Just had a birthday lunch with a friend at Bidwell Tavern Great blackened burger, generous and tasty Margaritas and excellent wings.. Super attentive service by our waitress The interior is a little tired but overall a solid lunchtime experience read more

Bidwell Tavern has an amazing "tavern" vibe to it. It is exactly what I think of when I want to go to a tavern. I had the Tavern platter of wings, 30 wings 3 flavors. They were excellent! I had the Santa Fe rub, Cajun hot honey and the lemon pepper. All very distinct and delicious flavors. The beer selection is very good, you can also get mixed drinks or plenty of non alcohol drinks too. Fast and friendly service to go along with the awesome vibe. Bidwell Tavern is a great gathering spot. read more

Bidwell Tavern - Tavern wings - American Near Me - Coventry, Connecticut

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Food and service was great! Wings were not dry at all! And our waitress was absolutely great! We mentioned that it was our first time coming into Bidwell and she gave us exceptional service! Highly recommend the hot honey egg rolls!! We will definitely be back! read more

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Our first time coming here. Do NOT get the Bay Barbecue wings. I should have known when the waitress said " what?" meaning she prob didn't even know it was on the menu. It was awful. I don't know who thought those flavors went well together but also the barbecue sauce was not your regular sauce. Very fruity not your standard like sweet baby rays. And unfortunately they only do one sauce for 10 wings so I lost out. I couldn't even finish one. And I'm still trying to get the smell out of my fingers. read more

Ambiance amazing as usual. Had the scallops and they were on point....delicious stuffing and cooked perfect. Dinner salad is a great sized portion and always fresh, none of that wilted crap. Balsamic vinaigrette was delish. Loved the fresh veggies and my rice was amazing. Yum yum yum!!!! read more

I loved this place when I was a student at UConn... now that both of my kids are students there, I was able to go back and enjoy it again. Love their wings (nothing has changed in 25 years) and the atmosphere. Our server was funny and efficient! Definitely recommend! read more

Another fun dinner on wings Wednesday . How can you go wrong with 30 wings and four beers for $35? Our favorite was dry rub garlic pepper. Not a fan of Cajun honey bbq! It was worth a try. read more

Bidwell Tavern - 30 wings.. 3 flavors! Garlic pepper for the win. - American Near Me - Coventry, Connecticut

Had a wonderful lunch with my family this afternoon. I haven't been here in over a decade. They are famous for their delicious wings. You can sit yourself upon arrival in the bar area. Jessie was our server and she was great. We started with the garlic pepper dry rub wings with hot buffalo sauce and ranch on the side. They were seasoned perfectly with the garlic pepper rub. Crispy outside and moist and cooked inside. It honestly didn't need any sauce but my guys love dipping. The mozzarella sticks were lightly battered and crispy. The cheese pull was great. The mozzarella sticks were served with delicious marina sauce. The shrimp taco was mediocre. The shrimps were on the smaller side and heavily battered. It was served in a soft flour tortilla, cut romaine lettuce, diced tomatoes, red onions and on their delicious coleslaw. It came with a side of tartar sauce which was tasty. The coleslaw definitely saved this dish. I wouldn't order it again. The tuna melt with cheese and tomato on rye bread was phenomenal! I opted for the coleslaw instead of fries and I'm so glad. The coleslaw is lightly tossed in a mayo base but very refreshing. It has a nice bite to it. I would definitely order this again and would love to try other sandwiches. The cheeseburger was okay. Not the worst and not the best. Cooked medium as requested and their French fries are delicious. Casual tavern ambiance. A bit loud because of the bar but they also have patio dining and a restaurant area in the back. I would definitely return to try more dishes. read more

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Such a nostalgic place for me. Both parents are UConn Alums so every time we visit the campus, stopping at Bidwell is a must. Interior creates such a cool vibe, I love sitting in the bar area. We of course had to get the wings, half buffalo half parm everything. Great, crispy, flavorful wings. Waitresses were all very nice and attentive. I love when we stop here. read more

Bidwell Tavern - 1/2 mild buffalo 1/2 parm everything - American Near Me - Coventry, Connecticut

Yummy experience! First time here. Has that classic vibe! Great food, yummy tacos. The beers on point. Had a nice time Sitting outside. .

