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    Fire by Forge

    4.4 (209 reviews)
    Closed Closed
    Updated 2 months ago

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    FIRE BY FORGE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Upscale
    Moderate noise

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    Kathleen S.

    .Enjoyed coming here for a yelp event. Got to enjoy an arrangement of appetizers ranging from different meats and cheeses with fruits and crackers ,duck jambalaya, Brussels sprouts , and braised lamb. Service here was fast and friendly, establishment was clean too. To drink I got the ELDER WISDOM It was made with gin, grapefruit juice, lemon juice, rosemary simple, elderflower, elderberry liqueur, prosecco, lemon wheel, smoked rosemary. It was tasty!

    Double Americano made right!
    Chuck D.

    A rainy weekend morning brought us to Fire by Forge. It's a great space. It screams converted factory. The bar and bar area are huge. How much liquor do they have? All of it. It's a really well stocked bar. We started with mimosas and Bellinis. They were delicious. The Americano was double size, made properly. It was arguably the best I've ever had. Deviled egg starters along with an incredibly tasty cinnamon roll. A few sandwiches, bagels, and avocado toast did it for meals. Jessica ok great care of us, but everyone in the place was friendly and engaged. It's good food, for a good cause. Check em out!

    Vegan tofu scramble from Fire and Forge (Photo by Deanna Troy Travels)
    Deanna H.

    We went for Mother's Day Brunch and loved it! Get the biscuit appetizer served with butter and jam! They were delicious! Industrial atmosphere and large seating area in the back. We loved their vegan tofu scramble. (However the vegan bacon was too crunchy!) My mother got the steak & eggs and she loved it! Something for everyone! Kind staff. Great family spot!

    !!!
    Christine M.

    Went here for a yelp elite event. The place was packed in the back where regular diners were seated for dinner. The place was super lively, beautifully decorated, and inviting. We were able to try many of their dishes, my favorite was their gumbo. I couldn't have eaten enough here. I tried their smoked apple drink which is one of the most delicious drinks I've ever had. I would def go back with friends . Thanks fire by forge !

    FB Brussel Sprouts
    Jazzlyn S.

    Another fun night with the elite squad I got to sample bites like the Brussels mushroom empanada with truffle mayo, picanha steak with chimichurri butter and the duck jambalaya! Bar drinks were delicious and vibrant, and the atmosphere felt social. Parking is available in lot and also along the street. Busy bartenders, happy patrons and creatively unique food.

    Baked street corn dip $16
    Sara R.

    Extremely overpriced for what it is. We came for lunch- I originally ordered the Holy Mole chicken arepa, but they didn't have the arepa. I got the burrito and it was bland. The street corn dip was okay but not worth $16. There was also a small hair in it that I didn't notice until we were done, it was under the tortilla chips and definitely not mine. The American Up n Down onion soup was good ($11). I liked the lavender lemonade. My partner got the steak sandwich, which he was disappointed in. Very small portion for $22. His drink was never brought to the table. I would maaaaaybe come back to try their brunch but I know it would be overpriced as well. There's a lot of better places to eat that don't cost nearly as much. $90 for a lunch for two- no alcohol- and it wasn't very good. Very disappointing.

    Mole Duck Wings
    Eric W.

