Willibrew has been a staple for more than 25 years, and that history is honestly the only thing…read morekeeping this from being a much lower rating. There's a lot of nostalgia tied to this place, but the experience today feels like a shadow of what it used to be. The quality has dropped drastically. Service was, frankly, atrocious--slow, disengaged, and bordering on indifferent. The beer selection is still decent, but it doesn't matter much when every pour arrives tasting off. Whether it's bad kegs or hot glasses, the result is the same: lukewarm, skunky beer that's hard to enjoy. Food was another disappointment. Every item came out cold, and the flavors were on par with grade‑D fast food--bland, lifeless, and nowhere near the standard this place once had. Giving three stars feels generous, but it's a nod to the legacy Willibrew built over the decades. I truly hope they find their footing again, because right now, the nostalgia is doing all the heavy lifting. Ummmmm cheers I guess

Maybe the beer is so good it warrants the huge space it occupies. The review below is baffling to…read moreme based on the love this place gets on Yelp and other review sites. The atmosphere and service were terrific. Expansive place in an old bank. Quirky, charming, and fun all at the same time. Loved the vibe - added to the excitement of having lunch. Server was terrific. The food: IF we ever go back I/we will get apps for the table only. Wide variety of options - all fairly good. They do no harm. Think airport or mid-level hotel restaurant. Appetizer portions (especially the nachos) gigantic. Clearly it's for the wow factor to distract diners from the 100% food service supplier, heat and eat options. Even all sauces and dressings come in the 2oz /4oz soufflé cup with the LID STILL ON. like we are literally in the airport. Wings to start along with nachos with shredded beef. The only wing sauce (we tried 4) that tasted like anything was their "Oy-Vey" which is hotter than their bottled, ready to serve buffalo. The buffalo, bbq, and dry rub jerk were tasteless, as was the blue cheese. The wings were medium size. Not the jumbo party wings that come in the 40lbs box. Nachos were ok. Good portion of cheese and meat. But the thimble of sour cream and tasteless pour from the bottle salsa were embarrassing But... if we were drinking and enjoying friends ... it would have been fine to soak up the microbrews, I suppose. Sandwiches were disastrous. One had the friend catfish sandwich, one the spicy shrimp wrap, and I had the farmers wrap/add blackened chicken. Portion sparse. Fries and/or onion rings mid-grade coated/cover the plate type. And I added coleslaw (maybe my favorite food on the planet) at our server's suggestion...the dry, tasteless cabbage set coleslaw back 50 years. KFC slaw is miles better (and I hate that). What ruined it was all sandwiches had the same "funk" to them. Each member of our table tried to identify in their own order, and sharing some of each others, what it was. The common denominator was the funky/carbon/dirty grease taste and smell that came from their grill (all wraps and sandwich bread/roll/wrap) was heated on it. It clearly was filthy. Taste permeated everything. They don't create/chef here. It's food service supplier "speed scratch" which is assembled in the kitchen. I know staffing is hard. I know no one wants to work (they do, however, want to get paid), but really really really disappointed based on reviews and menu. Best part, I asked for a small cup of oy-vey sauce as my tasteless wrap was so dry. Server said that she'd be happy to. But it would be $4 from the kitchen. Ummm... hard pass. Again, maybe phenomenal if you're a college student at East Conn. but if you're not drinking the food simply does not stand up on its own. Worst $178 with tip (with no alcohol) I have ever spent.