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 .

Great beer selection. Great atmosphere. It's loud, rowdy, people were playing classic NES games on…read morea projector in the back at one point. Came here with missus and friend. Friend is REALLY into beer. He ordered for the missus and I. Every selection was great. The bartenders were attentive and informative and based on our previous choices steered us towards picks that would appeal to our specific taste profiles. This is a place I'd go with friends to just unwind. Yes it is very loud. But that's good when you've had a long week and you just want to let loose. Definitely a favorite and I'll miss this place when I eventually have to leave Connecticut.

Amazing space! We went last night to see Neva Dinova and were thrilled to see them in this intimate…read morespace. (Max capacity i74 people). The sound was great and the stage area though tiny, was big enough! They has a huge selection of beers, cocktails , canned bevs and even some great NA options. 10/10 lived this place.

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.

Gatehouse Tavern [GT]. (2 stars)…read more "Stuffed clams (or stuffies) are popular in New England and consist of a breadcrumb and minced clam mixture that is baked on the half shell of a quahog hard shell clam.[1][2][3][4] Other ingredients typically found in the basic breadcrumb mixture are: meat such as sausage, bacon or chouriço (Portuguese sausage), chili pepper, lemon juice, bell peppers, celery, onion, garlic, spices and herbs. There are many different recipes for stuffed clams; many restaurants in New England have their own variety, as do many home cooks." - Wikipedia "Stuffies - $2.50" The sign caught my eye. I asked myself, "Self, what the heck are stuffies?!" I walked up to the cashier and asked her. She said it's a stuffed clam. Ahhh... In all the years I have been up to New England I never heard of "stuffies" before. Perhaps it could be in part to the fact that I usually frequent seafood restaurants vice watering holes when I am here... As I perused the menu I also saw a pastrami sandwich so I decided to eat here. I ordered the following: -Stuffies -Pastrami Sandwich Stuffies. (1.5 stars). Somehow I imagined this stuffed clam to have some texture & seasoning but not an overkill of salt & onions??!! The stuffing was extremely mushy & unpleasant to eat. I took one bite & didn't finish the rest of it. There were a few minuscule pieces of clam meat chopped up in the stuffing mixture but it was tough to even discern any real clam flavor. I'm sure the locals probably go crazy over GT's stuffies but I just am not a fan... Pastrami (Reuben) Sandwich. (2.5 stars). GT's pastrami sandwich is different from most places I have eaten at because they cook their pastrami slices on a flat top grill. The pastrami had a nice seasoning but some of the sides were a little too burnt for my liking. Instead of the usual 1000 island (yuck) I requested spicy brown mustard & while it was a bit messy to eat, definitely hit the spot on a cold day. The sauerkraut was nice & crunchy which I appreciated. The "rye" bread was quite soft & fell apart before I could take a bite into the sandwich. The rye bread tasted like sourdough bread... --- All in all, GT is a quaint little water hole that is located right across the street from EB (Electric Boat). In its heyday, GT & Elfie's used to be THE places to go for EB employees during lunch. Most of the other establishments in this area (including Elfie's) is now closed due to the fact that EB now has a "cafeteria" on their premise. The owner/bartender is extremely friendly & social which made me feel at ease. Parking is wherever u find it. Street parking is about 1 block away in the residential area. But the good thing is, if u find a stall, it's free!

Family owned forever. This place is a throwback. Like time standing still. Old timey and dumpy. Try…read moreit you will like it.

Great Dive Bar - Delicious Food…read more Ryans is old dive bar pub with dated decor (which is a good thing) and plenty of food and drink deals. The food at this pub is spot on. I love their kickin chickin. its a great value and you can choose the sauce and trust me, i've tried all of them and they are all fantastic. also, the lobster roles and fried seafood are of the quality you would see at a seafood restaurant but without the high cost. Definitely check this place out if you are in Groton area. Thanks

In town visiting Of course I looked on yelp for a local…read moreplace to relax. I liked what I read so I decided to stop in. It's not easy being a woman and being by yourself but Erin the bartender made me feel welcome right away. My battery almost died and she went above and beyond by lending me her personal charger. I was grateful due to the fact that my phone was dying. She handled the bar with ease. Most people seemed to know each other and were very pleasant. I saw a couple pool tables to the side. Keno was playing but I'm not sure what else they offered. TV's were on playing sports and the enthusiast were really enjoying the game. I had already eaten so I can't tell you about the food but from what I saw it looked delicious If I'm ever in the area again I will definitely stop in and hopefully it's Erin's shift.

Classic and great New England Brewery. They are focused on what's in the can!…read more Industrial location. Cool and welcoming bartender. I had a SUBDuction and some pale ale named after a Navy ship. The Subduction was outstanding and can stand w/ the top tier of NEIPA. They have other alcoholic drinks for non-beer drinkers. I've been reliably informed they were good. No food and nothing delicious close. My guess is they bring in food trucks on busy nights. Will recommend and come back when in the area.

Fun brewery in an industrial center. It isn't really near anything else that we could see. There is…read morea tent outside for more seating options. The bartender was friendly and they had a nice variety of drink options.

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.

The Black Sheep is an Irish pub in Niantic serving things like Shepherds Pie and Bangers and Mash…read more It's one of the few restaurants in Niantic, so if you've visited more than once, you've probably been to the Black Sheep. I prefer visiting during the warmer months, because it gives you the option of eating outside. I find the interior to be too dark and the tables are often found sticky. The food is decent and the portion sizes are good. The sides are basic. Definitely pick the sweet potato fries if you have any doubts. My son insists that the regular fries need more salt to even taste ok. The service has always been a little slow but when the food comes out, they always have plenty of help getting it to the table. Because it's a fixture to a town I love, I'm sure I'll be back.

This is one of our local faves. The pub was for many years a family owned pharmacy honored by the…read morequote for the back room. The owner brought over the wood and decor from an Irish Pub so when you walk through the door you have magically been transported to Dublin. Creative cocktails and many beers on tap along with traditional Irish food complete the scene. The food is a awesome mix of Irish and American dishes. Guinness Beef Stew, Bangers and Mash, PEI Mussels, Steak Frites, and seafood dishes are sure to make this a pub favorite. They also have live music on the weekends and trivia nights. Hats off to the staff who make this place a local Cheers favorite.