    Through the grapevine (social media pages I follow), we heard that Chef Van Hurd from Season 6 of Hell's Kitchen was now the executive chef here at Fire By Forge! So naturally, we pulled up to check it out! (Disclaimer: Chef told me that he was so new there that his featured items hadn't hit the menu at that time. ALSO, he's been long gone from there at the time of this review.) So anyway, here's how things went! Atmosphere/Appearance: Set right in Hartford, just a little on the outskirts is this gem. It's on Broad street a little out the way and there is a very small parking lot next to the restaurant, but street parking is also available. The outside looks very well put together and rustic. Once inside the restaurant is kinda split into 2 sections. You have the main section which is nice, open with high ceilings, bright red bricks, big windows, soft leather couches and all kinds of seating arrangements. If you walk past the bar you get into a smaller section, but it's kinda like a tunnel of tables. Lol. That tunnel of tables then opens up into what almost looks like a different restaurant, but feels like a space they expanded into. So there's plenty of places to sit, though I still encourage reservations! The atmosphere was lively and full of energy. This place also lets you know that it's a cooking school too! Amateur chefs can come here to learn knife skills and cooking skills as well! (This is just a small snippet of what they do, but I encourage you to visit the businesses website to learn more about what they offer.) Service: Here's my only gripe about this place. Right online it says "Happy Hour is from 4:30 PM to 6 PM daily and 8pm-9pm, except on holidays, events, or show nights." But like, when isn't there a show or some sort of event going at at The Bushnell or some nearby theater?! You have to literally call and check with the host to see if they're doing happy hour before you come because if you THINK you're in the clear, they can just say... oh there's a show tonight so there will be no happy hour. So that bothered me. Oh well. We still dined. Now for the good stuff! Let me tell you something about Suzie Johnson! She is the bartender here and she won BARTENDER OF THE YEAR in 2024 via the Connecticut Restaurant Association! She is a TREAT! She's full of personality, knows her stuff and is just a true pleasure. Food: First off was the Up In Smoke Old Fashioned. It had great, subtle sweetness up front, warm taste from the Up & Down branded bourbon, cold, smooth, not too harsh and of course, a bit smokey. As a courtesy to guests, they're served pickled carrots as palate cleansers instead of bread, crisps or anything like that. Clever. The first small plate I got to try were the Duck Mole Wings! These are described as "5 crispy duck wings with a tequila mole barbecue sauce, served with sesame seeds and pickled onions. These certainly looked the part! These were smooth, not necessarily crispy, extremely tender, hardy and just balanced. Mole is a very ingredient-heavy sauce and these were delicious. My 2nd drink was the Ghost Rider which is Up & Down bourbon, spiced Nightrider espresso, Licor 43 and an orange twist. This had a sharp cinnamon/hazelnut/nutmeg flavor/spice-y flavor. Very good and warming as well, even though it was a little sweet. Next up was the Knife Skills Soup! This is a soup compiled by the trainees and all the vegetables they've chopped in class! How cool is that?! It was a very thick vegetable soup, hearty, salty and warm. Next up were the Tostone Nachos! These were so fantastic. The pulled pork on top was so meaty, so tender and the queso fresco was lightly cheesy adding subtle notes to the hearty pork and carb-y tostone. This was my favorite thing of the night. My last drink of the night was the Sazerac. If absinthe is in the building, I must try that restaurant's version. This one was spectacular, but could've used more rye bourbon. The last thing we had to try was their Smash Burger. The burger consists of 2 1/3 lb angus beef patties, a "crystal bun", American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle and special sauce. You can add bacon, egg or anything else if you'd like. This was delicious. The whole thing just melts in your mouth. The flavors were all there and so defined. Excellent. Value: This place won't break your bank, but it's not cheap either. Each of my drinks hovered around $13.00 a piece. As I'm late to write this review as I'm still catching up from years of backlog, none of the food I wrote about is on their current menu except for their smash burger which came in at $19.00. So like I said, not cheap, but... reasonable. In conclusion, I really liked this place, but as I am a happy hour hunter, not knowing if they'll have it or not based on how busy it is... is kind of a turn off. Like, just make up your mind and the people will as well.

    Bar
    Ron D.

    Stopped by for lunch and was immediately drawn to the restaurant's mission. Their commitment to supporting the community through job training, internships, and apprenticeships for individuals overcoming challenges such as poverty, incarceration, homelessness, and addiction is truly inspiring. It's the kind of mission that makes you want to support the place before even looking at the menu. I ordered the NOLA Shrimp Po'Boy, and my colleague went with the Smash Burger. Since it was a cold December day, I also ordered a cappuccino while my colleague chose a lemonade. Our drinks arrived quickly, but the food took noticeably longer. We had already finished our beverages by the time our meals arrived--about 30 minutes later. The food itself was okay, but the service could use improvement. I understand there was a large corporate group dining in at the time, which may have contributed to the delay, but consistency is important, especially during busy hours. It's an opportunity for the restaurant to refine their operations to match the strength of their mission. Overall, I appreciate what this restaurant stands for, and I hope they continue improving the dining experience to match the heart behind their purpose.

    Mac & Cheese
    Michelle I.

    I've been twice recently and both times had a wonderful experience. The service was quick and smooth. Staff was very friendly. And it can get very busy with holiday gatherings around lunch time. The food was delicious! I got the Mac and cheese and it was so yummy the only downside to this place is the parking lot is super small so be prepared to park in the street and have to walk or try and carpool if you can. 10/10 would recommend and will for sure be coming back. Plus feels nice knowing the proceeds are to help the community!

