The 196 Club is definitely a "speakeasy" location you should try! I went for a pre wedding celebration and we reserved half of the location. The bartenders were super friendly and made sure to keep up with the demands of our venue. The food and drinks were top-notch. We were served some finger food, and the meat balls were to die for. The drinks had interesting twists to classic drinks and left me wanting more. If you like mystery and enter a secret hidden bar for the elite just like in the movies, this location will make you feel like that with its setup. read more

The 196 Club - The whiskey and Gin seasonal drinks - Speakeasies Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

What do you find behind a candy store in Hartford, Connecticut? A very cool speakeasy. We dropped in for a drink after dinner. Our bartender, Jon, gave us great suggestions and made excellent drinks. It wasn't too busy, they played good music, and we could imagine the space with some live music. I highly recommend it, and we will definitely return. Thanks, Jon! read more

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My husband and I love speakeasy bars, especially since he proposed to me at one in the Caribbean...so it's nice to see more of them popping up locally. We decided to go to The 196 Club as part of our 17th Dateaversary Night. It was the perfect way to end the evening. Thankfully we had a reservation because there were many people waiting in the sweet shop storefront area. The bar is elegant and cozy. You feel as if you've been transported back in time. We even received champagne for our anniversary, which was a total surprise! Thank you for that! The snacks were very tasty, but the cocktails are the stars of this bar! Perfectly balanced and beautifully presented. The live music is a nice touch as well. Highly recommend this place! read more

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The entrance is great because it's a functional sweets shop so have to love that! But upon entering the speakeasy itself I was a little disappointed. It's a large space with plenty seating but vacant feeling at the same time. I wanted something more warm feeling I guess? There is different types of seating. Lots of couches and comfy chairs then some small tables with hard chairs. The latter is where we were sat and the chairs for the tables are the ones that dig into your butt (if you have a decent one) and I was uncomfortable immediately. Our waitress was very nice and accommodating. They were out the cheesecake we ordered so we did not get to try any food. It's mostly charcuterie type snacks and things my husband wouldn't eat besides dessert. We had one drink each- we both enjoyed them enough but honestly weren't feeling it and decided to leave after that one. We recently went to the speakeasy in wallingford and spent hours there so it's not that we just don't like the type of place. Maybe if we had one of the couches and I came with girlfriends who would've been down for the charcuterie items would've tried more. read more

The 196 Club - Speakeasies Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

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Drinks are good but holy hell I can see why they didn't make it. Service is terrible, unless you know a bartender you can't get a drink. You have to live in a line in order to keep a buzz. Ambience is pretty good overall but the disorganization kills it. read more

Cool little speakeasy. Joe, my bartender, gave me some good advice on the seasonal drink, wisely advising me on the use of the maple cotton candy. (Did I actually just type that?) Anyway, Joe was cool. I let him choose drink 2, and he produced an excellent boulevardier. Snacks were respectable. All in all, I had a good experience and would go back! read more

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Went here late in the evening while the DJ was playing- The DJing was good, though I felt like this place was a lot of different vibes meshed together. There seemed like there should be a dance floor but there wasn't, yet the music was too loud to really talk at any of the seats. It was sortve boujee yet still with club type musics. It is not a very large place. Cocktails were pretty expensive at $15. Food is more snack style. Parking is free after 8pm at meters but still pretty full/ we had to find lot parking. Staff was overall very friendly. Overall probably not my favorite place but may be someone else's vibe. read more

Shout out to The 196 Club for adding a little pizzazz to Downtown Hartford! I had to stop by once I saw Emrey's had a Speakeasy. Accessed through the photobooth in Emrey's Sweets & Soda, there's an option to take the photos with you for $6. Once you enter, the vibe changes from the bubblegum pink 50's inspo to sophisticated Old Hollywood. The decor is gorgeous, many artificial plants and couches fill the space and complement the gorgeous wall art. We had a couple of cocktails including the One Way Ticket, Strawberries & Cream and house Old Fashioned. The One Way Ticket was my favorite- tequila, mango and aged balsamic definitely intrigued me, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a drink that packs a punch! The food menu is very limited, including bar nuts, olives, and a deviled egg and prosciutto plate. We were a bit hesitant about the eggs and gabagool but we ended up falling in love with it. It was so good we wanted to order another plate but by then they were out for the night. The service could have been more attentive but I'll chalk it up to an influx of people from recent internet videos. Definitely recommend stopping by the next time you're Downtown Hartford. GET THE EGGS!!!! read more

