Mom visited for lunch today and we took her here, never been before. Super nice staff, and the food was great. Got the smash burger, pasta alla vodka, and southwestern ranch salad with grilled chicken- quality food. We'll be back! The salad dressing was so good. So good. read more

"On the Black Rock is where I spend my time Writing down memories or writing my rhyme On the Black Rock is where I like to go After a long night, home from our show" (O.A.R.) I haven't reviewed much in Thomaston. I'm pretty sure the only entry I have was for the town's historical marker, and that was back in 2014. So, when my buddy and I ended up in Thomaston for a wake yesterday, that gave me a reason to add a second Thomaston review, courtesy of our lunch visit to the Black Rock Tavern and Restaurant. It's a quintessential neighborhood bar and restaurant conspicuously located on Main Street. It is set up in the typical way -with a sit-down dining room on the left and the bar on the right. Black Rock takes up a pretty large space because it also has a banquet room. We sat at the bar, grabbed two beers ($5 for a Naragansett and $8 for a Guiness) and chit-chatted with our friendly bartender Maureen before we checked out their food menu. Black Rock had very nice food choices, ranging from appetizers to salads to wings to mains to burgers to sandwiches. I decided on a BBQ Beef Quesadilla ($21) with braised beef, melted cheddar jack cheese, pico, salsa, sour cream and a small salad on two grilled flour tortillas. It was yummy and a pretty big portion, so two of the four wedges came back home with me. My friend ordered a BRT Smashburger ($18) with a $3 side of cole slaw. He must have really enjoyed it because he turned back an empty plate to Maureen. If you really enjoy neighborhood type bar/restaurants, you will definitely enjoy a visit to the Black Rock tavern. read more

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I used to love it here.. not sure what happened. All the staff changed, the food went downhill. Sad this was an amazing place. Assuming owners/managers have changed. I waited 2 visits before this post as this was a weekly go to for us I wish people when they bought places would not mess with it. Service and food no longer good. Avoid this place at all costs. read more

The quality and quantity of food was fantastic. We had a Rueben which was chock full of meat and a steak dip sandwich, both were delicious. Onion rings were in a nice batter, not frozen for sure. The coleslaw was refreshing. Our waitress, Amber, was very attentive, intuitive and great suggestions. The owner came by every table asking if everything was okay, which we appreciated! Will definitely go again. read more

Black Rock Tavern & Restaurant - Reuben and steak dip sandwiches. - New American Near Me - Thomaston, Connecticut

We haven't been here in several years, and that apparently was our loss. We retired over the weekend and enjoyed a variety of some really tasty foods. Hard to know where to start -- or stop. Let's begin with some appetizers, like General Tso's Pork Ribs, succulent, sloppy and delicious (scallions and red onions add to the flavors). Tomato bisque with parmesan, rich and yummy. The Shrimp Scampi plate was totally appealing and came as a very large serving -- no going away hungry for sure. We moved the angel hair pasta and the oh-so appealing nd perfectly cooked shrimp. Another in our group enjoyed the grilled cheese sandwich with bacon that spared neither the cheese nor the crispy bacon (with crispy fries, no less. Honestly, everything we ate was delightfully and carefully prepared. Don;t know whether there's been a change in the ownership or the chef or what, but we were absolutely bowled over by our experience. And our server was very attentive, too. Prices are reasonable. Half of the building is s restaurant with tables and booths, and the other half is a bar with booths. There are lots of alcoholic beverage choices on either side, but conversation is a bit easier on the restaurant side. Either choice seems fine by us! read more

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prompt my daughter and her husband there for the first time, always see the place. I always see that is busy just never been there. Great first experience. read more

Solid as a rock. Small place so staffing is light , might have to wait a minute or two more than ideal but worth it

My husband and I recently visited Black Rock Tavern and are glad we did. All the staff were so kind, and the service was fantastic from the moment we walked in. We started with the pretzel knots. I forgot to take a picture! This appetizer came with a warm cheddar cheese sauce. It was so good! For our meal, we shared the corned beef Reuben with onion rings, and also tried the maple bourbon short rib with cheddar cheese risotto. Everything was cooked perfectly and absolutely delicious. The short rib was tender and flavorful, and the risotto was rich and creamy with the perfect amount of cheese. The atmosphere was cozy and comfortable. Just a great place to relax and enjoy a meal. If you are in the area, I highly recommend stopping in and supporting this gem. read more

We were driving around looking for a place for lunch, trying to get something in quick before getting home for our toddlers nap and randomly found this place on Yelp. It was a Sunday afternoon in the middle of a torrential downpour and were immediately seated. So many awesome sounding options and I'd definitely love to come back for dinner. Everything everyone had was excellent. read more

