There are not enough superlatives to give this restaurant I booked a bridal shower after dining at…read morethe restaurant several times. The food for our event was amazing. All the staff were so kind and extremely attentive. Totally recommend the baked goods, eggs, home fries, pancakes were tasty. We had fresh fruit which was extremely fresh and in a beautiful displayed. My guests complemented the staff and loved the food. The manager,Adrian, worked to accommodate my requests. I will definitely book future events here and return for dinner.

Found Fire by Forge on yelp and saw that it had plenty of good reviews. Very easy to get to from my…read morehotel and loved that it had a parking lot. Sat very quickly at a window seat which I loved it gave me a chance to people watch. I ordered the dulce de leche latte iced with the bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. The latte was incredible. The sandwich was filling. Plenty of bacon and the bun was tasty. My waiter was great, very attentive and helpful. The decor was inviting and loved the variety of seating. The message of this place is wonderful.

Gather55 is a Hands-On Hartford initiative that is part of its commitment to serving neighbors,…read moreengaging volunteers, and connecting communities in the Hartford area. Diners may participate by paying the full posted price of the meals or a minimum price of three dollars, or they may choose to volunteer with Hands-On Hartford. Additionally, the chefs are rotated every month to give back to the community. Gather 55 has a pre-fix menu, and you get an appetizer, main course, and dessert for fifty-five dollars. I ordered the Milanese Pork Chop with Arugula. It also came with grilled lemon. The Pork Chop was beautifully cooked and had great flavor. The Pork Chop was crispy and not overcooked. The grilled Lemon brought the Pork Chop to another level. The grilled lemon gave the pork chops a nice pop and brought more flavor out of the pork chops. The Argula was cooked to perfection. It tasted great, and you could tell that the grilled Lemon was squeezed into the Argula while it was cooking. The food was fabulous. The customer service was too notch, and I will be back again.

"Come gather 'round people Wherever you roam…read moreAnd admit that the waters Around you have grown" (Bob Dylan) It's part community center, part soup kitchen, and part high end restaurant. In addition, it's unlike any restaurant I've ever been to. My first visit to Gather55 wasn't my first visit to the building, because back in the early '90's I was here during its Spaghetti Warehouse and Trout Brook Brewery days. Gather55 is so unusual because of its innovative and visionary business model. For breakfast and lunch, it opens the doors to the underprivileges or those struggling within the community for "pay what you can" meals. Those that have zero dollars are assigned a task in the restaurant and working for a half hour or so will earn you a meal. In the evening, the white tablecloths come out and Gather55 becomes a high-end restaurant with weekly guest chefs, and the revenue raised from these pricey dinners subsidizes the breakfasts and lunches. Chef and Gather55 director Rob Mafucci does a great job explaining everything in this YouTube video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJHbwtuwnfc&t=138s Four of us had a memorable dinner at Gather55 last night. We started off with a few glasses of wine for around $10 a glass. The menu suggested pairings to go along with the evening's five appetizers and four entrees. The dishes were all created by different chefs including some heavy hitting familiar names like Chef Billy Grant and Chef Tyler Anderson. The appetizers were priced between $14-$18, the entrees between $28-$32, and the desserts were all $11. They also offer a 3 Course Prix Fixe Menu for $55 with your choice of salad or appetizer, entree, and dessert. Our appetizers were: Tom Yum Noodles $15 with chili paste, coconut milk, bok choy, bean sprout, Chinese cabbage, peanut, scallion, and lime Crispy Yucca Rellenos $14 (Vegetarian) Chef Jeremy Williams yucca, herbed cheese, aji verde sauce Kale Caesar Salad $14 with parmesan, lemon, and crispy garbanzos. Two of us went with the Tom Yum Noodles, including yours truly. It was a dish by this month's Guest Chef Lapat Watrous of Aroy Thai Garden in Middletown, and she created a helluva delicious starter. It was an amazing combination of tastes, textures and an amazing sauce that reminded me a lot of Panang Curry. Our main courses were: Salmon en Papillote $32 (GF) with potatoes, leeks, fresh herbs, cooked in parchment paper Stuffed Eggplant & Kale $28 with vadouvan, beans, tomato agrodulce, and fregola Pork Chop Milanese $29 with arugula, parmesan, lemon beurre blanc Lobster Ravioli ($18 from the appetizer menu) with tarragon mascarpone cream, and roasted hazelnuts. I had the eggplant dish and had to scurry to my phone to find out what some of the exotic ingredients were. I learned that vadouvan is a French spice blend, tomato agrodolce is an Italian sweet and sour sauce, and fregola is a teeny tiny pasta very similar to couscous. It was the creation of Chef Tim East of West Hartford's Union Kitchen, and it was delicious. The presentation was gorgeous, rollatini style spirals of eggplant topped with bits of kale, topped with the pasta and beans all swimming in a bed of fantastic tomato sauce. We had coffees and split two desserts - Chef Tyler Anderson's Brown Sugar Budino (an egg custard) with brown sugar, maple, and cocoa nibs, and Chef Kristin Eddy's Flourless Chocolate Torte with bourbon, orange, crème fraiche, and black pepper. I had a forkful of each, and they were both fantastic. You really have to tip your hat to Rob Maffucci and his talented group of collaborators for putting together such an innovative effort to serve the community and offer a wonderful dining experience. Thank you, Chef!

