Food, service, atmosphere! Eerything was good at Hugo's! I thought the menu was a little small, but we had the Korean fried chicken which was delicious! Also, the kimchi grilled cheese was a big hit... considering my daughter is a picky eater. She enjoyed it! Try the Parmesan truffle fries. read more

We came to Montpelier to see the band, 'Avi Salloway & Friends', playing upstairs at Hugo's. First though, drinks and dinner. The fried martinis were probably the best starter course ever! Yummy jumbo fries and aioli paired with a chilled martini.... Brilliant. My Shrimp Etouffee was cooked perfectly & spiced with talent. Annie had a salad but couldn't get the candied walnuts, 86'd for the nite. Our server was lovely & did an epic job considering the six of us were a bit unmanageable She made it fun. Afters found us climbing upstairs in the old speakeasy to a cozy lounge, complete with high-end prohibition stye & most importantly... a bar & stage. Hi energy jazzy 'think-on-it' music with a resistance angle, gave us a sense of balance, which seemed nice and possible in that moment. Thank you Hugo's & Avi and friends! read more

A hidden gem with the second floor outdoor deck. With a speakeasy feel entrance up to the bar and restaurant. Had the chicken sandwich... awesome. read more

Hugo's Bar and Grill - The outside deck after sundown - New American Near Me - Montpelier, Vermont

The place smelled like body order. I was charged a large group gratuity even though I was solo ordering take out. Portions were extremely small. Food tasted good but 30 bucks for a small chicken thigh was a rip off IMO. read more

*Reviewing their new location at the former Black Door. After the flood, Hugo's has risen like a Phoenix in its reincarnation upstairs on Main in the old Black Door digs. This feels like a very good match. On a recent Thursday night, out dining with friends, every table was filed, the iconic bar flush with patrons, and live music seeped down from the third floor. The mood and menu seem well matched to the space's speakeasy bones. A bevy of curated cocktails paired with an inviting wine & beer list first commanded our attention, and our server was attentive yet patient as we perused the main menu. There are a number of directions I could have taken, ultimately settled on a roasted cauliflower salad with chickpeas. It was outstanding both in flavor, concept, and quantity. I am still thinking about it two weeks later. My friends enjoyed their meals too, though the steak my friend ordered for her salad came uncut on a side plate, without a steak knife. And another friend nearly finished her fries before ketchup was requested and delivered. But, all in all, a very auspicious beginning for the reinvented Hugo's. We sat in the front room, but peeking into the main dining room I saw a modest amount of tables bundled together. Missing was the velvet banquettes and rich jeweled interior decor of the Black Door, leaving the space feeling a little underwhelming. Perhaps something is planned for the near future to pull it all together. We enjoyed our meals, our company, and the energy of the space. I look forward to returning soon for a date night, tucked away in a table for two. read more

See all

Had to update my review to include the ambiance and building in the new space. The live music, the vibe, Derrick the bartender, Logan the server, the wedge salad: phenomenal. It's all phenomenal. I love Hugo's and I always have. Always look forward to my visit read more

Waited half hour for a server to come to our table. Our food never arrived after an hour and a half wait we were told it would still be a while . We had driven forty minutes to eat and then left hungry and all restaurants were done serving at 9pm so went back home and made a panini. Very disappointed. read more

Hugo's has all the best Jazz, food, and ambiance in Montpelier. So much talent comes through there. I'm always impressed every time I'm there!! Wish I could dine there every night. The menu is very untraditional and unique in its own right. I feel right at home, due to the cozy vibes... great to go with friends, or not! The staff are warm and attentive. People just seem happy to be there, working while having a wonderful time! read more

Hugo's Bar and Grill - Asian Eibs & Kimchi - New American Near Me - Montpelier, Vermont

We stumbled into Hugo's for dinner on a weeknight and the porch seating was lovely. Our server was helpful and attentive. The food was good for the price, but the chicken was not good quality so would not recommend. read more

Hugo's Bar and Grill - Korean fried chicken - New American Near Me - Montpelier, Vermont

See all

My wife and I had a lovely date night at Hugos. The staff was welcoming and helpful, the atmosphere is homey and pleasant, and the food was delicious. We started with a half dozen oysters and shared the steak frites. Nicole was a great server and super attentive and kind. We will be back! read more

