We hand party of 8 and 6:30 reservation. We were seated promptly into the packed restaurant. The first surprise was that we couldn't read the menus because it was so dark. The waitress came to the rescue with mini flashlights just for that purpose. Drinks came promptly as did the food. Once we began to eat we figured out why it was so dark. It was so we could not see the food. The steak was grisly and over cooked. The seafood paella over risotto was pale pieces of seafood over gummy rice. The fish and chips were heavy on the run of the mill chips and the fish was just ok. The one person who loved their dish had the salmon. Two stars because it was way over priced for the quality of the food. But service and staff were g read more

We were very happy with our choice to eat here. The wait was 40 minutes for a table but it was worth it. They have a great menu and the service was excellent. read more

We love Red 36! It has an amazing atmosphere all year long. The bartenders all make awesome drinks and they always seem to be enjoying what they're doing. The food is excellent - raw bar to snacks to entrees. We're here frequently and will keep coming back - it's the perfect place and it always has the best service. read more

Great new restaurant on the water in Mystic, aw little bit away from main street. The atmosphere was open, bright and totally relaxing. Appetizers and entrees were delicious with the right portion sizes. The wait staff was attentive and engaging. They seem to have worked out any early kinks. read more

Excellent food, service, and views. Absolutely fantastic. We will definitely be back!

I visited the restaurant last night with a large group and was amazed. Everything I tried was very well done - the cocktails, raw bar, appetizers (special shout-out to the fish tacos and clams casino flatbread) and dinner. While I heard compliments about the food from many in the group, I would probably give the restaurant 4 stars (still pretty darn good!) if that was all it offered. The fifth star is earned by the location. The restaurant is beautiful, fitting in perfectly with the docks & piers that surround it, and the outside seating is just fantastic. The weather was great and I can't remember the last time I had such a memorable dining experience. read more

Visited this new addition to the Mystic -Stonington area several times sinced it opened in July and Red36 is one of the most unique waterfront restaurants in all of the Northeast for sure. This place has a distinctly cool atmosphere, a fun menu and a location that is unmatched. Pro- Atmosphere- Beachy casual. Large outdoor deck area and bar with high and low picnic tables, umbrellas and upholstered lounge areas in a Navy Blue and White theme. Indoor area with its own U shaped bar is connected to the outside by three sides of folding glass walls opening up the shared view of the marina and Mystic River . Food - the menu features a large selection of items that will cater to a variety of tastes. I have read review commenting on portion sizes but I will gladly take a smaller portion of a dish that is artfully crafted than a heap of run of the mill fare that won't get finished. Best fried clams I have ever had, for example and a dessert that I couldn't stop eating ( popcorn ice cream sundae). Location- Mystic River waterfront in the Seaport Marine boatyard. Lots of activity here. Day sailing schooners, small craft , yachts and the Mystic Seaport's steamboat Sabino passed by while sitting on the outdoor deck. Con- This place can get very busy and in the high season a wait can be expected. Luckily, waiting in the outdoor bar and lounge makes it easier. read more

This is a great spot to eat. The menu offers a nice selection from quality burgers to full entrees, fish and chips, raw bar, sandwiches and salads. Food is well prepared and looks appealing. Not big portions, but it's tasty and fresh. Nice large bar area, pretty place to have a drink during the summer when you can sit out on a deck. On occasion the servers seem a bit disorganized but overall it makes for a nice meal and a fun night out. Love the roasted chicken ! read more

Fantastic food. Fabulous decor. NOTHING like it in Mystic. A great addition to the area, outdoor bar/seating is a must in the summer. Don't forget to try the oysters and the Bloody Mary bar. I can't wait to go back! read more

My Family and I are so excited to see a wonderful place like this come to mystic. We arrived on a beautiful day, the hostess gave us a great table with the best view in Mystic... Right on the water with boats going by, just amazing. Our waitress Erin,was so helpful, and efficient, she gave suggestions to us as to what her favorite dishes were and all the suggestions were delicious and the presentation of the food was beautiful. The restaurant is designed with great taste. This place is a MUST GO TO place when visiting Mystic, either by car or by boat. When we were leaving, it was getting very crowded with what looked to be a very attractive crowd of young professionals. Mystic is so charming and I'm so glad to see places like this, with the taste and class of Nantucket and the Hamptons come to the area ... MUST GO TO RED 36 read more

Excellent food! Came here for date night, and the service was fast and the food phenomenal!