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This place will make you feel special the minute you walk into the store front. The hostess (Carmen) was super nice, chatting it up with us. We didn't have reservations but she informed us we could hang at the bar until something came up. The transformation from this quiet, bright pink candy shop to the dark and moody speakeasy was so fun. The bar tenders (Matt, Dillion, and Maria) were amazing. Super attentive, true mixologists, and happy to make conversation, and be part of your night out. The drinks were great! My favorite was the mezcal drink that Dillion made me - I'm not even sure if it was on the menu or not since I asked for him to surprise me based on my liquor of choice. They don't have a large menu for food. This is more of a stop for a night cap and light snack. Sitting at the bar was ok for a couple friends but the bar tenders and servers were just so busy that next time I will definitely reserve a table for a little more laid back feel. If you want to be treated like a VIP, visit the 196!! read more

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I really appreciated this entire experience--from the live jazz to the service and food to the ambiance. I'll definitely be back. read more

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Wasn't ready for bed quite yet so decided to venture to get a night cap and whew, the 196 Club was worth it. What a neat little speakeasy in downtown Hartford. A lot bigger than I thought once you get into the bar area. Great bartenders who can also make you a drink just for funzies. I had a play on their margarita and then the bartender made another tequila based cocktail for me. I journaled. Enjoyed my beverages. Then called it a night. In all, so great! read more

The 196 Club - Outside lobby area - Speakeasies Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

Loved the vibe at 196 Club! It's super cool speakeasy aesthetic tucked away in downtown Hartford in an ice cream shop. The drinks were decent, but the food really stole the show. Everything we ordered was flavorful and well-prepared. Great spot for a lowkey night out if you're more into bites than cocktails. Would come back for the food alone. Great service as well! read more

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This was my first time coming here. We came here without a reservation for 9 people. The host was able to find us a table quickly! I was extremely impressed. They have a fantastic cocktail menu and a snacks menu. I ordered the espresso martini affogato and OMG it was amazing! I would come back for this again. Weirdly, I also ordered the French onion dip because I had a weird craving and this was honestly the best onion dip I have EVER had. I ate it too quickly so I was unable to take a picture. The place is dark on the inside, but very pretty. 10/10 would recommend. read more

The 196 Club - Espresso martini affogato - Speakeasies Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

My friend and I visited 196 Club after the first night of the Hartford Jazz Festival, excited to check it out. The aesthetic is cool and definitely gives speakeasy vibes. However, the experience left a lot to be desired. There was no clear seating process-- the host greeted us but didn't explain how seating worked. We eventually found a table ourselves, only to be told by a very aloof server that there was a wait, though he never took our names. Ordering was a bit chaotic and disorganized. I did enjoy the Figure 8 cocktail, but the service overall was underwhelming. The male server was distant and borderline standoffish, which really threw off the vibe. We ended up skipping a second round because the service was confusing and unwelcoming. I probably wouldn't return or recommend it--unless it's on a weekday and that particular server isn't working. read more

This was a great find. The staff were super friendly. The atmosphere was elegant. The barstools were literally padded great place to grab a drink date night. read more

The 196 Club has been around long enough that I would like to see them doing a better job than they are. First off, its a cute concept with the candy store front that they are pulling off very well. Cocktails are pretty good and the light level is great! However, for an upscale cocktail place, lets do some nice large ice cubes - not ice machine cubes in all the drinks. And when their main schtick is cocktails, more rotation of their menu would be good - what they have are tasty - its just a fairly short menu (totally not bad in itself) but rarely rotates. The food also could use a step up - again recognizing that food is not their main thing. Cheese thats served cold is a travesty. Really basic veg n hummus, etc. I'll likely go back but it would be great if they could step it up a bit. read more

The drinks were alright, but the whole place is pretentiously priced and full of itself. menu was completely different from what was online, server(s) were decent untill tip was written, and the atmosphere was dive. told our server thanks for the service and he said verbatim "what am i in the f**king military" and walked away with his 20% tip. if you're looking for a good drink stop by but dont trust the website and dont trust the staff to do anything but turn tricks. also flies galore, video to prove it. had to leave what was left of our cheese plate to the gnats. read more

Cool cocktail lounge in the back of a soda shop. Interesting drink menu. There is a lounge in the back and couches/tables throughout the space. There was a dj spinning vinyl. read more

The 196 Club - Inside space - Speakeasies Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

