One of the reasons I enjoy going fishing in the vicinity of East Lyme is heading over to Rustic Cafe to get something to east afterward. The Fish Reuben is one of the best sandwiches ever made. EVER! read more

Rustic Cafe - The Fish Reuben, made with batter fried fresh cod, is one of the best sandwiches ever made. - Music Venues Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

Stopped by Rustic Cafe this afternoon for a late lunch. My companion and I ordered a lobster roll and a fat belly clam roll, and we divided them in half to share. Both were excellent -- the taste of coastal Connecticut that we were hoping to find. And the accompanying cole slaw also was good. Excellent service, in spite of the fact that one young woman was attending to all of the customers (including bar orders) by herself. Our visit was on a Monday afternoon in early May. Business was pretty brisk. Based on that, I bet this place is very crowded on summer weekends! read more

I'm not sure what's going on with this restaurant but the food has been going downhill. Went last week and ordered the fish and chips. Both were saturated in grease so much it was inedible. The kitchen staff was so loud it sounded like there was a party going in in there. Our only saving grace was Tie and Belinda. The servers. read more

Stay away from this place. Friend of mine and I both ordered the same burger. Waiter comes back with two different burgers and blames the mistake on us - actually points to a sign over the bar saying the bartender is alway right. No apology, no offer to fix the mistake or adjust our bill. And the burger I ordered medium well was served rare. I've eaten in restaurants in third world countries that are better than this. read more

I've come here twice as our daughter just moved here from Manhattan. Outstanding food selections and the chef is world-class. A surprise find with amazing meals such as hot lobsta sandwiches, great begets and salads and the wait staff is exceptional. Did I mention prices? Most reasonable and a real bargain for sandwiches. Free refills on ice tea as well! read more

Don't waste your money unless you're a Pickle & Peanut Butter fetishist. We heard they make good Burgers. Maybe they do. We ordered the Lobster Roll (which another review said was good & cost $14). It was terrible. The worst ever. Picked Lobster on a buttered, toasted hot dog roll. $25. Go to Ford's in Noank for a good one. Also had the Chicken Sate, which turned out to NOT be Sate. What came was breaded, fried chicken strips slathered in peanut butter mixed with hot sauce. You don't get to label that crap as "Sate". Fish & Chips: One small piece of fish over-fried in a granular coating, wet-noodle fries. The cook should be fired today. My table mate wanted the fried pickle spears. She said they were okay. Wait staff was mixed between awful & friendly. The above horrible offerings, 2 cokes, 2 beers. $80 plus tip. Horrible experience. Should have cooked at home. read more

Best bartenders in town! Belinda and Nikka will ensure you have a great time. Love the fish and chips too!

On our drive back from Rhode Island to New York, I simply had to find one final seafood restaurant as our last non-NYC dinner. Rustic Cafe popped up as we were passing through CT, and even though it was 10 miles out of the way, I decided to go for it and visit this "seafood shack", as other reviews mentioned. So glad we did! After driving through pitch-black darkness (forgot how nighttime in the suburbs looked like..), we arrived at this little house on the side of the road, with smoke in the background. We found out that there's an adorable fire pit outside and lounge area, where someone was having a family reunion, complete with endless shots and beers. We were able to be seated at one of the tables, even though the parking lot looked full, and eagerly awaited the menu. Such an affordable menu! Maybe I'm used to NY prices...but all the seafood was very, very affordable. I ordered the lobster roll for only $11, that came with heaps of pure, buttered lobster and a side of coleslaw. My boyfriend ordered one of the special dishes- a turkey slider--and while it was also $11, it didn't come with as huge of a portions--but, the slider was delicious and the sweet potato fries with marshmellow sauce were a hit! The bartender also gave me my very first pickleback on the house--the smoky, cringey taste of the Jack Daniels was instantly cancelled out by the housemade pickle juice! I ordered another for $6. This added to the homey atmosphere of the entire place--people were coming in and were greeted by name! Docking one half star for the clam chowder, which was a bit watery, as well as my lobster roll's roll, which seemed like a hot dog bun. But overall, a great pitstop! read more

Rustic Cafe - lobster roll with coleslow - Music Venues Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

