5 stars for staying open since 1934. 5 stars for that great clam chowder 5 stars for having ice cold Schaefer beer (established 1842) I thought this brand vanished in the 80's I've been a few dozen times over my lifetime and the establishment hasn't changed a bit. A Time Capsule, A throwback in time. Worth checking out. My friend I met says the chili cheese onion dogs are excellent. Hummel brand Dogs. Nestled in a residential neighbourhood with a unique charm. Check them out if you're curious. Cool place, friendly service. read more

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Again a wonderful meal love the Pizza and staff is always pleasant and great service. Highly recommended visit here.

This is place is bigger inside than I thought. From the looks of the outside it looks like a corner restaurant however it has plenty of space inside for large groups to come and eat. You are greeted right when you open the door. The bar is the first thing you see. It has a homey feel to this place. Rustic and full of history. Prices for food are very inexpensive. I ordered a burger was less than five dollars. It wasn't a quarter pounder or bigger but it was still a good burger. The fries were really good I would go back and get some more food next time. They have great drink specials and I bet would be a fun place for some night time activities. read more

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Have heard the ribs are delicious and ordered them today with house barbecue sauce. It was way too spicy & tangy. I was expecting a sweet bbq sauce. The ribs were tender & moist. Service by Crystal was quick & attentive. Angel the griller of hot dogs was great & answered my questions. I used a Clipp certificate which saver some $. Nice 2 hour visit read more

The service is impeccable and the food is great!. Their prices are low, you can still get a burger of hotdog for $3.50.

Food, drinks and service great. 85 degrees outside, restaurant was warm inside. Uncomfortable temperature inside. read more

Windmill Tavern - Food, drinks and service excellent. 85 degrees outside- restaurant was warm and not comfortable inside. Will not return until the fall. - American Near Me - Stratford, Connecticut

Ordered on line, picked up and paid and left a $4.00 tip on a $16.00 order. Ordered hot roast beef sandwich,cheeseburger, fries. 3 min from mt home a woman from windmill calls. They forgot to put the cheeseburger in package. I told her by the time i got back there and then got home fries would be soggy and cold. No problem she said, they'd give me another order. I get back there and the young guy on the grill says who told you we'd give you more fries? I told him Ihad no idea but it was the one who called me to come back. Grill guy said he knew nothing about it. He didn't bother asking anyone either. Worse customer service I have gotten. read more

I'd heard about the Windmill for years from workmates, and I really thought of it only as a bar but never tried it til it was recommended recently when a friend brought his elderly mom her her birthday! We definitely were not disappointed! Super-generous portions, DELICIOUS platter with several types of sausage, sauerkraut, potato pancakes and all the fixings! The poutine was amazing, burgers huge and hot dogs outstanding! Couldn't even eat the "side salad" which was bod enough for a family and was great for lunch the next day! Why did I wait so long! Friendly and fast service and amazing food ... the Trifecta! Couldn't wish for more! read more

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Great food 4 dollar porketta and roast beef sandwiches on Saturday will definitely go back read more

Windmill Tavern - Yummm - American Near Me - Stratford, Connecticut

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Still coming here... now also recommending the potato wedges and reminding you guys about the fries. Top notch!! read more

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This was a local hangout for me since I was a kid. The hot dogs and sausages off the grill were a must-have, and a treat when my parents splurged for a lunch out. It went through a rough patch for a while, but the new owner has brought it back to it's original glory. I've been there twice in the past few weeks--amazing since it's over an hour away from where I presently live. The first time was a community event that I was invited to. Most of us were from out of the area, and everyone was excited about the hot dogs--whenever they mentioned The Windmill to someone, they were told "You have to have a hot dog!" That night, everyone had at least one, and they agreed, it was worth the trip. The second time was a lunch with my Dad. It was someplace we used to go years ago when the kitchen served mostly German food. That came off the menu many years ago, but it's now back! I had to take him, and it was a good as it was back then (I don't think the little old German lady still cooks there, though). Prices are reasonable, and the menu is extensive enough that there's something for everyone--pizza, bar food, sandwiches and burgers, and, of course, German entrees. During the week, they have Trivia, Karaoke and bands, so it's a great place for a casual night out. It was one of those times that revisiting my past wasn't a disappointment. I highly recommend The Windmill. read more