    Mimosa? I forget...but it was good!
    Celina C. N.

    I go to Hartford every summer for a conference but it never occurred to me to skip out and explore what the city has to offer. I'm so glad that I did this time, and that I found Fire by Forge. Food was fresh and interesting and tasty. The hit, for me, is their social enterprise approach and their impact on the community. They make good food while empowering people who often are overlooked and undervalued, enabling them to experience mobility and contribute to a thriving economy. Beautiful stuff!

    Biscuits and gravy with fried egg
    Carli W.

    The concept of this restaurant will keep me coming back time and time again. I absolutely adore their message and there needs to be far more of it than there is! Kudos to you Fire by Forge! My husband and I had the pleasure of trying this wonderful restaurant for brunch this morning. Our server, Amy was friendly and attentive. She answered our questions and gave a great overview of what Fire by Forge stands for. We tried pour over coffee for the first time and the flavor is so much fuller and bolder than traditional drip coffee. We shared a cinnamon roll to start and it was by far the absolute star of the show. The roll itself was gooey and had a beautiful cinnamon swirl but it was not overly sweet. It complimented the warm decadent cream cheese frosting smeared on top perfectly. I would go back just for that and a coffee in the future! To eat - I had the biscuits and gravy with an over easy egg on top. The yolk broke so was cooked instead of gooey but it was still tasty. Additionally - the biscuit to gravy ratio was just a tad off in my opinion. There were 4 hearty sized biscuits and not enough gravy. They should give an option: 2 or 3 biscuits and they needed a little extra gravy. All and all, however - it was still super tasty! My husband had the steak sandwich on warm ciabatta. He had a side of fire fries which added the tiniest hint of smokey paprika. He really enjoyed it. We thought it was going to be a lot heavier than it was. It was a charming spot with a beautiful vision and I can't wait to go back!

    Yucca Fries
    Tanya S.

    My family and I had the pleasure of visiting Fire by Forge yesterday. I didn't know what to expect and boy were we blown away! Grace was fantastic and I know we definitely made sure she got her steps in. But she always returned with a smile. They are so attentive to anyone with allergies. We even had a visit to our table by the Chef. That was so appreciated! Thx Chef!! The drinks were fabulous from the Mojitos to the blackberry and fig margaritas. The Fig Margarita is a must try! The happy hour menu had a nice variety of choices. I tried my first plant based product, which were the crabcakes. I was very pleased with the flavor and texture of the crab cake. Brick interior and dim lighting makes for a nice date night or special occasion dinner. I honestly want to go back again very soon!

    Empanadas
    Barbara B.

    A beautiful building refurbished to a restaurant with a mission. The philosophy of helping give people a second chance does not compromise the excellent food or friendly service. A bonus is the variety of vegan options. Everyone was happy with their lunch choices. We can't wait to return for buck a shuck Thursday or Wing Tuesday

    Latte, Chicken & Waffle

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    2 years ago

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    6 months ago

    Great dinner, great service, great cause. Menu is interesting and food tastes homemade. Try it for something a little different.

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    9 months ago

    Food was interesting and delicious. Service excellent. A great experience supporting a worthy endeavor.

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    1 year ago

    Food s great, menu updates as season progresses, full bar with standards, as well as updated cocktails that taste good and make sense.

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    1 year ago

    Love love love everything about this place. It's worth the drive, money and empty stomach!

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Love this spot the contribute a lot to the community I feel like everyone should try it a least once to support

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    10 months ago

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    Gather55

    Gather55

    4.8
    (65 reviews)
    0.9 mi
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    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!

    Photos
    Beautiful decor and cool music.  Great vibes!
    Beautiful decor and cool music. Great vibes!
    Crispy Yucca Rellenos ($14)
    Crispy Yucca Rellenos ($14)
    Gather55

