Willibrew has been a staple for more than 25 years, and that history is honestly the only thing keeping this from being a much lower rating. There's a lot of nostalgia tied to this place, but the experience today feels like a shadow of what it used to be. The quality has dropped drastically. Service was, frankly, atrocious--slow, disengaged, and bordering on indifferent. The beer selection is still decent, but it doesn't matter much when every pour arrives tasting off. Whether it's bad kegs or hot glasses, the result is the same: lukewarm, skunky beer that's hard to enjoy. Food was another disappointment. Every item came out cold, and the flavors were on par with grade‑D fast food--bland, lifeless, and nowhere near the standard this place once had. Giving three stars feels generous, but it's a nod to the legacy Willibrew built over the decades. I truly hope they find their footing again, because right now, the nostalgia is doing all the heavy lifting. Ummmmm cheers I guess read more

Maybe the beer is so good it warrants the huge space it occupies. The review below is baffling to me based on the love this place gets on Yelp and other review sites. The atmosphere and service were terrific. Expansive place in an old bank. Quirky, charming, and fun all at the same time. Loved the vibe - added to the excitement of having lunch. Server was terrific. The food: IF we ever go back I/we will get apps for the table only. Wide variety of options - all fairly good. They do no harm. Think airport or mid-level hotel restaurant. Appetizer portions (especially the nachos) gigantic. Clearly it's for the wow factor to distract diners from the 100% food service supplier, heat and eat options. Even all sauces and dressings come in the 2oz /4oz soufflé cup with the LID STILL ON. like we are literally in the airport. Wings to start along with nachos with shredded beef. The only wing sauce (we tried 4) that tasted like anything was their "Oy-Vey" which is hotter than their bottled, ready to serve buffalo. The buffalo, bbq, and dry rub jerk were tasteless, as was the blue cheese. The wings were medium size. Not the jumbo party wings that come in the 40lbs box. Nachos were ok. Good portion of cheese and meat. But the thimble of sour cream and tasteless pour from the bottle salsa were embarrassing But... if we were drinking and enjoying friends ... it would have been fine to soak up the microbrews, I suppose. Sandwiches were disastrous. One had the friend catfish sandwich, one the spicy shrimp wrap, and I had the farmers wrap/add blackened chicken. Portion sparse. Fries and/or onion rings mid-grade coated/cover the plate type. And I added coleslaw (maybe my favorite food on the planet) at our server's suggestion...the dry, tasteless cabbage set coleslaw back 50 years. KFC slaw is miles better (and I hate that). What ruined it was all sandwiches had the same "funk" to them. Each member of our table tried to identify in their own order, and sharing some of each others, what it was. The common denominator was the funky/carbon/dirty grease taste and smell that came from their grill (all wraps and sandwich bread/roll/wrap) was heated on it. It clearly was filthy. Taste permeated everything. They don't create/chef here. It's food service supplier "speed scratch" which is assembled in the kitchen. I know staffing is hard. I know no one wants to work (they do, however, want to get paid), but really really really disappointed based on reviews and menu. Best part, I asked for a small cup of oy-vey sauce as my tasteless wrap was so dry. Server said that she'd be happy to. But it would be $4 from the kitchen. Ummm... hard pass. Again, maybe phenomenal if you're a college student at East Conn. but if you're not drinking the food simply does not stand up on its own. Worst $178 with tip (with no alcohol) I have ever spent. read more

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We came together here to remember a special lady who was a blessing. This place offered a place to share our memories experience comfort among family and friends with good food great surroundings and wonderful people thank you read more

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Originally built in 1910 as a post office, you can get a glimpse of antique PO boxes and other vintage touches that are now part of the décor, alongside large lily pads and frogs that pay homage to the famous Frog Bridge down the street. Aside from the stately nature of the building, it gives me a bit of a college hangout vibe. The walls are lined with photos of people who have visited and celebrated here over the years. The food was okay, and the service was friendly. They offer a very wide variety of beer--both local and imported. The DO have a veggie burger and a "chik'in" patty option. I'd say it's worth stopping in to take in the charm of the building, but maybe skip it if you're looking for a gourmet meal. read more