We visited the Bidwell Tavern on Saturday May 30th around 7:00pm. The exterior of the building looked modern and inviting. There was plenty of parking and easy access to the restaurant. The staff members were friendly and looked like they enjoyed their jobs. The inside was very nicely decorated and very clean. The brick walls and vaulted wood ceiling really added to the charm and ambiance of the establishment. My wife had the Bidwell seafood on pasta which was loaded with scallops and shrimp. I had the baked scallops with baked potato and mixed veggies. Our meals came out hot and fresh and were exceptionally well prepared. My complements to the kitchen staff! My wife also tried the clam chowder which she raved about throughout the meal. Our server "Amber" did an excellent job making us feel welcomed and kept checking in on us throughout the meal. There was live entertainment by two gentlemen with guitars and a variety of popular songs. Nice job Bidwell Tavern! We will visit again when we are in the area! read more

Bidwell Tavern - Baked scallops and the Bidwell seafood and pasta dish. - American Near Me - Coventry, Connecticut

Great wings and starters but man imma feel sick from all the wings I ate and that wasn't that much to begin with. The wings just hit wrong in my chest don't blame me I really love this place because we have history because we went here a fee years ago and I took my Facebook pfp in the bathroom I tried to remake it but couldn't because it looked really bad read more

Bidwell Tavern - Wings - American Near Me - Coventry, Connecticut

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We try to come here every time we come to CT. The wings are great, the old English feel of the restaurant is cool. Always reliable on food. Servers are busy and stern but adds to the appeal. No messing around! read more

I've flown up a few times to go to UConn games, and this place is always a required stop. I've gotten the wings every time, because they are just soooo good. read more

Tavern or dining room deck side. Tavern side is open seating. Wood fired stove heats the room. Plenty of televisions. Lots of old photos. Service staff are friendly. Not loud at all. Music in background is not intrusive. Conversations are at normal level. We ordered clam chowder and large wings - hot honey BBQ sauce and Santa Fe dry rub. Soup and salad came out first - well spaced. Wings were excellent! Meaty, juicy, and really well seasoned. They lived up to the hype! read more

Bidwell Tavern - American Near Me - Coventry, Connecticut

I heard these wings were some of the best in the state, and they did not disappoint. We got the mustard horseradish, jerk bbq, and buffalo ( complicated). All the wings were great but the mustard horseradish was my favorite- I've never seen that flavor combination before. I also got an apple cider Moscow mule that was phenomenal as well. The service was really good- we ordered 30 wings and they came out pretty fast. The vibe of the place is really cool. Love all the historical decor. I definitely would come back again to try other flavors. read more

Bidwell Tavern - Mustard Horseradish, Jerk BBQ, and Buffalo (Complicated) wings - American Near Me - Coventry, Connecticut

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Great Pub food wings are top notch , Worth the stop if you're by there . Great choice of Beer just an all around great place ......

My boyfriend picked up some wings for us (the 3 flavor box) on his way home from work because I've told him it was my nostalgic wing place. I had eaten like an entire box on my mom when I was really really little. So it's family laugh. He got me the it's complicated buffalo and the boom boom. So delightful. Like it took me back to when I liked wings on the bone. Most places, you can taste like this weird thing making me feel like it's frozen. Not here. Bidwell has award winning wings for a reason. My go to wing place when I'm having a craving. Thank yall for never disappointing. read more

Im sorry. But I am not impressed by anything that I have tried here. The wings are the best thing they have and to me they are overrated. I cant stand the little salad bowl that your salad comes in as you cant even mix it without spilling it all over the table. The meatloaf was hospital cafeteria grade and the frozen not fresh veggies were the worst bland tasting vegetables I ever ate. This is the nicest restaurant in the neighborhood but thats not saying much as it's nothing but fast food around it, but I think that what keeps them busy but this is not somewhere I will return. read more

Driving out to Bidwell Tavern in Coventry, we saw a Bald Eagle. Very neat! We should come out this way more often Have been going to Bidwell Tavern for many years. 2 of our kids went to UCONN & it was always a good place to take them for an off campus visit/meal. There is a nice restaurant/sunroom space. However, on a cold day in January, the main/bar area with the wood stove is where we wanted to be. The tavern dates back to 1822, and it's a great place to have a drink and eat some wings. Their wings are wonderful - I think better than most other places. You pick a flavor/sauce, there are a lot to choose from. We had the mild buffalo this time. Served with not enough carrot & celery sticks (we asked for more and got a huge platter that they charged extra $1.50 for - worth it.). Also - good ranch & blue cheese dressing on the side. I had a Mexican coffee that was delicious. We also got some sodas and because this is a bar, they do charge for refills (we expected that). Nice place to hang out in on a cold winter afternoon. read more