This is my new favorite restaurant for so many reasons. The views are breathtaking, the food is mouth watering and the service is like nothing I've ever experienced anywhere else. The manager Chris always makes sure his customers are taken VERY good care of. I have been here several times now since they have been open and I do not have one complaint. I highly, highly recommend Red 36 if you're looking for a great dining experience. read more

Lunch out on the deck. Food - chowder , flatbread, little necks, oyster po boys and lobster grilled cheese - were very tasty. The staff were excellent. They tried to accommodate us so our table was not in the sun and cleared and cleaned the area around the table we choose. The waitress was wonderful, attentive, but not overly so. Will return! read more

First time to Red 36. Nice water view. Waitress very good. Food good but sparse. However upon leaving we noticed a car parked directly behind us. Went back inside and found out the car belonged to the manager. She said she parked there because she knew we'd come back in to find her. Apparently we parked in non parking space ( next to other cars though) and this was how the "manager" proved her point by parking so we couldn't leave. There were no signs saying do not park here. When we pulled out she pulled in to that spot. Hmmm. Plenty of other places in Mystic to go for excellent food where managers treat their patrons respectfully. Try Franks Gourmet Grille now that's an awesome place !! read more

I'm writing this review after visiting last Friday for Happy Hour. I've previously ate at the restaurant for dinner and I have to say this is one of the better restaurants in Mystic. The raw bar is very fresh (and the $1 oysters during Happy Hour are great). I highly recommend the flat breads (especially the clam and bacon). During the summer, this place can be packed so expect to wait if you come during peak times. Overall, probably my favorite restaurant in Mystic. read more

My husband and I have been here a few times and really like the atmosphere here. The lower level is our favorite. Summer's are sooo crowded it can be discouraging though and we find the prices a bit high on some of the items. Tonight featured a Thai shrimp appetizer we ordered it and it came with 3 shrimp, it was delicious but for $12.00 we expected at least 4 shrimp so we each had 2. We will come back and stick to ordering our favorites. read more

Currently here and have been waiting on dinner for an hour and six minutes. Server is less than enthused as we waited to be acknowledged for almost 10 minutes. I hope the food is worth the wait.... read more

Service is great but the freshness of the raw bar is inconsistent. Some are really fresh others are Old/ not good. However the staff is very willing to make it good. Little pricey but a still a good spot. check it out read more

I had the pleasure of eating at Red 36 for my girlfriend's birthday tonight along with her family. We've eaten here numerous times and the food is always great. The reason for tonight's post is to point out the awesome service we received from server Patrick. Keep up the good work. read more

We just revisited R 36 and were delighted that it is still as good as it was when we first went there last year. It is excellent. Superb friendly service. Amazing variety of menu items. Could not have been better. GO! read more

What an amazing restaurant. The food was fabulous, we had fish tacos swordfish and salmon, spicy shrimp tacos and Asian calamari. We ate here last night and it was so good we came back again tonight. The outside bar is awesome. The service was the best. Leo is now our go to bartender. If you are in the area go to this restaurant. read more

This restaurant has a great view. I only wish the service or food was as good. On a 90 degree day only got our water refilled once by the food runner that brought our meal. The lobster fritters were fritters with pieces of lobster the size of a pea. Their lobster roll was good. Once our food was delivered we never saw the waiter again. Very disappointed overall. I would rate the food and service a "C". read more

My husband and I decided to give Red 36 some time to work out the "new restaurant kinks" so I took him for his birthday dinner the week before Christmas. We absolutely loved everything from beginning to end. I had the Lobster Fritters (YUM!) and a special featuring scallops, pasta and garlic sauce that was fabulous. The birthday boy had the coconut shrimp and the seafood paella with risotto, sausage and chicken and he was thrilled with both. We found the service to be excellent; the hostess, the waiter and the food server were all past students of mine and were obviously very proud to be employed at Red 36. When we found out that all desserts are made in-house we each selected one and my husband's came with a candle on it. Both were delish. The ambience was perfect inside and out. Our window table looked out on the Mystic River, and it looked so elegant lit up at night. Our table was also near the beautiful fireplace which gave off a nice warmth. They are taking reservations during the winter season; I was glad that we had made one because we arrived on the early side and shortly thereafter every table was filled. When we checked out the outside decks after dinner we were very impressed and could only imagine them filled with boaters, tourists and locals in the summer. I know that many reviewers have commented on the prices; but we don't mind spending good money for special occasions when the food, service and ambience have all made for an exemplary dining experience like ours. read more

I loved the food but I loved the service more. I was waited on by Katie who was fabulous and friendly. I definitely would love to come back to such great food and service!! read more

went there with a friend for the first time. don't waste your money if you are going there for good food. i ordered the ceasar salad and for $10 was expecting something really delicious like fresh lettuce and good parmesan cheese and tasty dressing. but what i got was old lettuce chopped and grocery store parmesan out of a bag and very unforgettable dressing. seving size was not as expected for $10 either. panera bread has a much better caesar salad. my friend had a bowl of chili. looked like it haf been sitting for a long time somewhere since you needed a knife to cut into it. way too thick and i am not kidding when i say i knife was needed since the cheese was too hard to cut with a spoon. service was not up to par either. had to keep flagging down others to get our server. the setting and decor was nice but how could you lose with being on the water anywhere? too bad the food is so crummy. never going there again. read more

Great service and food. Kids menu was amazing, make sure to ask for it!!! BLT+E was one of the best burgers I have had in a long time.