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Huge portions and fast service. The beer selection is extensive and there's always something new rotating on tap. Nice the restaurant and bar kept the same vibe of the old post office. read more

Willimantic Brewing Company - Chicken Nachos - Breweries Near Me - Willimantic, Connecticut

This restaurant and pub brewery is located in a large, historic, 1909 U.S. Post Office building. I love when old buildings are reclaimed and reused. The building was grand and made of limestone and granite. The pub is where the customer lobby was, the large dining area was the post office work room, and the Postmaster's office is used as a private dining room. There were plenty of parking in the back too. It's across from the Town Hall and is wheelchair accessible. We came here for an early dinner. I entered through the pub which is not the main entrance. There were two employees standing there but didn't acknowledge me; they just kept conversing with each other, the guy made eye contact but he didn't greet me, weird and rude. Anyhow, I flagged down a server (it was 5 minutes of waiting at this point) and they were super nice and told me the hostess is at the back entrance. There is a handicap accessible ramp at the back entrance. The hostesses and waiter were very nice and prompt. I love the decor and the high ceilings. The old remnants of the post office was evident. The place was packed but we were seated quickly. There are high chairs and a kids menu. Since it's St. Patrick's Day weekend, there were plenty of specials. We got our kids Mac and cheese. I got an espresso martini to start and a Shepherd's pie. I finished off with an Irish coffee. The drinks were great! The food was also good. My husband raved about his burger. Aside from the initial first impression of the place, our experience turned around for the better, overall. I would definitely dine in again but maybe train the bar staff with some more customer service etiquette. read more

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Food: 8/10- great flavor, made fresh. The garlic mash was basic and did not have a creamy texture and lacked the garlic taste. The rest of the food was everything I expected. The wings and the mousse (beyond expectations)!! MUAH- chef's kiss! The mussels were good but need a bit of something. Service: I had my food for pick-up. I did not eat-in so I can't offer a true review. HOWEVER. The host/greeters were polite. They greeted me upon eye contact and kept warm smiles on their face the entire time. When my food bag was handed to me. I was met with a fare well greeting and a thank you. 10/10 for my service experience, although brief. Ambiance: Vibrant. When you walk in you hear pleasant chattering and the sound of honest conversation and genuine joy. Price: 8.5/10. Fair prices. read more

Willimantic Brewing Company - Bang Bang Shrimp,Beef Broth Mussels,Korean Chili, char-grilled wings,Bavarian Pretzel, Garlic Mash Potatoes,Chocolate Mousse - Breweries Near Me - Willimantic, Connecticut

Beautiful place. Eclectic decor. Very friendly service happy to make suggestions. Food was great. We got wings, nachos and a kids Mac and cheese for my son. Tried a few beers (huge selection) would definitely go back ! read more

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Ended up at Wilibrew after our plans in southeast CT went awry and we turned to Yelp to find a brewpub to drown our sorrows. It ended up being just what we needed to recover. Parking was tight but we found a spot on the main road. I don't spend much time in this part of CT, but I'd imagine that this place is fairly unique for the area since it's unique in general. Keeping some of the old post office charm was a really great idea. I've been in many converted restaurants and I always appreciate the homage to the OG establishment. The craft beer menu was expansive and thankfully had many local brews and not just a bunch of national macros. In fact, there were so many different local brews that I forgot to try something that they actually brew in house. I guess that gives me a reason to go back! Service was prompt and efficient. The hostess even offered us the opportunity to sit at the bar before waiting for a table. The food was as good as any brewpub I've been to. Of course we had the nachos since it's what was recommended on Yelp. Glad we got the small order as the full would have been way too much for just the two of us and we wanted to save room to try some food as well. They had a nice ratio of toppings and were layered. Nothing worse than places that just plop stuff on top and the bottom of the plate is just dry chips. The burger was average and the fries weren't the style I love but were cooked perfectly. Overall, there's a reason why this place is packed almost all the time. If you're in the area I'd say it's definitely worth a visit. read more

