One of the finest meals we had on our trip. We went with our hosts to a local favorite of theirs…read more It was fairly close by and a stand alone restaurant that had been enlarged from just a pub years ago when it was established. Our hosts were regulars and the staff was familiar to them. The descriptions of all the highlights of the specials as well as the main menu items made them all sound delicious and I will attest, they certainly were. Their warm house baked breads with soft butter started us well. I took the prix fixe special of the night and I could not have been happier. The scallops were numerous, the specialty gazpacho so filling, I only ate half, the tagliatelle was perfect. The grilled artichokes are a fave for me. I gave the ice cream from my cinnamon roll a la mode to my husband so it worked out well for both of us. All of us loved our food and the experience. But we were so talkative, I never got pics of their meals or any of our drinks. My husband loved his beer, my cousin her wine, her husband his drink. I would certainly eat there again when in the area.

Service 10 Food 10…read moreDrink 10 Went tonight after a round of golf nearby and was not disappointed. Food and drink were excellent and the bartenders were super friendly and attentive. Will definitely recommend to others and will be back!

Tonight I went with a friend for dinner. The atmosphere was beautiful, customer service so nice. My…read morefriend's eggplant parm came too hot, while my rigatoni bolognese was room temperature at best. Obviously mine was ready first and waited. Also, I got ice and water splattered on me not once but twice. The first time she didn't notice. The second time it was everywhere. I am hopeful it was just a one time experience, and the food was really tasty anyway. I'd like to try again.

We have been there many times over 20 years , Always a 10 every time, They make everyone feel like…read morefamily and the food is top notch every time, What a gem for Bloomfield. October heading to Hartford for dinner at Carbone's Hartford in the new venue , Great job Paul, Vinny and staff.

First time coming to blossom cafe which was Recommended to me by a friend , and to try the famous…read moreJapanese soufflé pancakes ! I'm always up to try new cafes , but to drive 40 min for a cafe when we have so many around us I was a little hesitant. But once we got there the restaurant was very nice , modern style with little greenery and bright / white anterior design . The staff was lovely they greeted us and sat us immediately. The menu had lots of options and something for everyone . I ordered the iced tiramisu latte and the ricotta hotcakes with Nutella and bananas . Which was amazing , very light and delicious ( I normally don't eat all my food because of large portions .. but I was given 3 ricotta hotcakes and I ate everything!! It was sooo good , very light and filling , highly recommend ! My sister ordered the VEGAN kimichi bowl which was really good as well . My mom ordered the mango soufflé pancakes which i tried and def worth the drive to try . Very light and fluffy cooked perfectly and tasted amazing. !! And presentation was beautiful My husband ordered the Korean fried chicken and waffles ! The waffles came in rose shape which was beautiful 10/10 for the presentation and taste . Again the fired chicken was still light ( and not to heavy ) Overall 10/10 great staff , great atmosphere and even better the food was delicious ( with lots of options and variety for everyone). Definitely worth the 40 min drive and I will definitely be back again !!!

I loved dropping in at Blossom Cafe for breakfast! I went with my daughter and we chose wherever we…read morewanted to sit on a Friday morning. The ambiance is really chic and cute. Their summer menu feels so creative and unique. It made me want to return regularly to check out what else they have come up with. I ordered the rose latte and the scallion pancake breakfast sandwich. I have never had anything like it before! Whoever thought of it is brilliant. It's a scallion pancake and it is stuffed with sausage and eggs. It is so delicious and satisfying. It comes with a side of sweet potato fries, and of course my daughter loved that. Also I wanted to shout out the waiters, who are really nice and attentive! The only reason I'm not giving five stars is that they don't have pastries! I wonder why. It would really hit the spot in a cafe like this, especially with their coffee.

The Charles…read more Delicious food and a great atmosphere in beautiful Old Wethersfield We love the vibe here!