Black Rock Tavern & Restaurant - Fried Catfish Special - New American Near Me - Thomaston, Connecticut

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Three of us visited Black Rock Tavern on a Wednesday afternoon around 3:45 PM. At that time, the bar had only three other patrons, and the dining room had a group of eight. There appeared to be at least four staff members working, so we expected decent service. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Our first round of drinks arrived quickly, and the appetizers came out almost immediately--so fast that the wings were undercooked. After that, the service completely disappeared. The bartender never checked on us, and our drinks were long gone. At one point, I started choking and tried to ask for water. My friend requested water for the table, but instead of responding promptly, the bartender stopped to open a gift someone had brought her. After thanking the person, she brought two waters--never a third--and then removed our empty glasses without asking if we wanted another round. We asked for the bill, and only then did our server reappear. We hadn't seen her since she dropped off the food and honestly assumed she had ended her shift. The place wasn't even busy, which makes this level of neglect unacceptable. Who sees a customer choking and prioritizes opening a present? Absolutely ridiculous. We left and went to Señor Pancho's down the street, where we received excellent service and salvaged the evening. I will never visit Black Rock Tavern again. read more

The food was great service was small town flair and ambiance cozy as expected. We have been going for yearrrsssss

I was so disappointed in my last two visits to BRT. The first visit was shortly after there were new owners. I figured they were simply getting the kinks out. At that time, the service was slow and what I ordered and what I got were slightly different. In general, I am not picky, so I simply ate the sandwich. It was basic and tasted like it should. Last week when I went, I was actually kind of embarrassed for them. I sat at the bar, and the bartender did not even acknowledge me the entire time I was there (approximately 45 minutes). Normally, I have several drinks and my meal. Missed opportunity here - I only had one beer. One of the servers, after seeing that the bar was backed-up, got several of us beverages. I was hoping to try the food there, yet the folks next to me stated they were waiting close to an hour for their burger and salad. Once they finally got it, his burger was cold. She ordered dressing on the side yet the salad was saturated. Not wishing to wait any longer, both just took their meals as they were. Although I asked the server three times, I never actually received a check. I did hear her request the bill from the bartender who simply nodded. So, I simply left cash. I do want to point out that the server was doing her own job in the dining room while being very personable apologetic, professional while supporting the bartender and taking care of the guests at the bar. I watched and listed to people around me. It certainly isn't the same "hometown hangout" that has been the trademark of BRT. Hopefully, it is simply the newness of the staff and ownership. I will try again in a few months to see if it gets better. I certainly miss all the locals and the staff that used to work there. read more

Amazing food great service and amazing atmosphere great for all ages these are all things that describe the black rock tavern & restaurant

Love the atmosphere with the little flowers on the tables--Nice touch!! It's always the small details that make a big difference.

Service was pretty bad and we were more than patient. How do you send someone home with this? Much less make a point of going back for it like it was some sort of favor. 6 wings for $14? Seriously? And you serve this? Don't waste your money or time. read more

Black Rock Tavern & Restaurant - Wilted and rotted celery with moldy carrots - New American Near Me - Thomaston, Connecticut

Went recently and everything was bad. Ordered garlic parm wings and they may as well have been naked wings. All the flavor was on the plate. Also ordered the beef dip and it had 0 flavor. All you could taste was the buttered roll and that's even after I covered it in salt and pepper. The Au jus sauce was super water down. Was like dipping the sandwich into water. Service was bad. Many servers walking by our table, seeing we had empty glasses and not asking us if we wanted refills. Also, for some reason, it takes forever to get your bill after the food gets served. It's like the server decided they no longer needed to see you. Felt like we waited longer to find a server to get the bill than we did to get the food. Don't think we will be returning. read more

First time and probably our last! Wasn't very busy for a Sat night and had to keep going to the bar to ask for little things. Burger was just okay; Smash burger was delicious. Overall - not worth it for the price and service we got. Disappointed because it's so close to our house too.... read more

We planned a dinner after our golf outing here and we were not disappointed. The golf course wanted to charge us double what we got here for the dinner. The dinner was salad, bread/butter, sirloin steak, potatoes, green beans and gelato for dessert. Everything was tasty and the staff were very attentive and efficient. They had a good selection of beers (some local) and drinks. If you are having a golf outing or a celebration, I would check this establishment for your event. read more

1st visit for dinner with family and was not disappointed. FOOD: All of our food was very good and came out in a timely fashion. A personal "shout-out" to the Wings which were tasteful, juicy and on the larger size. SERVICE: Our server was great, she knew the menu well and checked in on us often. AMBIANCE: unique lay-out with four rectangular long sections. First one was strictly a bar which was packed and seemed welcoming. The next two sections seemed to be the main dining areas, one of which is where we sat, and the next section seemed to be a private section for parties. Well lite with a variety of cool artwork on the wall, most of which you were able to purchase. Definite recommend!!! read more