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The Windmill is a great option for active middle aged folks looking for music, dancing and decent bar food. It's nothing fancy but the staff are friendly and attentive. Don't let the exterior fool you, go inside and give it a try. read more

Terrible visit. Bartenders were rude, snapping at me for no reason, and grimy--saw one wipe hands on a filthy rag before serving. Food was okay, but the hostile, dirty vibe ruined it. Avoid this place. read more

Delicious Southwest Salad. I loved the atmosphere and the music. Service was great!!!! read more

This place dates back many years, although the owners have changed. It's always been a legend for their hotdogs. With the new owners, the menu has expanded quite a bit. They are now specializing in German food. Today I went here and tried the fish and chips. I had a discount voucher which was accepted with no problem although I think I was slighted a bit on the value of it. Anyway the food was very good and there was plenty of it. Service was also very good. parking is OK with a lot behind the building and lots of on street parking. The atmosphere is not glamorous but more of a neighborhood bar feel, still quite welcoming. If you're in the area I'd recommend it. read more

Great place. Keno and Hummel Hot Dogs. Bands on weekends. Good food and atmosphere!

Very cool place basically in the middle of a neighborhood. I really wish this place was around the corner from my house. Very casual atmosphere, excellent spot to catch all the football games. Food was really good. Simple bar foods with a nice flat top right behind the bar. I loved having a bratwurst here as well as some wings and beers. You can play Keno also! Highly recommend for a quick pit stop at the very least read more

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We recently visited for the first time. From the outside it's nothing to look at, and most might drive by, but we tried it mostly because its been around a very long time, 1934. The food was tasty, especially the red cabbage and potato pancakes. The weiner schnitzel was good, but not remarkable. Good portions though. The bratwurst dog with sauerkraut also tasty. The man working the grill (Johnny) was mostly friendly at first and our server was very personable as was another female server. They have swag for sale and I needed a new gardening tank so wanted to purchase the one on the wall but it was a small. I am 5'5" and 115 lbs but typically buy medium. Free advertising right? One of the female servers told us there might be more downstairs. Anyway, I wanted to try it on before buying to know if it could work (over my t-shirt). Johnny said "we aren't a try on before you buy place". He also said that was the last one, they didn't sell. I jokingly said, if this is the last one, some had to sell. Bottom line is, while the food I can recommend, our first trip is no doubt our last, sadly. He also stated the female owner gave them away to friends/family he thought. I was willing to buy it, would have been an extra sale, plus I would have worn it all summer providing folks an opportunity to ask us about it. So go if you want for the food, but don't sit by the grill. Johnny talked non-stop to a man named "Mike" about fishing and other things they had in common. Invited him to come back on Monday to see him. It was a strange experience. On another plus, the restaurant was clean and cute inside. We just moved here from another part of CT, might have become regulars. Shame. read more

Ordered the Windmill Sampler: pierogies, potato pancakes, and wurst platter. Sat outside on the patio and listened to the live band. Great atmosphere and service. They just put in touch less payment option, and I was the first one to use it. read more

Windmill Tavern - American Near Me - Stratford, Connecticut

This is a long time neighborhood bar and grill. I remember going there years back for there dogs and beer. A recent family gathering celebrating a niece's birthday made me wonder what it would be - as the place was truly a dive. Well no more! and so enjoyed myself as we al did. it is still a neighborhood bar. So important that they did not loose that vibe! The place was clean, very cool brick walls, glass brick and open and well lit!. Grate wait staff, live band, super beer offerings ( try the local Stratford IPA) and a good menu. Most of the party ordered the pizza's which were tasty! I went for the hot dog choices. This places was and thankfully still is all about the hot dog! I loved my sauerkraut and chili version - wish I had ordered three! Others chose three variations and progressed from "sweet" to "hot". Guess my chili version was mild!!. I need to come back on a Thursday for the famous pulled pork. Good place - will be back!! read more

