The Niantic Public House is tucked away behind the Black Sheep restaurant off the main road in Niantic. 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. read more

Niantic Public House - Cider - Breweries Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

Niantic Public House & Brewery: Solid Beer, Great Vibe, but the Bar Setup Needs Help 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. read more

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Indoor and outdoor seating. Nautical murals on the wall inside. Seltzer and beer available. Everything we tried was delicious. Don't hesitate to make your way behind the other building through the back parking lot and find this place! read more

Niantic Public House - Beautiful wall mural - Breweries Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

Great local brewpub. Beautiful murals on wall from local artist, excellent selection of beers and a friendly staff.

Terrible food and lousy ambiance. Furthermore, unnecessarily expensive! They ought to hire a chef at their prices. It's nothing more than a short order dive! read more

A cute space with a family friendly vibe. There were several games including cornhole and one TV above the bar, which had football on. I do not believe they had public wi-fi though. They had free popcorn and bringing your own food seemed to be more than welcome. They had 5 or 6 of their own brews on tap and 10+ other guest brews (and 2 ciders) on tap, many of which were from other local CT breweries. Together you get a wide variety of different types. I stuck with the house brews for my flight. The makeup ending up consisting of a milk stout, an IPA, a milkshake IPA, and raspberry porter. Their beers were about a 3 out of 5 for me. They were not the best I have ever had, but I was super happy to stop by and check them out. The IPA, Ari's Ale, was my favorite of the 4 I tried. I am sure I will be stopping by here again. read more

Niantic Public House - I love the sea turtle flights - Breweries Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

I have been to this brewery a number of times and have yet to be disappointed. Staff are always really friendly and welcoming and the beer list is ever changing. I also like that they serve free popcorn while you're there, its the little things that really matter lol. I have tried a few of their beers and have also ordered beers from other breweries while there. The beers they are producing are good and easy to drink. The beers they offer from other breweries are solid too and there is for sure something for everyone. They do not serve food but allow you to bring your own food in so you don't starve to death. I enjoy really any brewery that lets me bring snacks with me so this is def a perk. The space itself it gorgeous and large. They have some seriously pretty murals on the wall that are perfect for that area, since its all sea life beach type vibes. Niantic definitely needed something like Niantic Public House and I for one am enjoying the spot a ton. read more

Awesome spot. Very welcoming, informal. Great beer and plenty of room. We brought some sandwiches and had a great flight+. read more

Niantic Public House - a flight of beers - Breweries Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

A cool place, a cool space. With clean bathrooms. We usually find Madison and Jake beertending. And Dana. Such a comfortable vibe - great brews and wine available for non-beer drinkers. The murals and art by Jake add to the fun. Uh-oh, beer and art history! Awesome. Jenn and Todd Sadowski are quietly presenting a great Niantic experience. Randalls in the summer - beers infused with an ingredient of Randall's choice - are also fun! read more

Came here for a little outing with my boyfriend, we brought some take out dinner since they don't serve food. While I love and appreciate family friendly establishments, it was such a stressful environment. At a little after 8 at night there were kids of various ages running across the entire place, screaming high pitched screams and popping balloons and being all crazy, not just for a few minutes but for the full hour we were there. Someone may have been having a birthday party there and there were like 8 tables with things on them but people not sitting there, which kind of sucked for everyone else that didn't have somewhere to sit. The service at the bar took so long to acknowledge us that we had to move multiple times to get them to look at us, it was a little busy but really not packed at all. the 30 mile sour beer I had tasted very off but my boyfriend enjoyed the ipa beer he ordered. The space is cool and there was easy parking. I love the painting on the wall. A lot of the beers on the tap menu are not their own, which is cool for variety sake but makes people overlook their stuff. read more

Niantic Public House - Breweries Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

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So I might be a little biased...because I'm a mug club member... but to be fair I joined before I had any of the beer! I've been frequenting since this past winter, and I just love coming here. There is such a fantastic variety of styles of beers, and not only do they have their own beers, but they host many guest taps as well! Something that I really like about Niantic Public House is that they not only have beer, but beverage options for those that may not be beer drinkers. The freshly popped popcorn is definitely a nice little snack to munch on while sitting at the bar or one of the tables. The artwork along the walls is absolutely outstanding as well! The location is family friendly, and there are a bunch of games and books as well as an awesome cornhole set inside. Do yourself a favor and swing by if you are in the area! read more

Niantic Public House - Breweries Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