I went to dinner here back in April and was really disappointed in the food. The poutine was flavorless and a disgusting gray color. My friend's salad included chicken which resembled a leather handbag. It was dry and tough. My burger was pretty good, but they did send the wrong side dish and it took a while to catch waitstaff to ask for the correct item. When it came time for dessert, we ordered the skillet cookie. We thought this could save the meal since there's little that can go wrong with a simple cookie. We were wrong. This cookie seemed to contain no sugar and no salt. It was like a crumbly, bland cracker topped with ice cream. Overall, it was not a pleasant meal and paying over $80 for a meal that wasn't enjoyed felt comical. Based on my experience there, I would not return for the food. I would consider going back only for drinks since the cocktails were solid. read more

Hugo's Bar and Grill - poutine - New American Near Me - Montpelier, Vermont

The food was mediocre at best, the ambiance was stuffy, and we can't figure out why our bill was so high with what appears to be a 50-60 dollar overcharge. Uncomfortable to debate a bill with a busy server, so the bill was paid- yet we leave the experience of dining at Hugo's wondering if we could have had a better experience while visiting Montpelier Vermont in any other restaurant in the city. read more

We were a table of four on a moderately busy week night. It was the first time for all of us and we were not impressed. Service was OK. Fabric napkins might have been a nice touch for the price we paid? The drinks were fine, the salads were fine, the burger was fine, the fries were fine. The Korean fried chicken was swimming in sauce and included no potatoes, just a few cucumbers and peas, doused in sauce, even though it says potatoes on the menu. So for the price we paid, we will not be back. read more

Food was delicious! Drinks were perfect and summer-y. Service was excellent. Ambience was nice. It was a bonus. There was a jazz band playing upstairs, and we sat outside on the back patio. It was delightful. Had seafood (lobster roll and fish sandwich) and they were both delicious. Would recommend. There was a time with a prior menu when we had a few not great meals but I feel like Hugo's is all good now! We'll be back! read more

Stopped by for dinner, had the Pad Thai Noodle Bowl and the Roasted Vegetable Salad. My husband and I were very satisfied with our dishes. They were loaded with flavor and the portions were great. Our server was Leslie, she was so wonderful and friendly and provided us with the specials of the day... which were endless. The ambiance was so nice and calm with the lighting and light music. The tables were spaced appropriately, it's not always great being in the middle of a restaurant when the tables are close, Hugo's were not. I so appreciate that. We are moving here soon and look forward to this being one of our regular spots. read more

Hugo's Bar and Grill - Pad Thai Noodle Bowl - New American Near Me - Montpelier, Vermont

My party of three was excited about dining at Hugo's, after hearing good reviews. I'm sure if you are a seafood lover, having fresh oysters must be heavenly. We ordered from the main course section of the menu; if we wanted burgers, we would have dined elsewhere. I ordered the chicken. Another guest ordered salmon. I usually wait til I pay the tab, leave, then criticize the place. My guests wasted no time. They were as disappointed as I was with the food. Salmon portion was lacking, chicken was a bit dry and the stir fried veggies...could have been served as part of the entree, instead of charging an extra $6.00. Overall, food was bland. Bring a cushion for your chair if you sit upstairs, cuz they were incredibly uncomfortable. read more

Walking in the door I expected a little more flare. Slightly bland and a little pretentious for the overall Montpelier crowd. To be fair it was a Monday evening, also the location of this establishment is one that is very dear to me. NECI ran its restaurant out of here while I was attending for my Bachelor's and I have spent hundreds of hours working and learning in this space from some absolutely incredible talent. I felt bored sitting in the dining room, it lacks stimulation. Maybe a pop of color with some fresh flowers or some ornate utensils and tableware to add some warmth? The restaurant was clean. Our table however was not and we had to have them wipe it while we were already seated. A little awkward. The waitstaff was not unfriendly but also not attentive. They get a "C" on that report card. Yup she was there; but rarely and we had what we needed but just barely. We also had to request that the music being played on the speakers be turned down so that we could talk amongst ourselves. Way to loud. Let's talk about the food. I had the salmon and my wife had the pad Thai. The salmon was roughly 5oz and did seem to be center cut. I specifically asked that mine be cooked to medium. It came out over cooked. It was good but not what I ordered. The risotto that came with the fish was undercooked. The flavor of the fish was good. I'm not sure about the honey comb garnish;the food was hot and honey comb is naturally Made of wax so the heat from the food took away the slight crunch that honeycomb can add to a cheese plate or slightly chilled application. In concept I understand why that garnish choice was made. The execution needs to be more developed. All of the food needed additional seasoning. It was not enough food for me but I'm large and hungry all the time. I had a sandwich after my walk home. The Pad Thai was good. It needed more sauce; I liked that they use marinated chicken thighs instead of chicken breast. The noodles were cooked well and overall it was tasty. Between the two the pad Thai was the winner. But it's not the best pad Thai I have had in Montpelier and is by far the most expensive. Overall this place is currently just ok, and with having some heavy contenders just around the way at a lower price point this place will need to reevaluate their operations to be a front runner sitting in the shadows of 3 penny taproom. It has potential, I could see the vibe changing with live music which I know they have at times. It also may take some trial and error for them to find their rhythm in Montpelier, it's always been a tricky town. Best of luck read more