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Great place for a Great beer, everything wings, poke, and macncheeesessss. The Bartender and Wait staff were in sync and the quiet dinner energy was wonderful to charge Us up for a strong start to our Monday Run toooi Life. The Resturant is so Cool an Old Beautiful Post Office to a Clean Cool Brewery and Meeting Place. No Pictures we ate everything and took home lunch. Thank you for all your Hard Work! read more

Food was nice Service was great and atmosphere was very friendly. I really think everyone should try it read more

I came in recently with a large group, and the staff was very accommodating. They were able to reserve a large table for us and were ready for our arrival. There is a small lot for parking, but it was a busy evening and we did have to utilize street parking as well. All of the food we ordered was very good. Lots of great drinks and specials to choose from, and the regular menu had something for everyone. My only piece of feedback is that when asked if the restaurant preferred one bill or if split bills were OK, we were told either was fine, which was great, except that splitting the bills took a lot of time and several iterations to get it right. I wish our server had mentioned something beforehand or just let us know we should pay on one tab which we would have been happy to do. Would definitely come back to try more of the menu! read more

Willimantic Brewing Company - Nachos and Brussel sprouts - Breweries Near Me - Willimantic, Connecticut

Always searching for CT's finest Nacho's. Gluten free is a box that has to be checked off on the search. Willibrew always comes out on top with their spin on natcho's. Enormous serving and it doesn't disappoint. Holding top honors for years. Happened to be in the neighborhood around lunchtime a few days ago. Excellent meal in itself, awesome atmosphere and an amazing piece of history in architecture. Willibrew always delivers read more

Willimantic Brewing Company - Natcho's - Breweries Near Me - Willimantic, Connecticut

After managing to grab a last minute reservation early on a Friday night, we enjoyed a skilled waitstaff and exceptional food. This was our first time visiting "Willibrew" and we were impressed with the architecture and ambiance. We started with one of their stouts and a local ginger ale. Both were great. Appetizer of oysters came next and we opted for the baked Rockefeller version. Delicious! My husband ordered the Vodka Rose pasta and added chicken. I had the Crab Cake Sandwich-loaded with crab. Neither disappointed. We finished our dinner off with their house made chocolate mousse and a mint flavored crème brûlée. We were so stuffed that we brought home 1/2 of the desserts. We will definitely be back and bring friends and family. read more

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We haven't been to a new brewery in a long time and my hairdresser recommended this place to me recently so we took the drive to visit (45 minute drive) and it was certainly worth the drive! We arrived on a Sunday shortly after noon and the place was BUSY! The parking lot was full so we had to park up the street and walk there. We were seated right away and the place is huge with really high ceilings (it used to be a post office in a previous life). Our server brought the menus and my husband was in awe of the beer selection!! He doesn't often get flights because there isn't enough selection that he's interested in trying, but there was plenty to pick from here! I quickly ordered the pretzel sticks with beer cheese to give our stomach some food before we started drinking while he decided on his flight selections. Our pretzels were delicious and he loved his selection of beers in his flight. I ordered some fruity drink that was delicious too. For our meals we decided to split a Rueben and Mac and cheese...they were both delicious! Our server was great and we'll definitely make a point of coming back occasionally (more often if it wasn't a 45 minute drive!!). read more

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I've been wanting to visit Willimantic brewing company for a while and finally made a trip, but unfortunately it fell short of what I was expecting. The ambiance is interesting but I personally found the decor a little tacky and I felt like it didn't do justice to the awesome building it's in. My main gripe, however, was with the menu. I found it egregious that the burger costs $18 with $1 per topping, with lettuce and tomato included as a topping that requires purchase. The burger was pretty dry and we asked for a side of mustard only to receive the tiniest serving. Overall I just didn't think the food was good enough to justify the prices. read more

