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!

Bear's is always great. I got their 3 meat combo with pulled pork, moink balls, and brisket topped…read morewith Texas Pepper sauce. Their mac n cheese is also very creamy and delicious. The beans have a goot amount of meat with a tangy bbq sauce flavor. Service is friendly and helpful. This is my favorite Bear's location because the ambiance is a fun southern style cafeteria style with a nice bar to the right as you walk in.

The place had a bar to watch some sporting events and they had the FIFA World Cup on TV today. I…read morehad a platter with brisket and Texas-style sausage, along with some macaroni and cheese and potato salad. The sausage was pretty good, but the brisket was just okay but not as good as what I had back when I visited Texas. The sides that I ordered were good though. Overall, it's not bad by CT standards, but it pales in comparison as to what I had back in TX.

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

This American-Mexican diner was such a great find! We chose to sit in the outdoor seating area, and…read moreit was the perfect day to enjoy a meal outside. The atmosphere was relaxing, clean, and family-friendly. One thing that immediately stood out was the menu. It's about 10 pages long, with an incredible variety of options. Whether you're in the mood for breakfast, lunch, American classics, or Mexican favorites, there's truly something for everyone. The presentation is beautiful. The drinks are garnished with fresh flowers and slices of lemon or cucumber, making them feel extra special. Even the food is served with colorful touches like a slice of orange and a strawberry on a skewer, showing they really pay attention to the details. My kids enjoyed an orange juice and an apple juice. I ordered the mango dragonfruit lemonade, and it was refreshing, flavorful, and the perfect drink for a warm day. For my meal, I had the avocado toast topped with an egg and crispy bacon. It was fresh, filling, and absolutely delicious. The boys loved their meals too. One had the chocolate chip pancakes, which were fluffy and loaded with chocolate chips, while the other had a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich served with crispy home fries. They also offer a great selection of specialty waffles and pancakes, giving us plenty of reasons to come back and try something new. The portions are generous, the prices are fair, and the service was outstanding. Every staff member we interacted with was friendly, welcoming, and attentive throughout our visit. Between the delicious food, beautiful presentation, generous portions, reasonable prices, and excellent service, this is definitely a place we'll be returning to. I highly recommend checking it out!

Finally I got the chance to get brunch at one of the most instagramable restaurants in Hartford !…read more Located right across trinity collage , parking is sparse , however customers are able to park across the street ! The ambiance was amazing I felt transport to the early 2000s with the music playing we got ne-yo , akin , old school Mariah Carey , Nelly ! Fabulous vibe . They have booth and table seating . Staff was very nice and friendly they were so sweet and attentive!! To start off I ordered the caramel cappuccino which was delicious highly recommend and presentation was top tier ! My husband got the hot chocolate which was really good ! And perfect to cozy up to this winter season ! Next I got the banana split French toast ! Yes and it was AMAZING ! If you have a sweet tooth , love French toast and ice cream ! This is the one for you !! I added an extra Nutella drizzle on top of the caramel drizzle ( and it was perfection !) highly recommended! My husband got the western omelette which he enjoyed the home fries were one of our top favourites !! They offer so many options with large portions. from pancakes/ waffles / eggs to lunch options ! Fabulous presentation of food and drinks and delicious too ! Definitely can't wait to be back! And try more food options

All pre-packaged. 3 hard-boiled eggs, an Okio yogurt and a regular coffee = $20…read more Employee was nice and professional.

This is an essentially a grab and go and not what would expect from a Doubletree by Hilton. The…read morebagel sandwich was reheated and greasy. The melon in the fresh fruit cup had a bad taste.

Today after celebrating our son's second birthday at the Connecticut Science Center we were looking…read morefor a place to grab lunch and decided to try this spot. From the outside it looked like a small hole in the wall type of place and we almost passed it by. I am so glad we did not. We walked in around 1:30 and the place was lively and packed with people enjoying their Sunday. Unfortunately our newly two year old was extremely cranky and our four year old and my wife were very hangry. Within seconds of walking in we honestly thought we should leave so we would not disturb everyone who was there trying to enjoy their afternoon. Right away someone we believe was the owner or manager noticed us and could clearly see we were struggling. Without hesitation he came over with a ball and started playing with our two year old. A waitress brought over a coloring book, crayons, and cards for the kids. In that moment we did not feel like the family with the loud cranky toddler. We felt genuinely welcomed. My wife and I looked at each other and decided we had to give it a shot. Within minutes our boys were dancing to the music and other patrons were smiling and cheering them on. The energy in the room was just awesome. Then the food came out and all I can say is wow. Every single thing we ordered was incredible. One of those meals where everyone at the table stops talking for a minute because the food is that good. What started as a stressful moment with two tired hungry kids turned into one of the most memorable family lunches we have had in a long time. Amazing people, amazing atmosphere, and seriously amazing food. If you are thinking about trying this place do yourself a favor and go. We will absolutely be back

Flat steak salad tasty and you get a large portion. Service was prompt and friendly recommendread more

Forgot to take pics, but great waitress and service. We ordered ice tea, Cobb salad and fish &…read morechips. Both were great! Our friends both had the bourbon sirloin steak and loved it so we will try that next time. It looked amazing too!

