Did not get the bar tenders name or the chef. But it was great! Great chopped cheese and such a…read morefun dive bar. My husband & I loved it. We will be back!

What a great find. Has all the makings of a pre-revolution tavern and probably is. Peanuts, pickled…read moreeggs, cold beer and great people. My new go to when I'm in NL

PSA - 33 redid the back room & it's literally so swanky. They re-felted the pool table, painted the…read morewalls, hung some neat art, redid the floors, & upgraded the lighting. It looks & feels SO good in there. A game of pool will run you a dollar in quarters. The table sometimes gets stuck, so be firm when you cha-ching the quarter holder thing. If it sticks & you can't get it to un-stick with some gentle smacks, the very sweet bartender will unlock it for you. There was a band playing when we were there - I think "City of Meriden" was the name? Super good, super funky, super weird. The cover was $10 per person. Worth it.

What's not to love about 33? It's everything you could ever want in a dive bar…read more The bartenders are all extremely friendly and accommodating, the live music is great, the pool table is (mostly) level and typically uncrowded. You can also put quarters for the table on your tab if you don't have cash, which a lot of places won't do for you (the table is free some nights too!). I don't believe they serve food, but the beer and liquor is very reasonably priced and hits the spot every time.

Very cool ambience. They have some poisonous frogs inside in aquariums. Excellent selection of…read morebeer, friendly staff. Street parking.

Atmosphere was buzzing and people were enjoying conversations over beer at the counter and tables…read more Group of 3 friends, we went for dinner. Deep sighs from lady at counter clearly irritated at our question if there were any sandwiches or handhelds as she flung her hand up at the screen. Apologized and said we'd seen them listed on the website. Not a great welcome. Ordered at the counter and handed a buzzer. We all ordered ourselves. Collectively - two pizzas, three orders of wings, and a Ceasar salad. We also went to the bar to get drinks. Then we got our own paper plates, napkins, and plasticware. Buzzer went off for one of us about ten minutes later. Pizza. Then 5 minutes later, another's. Wings. Not one person's whole order, but piecemeal. We made SIX separate trips from the front where we were sitting all the way to the back. So it was grab a bite of pizza - BUZZZZZZ - go get salad - a few mouthfuls - BUZZZZZZ - one order of wings - this dance went on for a half hour! Who eats like that? Salad was warm, drowned in anchovy forward dressing and limp lettuce. Asked for extra crispy wings. Flaccid. Super bummed. We had to go back to place our order, get our own tableware, set the table, and then pick up the food... If we had known all this I don't know that we would each have left a 20% tip after ordering. Received more care and service at a DD drive through. Pizza itself was great - just cold by the time we got all our food and were able to sit still and eat. So... all in all - great atmosphere to grab a beer at the bar and yak or order ONE pizza so you all could actually enjoy it warm. Group each wanting something different or expecting food brought to you - not the spot. Just go with the right expectations and you will enjoy.

I can't believe I am the first review!! I went to this brewery as part of the passport series and…read moreit happened to be the first brewery I received a stamp from! Ended up sitting by the bar, talking to the owner, and a couple? who were super chill! They have a good mix of beers and I ended up trying the Zombie. Very smooth and refreshing despite the 100 degree temperatures hahaha. They also have a couple of tables and games to choose from! I will definitely be back, especially to try the nitro beer! This place has good vibes and plenty of tentacles!

A fantastic intimate, yet roomy venue for live music. Service was outstanding, staff was friendly…read moreand professional and food was delicious, but be sure to save room for dessert...The Cakes are Out of this World Good! It's on Bank St in New London, so be mindful of your surroundings, otherwise, a great place to unwind and have a good time!

After a Second Chance, I'm Officially Bowing Out This was my…read moresecond attempt at giving The Social Bar a fair shot, and unfortunately, absolutely nothing has changed. You would think a spot would be packed for Sunday brunch, but we walked in to a completely dead restaurant--just two couples sitting at the bar. We got seated, but it quickly became clear that the bartender (who I assume was also the manager) was the only person working the entire front of the house. The Service & Wait To say the service was slow is an understatement. It took so long just to put in an order that we were highly tempted to walk out. The only reason we stayed was because we had an hour to kill. While the bartender was genuinely friendly--and even nicely gave me the last of the batch he had mixed--the good attitude simply couldn't make up for the agonizingly long wait. The Drinks & Food The Mimosa: It was a premixed blend that was about 90% orange juice and 10% champagne. The Fries: The lone bright spot of the meal. They were nicely seasoned and easily the best part of the experience. The Side Caesar Salad: I really wanted to love the Caesar dressing because it actually tasted homemade. Sadly, it was so incredibly overloaded with salt that I'm genuinely shocked I'm not blind. After two strikes and two back-to-back fails, I'll sadly have to bow out from giving this place a third chance. There are too many other spots to choose from to waste time on slow service and unexecuted food.