I visited on 7/16/13. The staff was friendly and prompt. I sat outside where it was very pleasant. I started with the clam chowder but it should have been called potato chowder. For $8 the clams were far and few between but the potatoes were plentiful. I did not care for it all that much. I next had the shrimp and asparagus flatbread. The shrimp was tasty as was the flatbread. I am not a bread person but I enjoyed it. This dish could have been named shrimp and tomato flatbread. I expected small spears of asparagus but it was chopped finer than when one often gets scallions on meals. My friend had the loaded French fries which were fine. But overall, I don't think I would return again. I would try another of Mystic's many restaurants. read more

July 27, 2016: Very disappointed. Panko chicken was burnt and hidden by a large amount of salad greens on top, fish in the fish and chips dinner was way overcooked, not quite burnt but close enough. Seriously, how can you mess up fish and chip dinner? Not even close on the Moscow Mule...bartender obvioulsy had no idea and made something akin to gingerale with a splash of vodka, no lime juice served in a skinny water glass. I have eaten there before and had a good meal. My family has written it off because first experience for them means no second chance. read more

We've been here several times now but the last visit, just over a week ago, was probably our last. Yes, they are always crowded - isn't everything in Mystic? And yes, it's loud. This was 3rd stop on our tour of Mystic on this day and we ordered beers and some food. Then there was apparently a shift change at the bar. We sat there and I saw two other couples sit down on opposite side of bar from us. They ended up getting food not too long after ordering. Our food seemed to be missing. At this point the frat house group that was seated next to us at the bar was getting way too loud and probably should have been cut off. When we were asked if we wanted a second beer we just said we were ready for the check. It wasn't worth the time or energy to explain that we had ordered food that never showed up. It was just time to go. Given that this place is generally slow on service anyway and the food is just mediocre, I think we'll stay away. read more

Agree with most reviews about good food and views, as well as complaints about long wait to be served and high prices. Must commend hostesses, two of whom did their best to seat 7 of us inside, as it was a windy, rather cool afternoon. After we declined upper deck with Adirondack chairs and outside seating, she magically found comfortable, sofa seating inside after only about a 10 minute wait. Received price shock when I read $22.00 for my lobster roll, delicious but obviously only one chopped lobster tail with tiny red slivers from claw. Can't complain because menu said seasonally priced; I should have asked. Thought lobster would be plentiful, like reasonable price, like in NYC, at this time of year. Also charged $12.00 for half dozen Little Neck clams when menu read $10. That will teach me to read my bill before I get home. Probably won't go back mostly because shady practice to charge more than listed on menu ( for clams ). read more

This was my first time at R36 and most likely my last. My friend arrived before me at approximately 4pm and was seated at a corner seat at the bar. I sat on the other corner as I often do at various venues. As time went on and the place became busy, we, we were each encroached upon by patrons being squeezed in on either side of us. We were even asked to move to which we responded NO. The bartender was quite attentive to the much younger women leaving my friend and I wondering if we even had a bartender. The women sitting to the right of my friend was, how should I say this, rather large (and I'm not opposed to larger people) and had no regard that her size was most definitely infringing on my friend. To my left was a young woman with long hair that kept being flipped and flung into my face! No a good thing when you are trying to eat. We both had happy hour specials and I must say they were very so-so. Nothing to go back for. Oysters were very petite and pricey in comparison to a much nicer venue in Mystic. When we asked for our checks I asked about the type of vodka they use. His response was "I don't know if you are aware but this is a high end restaurant and our house vodka is ..... Really? I saw not one thing high end about this place. The atmosphere and location are the draw but absolutely nothing else. The food server didn't even have the professionalism to take the empty platter upon serving the next course. Friends kept telling me that I need to go there but, as a local, I can tell my friends that I will never be back! read more

went there this pass friday for happy hour with 4 people had the dollar oysters. three people who ate them all got sick that night. very dissapointing read more