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Chill vibe in this spacious former post office which still has some of the original PO Boxes! Service was prompt. We had a flight of beers at the bar and ended up taking home some cans. read more

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First timer at WilliBrew! Loved the atmosphere and relaxed vibe of this former 1909 post office. The food was better than expected and not your standard pub grub. Started with pulled pork First Class Nachos which were loaded with jalapeños (and not in a good way). Next time we'll request a lighter hand. Pulled pork was on the side, for some reason, and barely warm. Strange. Moved on to an epic bowl of Morris Mac and Cheese, so huge that my son could barely put a dent in it. I opted for the Teriyaki Beef Skewers and 'mealified' it to include roasted garlic mashed potatoes and wilted spinach. To be fair, the spinach wasn't particularly wilted and included the stems, but I still managed to polish off the entire thing. Washed everything down with a couple of brews and walked out about $100 lighter after tip. But the service was really good and I would definitely return. read more

Willimantic Brewing Company - Teriyaki beef skewers with mashed potatoes and spinach, nachos with a very generous helping of jalapeños, mac & cheese with grilled chicken - Breweries Near Me - Willimantic, Connecticut

The French Dip was decent, but the onion rings could be better, as well as the barbecue sauce and the other sauce they gave me. The Onion Ale soup was not too bad though. I enjoy it a lot more than regular French Onion soup. It was cheesy. The service was good, and the atmosphere was alright. read more

Willimantic Brewing Company - French Dip and Onion Rings - Breweries Near Me - Willimantic, Connecticut

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Sorry for the long rant We went on Saturday. We got there at 3:40. We were seated and our orders were taken. The food took a really long time to come out. We were ok with that since we were busy chatting. When the food did come out it was very good. Although we had a Caesar salad and there was no dressing on it. It took quite a while to get a server to get us the dressing. She went assumingly to get it and came back out a while later with the dressing on a cup and a tray of food for another table. She didn't bring the dressing. A while later we flagged her down and asked for the dressing. She said "oh ya, a did go and get it." But she didn't deliver it to our table! She did finally bring it by the time we were finished eating the other food. Then age brought the bill and sure enough, we were charged for the dressing! I was so aggravated by that point that we paid the bill and didn't bother to waste more time trying to flag her down to fix it. All in all we were there over 2 hours leaving at 5:50. I feel like that is way too long for what we got. The food was pretty good. read more

The buffalo wings are absolutely amazing. I had crabcakes. I found one or two bones in there, but other than that, it was very good service was OK. The ambience was pretty quiet and peaceful. read more

There is wide variety of wing flavors. The flatbreads are yummy. Their beer selection is expansive. Their adult cocktails are fun! My go to are the wraps and garlic fries. read more

Came here on a Friday. I'd recommend reservations. We didn't have any so it was a 30 minute wait. We were a party of three. One of us got the fish and chips, Mac and cheese and the crème brûlée, our other friend wasn't too hungry just had some loaded mashed potatoes. I went for the crab cake sandwich mashed potatoes and a side of Mac and cheese. Loved my crab cake sandwich. Generous portion and well seasoned. Mashed potatoes were also very good. The Mac and cheese though was a little off very rich and butter was at the forefront in terms of flavor. Used a lot of pepper and then was a bit better but wouldn't recommend. The crème brûlée my friend ordered though was heaven. Nice portion and well made. Our servers were friendly and efficient. We felt very well taken care of. My friend also loved her black cherry cider. I'd go back if I'm ever in the area again. read more

