the menu says $13 (again, numbers inserted to add legitimacy). She tried to tell me she'll just charge a dollar less than what the receipt says but that's not gunna work for me (don't know about you) at a place that just tried to over charge me TWICE within a 3 mins span. Server took it upon herself to call her boss, who unfortunately was not in today. I'm confident her story is missing key details and this review is a love letter to him directly. It's also a warning that I scanned my receipt, left this review stating it was about $58, and I'm sure they don't want the consequences of retaliating by trying to overcharging me for a third time. I'd stay far away from this place if you enjoy good service and quality meals.

The food quality here is solid.(first time at THIS location)…read more My 'Shackburger' was fresh and cooked perfectly. However, they seemed drowned in orders during a Thursday evening rush. A 30 minute wait is wild, and it threw off the food timing. The fries were made too early and sat around getting cold, and the milkshake lacked that thick consistency. It felt like I was drinking flavored milk. Shoutout to the employee who brought our food and apologized for the delay. Overall, the staff are nice and the food is good. They just need to figure out how to manage a crowd without letting the food timing slide.

I was so surprised and made my dog's day when I went to pick up my son's food that I ordered…read moreonline. Drove up to the drive thru and was greeted with the girl that handled the drive thru area and she noticed my dog in the car and automatically gave me a treat for my dog. I didn't even know they do that along with I was so impressed that they carry their own logo dog biscuits. Just want you to know you made my dogs visit a happy one. Thank you shack shake for caring for our fur baby.

Every time we come here we have a great experience. The bartender Dan always very attentive. And…read moregreat to talk with. Makes a great drink especially Huckleberry jalapeño Margarita. Extra spicy.

Went to the bar for dinner, had an amazing experience with Sam as my bartender! Super friendly…read moreservice and knowledgeable about the menu. Ambiance is relaxing and the food is delicious every time!!

Their grilled ham and Swiss with tomato soup is the best I've ever had. It was delicious!!!read more

Big Fan of their $11 Lunch Meal Deal. Includes Fries, Drink and either their Grilled Chicken or…read moreHamburger. Their fries are cooked really well; there is a nice firm crisp on them. Hamburger and Grilled Chicken is what you would expect it to be and I enjoyed them . What really is special about the place is it's family run with the salad place next to it. You get the feeling that your business is appreciated. You always get a warm welcome and thanked for stopping by. It's the small things. Lastly it's located in the State House Square food court which can be loud if it's full but this day had a nice quiet feel to eat to enjoy a peaceful meal.

This is my third time at burtons grill . And as always we had a great time . The atmosphere is…read moregreat beautiful decor on the inside comfortable seating and lightening . They even have outdoor seating ( covered to allow shade) . The service is always great . Our server was very polite , attentive, asked about allergies , gave his suggestions , and constantly checked in on us to make sure we had everything . For started I got the firecracker shrimp , which had a sweet and tangy sauce which was delicious highly recommend ( I personally didn't think it was spicy but had great flavour ) For my entree I got the California chicken sandwich which was really good . Highly recommend and I got the side of truffle fries which had just the right amount of truffle ( since I personally don't like to much truffle ) Plenty of flavour . I also ordered the aperol spritz which was nice and light and refreshing . My friend ordered the filet which was cooked perfectly to what he wanted. Nice light seasoning with salt and pepper and juicy on the inside . Served with delicious mashed potatoes and green beans . The espresso martini he said was his second best he's ever tasted ! Which is a win . For dessert we. Tried the seven layer chocolate cake to go! Which heated up and with a scoop of ice cream was amazing very thick and rich in flavour which I loved. Overall good food , great service and great ambiance . I will def be back

First, I want to say that the manager I met was so kind and hospitable. He checked in on me, asked…read moreif I needed a suggestion when he saw me struggling with a choice, and he even offered to get me a dessert! He was well-versed in gluten free options, and I appreciated how hard he worked running dishes, assisting servers where he could, and still taking care of customers. Now for the food! Food was solid, but I was looking for more WOW. Now, the appetizers were WOW. Gluten free calamari and the Bang Bang Cauliflower were WOW. I could not have told that they were gluten free! Especially the calamari! The coating stuck to the calamari well and was not too greasy. The cauliflower was very good, and while I would have enjoyed a little less sauce, it was so much fun to eat such a crispy delicious bite of fried broccoli. I also had the octopus and roasted potatoes, and while the octopus was cooked well and was delicious, the roasted potatoes were almost rubbery. I wanted them hotter, roasted, browned and crispy a little bit, but they were plain. The dish came with a corn succotash as well, but I I was looking for a different flavor with this dish. I also got the gluten free lobster roll, and maybe it's the style I wasn't a big fan of (warm buttered), but I think there's an opportunity to butter the roll itself and toast it on a griddle to invoke that crispy buttered roll that screams lobster roll deliciousness. The fries were great. I live it when they aren't too thin, a little thicker, nicely salted, and that perfect crunchy crispy brown and caramelized with a soft center. Add some lovely service, and I would happily come back to Burton's and all of their gluten free options any day of the week. What a treat!