Absolutely divine…read more It has been so long since I've been able to have a crab cake that's gluten free, but at The Charles, their crab cakes are gluten free and lovely. But first, walking into The Charles is a step back into time yet still fresh and intentional. Plenty to look at all around the restaurant. The layout of even the bar is nice with seats by the windows and plenty of TVs playing the games without being disruptive. The building is gorgeous, well kept, and I can see how this restaurant gets packed quickly! But back to the gluten free crab cake. I would have loved some slightly larger chunks of crab, it was the crispy texture on the outside and soft inside that made my heart melt. The cakes sat lightly on an aioli and beside some greens, and each bit was delectable and delicious. Lovely appetizer. I also have the octopus basquaise, and I loved it. The potatoes needed just a smidge more seasoning and were sitting in oil, but I cared not, because it was an oil with Kalamata olives and tart, and how lovely it all was together. The octopus was nicely cooked and tender and not greasy. The potatoes were a lovely vessel, and the aioli was not too overpowering. A delicious fish overall. The service was great, friendly, and you can tell they love their regulars. Everyone was on the move at all times and overall very efficient and kind. Tons of gluten free dishes naturally. I loved coming to The Charles and look forward to coming back later this week to try their actual dishes. But if the entrees are even close to as good as the appetizers, I'm sure it will all be delicious!

I've always liked back east brews on tap at local CT restaurants so when my friends wanted to meet…read moreup at the actual brewery I was so excited! Upon entering there are various types of seating from patio to indoor to private areas for parties. I really liked the QR code method to buy food made in house. I can say I was very impressed with my steak tacos! Such a perk at a brewery! When ordering a brew I was a bit disappointed I couldn't get a flight but they did offer smaller glasses to taste multiple brews. Icecream man is always a fan favorite and a classic so I opted for that. But my friend got their icecream man topped with a berry beer and she loved it! I'd love to come back and try their seltzers and other fun drinks!

I was in the area for business. My only regret is we waited until the last night we were in town to…read morecheck this place out. We didn't try the food but based on their beer quality, the food would be equally epic. Generally when you stop into a brewery you'll try a few beers and find one or two you like. This place, I enjoyed all of the beers we sampled! Big open seating area, plenty of inside and outside seating. Nintendo, foosball, and board games to play inside. Looked like they have some live music at times as well. The staff was great! Very knowledgeable about the beers and willing to help you decide on a choice.

This place is an absolute gem. My girlfriend and I were looking to celebrate our 5th year…read moreanniversary and the blueback square was unparkable, so i thought we should try this place, as I had been meaning to for a while. I am SO glad i did because this was hands down one of the best meals ive eaten in years. My girlfriend is pescatarian so we opted to have all vegan/vegetarian options and this omnivore did not miss meat at all. My favorite dish by far was the watermelon crudo which, to me, defied all space and time. The watermelon looked, felt, and tasted like a beautiful tuna. The flavours had a Vietnamese flair to them, including a chili crisp and fresh mint, and i was using the delicious and crispy fries to sop up the rest of the sauce. Everything we ate was incredible, flavourful, and beautiful to look at. The atmosphere was romantic and dreamy, a huge change from the pug filled cozy pub that it used to be as the corner pug. Service was lovely and they surprised us by bringing us champagne and a sweet note at the end. It was absolutely amazing and we felt so taken care of. I will be thinking of this place for a long time and cant wait to go back!

Attended a Filipino pop-up dinner and it was phenomenal. We were served 4 courses, 19 dishes and 3…read morecocktails. I never had Filipino food before so I enjoyed the experience. The Laurel is a spacious and beautiful restaurant. The staff are very professional and courteous. Decor is modern and chic. Food was executed well, coming out at good temperatures. As this was a pop-up dinner, I do want to return to try the restaurant's normal menu because I've only heard great things.

When my husband and son went to Le Mazet for lunch and brought me their leftovers, I knew that we…read morehad to go back that very same week for a family meal. We returned for Father's Day and we were seated immediately without a reservation, though I think we just got lucky so I don't recommend this. We all shared the warm olives, the croquet poulet sandwich, the fries, the quiche lorraine, the chateubriand, the roasted beets, and the strawberry ice cream. It was all a hit, and when a 3.5-year-old and a 22-month-old are enjoying your food without any coaxing or help, you know it's fabulous! My husband got some cocktail and I got the phony Negroni mocktail. Service was great and the atmosphere is chic without being uptight or snobby at all. We all left really happy. I still dream about that sandwich. I'd love to go back and try other things on the menu. I'm sure they knock everything out of the park. I am hoping Le Mazet will be our special occasion restaurant.

