Fun place! Came here last Saturday with a few friends to celebrate my husband's birthday. He is not only a big craft beer fan, but also a pizza lover who swears by Zuppardi's. In essence, this was the perfect place to bring him to! And also because they don't just have beer - if you are not a beer-lover (like me), you will enjoy their wine and cocktails. Us ladies tried the Moscow Mules ($10), which were delicious. We ordered two pizzas for the table - mushroom and peppperoni - they were good if you like pizza. I also ordered the "platter" from the other vendor, as I am not a pizza fan and my origin is Polish. The platter feeds 2-3 people and comes with kielbasa, sauerkraut, pickles, and other delicious things. If you're into Eastern European food - this is noteworthy. I want to go back soon and try their pierogi! What I loved about the place is the space - nice ambiance, old world charm. Spacious facility until it starts getting packed around 6:00 PM. We got there early, around 2:30 PM as we were warned by friends that it gets packed. They were right. Around 6:00 PM it was so packed that people were just standing around waiting for you to leave your table (first come, first serve basis) which can make things feel uncomfortable. Especially if you're trying to have a good time, nice conversation - and there are people hovering over you just waiting to snatch your table. What I didn't like is that there was a private party in the back of the room so a whole section was roped off. That's understandable...but when my friend and I walked over there to check out the room more (it was our first time there and we just wanted to see the other end of the room) we noticed there were maybe 5 people there... and the lady overseeing this "private party" gave us a very nasty look and she was very quick to let us know it was a private party. Relax lady, we weren't going to crash your 5-people event, we have a lot more class than you. We simply wandered off and didn't realize there was a private party there. There's no reason to get nasty. Go early. Try the food. Try something you wouldn't typically drink. Life's too short! read more

THC The Hops Company - Moscow Mules. $10. Delicious! Give it a try. - Beer Gardens Near Me - Derby, Connecticut

Not family friendly - manager obnoxious and rude. Yells about kids being kids in spite of the fact that the place is loud to begin with. Maybe the management needs some sensitivity training. Will not be back, there are plenty of other family friendly beer halls in the area. read more

Always a fun time here good drinks and zuppardis pizza. There is a cover on Friday and Saturday but you get a free drink ticket. Last time I went the music was literally so loud inside we were screaming at each other at the table. I get the music being loud but cmon it's not BAR In new haven club scene lower it a little so I can hear myself talk. We ended up having to go outside even though it was so hot and we could still hear the music at a perfect level. It was deff an off night read more

Used to be my favorite spot to go, until i got to the door and was told they're now charging a $15 cover charge. This is not listed on their website. I don't want to drink every time I go there so I refuse to spend $30 between my husband and i just to have access to food. read more

Fun! Pizza,boba, 35 draft beers, draft wine and draft cocktails, Jenga, sports video and darts in a beer garden format. Good prices, friendly service. read more

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Wow! This is not what I expected AT ALL. We were celebrating a friend's birthday yesterday and had two choices: the vineyard if it was nice out, THC if it was overcast. We went with THC because it was rainy in the morning. I was instantly impressed with how many parking spots are available and how big the inside is, with seemingly endless amounts of picnic tables filling up the rooms. We found a table next to the waterfall, which was perfect for our group. It was under cover but exposed on the side, so we were able to enjoy the warmth and the sun that was starting to peek through. We ordered a few pizzas (delicious, BTW) and grabbed the wooden Connect Four, which kept us entertained for a long time. Later on, we switched to plastic cups and headed outside, where we played cornhole for hours and made lots of new friends. I wasn't a fan of the little kids running around -- especially with frisbees and bean bags being tossed all over the place, it didn't seem very kid-safe. I've heard that it gets packed here but it was perfect yesterday. The selection of beers on tap was impressive but I was upset that they don't do samples, especially with the price markup. I want to know if I'm going to like a drink before I spend $10 on it. read more

As a connoisseur of all things THC in CT (The Hartford Courant, The Handsome Chicken, etc) I took the drive and stopped in to try their Sweetwater 420 Strain G13 cannabis themed beer. It's fairly light, wasn't stellar but it wasn't awful. A perfect first drink to whet the appetite. As many of the items on their extensive menu are unavailable due to COVID it was really down to pizza or wings. I tried the Buffalo wings which were crispy, hot, and had just the right amount of sauce. My second drink was a Sixpoint Anti-Resin which made my night. In terms of the cannabis theme it's pretty gimmicky but clever nonetheless. They have $4 CBD infused cocktails which I thought was cute. The facility reminds me of Elicit Brewing in Manchester but much smaller and less to do. The seating situation was confusing as the hostess' sheet of tables didn't always match up with where you're directed. Understandable. The outdoor patio is very nice but I wasn't assigned there. IMHO best part was the hostess. LOL. And the wings. read more

