Friendly quick take out place. Minimal parking but it's never been an issue…read more We've tried the grilled cheese with pulled chicken, brisket, mac n cheese, baked beans, coleslaw, potato salad, cornbread, and coconut pound cake, and would reorder all of the above. This is a place we'll return to again and again! Definitely the best bbq in the area!

Hometown spot, right off a two lane highway, you'll find a small corner restaurant with some tasty…read moresmoke coming off the top.. that's Thomas Smokey pit stop! Service was very friendly, prices a little high, but bbq is crazy these days so you kind of expect it. Tried the three meat plate, with a side of bbq beans and cornbread. Ribs: tender, not fall off the bone but great rub! Brisket: rather dry but I wouldn't throw it away Corn bread: dry and did throw away Baked beans: delicious!! Great little spicy flavor. Hot links: my favorite part of this dish! Wasn't a standard flavor, not too spicy, and had a great snap to it. Overall, decent experience, nothing to write home about. Very limited seating, stools only. Come hungry, good size portions.

I want to start by saying I don't typically have high hopes for BBQ outside the KC or Texas area…read more Smoked meats all the way. I don't want (or need) all that sauce. So, that being said, it was a good sign when I asked if the brisket was presauced, and the man working the stand looked at me like I was a crazy person and said of course not. I ordered the brisket and some mashed potatoes. The brisket was delicious and moist, with a nice rub. It was a little salty, but I'll let it slide. The mashed potatoes also had great flavor. It comes with a big container of sauce, I got honey mustard, which was great, but I didn't use much of it, as it wasn't needed. Allergens are clearly marked on the menu, and the staff was knowledgeable about other ingredients as well. Definitely a spot to spot into while you're at Parkville Market!

Overall service is good but seems like this stall has limited hours. The pork and BBQ was decent…read morethough found the pork to be quite fatty at times. BBQ standard similar to a sweet baby rays. I do love the sides here , they are all good options and portions are large. Parkville market is quite big with a lot of seating.

It depends on the vibe you are looking for. We went to an after dinner vibe and it was old and…read moreslow! I know I'm not the youngest chicken but my girlfriend saw her church deaconess there. Now maybe that was just the night because there was definitely a live show happening. But we went in and came out. I can can't judge the food or drinks but it was definitely an older crowd vibe there.

I recently visited Black-Eyed Sally's for lunch. It's been maybe a Decade since I've been, but I've…read moreprobably eaten there between 10 and 20 times. The space boasts cool Blues and New Orleans vibes. Only place I know in CT like it. Service was pretty good. There was a bit of a delay getting me started with water and a menu, even though it wasn't busy, but things went smoothly after that. My New Orleans Shrimp Po Boy was good. The shrimp were tender. The batter was a bit denser than I prefer, but good. I liked the shredded lettuce, pickles and zesty, creamy dressing. The bread was fresh. I don't remember any other places in CT presently doing Po Boys. So this is the place to get one. The Gumbo was OK. They got the blackened roux part right, but there really wasn't enough nuanced flavor. It could have used some fresh herbs. More salt. I would try something else next time. 3.5 Stars

My expectations aren't super high, but I think the "ska club," "night at the Roxbury" music playing…read more that didn't fit the vibe might have something to do w/ it. There were 6 other people at the bar, a couple in the corner & a table if 6 behind me. The manager came out to talk to the couple in the corner about their experience, which is not a great sign, but we'll see. He saw that I was writing a review & never went back in the kitchen after that, unless it was for a brief moment. He involved himself in pouring drinks & barely left my side. He made small talk & I learned that he had been open for 4 years. It was difficult for me to eat, take pictures of the food or write the review with his constant engaging presence. He was pleasant & made sure to pick up the bartenders slack. For instance, a coaster under the drinks, offering me a glass, or putting down a placemats under the food or supplying silverware, none of which she did. I ordered a Modelo, but when she grabbed it out of the cooler, i saw that it was Especial not Negra, so i asked do you have the dark? She said no & w/ out hesitation opened it, not giving me a chance to ask for something different. Not a big deal, but she seemed indifferent & with no affect. None of this is a deal breaker, just an observation. The food, that was a deal breaker. I ordered the (smoked BBQ sandwich) & opted for the brisket. It came with a side & I chose onion rings. They were pre-salted, almost too much, but they were good. No complaints there. The sandwich however was impossible to eat. The meat was very tough & stringy. It was impossible to tear, bite or cut. The roll was soft, untoasted & soggy, causing it to fall apart making a mess. I gave up, turning to fork & knife to cut what resembled a tangled bunch of hair in both in taste & texture. There was something on the meat, but it was more of a marinade than BBQ as we know it. The same goes for the cheese. I did not see any caramelized onions, but there were two jalapeños. The owner asked how the meal was & I said eh. He said only ok? so I elaborated. He said he would relay the information to the kitchen & I thanked him. After that he never came back into the dining area until after I had left. I do feel bad writing this review because he was so overly involved in my experience & he was a nice gentleman that I would like to succeed, but I do not think I would want to return there after my experience with that sandwich, especially for the price. The meal alone was bad enough. Maybe a change in staff would help, unless they were related. I felt bad writing this review because the owner made it a point to be overly engaging with me once he saw that i was writing a review, but the better way to handle things is to make sure that you guest's experience is top notch. I felt like he tried to keep me engaged, so i wouldnt be rough on him, but it is supposed to be about the customers experience, not my empathy for the friendly owner. I wish him the best of luck.