I really wanted to like the 196 club more because it seems like everything that I would be interested in. A speakeasy within a sweets shop that offers a sit-down area and craft cocktails and special dishes. On paper, it's great, and in person, it still has the potential to be great. However, there were several issues during our visit. First, the music is far too loud for the atmosphere it's setting. It's supposed to be a chill, sit-down, reservation-required place, not whatever vibe that the music was pumping out. Next is more personal preference. I'm all for trying new things, but each dish somehow had one ingredient that kind of just ruined it in my eyes. For example, the duck fat potato, seemingly one of the most accessible small plates, had kimchi in it. I ended up getting the duck confit dish, and even then, my group was shocked how it was just a duck leg swimming in a bean broth. Not to discredit, the taste was good, but personally, given the setting, the dish could be reworked to pick a lane: either stay with the duck leg and beans and have something else or go with a more visually appealing broth without beans, like a ramen. It seemed like the staff didn't know how to approach the dish either because I was given a fork and knife yet no spoon despite the broth. Also, regarding the food, I was unable to try the desserts because the only one that seemed appealing to me (the chess pie bar) was unavailable. As a final note on the food, I do really appreciate that it is all locally supplied and the farms were listed. I just feel like the menu could be a bit more accessible, given Emery's ice cream is literally as accessible as you can get. Maybe integrate the ice cream portion into the dessert menu instead of the jello. Everyone loves ice cream, but not everyone is a fan of pickled beet. To further this point, while I gave the menu an honest go, the other 3 people I went with could not find anything that they liked on the menu and just went without eating. Moving to the cocktails, I really enjoyed the Twist Cone Old Fashioned. However, again, in terms of accessibility, certain drinks kind of scared away my party. I was hoping for a couple more drinks to at least acknowledge Emery's specialty sweets and sodas realm, which led me to try the strawberries and cream. Again, this is a personal preference, but while the drink felt like it could have been very tasty for me, the cognac kind of overpowered the strawberry and cream. Finally, the service was good, despite certain hiccups with the bill, like charging me for the dessert I never received, but the servers were knowledgeable, there when you needed them, and very prompt to fix any issues that arose. I think truly one of the best things that the 196 club did was have playing cards at the table because that entertained my whole party. I noticed in the emery's storefront that there were some other board games on display, so maybe incorporating that element into the 196 club could be something to think about. I think overall, the 196 club has a lot of promise and potential, but it should really consider what vibe it's trying to go for and overall just incorporate more Emery's ice cream elements to make things more accessible to its patrons. I look forward to seeing how it evolves over time. read more

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Hartford has absent of a vibrant night scene for some time now. However, place like this give me hope. The decor reminds me of 90's LA clubs, which many people can appreciate. The service could definitely use some improvement, though. I would recommend that they hire adequate staffing to accommodate the crowd. The food menu has improved significantly, it could still use some work though. Overall, a great place to spend a calm night with friends or a loved one. read more

Anastasia was an incredible server and the food and drinks were incredible. The look and feel of the place are well thought out and I loved our experience. I can't wait to come back! read more

196 Club is a welcomed neighborhood cocktail bar . Oh yeah did I mention it's a speakeasy? Oh yes that! I looooove me a speakeasy. Its def is one of the better speakeasies I've been to so it def has long term promise. Walking through Emery's shop through a secret door and you're transformed. The cocktails were amazing and the service was top notch. I also like the decor and so excited to return to continue immersing myself with the experience. read more

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This is a fantastic place located at the back of Emerys through the "photo booth" door. It has a prohibition speakeasy type vibe to it with its decor and the lights dim down low. It's a classy place with a unique drink menu. They have a selection of beer and wine, but the mixed drinks are where it's at. They are superb and change from time to time. Highly recommend the Figure 8 and Overachiever! The bartenders are quick and attentive, especially considering these drinks take time to make. They have food menu too that mainly consists of small bites but they too are unique and interesting. We also have used this place for a corporate event function in the early afternoon. It was a big hit with the team. I would say we had 75+ people back there and it could definitely hold more. They are great to work with and the food spread was amazing. Many folks didn't even know this place was here. You have to give it a try!! read more

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The specialty drink list was fun and creative and thankfully the server gave a suggestion to help me decide! We had a couple of snack plates that were tasty and delicious and finally... dessert! Oh, we will be back! Service and vibe, well done. read more

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Don't see what the excitement is all about. 3 of us had a reservation prior to the Cher show at the Bushnell. With a reservation, they put us at a table so small we couldn't order more than one appetizer and had to put some of our drinks on the floor. A couple came in after us and got a larger table for just 2 people ? Think it would be better sitting at the bar but not running back. read more

The atmosphere was really cool, the drinks were great, the food was great- but the service sucked. We had a reservation for 7:30pm, we left around 9:30ish- our server came by no more than 3 times for drinks. If we went up the bar they asked us if we had a table and said the server would be over. I know it was a little busy.. but there were many times where he was just standing basically across from our table and we had to flag him down and wave him over. It got to the point where it felt like a chore trying to get his attention. We had to go up to him to ask for the check in order to leave. I don't think anyone in our party will be coming back. read more