Frequent visitor to Thomaston. First time here. After looking at their menu online, I was looking forward to the cauliflower "wings", the Spring salad and Shrimp caprese. Unfortunately, they didn't have any of those items! We were informed that due to the wholesale cost of food, they've made some changes to the menu. It's known that prices have gone up, but you need to keep your information updated on your website. To give us an idea just how much prices have gone up, our waitress reported to us that French fries that were $25/box and are now $50/box. While I think that's likely an exaggeration, if true, then they should fine alternative suppliers. It also told me they didn't make freshly cut fries. So, what did we eat? We started with the pretzel knots. The Fall version came with a Mornay dipping sauce (as opposed to a mustard sauce on the posted menu). Not what we expected (usually knots are small) but very good pretzel bread. The mornay sauce was ok but not very cheesy at all. I ordered the crab and scallop risotto which apparently replaced the shrimp caprese I originally planned to order. When it came on a flat plate, I already knew...Anyway, it was very dry and a bit underdone while being overdone at the same time. The crab was a bit "fishy". The 4 scallops atop were very tasty though and I really liked the red sauce that came on the side of the plate. It was sweet and a bit spicy and totally changes the profile of the dish. My girlfriend ordered the two chili dogs w/fries on the Specials manu and said it was good. The fries, while not fresh cut, were seasoned very well and were hot and crispy. The beer and drink menu were very good. We were pleasantly surprised to find a beer from Bolero Snort, a NJ brewery a friend of ours has had a hand in that we didn't think had expanded out of state yet. Note: I didn't get a picture of the new menus and they're not on their website yet. read more

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Went with a group for a club meeting. The food was delicious. (I had the baked cod with mashed potatoes and vegetables. Dessert was a deliciously moist pumpkin cake.) Anna, our waitress, was extremely pleasant and very attentive. The restaurant is roomy and located in quaint downtown Thomaston, CT. Old school charm! read more

Food was good, service no so much. I went on a Saturday night for diner. Waited 15 for my drink, had to remind the server. Then I order another drink when I received my food. She took my glass, never brought me another drink. Ended up eating my entire meal with no drink. Then when I asked for the bill, the second drink was on there. She had forgotten to get me the drink and just added it to the bill. read more

This place is the little engine that could of downtown Thomaston! We came in to find one waitress handling the bar and restaurant area by herself, and she was welcoming and friendly! I.... Do not have that strength of character, personally, so she was really impressive. The menu is a good size with something for everyone, plus specials. The nachos were cheesey and had a lot of toppings, plus ample dips for sharing. The burger with mac and cheese was divine - I ate the Mac and cheese off first, and while I'm looking around for ketchup try a bite of the remaining burger and bun. The cheese sauce remaining was so gooey, it was an even better condiment than classic ketchup. The place itself is too rooms - one for the bar, which is self explanatory, and one for the restaurant, which has multiple booths and table/chair combos. There is apparently parking available out back, but also street parking for the bold and/or lucky. There is an art gallery attached, and lots of art to look at on the walls as well. read more

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My husband and I went here for the first time. The service was fast and our server was very pleasant. We both got burgers and sides. The food was delicious. We'd definitely go here again. read more

The food is always amazing and never gets old. The flavors that they put together is off the charts. This is a definite place to visit. read more

Black Rock Tavern & Restaurant - Blackened chicken smoked Gouda Mac and cheese and duck egg rolls - New American Near Me - Thomaston, Connecticut

Today's visit to BRT was the crescendo of all my cumulative time there. Sous Chef Ally and I created a boneless wing that will knock ur socks off. When I say "we created", I mean Ally used her magic to take my vision to fruition. Order the 'boneless buffalo garlic parm pan sauce/sauté wings by Ally'... they will blow your mind! BRT did right when they hired Rachael, Ally and Markus (on fry)! Come here and you receive 10-star treatment and food in a 5-star world. EVERYTHING from drinks to bar-scene to dining room to food is EXACLY what your looking for! Because they break the mold! Happy to share a pic of just some of the people that will make your experience unprecedented and trust this Yelp'er- you'll be back!! read more

Black Rock Tavern & Restaurant - Rachael/bar, Sous Chef Ally - New American Near Me - Thomaston, Connecticut

Black Rock still Rocks!! New owners care deeply about this wonderful local restaurant! We've gone a couple of times now and enjoyed everything, food, drinks and service. Our area needs this kind of love and devotion! We' ll be back. read more