Half Keg Tavern is a historic neighborhood tavern that opened in New London, Connecticut in 1946…read more The tavern is housed inside a converted Quonset hut, which was likely picked up cheaply at the conclusion of World War II. The Half Keg stands out from other Connecticut drinking establishments in that it is technically a tavern as opposed to a bar. What's the difference? Bars can serve just about anything (including hard liquor), whereas taverns (once known as "public houses" back when residents were still British subjects) are places that can serve only beer, wine, cider, and food if they choose. At the time the Half Keg opened, there were maybe 700 taverns in Connecticut. Today, less than 10 Connecticut drinking establishments operate under a tavern license. A number of different owners have come and gone at the Half Keg, including longtime owners Ron & Maryann DiNoto. Since October 2016, the Half Keg has been owned and operated by Teresa Stomberg and her son David Donatello. The tavern serves a variety of domestic and foreign beer as well as a food menu of fresh handcrafted burgers, grinders, and a variety of bar bites. I recently visited the Half Keg for lunch while I was in the New London area. I arrived not long after they opened for the day. I pulled up a seat at the bar and began to peruse the menu. I first ordered a plate of "Fried Pickles", which were on the specials menu that day. Served with a dipping sauce, they were hot, crispy and very flavorful. I washed them down with a draught pour of Samuel Adams' "Summer Ale". Afterwards, I ordered a "Garlic & Onion Burger" (garlic & onion seasoned burger on a a garlic-buttered roll, slice of raw onion, lettuce, tomato) with a side of "Hand Cut Seasoned Fries". Don't expect anything particularly fancy here. It's just good, old-fashioned home cooking. No frills, no fuss; just fresh ingredients and good flavor! I washed my burger and fries down with a draught pour of Two Roads Brewing's "Two Juicy" (Double New England IPA). That lunch really hit the spot. I'd be interested in trying out one of their grinders on a return trip. If you're in the mood for a good sports game paired with a cold beer, good food, and the company of friendly locals, then head to the Half Keg!

What a great little bar , it's a must stop for a dive bar feel ! People very friendly , prices are…read morereasonable . Cant wait to stop back in .

The Niantic Public House is tucked away behind the Black Sheep restaurant off the main road in…read moreNiantic. The interior is very spacious, with plenty of high top tables. It's a bit loud and when we were there there were young children running around inside. There is a limited amount of non-Beer drink selections if you do not like beer. Obviously this place is for beer drinkers, but I was hoping for a few more non-beer options so that my beer loving husband could enjoy the beer. The bartender was very kind and understanding and offered me samples of the 1 hard seltzer and a blueberry cider that were available on tap (they also had sangria). I did have the cider that was decent, I'm not usually a cider fan but this one didn't have that tang most hard ciders have that I don't care for. My husband said the IPA beer that he had was very good. They have an outdoor seating area as well.

Niantic Public House & Brewery: Solid Beer, Great Vibe, but the Bar Setup Needs Help…read more Final stop--or technically, our first--on our Niantic-to-Mystic beer crawl was Niantic Public House & Brewery, conveniently located near our Airbnb. The town was buzzing with tourists, and we caught the tail end of a local car show just up the street. The scene had great small-town energy, and live music was just setting up when we arrived. Bonus points for easy parking behind the building. The space has a cool, industrial vibe with bold murals from local artist Jacob Cullers giving it some character. The taproom itself is big, open, and welcoming, with plenty of seating at the bar and throughout the space. The décor isn't exactly cohesive, but it has personality--and for a laid-back beer hang, that works. We tried Mystery of Juiceboxin', a super juicy New England IPA brewed with Mosaic and Citra hops (juiceheads, this one's for you), and D.S.D., a stronger, bolder Imperial IPA. Both were solid pours and easy to enjoy. I ended up going back for a second, which--if you've read any of my brewery reviews--you'll know is my personal barometer for whether a place is worth the stop. The vibe here is clearly geared toward community--super family-friendly, casual, and unpretentious. The live music was a nice touch too. J.C. Revival, a local duo, was playing that afternoon and added just the right amount of energy without overwhelming the space. Now... let's talk about the service. The bartenders themselves were friendly, upbeat, and doing their best--but the layout of the bar is absolutely killing them. Glassware is at the front, taps and sinks are in the back, and it felt like they were in a constant loop just trying to fulfill basic orders. Even on a slow day, service was sluggish simply because of how inefficient the setup is. You could see how hard they were working, but the system they're working within just doesn't make sense. A bar remodel focused on flow and function would go a long way here--not just to improve speed, but to take some pressure off the staff, who really were trying their best. Bottom line: The beer is worth the visit, the space has charm, and the energy is welcoming. But if you go, pack a little patience. Here's hoping they invest in a more functional bar setup--because with better service speed, this place could be a standout.

I found Misfit Club by walking around downtown Mystic. It truly is a hidden gem with regulars and…read moretourists. I love the two bartenders that were there when I stopped in with my husband. They were so warm, kind and welcoming. It really is a judgement free pub! The establishment is English themed with lots of British decor and I loved every bit of it!!!! It's chic, modern and cozy. They have a great beer list and they rotate their beers weekly. It's a bar and social club. It appeared there were regulars there and people knew one another. I wish I lived in the area because it would be my local place! I LOVE that they show music videos on a screen as it plays in the bar.

A hidden gem of a brewery in the downtown area. It's a fun place that was a little loud for old at…read moreheart people like my fiance and I. Absolutely a fun place if you are looking for that. The bartenders were very friendly and the service was quick.