The first time we ate here, the food was really great. I really appreciate an inspired menu and you…read morecan tell that the staff have a passion for what they are doing. We couldn't wait to come back. Several months later on our second visit, we arrived well before their posted closing time - 9pm. It was around 7:45pm, the lights were on, but the door was locked and the staff seemed to be cleaning up. One of them looked up, saw us standing at the door and then went back to doing whatever they were doing without bothering to engage with us. It was incredibly frustrating having driven almost an hour with the expectation of getting some delicious food, only to be ignored by staff at a time when they were supposed to be open. Many months later (giving them the benefit of the doubt that the early closure on our last visit was a fluke) we made the trip up again. We arrived to find the place was locked up and dark - again during a time when they were supposed to be open. Today I was with some friends and we stopped to have lunch at Smokin' With Chris next door. During our meal, I mentioned my past experiences with The Lab, but also said how good the food was. So, we walked over to look at the menu and possibly pick up dinner for later that evening. It was around 1:30pm, the lights were off and the door was locked. I double-checked their website, and they were supposed to be open at 11:30am. While I was on my phone, an employee came up, unlocked the door, turned on the lights and began his shift - two full hours after they were supposed to be open! WTF?! Apparently, the owners of The Lab seem to believe that their food is so epic that they can just operate their business whenever they like regardless of their posted hours. This total lack of consideration for their customers is beyond insulting. It's really too bad because the food is good, but not good enough to offset the unprofessional manner the owners are running (or in this case, not running) this place. There are way too many other great dining options available nearby that actually adhere to their posted hours to put up with this nonsense.

We got the Grinder Shaved steak tossed in A-1 steak sauce. It also comes with caramelized onions…read moreand cheese with a Smokey garlic Gorgonzola drizzle all of it baked on a ciabatta bread. Also got a plain cheese quesadilla, Mac and cheese and a burger. The grinder was amazing. So flavorful, fresh and bold. The white cheddar Mac and cheese was pretty good. I do wish my fries were a bit crunchier and not as soft but overall everything we ordered was great. The chipotle aioli on my burger was a nice added bonus of flavor. Messy, dripping with flavor just like I like the food haha. The atmosphere is fun and cute, cool inside with art for sale. And outside you can sit and check out other stores around.

This place has an amazing Salty Smash Burger. It has caramelized onions and pickles. The sweet…read morepotato fries are crispy and delicious. The servers are great! They have events here oftion like bingo, karaoke, bands, games, and new is Pokemon card Mondays haha. I don't know that's I'll be going for that but it's pretty cool they have these things. They have a little outdoor area for nice days as well as two areas inside for seating and a full bar.

First time coming to this bar and will have to say this is a hidden gem. Michaela was at the bar…read moreand she did an amazing job. She kept conversation going, was quick with the drinks and made sure we got our food order right before the kitchen closed. I came in not knowing the wings are on sale, so I opted in for the garlic Parmesan and the Nashville hot dry rub. These wings are definitely on my top 5 places to go for wings! They were full of meat, flavor and were very crispy! We also got the strawberry limeade which came with sour patch strawberries. I will definitely come back as the vibes were chill and the service was great

This place was amazing. The staff showed they cared. Roxy was amazing, she knew the drill - refills…read morewere on points, always checked on us with a smile and made us feel like a family. The food was out of this world, the chicken and waffles was amazing, it was worth the half hour out of the way to come. I think we found our new spot. Show this place some love!

I absolutely loved this place! The atmosphere alone made me feel like I was in Florida instead of…read moreConnecticut. It has such a great indoor/outdoor feel with the sliding doors, open-air setup, and that whole relaxed, warm-weather vibe. It's definitely different from the typical Connecticut farmhouse-style brunch spots. They also have a bunch of different mimosa flavors, which is honestly hard to find around here. I had to get the passion fruit, of course, and it did not disappoint! I ordered the chicken and waffles, and they were SO good. The bacon on top and their special sauce really took it to another level. It was packed, but for obvious reasons. The food, drinks, and atmosphere are definitely worth it. I'll absolutely be going back, and I definitely want to check out their Massachusetts location too!

Went there a few days ago and as you can tell from the reviews, this place is hit or miss. In our…read morecase, and for the 2nd time, it was a miss...especially when you look at their prices. The food takes FOR EVER to come out and refills on soda took around 10mins each time despite the restaurant being at roughly 40% capacity...To put it in perspective we got there at 745, ordered apps and entrees immediately and finally got our dinner at 915. We just asked for to-go boxes as soon as the plates hit the table. Surprisingly they were very efficient when it came to bringing us the bill Food is not bad, but certainly not worth what they charge. Nothing came out hot, just kinda warm...There are literally 2 other Italian restaurants on the same street within a half mile with better food and faster service.