The "Willibrew" as the locals call it ... is an award wining restaurant/brewery in the quiet northeast corner of CT is considered a living landmark of the town. I love coming here mainly coz of the drive though the country roads ... something about it is so therapeutic helps clear my mind. Has a historic facade ...the interior is cool and bustling with diversity. The enormous display of draft handles...is another nice feature. The menu serves classic pub appetizers.They are very generous with their servings ... I almost made 2 meals of what I took home. Service was excellent... the bartender was super friendly and chatty ..... made the experience enjoyable. read more

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It pains me to write this because I've been going to WilliBrew since the early 2000s, but the food and service has taken a significant notch backwards. Like everywhere, meal prices are up. But quality is sadly down. And be prepared to wait: I ordered takeout back in May and was quoted 20-25 minutes on the phone; it was an hour and twenty-five minute wait and the food was lukewarm when they brought to me. My wife ended up cooking a meal for our little one because it was approaching bedtime by the time I walked in the door with it. I expressed my disappointment with the manager and he took my name, phone number and email address and promised a gift card -- something that hadn't asked for -- but they never followed through. I'm not saying I will never go back, but it's been six weeks and I'm not in the mood to hurry back. It's a shame. read more

Awesome atmosphere and great themed former post office building. The nachos are excellent but be prepared to bring some home unless you have several people eating them. The pulled pork flatbread is a must. I also love the build your own burger with the beer-b-que sauce. Always a huge selection of beer and amazing beers to choose from. You can tell it is a great place when you see the same employees working there for many years. It says a lot about management and owners. read more

Willimantic Brewing Company - Pulled pork flatbread - Breweries Near Me - Willimantic, Connecticut

We've come here for years and it's typically at least a 4 star experience. The food and service are reliably good to great, and the ambiance - at leastin the bar - is fun. (And I could swear I wrote a review saying as much years ago but I'm no longer seeing it here. Hmm.) That said, during our latest visit this past week, I was charged an extra $1 for "a little extra dressing" on my Reuben sandwich - which barely had any on it, as well as $1.50 extra for "a little honey mustard sauce" for my fries. 1 - don't charge me for dressing or dipping sauce. (Especially when we're ordering regular entrees and beers. It's not like we ordered 2 waters and split a small salad.) 2 - if you feel you absolutely must charge me for sauce, tell me you'll be charging me for sauce. Odds are good I'll say nevermind. I probably would have over-tipped our great waitress that same $2.50. Instead, that money went to the owner. For dipping sauce. read more

Normie the new places when I order something it's usually doesn't work out for me, but I was surprised with this place. The dish I got was very good. It was like a stuffed chicken or something like that came with mashed potatoes asparagus some crispy stuffing, which was really good and a White sauce over it. My husband ordered the wings and he loved them. We will be back!!! read more

Willibrew has the feeling of a local pub and family restaurant at the same time. The food is timeless. The cocktails are delicious. I like that you can get any martini as a cocktail. Meaning that you get the martini ingredients over ice with a splash of seltzer. If martinis are too strong for you this a perfect balance. It's nice to see the same friendly faces every time I walk in. The owner Dave, and his wife Kim are also pillars of the community and you can expect to see them at local events read more

Large portions friendly staff, delicious! It can take a bit to get your food but it's worth the wait.

Place is always a go two place...can be a little pricey but what isn't now days? Food is good, brew is plenty. Place is hopping. Parking is not the best. read more

Food and service are outstanding. Love the ambiance of the old post office. It is our go to place for lunch and after work drinks.

