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    Zen Bar

    3.6 (65 reviews)
    ModerateBars, Karaoke
    Closed • 4:00 pm - 1:00 am (Next day)

    Zen Bar Photos

    ZEN BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Karaoke
    Very loud
    Casual
    Good for dancing

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    Recommended Reviews - Zen Bar

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    Reviews With Photos

    Picture I took of a band that rocked the house on March 30th at the Zen Bar. They have great live music when not doing Karaoke nights.
    Joseph S.

    The Zen Bar is a cool place tucked in the heart of Plainville CT. They do Karaoke nights and its a big thing for them but on occasion they have bands play. The drinks reasonably priced and the bar staff is awesome. I talked with an awesome girl working the bar who had no problem being social with the patrons. They have a killer stage for bands when they have them and pool tables in the back near the bands so you listen and play. The night I was there they had a band who was very good and played a ton of different songs from all over the place. The parking for Zen Bar is ample and plentiful so don't be afraid that your going to be having ride up on grass to enjoy yourself. When bands play they have Karaoke off in a side section near the bar BUT I think they use the main stage for Karaoke on any other time. Highly recommend this place if you love the music scene and live or will be in the area.

    a bottle of liquor and two shot glasses
    D W.

    Zen bar will feel like home to you ! Relaxed environment. Friendly staff and people. We always have a good time and catch a conversation with locals enjoying themselves. The owner Gian will make sure you leave happier then when you entered : )

    apps
    Tyler M.

    This place is my favorite local bar. The service is always great, the bartenders know your name and are super friendly! This is the type of bar where everybody knows your name, it is easy to talk to everybody and make friends. If you are into this sort of thing, they have couches if you want to get close to your s.o I have not tried much of the food here, only finger food like the sweet potato fires- very good =) They also offer many other bites, none of which I have had because I come here to drink lol Free pool most nights and karaoke every night, this is why I keep coming back. I will not lie, some nights it can be completely empty here but I come here still because of the speed of service, the cheap beer and the people I get to talk to. Highly recommended if you are into making friends and hanging out. TLDR: bartenders are nice, owner is awesome, pool is free, what else could you ask for?

    Nice area in front of the bar we claimed for our party of 12 ladies, with room to play our party games.

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    Business owner information

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    Zen B.

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    14 years ago

    Fun place --karaoke Wednesday

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    Page 1 of 2

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    Review Highlights - Zen Bar

    “Giancarlo the owner is an incredibly kind natured person who truly understands his customers and welcomes them.”

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    The Groggy Frogg - Buffalo Garlic Parm

    The Groggy Frogg

    3.7(108 reviews)
    6.1 mi
    •$$

    As my previous reviews indicate, my sons and I are on the hunt for the best hidden gem wings in the…read morestate. Our travels took us to The Groggy Frog and we were thrilled we took the hour drive in the snow. Service: Prompt, Authentic, Laid Back - no corporate pieces of flare (thank goodness). Atmosphere: you had me at hello. Dive bar, watering hole, where everyone goes vibe. Small. Unique. They definitely do not make them like this anymore. Great music and bar noise. Rustic wood. High tops all around. Fantastic. The wings: so far the best hidden gem we have found. Way better than others in Southington I have previously visited and reviewed. Tons of flavors. They also offer wings in 5's, so, if you're like us and want to try a few sauces - you're in a great position until you find your go-to's. We ordered: hot buffalo, buffalo blue, chipotle honey horseradish, teriyaki wasabi, and an order of their fried shrimp tossed in hot buffalo. All hot, crispy, excellent. While all the sauces were good, the hot buffalo and chipotle honey horseradish make the cut for our next visit. We can't wait to be back and try 3-4 other sauces with the 2 we've fallen in love with. Note: I love the blue cheese dressing at places as much as the wings. I have noticed the wing places in Southington serve a thicker (almost spreadable) homemade blue cheese. It was excellent. But because of its thickness, we went through a lot. And, as you may read in my other reviews, I hate the 2oz soufflé cups in a wing place. 4oz minimum please. Only thing I've learned to do better next time - ask for tons of extra napkins. I prefer when they're either stored on the table, or better, have paper towel rolls on the tables at the elite wing joints.

    All of the flavors of wings we had were delicious & unique. Definitely try the capn' crunch wings…read morew/ fluff! They have a great draft list & other great options for food on the menu. Staff is very helpful & there's plenty of space to find a seat and hang out and listen to a band or karaoke.