Over the weekend, we went to the Sunflowers for Wishes fundraiser in Griswold, CT. We had a great time, and, it's terrific event to raise money for Make-A-Wish foundation. After this event, we were looking for a place to settle down and have a late lunch. As we were driving, we came across the Rustic Café in East Lyme, CT. Not knowing if this was going to be a dive or a good place to eat, we decided to take a chance and try it. What a great surprise, it's a small bar, with a good selection of homemade foods, excellent services, and a full size bar. With the temps in the mid-90's, the cold beer was refreshing. I had the RI clam chowder, which was the best, and the lobster rolls and burgers where very good at a great price. The only bad part of my visit is that this place to far from my home, otherwise, this would be a new hang out for me to go too. If you're in the area, try it, and I'm sure you will agree with me, it's a nice place to visit, have some good food, and relax. I enjoyed it very much. read more

Rustic Cafe - Music Venues Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

I could not have been happier to come across this gem on Google, where they were listed as LGBTQ+ friendly and woman-owned/led. Inside looks like a cabin with a bar and the outdoor space is very cute (but can get buggy). Good beer list, unexpected burger toppings, lobster rolls, and three kinds of pie were all highlights of the menu the night we visited and the service was delightful! Will absolutely make a point to go back when I'm in the area. read more

Rustic Cafe - hot lobster roll - Music Venues Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

I had my first official hot lobster roll here! Let me tell you that it was lobster love at first bite! I love how it was just the lobster itself without it being smothered with mayo like I've seen on tv. It was in a buttered sauce served with a side of cole slaw. I would have enjoyed it more if the lobster roll was larger in size ;). In addition, I had the Rhode Island clam chowder, which is a clearer broth instead if creamy. There were generous amounts of clam...love! Ended with a homemade apple crumb pie. All in all a great experience with friendly locals and a fast hardworking friendly, server/bartender. read more

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A little rustic place with about 10 tables and a bar and one server and one cook!! Came in to eat lunch and in 15 minutes the place was filled. Looked like some usuals at the bar, a few chatting in the out patio, and the rest of the tables with patrons. A couple locals were friendly and talking up a mini conversation and wished a fun trip! How nice! The only sole server did a good job waiting on about 25-30 customers. There was a yelp review saying that the lobster roll can be shared. Uhhh I wanted to ask ya sure about that? It was quite tiny. Maybe they meant a snack. Luckily I also ordered the Rhode Island clam chowder (non-creamy soup based) to fill the rest of my tummy. And finished off with the homemade apple pie. read more

Rustic Cafe - Lobster roll - Music Venues Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

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We arrived at the shore in the midst of a tropical storm. Downed trees led to power outages and closures all over. The staff at the Rustic Cafe made the best of a bad situation with a limited menu. We picked up some lobster bisque, lobster salad and a large tossed salad. We enjoyed a nice soup & salad dinner. The bisque was creamy and flavorful and the lobster salad was tender and tasty. We'll definitely stop back when we're in the area again to try out the full menu. read more

On our way to New Jersey from Maine and wanted to find a spot to eat. My method is pull up the Yelp map and check the restaurants along the route. Simple, right? This place just happened to be on the way and had a lobster roll for $15. Sold. Per another review, we decided to try the cornbread. They were right, it's AMAZING. And the honey butter. Oh man! Oktoberfest specials are going on, so we ordered the potato pancakes. My bf thought they were just alright but he's picky, whereas I thought they had a lot of flavor. Hot buttered lobster roll was a tad skimpy compared to others I've had on my trip but I figure the price reflected that given it was only $15. Decent meat and bread was nicely toasted. Not to die for but filled my lobster craving just fine. They have an interesting selection of sauces for their wings. We got the Raspberry Jalapeño and it was delicious!! The wings had a nice crispiness to them and came with the sauce on the side. We also ordered the seafood quesadilla. It was ok, we wouldn't get it again though. That being said, we would eat here again if in the area. The location is adorably cute, it looks and feels like an authentic family, local restaurant and the bathrooms were clean. Worth the stop! read more

Creative menu items including peanut butter and bacon burger, which sounds pretty nasty, but was actually delicious! Great atmosphere and service too! read more

Little joint on the inside but cozy. Also outside seating in the summer. Excellent food! Great service too.