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This is/was one of my favorite places, however I was very disappointed tonight. The outdoor space/garden area is great! No complaints there. However, inside was a complete disaster with the amount of ppl that were crowded in a small area without masks. While I realize Covid has put many businesses in a tough situation, I still think it is important to maintain social distancing and adhere to the restaurant guidelines CT has provided. Unfortunately THC did not enforce 6 ft distancing between parties, or enforce mask wearing when not at your assigned table. Furthermore the line people were waiting on to get inside had no 6 foot markers and completely crowded the only area to exit. Sadly I won't be returning until things get safer :( read more

Amazing space--huge indoor and outdoor areas! Casual atmosphere, great place to hang out with a few friends or a large party. Great beer selection and the pizza is delish. Thank you Mr. James B for the recommendation! read more

Love this place. A group of us went yesterday. Yes, we were wearing our mask while standing and ordering our food and drinks. Crowded but all spaced out. Plexiglass separates the tables. We'll be back! read more

Stopped in for the first time with a few friends on a Friday night a week or so ago. We were trying to decide what to do when I took to Yelp and looked to see if there were any beer gardens nearby. Since I'm in New Haven, I wasn't very successful, but I found The Hops Company and am very glad I went. Two of the people I was with had already been there before. They said the location is a former banquet venue or something like that but I really liked the way the old charm added to the new atmosphere. My girlfriend and I split a buffalo chicken pizza from one of the food places inside. I thought it was very good, she thought there was too much buffalo. Agree to disagree. There was a very wide variety of beer on tap which was great. Menus were very customer friendly. Explained a lot about each beer so you knew what you were getting into before you ordered. Prices were reasonable. Not too expensive, but probably a little more than I'd expect for the area. What really won me over about THC was the outdoor space. We spent a majority of the night by a gas fire pit with our own chairs that had built in cup holders for our beers. Next, we moved inside to play a few games of life-sized jenga. I'm used to table-top, but this was a pretty fun take on it. We closed out the night sitting by the fireplace in the Adirondack chairs made from Two Roads barrels. read more

THC The Hops Company - Beer Gardens Near Me - Derby, Connecticut

Best Beer Garden in CT. They definitely deserve this award hands down. The outdoor decor and setting is superb. Tables of firepits, corn hole...it is exactly what someone is looking for on a weekend afternoon. Food: The selection is a bit limited but if you like pizza then you can't beat their pizza (Zuppardi's!) Beer: Always a great selection. I can't imagine someone not finding something that they love when coming here. Brunch: THE BEST BRUNCH AROUND. Definitely stop in for brunch. The prices and drink options are the best around! read more

Awesome place. Like a candy store for beer lovers. Plus wine and spirits Pizza was excellent and robs awesome! TVs board games! Just a real fun place read more

The grounds are great and the parking is convenient. They also outsource good food like Zup's pizza. But, THIS IS NOT A BEER BAR (despite the billboards that say otherwise). Just because you have a lot of taps and communal tables doesn't make you a "beer bar." Almost all their beers are priced higher than other local bars. Their bartenders seem annoyed by any questions one may ask, and I doubt any are actually Cicerones (please prove me wrong). For most drafts, they use shaker pint glasses which they claim to be 16 oz. of beer but that's impossible unless you have zero head and fill the glass all the way to the rim (i.e. false advertising). Yes, that's nerdy but a real beer bar wouldn't be caught dead doing that.THC will not give you a sample of ANY BEER, EVER (I've asked multiple times for one taste and it's always after my tab is already going. Am I the beer sampler Noid or something? Bohahahaha!!). This is a very common practice for real beer bars who give a shit about their customers but here it seems it's more about making money. They are doing that quite nicely. Question is, do they want to be a legit beer bar or just extract money from people who don't know better. read more

I've had good experiences here. The outdoor area is nice during warmer weather. The garden and old trees are beautiful. The indoor area with fireplaces and couches has a cozy feel. It is a good place for groups, but as others have noted, sometimes you might feel like you're at a Chuck E Cheese with all the knee highs running around. It's great that they have a full bar, in case not everyone in your party is a beer drinker. Also, the food options are pretty vast for a beer hall. A food truck can be hard with a group of people who may have dietary restrictions, but they have everything from perogies (really good with the works), salads, nachos, and Zuppardi's pizza, which makes it pleasing to everyone. Finally, I've found the service to be friendly. Some of the beers and food are a bit overpriced, but that's how most breweries and beer halls tend to be. read more