This place is an absolute gem. My girlfriend and I were looking to celebrate our 5th year…read moreanniversary and the blueback square was unparkable, so i thought we should try this place, as I had been meaning to for a while. I am SO glad i did because this was hands down one of the best meals ive eaten in years. My girlfriend is pescatarian so we opted to have all vegan/vegetarian options and this omnivore did not miss meat at all. My favorite dish by far was the watermelon crudo which, to me, defied all space and time. The watermelon looked, felt, and tasted like a beautiful tuna. The flavours had a Vietnamese flair to them, including a chili crisp and fresh mint, and i was using the delicious and crispy fries to sop up the rest of the sauce. Everything we ate was incredible, flavourful, and beautiful to look at. The atmosphere was romantic and dreamy, a huge change from the pug filled cozy pub that it used to be as the corner pug. Service was lovely and they surprised us by bringing us champagne and a sweet note at the end. It was absolutely amazing and we felt so taken care of. I will be thinking of this place for a long time and cant wait to go back!

Attended a Filipino pop-up dinner and it was phenomenal. We were served 4 courses, 19 dishes and 3…read morecocktails. I never had Filipino food before so I enjoyed the experience. The Laurel is a spacious and beautiful restaurant. The staff are very professional and courteous. Decor is modern and chic. Food was executed well, coming out at good temperatures. As this was a pop-up dinner, I do want to return to try the restaurant's normal menu because I've only heard great things.

I honestly do not know why this place is not busier because the food is very good. The drinks are…read moregood too, but my favorite thing here is honestly the guacamole. I first tried the guacamole at Hartford Taste, and now I stop by just to get it. It is that good. I also really enjoyed the pad Thai, which was gluten-free and not too sweet. That is always a win for me because sometimes pad Thai can lean too sweet. Overall, Trumbull Kitchen is a solid spot with good food, good drinks, the service can be a tad slow initially but it speeds up. I will definitely keep coming back.

We went here again before an event. Same great service! Same GREAT FOOD! One of us has a…read morebuttermilk chicken sandwich and the other had the house made ravioli- with broccoli and pork belly. Both DELICIOUS! The flatbreads with mushroom butter was delicious! Sorry - forgot to take pictures before we ate LOL

I dropped in, and to my pleasant SURPRISE, a beautiful renovation was underway! The space is open,…read morewith high ceilings, an airy feel, and a modern aesthetic. It's FIRE!!! (as the kids say) It was crowded despite being early evening. The only available seats were at the bar area near the windows, which was fine because we were determined to experience the "new" place. We ordered the tuna tartare and lobstah rolls. The accompanying chips are homemade (slightly salty, but my taste buds are really close together). The host was attentive and gave us the royal treatment. We put this gem back on rotation and we are definitely returning!!!