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    The Laurel

    The Laurel

    4.5
    (94 reviews)
    2.9 mi

    While staying in the Hartford area for work, I needed to find a decent restaurant that offered some…read morevegan and vegetarian options. I chose The Laurel based on the great reviews, not knowing much more about this place. Upon arriving, the parking lot was packed. I also had a difficult time getting in when walking from the parking lot, which is behind the restaurant. The issue here (which is my only negative about the entire dining experience) is if I were with a person with disabilities (as I am at times) who doesn't walk fast and we walked to what we "thought" was the entrance, only to find a sign saying to use the front door, but no arrow as to where that is (and keep in mind, I don't know the area, this place, never been here before) and if it were raining - This would have been a horrible way to start the dinner. PLEASE post a sign on the door with an arrow showing which way to go. Also, the door says it's for disable folks, but it's locked. OK - My griping aside... Coming in, I was quickly greeted and seated. The staff here was GREAT! Very engaging and VERY helpful! The menu here is AMAZING! Good thing it's a joint that specializes in small plates and that I was part of a group of three, it gave us the ability to try a bunch of items; seven, in fact and that's not including dessert! The flavors from their vegetarian and vegan dishes were so darn good, you don't miss the meat! Everything was plated beautifully and perfectly! We also placed our entire order (not desserts) all at once and they brought them out as they were made, which worked perfectly with our timing too. They not only have a full bar here, they have a "craft cocktail" quality bar! Upon walking in, one of the first things I noticed was their yellow chartreuse! Of course, next to this was green. So, when I sat down I asked about it, and my server told me how they were able to get this and so I ordered a Last Word, which came out SPOT-ON PERFECT! When it came to the food, some favs of ours - Their Watermelon Crudo - This looked and had the texture of tuna - AMAZING!! The Vegan Empanadas had amazing flavor and texture! I also liked their Stuffed Peppers - The "Samosa Potatoes" in them really hit nicely as well as the sauce on top. Save room for dessert, they have some great options here! We couldn't decide, so the 3 of us ordered 4! We tried their crème Brûlée, their Unbirthday cake, Tres Leches Tiramisu, and their Brûléed Cornbread. The Unbirthday cake was nice - reminded me of what it looks like, Funfetti! But their Brûléed Cornbread was AWESOME! Loved the crispy edges of the cornbread and the entirety of flavors. It wasn't until mid-meal that we really had a talk with our server about the amazingness of the food, the artfulness of it, as well as the attention to detail and creativity of the menu and that's when we learned that the chef here recently won an award for best chef in Connecticut! Well, now it's obvious - Why the parking lot was packed and why everything was so very good! Highly recommend stopping in - but make reservations!

    I'm glad I gave this place a second chance before writing my review. Our first visit was for dinner…read moreand while things were good, I did not love it. But it wasn't their fault, I didn't realize that there were olives (in some form or another) pretty much in every single dish I ordered and I don't love olives. As in, whatever I saw, say fish or duck with something I wanted, so I just ordered it without reading the fine details of what were in the dish. So that was my fault, I am sure they would have either suggested things without olives, or told me what things the olives could've been removed from. I knew the service was good and the food was beautifully plated, I just didn't love the things we ordered that time. I saw a post on Instagram that they had a French toast with Ube sauce and I knew I needed to go! I fell in love with Ube in Seattle a couple of years ago and now anytime I see it near me, I have to go get it. I saw the post on a Saturday morning and jumped online and made a brunch reservation for 11:45 the same day! Everything we had was fantastic, rather than wanting a basic sausage or bacon to go with the French toast sticks. I ordered the Bella Bella wings as my protein to go with my Ube French toast, and they were fantastic. I also had to start with the watermelon Crudo, which was interesting, the flavors were excellent, but the texture of the watermelon did not resemble watermelon so it could throw you off if you're not at least a mildly adventurous eater. My husband had the prawn and grits and said it was fabulous and that he would order it again. I did not try it because the portion is not that big and the French toast was filling me up so I let him enjoy his own meal, and did share a couple wings with him and he agreed they were really good. The service was great again, and as simple as it sounds, I loved how when we were seated the hostess asked what kind of water we wanted, we did not have to wait for any period of time for a server to come over and ask us. The attention is in the details and that is always important. The cocktails were great, though a little pricey, which is on par for things in CT. We enjoyed them both at brunch and on our first dinner visit. We will be back, and I actually already prepaid for a dinner experience coming up with Filipino food and I'm excited for it! I have friends that went to the first one and said it was epic! So, while we usually go to brunch only if there are bottomless mimosas, this is one exception that will stay in our rotation! The restaurant is cute, intimate and clean.