If you want the down to earth experience with a little Keeno? Festive St. Pats decorations, great hot dogs and yummy burgers! Sizable basket of fries! Get a side of mayo as a side! Friendly staff. Press your luck on CT Keeno. I love the multiplier! read more

This place has amazing food. The had initially not received our online order do to computer issues but the young grill cook apologized and the woman bartender explained. We will call in our order next time. read more

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i have been going to the Windmill my whole life/ generations of family and friends. the Windmill is my childhood memories/ my young adult go out have fun memories/ stop by and get a dog from the Windmill/.. Had to have it / the experience. A GO TO forever. it was life long tradition. Dogs / Birch beer /pitchers of beer. i went there after a few years Sunday /excited to go with a few of the old crew. Never .. never will i go back. extremely disappointed the hot dog was barely cooked w the chilly running all down the sides of the bun.. what a mess to eat. Terrible ordered from the menu a Kielbasa on Rye sandwich thinking it would be a cut from a RING of Kielbasa with kraut and mustard on rye. a typical Kielbasa sandwich you would get frm any other place and used to be able to get from the Windmill / Kielbasa/all the Bratwurst , this thing they pulled out from a plastic hot dog looking package~it was this little thin hot dog looking link they they took out and put it on the grill. AGAIN .. . not cooked . Gave it back to them. Refused it it was absolutly terrible. Not a Kielbasa sandwich. Ordered potato pancakes / they were frozen round rings that look like / not sure. But terrible . The waitress behind the bar was uninterested in us/ or our disappointment and was actually rude. The gentleman cooking on the grill was clueless as to how to run the traditional grill that made the Windmill a legend! Terrible! I will never go back.. and I'm sad my life long tradition is ruined / but i will never go back! it was a disappointing and a terrible experience. Food was not the Windmill . it was terrible read more

Not cool at all. So..how's the food? Well..do not know..we never got a chance to eat it. So many places offer delivery through various apps and this place seemed to be one of them. We were excited! The menu looked great and we have ordered through this service before although not from Windmill. So we placed a big BIG order. Then..We waited..and waited.. Imagine our surprise when the delivery company calls us 60-90 minutes later to tell us the driver is there but Windmill will not release the food. Not cool. Windmill of coarse tried to blame the company. They said they were not members and did not offer food through this service. OK. Here's the thing..Windmill they accepted the order and cooked it..it came directly from this service. By cooking it, they made clear they were in fact a member..why else would they prepare the order? Somehow between the time we ordered and the time the driver went to pick it up they became non members..sound right to you? I called Windmill directly. I spoke to two people when calling them. One of them either lied to me or did not know what they were talking about. They said they were not members of this delivery service, driver had left awhile back, after only being there a very short time. The driver was in fact still there in the parking lot and the delivery company was pleading with them to release the food. The attitude of the first woman was frankly one of who gives a hoot. Second person was nicer. But she said the manager was denying he used this service. The delivery company told us this has never happened with another eatery in the area ever. For the record..mistakes happen. We get that. But this was a pretty big one and the unfriendly attitude did not gel either. Also, why prepare the order for a delivery company and then not release it? I mean the whole thing seems to me anyway extremely unprofessional and easily avoidable. Why not just refuse to MAKE the order? We then would have known immediately after placing it, order would have been cancelled and we could have gone somewhere else. Why MAKE it and then not release it? Even if a mistake was made..maybe the company used to use the service? Although delivery company claims to have an active contract with them so who knows. They should have released the food anyway. I mean..it was supposedly prepared and it is not our fault that they screwed up. If they had even apologized or offered some insight into what exactly was going on..offered any explanation... I most likely would not be writing this review. As I said, things happen. But they did not. Be careful people. This is not exactly seeming like a high quality honest place to me although I am sure they would be blaming everyone but themselves. read more