Stopped here for lunch and the bartender/server took care of us. Food was great, tasty and came out quick. Full bar with a variety of beers to choose from. Will definitely come back. read more

The food has always been great. It's a really unique little place and I really enjoy the atmosphere as well. I'm looking forward to going and checking out their new addition they just added. read more

Great atmosphere the wait staff makes you want to return since they are very personable and friendly. The food was amazing and fun,water glass was always full. Customers seem to be regulars ,Come early for Dinner since they do seem to fill up quick. read more

Waitress was super friendly. Kids got the chicken tenders and fries. Cute little spot all by itself on the side of the road.

Decent food. Super friendly staff and owner. There is a buildout taking place outdoors. Will be excited to come back and check it out and see how they put it all together. Kids loved the place and the food was perfect for them. read more

Food is not what it used to be. Llast visit sat at the bar and the bartender could not be bothered with us but was very interested in her phone read more

Very cozy restaurant, good seafood and nice selection of IPA's. They make a fabulous espresso martini! Better get there early for a seat at the bar. Love this place. read more

Rustic Cafe - Music Venues Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

Came here randomly to get dinner. It was Friday night around 830 and so so loud. It was packed and had to squeeze to table that was against another 2 person table. But it seems like a legit spot to get drinks with friends and have fun not so much nice quiet ish dinner. But I got the chocolate gorganzola burger it was so yum and the sweet potato wedges are huge . read more

Rustic Cafe - Music Venues Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

Not super impressed. Very average food. Seemed like a cool place but won't be going back. Got burgers wings and fries. Nothing was good. Probably would have been more satisfied at a wendys.. read more

Charged for a bunch of drinks we didn't order, so we figured that must have been the tip and didn't leave one. when it hit my credit card, they added the tip they felt was good on top of the over charge. read more

First time stoping by and ordering take out during the lockdown. Overall it was very good. It is a cute little rustic building. The server was really nice. Me and my boyfriend both got the cornbread for appetizer. It was AMAZING. Then he got the bacon & egg burger. I got a classic hamburger. We said no pink. It was cooked perfectly. The sweet potatoe fries were also very good. Highly recommend. read more

Pleasantly surprised on a Monday (in winter) that it wasn't crowded as usual. I love the ambiance of the place with its Scandinavian log cabin feel. The burgers here are phenomenal with locally baked bread and great choice beef. However, this time we came for a more robust dinner and were not disappointed. The specials menu was perfect! Entrees were $16-$18, I think. The filleted trout was served whole and cooked perfectly with black beans and Spanish rice. The oxtails were large and meaty and served over rice with delicious plantains! We ordered an additional side of plantains they were so good. Almost surpassing the dinners though were the fried Brussels sprouts with a maple glaze and crispy bacon. Holy cow, could eat that every day! Attentive waitstaff and overall great time. It was apparently national chocolate day, week or month, so we tried the chocolate fudge pie and it was good. It was missing something but we couldn't figure it out and ate the whole thing! Looking forward to returning for more specials. read more

Rustic Cafe - Best Brussels sprouts ever! - Music Venues Near Me - East Lyme, Connecticut

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Great lobster roll. Nice decor and outside area. The perfect end to a day at the beach.

The Rustic is a little gem. Most seating, hi-tops, will place you within a foot of 2 other diners. Instead of feeling crowded it actually feels more friendly. We invariably have some conversation and get tips on food, movies or events going on. We have 2 friends we met here and One remodeling contractor. As for food, there is a solid sandwich menu. Good burgers. I don't remember much about the lunch or dinner menus because there are ALWAYS creative daily specials which you must try or they will be gone the next time. These will be seasonal offerings or tied to certain holidays. Mardi Gras fried alligator and Hurricanes, St. Paddy's day something cooked with Guinness stout and corned beef and cabbage, Cinco Di Mayo Mexican dishes. Creative beer selection too. FUN! Call ahead for your party over 4 so they can arrange tables and they will do that for you. Maybe I'll see you there! read more

We stopped here after kayaking. We were three women in search of a good lunch. We were not disappointed . Intrigued by the fish reuben, we all ordered the same thing. It was really flavorful with fresh fish smothered in coleslaw and between two slices of rye. I ended up taking 1/2 to go. Our waitress was very helpful and friendly read more