Updated Review: Food it still very yummy. Fries are excellent. My only warning is that everything takes awhile so I wouldn't pop in here for a quick meal. read more

Black Rock Tavern & Restaurant - BRT Burger with vegetable hash, Canadian Bacon and a fried egg. - New American Near Me - Thomaston, Connecticut

Food and service were great tonight, drinks were also very good. The Chef Dan made us a dish that is not on the menu, it was a request and it was delicious. Thank you guys again. We will be back for sure. read more

We came with 2 friends for Sunday dinner. The first impression was that this place felt "comfortably homey"; no pretense... sit where you like, welcoming greeting", etc. it gave you the feeling that here was a place you can relax, enjoy the food and spend a relaxing time with friends. The person serving us gave us the feeling that we were at a home rather than a restaurant... gracious, comfortable, not rushed but very "caring". The food was terrific; many choices and an extensive craft beer list: Very worthwhile coming back to. The people who came with us put this place high on their list to come to with their out of town visitors!! High praise!! read more

Stop here for to go burgers and they are always good. Never sat down to eat. Usually pickup inside the bar area. Busy and filled with locals the staff is quick to ring you out and get you on your way. read more

Doesn't look like much on the outside but the food is the bomb! The brussel sprouts with truffle garlic aioli was delicious, I could've eaten 2 orders of it. The "do it yourself" burger, medium with lettuce and tomatoes, manchengo cheese, caramelized onions, mushrooms and egg was the bomb, patty was so thick and juicy, paired it with perfectly cooked sweet potato fries. The pork chop was tasty too with broccoli au gratin.. drinks are well made, one of the best Bloody Mary's ever. It's an hour drive but it's worth it. Price can be a bit expensive but the food makes up for it. Service is great too! You can never go wrong here. read more

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OMG! I had so many of the menu choices but I must say that , as per appetizers, the crab cakes were the BEST I ever had 2 pieces 6 inch round by at least 3 inches thick with barely any bread crumbs to keep them together!!! The best I ever had. The fried cod fish tacos were on point! Very reasonable prices. I love this place. ENJOY!!!!! read more

The staff is amazing and friendly. The food is unbelievably amazing. I worked here so I know quality, freshness and consistency is their motto. If you come across this restaurant please don't hesitate to stop by and be sure to tell them Peyton Goodrich sent you here! read more

Black Rock Tavern & Restaurant - 60 Oz tomahawk steak with sautéed shiitake mushrooms and onions. - New American Near Me - Thomaston, Connecticut

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Party of 20 plus and they handled all the food and drink orders with ease. Highly recommended for large parties. read more

I had a cider beer and sliders they were descent - bartender Rocky recommended them to me after I told him I didn't want a burger ... My friends and I shared the pickle fries they were yummy as was the pretzel roll that my other friend shared with me . We all ate at the bar and talked to Rocky who was entertaining us all. read more

Black Rock Tavern & Restaurant - Sliders - New American Near Me - Thomaston, Connecticut

This place is amazing, drinks are right on! Food was cooked perfectly and hot! French fries are to dye for! Are waitresses was always checking in on us and would talk with us while waiting on the food! Thank you Rachel for making our first time here memorable read more

Black Rock Tavern & Restaurant - Bar (see boyfriend cant keep his hands off it) - New American Near Me - Thomaston, Connecticut

Doesn't look like much from the outside, but don't let that stop you! My family and I stopped in for lunch. The decor is a bit dated, but the hostess was very polite and our server was wonderful! We ordered the nachos with shredded chicken, and they were great! Chips were crispy, every chip was coated, and there was plenty of chicken. I ordered a classic burger with cheese lettuce tomato red onion and bacon, my son had the French onion burger, my daughter the triple decker grilled cheese, and my husband had the prime rib slider special. Everything was delicious! The burgers were perfectly seasoned, the grilled cheese had plenty of cheese and came with this tomato soup dip (which we all dipped our fries in), and the sliders were very well balanced, according to the hubs. Oh, and if you like fries, they were hand cut, perfectly crispy, seasoned and creamy on the inside. We will be going back read more

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Great food, great service. Smash burger and turkey/prosciutto panini were delicious. Possibly the best onion rings ever.

Upon arrival,we were greeted by the hostess who was so pleasant. Moments later our server, Shelby, introduced herself and described the signature dish to our guest, who was a first timer at BRT; steak on a rock. We ordered two steak on a rock and one Gorgonzola steak which all arrived promptly and were perfectly prepared. We had the mini Bundt cake with salted caramel gelato for dessert - soooo good. The food and the service were outstanding and we exchanged some laughs with our hostess and our server. It was a wonderful night enjoyed by us all. read more