I placed an order for delivery by Door Dash. I got the fish and chips for myself, the fish was over…read morecooked... it was dry. Also ordered a blackened chicken salad that they forgot the salad dressing for. I called to complain about the omission of the salad dressing and was told it was the packers fault and that there was nothing to be done about it. There was no attempt to try to make it right. So disappointing! Apparently they don't care enough to check to make sure that the orders are correct before sending them out the door.

Got a reservation at 5 for Monday night and we're the only customers here for the first 1/2 hour…read moreuntil a group of gal friends met at the bar and livened things up. Beautiful ambience, classy, quiet music in the background. Molly our server was friendly, attentive, and helped us especially with selecting our dessert. We ordered the old fashioned and Negroni from the happy hour menu to start with. They were so delicious that my husband went to talk to the bartender to find out how the particulars of how the Negroni was concocted. We ordered the baby gem Caesar salad and chicken katsu sandwich from the happy hour menu and the steak frites from the dinner menu which comes with skinny fries and arugula salad, Everything was well seasoned and delicious. To top it all off we shared a chocolate chip bread pudding (thanks for the recommendation, Molly!) Super happy with the whole dining experience. 5/5

Food: 4.4/5 Service: 4.5/5…read moreAmbiance: 4.5/5 Value: 3.5/5 Our server was named Berkeley and she was great. The shrimp and grits were the best version of this dish that I've ever had. And I've been to Husk in Charleston. The shrimp were so big and plump and favorable. The grits were creamy and the spice level was on point.

This spot has five stars so I wanted to join in on singing their praises!…read more I first noticed Alebrijes on a walk around the neighborhood because of their brightly colored sign. Inside follows suit with colorful booths and Mexican ponchos and tapestries on the walls. Service is super friendly and quick! I got the steak tacos, and the meat was very juicy and tender. The onions and cilantro refresh and since I ordered the homemade tortillas, they were amazing. I'll be back!

Alebrijes is a new, Mexican fusion restaurant on Maple Ave in the Hartford South End still in its…read more"Grand Opening" phase. The artistic and colorful sign caught my eye when I recently drove by. Given the attention paid to aesthetics of the sign, I figured they might successfully execute the food on a similar level. They do. The inside of Alebrijes started on the modest side, but was loved into something more special. The accent pieces include Oaxacan animal folk art adorned seat ends, vibrant streamers, wall hangings, traditional sombreros, etc. What could have been a brief stopping off point for quality takeout, is an inviting dining area where multiple tables of people were eating lunch. The menu includes both Mexican and American food, and food inspired to varying degrees by both. They're open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast includes orders such as burritos, French Toast, chorizo hash and breakfast sandwiches. Lunch and dinner offerings include tacos, burritos, fajitas, tortas, more elaborate entrees, and dishes that are outside my vocabulary. I ordered the "Memelas", with pork pastor. New word for me. A memela is a thin cake made of masa and then fried. In Alebrijes's version, it presented as a heartier soft corn tortilla taco. It was topped with the pastor (including pineapple pieces), shredded cabbage, queso fresco, refried beans, "pork spread", cilantro, onions and "guacamole sauce". It's served with your choice of red salsa or green salsa, which of course means I ordered both. The Memelas were very good and I would definitely order them again. The pork was tasty and had good texture. The other toppings were on point. The salsas were terrific. Getting salsa to such a dense rich red, must require knowledge, skill and ingredients beyond me. The salsa verde was very good too. I also ordered a side of chorizo hash. One of the best hash's I've had in a while, although it presented more like seasoned home fries with fresh sautéed green peppers and onions, and delicious chorizo. Alebrijes may be a bit off your normal path, but it's well worth finding. Alebrijes deserves to be found. 4.5 Stars

New spot in Hartford and it's right off the highway with a great little patio. The server was…read moreattentive funny and friendly. The prices are great and the food is authentic Puerto Rican food. Very delicious! They also have great bar food. The wings are my fave. Can't wait to go back.

Delicious food, great hospitality. I had the lunch special with fried pork, plantains, and rice…read moreand beans. You better believe I ate every bean and every grain of rice. And I was treated very well.