Went to Rocky Neck for the day and stopped in for a bite. We were told to sit anywhere but there was only one clean table which sat 4 but there were only 2 of us. The waitress came over and took our drink orders and let us look at the menu; they do have a lot of good looking options. My husband got a bowl of chowder and a sandwich and I got a burger. I asked for a hamburger but got cheese on it, which I just peeled off - no big deal - but nothing else I wanted was on the burger and the waitress didn't even give us ketchup for the table. It took a long while for us to get our check, which is odd because the space is quite small. Before we got the check, another waitress moved our belongings so that another couple could potentially sit there. I would have easily moved them if she asked instead of her touching my wallet and phone. Then when I finally got the check I went up to pay, paid with a card and asked her to change a $20 for the tip. One of the patrons who seemed to be a regular gave me grief about it and the waitress walked past me at the bar to give my card to my husband... Overall, it's a bar with a lot of locals and decent food. It's not a bad spot I just won't be going back. read more

My friends and I were driving up to Cape Cod and stopped by here for dinner. We got Fish Reuben Sandwich, Fish and Chips, The Rustic Spinach Salad and Rhode Island Clam Chowder soups. Their food is awesome! No complaints! We were greeted by the local customers and they were all so nice to us. Service was good. The only downside is that it is a small local bar/pub so I would not consider this place for a large party to sit down to eat indoors. We saw some ppl doing BBQ outside but not sure if that's part of this restaurant? I would definitely stop by here again in the future. read more

This was the 2nd time we went. The 1st time the waitress had an attitude. We didn't order anything crazy. My husband just wanted the salsa on the side. We also heard her be very rude to the table behind us when she was asked about what was on tap. The 2nd time, the bartender was rude. Again, we didn't order anything crazy or ask for any changes. My friend's soup came out and mine didn't. After about 5 minutes, I asked about mine. She said it didn't go through for some reason. I said, "If it's a problem, don't worry about it." She said, "Do you want it or not!" That being said, the food is good. The lobster roll is good. The lobster bisque does not have any lumps of lobster if that is important to you. I would say that the new outside could be cleaned up with the weeds brushing your back as you sit along the wall. read more

The food was sub par, not much flavor or effort. they didn't have any of the specials that we ordered, why have it as a special then? missing apps that never came. was a slow afternoon when we went not busy at all. the waiter didn't seem to care about his job or even want to be there and it showed. he charged my card for the wrong check I don't even know how but it was over 4 times what our bill was. party of 2 he charged for a party of 10. he claimed to have voided the charge which he did not now I have to go threw the claims process with my credit card. avoid this establishment at all costs. read more

One of the best Clam Chowders we have had. The Ahi nachos are excellent!

Wow love this place!!! Great food and today awesome music great bang for your buck and place u must check out!

First time, had delicious burgers and great coleslaw. Fries were pretty good too. The bartender was lovely. 2nd time, bartender had an attitude... food took forever. Burgers were overcooked and coleslaw was tasteless. Had to have been two different cooks. read more

So my wife and I have been coming to the Rustic Cafe in East Lyme once or twice a month for the past five years. We are locals in Old Lyme. We love coming here, have always had a great time! Usually love the food. I've been with my wife for about six years, and I will say that she has never ever returned anything to the kitchen anywhere we have been. Tonight she ordered the scallops, and after eating the first bite of the first scallop, she said there was something wrong with these, they tasted off, not good. We returned them to the kitchen uneaten. It is a shame that the Proprietor, Stephanie Fesko, insisted we pay for bad scallops. The waitress offered us a different meal... I don't understand the difference between giving us something different, or just taking the scallops off our bill. After eating the first bad scallop my wife lost her appetite and just didn't want anything else. Now I'm really bummed!! We come here once or twice a month and we are probably not coming back. They've lost a repeat customer. read more

This is a delightful, cozy spot we discovered on a trip to the Connecticut shore. It's a small dining room and bar with some additional outdoor seating. In chatting with some of people around us we found this was a local favorite spot for them. Waitress Jenn was attentive, friendly and welcoming. The food was well-prepared and served in generous portions. The beer was cold and their list included several delicious local brews with samples available. My wife had the tuna melt sandwich and I had the whole belly clam basket. The seafood was wonderful. Delicious! This is a casual dining experience where the food and beverages were satisfying and we were warmly welcomed and treated like locals. read more