The tavern and town were quaint, has a cozy hometown feel. The staff were courteous and helpful, the beer selection was various and had something for anyone . We ordered the tavern wings to share with everything , hot honey bbq, and mild . Texas skins (add bacon!) . Pasta with red sauce for the boy and chicken egg rolls for an appetizer. We enjoyed the appetizer, beer , entertainment, and the pasta was apparently "yummy". The potato skins were a bit dry and possibly made too far ahead The wings were juicy but off , also feeling a bit past prime, the bones broke fairly easily which is not a good sign, the everything wings were actually everything bagel seasoning, and the blue cheese was - meh. Don't bother ordering any desert - they taste straight out of the freezer Tried the leftovers today and the skins were much better today - wings inedible Hopefully this place gets itself back on track with fresher product and higher standards because it's a lovely atmosphere. read more

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Back again for their delicious wings. I had the traditional mild buffalo and they certainly were just as good as last time. The place was not busy for a late lunch but the wait time was long. It didn't matter though as we enjoyed the beautiful weather sitting outside. read more

A long needed and overdue update for my review on this place...here's a revised/updated version of my prior review: - OVERALL - I can't even ballpark how many times I've been here...Yelp says 171, so at least 200? I love this place. Great atmosphere, friendly staff, great beer selection, amazing wings, and some good specials too. They celebrated their Bi-Centennial in 2022, so it's certainly a long-standing landmark in the area. If you haven't visited in 10 years or so, you'll likely notice how the footprint expanded out the back to add a lot more indoor seating, and they added a patio that now goes over the brook. It was definitely needed. Oh, and they added more bathrooms, which were badly needed. You can still visit the "classic" tiny ones that are on the bar side, but the restaurant side has new larger bathrooms if there's a line. - FOOD - The wings are GREAT. Better than just about anywhere I've been, just keep in mind that there are a ton of flavors, and some of them are pretty unique, so there's bound to be some you won't like. There's at least a handful that I don't like. Truth be told, I'm torn up about picking favorites flavors, as there are so many good ones, but I particularly like Hot Honey BBQ, Sweet BBQ Dijon, Sweet Chili, Garlic Parmesan, and Sesame Garlic Pepper (It's better than it sounds and is one of their saltiest wings, but very good...can't believe how many years passed before I tried it!). They'll also do some off-menu combinations - one notable favorite of mine is "Green Mexican", which is a combination of Green Mountain and Mexican Spice. Some of the flavors I'd suggest skipping would be Boom Boom, Lemon Pepper, Ranch, Old Bay and Old Bay BBQ. I do have to note that despite the ridiculous number of times I've visited, I can't really lend much of an opinion on their food other than the wings. They're known mostly for the wings, so if you don't get them, you aren't really experiencing Bidwell. I do like the onion rings, and I always opt for extra veggies with the wings as simply another conduit for their delicious blue cheese. - DRINKS - They have a full bar, and a great beer selection that includes 25 or so draft beers from which to choose. - SERVICE - The Bidwell is great if you know what to expect. This place gets CROWDED, and with good reason. It's a hotspot for the area in general, which includes UConn, and has a lot of regulars. If you go the same night each week you'll start seeing the same people quite a bit. You shouldn't go to a TAVERN expecting a perfectly choreographed & calm sit down meal, just like you shouldn't go to Olive Garden and expect the same jovial, "hang-out and have a good time" that the Bidwell offers to those who have come to love it. The waitresses are often all over the place as they have lots of tables, and the wings fly out of the kitchen. They might need to bus three tables in 3 minutes, so they may walk right by you once, twice, thrice without saying anything. Don't expect long conversation when it's busy, and you may need to flag them down from time to time, but don't be shy, they're used to it! :). - SEATING - The bar side is almost always first come first serve for seating, but talking to a waitress can help too The later you show up on popular nights the more likely you'll be waiting - as the night rolls on the venue can start shifting from typical restaurant table turn-over rate to people tends to turn to people hanging out for an extended stay listening to music, watching the game, and grabbing a pint or six. Can't get a table on the bar side? The restaurant side has a waiting list when it's busy. They're usually good about noticing a new group/couple, but similar to the discussion above, the pace is quick and they might not notice you by the door on a busy night with people standing around and shuffling around. If no one comes us to you, you may need to flag someone down. - PARKING - There's a decent amount of parking, but it can get completely packed when they're busy. We always opt to take our oldest car, as the lot and spaces can get tight. There's a small amount of parking across the street that can be used during night hours when it's busy. It's an unrelated business, but they aren't there that late, and don't tow. Street parking is a thing of the past. There wasn't much to begin with, but what there was went away when the town installed new sidewalks and street lamps. - SPECIALS - Monday nights are the cheapest if you plan on having a few beers. Drafts are $3 from 4PM to close (usually excludes one or two microbrews). Tuesday is Prime Rib, Top Sirloin Steak, Pot Roast or Meatloaf Dinner and a beer for $17.95. Wednesday is "Rocks & Wings." The 30-wing platter comes with 6 free 7oz ponies. They used to be Rolling Rock, but it was Stella Artois for my last Wednesday visit (Sept 2024). There's also live music later in the evening on the bar side (The band will set up in the corner closest to the old wood stove). read more