    Photos
    The Groggy Frogg - Interior

    Interior

    The Groggy Frogg - Chip It Up! Wings (10 Pieces)

    Chip It Up! Wings (10 Pieces)

    The Groggy Frogg - Exterior

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    Exterior

    Spelunkers - Mule

    Spelunkers

    4.5(8 reviews)
    6.1 mi

    I made it back for trivia night! We had an AWESOME time!…read more The two bartenders were so attentive and friendly for the entirety of the night, we were never in need of anything. The mule is definitely my favorite drink here, it's been made perfectly each time I had it. We had a big group, so we ordered a variety of bar bites and I'm thoroughly impressed with the quality of all the food. Especially the garlic bread, wow!!! It was piping hot, fresh and fluffy and just perfect. The host for trivia did a fantastic job and created a super fun event for us. The questions were general-knowledge enough that mostly anyone could have participated. Somehow our team won and the prizes were so fun!! More people need to know about this place!!

    Went to Spelunkers back on March 22 to check out some live music that they had that night. Good…read morelive music in Southington is hard to come by in the area. I used to go down the street, but the music selection there changed. For those of you frequent to Southington, Spelunkers took over the old Dial 9 speakeasy location. It's a competitive food area and I didn't know what to expect. I'm happy to say that for being marketed as strictly a dive bar, Spelunkers hit all the marks and some. It also was surprisingly large inside compared to what it looked like from the outside (Which was great because some of the other bars nearby are cramped). Their burgers were good and my friends felt the same way about the food that they ordered as wll. They have ample seating (and a variety of it) as well as a pool table and some arcade games to do while listening to music. Prices for drinks were also fair. The interaction that I had with staff, although brief was very friendly. The band they had that night was excellent. Glad I came to see them. They played an eclectic mix of both genres and decades. They were energetic, their song choice were great and they were refreshing to see compared to the typical Southington fare. If they come back to Spelunkers, I'll free my schedule up to come and see. Been watching the socials . Happy to have a fun bar experience again around here and look forward to my next trip.

    Photos
    Spelunkers
    Spelunkers
    Spelunkers - Entrance

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    Entrance

    The Boombox Karaoke - Private Karaoke Rooms

    The Boombox Karaoke

    3.7(105 reviews)
    74.6 mi•DownCity
    •$$

    After all the years I've lived in this area and all the times I've visited Providence, I genuinely…read morecannot believe I had never heard of The Boombox. That changed this weekend, and I'm honestly a little annoyed that it took us this long to discover it. The day started innocently enough. My wife and I were doing one of our usual brewery and cocktail crawls through Providence, and at this point in the evening we were walking from Westminster Street toward Federal Hill. It was around 11:00 PM, and after a day involving several breweries, I had reached the inevitable point where finding a restroom had become a priority. We happened to be passing the Dean Hotel, so my wife suggested that I ask if I could use the lobby bathroom. We walked into the hotel, asked the guy at the desk, and he was nice enough to point me toward the restroom. While I was taking care of business, my wife, being the wonderfully nosy person that she is, noticed a door with red lights flashing around it and naturally went to investigate. I came out of the bathroom a few minutes later and she informed me that there was this really cool, divey-looking place behind the door where everyone was singing and that we absolutely needed to go check it out. For once, following my wife's curiosity turned out to be an excellent decision. We walked into The Boombox and ended up having one of the most unexpectedly fun parts of the entire night. The atmosphere is warm, upbeat and incredibly welcoming. It has that slightly dive-bar, slightly underground-club feeling that makes you immediately relax and feel like you're supposed to be there. Everyone seems to be there for the same reason: have some drinks, sing badly or surprisingly well, cheer for strangers, and generally have a ridiculous amount of fun. And the karaoke setup is excellent. You pay just $1 per song to sing, there is an extensive songbook, and on a busy weekend night they have a system that keeps people moving through the rotation rather than leaving everyone wondering whether they'll actually get their turn before closing. There is seating along the walls, but once the place really fills up, expect to be standing. Honestly, that's probably the better way to experience it anyway. The energy comes from the crowd. If you've never seen a 40-year-old Bavarian doctor grab a microphone and sing Blink-182's "What's My Age Again?" while dancing around like she's 18 years old, then you haven't lived. My wife absolutely owned that room. I have known her for a long time and have seen plenty of sides of her, but watching her completely commit to that performance was something else. We laughed until we hurt, and that's exactly what a night like this is supposed to be. The bar is also very good. There's a nice selection of cocktails, beer and other drinks, and the bartenders know what they're doing. You can order a classic or try something a little more creative, and the drinks fit the atmosphere perfectly. You're not coming here for some quiet, contemplative cocktail experience, but you also aren't stuck drinking watered-down nonsense just because you're at a karaoke bar. The staff deserve a lot of credit, too. Everyone we interacted with was friendly and welcoming, and there was none of that weird attitude you sometimes encounter at nightlife spots where the staff seem annoyed that customers are actually there. The whole place has an energy that makes you feel supported when you decide to get up and sing, which is important because most people need at least a little encouragement before voluntarily standing in front of a room full of strangers with a microphone. It can definitely get crowded, especially on weekends, so don't expect to stroll in late on a Saturday and have your choice of seats. There are some seats around the perimeter, but when it's packed, you're probably going to be standing. They also have private rooms available for parties, which would be a fantastic option if you're looking to do something a little more organized for a birthday or group event. What I love most is that we weren't even looking for this place. We were simply walking through Providence, I needed a bathroom, my wife saw a mysterious red-lit door and decided to investigate, and suddenly we had discovered what became one of the highlights of our entire night. Those are usually the best places, the ones you don't find because somebody told you to go there. You find them because you happened to open the right door. Will we be back? Absolutely. One hundred percent. The Boombox is one of those places where you can walk in not knowing anyone and leave feeling like you've been part of the party. Great atmosphere, friendly staff, good drinks, an enormous selection of songs and a crowd that clearly came to have fun. If you're in Providence and haven't been, give it a shot. Just be prepared to discover that your wife apparently has a secret career waiting for her as the lead singer of Blink-182.