    Photos
    Bar
    Bar
    Picnic Chicken
    Picnic Chicken
    Vegan Chocolate Mousse Valrhona chocolate, fried peanuts, shortbread cookie, peanut butter sauce (Photo by: Deanna Troy Travels)

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    Vegan Chocolate Mousse Valrhona chocolate, fried peanuts, shortbread cookie, peanut butter sauce (Photo by: Deanna Troy Travels)
    The Foundry

    The Foundry

    3.7
    (53 reviews)
    1.0 mi

    Honestly, the meal felt like I was being edged. Everything was close, flavor wise, but just needed…read moresomething. We got hamachi crudo and I don't know if the supplier of fruit is in cahoots with la Croix but I've never had a slice of citrus taste so bland. The dish was in desperate need of some acidity. Foie was great, I think the only plate aside from the halibut that didn't need any tweaking. We also got the pour over and over as our first drink -- I am fascinated how a cocktail can be both an espresso martini and not at the same time. I wanted to love it, then I saw it and wanted to hate it - then was left feeling perplexed and intrigued by the experience. I think that's a good way to describe the evening, perplexing and intriguing and I'm not sure how to feel but I do not think I will be back for anything other than cocktails because it is frankly a waste of time and money. The place itself is pretty and very Instagramable. The service was fine. You have to put in your entire order at once because that's what the chef prefers which feels a tad pretentious to me -- kind of the vibe of the whole place. Two key words as a takeaway: overpriced and underwhelming.

    We had a 7 course tasting menu for three. It took a little over two hours. It n my honest…read moreopinion, I wanted to see what the hype was about and I don't get it. It's decent food but not the greatest. I get it, it's fine dining but not all the flavors were there. Three of us paid almost $800, so, yes, I was expecting to be blown away with my tastebuds in overdrive but my tastebuds were underwhelmed. Started off with canapés: east coast oysters (green grape granita); could've used sprinkle of salt. Beef tartar (green garlic kimchi aioli, lime, mint, anchovy breadcrumbs); needed more salt, very bland with little flavor & carrot veloute (coconut milk, red curry, cilantro, peanuts), very delicious and flavorful. 1st course: Hamachi Crudo (celery, sorrel, green apple), needed salt. 2nd course: Foie Gras Torchon (black mission fig, five spice, brioche bun). Brioche was extremely dry and cold, not buttery and soft like a brioche should be. 3rd course: Mackerel (thompcord grape, lardo, smoked yogurt); extremely fishy and unpleasant. Grapes were sweet and delicious and smoked yogurt and lardo didn't contribute anything great. 4th course: Chestnut Tortellini (browned sage butter) was great! 5th course: Dry Aged Rohan Duck Presse (beet, huckleberry, port jus) was underwhelming. Breast was cooked to right temperature but skin was super fatty and soggy. As an avid duck eater, I think a crispy skin and more seasoning in the actually meat would've been nice. It needed salt for sure to enhance the flavors but the roasted and pickled beets were delicious. The port just didn't do much for flavor and huckleberry was delicious and could've used more of it. 6th course: A5 Wagyu Ribeye (roasted daikon, black garlic bordelaise, hen of woods) very delicious in every aspect. The black garlic bordelaise brought this entire dish together with its incredible flavor! I wish the bordelaise was served with the duck as well! 7th course: Foie Gras Ice Cream & Apple Tarte. Interesting ice cream flavor by itself but eaten with the apple tarte it worked well. The tarte had crispy bits of caramel that added great texture and flavor. Ambiance is beautiful on the 20th floor overlooking Hartford. I'm sure it's beautiful during sunset. Again, I wish I was blown away like others have been. Maybe my expectations are too high, I'm not sure. I'm neutral as I am unsure if I would recommend this establishment. I do know that I wouldn't return.

    Photos
    Dining area
    Dining area
    Coffee & Doughnuts
    Coffee & Doughnuts
    Pour Over & Over espresso martini

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    Pour Over & Over espresso martini
    Max's Trumbull Kitchen

    Max's Trumbull Kitchen

    4.0
    (895 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$$

    Back again this time for dinner ! We got seated immediately…read moreand our server was very nice and took our orders quickly . I tried the berry social club ( summer sangria ) Which was blueberry and raspberry's ands white wine ... which was okay not my favourite . For my entree I got the mole Colorado taco which was shredded chicken with a mango slaw and a chili sauce ... which was AMAZING ! Soo good the sauce was delicious and paired perfectly with the mango slaw !! Chicken was cooked perfectly ! Highly recommend . Personally I think it was my favourite taco I've had. If you like mango , coleslaw , and a good sauce on your tacos ( and no it was not spicy .. just packed with flavour ) you will love it ! You get two tacos with the order .. it was soo good I wish I had three. Overall 4/5 drinks were okay but food was delicious , very spacious and good ambiance ( perfect for after work drinks / hanging with friends and they have tvs to watch the game at the bar ) and great service . Can't wait to be back and try the blackened shrimp tacos !