Lov the food & have been going for years. I went last week at lunch time.... The bartender was counting change...the other two servers were talking to each other... I sat at the bar waiting until she finial acknowledged me. She bought me a drink. I had to ask for a menu..i had to ask for a fork & knife, i had to ask for ketchup, i had to ask for salt & pepper. I had to ask for a napkin... she did not write my order down & had to ask what i ordered a second time..it was truly painfully. read more

Need to work on food saftey. Watching the cook at the bar grill cooking hot dogs/hamburgers. No gloves, no hand washing or hand washing station. While cooking he is eating a full plate of food /nachos and other items. The entire time eating with his fingers, licking his fingers etc then going back to touching food being cooked/served, again no gloves or any attempt of hand washing. Gross. read more

god forbid the bartender with an empty bar should turn around to acknowledge you from three feet away while you stand there for several minutes. shame on her. read more

Live music is always decent. The dogs are some of the best in town. I recommend you try the Kuhn's chili if you like a little spice in your life. Fries are OK. Good parking. Tends to be a bit rowdy but it is a bar. I have been planning on going back for a while just haven't got around to it. I could eat 6 of their dogs if I wanted to. I'm not going to try and stretch this out longer than it needs to be. But I really dig this place have since I was 10 years old. You should definitely try it. I don't know it they have long dogs here yet but you should give this place a chance. Trust me. read more

We were regulars here for years when we lived nearby. The place has been spiffed up a bit. They still have the delicious hot dogs on the menu and some of the old German dishes (Sauerbraten, Schnitzel, etc) that we came for. They added salads, pizza and a lot more. It's a friendly, VERY neighborhood type place (you won't stumble into it unless you are looking for it). Live music on weekends. I just wish it was closer to home. read more

Windmill Tavern - Hot dogs - terrific! - American Near Me - Stratford, Connecticut

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Love the Windmill. They have the best Chili dogs in town. The service is always good and the prices are great!

I love this place because of the characters you find here. The decor which hasn't changed in decades I'm sure adds to the charm of it. read more

Windmill Tavern - American Near Me - Stratford, Connecticut

The oldest tavern in the country (est.1934) has great food, funky layout, and tasty beers on tap (Local fav Two Roads and more). Out with a medium sized group celebrating a close friends Birthday The Windmill was the local pick on a Wednesday night (Karaoke Night). The service was on point and the food was fresh and absolutely delicious. Few orders from the team -Buffalo Chicken Pizza - Steak and Cheese - Rueben - Oh and a few dogs... Duh! In the area? Stop in for good food, great service, hops, and chill with the laid back locals. read more

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Horrible service tonight, sever spilled an entire glass of beer on my wife's back. Just a sorry!! Not only was her shirt drenched but her purse and jacket got wet as well. Didn't really want to make a stink so we waited for the bill and no discount. Not even the beer she spilled. Then I order a jack and coke and it was all coke what are they trying to do! So I gave it back and they replaced it. A little better.. so the bill comes and no compensation at all. So sorry No Tip! I hope the manager see this and corrects the situation. read more

My only issue is that I came here to damce with my friends on a halloween celebration evening. There was ONE bathroom and I mean ONE stall. Shameless was playing. I'm not sure they should book bands as popular as Shameless (my fave cover band). The wait for the ONE bathroom was a half hour at BEST. Some people said they waited 40 min to go to the BATHROOM. UNACCEPTABLE!!!! read more

Currently sitting in the Windmill because they advertise, "Football at the Windmill, the place to catch ALL the games." And the manager with his tight form fitting little man ego shirt refused to change the channel on ONE of their 10 different TVS, because the tvs are set up to MIRROR the room that no one is sitting in, so if they change one tv it changes in the other, how stupid is that? How can you run your business when you're advertising to watch all games and you have all 10 set up to watch ONE GAME. Don't spend football Sunday here that's for sure , never again. read more