This place is a family owned business which is something I love. I didn't eat anything but bread…read moreand dessert and omg was the dessert amazing. I will go back for that alone. The staff was so nice we wended up taking to them for a while. It was very welcoming and decorated sooooo cute!

I would give Ani's easily 6 Stars were that an option! This little place on Meriden Ave in…read moreSouthington is a real treasure...&, consequently, very popular with the locals. My choice during our Sunday noon visit was their Crepe with Berries & Cheesecake filling & Corned Beef Hash on the side. Speaking as a Corned Beef Hash fanatic, Ani's version is without peer in CT! Ani's Kitchen crew operate like a very well oiled machine. You won't regret the trip and wait...We'll be back!

This place is amazing, had the avocado toast truly a gourmet breakfasts! Super nice folks top notch…read moreservice an absolutely 10+!!!!AAA!!!

WING LOVERS... you might want to put this one on your list!…read more This time Good Eats In CT made a stop at Ideal Tavern in Southington, CT Before getting into the food, I had to give y'all a look around because I really liked the vibe in here. From the dining area to the bar, it definitely has that laid-back tavern feel where you can grab some drinks, catch a game and of course EAT! But let's get to why we're really here... THE WINGS! We went with two different flavors, and just LOOK at that sauce on those wings! Nice size, sauced up and served with the carrots and dipping sauce on the side. Sometimes you don't need anything fancy... just some good wings, a drink and a good atmosphere. Ideal Tavern | Southington, CT Have you been to Ideal Tavern before? And more importantly... what's your go-to wing flavor? Follow @GoodEatsInCT for more Connecticut food finds! #GoodEatsInCT #IdealTavern #SouthingtonCT #CTEats #CTFoodie

Popped in for a happy hour as it has been several years since I have been here. Bartender was…read moreawesome, drinks were on point. It was taco Tuesday with $3 tacos, we got four of them to try, carne asada, pork, chicken, shrimp . All really good. Guac and chips- for ne the guac could have used salt or acid but it was and easy fix by adding myself. Truffle fries, good fries, would rather an aioli as opposed to ketchup but to each their own. Arturo for dessert and a lava cake. Bothe really good. Well def be back for another happy hour

Literally my favorite restaurant in all of CT…read more i just got engaged yesterday, and me and my fiancée have been coming here for years. when i was thinking of spots for engagement dinner, i knew immediately. i always love coming in here, greeted with a super cozy vibe, and a very friendly host each time, and were served almost immediately after being seated. today, our experience was no different. we went with the meatballs and steak skewers for our appetizers, and they were a home run as per usual. for our mains, i got the grilled cheese sandwich with steak inside, cooked medium rare, with fries. my fiancée got the cobb salad with steak, and poppyseed vinaigrette. absolutely incredible as to be expected, i always get the biggest smile on my face when i bite into the food here. for dessert, we got the crème brûlée, which was a blueberry flavored version today. if i could give 6 stars, i would. this place makes me so happy. i urge everyone to come try this place!

I came in late night for a bite to eat…read more Probably won't ever be back. The food was mediocre. I asked questions and the staff couldn't verify anything. Typical bar food.

My husband and I wanted to stop for lunch & found this restaurant on Yelp close to I-84 on our way…read moreto NH. It was such a find! I had one of the nicest salads with perfectly grilled chicken and a cumin-citrus dressing. He had a terrific burger- one of the best. We couldn't eat everything, so we brought the rest with us for later. Service was great, atmosphere was nice, especially during FIFA World Cup in the air and on their TV's. Soon we were on the road again, but we now know the perfect place to stop on our next trip north!