It wasn't wine that I had too much of It was a double shot…read moreof my baby's love" (The Swinging Medallions) We had a Double Shot of fun at Smoke last night when we enjoyed a Dumpling Making/Prosecco Tasting Experience followed by a terrific dinner. Shout out to Smoke's owner Rich who dreamed up the Dumpling/Prosecco Experience for a dozen regulars and social media followers. As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by Rich and a small split of Maschio Prosecco. After all the participants arrived, Rich's wife Claire and Claire's mom (the star of the show) walked us through the process of making homemade dumplings. Claire and her mom made the simple dough using just two ingredients -water and all-purpose flour. We watched our instructors mix the dough, stretch and roll into a thin rope, snap it off into small chunks, squish it into a disk, use a mini-rolling pin to flatten it out into a small circle, fill it from a pre-made bowl of Ground Beef and Cabbage, then fold and pinch it into shape. Then our dozen attendees tried their hand at replicating all of those steps. Our mother and daughter team's dumplings looked as though they came off a 3D printer- just perfect and uniform. Mine looked like rejected factory seconds. The mother didn't speak English, but I had a blast watching and copying her little tricks on folding in the corners and squeezing the wrappers together. Once the dumplings were folded and squeezed together, they went into a pot of water, and we all enjoyed them before dinner. Dinner was a real pleasure. I loved the vibe at Smoke. If you want to cool it hip and chic I won't argue. I loved all the paintings on the wall. There is a large painting of a ghostly looking, red-lipped female blowing out a puff of smoke. I told Rich what a cool painting it was, and he modestly said he had painted it. So not only is Rich a fun and engaging personality, and a talented painter, but the food at his restaurant is great. Our friend ordered a $15 Spicy Smoked Philly Cheesesteak with American Cheese, Peppers, Onions on a Grinder Roll with fries. I sampled a small slice, and it was terrific, and yeah -it was spicy. My wife ordered a $11 Shrimp and Roasted Corn Bisque served with pita chips, She loved it. I ordered a $10 Smoked Beef Brisket Chili served with tortilla chips. It was a big portion, full of flavorful chunks of beef, and packed just enough heat to make it perfect to my taste. Smoke offers a Sunday Brunch from 11-3 and a Happy Hour Mon-Sat 4pm-7pm. Their pricing is excellent, the vibe is super fun, the food is delicious, and the service from Rich and his staff is excellent. What a fun evening!

I ordered jerk wings carrot cake corn bread and Mac I got nothing close to my order. The food was…read moredisgusting

This place is no longer there,they have since retired.there is a new restaurant that is in this…read morelocation.i thought when Carl's closed the doors,I didn't think anything could replace it.Boy was I wrong,big star Afro cuisine,is a must try.you will not be disappointed

Having been to the main location in Windsor Locks many times I know Bears does great, authentic…read moreBBQ. Real barbeque where they serve the meat(s) with the sauce on the side, in most cases it's not even needed IMO, THAT'S what true Q is. Tucked away on a quiet corner on Ellington Road you might even miss it but its the "Express" location so it's not very large. They have a small area where you order and a kitchen though I don't think they actually cook most or any of the food here. That being said they may run out of popular items like burnt ends so if you're really craving something in particular you may want to call and confirm they still have it, otherwise you'll have to drive to the Windsor Lock location. They have some picnic tables outside if you'd like to 'dine in' but this location does mostly takeout. From the Texas sausage to the pulled pork, brisket, burnt ends and chicken I've never had a bad meal here. The sides are equally good and they even have baked potatoes in addition to the usual mac and cheese, cole slaw and beans you'd expect. Friendly and quick service, tasty meats and sides, what's not to love? Five Stars!

Great place. Great food, and they were slammed with people, having a mostly full bar, and still…read moregreat. Leslie, the Manager who was on today, also our server, and Darlene who was our server, were great. Leslie, was great manager, and loved the food. The place is nice, lots of seating areas and a great area to eat and get food. Extremely recommend this place to anybody who likes Barbecues.

The wife and I went here about 3 times . Everyone that works here goes above and beyond every…read morecustomer every time. Food is always great and fresh never any reheated stuff.

Food is great. Customer service is somewhere between abysmal and unacceptable. I ordered a physical…read moregift card. Took 14 days to arrive. Assumed it was lost somewhere in transit. During that time I sent 3 emails to the address listed asking for help and received NO response. I expect more from any responsible business.

Went back today for lunch after our exploratory visit last Saturday, Only 8 of us plus driver for…read morethis trip. Weather was perfect and there was plenty of space for us; they told me that Thursday lunchtime was the best for a group. Most of us sat at one of the round booths with two eating outside. Most purchased their lunches from Small State Provisions with the Jambon Beurre the most ordered. Others inside had the Salmon Toast or Spicy Roast Beef. Outsiders ordered from Twin Beaks and had the Caesar Salad Fried Chicken Wrap. Everyone enjoyed what they had and all commented on the size of offerings and great price level. Cafē Pausa served most drink orders. They were amazed at the service and truly astounded that there was free water! Many commented they when they had family visitors at the retirement community they would ask to be taken there for lunch again. A very successful day which will be put on our schedule to come back as a group in some months to come. They all felt very welcome which is not always the reaction to a group of elders coming for a lunch date. PS: I brought back a chocolate chip cookie again as they are delectable and also got a Charcuterie Box to go which will be my meal tomorrow.

This is the best smash burger you'll ever have in your life. Order the patio-bition burger - a…read morecustom burger combining two of their available burger options. Thank me later. Their patio is the best..anywhere. Families, dogs, dates, office gatherings, it's always bumpin. My favorite place to pet a dog and make a friend. The owners are a pillar of community. The event calendar is nonstop - trivia nights, food drives, fundraisers, local bands, sports, blind date with a book, vegan pop ups, seasonal drinks.. every small business and every interest is accounted for. Hands down my favorite place to be.. on any night of the week.