Windmill Tavern - Not so much... - American Near Me - Stratford, Connecticut

What a diamond out here. We had quick at trek to get out there, but it was well worth it. We had a bevvy of items- between the sampler plate with the pieroges and latkes, the not-poutine (they use goat cheese) and hot dog, it was hands down some of the best bar food I've had in a long time. The place is super spacious, even on a busy night like Saturday it felt there was enough space to move around and talk. The staff were really great and attentive, and you could tell the rapport they had with their locals. It felt very homey the whole time we were there. read more

I totally get that others don't think this is the perfect place, but part of the charm is in its faults. It is and has been since I was a child, a staple. Sure its no Merit Canteen or Tomilson's, or Duchess, but it doesn't have to be. For the price and for the selection, you just can't beat it. read more

The Windmill is getting the full 5 because this is where it all started for me. The hot dogs, chiliburgers, the Brats, and that menu of old timey German specialties had me going back there again and again when I was a kid. And of course, growing up a block away, when I finally hit 21....this was both the first and last stop of the night. This place isn't for everyone. It's in the tradition of old neighborhood bar that most people would call old man bars. It just sits there on the corner of Hollister and Thompson on the edge of the Hollister Heights neighborhood. The Windmill hasn't changed at all in terms of decor since long before anyone I know was born. And that's what I like about it. Used to be a time, when the lines for the grill would form out the door and around the corner ala the Soup Nazi. But that was when John L. was behind the grill and the late World's Ugliest Bartender, Ted, was still pouring the Gennee behind the bar for 60 cents a pull. But, since then a bunch of bullshit has made the once world famous dog merely average. Miller's Provisions, who provided the meats and t he best dogs anywhere, shuddered their doors about 6 or so years ago. And more recently, but no less tragic....French's bakery closed. I mean haven't you guys noticed Duchess's sandwiches aren't as good since they've changed the bread. The Windmill is a good place to go if you're looking to enter the WayBack machine. Pickled eggs behind the bar, jerky in a jar, smallish pool table, and booths along the wall. Go there for the quality cheap restaurant eats. Go there for a quick cheap beer. Go there for the occasional Country/Western or hard rock band playing in the back room. And go there for the fine, albeit no nonsense, people you'll find there. read more

My friend just moved down the street from this place, so we decided to try it out one night. Upon first impression, it looks and feels like your typical "neighborhood" dive bar/grill, but its so much more than that! My favorite parts about it: 1.Free pizza is offered during happy hour... (Seriously who doesn't love FREE pizza?!?) 2.The salads are HUGE. They're all served in a ridiculously large bowl, easily enough to feed 2 hungry guests, for only $10. 3. The $4 Patty Melt 4. Gigantic menu with a variety of extremely reasonably priced options 5. Fast, friendly service 6. The atmosphere = super chill. There were a lot of "regulars" who also lived nearby, and everybody just seemed so happy. I almost feel like this place should have a special motto, i.e. "The Windmill: where all friends meet" or something... ......is that weird?? Anyway, I would highly recommend this place! Especially if you're looking for some great, yet inexpensive American food! read more

The Windmill has always been a hidden gem: an "old man's" bar in a residential neighborhood, serving inexpensive lunch and dinners but mostly known for the outstanding hot dogs. Under new ownership, the menu has changed a little. They're still serving CT's famous Hummel hot dogs and they feature Fairfield's famous Kuhn's chili. The regulars balked, however, and they now offer Rudy's famous chili as well. The grill guys need a few more lessons in how to present a Rudy's dog, though. Although a Windmill "works" dog comes loaded with mustard, kraut, chili and onions, it was served neatly. The ones we got on a recent Friday were a sloppy mess (but delicious!). The nightly specials include such homestyle favorites as stuffed cabbage and meatloaf. Didn't try the pizza yet, but we saw some, personal sized and thin-crusted, and they looked great. The bar room booths are gone, with hightops in their place. The pool tables are gone as well, but the big room is mostly the same and there is entertainment on weekends. For years we have heard that the Windmill will be closing. What a relief that it seems to be thriving under new ownership, and will be around for years to come!! read more