The new kid in town totally bypassed my expectations. The rack of lamb was perfect and the tuna tartare excellent as well. Two of us shared these and we were not quite done so we topped it off with a bruschetta with heirloom tomatoes and tomato chutney to die for. I had heard a few negative reviews but this place won me over immediately. Nice menu and lots of daily specials. The wine was phenomenal as well read more

The service was great and the ambiance was cool, but the food was subpar. My prime rib dip was so dry and missing ingredients. The fried chicken sandwich was all breading with no seasoning. The chicken and vegetable soup was hard pressed to find any chicken. We were just traveling through so we won't be back anyway. Just disappointed. read more

We were just looking for a quick appetizer and cocktail as a mini date night. Walking down Main Street, we saw Hugo's Bar and Grill with a sign advertising 1/2 off Oysters! That sealed the deal. We walked into a beautiful dining area overlooking Main Street with outdoor seasonal seating. We were offered seating upstairs or downstairs. Downstairs is a cozy brick laid hideaway reminiscent of an upscale speakeasy. It's adorable. We chose to eat in the main dining area, as the sun was still out and illuminated our table. We were just there for oysters, but some friends were there and allowed us to taste their meals. One was the burger of the day... beef burger, pork belly, and pineapple. It was so delicious it hurt. It hurt because I felt like I had been robbed of this flavor profile my entire life! Another friend had the steak frites. UGH.... that BLEW MY MIND. It was cooked to perfection...SOOOO delicious, I don't know what magic they are performing in that kitchen, but you would be a fool not to make this a destination stop if you are ever in Central VT. The oysters were AMAZING, BTW. They were delicious, served on a bed of ice with mignonette, lemon, and cocktail sauce. I'm going back here ASAP! read more

Hugo's Bar and Grill - 1/2 price oysters from 4:00-5:30! - New American Near Me - Montpelier, Vermont

See all

Mostly not good. We Started with the pretzel board and it was just so-so; the fresh baked pretzel was cold. Ordered the steak frittes and it came with frozen fries. Calamari not crispy. Burger was meh. The one thing we did enjoy was the chicken yakitori, it was prepared well and tasted really good. But we won't be returning for dinner anytime soon. read more