THC The Hops Company - Buffalo chicken pizza is delish - Beer Gardens Near Me - Derby, Connecticut

I'm not sure if this will fairly review THC because we loved the setting, the bartenders and our drinks. It's Zuppardi's who dropped the ball for us. We came in for brunch and did the bottomless option. Three of us ordered Zupp's Shakshuka and our other friend ordered the breakfast crepe. The three Shakshukas were ready within minutes and during pick-up, we were told that the crepe would be up shortly. Fast forward 40 minutes later and no crepe. The Zuppardi's counter staff was less than helpful and made excuse after excuse about why it wasn't done without any apology. The bar staff was pretty helpless because the two businesses are more or less separated, though they did offer to check on our food and deliver it when ready. Regardless, after that long of a wait, the crepe should have been comped. Customers should not have to ask for good service and when good service doesn't happen, it should be remedied. While I'll probably be back for brunch because it's such a great spot, there isn't a chance I'm ordering a crepe. read more

Cool place. Great beer selection good pizza. Great for babies and toddlers. My son was mesmerized by the band and then outside enjoyed running around the benches. I like that they have a bunch of activities and space for toddlers to roam. Huge beer selection. Tons of local brews and favorites. We will be back. read more

Plenty of space for your birthday party, hangout with friends, or getting-to-know-you date. There's a large indoor area for shade on hot days and shelter for cool winter evenings. The garden portion is wonderful with plenty of picnic tables and small touches like a ledge along the fence to place your beer. Despite the large size and amount of people, the line for beer was incredibly fast. The selection is great - 30+ on tap. And it rotates so there are occasionally new options. Check the website for what's on tap and other events. There's something for everyone: a lighter pilsner, a cider for those not quite in the beer scene, and the hoppy double IPAs to pair with some bratwurst. Food was kind of overpriced for a non-restaurant but it was convenient and casual. The pizza and meat flight seem worth the money. Oh, and order the meats extra charred for that perfect outer crunch. Great spot to meet up in the summer. The garden area gets spots of shade which is refreshing, too. read more

THC The Hops Company - Beer Gardens Near Me - Derby, Connecticut

I really like this place.... The ambiance is so cozy and warm and as packed as it can be, there's always room for people to sit at long tables or comfy chairs next to the fireplace. The food is always delicious. Whether it be brats and garlic fries or crisp Zuppardi's pizza (although I'm still a bit miffed on my $1.00 upcharge for a small ramekin of cherry peppers). So be prepared....food is expensive The beers are always rotating and anything you want can basically be found there although some prices may be a bit steep...again..expensive A group of friends went the other night and for a birthday celebration and there was more than enough room for us and a musician performing who was really great. Service kind of sucks with not much personality going on there and maybe an attitude here or there. Kid Friendly Family Friendly read more

Oh THC, you're so good to me. This place is great, super spacious so even though it gets crazy busy, yet never feels crowded. Plenty of indoor and outdoor space, but what really makes it stand out is the selection of beer on tap. Hands down, they offer the most variety in terms of brewers and styles, IPAs, lagers, DIPA, stouts, Gose, Pilsner, sour ales- be still my heart. I will be back read more

THC The Hops Company - Beer Gardens Near Me - Derby, Connecticut

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Cool spot. Traffic got rough, so we stopped off. It's eclectic... food stations like a cafeteria that you go to an order yourself. Snaks (polish/German?) pizza and raw bar. We started with some colossal shrimp, a little wet, but good... awesome condiments... option for fresh horseradish ( nice!) 4 for $7 at happy hour. Then we went to "snaks"... got pierogies with the works ( cabbage/ bacon/ sour cream)(Deep fried... I'm a snob, like a crispy pan fry) but the spicy mustard made them yummy. Also had the pork taco. Chewy, greasy... but good. Beer... great selection to choose from. Interior set up like a German beer garden... so acoustics are rough ( open space- loud) and if you have ADHD it's tough, a lot going on all over the place. Just focus, and take it one thing at a time... ;-) Overall fun. I would recommend and return. read more