Going to Shady Glen is a bit like stepping back in time. It's that 'old timey' ice cream parlor,…read morefrom the decor to the servers (outfits), to the food. Nostalgia. Memories. A stop on the way back to UCONN when I was a student there. The "go to" place after our kids' school events. Shortly after we moved to Manchester, over 38 years ago, the restaurant was closed for renovations. We were looking forward to seeing the revamped restaurant. Well, we were even more surprised when we stepped in the door - nothing had changed! Cleaner, perhaps new Naugahyde on the seats, but that mural on the wall was the same - those elves were timeless. When you sit down, you get a small paper cup of water. The menus are on the the wall - soups, sandwiches & ice cream. I'd always heard they had a patent on the way their cheeseburgers were made - a burger topped with crispy cheese. A must have. Prior to Covid, the condiments tray had ketchup, mustard & chopped onions. Now, there are packets of the condiments. No onions though. We shared an order of fries - crispy & good. I was too full to have ice cream after our meal, so we brought a half gallon (yes - a real half gallon) of our favorite flavor home - chocolate almond joy. Yum! Note - you need cash. No cards. There is an ATM in the restaurant.

Every once in a while, I don't connect with a place that many people love. Shady Glen was one of…read morethose spots. But I'm always open to the idea that maybe I didn't get it right, and I eventually return. I recently visited the original Shady Glen, and I'm now a fan. This was my first visit to the original location, and perhaps that makes a difference. My other two or so visits were to the now closed other Manchester location. The atmosphere is a 50's style ice cream restaurant that also serves food. There are some tables. Some counter seats. Workers in old timey outfits. Definitely an old school vibe that they pull off. Service was friendly. I visited with two goals. Try a hot dog. And eat an Original Bernice Winged Cheeseburger. Probably the most famous burger in CT. SG uses CT's Grote & Weigel hot dogs. They split and grill them. They served mine sort of sandwich style on a long bun with a toothpick in the middle. Definitely an original presentation. They have no specialty dogs beyond the crispy cheese they also serve on the burgers. They do give you quality packets of relish, mustard and ketchup and a small container of chopped onions. I added all these ingredients. And it was a tasty dog. The Original Bernice Winged Cheeseburger arrived, looking like a monarch, sitting on a throne of crinkle cut French Fries. The crispy cheese design, with all those angles extending from the bun, is an engineering marvel. There is melty cheese too. The burger looked about like a quarter pound. Tasted good. I added lettuce and tomato. Both fresh. A one of a kind burger that has thrilled people for Decades. The fries were fine. The Cole Slaw, however, was top tier. There was more than just thin chopped cabbage. Kale maybe. Some other stuff. The dressing was tasty, and the slaw wasn't overly dressed. Shady Glen is a CT classic. Indeed, an American Classic according to James Beard. Who can argue with that? 4.25 Stars

We are always on the lookout for good places to go for breakfast and Oscar's in South Windsor on…read moreSullivan Avenue was a wonderful find. I think it is relatively new (change from another restaurant in the same location)? Plenty of parking, both in front & in the back of the building. There is an outside patio that will be nice to use when the weather is a little warmer. Inside, the space is good sized, with both booths & tables. Our server was very nice, friendly and welcoming. Food was very good. Stronger coffee (which I prefer). My husband & I both had omelettes. The omelettes are made with 3 eggs & come with toast & potatoes. We always ask to have the potatoes cooked a little crispier and they were good. Prices were good. I noticed that there are gluten free items on the menu too. We will be back.

A friend recently mentioned Oscar's. He and the Mrs. stopped in for lunch…read more First of all, kudos to Oscar's for being open 7 days / wk, for B, L, and D. Ample parking. Indoor (two sides, one w bar) and outdoor seating (in nice weather). So, I tried the cheeseburger with a side of fries. Advertised as 8 ozs. It was very good, not great. Definitely a patty, and also did not have that charbroiled taste. Bun was substantial, and held the cb well. Fries were very good. For me, the price point was slightly high, more in line with what a pub might charge. Lots of choices on the menu, and some interesting breakfast options. I also liked the happy hour listings. Service very good. So, overall, I am a fan. 4 stars

Walked in to meet my son center location. Have never been to downtown Manchester. What a great…read morecommunity. Walked into Urban lodge and there are kids running everywhere - people in running gear stretching for or from a run. I LOVED IT Keep in mind I have not even sat down. I go to get a drink and I LOVE that they have a UCONN pour (delicious beer BTW) but I am an IPA girl super hazy hoppy lover and they did not disappoint- no clue what it was called you will have to find out for yourself Okay so I settle in meet up with my people and we order food (BTW happy hour 4 - 6 daily I think) I had three hungry students with me so they ordered so much I believe there were burgers, chicken sandwiches, pasta, I had a grilled cheese it was amazing! Also then there was trivia night happened and the sweet beautiful person that was doing it was adorable and engaging and so fun. Also I suck at trivia.

Came here after a hike with the dog! Dog friendly indoor and out. Fire pit outside and lounge areas…read moreinside. Multiple TVs, darts and a place to listen to bands when they play Our bar tender was busting her butt ALONE at the bar, but took care of everyone effortlessly. The line never stopped We got a cider and the mixed berry sour beer. Both were delicious. The huskies were playing so he got their game day special smarhburger for $7. Everything is à la carte