A friend and I went to Upstairs at Hugo's on Saturday night, excited to have a new venue to frequent and the promise of some excellent music from Myra Flynn, a Vermont based singer/songwriter. That we would be entertained well by Myra was not in doubt. I know her work and have seen her perform several times since moving to Montpelier some seven years ago. Let me be clear before I go further that I really want Hugo's to succeed and this review is in no way designed to put anyone off from attending but when it comes to providing entertainment it's so important to treat your audience and the artists right! If you go to the trouble of installing a Baby Grand Piano on the second floor of the venue (a feat that must have taken some effort given the layout of the building) then why, oh why would you not bother with even the most minimal of stage lighting and some appropriate blackout curtains on the windows? The Down-lights on the walls lit little but the floor surrounding the 'stage'. The uncovered windows admittedly provided some light from the street lamps as dusk drew in but frankly, despite being less than 10 feet away from Myra and her excellent band, by 8.30pm I could merely see silhouettes. Now, I know the place is new and there will no doubt be some trial and error involved with any new venture but really, this is basic stuff. If a venue is not ready to present an artist in the best possible light (pun perhaps intended) then just don't! Wait until the artist can be fully appreciated and more importantly, respected. Oh, and by the way, when it comes to respect, the majority of people in the venue on the night Myra and her band played were definitely there to see, hear and appreciate this talented ensemble. However, there were clearly a number of people at the bar who appeared to have no interest whatsoever in the music and continued to carry on as loudly as one might expect in a bar...nothing wrong with enjoying the evening, sharing stories and jokes etc but this was a performance not a karaoke night or background music. Maybe some gentle encouragement from the bar staff to ask people to respect the time when the artist is performing wouldn't have gone amiss! One final point. I don't know about you, but many people these days don't carry cash around so I would personally have appreciated knowing that the artist would be 'passing the hat around'. I'll take some of the blame for that and my lack of forethought although if no ticket price is specified for entry to the piano bar I'm assuming that the venue is, quite properly, paying the artists but hailing as I do from the UK I must perhaps put this down to me being unaware of local customs, so for that...My Bad! I'll be back - if I'm allowed in after this review ;-) I'd encourage everyone to go. There is much potential for this little venue and the associated restaurant downstairs, to do very well. Goodness knows we're all chomping at the bit for new and interesting things to do in our lovely little Capital since leaving behind (hopefully), the worst ravages of the Pandemic. I truly offer this review with my best wishes for the success of the venue and it would be remiss of me not to praise the staff for their attention and warmth of welcome from the moment we arrived until the moment we left the building. Thank you! read more

Looking ahead to Valentine's Day at Hugo's! Make a reservation now! Love the weekly specials here... had the clam special and demi salad the other night. Big fan of the Cobb Salad. Good with a glass of Sangiovese. Good food, good friendly service, outstanding handcrafted cocktails. Feel the love of the mixmaster's creation. My friend digs the Old Fashioned! This place has music in upstairs Piano Bar on th-f-s. Private parties can be arranged up there too! Great to have another chill place to hear music in MontP! read more

Hugo's Bar and Grill - Clams! Demi salad! - New American Near Me - Montpelier, Vermont

See all

Service is good. Food is underwhelming. Unfortunate as the space has so much potential. With so many better options in town I will spend my money elsewhere. read more

This place just opened in the spot where the Vermont culinary institute had its place many years ago. Thought I'd give it a try at lunch to see what's what. Attractive place. As a single, I'm a bar eater. The bar here is downstairs- not big - maybe ten seats and three hi top deuces. But cosy. One problem. It's directly down from the entrance and when the door opens it's COLD! So sit well in back or bring a warm sweater. There's music playing- Lou Reed and Bowie were playing but so low I'm sure I couldn't have Shazammed it if I had wanted. I'm not a loud restaurant person but if you plan to play music shouldn't we be able to hear some? Now for the food/ drink. I ordered a Tito's Martini. Superb. And they have a (small) raw bar so I got half dozen of oysters. Today it was a cape cod type. 18$ for 6. Beautifully fresh. And the cocktail sauce, house made, is really nice. A bit different. Normally I ask for horseradish but with the nice sauce and super fresh oysters there was no need. Problem. I didn't get a napkin until I asked for one. I didn't get a cocktail fork until I asked for one. They have a little polishing to do. Service was attentive and very friendly (granted they were not busy). For Montpelier they are a bit pricey - they have a ribeye for two at 78$. Steak frites is 32. But I think they are worth trying. I will def try them again. read more

Hugo's Bar and Grill - people sitting at the bar - New American Near Me - Montpelier, Vermont

See all

Hugo's was so delicious and the service was excellent. The cocktails were also so unique and fun. You can tell everything was very well thought out and they took a lot of pride in their menu. Thank you! read more

If you have not been to Hugo's for dinner since the new chef arrived around June 2, you'll want to go back to see what just happened! A new top-level chef has installed a new menu and turned what was a decent but so-so dining experience into a fantastic one. The Tuna Nachos appetizer (with fresh sushi grade yellowfin) was excellent. We tried two of the three special entrees. The fresh Halibut and the "two-ways" oyster entree were both top drawer. Our waiter was similarly excellent. Hugo's goes up to our "A" list. - WM, Montpelier VT read more