Willimantic Brewing Company is a craft brewpub that opened in Willimantic, Connecticut in February 1997. It was founded by husband and wife David and Cindy Wollner. David first began homebrewing in 1980 when he was a student at the University of Connecticut. As his love for the hobby grew, he began to attend many Brewers Association Craft Brewers Conferences. The roots of Willibrew actually begin in April 1991 when David and Cindy opened the Main Street Café inside the old Capital Theatre building at 900 Main Street in Willimantic. The small deli occupied the lobby and concession area of the theatre. Three years later, they moved down the street to 877 Main Street: another historic building but with more space. It was here that they expanded to a full service restaurant that served American craft beer on tap. David soon thought about brewing his own beer for customers. The Wollners were able to acquire a circa 1912 post office building at 967 Main Street that had been vacant since 1967. After an extensive renovation and the installation of a brew system, the doors opened in 1997 and Willibrew was officially born! As of this writing, they are the oldest still-operating brewery in Connecticut. I have visited Willibrew numerous times over the years. It is very close to two rail trails that run through Willimantic, so I usually stop by for some good food and beer while I'm cycling through town. I love how they preserved a lot of the original post office architecture to pay tribute to the building's history. There's also a lot of post office memorabilia as well as frog memorabilia (a nod to Windham's 'Battle of the Frogs'). On my most recent cycling trek through the area, I stopped at Willibrew for lunch. I looked at the daily specials menu and decided to order a "Muffuletta Sandwich" (ham, salami, prosciutto, capicola, provolone, olive tapenade on toasted brewer's bread) with Fries. Willibrew's take on the New Orleans classic staple was out of this world! To wash everything down, I ordered a sampler flight which consisted of "Crystal Nugget" (Unfiltered IPA), "Our Beer, Our Choice" (Black IPA), Willi Whammer (Barleywine) [2021 and 2023 vintages], and "Triple Whammy" (Blended & Aged Cherry Barleywine). I enjoyed all of them, but the last two were my favorites. It's always a great time at Willibrew! read more

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Came here after a UConn game and got seated really quickly. We ordered the nachos and they were the best we've ever had!! Every chip has cheese and a topping, it was so delicious. I also got the chicken Caesar wrap and it was amazing. Our server Avery was very friendly, attentive and helpful!! Can't wait to come back! read more

We had dinner with some friends last week after the protest, and ordered a calamari, with other entree's and drinks. the calamari was served with a white sauce, but my husband asked for a red marinara sauce, which is normally what calamari would be served with, and a small cup, that wouldn't hold anything more than a 1/4 cup of sauce was brought to the table. And there was a $4.00 charge on the bill for this small amount of sauce!!! Just curious , is this a tariff charge? I would think the waitress should have said, to order marinara would include an additional charge? read more

How small can an establishment go? Well we dined there Saturday and had a tab of $140 which included an order of calamari. The nickel and dimers who run this place charged us $4 after we asked for red sauce for the calamari.....how small!?!? read more

Willimantic Brewing Company quickly became one of my favorite spots in Willimantic! I love the history of the building and how much character there is here. The chef has a really creative menu, and we loved everything we ate that day. They had some nice seasonal specials, like a comforting beef stew. We went around St. Patrick's Day, so they had a shamrock crème brûlée on the menu that was great! My fiancé really enjoyed the beer too. We will definitely be seeking out another trip to Willibrew when we're in the area next. read more

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Nachos,nachos,nachos,nachos,nachos Seriously the best portion,quality, toppings I've ever had in any nacho dish. I promise you won't be disappointed. The service is great too read more

Beer selection is awesome food is great and portions are hearty...prices are reasonable and the staff are great. Good place for convo and a date night locals college crowd gets busy on the weekends highly recommend read more

Five stars for : NACHOS! If you go to willibrew you have to try the nachos. My personal favorite is add blackened chicken on. They know how to make nachos how people want them--with the cheese and ingredients layered! They can be shared by at least 3 people. My partner and I shared it as our dinner last night and we still had a lot leftover to take home. Another favorite of mine are their French fries ordered with Cajun flavor. Haven't really had much else lately since we didn't go there often during Covid. Also pictured is their drink special the Winterberry! It was served on tap which was fun. Though I will say the menu said $7 and we were charged $8. The bartender was busy (we sat at the bar) so we just let it go. But hopefully they'll fix that for the next drink special. And as always, the beer selection is awesome. read more

Willimantic Brewing Company - Drink special: winterberry - Breweries Near Me - Willimantic, Connecticut

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