Interesting and huge place. When it's warm the beer hall opens for a patio. About 50 beers on it's pretty good beer list. A satellite of Zuppardi's pizza of West Haven and Snax with wings, pierogies, nachos and sausage. It's definitely loud in here with the music and the pretty young crowd of mostly twenty somethings. Also bring cash or use the ATM as you come in if you just want a round or two of beer. There is a $12 credit card minimum for beer. I could easily see a pot store in here too when weed is legal in Connecticut with the THC name. I think I honestly prefer a quieter and mellowed place but it's definitely huge. And fyi the satellite parking is a bit of a walk. read more

Pretty cool place to chill, eat and drink. THC has an inviting atmosphere filled with games, food and other activities. I've tried the buffalo chicken and pepperoni pizza here which was surprisingly pretty good. Opted for a drink called lifes a peach which was also superb. Highly recommend it, nice place to hang out with friends and/or family. read more

THC The Hops Company - Beer Gardens Near Me - Derby, Connecticut

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I don't go to many breweries as I'm not a huge beer drinker however I met some people here and was really impressed. The place is very spacious and parking is easy! I liked the layout of the picnic tables throughout the facility and the TVs that are scattered around. The food selections are "traditional" German- sausage and pretzel- and pizza. We opted for the pizza which was really good and came out quickly. I was shocked at the bar selection- beer, wine and alcohol!!! I had a Moscow mule which was really tasty and most of my group had beer and they all enjoyed themselves. My one feed back would be the fact that the beer list did scroll really fast on the tvs above the bar, maybe slow that down. read more

Ownership was horrible and very disrespectful. The prices are horrible and not worth the time. This place needs the state to come in and watch what happens because there is no COVID guidelines. I will not be coming back. read more

yes! yes! yes! huge family-style tables inside, an epic beer garden, food, and a fantastic beer selection. three very notable bits IMHO 1. you can add CBD to your beer 2. raw oysters while supplies last 3. DILL PICKLE PIZZA we haven't stopped talking about this spot since we stumbled upon it. read more

I don't drink beer but my best friend had talked this place up a lot that our group of friends decided to go the Saturday after Thanksgiving. We got there around 11:30pm and grabbed a table because there was enough available. The space was unique and very open which a nice touch because I hate crowded places. We ordered our drinks and pizza and played Jenga which was adulting on new levels. The Chicken Caesar is not what you'd expect but it's soooo good. The drinks and food are quite overpriced but I guess when in Derby....the band was gosh awful that I contemplated unplugging the entire sound system and saving us all. When he was finally done, they played some R&B and pop which was nice. All in all, I will definitely be going back to THC. Also, shoutout to Nick the bartender :) read more

Fun place. HOWEVER I did pay $35 for a bucket of 5 high noons AND THEY DIDNT EVEN LET ME KEEP THE BUCKET. they also made us open our jackets before leaving? What did they think I was stealing? The missing toilet seat from the girls bathroom? read more

Okay, enough with all the snobby reviews people. This is Connecticut where cool businesses are far and few. It's a beer garden, it's conveniently right off route 34 and they have tons of parking...and again it's in Connecticut. As of right now, they have around 38 beers on tap, as well as wine and cocktail options for the non-beer drinkers. You can leisurely check what beers they currently have on tap at any time of the day, during any day of the week with the BeerMenu app. They have ample space for dining and socializing. A fireplace. Several flat screens. Tons of boards games, dart boards and a fooseball table. They have an excellent outdoor area (I'm looking forward to it when it's nice out). For the people complaining about sampling a beer, just order a flight? Or know what you want? The food is great. The pizza is from Zuppardis, a West Haven home favorite and in the same discussion of excellence as New Haven's Pepes or Modern. The BBQ place called Ricky D's Rib Shack is rocking, their local and their sauce is phenomenal. Bottom line: This place is wayyyyyyy, way, way more desirable than going to any other generic chain restaurant/bar in the New Haven county area. They have tons of options for drinks, great food choices, and a unique environment that's blended nicely for socializing with friends. read more

Nice open layout inside, good atmosphere two fireplaces with couches. Feels like a place you could hang out with friends and try some new beers. My wife asked to sample a beer and the bartender said no we don't do samples but you can buy a flight for $12. When I questioned this policy since their whole business is beer and they are a beer garden with 35 taps he told me no samples "We are trying to run a business here" If your plan is to run a business long term based on people getting excited about new and different beer styles you may want to allow samples. read more

This place "specializes" in a huge tap list, yet doesn't let you taste things you have never heard? HUGE FAIL. The pizza is good though. Oh and they have board games. Why is it, in life, that unbelievably great ideas (like this beer garden) are plagued by such unnecessary issues. Let your paying customer taste a beer for goodness sake. Geez. UPDATE: Go on a Friday and it's filled with kids. At a bar! This place is falling down hill FAST. I'm done with it! read more

Why do I have to pay a cover? It was such a waste of money. I felt like I was in college again trying to get into bars.