Could have been good. $35 Striped Bass with Risotto. Tasted fresh. Other than that, dry with no flavor. Brought it to servers attention. Response: "We were really busy tonight." So, they know they are serving food that is not on par and charging me full price, but that's ok. read more

I was excited to check the place out but was sadly disappointed with the food. The piano bar upstairs is amazing and well worth going out for oysters and rinks to hear amazing music. The desserts were delicious. We were pretty unimpressed with the food especially on how pricey it was. My husband's ravioli was so undone so t was way too chewy. I got the kale salad with chicken that had no dressing but just oil and the chicken was very dry. With their prices they need to step up the quality. Happy for the new bar and music venue and will go back for that definitely. read more

On the positive side, this place had a nice ambience and the service was excellent. This was our first time at Hugo's and we would probably try it again. We were a little disappointed in our food. The hamburger had a sweet jam on it that just didn't go with hamburger. The hamburger itself was very good and was cooked perfectly. I had a pastrami sandwich with some kind of pickled dressing that, again, did not seem to really go along with a traditional pastrami sandwich. read more

I went to Hugo's for dinner last night with friends for the first time. The food was very good, as was the service. There was a small mixup with some salads, but it wasn't a big deal. I'd definitely go back. read more

Went to Hugo's today for lunch - my second time in. I have unintentionally become a bit of a burger snob over the years. Something so simple yet so easy to get wrong. The burger was possibly the best I have had in recent memory. Seasoned just enough and cooked medium rare as I requested but still had a great crust. The bun was perfect and toasted and the onion jam a compliment. The lower level is also a great place to grab a meal. Beer list is on point and the bartender (Matt) is a riot. I may have just talked myself into another lunch tomorrow.... Nicely done Tom! read more

A great addition to the restaurant bar scene. A complete makeover of an older building into a contemporary winner. start in the basement's warm and cozy bar who may even run into the new owner at work on his lap tap at the bar. This go up one flight to the stylish and sleek dining room. The menu is a mix of familiar items but often treated in a new way. The Capitol City Cobb salad had all the ingredients but was topped with a slap of crispy chicken. Add the edamame beans and rice for a great side dish. Then go up one more flight to the attic piano bar, again a blending of a great traditional piano bar, with baby grand, and sleek styling. read more

Four of us had dinner at Hugo's earlier this week and it was a delightful experience. The food was exceptional and our waiter Derek added to the celebratory nature of a birthday dinner. It's a welcome addition to Montpelier's restaurant scene. read more

I had the opportunity to attend a wonderful performance Upstairs at Hugo's on Saturday night, by Myra Flynn. This was also my first visit to Hugo's. I'm delighted to see a new venue in town, especially a piano bar. I do want to note how inviting and nice the initial upper bar area is, praise the fine cocktails, and comment on the sweet and hard-working waitstaff. But in the spirit of welcoming Hugo's into our small town and wanting (selfishly!) for it to thrive, I need to mention that the environment was not conducive to the kind of evening I was anticipating. Most importantly, I could *not* see the performer as it got darker outside; she seemed not to be lit at all. Also, there was a loud and noisy crew at the bar who seemed completely uninterested in allowing the rest of us to enjoy the music. (Why attend a performance if all you want to do is shout over it?) In addition, the room with the large couches was not comfortable for eating or drinking, or paying attention to the performers. The round table in the middle allows for only two or three people perched on the end of the sofa to set food or drinks down. The couch basically lacks coherence in that room; a suite of small tables and chairs, like the adjoining room, would allow everyone, or at least many more customers, a place to eat or drink at. There was also no discernible ambiance in the room. Instead of a clunky couch and unrelievedly dark walls, pictures, photos, plants, flowers, and layered lights would go a long way to making Hugo's the sexy, inviting place it has every potential for being. (The downstairs suffers from the same lack of intimacy and ambiance.) Finally, while each dish we ordered was quite good, there was no theme to the options. Some raw dishes, some fries and cheese/bread options, some desserts. A streamlined menu with a cohesive theme would be much nicer. As someone who has spent time in a lot of different bar and restaurants in many different cities, I believe there's a certain standard that most customers have a right to expect for a night out that will no doubt turn into a reasonable cash outlay. Hugo's is surely on the right track, and with some thoughtful improvements can become a real destination bar and grill for Vermonters and the many visitors who come in from elsewhere! read more