The 196 Club - Speakeasies Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

Had some delicious, interesting drinks (with & without alcohol) and snacks with friends at this awesome Speakeasy the other night! The vibes were cozy and cute, the staff were fantastically friendly. We will ABSOLUTELY be back! read more

The 196 Club - Interior view from our cozy corner table - Speakeasies Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

Service is good but lack options of food to eat. Bartender was great and so was the drinks Need better food menu. Great space and read more

Enjoyed our visit to the 196 Club for the first time. Kinda neat that you enter through the ice cream shop. Very cool vibe once inside, I would describe it as intimate, but the seating was not comfortable. We were seated at a two top in the middle of the room, with other tables less than 2 feet from us. There was plenty of room in the area to stagger the tables to afford a little more privacy, so, not sure what was up with that. Service was a little slow at first. Took a bit to get our drinks. But we did enjoy them. We decided to get the Sofia Toast and the Duck Fat Potatoes. The Toast was absolutely scrumptious, I would order that 10x over if I could. I found the potatoes to be bland, there wasn't much to the topping on them. It was basically a plate of boiled, plain, potatoes. I'm chalking the slower service up to new establishment kinks to work out. But overall, we enjoyed it, it's different and low key. Will be back with some friends. read more

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Very nice ambiance, didn't have to wait very long to get in on a Friday night - they take your name and text you once there are seats available. Once in, we had great service and good bar snacks! The drink menu is super cool and has a lot of funky combos. Darkly lit space with small lamps at each table. Chill music. All what you can expect for a speakeasy vibe. Very cool space and fun experience that changes things up from your traditional bar. read more

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I came here on a thursday night and was thrilled with every aspect of my night. We didn't have a reservation and they were able to seat three of us immediately at the bar which was perfect. Our drinks we absolutely amazing. The bartenders were fantastic and able to make all of our drinks perfectly. The ambiance was everything you'd want from a speakeasy, super dark and fun, no loud music, just chatter. I don't believe they have any food options which is why i deducted one star. The price was reasonable for the experience! I will definitely be coming back! read more

The 196 Club - martini - Speakeasies Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

Seeing some mixed reviews here but we experienced exactly what we were hoping for - tasty drinks and good friendly down to earth service. Chloe was attentive and friendly on this early Friday evening. We were a non reservation walk in at 7pm and it was not too crowded. Jazz was going to start shortly. We will have to come back another time for it. It was laid back and relaxed and not pretentious in any way. Welcoming to all ages, shapes, sizes and backgrounds. Was told they will be getting a chef from Millwrights soon so there will be some good eats on the way. I will be back. read more

Great ambience. Tasty drinks. Solid barkeep Service a bit slow. Recommend making a reservation on weekends.

Went to the Sabrina Carpenter concert tonight legit 3min walk away from here and my friend and I wanted drinks and food before had so we decide to check this place out and It was AWESOME!!! You enter through a cute little icecream shop, Very bright, very pink. And you enter this club through a 'secret back door'. It's very speakeasy vibes and I was absolutely obsessed!!! My friend and I shared the cheese platter, it had fresh fruits, cheeses, crackers and fresh honeycomb... it was DEVINE!! We also shared the meatball marina plate, they were amazing!! I also got 2 margaritas, they were some of the best I've had. (Also just to note.... I work in the restaurant industry so I'm pretty particular) I saved this place on my Apple Maps because I will be coming back to Hartford just to come to this place again!! read more

Such a fun Friday evening.... The drinks were delish, the cheese toast and snacks were on point and our server, Alissa was amazing - the perfect amount of attentive without being overwhelming and incredibly nice. We will definitely be back.... Couldn't recommend it more :). read more

Stopped at "the 196 club" before the UConn game on 2/17. What a great bar ~ hidden gem. Had awesome service from the bartender Matt, great vibe with all the UConn fans. We will definitely be back! read more

What a cute little spot for a date night! The music turned the space into a complete vibe around 8PM. The entrance is super cute! Food was actually impressive! We ordered the oysters, toast and charcuterie- my fave was the charcuterie! Service was great and our server gave excellent recommendations! We can't wait to return on a night they have love music! read more

Amazing drinks, staff, service, and atmosphere!! Reservations recommended as standing room only!! read more

The guys were nice that worked at the door, hence the two stars, but they took down my number and said it would be about 45 mins. Stayed in the area for 2 hours, never got a call. read more

My friend and I came in for a quick drink and Matt was our bartender. He was great, the drinks were made to perfection and he made a genuine connection with my friend and I because of how friendly he was. Expectations were blown out the water, will definitely be coming back with more of my friends, hopefully Matt will be our bartender again!!! read more