Food: 3 stars- pretty average selection overall, the pizza is just OK, not like the original Zupp's, it's doughier. Honestly there are at least 20 better places in New Haven to get a great pie so I don't think food is what people are here for. Service: 4.5 stars- not much service at this type of place, by design, but they are friendly and helpful. The place is clean. Beer: 3.5 stars. OK, but I was expecting a better selection and better pricing. It's really nothing like the amazing, quirky beer places in downtown New Haven. Ambiance: 3.5 stars. Beer hall concepts are cool, but the furniture and stuff feels a little cheap and isn't set up that nicely, like it's not really set up for roaming around and the lighting is just weird. It's also a little smaller than advertised, so tables feel a bit cramped (and it's not a great spot for kids to roam in like many other beer gardens are). And the indoor space is incredibly loud. If you want to shout it's OK, but my experience was that nobody could hear anything. On the flip side it is probably a nice place if you have a huge party or wedding since there is a large private area for use that looks nice (not accessible to daily guests). Location: 1 Star. No safe sidewalks or bike lanes and nothing nearby to walk to. You'll get killed if you try to walk or bike in this area. Surprising because it's a typical suburb and bus service is available. read more

If you want respect, go somewhere else. I have never written a 1 star review before but this place earned it due to their customer service, congrats! read more

Ok first the good: The atmosphere is fun and laid back. I liked the fireplace and the free games that you can play ( we played Jenga) and their beer selection is great. The BBQ that's served thrre was fantastic. We had the wings, pulled pork, and brisket. Wonderful flavor that was made by smoking and not by drowning them in sauce. Now the bad: We got there around 7pm and the lower lot was full. We asked the attendant what to do and he said we should drive around the parking lot until someone left. I knew the place before it was THC so l knew that there was a back parking lot. I inquired about its use and was told it's just for staff but we could park up the road. We drove to the other lot and took an unlit pathway down to the pub. I'm interested to know how long it will be before someone falls and sues the place into bankruptcy. Once we arrived inside I was shocked to see how many children were inside. This is NOT a restaurant that serves drinks it's a BAR that serves food. Kids are not appropriate here. We got to the bar and looked at the very confusing menu display. I asked the bartender if I could have a sample of one of the beers because although I like the type of beer I haven't tried this particular brand. I was told that they didn't give samples so I asked what would happen if I ordered a full glass and hated it? Her response was that " it would be too bad" and walked away. To the management of this : If this is how you plan on treating your customers you won't be there long enough to celebrate your 1 year anniversary. I sincerely hope this doesn't happen and that you do well. I'm going to give you 1 more chance to change and earn my business. read more

This is such a pretty place The atmosphere is very friendly and relaxed It's a lot larger and wide open then I expected which was a pleasant surprise My daughter and I got different beers to taste There were so many to choose from it blew my mind We each chose several to share and taste We liked maybe 3 of them I only gave 4 stars because I wasn't a huge fan of the beers But would love to go back and try it again because I enjoyed it there read more

THC The Hops Company - Caitlynn trying a bunch of beers - Beer Gardens Near Me - Derby, Connecticut

Beer list is good. They will do pitchers of beer. In general you get served fairly quickly. Food is too expensive. And portions in general are also small. $5 for one slice of bacon, $18 for a plate of nachos. Don't come here on an empty stomach. They have a nice outside area where they have games. read more

THC The Hops Company - These are $18 nachos BBQ chicken would not recommend. - Beer Gardens Near Me - Derby, Connecticut

What a joke! $15 to get in the door to order a $7 beer with zero atmosphere. Refocus your goals Mr. Hops. THC has totally lost its vibe!

Been to the Hops a few times and thoroughly enjoy our time spent there. Beer is cold, place is lively and prices are good. Pizza is one of the best we've had in the New Haven area and we've been to them all!!! You order your pizza and you will be alerted to go pick it up when it's ready. There are no waitresses that I have seen. Outdoor garden is always full without any open tables. We had gone to sit at a table but a girl ran over to tell us that it was theirs so we politely moved indoors. There were five chairs in that spot and only two were occupied the entire three hours we were there. Tons of long rectangular tables to choose from indoors. read more

Came here to celebrate my friend's birthday! Had a great time! Food was delicious we ordered pepperoni pizza and Guiness! Great atmosphere!