Food was never on par with the setting - at least up until now. Ever since it opened about 2 years ago we've enjoyed going just because of the fun vibe and the great decor & setting. Situated on the waters edge in a marina it has spectacular views on all sides, a great nautical feel and very good service. We even enjoyed going there on a rainy weekend afternoon; always a mixed age group hanging and chilling. Until now very basic dishes like fish tacos, mussels and tuna burger were all skimpy - insultingly so! Everything else was a crapshoot - anyway I have a feeling those days are over. With new chef Nick Muce at the stove, the menu is definitely on the upswing. We didn't know the chef had changed but when we received beautiful butter lettuce leaves generously heaped with pulled pork, & fresh crunchy accompaniment we knew something was very different. The next course, citrus scampi (head on) with rabe, white bean & focaccia toasts was a home run. Big, juicy, impeccably fresh, grilled to perfection the way they're supposed to be (not over cooked, the heads full of flavor to suck on - as you're supposed to). I was so pleased I told our waiter to tell the chef (still not knowing there was a change in the kitchen) to put it on the menu as a regular item instead of only as a special. Every ingredient on the plate was delicious & came together as the perfect backdrop for the scampi - this guy knows what he's doing, I thought. Then chef Nick came out on his own as he wanted to meet the patrons that were so opinionated. He told us feedback is what he wants more than anything else. When was the last time you heard that from a trendy new restaurant??!! Now Red 36 will be even busier, if that's even possible - Bravo to them (btw, aren't the owners also owners of nearby Bravo Bravo - another Mystic winner?) read more

this place is so awesome!!! it's hidden away in some huge parking lot but the view is so pretty and the patio area is so nice. the food is also to die for. would 10/10 recommend to anyone in the mystic area read more

My husband and I recently had dinner there and were less than impressed. He had the lobster roll plate and I the porterhouse dinner. They charged $22 for a plate of mostly french fries and a lobster roll that was no bigger than 3.5" and the lobster was not fresh. The porterhouse ($32) was no thicker than the sole of a shoe and tasted like it. The heads of the asparagus were cut off allowing for the stringy stems and a small scoop of potatoes. I have never voiced my opinion about a bad meal but am sick and tired of going to these supposedly upscale restaurants and being taken advantage of. We all work twice as hard for our money and when you go to dinner at R36 you expect quality, great portions and fabulous service. This was not the case. Although the manager tried to make good, she seemed irritated and could care less. They are way overpriced with a very limited menu. However, I will give credit to our waitress who really felt bad that we had a bad meal and bad experience. She was genuine and we appreciate that! read more

My wife and I went to celebrate our 3rd anniversary at Red 36 and wow, were we impressed. We came by boat and were greeted by a man named Harry who directed where we could dock up. Dockage is free BTW. When we walked in we were greeted by the hostess. She told us about the wait, but we didn't mind because there were so many places to sit, relax and enjoy the view, We ordered some drinks from Melissa and Dana. They were delicious. In about a half an hour we were seated. We were actually seated in an area I didn't know even existed. They have a deck on the second floor that overlooks the river. The breeze was fantastic. We had a very friendly waitress, I forget her name however. My wife ordered the paella and I ordered the swordfish special. Both were delicious. The wine list is also very good. We ordered a bottle of rose'. I have to say that we usually go to their other venue, Bravo Bravo, but I think we are going to have to split up our time between both. We look forward to seeing how they manage the winter, but I've heard a rumor that they are adding some t.v.'s to watch the football games this fall. Good luck to the staff and family. We can't wait to return! read more

I went to Red 36 for the first time on Friday 8-21-2015. We meet a waitress named Tracey out on the rear deck, she greeted us warmly and made us feel welcome. She guided us to a comfortable couch and made some recommendations for drinks. We followed her suggestions and really enjoyed the Gin drink. We originally were going to just have appetizers and drinks and meet family there. However, we enjoyed the ambiance and our server that we then asked Tracey to put our names in for a table for six for dinner. She was honest about the possible wait as it was a busy Friday night. After about fifteen minutes Tracey came back to me and my family who arrived, and escorted us to a beautiful table looking over the water. Tracey seated us and after members of my family asked her for drink suggestions she again made some very nice suggestions and the drinks she brought were lovely with fruit and mint in them. We then told Tracey that we wanted to have some appetizers. We wanted calamari and oysters Tracey was very well informed and knowledgeable, and told us about the oysters and where they came from and how the different ones may taste. The appetizers came quickly and then we ordered dinner, again having never been there before we asked Tracey for suggestions and she was very well versed with the restaurants offerings. Our meals came and we enjoyed them immensely. There was no downside to this restaurant. The food, the environment and the staff were perfect. Our family will become regulars and we will be requesting to sit in Tracey's section every time. She really understands the concept of exceptional customer service! read more