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Love this great new brew house in Niantic. So many great selections of local and regional beers and wines too. The vibe is definitely fun filled, party, and good time with friends and family. I am always amazed at the number of children at breweries, but as long as they are not sitting at the bar and drinking the adult beverages it seems to be accepted and even encouraged. There are games to enjoy for all ages. The free popcorn is a nice touch. The bar counters are gorgeous and and the numerous employees super helpful and friendly. I enjoyed a flight of several lighter lagers, a sour, and some fruity beers. They were all so good, and I wanted to try a few more but unfortunately I ran out of time at my visit. I cannot wait to return and enjoy the Niantic Public House again. read more

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It's nice to have a small town brewery! It's clearly a good location in downtown Niantic and has more seating options than the Black Sheep. There are plenty things to love about both, but new is always fun. You can tell a lot of heart went into making this place, and I am happy to support the family. I went on opening day and was disappointed they didn't have the Slow and Steady porter ready, but I am sure to be back to try it. It is nice to see a list of all the best local brews, like Epicure and Two Roads. Decor and ambiance is interesting and unique. I'm certain this is going to be even more popular when warmer weather rolls around! read more

Ah, I feel like I'm home here and there's no doubt it's a local pub! Great vibe, fun folks, family friendly, laughter, games, oh, and a great variety of house and local brews. They've covered the bases with a wide variety of local wines and non-alcohol drinks, too. So, stop by after work, passing through town, or BYOF (bring your own food) and come out of your shell when you walk through the door! Hope to see you there soon :) read more

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Spent 40 minutes in here with my girlfriend, we weren't spoken to once after getting our beers until we left. Three other people in when we were there. Weak attempts at New England IPAs and $15 glasses. I'll never go back. Adorable cans though and free popcorn though. read more

Really cool local brewery. Had their house IPA and it was really good. They had a pretty big selection of beers but I always go with the house/ local option if available. They have a bunch of games for you to grab and play with your group as well as complementary popcorn. Will definitely be going back. read more

Niantic Public House - tables and chairs in front of a mural of a turtle - Breweries Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

LARGE open tap room with tons of bar seating (plus some tables as well) and a comfortable vibe. 12 taps which provides oodles of choices and their flights are served on sea turtle shaped planks which was fun. 2 of the taps were the brewery's, the other 10 were guest taps but there was a good mix of styles for people to try--IPA, Porter, Stout, APA, etc. The 2 "house" beers had mixed reviews for me, the Audens Ale was great, and I would be happy to drink it again anytime(and plan to!) The Shell Yeah! IPA was definitely a miss for me though (I will disclaimer that i'm not a huge IPA fan). Either way, considering they've only been open 7 or 8 weeks I can't wait to go back, see what else pops up on their tap list and try them again! read more

Awesome Brewery to go to! Not only do they have their beers on tap but they also have a great selection of other CT breweries beers on tap!

Nice beer, nice friendly staff. Very little signage so difficult to locate. World's most uncomfortable seating

Love this place! Super friendly staff are there to offer samples, describe the beers on tap, and even provide complimentary popcorn! The interior is spacious, clean, and has very cool paintings of turtles along the walls. The beer itself is delicious, they have a good selection of beer from other breweries, and their own in-house beer isn't too shabby either - and gets better every time I go there!! They also have a variety of sodas and other non-alcoholic drinks available, which I appreciate as the occasional DD. Finally, they have plenty of board games available to play, and also allow you to bring food in (I recommend stopping at east coast taco on your way there!), which tops off the family friendly environment. All in all I cannot recommend the Niantic Public House enough and wish them success with their grand opening! read more

Owner and servers were friendly and informative. Beer was good. Good variety of seating options. The one drawback was there were families there with small children who were running around. When I go to a brewery or bar, I do not expect children to be present. Maybe I am old fashioned, but I don't believe children belong in bars. I don't know what the laws are, but it seems wrong that children can openly play in spaces where the focus is alcohol. Unfortunately, it detracts from the ambience. When you're trying to have a conversation and children are yelling and running around, it makes it difficult. I don't know when this became ok. read more

Wow, what a great spot! This is exactly what downtown Niantic needs. Actually, it is what southeastern CT needs. This place has a very impressive tap list which highlights local, craft beer but also their own brewed beer. There's lots of space for seating and games to play including cornhole. It is also family friendly and family run which is a definite plus in my book. Definitely come check this place out when you get a chance. read more