Updating my original review to add a few things... Fork n Fire recently made significant…read morerenovations to the main bar area. It now feels more luxe, modern, and high-end. The textured walls are gorgeous and give the space a style it was definitely missing before. As usual, the happy hour menu never disappoints. The Pomjito is a personal favorite.. refreshing, light, and not too sweet. We also got the oysters and mussels, both solid. The mussel sauce was unique compared to a typical tomato base, which we really appreciated. For my entrée, though, I was disappointed to see that the tuna salad I always order had completely changed. It used to be an arugula salad with Asian flavors and the tuna served on top. Now it It's a Niçoise salad, and the tuna is awkwardly placed on the side. Nothing about the tuna tasted like it did before. I'm usually a sucker for ahi tuna, but this was honestly one of the most disappointing ahi dishes I've ever had. It felt totally incohesive with the salad next to it. I really wish they didn't change the menu so frequently. Once I finally find an entrée I genuinely look forward to, it disappears. That said, we'll still be back for the great happy hour food and solid drinks. Now it's just a matter of finding a menu item I like... and hoping they keep it.

There are very few restaurants at any price point that pay more attention to their food quality and…read morepreparation as Rooster Company does. You are guaranteed a casual yet elevated, dining experience when you walk in to this establishment. It is obvious that the owners, managers and chefs take great care and great pride in giving you the best possible meal at a very reasonable price. I'm not going to go into specific entrées because I've had several and every one of them is done right. The apps are also fantastic and obviously the chicken is spot on. The back patio is an enjoyable summer atmosphere. The drinks are always creative and the beers are always fresh. Do yourself a favor and come see what pride and passion taste like! Cheers to one of the best restaurants in Central Connecticut.

We have been here numerous times and have had a good experience every time. The food is excellent,…read morefresh and interesting. There's always something we are excited to check out when we haven't been in a while. The restaurant is both nice enough that you feel really good bringing your out of town friends here to try and impress while also being low-key enough for a simple date night with your significant other. They have a few non-alcoholic drink options. As someone who's living the sober lifestyle, it's always nice to see that. The restaurant is well managed and well maintained. Always clean, servers seem invested. It doesn't hurt to make a reservation if you're coming on a Friday or weekend night. Chicken is the star of the show here, and we almost always order that with some of the ala carte sides, but my wife also likes to grab something else off the menu and I'll usually sneak a bite. We've never had anything that fell below expectations.

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.

Mother's Day dinner with the family! There were 5 of us…read moreand it was great! We ordered Shrimp cocktails Caesar Salad Complimentary warm salted rolls Three ordered the filet mignon One ordered the Filet Oscar One NY strip We ordered sides to share and try French fries Onion rings Creamed spinach Brussels sprouts Whipped potatoes Asparagus The steaks were the most tender I've ever had The sides were all very good Dessert Cookie plate. ( meh) Baked Alaska. Really good Valet parking makes it nice and easy Being Mother's Day we appreciated not being rushed and kudos to the kitchen. Once our order was in it went right along smoothly. All steaks were cooked to order. In addition, the turnaround for the bar was not bad for it being a full house. We enjoyed our dinner at this iconic landmark and of course will be back.

10/10 we love able!! lol…read more drinks 10 appetizers 10 entree's 4 -ability to make what i asked and accommodate me and my likings.... big fat 10 for a specification, i had the chef special scallops in something sauce and to be clear. i didn't know what that sauce was when i ordered it and the texture to me. it was terrible, but that is definitely a preference thing and a lack of knowledge on my part however the scallops were not seasoned to perfection. the way the pork belly was and the way the crabcake was so there was also that.... nonetheless able, and the staff in the kitchen were so accommodating they were able to make me exactly what i wanted and i just picked a few things that i wanted and they were able to make a plate for me so that's amazing. the ambience was classy quiet i think me and my girlfriend made the most noise there just laughing and enjoy f ourselves, but it was festive and lively for the most part. uconn was playing by the bar and uconn one so there was a lot of noise for that as well, but the vibe was really quiet and classy over all.