Easily a 5 star establishment. Do not sleep on Le Mazet! We've walked by so many times and I regret…read morenot trying this place sooner! Definitely need a reservation to get in on the weekend fyi! When we arrived we were seated at a beautiful booth. The interior is gorgeous here. Our server was fantastic I wish I remembered his name! He suggested some great items. We started with their steak frites and I cannot rave more about it! First this plate is definitely shareable. Among myself, my husband and young toddler we destroyed this. My daughter was eating so much of this steak and so were we! It was sooo tender and we loved the gravy on top. The fries were amazing and when they were drenched in that gravy it was chefs kiss! What really brought it all the together was the salad paired with it- it was light and refreshing and the dressing was so good! For dessert our server suggested the chocolate custard so we got that and a berry handpie. We ate both and kept saying "oh my god" with each bite. My daughter especially loved the chocolate custard but my husband and I loved both equally! We immediately said after our meal how we have to come back. We cannot wait to try other menu items and their cocktails next time. We are huge fans and will definitely be back!!

Dudleytown is the best place around for a drink after work. Right near several business parks, its…read morenot uncommon to run into colleagues. They have several sours, seltzer & a smoothie beer for people like me who are not the biggest beer drinkers. I love coming in the fall and sitting by the fire outside. Last night, a jam band was playing and the vibes were very chill. The burgers are very good, pizza fresh out of the huge log-oven in the back. I would reccomend Dudleytown to anyone looking for a place to check out. You can sit at the bar, the restaurant, or seat yourself at the copious tables indoors & out. Thank you to the bar staff last night for letting me sample so many drinks! They're the best!

Came for the Mayhem event put on by New England Obscura! It was definitely an event you didn't want…read moreto miss filled with oddities! The beer selection was great, I stick to sour and I liked their Berried Bones and Upside Down They didn't have all of their food options due to the event, but the food was still good.

I'm back! Welcome to Carmine's! The restaurant is located on 389 Main St. in East Hartford. It's…read morecold in here! The temperature has got to be 55 degrees (the way Carmine likes it). I live the nice music in here. It's very livel! It's Happy Hour from 3-7 on weekdays (food) and all day for drinks on Monday! The kitchen here makes everything built fresh, from scratch, and all homemade. The appetizers, pasta, entrees and desserts combine old-world traditional Italian flavor with a modern flair for presentation, and the freshest ingredients around. Menu staples like calamari, chicken milanese, fettucine carbonara and ravioli are paired with unique recipes like pappardelle with sausage and tenderloin steaks. They have staffed their kitchen with a dream team of local chefs that ensure our quality does not waiver and our kitchen is always OPEN! Not every place can say that! For my first drink, I'm having the Manhattan's Creek made with Knob Creek bourbon, sweet vermouth, dry vermouth and Angostura bitters. Wait a minute! These are the same ingredients as a Perfect Manhattan! This is chilled, well balanced and nicely garnished. I like it! For my first food item, I'm having a House Salad (small, off-menu version). This is made with a spring mix including basil, tomatoes, julienned carrots, cucumbers and a red wine vinaigrette dressing. This is nice and fresh! I love the dressing! I like the nice cloth napkin as well as a disposable one. The bartender is the nicest one I've ever met. For my next item, I'm having the Rigatoni Marinara. The is made with rigatoni and house marinara sauce. It's low cholesterol and guilt-free (for me). This is steaming hot and delicious! Nice portion size too! For my next item, I'm having a cup of soup. This is broccoli cheddar with potato. Oh yeah! I love those oyster crackers! This is yummy! For my next drink, I'm having the Pratt n Whiskey made with Woodford Reserve bourbon, sweet vermouth, red wine and sour mix. I love it! It's shaken well and tastes great! For my next food item, I'm having the Carmine's Secret Tenderloins. These are actually pan seared caramelized CHICKEN tenderloins made with wine, olive oil, cracked black pepper, kosher salt, shredded Parmesan and a VERY special secret sauce. I can eat this with little regret. This should be interesting! This is quite good! I do like that creamy sauce! For my dessert, I'm having the Toasted Almond. This is soaked in Amaretto layered with light custard and topped with crushed almond. Oh yeah! Look at the presentation! This is fantastic! What a great meal here!

Random selection in my travels off Rt 84. Food was delicious and I happily stumbled on live music…read more Mixed crowd Cappuccino gelato truffle, JD tips over pasta and 1/2 Caesar salad

Great food, great service, luxurious atmosphere. The windows all around allow you to have a great…read moreview of the Hartford skyline and the river. There are a lot of food options, we came for a friend's birthday party and they had created a custom menu. My only qualm with the place is access- difficult to find the parking and to navigate to get in here, it's a business/apartment building so takes a few extra steps to access the restaurant.

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.