    The food at Trumbull Kitchen is genuinely great -- the scallops especially were a standout. And if…read moreyou're a wine person, order the Max's Cabernet Sauvignon. Bold, beautiful, and worth every sip. The service was painfully slow -- our meal stretched to 3 hours, and it started on a rough note when I waited nearly 10 minutes at the entrance with no hostess in sight. The food makes is yummy, but make sure you go in with zero time pressure.

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    Max's Trumbull Kitchen
    Short rib pasta
    Short rib pasta
    Max's Trumbull Kitchen

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    American & Mexican Diner

    American & Mexican Diner

    4.6
    (102 reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$

    Food didn't disappoint!!! Service was good…read more It's a great place I will come back when I'm in town

    Finally I got the chance to get brunch at one of the most instagramable restaurants in Hartford !…read more Located right across trinity collage , parking is sparse , however customers are able to park across the street ! The ambiance was amazing I felt transport to the early 2000s with the music playing we got ne-yo , akin , old school Mariah Carey , Nelly ! Fabulous vibe . They have booth and table seating . Staff was very nice and friendly they were so sweet and attentive!! To start off I ordered the caramel cappuccino which was delicious highly recommend and presentation was top tier ! My husband got the hot chocolate which was really good ! And perfect to cozy up to this winter season ! Next I got the banana split French toast ! Yes and it was AMAZING ! If you have a sweet tooth , love French toast and ice cream ! This is the one for you !! I added an extra Nutella drizzle on top of the caramel drizzle ( and it was perfection !) highly recommended! My husband got the western omelette which he enjoyed the home fries were one of our top favourites !! They offer so many options with large portions. from pancakes/ waffles / eggs to lunch options ! Fabulous presentation of food and drinks and delicious too ! Definitely can't wait to be back! And try more food options

    Photos
    Colorful decor
    Colorful decor
    Hash, two eggs over hard and toast.
    Hash, two eggs over hard and toast.
    Cinnamon churro pancake

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    Cinnamon churro pancake
    Fowl Play

    Fowl Play

    4.1
    (72 reviews)
    0.8 mi

    If you're a fan of mac & cheese and chicken sandwiches, do yourself a favor & order the Mac Daddy…read moreSpecial! For $15.99, you get the sandwich plus fries (the sandwich alone is $11.99), making it a pretty solid deal. This place is tucked away in the Parkville Market & is a little spot. This beast of a sandwich comes loaded w/ creamy pimento mac & cheese piled on top of a juicy chicken breast, all tucked inside a soft brioche cheese bun. Every bite was cheesy, savory, & downright delish!It was messy in the best possible way & def hit the spot! The massive amount of fries were the perfect sidekick,rounding out a meal that left me full & happy! The portion was so huge my sis & me couldn't even finish them.1 thing's for sure Mac Daddy made it jump, jump... Mac Daddy made it jump, jump! Alright, alright! lol! If comfort food is your love language, this sandwich deserves a spot on your must try list. It won't disappoint your tastebuds or tummy! You're welcome!

    Tried the Mac Daddy and it was good. The sandwich comes loaded with a big piece of boneless…read morechicken, pimento mac & cheese, comeback sauce, and house pickles on a soft brioche bun. The portion with fries was definitely generous and super filling. The chicken itself was juicy, clean tasting, and flavorful without being greasy. I got the hot level but thought it would have more of a kick, so next time I'd probably go spicier. On the downside the breading on the chicken was peeling off, and the sauce made the bun a bit soggy, could have been crispier. It really wasn't bad, but CT has too much competition when it comes to fried chicken sandwiches, and it's hard not to compare it to them, why I only gave 3 stars..

    Photos
    Fowl Play
    The OG chicken sandwich, what the cluck RIP (their spiciest)
    The OG chicken sandwich, what the cluck RIP (their spiciest)
    Cute little place in Parkville Market

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    Cute little place in Parkville Market

    Fire by Forge - newamerican - Updated July 2026

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