A friend of mine and I went to Craft Kitchen for lunch on this Thursday…read more There was plenty of parking to the right of the restaurant, and the side entrance was right there. As I walked through the front doors, I noticed kegs alongside on the floor. This was kind of a turn off, kind of reminds me of a dive bar. So my mentality kicked in that we were going into a dive bar serving food. I kinda get the sketchy feeling. Once we were seated, and menus placed, we were served iced water A few minutes later, the server came back and took our order. My friend ordered a cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, and some string french fries. I ordered the 1/2 smoked chicken, which came with two sides. I chose the rattlesnake beans and the creamy macaroni and cheese. Also include included was cornbread I originally wanted the street corn, as a side, but it was not available. Our lunches came quick, and my friend only ate half the french fries and cheeseburger, as she wasn't really turned on by them. The smoked chicken was fairly dry, with a very interesting smoked flavor to it that I can't put my finger on. I eat about 1/3 of it. Left the rest on the plate. The creamy macaroni and cheese was out of bounds top-notch. I could've eaten this all day. The rattlesnake rice and beans were just OK. The rice was cooked pretty good, and was seasoned well. The beans had a weird taste. Now thinking of this side dish, I was hoping for raw onions to be on top, but they were nowhere to be found. It'll be nice if there was chopped raw onions to go with this. The cornbread was delicious. I ate about half of it. It was a generous slice. While the server was fairly attentive, as she only checked in to fill the water glasses and ask how lunch was. She didn't ask us if we wanted a desert or coffee. Being old folks this would've been a great up for us, but it didn't happen. I had to ask for the check. I'm not sure if I would come back. I think this might be a one and done. The vibe just didn't hit it for me. Restrooms were clean. The restaurant was clean; the silverware clean. I don't know. It just was like a funky type layout and those beer kegs kinda sent the wrong tone to me as a guest. Lunch for the two of us was $40 and change and I left a $10 tip. We didn't have any cocktails or mock tails, we didn't have coffee or dessert either. From what I understand, the owner was near the exit when we left, not even a smile or a thank you for coming in...

This is an old school breakfast place , with basic food and decor that hasn't been updated in a…read morewhile, but the food was good and the prices were very reasonable. Please note that this place is cash only. The only problem with my meal was that the potatoes were quite undercooked for my taste. But that won't stop us from coming back.

I lived in Southington for a couple of years now and never notice this place. I wanted some break…read moreat 6AM and this was the only place open close by. So I decided to give it a try. There is plenty of spaces to park for this diner which is great. Inside is a normal American diner. There plenty of seating. The menu is not very big but has all the basic for breakfast and lunch. The staff is friendly and nice. I do want to note that is it cash only but they have an ATM inside. The breakfast was good and they made the eggs the way I like it. And the bacon was crispy. The price is about $7 per plate which is great. Overall, I am happy to find this place and will go back.

Food was great. Service was fantastic. We were there for my birthday and George was awesome…read more We ordered the spinach dip for an appetizer and then we ordered fish tacos and shrimp scampi. Both were gluten free due to Celiac needs. We ate outside and it was beautiful with a great view. Definitely would recommend this place to others. Thank you for a great birthday treat.

When my friend invited me to lunch here, I went. Oh no! It's a chain! A few of these franchises are…read moreclosing. So I had negative feelings walking into this location in Southington on West Street Walking in, we were greeted warmly and seated immediately, at a table in front of the kitchen, where we could watch the action going on At the check-in station, the hostess immediately asked us if we had any allergies to foods, which kind of was weird. It's almost like the place was woke. So cruising the menu, I ordered the 110 Cuban sandwich$16.00. My friend ordered the cheeseburger, 17. +. Each of the sandwiches came with an order of french fries, or a choice of any other sides. I think there was maybe three or four other ones. Quickly the the lunch has arrived. I noticed that my friend's cheeseburger was well done and on the small side, just a little bit bigger than a slider. My 110 Cuban sandwich consisted of pulled pork, which was more barbecued and smoky than Cuban, and ham, which I couldn't taste, and a very overpowering cheese. I couldn't taste the pickle either. This was all served on a smaller sized what looked like Texas toast. The french fries were a very small order, and for a side it was disappointing. For the money paid for the sandwich and a side they could've upped the quantity of the french fries Both lunches were disappointing I'm gonna give this place three stars because the service was really nice. Our server was so attentive, especially with filling the water glasses, and asking if we needed anything else. So, with all this said, this place, reminds me of a cross between a Friendly's where you can view the open kitchen, and a sports bar. I'm not feeling this place to frequent after work for cocktails. There aren't enough televisions. I only saw one. The bar did look interesting though. The restaurant itself was comfortable, I liked the high tables and seating. The food is chain style and it just doesn't taste fresh. I was completely turned off with the way. My friends cheeseburger looked, all overcooked and stuff when she asked for medium rare, I don't think that was an option. I think they just cooked it full-blown well done I saw that there were some other dinner menu items priced from $25 to a little bit over $40. I would pass on these as this wouldn't be the place I would drop $100 for dinner on with a date or otherwise. I don't think I would even want this to be a business men's lunch. With so many other choices for local restaurants, I can see why a lot of these franchises are closing. This place is also on the pricy side.