    Worst service I've ever experienced in my life. Paid $50 for a drink which I never got a single sip…read moreof. My bartender asked me to lean in because she loved the smell of my perfume. As I'm leaning forward she placed my drink right in front of me which I didn't see and it spilled all over my outfit and the bar and she refused to comp me for it at all. One of those experiences that you never forget because you feel like you were wronged. The drink was only $20 but I was tipping her over the compliment and felt completely robbed after. On top of that what's the point in paying to request songs if we have to sit and wait for the bartender to sing all her choices first. Terrible service will never recommend to anyone I know. Upon looking at the reviews I'm not the only person that has been treated rudely at this establishment by your female bartender. What are you guys going to do about this? Years of complaining about your bartenders is not okay.

    Photos
    The Boombox Karaoke - Lounge Area

    Lounge Area

    The Boombox Karaoke
    The Boombox Karaoke

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    Chez Est - A few examples of the local art that's displayed at The Chez and rotates throughout the year

    Chez Est

    3.8(34 reviews)
    10.0 mi•South End
    •$

    Every marginalized community needs its spaces to feel connected. I started going to the old Chez in…read morethe late-'70s and it's always been an important nexus for the marginalized. You can express joy here. I moved away in the '80s but when I'm back in CT to visit family I usually stop by there (which I still refer to as "The New Chez EST") at least once. I had an insane amount of fun one theme night I happened to show up for recently. May the Chez ever thrive. Hartford needs it.

    "Kind of a drag When your baby don't love you"…read more(The Buckinghams) When one of your closest friends invites you to a drag show, you step out of your comfort zone and go! That's what eight of us did today as we headed over to Chez Est for a 90's themed "Brunch in Heels" featuring Loosey Laduca's crew of three singing and dancing drag queens. Loosey was the emcee, had an entertaining patter throughout the show, introduced the performers, and gave a stirring rendition of "the greatest song of the 90's" - My Heart will Go On from Titanic. So what other songs did we hear as the performers danced, did some bone cracking splits, strutted around the stage, and worked the crowd for tips? We heard Lady Marmalade by Li'l Kim, Lose My Breath by Destiny's Child, Let's Get Loud by J Lo, Barbie Girl by Aqua, Groove is in the Heart by Deee-Lite, Donatella by Lady Gaga, and Shoop by Salt-N-Pepa. We even heard a medley of 90's kiddie TV shows including Animaniacs and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The show was very entertaining and included an audience participation segment where birthday boys and girls crashed the stage for a dance-off and a beer chugging competition. Oh, and we also had brunch there -the food menu is very reasonable and ranged from $8 to $12 a plate for eggs, waffles, breakfast tacos and the like. Eight of us ate and drank for $300 including tip. That doesn't include the scores of singles we spent tipping the entertainers. I thought the staff at Chez Est was very accommodating and helped us move and consolidate our two tables so we had a better view of the stage. But even if you sit way in the back, the entertainers strut their stuff throughout the premises to hit every table, and there are a few strategically placed flat screens on the walls showing the stage action. It was quite a fun time.

    Photos
    Chez Est - The Chez's stage

    The Chez's stage

    Chez Est - The Chez's newly built stage & lights (during daylight)

    The Chez's newly built stage & lights (during daylight)

    Chez Est - The Chez's bar is always fully stocked

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    The Chez's bar is always fully stocked

    Zen Bar - bars - Updated October 2026

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