Cocktails were good. We got some of the seasonal drinks that they had on the menu while we waited on our food. Generally ambiance was nice but it's not a huge issue for me in general. Biggest issue was the food itself. I got the chicken Bidwell- which ended up being extremely bland. It seemed to intend to have a "wine sauce" but ended up just tasting like frozen watery vegetables and watery noodles with a sprinkle of cheese. Not to mention the tomatoes which looked atrocious. My partner enjoyed their meal though, they got the tavern melt. The soup I got as a precursor to the meal was alright as well- nothing special though. Generally wouldn't come back. There are other, better options in the area. read more

Bidwell Tavern - Chicken Bidwell - American Near Me - Coventry, Connecticut

Cute building at one end of the Coventry's 'main street' with a small stream running through the yard and a horse and carriage standing outside. Originally established in 1822, the new proprietor took over from a family member a couple of years ago. Parking is located on both sides of the little stream in their private lot. We've been here a couple of times and sat in the bar area both visits. They also have a big dining room and a good size deck for outdoor dining. It's very low key in the pub area with wooden bench seating along one wall, a few tables scattered about and of course, bar seating. There was the bartender and one wait staff during both our visits. Seat yourself in this area and don't worry if they don't get to your right away. They're juggling a lot. The food is good. Appetizers include nachos, chicken tenders, stuffed mushrooms, mozzarella sticks and so on. They also offer soup, salad, sandwiches, burgers, their 'famous' wings and a few entrees. Something for almost everyone. On this recent visit I went for a taco salad. Plenty of seasoned meat covered in fresh shredded lettuce, onion, tomato, cheese with a side of sour cream and spicy salsa. I enjoy the heat level on that salsa which I mixed into the salad like a dressing. My SO got the spicy chicken sandwich (again). The heat level is nice for him. Not hot enough to make him sweat, but a pleasing level of heat he can appreciate. The coleslaw on the side also had a kick. You can get fries instead if you prefer. We'll definitely stop in again. Nice little local pub to grab a relaxed meal. read more

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Great atmosphere! Staff is friendly. Service is ok, better off sitting at the bar. Food is mediocre, but the Smokey scent of the large wood burning parlor stove and radiant heat during the winter months is a great feel if you're just kicking back for a couple of drinks. read more

Always a great experience! The waitresses are always great! Lately the food on point! Especially the wings! Great tavern, what you expect to see when you are in CT or New England ! Go, just don't ride the horse out front! read more

My husband first brought me here in 1997 and we've been coming back ever since. Today's wings were spot on; hot and juicy, crispy skin, nice size and full of flavor! 3 of us split the tavern order with hot buffalo, sweet chili and my fav mustard horseradish. We arrived around 11:30 and the place was already packed. By the time we left around 2 there was a wait for tables. Wood burning fire kept us warm on a chilly day. Waitresses were hustling. Always a great stop! read more

Bidwell Tavern - Tavern wings. - American Near Me - Coventry, Connecticut

Not impressed. Haven't been in years because of a bad experience - not better now. Vegan burger was not cooked enough - had to send back and toppings very sloppy. French fries were weird and not tasty. The hamburger my husband said was good. Service good. Won't go back. read more

waited 20 minutes for server to come to table. We left. noticed other people doing same. Asked the two servers for service both said it was not their table. Management is losing business due to lack of initiative. was looking forward to wings won't be back any time soon. Sad because this was a family fave read more

Cute pub and restaurant in the center of Coventry. The tavern has a vintage vibe and some cool stained glass. The service was also great. The pork tacos were okay, the flour tortillas were not warm and there was quite a bit of fat in the pork for my liking. I would probably try some of their wings or a burger next time! read more

Bidwell Tavern - Sweet chili pork tacos - American Near Me - Coventry, Connecticut

Bidwell is famous for their wings - with good reason. They're so meaty and they have enough wet and dry options that there's something for everyone. The rest of the food on the menu is ok, but really nothing to write home about. They have lots of seating and a great selection of beer on tap. Overall it's worth the trip for the wings and ambiance. read more

Tonight I went with a friend to Coventry for the Tuesday Beef & Brew for $16.95. I was recommended to try this cozy warm restaurant. The meal consisted of beef, vegetable, starch, salad and a beer. What a wonderful deal of the week and I have no complaints. The temperature of the beef was perfect. One of the bartenders Kim has been employed there for 32 years. They must be good to there employees. Will definitely be returning to try their amazing wings. read more

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What holds up? That's one of my review themes for 2022. I'm reconnecting with places that I used to love, that I've lost track of. The Bidwell Tavern in Coventry is one such place. The sign out front says Bidwell Tavern was established in 1822. The brick front part of the building is the old part of the premises. There have been one or more expansions through the years, and now there is ample indoor and umbrella-covered outdoor seating. The Bidwell is not fancy, but it has plenty of character. Complete with a fake horse and real carriage watching over a small stream adjacent to the parking area. Seriously. I used to live "East of the River"; now I live West of the River. When I was East, Bidwell was one of the names that came up when you talked about best chicken wings. Now, the Bidwell is a hike for me. I sat on the deck on a recent late Sunday morning, and ordered a Ten Penny Ale (which I haven't had in years) and a small order of "Hot" Buffalo Wings (10-12 wings I think). The deck was a nice place to sit and service was friendly. Now having been to some of the best wing places across CT, I can only say the Bidwell wings are slightly above average. The outside texture isn't as crispy as I like. The Buffalo sauce doesn't hold up against the better places in CT. I will say that one of the selling points of The Bidwell is sauce variety. I didn't count the number of sauce options, but they're well above average. I'm sure there are a few winners in there, but if I'm only getting one flavor, it's Buffalo. The 10 Penny Ale came in a clear plastic cup. That may have been the case when I was last there, but the failure to serve in a glass seems like a miss. I think 10 Penny was on the front end of the CT craft beer movement. I used to order it to support Local, but after trying it again, I prefer a number of other CT craft beers now. 3.5 Stars for the food and drink, but I'll round up to 4 Stars in light of the historical significance of The Bidwell. read more

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While returning our son to UConn, we stopped here for wings. It had been a while but we do remember how good they were. The 3 of us split the "tavern" size. We had lemon pepper, garlic Parmesan and Cajun honey. They were delicious! Very crispy and flavorful. The place is nice and service was excellent. We plan on making many trips here when in the area.. read more

This review is for Bidwell Tavern. We heartily recommend this tavern. Great food, great ambiance, very reasonable. If we lived closer we would be there multiple times each week !!! read more

Went out to lunch today with my daughter up near where she lives. I had a nice drink and a lovely salmon salad. It was cooked perfectly and I enjoyed it very much and I was able to stick to my diet. My daughter had the French onion, soup and salad and she said she was full and it was very good and everything was very fresh. read more

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The food has steadily gone downhill and no longer makes up for the miserable bartender attitudes

Great location, great food, and great atmosphere! We think our waitress was less experienced, but she got an A for effort. We will definitely return. read more

Large portions for what you pay. Food is alright. Just make sure your flashlight on your phone works so you can read the menu. It's very dark inside. read more